Bleacher Report - Articles by Christian Karcole

Philadelphia Phillies Sign Placido Polanco, Fill Hole at Third Base

Christian Karcole — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:32:17 -0500

From 2002 to 2005, Placido Polanco was a consistent, dependable second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. When Chase Utley burst onto the scene, Polanco was regulated to splitting time at third base.

Now the 34-year-old is returning to Philadelphia, this time as the starting third baseman. The Phillies and Polanco have agreed to a three-year, $18 million contract. A mutual option for a fourth year is also included as well as $450,000 available in award incentives.

After Pedro Feliz's option was declined earlier in the offseason, the National League champions were rumored to be interested in Adrian Beltre, Chone Figgins, Mark DeRosa and Polanco. When the Detroit Tigers declined to offer Polanco arbitration, the Phillies zeroed in on their man.

The familiarity with the organization and the dependability were key in the decision to sign the two-time Gold Glove winner.

Just as in 2008, when Phillies' fans were hoping to see the signing of a notorious left fielder to replace the departing Pat Burrell, many expected and preferred that Figgins, Beltre or DeRosa be signed. And just as he did last offseason, Ruben Amaro Jr. has taken the less popular route with Polanco.

That is not to say this is a poor decision.

Polanco has hit for a career .303 average and has yet to strike out more than 50 times in one season. He won a Silver Slugger in 2007 with the Tigers, was named the 2006 ALCS MVP and was named to the 2007 All-Star team.

He is likely the most affordable option at third base, leaving the team with more money available to bring in help to the rotation and the bullpen.

The bottom line is that Polanco is a step up from Feliz, is familiar with the organization, is consistent and dependable and came in for a cheap price.

This is merely the beginning of what is expected to be yet another interesting offseason in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Phillies Fans: Don't Worry About a Thing

Christian Karcole — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:00:55 -0400

It took 162 games, a full season, for the Philadelphia Phillies to steal the National League East from the New York Mets in 2007. The next year, it took 161 games to do the same.

So when the Phils won the division for the third consecutive year after only 158 games this season, the city was left with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs.

For a city that has witnessed as many excruciating defeats as it has, meaningless games are never good in keeping its fans calm.

When Andy Tracy, Miguel Cairo, Ben Francisco, and Paul Bako become the usual faces in your lineup, winning isn't exactly expected of you. But nevertheless, Phillies' fans don't necessarily feel confident about their team's chances heading into the postseason.

Granted, neither the rotation nor the bullpen has been stellar, and the offense has been far from what it should be. But none of that matters come Wednesday.

For a team that has known it would be participating in the postseason for weeks now, all they had to play for was to make it official. Once it was, the playoffs couldn't come fast enough, for the players and the fans.

But now that it has, the results of this past week of Phillies baseball is meaningless. The rest of Philadelphia just needs to realize that.

Some fans have begun to question whether this team really wants to win, and others simply don't think they have what it takes.

All of this is the result of too much thinking.

There's no denying the fact that Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee have been inconsistent of late; neither has Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, and Pedro Martinez.

But it's difficult to get up for games that mean almost nothing, which is what they have had to attempt to do in their last few starts.

Two weeks ago, things were different. Everything was clicking on all cylinders.

Yet, when the magic number began to creep under five, it was no longer a matter of if the Phillies would clinch, but when. Eventually, after a week of sluggish baseball, the Phils could call the division championship their's.

One could also argue that the bullpen is riddled with uncertainty. But, when you look at it, it's not as bad as it seems.

Ryan Madson has been strong in recent save opportunities; Brett Myers will be much closer to full strength come Wednesday; Scott Eyre will be available to pitch whenever needed; and Chad Durbin has been pitching very well of late (1.98 ERA in September).

J.C. Romero will not pitch in the NLDS, but he has only pitched in one game since July 19th. No Romero is nothing new for the Phillies. Instead, J.A. Happ will likely be the team's left-handed reliever.

These same issues existed two weeks ago, only the Phillies were playing meaningful games so nobody payed any attention.

These recent struggles are not a sign of a bad team, they are merely signs of a bored one.

Without an intense September race this season, focusing on winning every game isn't all that easy. When you know that October baseball is on the horizon, and you are certain you will be included, looking ahead is inevitable, especially for the Phillies.

After they basked in their glory in 2008, the Phillies obviously wanted to do it all over again, and they still do. You cannot question the will and determination of such high-caliber players, not to mention the reigning World Champions.

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Pedro Martinez, Ryan Madson--do you honestly want to question whether these players want to win?

There's no doubting the talent level each of them bring to the table, and there shouldn't be any hesitation in calling them big-time players.

The playoffs are a whole new ballgame. The moment every living organism in Philadelphia has been waiting for has finally arrived.

There shouldn't be any doubt in the minds of Phillies' fans on whether or not their team can get the job done. The Phightin' Phils are a whole different breed of baseball players. Very few teams can turn up their level of play as quickly as this team.

All I ask from my fellow Phillies' fans is that you put an end to all this worrying. Stop worrying about yesterday, and focus on tomorrow.

This isn't the 90's anymore. This isn't the Eagles, Flyers, or 76ers. This is the reigning World Champions we're talking about.

This is a team that can, has, and will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

It takes a team of winners to win it all, and that's just what these Philadelphia Phillies are--winners.

Philadelphia Phillies Look To Clinch NL East Title With Win Tonight

Christian Karcole — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:42:52 -0400

On September 30, 2007, the Philadelphia Phillies began what has become one of their best three-year runs in franchise history. On that day, they defeated the Washington Nationals 6-1 to clinch the National League Eastern division crown.

Almost a year later, the Phils reclaimed their title as division champions by once again defeating the Nationals.

Moving to 2009, we see this same opportunity once again.

The thought-to-be insurmountable eight-game lead over the Atlanta Braves had taken a considerable hit, shrinking to as low as four. For days, the Phils' magic number seemed to be at a standstill.

Tonight, exactly two years after their first division title in 14 years, the Phillies can clinch their third consecutive NL East championship with either a win or an Atlanta Braves loss.

Jamie Moyer started each of the clinchers in '07 and '08, but it will be Pedro Martinez taking the ball tonight against Houston.

For the Astros, Brad Moehler will make the start. Moehler is 8-11 with a 5.21 ERA. His last outing lasted just 2.1 innings when he allowed seven runs and eight hits.

Martinez is 5-1 with a 3.32 ERA in a Phillies uniform and 3-1 with a 2.55 ERA in September. Pedro missed he last start due to a neck injury, but is set to make his return tonight.

Cliff Lee was originally slated to be the starter, but was given an extra day of rest by manager Charlie Manuel. Instead, Lee is set to start tomorrow.

In the bullpen, Brett Myers appears to be ready for his return. Pitching coach Rich Dubee has stated that Myers is available to pitch in relief tonight if he is needed.

With the return of Myers comes the queston of who will finally become to team's official closer.

Ryan Madson has been strong as of late in the role, but still has yet to prove he can consistently produce in the ninth inning. Myers converted 21-of-24 save opportunities in his first stint as closer in 2007, and may be the most reliable option.

All we know for certain is that Brad Lidge will not be the one taking the mound in save situations, especially in the postseason.

For now, the Phillies will throw aside their closer woes and turn their focus into winning games. The division title is most important in the minds of the Phillies right now. If they happen to find their closer over the last week of the season, it will only be icing on the cake for what has been yet another special season.

Philadelphia Phillies Battling Injuries as Season Nears End

Christian Karcole — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:25:59 -0400

Injuries are taking their toll on the Philadelphia Phillies, and at the worst possible time.

After an examination on his left wrist by team doctors, Carlos Ruiz is the latest member of the team to miss time due to injury.

Ruiz joins the lengthy list of J.A. Happ, Scott Eyre, J.C. Romero, Greg Dobbs, Pedro Martinez, Chad Durbin, Chan Ho Park, and Brett Myers as Phillies who have been hit by the injury bug.

Happ, Martinez, Dobbs, and Myers appear as if they will be able to return within the next week of play. The fate of Eyre, Romero, Durbin, and Park for the rest of the season is still unknown.

Even with the barrage of injuries, the Phillies are finding a way to win. After splitting yesterday's double-header with the Florida Marlins, they moved to 8-2 over their last ten games.

The most promising sign has come from the World Series MVP, Cole Hamels, who appears to have found his postseason touch once again. Despite a rough six-inning, four run outing against the Houston Astros on September 6th, Hamels is 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA in September.

Over his last seven starts, he has recorded 46 strikeouts and walked just 11 batters while posting a 2.22 ERA.

Only time will tell whether he will be able to continue his resurgence for the remainder of the season and deep into the postseason. But we can be sure that if the Phillies are to make a run at a second consecutive World Series title, Cole Hamels will need to be the dominant pitcher he was last October.

The other ace of the rotation, Cliff Lee, seems to have returned to being the dominating pitcher he was in his first five starts as a Phillie.

After three straight outings in which he gave up three or more runs (the only time he has done so this season), the reigning AL Cy Young pitched a complete game shutout on September 15 over the Washington Nationals.

It was his first shutout and third complete game as a Phillie. He struck out nine and allowed just six hits.

Lee's following start was cut short by rain after four innings in Atlanta, where he allowed one run through four solid innings.

Hamels is scheduled to take the mound tonight in Florida to wrap up the Phillies' three-game series with the Marlins before heading to Milwaukee for a four-game set.

Happ is scheduled to return to make his next start on Thursday. Lee will follow on Friday, with Joe Blanton and Martinez set to pitch Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The Phils' magic number for clinching their third straight NL East championship stands at five, and could be as low as three by night's end.

All statistics as of 9/23/09.

Brad Lidge Deserves Another Chance, But Not In 2009

Christian Karcole — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:50:56 -0400

The air went out of the balloon Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, and it's not because of the Pirates' walk-off home run.

PNC Park, rarely even half full, consisted of just as many Phillies fans as there were for the Pirates. Being one of those numerous Philadelphians, it was a rough night.

Surprisingly, Pirate fans are some of the grumpiest people I've ever met (this coming from the grumpiest group of all). I won't go into specifics, but the single row of Pittsburgh fans behind the Phillies' dugout wasn't the greatest bunch of fans.

But that's beside the point.

Largely responsible for the disappointment laid upon Phillies fans was Brad Lidge. This is nothing new.

We've all gone over the difference between the Lidge of '08 and the Lidge of '09. The fact that he is an ineffective closer, to say the least, has been covered.

The argument against replacing him is that fans want to give him a chance, due to the success he had in 2008. The problem? This isn't 2008.

I agreed with this philosophy in June. Not anymore.

There comes a time when a player becomes so terribly bad, that every fan cringes at the sight of him on the field. Right now, that's Brad Lidge.

Last night, the Phillies were down 3-2 with one out in the top of the ninth inning. Carlos Ruiz was at the plate, with a pinch hitter expected to follow.

With Matt Capps on the mound for the Pirates, Ruiz slammed the ball down the left field line for a double. Ben Francisco was called on as the pinch hitter, and he also doubled, this time to deep left-center.

The game was tied at 3-3, but was far over.

After Jimmy Rollins struck out, Shane Victorino hit a line drive to center field that was misplayed by Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates. After taking a step in, he realized the ball was going over his head and Francisco was allowed to score.

With the lead, in came Brad Lidge.

He threw six pitches; three were hits, and one was a wild pitch. None of them were outs. His final line was a pathetic 0.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER.

When will Lidge lose his job? Are the Phillies simply waiting for Brett Myers to return?

He has been given the chance to fix himself for all this time, and yet he has only become worse. He shouldn't be granted any more chances, because more likely than not he'll just blow the game.

Next season, Lidge can return to the closer role. Hopefully, he may be able to fix the train-wreck he currently is during the offseason.

For now, he shouldn't appear in any one or two run games. He cannot be trusted to keep a lead intact.

Believe me, I still love Lidge for what he accomplished last season. I hope he can fix himself and return to form next year.

But the time has come when Lidge is hurting the Phillies and their attempts to win more than he is helping.

Nine blown saves would lose any other closer their job. Lidge should be no different.

Brad Lidge Is Holding the Philadelphia Phillies Back

Christian Karcole — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:01:26 -0400

The lone clip from today's Philadelphia Phillies game I witnessed was Jayson Werth's go-ahead home run. I relied on text message alerts to fill me in on the rest.

All I had known was that the Phillies had taken their 3-2 lead into the ninth against the Atlanta Braves.

Last year, I would have completely ignored any more updates, knowing there was no possibly way the Phillies could blow the game. In fact, not once did they blow a game in which they had the lead entering the ninth.

This season is a completely different story.

Brad Lidge, the hero of yesteryear, has turned into a complete nightmare.

So, back to earlier this evening.

I never received a message alerting me of the Braves tying the game. I still have yet to receive that message.

But the message notifying me of the final score? Yes, that one I did, unfortunately, receive.

I hadn't known whether Brad Lidge had entered the game. I had hope and prayed he hadn't, but was still unsure. Then my eyes scanned the rest of the message, only to find the losing pitcher was who I had feared it to be.

Brad Lidge had blown his eighth save of the season. Do the math, and you'll see that's eight more than in 2008 (8 - 0 = 8).

Any other closer in the league would have lost their job weeks ago. Not Lidge.

Somehow, the Phillies and a number of their fans continue to support him. Not I.

A professional baseball team can't win with a closer who blows a save every four opportunities. You can't be successful with a closer with an ERA above 7.00. It simply isn't possible.

A closer who has eight blown saves by mid-August shouldn't continue to hold his job. If he does, the only affect he will have on the team is a negative one.

So when does enough become enough? When does Charlie Manuel cease to believe removing Lidge is the wrong decision?

A manager having faith in his players is always a positive. Yet, in some cases, it reaches too far. The Brad Lidge situation resembles just that.

There won't be too many situations in the postseason where the Phillies won't have to worry about blowing games. Almost every game will come down to the wire.

If Brad Lidge is going to be relied on to hold onto the lead come October, the Phillies are in trouble.

The naysayers argue that there isn't a much more reliable replacement.

Pardon me, but is that a joke?

Whether it's Chan Ho Park, Brett Myers, or some other reliever, it's tough to imagine anyone could do worse than Lidge is right now.

Myers may not have been any more than an average closer in 2007, and his return from injury leaves questions to be answered. But it isn't very likely that he can be much worse than Lidge.

All I ask from the Phillies is to never see Brad Lidge enter a save situation for the remainder of 2009. I can't handle another blown save.

Maybe next year can play out a bit differently. It's possible that in the offseason he may be able correct what has been hampering his ability to pitch this season.

But for now, someone else deserves a shot to close out games.

Just don't make me sit through another agonizing outing from Brad Lidge.

Truth Is, Bryce Harper's Path To The Major Leagues Is a Troubling One

Christian Karcole — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:45:52 -0400

At the age of 16, Bryce Harper recently completed his sophomore year at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Shortly thereafter, Harper made a decision that will impact the remainder of his life: he dropped out of high school after just two years of attending classes.

Rather than earn his high school diploma, the "Lebron James of baseball," as referred to by Sports Illustrated, will attend the College of Southern Nevada. There, he will be eligible to earn his GED once he is 17 (which is acquired by taking a test and is meant for high school dropouts who can't receive a diploma; actual graduates are almost always more successful down the road compared to GED holders).

The lone explanation for Harper's exit from high school is that his ability to be drafted into MLB moves up to 2010, rather than 2011.

Harper, born on October 16, 1992, will be a measly 17-years-old at the time of the 2010 MLB rookie draft. He is projected to be taken first overall, yet that could change if the Washington Nationals decide to go elsewhere considering the price they would be required to pay for his services.

Once drafted, the phenom will spend some time in the minor leagues to become acclimated with professional baseball. A jump from two years of high school, to one year junior college, and finally to the minor leagues will not be an easy adjustment.

But with the talent Bryce Harper possesses, he and his family clearly have no concerns, nor should they. Their little boy, who is quite the contrary, is going to make it big. Possibly bigger than anyone else ever has.

There's no doubt that Bryce is "it." Not many boys at the age of 17 can handle professional baseball and the responsibilities that come with it. But Bryce can.

There's nothing Bryce Harper can't handle. Whether it's 570-foot home runs or throwing 95+ mph fastballs, he's got it covered.

Then, reality sets in. The former sure-fire stud is nowhere near a baseball field. His dreams of launching himself into baseball stardom are shattered.

And now, with no high school diploma, Bryce Harper is left with very little to work with.

The detriment served to Harper as a 17-year-old could potentially ruin the remainder of his life.

He sure is a one-of-a-kind talent, but is skipping out on a high school diploma worth the risk? A college degree can be earned later on in life. Finishing high school is a one-time thing.

The difference between Bryce Harper being selected in the 2010 draft and the 2011 draft is minimal. The likelihood of him even touching the surface of the big leagues before the age of 20 is extremely small.

Harper's parents are doing an enormous disservice to their child.

Bryce is being taught that baseball is life, and life is baseball. The sole reason for choosing the College of Southern Nevada is because it's baseball program is elite when stacked against other junior colleges.

His parents are practically sending him the message that he is going to be the best to ever step on the field. The mention of failure by anyone is glared down. The Harper's shall not tolerate such hogwash.

If only they knew.

Just think; who saw what happened to Josh Hamilton coming? Who's to say the same couldn't happen to Bryce, without the rehabilitation?

There are no guarantees in this world, especially when it comes to professional sports.

The pressure set on the biggest prospect in years is already enough to drive any of us to the brink of insanity. Instead of his parents advising him to stay in high school, allowing him to have something to fall back on if he is unable to make it big, they're guiding him into a field of trouble.

If Bryce Harper is everything he's expected to be, then this decision will never once again be brought to our attention.

But if the slight possibility that Harper falls subject to the pressure of his own hype turns out to be a reality, success outside of baseball will be excruciatingly difficult to achieve.

It's all or nothing for him. It's either Bryce Harper: MLB Superstar, or Bryce Harper: plumber extraordinaire.

Basically, it comes down to one simple question: What would two more years of high school have done to harm Bryce Harper's career?

Absolutely nothing.

Bryce Harper and his family are in a rush to become famous. Rather than assuring Bryce somewhat of a future, it's all-in for the Harper's.

They want the money and fame in 2010. Waiting until 2011 is ludicrous to them. He would begin playing major league ball around the same year either way, but they don't care.

It's simply a matter of, "We want him drafted as soon as possible," or, "We want our child to have a future if baseball doesn't work out."

Unfortunately, the Harper's have chosen the former of the two.

In a situation relative to this, I could understand why college isn't necessary. If a future in baseball were to fall through, he could always go to a university afterwards.

But the only way that could happen was if he had completed high school. Now, without a high school diploma, that opportunity doesn't realistically exist.

Don't get me wrong, Bryce Harper has the potential to be the best player of his era. He is the most talked about 16-year-old prospect in recent memory.

The only thing is, potential only gets you so far. There's no free rides in professional baseball.

Harper will have his moment to shine. Yet, if he is unable to prove himself worthy of a major-league contract, his future isn't bright.

I feel for Bryce Harper. I honestly do.

He has a profound supply of talent. I've never seen a player who can play so many positions with such ease. He's throwing 95 mph at the age of 16.

It is absolutely mind-boggling what this kid can do.

Yet, he can't afford to forget how difficult life can be. Bryce Harper could easily turn into the most infamous bust in baseball history. That's how life works.

His ego could eventually get the best of him, or outside forces such as drugs, poor influences, or just the immense pressure could derail his career.

At the worst, a high school diploma would aid him in attempting to live a respectable life if a baseball career is no longer a reality. Bryce won't have one, which leaves him in an extremely difficult position in today's world.

A college degree is almost always required nowadays to make a comfortable living. How can he succeed if he never even passed the 11th grade?

Obviously, I share a completely different opinion than Bryce and his family.

I believe they are under the allusion that he is going to be better than anyone ever before him. He certainly has the potential to be that, but as previously stated, potential only gets you so far.

Harper is going out on a limb by dropping out of high school. I believe it is completely unnecessary, but my opinion doesn't matter to him, nor should it.

All I can hope is that he understands the risk being taken by not completing high school.

Hopefully, Bryce Harper's pure talent can evolve into everything it's said to be.

Truth is, if it doesn't, life after baseball won't be so rewarding.

Philadelphia Phillies To Utilize Jamie Moyer As Long Reliever

Christian Karcole — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:21:10 -0400

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Monday that Jamie Moyer will make the transition to the bullpen due to the arrival of Pedro Martinez.

Speculation on whether the Phillies would load themselves with a six-man rotation, send Moyer to the DL, or move J.A. Happ to the bullpen has been put to rest.

The least popular choice amongst fans, as it turns out, is the actual outcome.

While moving the 46-year-old Moyer to the bullpen had been mentioned, the naysayers argued that he doesn't belong there, especially because of his age.

A reliever is required to have the ability to pitch more often, which is something Moyer may have trouble with. Although he will primarily be used in the long relief role, entering games twice in five days rather than just once will be a more difficult task for him.

The left-handed Moyer, whose 10 wins and 5.47 ERA rank first and last in the rotation, respectively, is most effective in the first few innings of his starts. Now that he will be used for two to three innings at a time, his effectiveness may improve.

This may be the only positive I see from the entire situation.

I simply can't envision Jamie Moyer as a long relief pitcher. The majority of his tosses top out around 79 mph, which can be costly in this particular role.

A better solution, in my point of view, would have involved moving Moyer to the 15-day DL.

Here's why:

1. Pedro Martinez has the opportunity to showcase his talents, while Moyer's role isn't affected during that time.

As of now, Moyer's role on the team completely changes. He is no longer a starting pitcher. Transitioning back to that role could be difficult.

If Pedro Martinez doesn't work out, you would have the ability to move him to the bullpen when Moyer returns. Martinez makes more sense as a reliever, and he likely wouldn't object (he has stated he just wants to contribute).

Even a six-man rotation would remain a possibility if he were sent to the DL. Now, there isn't much of a chance that could occur due to the switching of his roles.

2. Moyer is able to rest and possibly work on straightening out his problems.

The oldest active player in the major leagues requires time off eventually. If he continued to start every fifth day, his velocity and control would slowly decrease.

With his DL-stint would come some down-time in which he could tweak the weaker points of his game. Now that he has been moved to the bullpen, he won't have much time to tweak anything. He'll be pitching more often.

3. Moyer wasn't even pitching all that bad...sort of.

Let's face it; Cole Hamels hasn't been all that better than Moyer recently. Leaving the more likely possibility of a return to the rotation for Moyer wouldn't have been such a bad thing. His ERA is a dismal 5.47, which ranks second to last amongst eligible starting pitchers, but he has been decent.

His inconsistency was concerning, but some rest may have been able to improve that.

I suppose that having a much needed arm in the bullpen is a logical decision. Charlie Manuel usually knows his players, and he knows when to push them.

There aren't many players on the roster that could handle a switch as late in their career as well as Moyer has, which helps the transition feel smoother.

I'll continue to disagree with the decision that was made, but I trust Manuel and the moves he makes. He has proved himself worthy of that.

At least J.A. Happ is staying in the rotation. Now that really would've been a total mess up.

Phillies-Marlins: Jamie Moyer Heads to the Mound to Salvage Series

Christian Karcole — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:55:16 -0400

The Florida Marlins trailed the Philadelphia Phillies by seven games entering their series this weekend.

After the Marlins snuck out two marginal victories, their deficit has shrunk to five games. While the Phillies still maintain the upper hand, a sweep at the hands (fins?) of the Marlins could be the shift of momentum Florida is looking for.

Nick Johnson, recently acquired by the Marlins, felt coming into the series that a sweep was needed. Anything else would be disappointing.

As Sunday's finale approaches, Florida is in position to finish the series just four games back of the Phils.

Philadelphia has lost five of its last seven, with the lone two victories coming from Cliff Lee and J.A. Happ.

Joe Blanton has continued his consistent pitching, contributing inning-eating starts nearly every time out. Yet the Phillies' lackluster offense of late has failed to back up "Joe the Pitcher."

Cole Hamels seems unable to find his groove this season. His most recent disappointing outing came last night in a 6-4 loss.

To his credit, he had never pitched more than 185 innings in his major league career before 2008, when the World Series MVP went for 262 strong innings. Injuries also hampered his April this season.

At least somewhat of the old Hamels will have to come through down the stretch to solidify the Phillies' rotation.

As for Sunday, the 46-year-old Jamie Moyer will take on the Marlins, a task he hasn't had trouble with throughout his career.

In 15 career starts, Moyer has earned a decision in each, going 13-2 with a 2.83 ERA.

Yet his dismal 5.55 ERA in 2009 stands as second worst in the National League amongst eligible starting pitchers. This and the arrival of Pedro Martinez hint at the possibility of Moyer moving out of the rotation.

There is no better opponent for the crafty veteran to face.

But in such an important game, Moyer is the last pitcher the Phils want to throw out there.

Hopefully he can continue his inconsistencies.

No, that was not a typo. Jamie Moyer needs to continue his inconsistencies for at least one more outing.

Since he allowed six earned runs on June 17, he has delivered a quality start in every other appearance. Basically, he would pitch well one start, terrible the next, and so on.

His last appearance, he allowed six runs over five innings. Sunday? Well, he's due for a quality start.

So even though Moyer has been the epitome of disappointing performance, the stars are aligned for the ageless lefty. His 5-1 record in day games only adds to the résumé Moyer has to pitch today.

Hopefully he can make the most of what is possibly his last start as a Phillie in 2009.

Philadelphia Phillies' J.A. Happ to Remain in Starting Rotation

Christian Karcole — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:15:27 -0400

After dropping five-of-six, the Philadelphia Phillies' division lead had dwindled down to a minuscule five games.

Phillies enthusiasts began to question the integrity and legitimacy of the team's 21-7 record in July. The Mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, declared a protest of the city's baseball team if they were to lose a fourth consecutive game.

Alright, so maybe it's possible that there wasn't this much panic in the City of Brotherly Love. But you get the point.

Fans want to see their team win, and letting your division opponents gain a game or two on you is never fun to watch. No matter how large your lead is.

When J.A. Happ took to the mound Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, he was looking to earn his eight win on the season. The rookie of the year candidate did just that.

After two consecutive losses, Happ threw a complete game shutout to further implement his chances of winning the NL's Rookie of the Year award. He allowed just four hits while striking out 10 batters.

The 26-year-old was rumored to be on his way to the bullpen with the arrival of Pedro Martinez. After his stellar performance, Ruben Amaro Jr, the Phillies' General Manager, ended the speculation and proceeded to announce that Happ would remain a starter.

While it isn't exactly his decision, Amaro only shared what the majority of us previously believed.

As of now, it appears manager Charlie Manuel will be forced to move into a six-man rotation. Martinez and Jamie Moyer would battle for the fifth spot.

The lone restriction from moving either Martinez or Moyer to the bullpen is that, well, they aren't relievers.

The 46-year-old Moyer cannot be counted on to pitch every other day, and Martinez hasn't pitched from the bullpen since his second season in the majors.

Martinez is expected to be given his chance, which may leave the inconsistent Moyer as the odd man out for a week or so.

This predicament, although one most teams wouldn't mind having, leaves the Phillies in a tough spot.

The root of the issue stems from the acquisition of Cliff Lee. Then again, having one-too-many starters is never an issue.

Before the signing of Martinez and the trade for Lee, the Phillies had too few quality starters. Now, they have more than enough.

All of this will become a thing of the past come October, when the reigning World Champions will look to retain their title as the best in baseball.

Five or even six starters are not necessary for the postseason. Most teams will choose to go with a four-man rotation, as opposed to having a full five-man rotation.

Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, and Jamie Moyer were the four chosen to lead the Phillies last postseason. At the moment, it appears Lee, Hamels, Blanton, and Happ are the presumed playoff rotation for the Phillies in 2009.

As long as the four remain healthy, there should be absolutely no controversy over the postseason rotation.

But for now, the Phillies will settle for six starting pitchers.

Cliff Lee Stellar In Phillies Debut As Philadelphia Takes Down San Francisco

Christian Karcole — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:47:03 -0400

Cliff Lee took to the mound for the first time in a Phillies uniform Friday, but took no hesitation in continuing where he left off in Cleveland.

The first batter the former Indian faced, Randy Winn, struck out on three pitches. This was only a precursor of things to come.

Aside from a one-out walk to former teammate Ryan Garko in the bottom of the second, Lee was lights-out all night.

In fact, it wasn't until the sixth inning that Lee gave up a hit.

The run support was lacking for the left-handed pitcher, as Jayson Werth's solo home run in the second inning was all that stood on the scoreboard until the seventh. But Lee didn't let that get to him.

He continued to overpower the Giants, retiring the minimum amount of batters through five innings.

Once the Phillies took a 4-0 lead in the seventh inning, it became clear that Lee was going to win this game. His double off the right field wall in the eighth only helped his cause, as he was driven in on a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

He gave up a run of his own in the bottom half of the eighth, but held the Giants off the board the rest of the game.

Lee came back on in the ninth to finish what he started. That he did.

After a single to begin the inning, he retired Pablo Sandoval before finishing the game with a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Bengie Molina.

The newly-acquired Phillie was outstanding, allowing only four hits and one earned run. He threw his third complete game in his last four starts, giving the Phillies' worn-out bullpen some valuable rest.

Cliff Lee made it loud and clear in his debut that trading for him over the highly-priced Roy Halladay was the smarter option.

The naysayers who remain adamant that Halladay was the correct choice for the Phillies will have a few questions to answer following Lee's dominant performance.

He is scheduled to start again on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies. It will be his first home start with the Phillies.

In other news, Shane Victorino sat out his second straight game with a swollen knee. Ben Francisco, acquired along with Cliff Lee, started in his place both games.

Pedro Martinez took another step toward his return with the Phillies in a Triple-A rehab start on Friday. He went five innings, allowing five runs. Four of those runs, along with 35 of his 84 pitches, came in the fifth inning.

The Phillies will continue their four-game series with the Giants at 9:05 PM ET on Saturday. Joe Blanton will take the ball for the Phillies, facing the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, Tim Lincecum.

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com

Should The Philadelphia Phillies Trade For George Sherrill?

Christian Karcole — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:02:39 -0400

After the acquisition of Cliff Lee by the Phillies on Wednesday, the possibility of trading for Roy Halladay became almost non-existent. The window remains slightly open for a deal involving a lower-level starter, yet is also unlikely.

Now that the Phillies have the No. 1 pitcher to go along with current ace Cole Hamels on the pitching staff, is there a need deserving of enough attention that the team should address?

There absolutely is.

Last season, the Phillies had the most dominant closer in baseball. That man was Brad Lidge.

As we all know, Lidge returned to All-Star form in 2008 by not blowing a single save all season. This season has been a polar opposite.

Through 42 appearances, he has blown six saves in 26 opportunities. His ERA currently stands at dismal 7.11.

In the regular season, letting Lidge work out the kinks in his game makes sense. You can send him into the game with a three-run lead and feel secure that the game is locked up, even if he allows a run or two.

In the postseason, you won't have those three-run leads. The opportunities where you can feel secure with Lidge in the game will not exist.

A closer who is capable of entering the game in a crucial spot and getting the job done is needed. As of right now, Brad Lidge does not quite fit that role.

So where do the Phillies turn for a solution?

Could Brett Myers return in mid-August as the team's closer, or should a trade for a closer be considered?

If a trade is in the realm of possibility, who is on the market and who could the Phillies give up?

The most attractive reliever worth trading for is 32-year old George Sherrill.

The Phillies have reportedly had interest in Sherrill, who has 20 saves in 23 opportunities. Sherrill also serves as an eighth inning pitcher for the Orioles, who do not put their relievers in many save opportunities as it is.

The left-hander has struck out 39 batters in 41.1 innings pitched, while recording an impressive 2.40 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

If Sherrill were to be involved in a trade to Philadelphia, is there any current member of the Phillies the Orioles would be interested in acquiring?

They have expressed that if Sherrill were to be dealt a closer would likely have to be sent back in return. Does that mean what you think it means? Would Brade Lidge be included in a trade?

I'm not positive the Phillies brass would be willing, but if George Sherrill was closing games as opposed to Brad Lidge this postseason, I would feel much more secure.

Brad Lidge was the Phillies' Lord and Savior in 2008. Without him, the team would never have won the World Series. He will forever be regarded as a hero in Philadelphia.

But that was then, and this is now. In 2009, Lidge has been anything but what he was in 2008. His pitches are there, but his command isn't.

Could he potentially work out his issues by season's end and be back to form by the postseason? Possibly. Is the risk worth it?

George Sherrill is as good as it gets right now in Major League Baseball. With him enters a pitcher who is already pitching consistently well, not a pitcher who might pitch consistently well.

Many Phillies fans will balk at the possibility of trading their Zen Master of 2008. But when you simply look at the state of their current closer role, Lidge is not the answer for the Phillies.

In the postseason, the pitcher closing out games becomes just as important as those starting the games. If you can't finish the game, why even start it?

Simply put, if you could have a consistent pitcher with a 2.40 ERA as opposed to a struggling pitcher with a 7.11 ERA, which would you take? The former, of course.

In no way, shape, or form am I declaring the Phillies as players for George Sherrill, nor am I lobbying to trade Brad Lidge.

But if the possibility to acquire Sherrill comes along, wouldn't you support swapping Lidge and one other player for the top-notch reliever?

Trading for Lee two days before the deadline leaves the Phillies with time to make another move.

Technically, the team is still able to assemble a package of prospects to acquire Roy Hallday (what a menacing rotation that would be). The only problem would be the depleted farm system the Phillies would be left with.

Aside from Halladay, there are other pitchers to be had.

Yet if the Phillies are to make a deal for a Zach Duke-type starting pitcher, would bringing in a closer be more sensible?

If it involves George Sherrill, I believe so.

With the Farm Still Intact After Cliff Lee Deal, Phillies' Repeat Hopes Grow

Christian Karcole — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:03:21 -0400

For nearly three weeks, Roy Halladay was the presumed starting pitcher the Philadelphia Phillies would acquire at the trading deadline.

Yet the Toronto Blue Jays' overwhelming asking price became too much, as the Phillies were unwilling to give up their top two prospects, Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown. The Phillies were also unwilling to give up current starter J.A. Happ.

Happ lost his first start last Friday since his major league debut, which ran across a span of 32 appearances.

But less than one hour ago, it was reported that the Phillies have moved on from the Halladay sweepstakes and traded for Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee.

Lee, who won the Cy Young Award for the American League last season, has a 7-9 record this season with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

The Phillies also acquired outfielder Ben Francisco, who is a right-handed bat the Phillies will be able to bring off the bench when needed.

Moving to Cleveland are pitching prospects Jason Knapp and Carlos Carrasco, catcher Lou Marson, and infielder Jason Donald.

Knapp, a second-round pick in 2008, has the highest potential of any of the four. At 18 years old, Knapp is not ready to be moved to the majors, but has a few years to improve.

He is 6'5", 240 pounds, and throws a menacing 98 MPH.

Carrasco's hype has died down after his disappointing showing in the minors this season, yet he remains a top pitching prospect. He was overtaken by Kyle Drabek as the Phillies' No. 1 minor leaguer this season.

Marson has played very well in the minors this season and is likely going to be a solid catcher in the majors. His short time with the Phillies this season was not impressive, yet he returned to the minors soon after and continued his great play.

Marson was expendable due to the fact that the Phillies' Single-A catching prospect, Travis D’Arnaud, appears to have more potential. Marson is much further along than D'Arnaud, and with Carlos Ruiz as the apparent Phillies catcher for the next few seasons, D'Arnaud is a better fit.

Donald was a highly touted infielder coming into spring training, yet with Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins already occupying the middle infield, he has no place on the team. His trade value wouldn't have been higher than now, and the Phillies have zero use for him in the future.

The Phillies addressed two of their most gaping holes by acquiring a No. 1 pitcher and a right-handed bat off the bench, while the Indians acquired four high-potential prospects, all of which except for Knapp will be major league-ready in 2010.

Both teams saw improvements, and neither hurt the state of its chances of winning in the near future.

Marson and Donald were very expendable for the Phillies, and Carrasco was the pitcher the Phillies were most looking to use in a trade.

Knapp is an extremely talented pitcher, and the Phillies would have loved to keep him. But if you want the best, you need to give the best (or close to it).

Many Phillies fans will be left unhappy, as they were drooling at the fact of having a Cole Hamels/Halladay combination at the top of the rotation. But in all honesty, the difference in price between Halladay and Lee was too large.

Acquiring Halladay would have meant giving up Drabek, Happ, Brown, either Michael Taylor or Marson, and possibly even Knapp. The fact that none of Drabek, Happ, Brown, or Taylor was dealt to the Indians shows how extreme the price for Halladay was.

The future for the Phillies is not hit as hard as a trade with Toronto would have been, and the current team improves nearly as much as it would have with Halladay.

More to come as more information becomes available.

Philadelphia Phillies' Bullpen Faces Numerous Health, Consistency Issues

Christian Karcole — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:03:27 -0400

On July 17, the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen was at full strength for the first time all season.

Earlier in the season, J.C. Romero had spent 50-games suspended, closer Brad Lidge was placed on the disabled list for a few weeks in June, and relievers Clay Condrey and Scott Eyre were on the shelf for a period of time.

The bullpen that was so successful in 2008 pitched with that same effectiveness for the six days they were reuinited, yet three recent additions to the DL have the team scrambling for much needed help.

J.C. Romero, Chad Dubrin, and Clay Condrey were the most recent victims of the injury bug after the were placed on the 15-day DL this past week. Andrew Carpenter and Tyler Walker were called up to fill the bullpen's holes.

While Chan Ho Park and Ryan Madson continue to pitch well, the current challenges the bullpen faces will test their overall depth and talent.

The issue causing the most concern begins with the closer, Brad Lidge.

Lidge appears unable to solve the inconsistencies he has faced this season. He has yet to find any sort of groove, which is key for his mindset when closing games.

With nearly half of the regular bullpen not among the active relievers, there will be more situations when Lidge will be called on to pitch, especially in tied and one-run games. Pulling himself together will be key for the Phillies, especially in the long run.

Hopefully, the trio of Condrey, Durbin, and Romero can regain their health shortly after they become eligible to return to help solidify the bullpen.

Durbin has been inconsistent of late, which is likely due to his injury, but Condrey and Romero have been impressive in their appearances. Their return, along with whether they can stay healthy, will prove to be crucial if the Phillies want to run away with the National League East.

In other news, the Phillies reportedly told the Blue Jays that the asking price for Roy Halladay was more than they were willing to pay. A trade for the former Cy Young Award winner seems less likely with each day that goes by.

The Phillies are still in need of an additional starting pitcher, so a trade for Cliff Lee or Jarrod Washburn is a possibility.

If Lee or Washburn are not attainable, it is almost certain that another pitcher will be brought in. The market isn't full of worthy trading pieces, but someone is going to have to be traded for.

Whether it's a Joe Blanton-type trade or a CC Sabathia-type trade, the Phillies will need to equip themselves with one more quality pitcher to insert into the rotation.

Philadelphia Phillies Ready to Become "Philly's Team"

Christian Karcole — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:22:29 -0400

No matter what, the Eagles will always be Philadelphia's most beloved team.

The Flyers' following is as strong as any other hockey team's, but the Eagles dominate the local sports scene. On Sunday's during the fall, the Eagles are on, and a victory from the Birds is the most meaningful outcome to nearly every fan within the city and it's suburbs.

But for the next decade, there could be a new sheriff in town.

After a World Series title last season, the Phillies' fan base was a strong as ever. But as the current season progresses, more and more of Philadelphia is falling in love with it's baseball team.

The Phils currently have the second highest attendance percentage (percentage of capacity filled) in the major leagues, trailing only the Boston Red Sox.

Citizens Bank Park is rapidly becoming one of the single most lively and exciting parks in the country to watch a baseball game. The crowd is as into the game as any, and the team is flat out talented.

What brings fans even closer to their champions is the attitude given off by the Phillies. The 1993 National League Champion Phillies were a wild bunch, consisting of numerous characters

The Phillies of 2009 closely resemble that team.

There's the clubhouse leader as Chase Utley, the energetic but likeable guy as Shane Victorino, the veteran figure as Jimmy Rollins, the new guy everyone admires as Raul Ibanez, and the rest. The overall team just gels so well together.

Rarely will you find too much complacency in the clubhouse. Everyone is each other's buddy. More importantly, everyone is the manager's buddy.

Charlie Manuel, the popular manager of the Phillies, was mocked by the majority of fans because of his awkward southern accent in his first year as manager, and even into his second season. But since, he has become an icon teetering on the verge of becoming a legend.

The players have always loved Manuel, mostly because they can trust him. He knows baseball, and he understands that throwing players under the bus isn't the way to manage a team.

He has two simple rules: be on time, and play hard. That's all he asks for.

Charlie Manuel is Philadelphia, and so is his team.

The Eagles continue to reign supreme as the fan favorite in the city, and that will continue for many years to come. But the current Phillies team has the ability to steal away the hearts of many fans over the next 5-10 years.

Philly fans love winners, especially those who have a personality. The Phillies are just that—winners with a personality.

But the relationship doesn't extend solely from the fans to the players. The players admire the fans equally.

Many of the Phillies received their first World Series ring in '08, and the love and affection shown by the fans ever since has been well recognized and thanked by the players.

There's just an unbreakable connection between the two.

The fans can't find much wrong to say about the Phillies, and the Phillies can't find much wrong to say about the fans.

No one will ever knock off the three superpower fan bases in baseball—Chicago, Boston, and New York (for the Yankees)—as having the most love and desire to win for their team, but Philadelphia is making their case to be among the best fans in the league.

The days of the half-empty Veterans Stadium are long gone. Philadelphia has truly become a powerful baseball city.

Ryan Howard Fastest to 200 Homers: Is 763 a Possibility?

Christian Karcole — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:28:58 -0400

Ken Griffey Jr. was in line to be the one to break Hank Aaron's home run record.

Injuries derailed that journey for Griffey once he moved on to play in Cincinnati.

Alex Rodriguez is the next presumed heir apparent to break the home-run record, now owned by Barry Bonds.

It still remains to be seen whether A-Rod has the ability to shatter Bonds' record, as some still believe he could reach 800. Yet with all that hangs around him, Rodriguez is more likely to fall short of 763 home runs than to surpass it, as is anyone else.

As I see it, the only sluggers with a slight possibility of surpassing Bonds remain Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Howard became the fastest player to reach 200 home runs, while Pujols has accumulated 353 in his nine major league seasons.

Both are 29 years of age, while Howard is just two months or so older than Pujols.

By the examples set by Griffey Jr. and Rodriguez, breaking the all-time home run record is a marathon more than a sprint.

The man previously responsible for becoming the quickest to 200 homers was Ralph Kiner, who after 10 seasons left baseball with 369 long balls.

Barry Bonds didn't hit for 40 home runs in a single season until his eighth season, yet Ryan Howard has yet to hit for less than 47 homers in his short career.

Howard is sprinter straight out of the gate, while Bonds took his time, staying near the middle of the pack. Some sprinters have the ability to keep their pace, while others fade back into the pack.

Will the numbers begin to fade for Howard? Certainly not yet, they won't.

The only thing against Howard is that, well, he's 29. That wouldn't be such a negative point in his case to break the record except you have to consider the fact that he is currently playing in just his fourth full season in the majors.

Blocked by Jim Thome, Howard was unable to make his way into the league until the age of 25, and didn't play for a full season until he was 26. Bonds emerged at the young age of 22, and Pujols entered at 21.

The loss of three or four valuable years will prove to be costly in his mission to surpass Bonds.

If you take Howard's average home runs per season (49), and multiply it by 10 (estimated years of play left), and then add it onto his current total, he still falls short of 763.

Playing until the age of 40 is extremely difficult, especially for sluggers. But even for those home run hitters who manage to play until 40, their numbers almost always decrease in their final seasons.

The fact of the matter is, it is almost certain that he will not hit 49 home runs for the next ten seasons, and even if he does, it won't be enough.

If Ryan Howard had made his way to the big leagues just a few years earlier, his outlook on the possibility to break the record would be much brighter.

It is much too early to tell if anyone will be able to pass Bonds in the near future, especially Howard. The record has been broken just twice since Babe Ruth established his 714 career home runs.

An injury, or simply just an irreversible slump could signal the end of anyone's journey to be the home run king, which is why the record is so rarely even come close to.

Howard has the ability to hit 500, and possibly even 600 homers, but 763 would take a miracle.

Albert Pujols is the prototypical player to pass Bonds, but it is also too early to judge whether he has it in him.

With 30 home runs in each of his first nine seasons, Pujols has the consistency and the flat out ability to be the record holder. He has as likely of a chance as anybody ever has at the age of 29. But then again, so did Griffey Jr.

Talk to me when he reaches 700.

Philadelphia Phillies Second Half Preview

Christian Karcole — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:33:32 -0400

The halfway point of the Major League Baseball season is long gone.

The Home Run Derby has passed us by, and the All-Star Game soon followed.

After what was the dullest, most boring day of the entire year in the world of sports, we welcome back baseball on Thursday.

The Philadelphia Phillies, who have been a very solid second half team in the recent years, went into the break 10 games over .500 with a four-game lead over the Florida Marlins in the National League East.

The Atlanta Braves sit six games back, while the New York Mets remain 6.5 games out of first (now that's fun to say).

Will the Phillies begin to run away with the division in the coming months? Or will their lead dwindle down to give the rest of the teams in the division a chance to catch up?

Technically, the only way to find out is to way and see. But we don't have the time and patience just to "wait and see". That's why I'm here, to preview the Phillies' second half of the 2009 season.

Enjoy.

Current Position

The Phillies currently are 48-38 (.558) with a four-game lead in the NL East. They are 10-1 in their last 11 games.

Projected Finish

With the tough schedule ahead for the Phillies, it will be a rough July. But beyond this month, and especially when September rolls around, the team will see many more easier opponents.

Although I am not particularly a fan of giving an exact number when it comes to win projections, I'm going with 93 victories (which means 69 losses), only because it's one more win than was earned last season.

First place in the division should be easier to accomplish and clinched earlier this season. While I'm not saying the race is over just yet, I do see the Phillies ending up winning it by 5-7 games (remember, they won it by three last year).

Key Players

In the first half, Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, and others carried the Phillies to the position they are in now. In the second half, even more players need to step up, especially pitchers.

With the injuries that have damaged the pitching staff, the club is lucky to be at where they are now. Nine starting pitchers have already been sent to the mound, compared to the seven used the entire season in 2008.

Pedro Martinez won't do much, if anything, to make the Phillies a much better team. Acquiring him is equivalent to picking up another Jamie Moyer. Both will give you five or six innings, and hopefully, each will keep you in the game.

But who exactly needs to bring their game face for the last 86 games of the season?

On the offensive side of the ball, Jimmy Rollins is the obvious choice. His struggles are beginning to look like a thing of the past, but a return to his horrible slump would deeply harm the Phillies' playoff and World Series hopes.

Among others, Ryan Howard will need to playing a bit more of all-around baseball than he has been thus far. We've come to learn that a high average is no longer a part of Howard's game, but reaching base more frequently and hitting the ball more consistently needs to be worked on.

In the rotation, the ace, Cole Hamels, desperately needs to pitch with more consistency. We all know he has the repertoire to shut batters down every start, and he has shown it through his entire career, just not this season (or half of it, I should say).

With the current condition of the rotation, Hamels' return to the ace he was in October last season will a huge plus.

In the bullpen, Brad Lidge absolutely needs to get back into a groove. Whether he will be able to return to 2008 form remains to be seen, but if he finds a way to lower his ERA to 5.00 and blow only three saves the rest of the season, I'll be fine.

Key Storyline To Watch

Every day we hear more and more assurance that Roy Halladay will be dealt to the Phillies in return for quite the hefty price.

Many fans have made it known that whatever the price is, they want the former Cy Young.

Personally, I'd rather not give up the four top prospects in the Phillies' farm system, along with J.A. Happ, in order to receive Halladay in return.

I understand that people believe prospects are over-hyped, and that Halladay is a proven player. Honestly, both of those statements are correct.

But let's say we move back to around 2002, and the Phillies are on the hunt for a superstar pitcher.

The opposing team wants three top prospects and a major league player.

What young players do the Phillies give up? Let's say Cole Hamels, Carlos Ruiz, and Ryan Howard.

Hamels was a highly touted prospect, but Ruiz's and Howard's hype can be compared to that of Kyle Drabek and Mike Taylor and Dominic Brown.

To say that these prospects are over-hyped may end up making you look like a genius, but could also turn out completely wrong and make you look like a moron.

Howard Eskin pointed out that only one-fifth of minor league players ever pan out. Well, you know what, these guys are a part of that fifth.

Steve Phillips shared that keeping prospects can get GM's fired. Well, sir, you are an expert in the subject of getting the boot, so maybe we should take your word, especially since you traded away Jason Bay, and attempted to do the same to Jose Reyes.

Listen, these prospects the Phillies have are the Cole Hamels' of the world, the Ryan Howard's of the world, and Carlos Ruiz's of the world. These guys are players who will make an impact for years to come.

Giving up three prospects may mean losing three future key players.

While the one player in return will certainly contribute that season, and possibly a few beyond that, the future beyond that is left unknown.

If the Phillies trade for Halladay, their chances of winning this year are greatly increased. But their chances of winning five to 10 years from now aren't.

I would rather see a lower-level starter with a much lower price (i.e. the Joe Blanton trade last season) sent to the Phillies than Roy Halladay.

The Phillies have been built on keeping their prospects, trusting in their players, and trading/signing the role players who are so essential to a team's success.

Why abandon that train of thought now?

Key Series To Watch

July 16-19 @ Florida Marlins

July 20-22 vs. Chicago Cubs

July 24-26 vs. St. Louis Cardinals

July 30-Aug. 2 @ San Francisco Giants

Aug. 7-9 vs. Florida Marlins

Aug. 21-24 @ New York Mets

Sept. 1-3 vs. San Francisco Giants

Sept. 11-13 (double-header on 13th) vs. New York Mets

Sept. 24-27 @ Milwaukee Brewers

Oct. 2-4 vs. Florida Marlins

Playoff Prediction...

Nah, I'm not that foolish.

Thanks for reading. I hope you learned at least the slightest bit of information from reading this.

Disclaimer: This Article Is Intended To Win Me Article of the Day

Christian Karcole — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:41:39 -0400

I never typically write on subjects like this. Even as I'm writing this, I feel like I shouldn't be.

Just stick with me, though.

There are two types of writers here at our beloved Bleacher Report.

There is the type that loves themselves, sees zero holes in their writing, and solely writes for the purpose of winning the cherished and honorable "Article Of The Day."

Then there is the type that feels positive about themselves, knows the holes in their writing, and writes for the enjoyment and experience that comes from their articles.

To them, the "Article Of The Day" is an honor and a privilege, not a reward for nit picking topics while planning to take home the title for just one day.

While there are those Type B (the latter of the types) writers who are accused of writing articles a typical Type A (the former) writer would put together, most of those Type Bs will include in their article to not vote them for "Article Of The Day."

I give credit to those writers who choose to take the classy route when writing an article that can appear to be written for rewarding purposes only.

Some Type A's will insert the same request, but in hopes that readers ignore it and go in for the POTD vote. Yet, it is likely that the reader can tell when a writer writes for the purpose of the award (yet somehow these articles continue to win).

So, why do I bring up these two types of Bleacher Report writers?

Why didn't I give the article a headline relating to that instead of the deceiving hook I chose?

It's simple.

The answer is because this article's purpose isn't to point out the two types of writers on B/R. Most of us know the difference, and have pointed them out to others in the past.

No, this article's purpose is to question the community of Bleacher Report. Does most of this site's community fall victim to the childish games put on by those Type A's?

Are most of this site's community actually a part of those Type A's?

I'd like to answer both of those questions with a solid and confident "No," but I cannot find the will power to do so.

While I'm confident that most of this site's community is not among the Type A category, I do believe that many Type B's fall into the traps planted by "The Others" (Type A's).

Personally, I know I'm a Type B. There's no doubt in my mind that I am.

When I drag my mouse to the upper-right, er, left...no, it's right, part of my computer screen, and I push my finger into the left-click of the mouse while hovering over the word "Write," I know what I'm getting myself into.

I'm not going into this page with the mindset of "This one is going to win me that stinkin' award."

Nope.

Those thoughts never once enter my mind.

What do I think about?

I think about how I can improve on my writing in this article, and about what I want to get across to the reader.

Personally, I know the holes in my writing. I have trouble figuring out when to create a new paragraph (like this one). I also struggle with placing quotation marks in the middle of a sentence if it is hypothetical, and not a true quote (like the one a few sentences ago).

I even have trouble knowing whether to put a period after or before the end of a name of something in quotations if it's at the end of a sentence (see beginning).

I don't write for the mere rewards that follow. I write for the fun of writing, and for the sake of improvement.

As a 15-year-old, I think it is even more crucial that I focus on improvement more than anything. Over the past year that I have been publishing on B/R, my grades in English class have risen by a large margin.

While my personal scores have always been better than above average, I failed to receive a less than perfect mark on an essay this school year, something I had yet to accomplish.

I am aware that I am a good writer, yet I know that that doesn't mean I must be rewarded for it. Nobody needs to tell me I'm good at what I do.

I know what I can and can't do, so why do I need to search for a way to be rewarded?

I have yet to receive the "Article Of The Day," but it doesn't matter to me. Winning the award would mean a lot, but only if I earned it.

Plus, winning the award isn't what will make me feel that I'm a better, more accomplished writer than I was the day before. It was the time spent constructing the piece that contributed to my improvement.

The award is only an acknowledgement.

(Commercial break: I wanted to state earlier to not vote for me, but decided against it.

Why?

Well, I've been wondering lately about how many people actually read, and how many simply award the vote just because everyone else does?

Well, as you can obviously tell, I definitely do not want to be voted for "Article Of The Day" with this article. Do not vote for me, at all. I mean it. If you do, I'll think you didn't read the article.

If the article is awarded "Article Of The Day," I'll delete it. That is all. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.)

So when I ventured onto B/R over the past few days, and saw the collection of articles that have recently won "Article Of The Day," I was saddened by what I saw.

Besides Zach Fein's award-winning article, most of the collection of winners is disappointing.

A few non-sports related pieces took the title home, as well as a few personal recognition and other sorts of articles.

With respect to the actual occurrences and the stories within these personal articles, should life stories be awarded pick of the day votes on an all sports-related journalism website?

Honestly, I do think those articles should be allowed on B/R from time to time, due to the lack of places elsewhere on the inter-webs with as much viewership and freedom as this site.

Yet, I do not believe they should be chosen as the best of the best on a day-to-day basis due to the fact that this is a sports website.

Then there are those select few articles that are about sports, like a generic top 10 ranking of some sort, that are also created to win the award as well and gain readership.

A Peyton Manning/Tom Brady article is sure to bring home a million views and three times as many comments, and has been used from time-to-time to do so.

Heck, I'll probably receive more of those views now that I've mentioned the two.

But that's beside the point.

The point I'm getting at is that these articles are taking over, conquering our website.

Too many undeserving articles are being recognized, and too few are going unnoticed.

When writers looking to win the award decide to "recognize" a fellow writer, and they actually win the award, it's just plain wrong.

If I go out and dedicate an article to Bryn Swartz, and I receive the pick of the day, what is that saying?

All I did was write that I appreciated his work, and I am rewarded?

No award should be handed to myself because of that type of article. Bryn receives recognition from myself in the article, and I shall receive the experience of writing said article.

That's all.

It's a shame that this continues to occur on this site.

I'm not pointing the finger at any of these writers to have been "acknowledged," like Leroy Watson. He didn't request to be recognized.

It just happened.

Leroy is a terrific writer, and I love his work, as do many others on this site. But that doesn't mean we have to crown him. We are all aware of his work. He's won the "Article Of The Day" 16 times!

What is best about him is he doesn't write for the award, he writes for himself. The honors are simply a product of his talents.

He needs no recognition from anyone. His recognition is found in the awards he wins, not the dedications that follow.

If you want to recognize a writer, do as Leroy did: recognize someone who deserves more than what they have.

I still don't believe in the whole idea, but it's better than writing about how much you love the most famous person in the world and receiving "Article Of The Day" because of it.

If you want to say something about how great a writer someone is, don't tell us, tell him/her.

Saraswathi Sirigina's new series is the exact opposite of what I'm getting at.

In all honesty, I love what she is doing. She is taking a look at the underrated and overlooked writers of Bleacher Report. It's much better than honoring the man who leads the site in "Article Of The Day" awards.

Bravo, Saraswathi.

So, do you understand what I'm getting at?

Recognizing a writer, sharing a sad story that has zero relation to sports, and putting together tips/guides to B/R doesn't deserve pick of the day votes.

While they do deserve to be written on Bleacher Report, especially the articles on life happenings that a writer feels they need to share, they shouldn't be in consideration for "Article Of The Day".

This is a sports journalism website, not a see-who-can-get-the-most-recognition-and-then-honor-them-so-I-can-get-recognition website.

Let's keep it that way.

To wrap this piece up, I want to conclude by saying getting two last thoughts to you, the reader.

First, please don't barge onto the comments in all capital letters. I can't hear you any louder with capital letters than I can with lowercase.

I only ask of you to be mature in what you say. If you disagree, do so politely and wisely.

Second, I didn't mean to harm anyone's feelings in this article. While you can likely tell what I was alluding to at certain points in this article, I didn't mean to attack anyone on a personal level.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to your comments.

Philadelphia Phillies' 2009 Midseason Review

Christian Karcole — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:35:03 -0400

Nearly two weeks prior to my writing questions and a ballot for a midseason report for the Philadelphia Phillies, the team was playing terrible baseball. After an 1-8 home stand, I set up a series of questions and a voting ballot for four members of the Phillies community to answer.

Yet, because of a few setbacks and other blocks in the road, the article was delayed. When all was cleared, only three of the writers had been able to contribute.

It got to a point where I doubted that posting the article would make sense, since the questions became outdated, largely due to the Phillies' improved play. Yet, I had a change of heart tonight and decided to go through with the article, even if a few of the issues in the questions have been solved.

So without further ado, here is the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies' Community Midseason Report. The report entails five questions, answered by a total of four writers, and a ballot, also filled out by each contributor.

The group of writers consists of myself, Shay Roddy, Scott Eisenlohr, and Flattish Poe. Any kind words or questions shall be directed to them, not just myself. Without them, this wouldn't be possible.

Just keep in mind that these questions were constructed sometime near the end of June.

1. The Phillies began the season the same way they have for years now—with mediocre play. Yet, as April progressed, the team gradually improved until May came around, when the Phillies hit their stride.

It wasn't until mid-June that the wheels started to fall off. Evaluate their current position in the standings, their record, and whether or not they have exceeded your expectations.

Scott Eisenlohr: The Mad Dog, Chris Russo, on Sirius radio, said that the Phillies' season was perhaps disappointing to Phils fans as they should have put some distance between them and their rivals.

I don't see it that way.

The Phillies won the NL East in 2007 on the last day of the season and last year on the second to last day. This was supposed to be a dog fight between the Phils and the Mets, but the Marlin and Braves have joined the race.

I think the Phils are right where they should be and will play better ball in July.

Shay Roddy: The Phils have been above average. Despite their poor play as of late, their record is above .500, and they have maintained a comfortable lead atop their division. Every team will go through their slumps, and the Phils will eventually get hot again—they're too good not to.

They've been plagued by injuries, which is something they did not experience a lot of last year. That seems to be the most concerning thing right now. All things considered, the Phils currently sit about where I expected right now—with a comfortable lead atop the NL East.

Flattish Poe: The Phillies have fewer total wins than any other division leaders in the MLB at 39, and they tie the Nationals for fewest wins at home at 13. And despite losing 11 of their last 14 games, they still lead the majors in road wins and have managed to stay atop the division thanks to the Met's misfortune.

And some people think things aren't going well.

Since I'm not a fan of expectations, I'll just venture to guess the consensus among Phils fans is the team has failed to meet anyone's, except maybe their rival's.

Christian Karcole: I have never been a fan of looking too much into a slump. When I see a team go on a tear and move into first place in their division, I always know their play will level off and other teams will catch up, and vice versa.

I had faith that the Phillies would quickly put an end to their poor play.

Have they exceeded my expectations?

Well, since I'm writing these answers during the middle of this home stand, I have to say they are exactly where I thought they would be. A four game lead over the Marlins, and a 6.5 game lead over the Mets is a great sign, so as long as the Phillies keep their consistent play up, they shall be fine.

2. Jimmy Rollins has been disappointing, to say the least, as has Brad Lidge, and the starting rotation is one of the worst in the league.

Which of the three is most crucial that it is fixed sometime in the near future?

SE: Jimmy Rollins has gotten four hits in the last two games after going something like 0-28. Both were wins. This team absolutely needs Rollins to hit, play defense, and steal bases to win.

That is the most important.

If you don't have the lead, you don't need to save games.

SR: Rollins' attitude is particularly frustrating. Being the leadoff hitter is a spot that is extremely important to him, yet he takes the complete wrong approach. His job is to be a speed demon, and beat out ground balls, and then use his speed on the base-paths.

But instead, Rollins continues to pop balls up.

The rotation is something that should eventually work itself out. They've been plagued by injuries in that area, but have, by in large, proved their depth. Lidge has certainly struggled as well.

However, since his return from the disabled list, his velocity has been up, with his fastball hitting the 94-95 MPH zone, which sets up his slider. I think that the issues in all three areas will be resolved with time.

The only thing that could possibly speed up the process would be a July trade for a high-profile starter.

FP: It's no secret that when Jimmy's hitting, the team is winning. And Charlie Manuel's concerned about the team getting beat late. Last year, late beatings weren't the norm, thanks in part to Brad Lidge.

But even in 2008, Brad threw his share of nail biters. Personally, I think Rollins is tired of the front-runners who fill the stands and he feels trapped, but he's not willing to chew off his arm to escape.

Lidge came with a bum knee and a confidence problem, but a little luck at just the right time last year got him through. Rollins is one guy—someone else needs to step in to lead the herd. Brad needs to get his mind right. But the starting rotation is a whole flock of trouble.

That has to be fixed first.

CK: Is there much you can do here?

With Rollins, it's more of him working himself out and getting into the right mindset. Before his recent streak of quality baseball, J-Roll was swinging with an uppercut, causing him to hit the ball in the air as opposed to line drives.

Now that he has somewhat corrected that, you can see it in his play. Hopefully he can continue playing this way.

Lidge is the same way. He just needs to work himself out. A pitcher or two is definitely needed, but instead of a Roy Halladay or Pedro Martinez, I'd target a lower level No. 3 or 4 starter to fill the role. The price will be much less, in dollars and prospects.

Overall, the most crucial of the three is none. They all need to be worked out. The Phillies go when Jimmy goes, the Phillies need that shutdown guy at the end of the game, and another starter is needed.

3. Every hitter in the lineup has seen some inconsistent play. Even Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez have fallen victim to a slump.

Excluding Jimmy Rollins, which batter concerns you the most so far this season?

SE: All the hitters, with the exception of Rollins, is where they should be. Shane Victorino is hitting in the .290 range, and I might have expected him to be more consistently near .300 or above.

Greg Dobbs, hitting in the .230 range, is a bit of a concern, but he is not a starter.

SR: Ryan Howard. Normally, his 200 strikeouts don't bother you once you see his power numbers, but this year his power numbers are down a little. He needs to get those up by year-end.

Your team's in pretty good offensive shape, though, when your second biggest offensive problem is an all-star.

FP: Off the cuff, I'd like to whine about Pedro Feliz, but he's on track to having the best offensive year of his career. Maybe that's all they can expect from him. I could also complain that Carlos Ruiz has shown only rare moments of the offensive glory that contributed to playoff wins in 2008.

And I could even whine about Ryan Howard's team leading 93 strikeouts.

But I'd rather talk about the offensive potential that still lurks in Jayson Werth. He's second in Phillie strike outs at 66 (16 ahead of third place Chase Utley), but when he gets on base, he's aggressive. That's why, even though his slugging percentage puts him at sixth on the team, he leads the league in total runs scored by only one.

I think if he found a way to reduce the number of times he slumps back to the bench in disgust, he'd be an offensive phenomenon.

CK: While Ryan Howard has been the point of consistency, his numbers are a little down. Pedro Feliz is having a great year compared to last season, Ruiz has been playing as he always does, and everyone else has been the same, if not better, as they were last season (except for Rollins, of course).

Howard's average continues to loom around .250-.260, so I call that consistency. Yet, he still needs to lower the strikeouts and improve more aspects of his hitting. On the bench, Eric Bruntlett is a big concern, but his bat isn't as crucial to the team.

4. Speaking of Raul Ibanez, what bad is there to say? He had been "slumping" in the week or so before his departure to the DL, but that could be because of his injured groin.

How surprised are you with Ibanez's performance? Do you believe he will be able to keep it up?

SE: Ibanez is something like a career .287 hitter. His power numbers surprise me, although Safeco Field is said to be more cavernous than other fields. He should finish the season around .314.

SR: Obviously, Ibanez's progress will slow down a little at some point, and the injury didn't help at all. I expect him to be good when he comes off the DL, but continuing this season's progress where he left off seems a bit far-fetched.

FP: My concern with Raul's slump was the number of times he struck out. But if my memory serves me right, Chase Utley looked the same in the second half of 2008, when he was being poked by hip pain.

I am surprised Raul's done what he's done. Anyone under the age of 30 would argue this is no game for old men, yet the stats are consistently riddled with leaders who are veterans.

But the most important question is, can Raul keep it up?

If he continues the consistent attention to his mental state and his physical conditioning, I say he can. And this simply supports my stance on the mandatory fitness rule.

I think teams should be allowed to require it. The guys who last the longest work the hardest. Nothing good ever came of mediocrity.

Just ask Raul.

CK: Raul Ibanez certainly won't hit with as much power and surprise as he did in April, May, and most of June. I foresee him beginning to slow down, and ending up with about 40 home runs, 115 RBI, and a .300 average.

5. With of all of the distractions and injuries the Phillies have faced in April, May, and June, they still sit a few games above .500 and, most importantly, in first place in the NL East.

Although they once sat with the second best record in baseball, the Phillies are still the same World Champions that they were in 2008.

How do you foresee the last three months of the season to play out?

Will the Phillies win the division, the wildcard, or miss the playoffs? (No playoffs prediction needed, that's too far into the future).

SE: I believe they are still the best team in the East, although after it shakes out, it will be the Braves, not the Marlins or the Mets, the Phillies will have to fend off.

SR: Because of how weak the division competition is, I don't see making the playoffs becoming a problem. The Phils were relatively injury-free last year. They haven't experienced such luck this season. Repeating as champs is a tough feat, but the Phils have the tools to be very good for years to come.

FP: Starting out strong always seems like a curse. The Marlins looked like they were invincible in the first twelve games. Now the Phils have managed to top the division for weeks, but it took a bunch of losses by the Mets and wins over the Nationals—the losing-est team in baseball—to keep them there.

Even so, I believe Phillies' management will start thinking smarter, not harder, and coach the team to a division win. But more of what they're doing won't work. The players have done what they'll do with a level of guidance that used to be enough.

Pedro Feliz didn't know how many outs there were when he mistakenly leaped off first base on a hit and was picked off to end a crucial inning, but Davey Lopes was standing right there.

There's more to coaching first base than clicking that stop watch.

CK: The Phillies are still an extremely talented squad. An acquisition to the rotation will only help the team improve. My worries for the Phillies are not based on their players who have not performed, because their talent is still there, but rather on injuries.

Injuries are what can derail a team (hence the New York Mets). Once two or three relievers or starters begin to miss time, roles are mixed up and arms become tired in overuse.

As long as the number of injuries can shrink, I expect the Phillies at the top of the NL with the Dodgers at season's end. But, unfortunately, injuries can never be predicted.

Award Ballot:

Most Valuable Player: (SE) Raul Ibanez; (SR) Raul Ibanez; (FP) Raul Ibanez; (CK) Raul Ibanez

Most Impressive Hitter: (SE) Raul Ibanez; (SR) Raul Ibanez; (FP) Raul Ibanez; (CK) Raul Ibanez

Most Impressive Pitcher: (SE) Clay Condrey; (SR) Ryan Madson; (FP) J.A. Happ; (CK) Joe Blanton

Biggest Surprise: (SE) Jayson Werth; (SR) Ryan Howard (defensively), Raul Ibanez; (FP) Ryan Howard; (CK) Pedro Feliz

Most Improved: (SE) Jayson Werth; (SR) Ryan Howard (defensively); (FP) Howard's defense; (CK) Howard's defense

Biggest Disappointment: (SE) Brad Lidge; (SR) Brad Lidge; (FP) Cole Hamels/Jimmy Rollins; (CK) Brad Lidge/Jimmy Rollins

Most Consistent: (SE) Clay Condrey; (SR) Chase Utley; (FP) Shane Victorino; (CK) Raul Ibanez

Best Starting Pitcher: (SE) Jamie Moyer; (SR) J.A. Happ; (FP) J.A. Happ; (CK) Joe Blanton

Best Reliever: (SE) Ryan Madson; (SR) Ryan Madson; (FP) Tyler Walker; (CK) Ryan Madson

Best Fielder: (SE) Chase Utley; (SR) Carlos Ruiz; (FP) Shane Victorino; (CK) Carlos Ruiz

Is Joe Blanton The Philadelphia Phillies' Best Starting Pitcher So Far?

Christian Karcole — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:48:09 -0400

He's Joe Blanton.

He's just another No. 3 or 4 starter who will amount to nothing more than an innings-eater. Correct?

Not quite.

Going back to May 26, Joe Blanton of the Philadelphia Phillies has allowed more than three runs just once, and gave up three runs twice. He has also lasted seven innings in all but three of those starts.

In that span, Blanton's ERA is an extremely solid 2.44. Blanton is never a stat pitcher, and usually only gives you seven innings and three or four runs. Yet he has found a way to become more than an innings pitcher recently.

Blanton's overall ERA to date this season stands at 4.44, but was as high as 8.41 after April. If it had not been for his horrid start, Blanton would be teettering on the brink of a sub-4.00 ERA.

So the question begs to be answered: Has Joe Blanton been the best pitcher for the Phillies thus far?

The only true competition for Blanton would be J.A. Happ, who is 5-0 with a 3.04 ERA. On the surface, it clearly appears that Happ has the upper hand. Yet, Happ does not have the number of starts Blanton does, and does not pitch as deep into games.

When Happ takes the mound, you can be confident to get a quality start, but you know the bullpen is likely to be used for two or three innings.

When Blanton starts every fifth day, you can feel confident that the bullpen wil.

Is it safe to call Blanton the Phillies' best starting pitcher this season? Possibly. Happ will beg to differ that his numbers conquer those of Blanton's, but his numbers since he turned it on tower those of Happ in that same span (Blanton's quality pitching began May 26, and Happ began as a starter on May 23).

If I had to choose Blanton or Happ to pitch one game in which I needed a win, I would easily take Blanton.

I know I can depend on him pitching into the eighth inning, possibly even longer, and him allowing three or less runs. With this offense, that should nearly guarantee a victory.

But hey, I'll still hands down send Cole Hamels to the mound if I need a win in October. There's no doubt about that.

But when it comes down to performance this season, I have to go with Joe Blanton.

Philadelphia Phillies Send Trio of Outfielders to All-Star Game, Continue to Win

Christian Karcole — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:55:02 -0400

All three starting outfielders for one major league team are heading to the All-Star game for the first time since 1995, when the Cleveland Indians sent Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, and Albert Belle.

This season, the Philadelphia Phillies will be the club sending its starting outfielders to the Midsummer Classic with the group of Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth.

Ibanez was the top vote-getter among National League outfielders, while Victorino was voted in by the fans in the final vote, garnering about 15 million votes.

Jayson Werth was added earlier today to replace injured Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Ibanez was a sure selection, while Victorino and Werth cause more controversy.

Victorino was voted to St. Louis over the Giants' third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who many thought deserved it more than the Flyin' Hawaiian. Yet, it became clear as the voting progressed that Victorino simply wanted it more.

His up-beat attitude and overall like-ability is the likely reason to why he was voted in.

Jayson Werth was selected by Charlie Manuel, who is managing the NL team in the game, to replace Beltran.

Although he may not be the "most deserving," Werth is third among NL outfielders with 20 home runs, fifth in RBI with 54, eighth in stolen bases with 12, second in runs with 59, seventh in SLG and OPS at .522 and .894, respectively, ninth in OBP at .373, and second in walks with 49.

Not to be forgotten, and rarely shown in statistics, is Werth's pure ability to run the bases.

If all of that isn't enough to get the man into the All-Star Game, what is?

You can argue that Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp deserved it, but Werth beats Kemp out in home runs, doubles, RBI, runs, OBP and OPS.

Add to that the fact that Werth will most likely not be in contention for the game for too many more seasons, while Kemp will almost certainly be a part of the Midsummer Classics for years to come.

We can continue to argue that neither Werth or Victorino deserved it, but both players have worked tirelessly to get to this point, and are backed by some of the best fans in baseball. They deserve it, no doubt about it.

Moving forward, let's go back to my opening paragraph when I stated that the Phillies are the first team since 1995 to send their starting outfielders to the All-Star game.

As I said, that 1995 team was the Cleveland Indians. Who was their hitting coach? More importantly, why should you care? Because it was Charlie Manuel, the Phillies' skipper.

Another record set by the Phillies this season is their group of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth, who have all hit 20 home runs. This means the Phillies are just the second team of all-time to have four batters with 20 or more home runs by the All-Star break.

Could there be a fifth 20-home run hitter in the near future?

Well, if Jimmy Rollins is able to hit 13 home runs over the next two games, then yes. Other than that, no, there will not be another member to the Phillies group of sluggers.

In other news, the Phillies won their seventh game out of the eight played on the current home stand this evening with a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Joe Blanton was once again solid, allowing four hits and one run over 7.1 innings. Brad Lidge entered the game in the ninth inning with one out, and notched the save after allowing a two-out home run to David Moss.

Their current lead in the National League East stands at 2.5 games.

The Florida Marlins, who sit in second place, have just began their game in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.

The New York Mets kept up their losing ways with a 3-0 defeat to the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, moving them 6.5 games back of the Phillies.

Finally, Raul Ibanez was activated off the 15-day disabled list today. The Phillies waived catcher Chris Coste in order to fit Ibanez onto the roster. Coste was quickly picked up by the Houston Astros.

Ibanez did not play Friday, but is likely to start on Saturday.

If the Phillies can manage to keep up their hot play, especially with the return of Ibanez and the overall play of the All-Star outfield, they just may begin to run away with division later this month.

If that were to occur, would a trade for Roy Halladay be as realistic, or would a trade for a number three starter make more sense?

Right now, it's all up in the air. All we know is that the Phillies are still the defending champions and are finally showing again. Whether any trades are made will be seen in the coming weeks.

NL East Division Battle: Phils in First, Marlins Fighting, Others Fading

Christian Karcole — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:54:22 -0400

At the exact moment I type this, the Philadelphia Phillies lead the National League East by two games.

The second place team is, surprisingly, the Florida Marlins, who began the season 11-1, only to fade in May and June. Yet, over the last few weeks, the Fish have climbed their way back to second place.

Third place is currently held by the Atlanta Braves, who sit five games back of the Phillies.

And the New York Mets, who are four games under .500, are now 5.5 games behind first place.

The Phillies have held first place longer than any other team in the division this season, while the Marlins, Braves, and Mets have been up and down throughout the standings.

Most surprising halfway through the season in the NL East could be the New York Mets and their inability to win consistently.

This was supposed to be "their year," as sworn by nearly every Mets fan. Yet, all the Mets have shown is that they are the same disappointing team they have been over the past few seasons.

Is July 10 too early to consider the Mets "out of the race"?

With the numerous injuries the Not-So-Amazin's have faced, and the continued lack of chemistry and consistency, can the Mets improve to the point where they can overtake the World Champions?

The defense on the part of the Mets has been anything but spectacular, the everyday lineup they take to the field is young and inexperienced, and frankly is not ripe with talent, and finally, the blame is once again beginning to spread to the manager, Jerry Manuel.

While their most polarizing weakness in 2008, the bullpen, has drastically improved, the Mets' offense has plummeted, and the rotation has been mediocre.

The guarantees from numerous Mets fans that their team would finally lose their choking ways and would relinquish the division are quickly losing steam. How soon can we finally say it's over for the Mets?

Well, because of what occurred in 2007, a seven-game lead with 17 games left can be lost, so I guess it won't be over until the Mets are completely out of it.

But with the way the Phillies are playing compared to how the Mets are playing, and the overall talent being put on the field by both clubs, the Phillies look to have the upper hand.

Aside from the Mets, a surprising Florida Marlins team has crept back into second place, and sits only two games back. Their 10-run inning earlier this evening kept the Fish within two games, showing that they should be a force to be reckoned with.

Yet, can the team who actually sat 1.5 games behind the Phillies at this time last season keep themselves from fading like they did in 2008?

That fact remains to be seen. Yet, the Marlins have one more year of experience and are a bit more talented than they were last season. The Marlins just might be the real deal this season.

In first remains the World Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies.

After going into mid-June with the second best record in all of baseball, the Phils hit a major speed bump that is interleague play, going 6-12 against the American League, including a 1-8 home stand against the AL.

Since their return home and to their regular National League schedule, the Phillies have won six of seven, including a three-game sweep of the Mets. The Phillies most recently took three-out-of-four from the Cincinnati Reds to keep their momentum going.

If it had not been for their most recent slump, the Phillies could be five games or more in front of second place in the division, and possibly seven or eight games above the Mets.

Yet, what happened is not reversible and the Phillies are in first with just a two game lead.

Will the Phillies clinch the division earlier than they have the past two seasons? Will the Mets even come close to the wildcard? Can the Marlins stay in the picture for most of the season? Finally, can the Braves quietly make a run for a playoff spot?

It's all up in the air. There is only one sure thing in this division:

The Washington Nationals have been out the race since Spring Training.

Is Manny Ramirez' Warm Welcome Back to Baseball Warrented?

Christian Karcole — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:03:05 -0400

Manny Ramirez has the world of baseball caught in an abusive relationship.

Manny is a lovable character who has been known to have his conflicts with those among him.

At day, the man brings all spectators to their feet as he torments opposing pitchers with his freakish ability to play the game of baseball.

At night, away from the public eye, Manny finds a way to get into disagreements with his boss and eventually, finds himself in trouble with Major League Baseball.

Ramirez, aside from Rafael Palmeiro, was the first superstar player to be handed a hefty suspension for a positive drug test result that violated MLB's drug policy.

While Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, and many others denied and continue to deny they ever used sports-enhancing drugs, their legacies are hampered by the allegations. The public no longer looks up to these legends, and more commonly looks down upon them.

No substantial evidence has ever been shown to prove either Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, and others have taken steroids, and no repercussions were handed out to any of the three mentioned.

Yet it was actually proven that Ramirez took a banned substance, and Ramirez was actually punished for his positive test. And yet somehow, some way, much of the world is accepting Ramirez back to baseball with open arms.

He babied his way out of Boston. He has been criticized for lazy play in the past. Most recently, he failed a drug test that ended up causing Ramirez to receive a 50-game suspension.

You can say what you want about the substance he took, yet it was a banned substance and is used by many players who have just recently stopped taking other performance-enhancing drugs.

It was made fact Ramirez did cheat, and he was punished for it. But Manny is not facing the same scrutiny as other accused steroid users.

Manny is adored so hugely by countless fans that even when he abuses his rights and disappoints so many, his return is welcomed by open arms and hugs all around.

Somehow, fans just cannot seem to release themselves from the polarizing figure that is Manny Ramirez, and realize the actions he has taken part in are not much worse than those of the accused steroid-users.

We didn't love Mr. Bonds enough to keep crawling back to him, nor did we love Mr. Sosa, Mr. McGwire, or Mr. Clemens enough to welcome them back in open arms.

There's something about Manny that keeps everyone on his side.

But is it fair to continue to support him, even after it is made clear he failed a Major League drug test, and bashed those who have yet to be found guilty?

It has never been assured that Bonds took steroids, yet millions of baseball enthusiasts call for an asterisk beside his name in the record books.

McGwire will likely never be voted into the Hall of Fame due to the steroid allegations he faces, even though that is all they are—allegations.

Clemens' legacy took a monumental hit from the moment he denied steroid use, and has continued to deny his use of performance-enhancing drugs, and yet still nothing has been proven.

While it is likely all three of these former icons have cheated their way to the records they hold, only Ramirez was actually proven to have cheated.

Yet somehow, that mere fact is overlooked because of the lovable man Ramirez is.

Manny has returned and Dodgers fans are rejoicing. Manny fans around the world are joyous to see their man back on the field.

Mannywood is back up and running, its supporters as strong as ever.

Yet as a baseball fan, it's a shame to see.

Is Roy Halladay Worth the Philadelphia Phillies' Future?

Christian Karcole — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:48:41 -0400

Roy Halladay has long been one of my favorite pitchers in baseball.

Although he was not commonly known by the casual fan until these past few seasons (largely due to the fact he plays in Toronto), Halladay has been a consistent and talented pitcher his entire career.

Except for one major league season in which he posted an ERA of 10.64 in 13 starts and 19 overall appearances (that disaster was in 2000, his second full season), Halladay has only had an ERA above 4.00 one time, in 2004.

He was awarded with the American League Cy Young Award in 2003, and was a worthy candidate for the award in many of his other seasons, including this year.

Although Halladay missed a few starts this June and has struggled since his return, he has been lights out for the majority of the season.

He has pitched for less than seven innings only twice, and has allowed three or less runs in 12 of his 16 starts.

His ERA currently stands at 2.79, his WHIP at 1.09, and strikeouts at 98.

And suddenly, Roy Halladay could be packing his bags and boarding a plane out of Toronto.

With only one year remaining on his current contract, the Toronto Blue Jays have said that they are listening to any offers that may come their way. However, it was made clear the Jays are not going to look to trade Halladay, and are only listening to the possible offers that could be made.

If the Blue Jays are intrigued by any offer to a point where they cannot refuse, Halladay could be on the move.

One possible location is Philadelphia and the World Champion Phillies.

It has been reported the Phillies are interested, yet would whatever the Phillies would need to put on the table be too much to trade away?

The Blue Jays are supposedly looking for a package of prospects, and one or two major league players.

Would this mean the departure of a Jayson Werth-type player, along with the Phillies' top prospects Kyle Drabek (pitcher), Dominic Brown (outfielder), and possibly Carlos Carrasco or Joe Savery (both pitchers)?

It would be likely both Drabek and Brown would have to be included, and either Savery or Carrasco could be as well. On top of that, a major-league player would need to be sacrificed, yet who could that be?

Unloading a pitcher should be out of the question, since the club is already scratching for major-league ready minor leaguers out of their own system that can be of use to the team.

The Blue Jays would have no use for a bench player, so would the Phillies have to part ways with Jayson Werth? Werth would be an upgrade over David Dellucci and Adam Lind, their right fielders, and is likely the only need the Jays have that the Phillies may be willing to meet.

Understand that in no way, shape, or form am I saying that Werth will be traded. This is just merely speculation and a suggestion. Yet it would seem Werth would be the most expendable player and fits what Toronto may want.

But would Werth, Drabek, Brown, and either Carrasco or Savery, and even possibly one other minor-league player be too much for the Phillies to lose?

Would it be more sensible to trade for a number three or four starter to solidify the back end of the rotation without having to lose so much talent, or is giving up much of your future worth the possibility of winning this and/or next season with Halladay?

Other factors to take into consideration are Halladay's salary and no-trade clause.

It has yet to be seen whether he would waive his NTC to come to Philadelphia, and the $14.5 million Halladay is making this season just adds to the large sum of salary going into the main focus of the team.

Is all of that goes into this deal worth trading for Roy Halladay, even if it does mean a second-consecutive World Series Championship this October, or is the price too steep to pay?

The market for pitchers this season is thin, and however likely a Halladay-to-Philadelphia deal is, the Phillies are bound to make a move sometime before the July 31st deadline.

Just what that move is remains to be seen.

Analyzing The Philadelphia Sports Scene, Pt. 2: The Players

Christian Karcole — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:13:02 -0400

On April 30, 2009, I wrote an article breaking down the Philadelphia sports' media (read here).

The title read "Pt. 1", and I assured you, the fine readers, that part two would soon follow.

Oops. My bad.

Well I'm finally writing it, aren't I?

While questioning myself on how I wanted to put this together, I initially decided to create a list of the most polarizing sports figures in the area. But, shortly thereafter, I planted my thoughts into writing an essay-style piece.

Conducting a list of the top ten or however many figures would be far too broad, which made the idea of essay-style that more attractive.

But enough jibber-jabber, it's time for you to move on to the real stuff. Enjoy!

It took the Philadelphia Phillies 97 years to win a World Series (poor Cubs fans, 100 and counting). They were able to break the championship drought in the City of Brotherly Love last season, but I'll have more on that in a few.

The Philadelphia Flyers first won the Stanley Cup in just their seventh season since their inception into the NHL, and they even won it the following year. Yet, the orange and black haven't hoisted the Cup since, which has been 34 seasons.

The Philadelphia 76ers were the last team to win their championship before the curse of Billy Penn began in 1983, yet they do have one other championship.

Last and certainly least, the Philadelphia Eagles have yet to win a Super Bowl. The team has won three NFL Championships, but as far as most of us are concerned, Super Bowls are what count.

So with just six championship seasons in a long and detailed history of Philadelphia Sports, it's a wonder to many how the fans of the city are able to keep their spirits high and hopes the same...

Fine, spirits aren't always high and hopes aren't always either, but the love and appreciation for the athletes who put it all on the line is there, right? Well, most of the time...

There has been an enormous mix of icons who have wandered into the city to compete on one of the four major sports teams. Most of which have been loved, yet many have been disliked.

Very disliked.

Among those who have been loved, the most come from three teams--the Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies.

The 76ers, basically the middle brother nobody bothers with, have manufactured some all-time great icons, such as the one and only Allen Iverson. But beyond A.I., I can't think of too many others who stand out.

Wilt Chamberlain? Naw, he isn't thought of as a Sixer when thinking about his legacy.

What about that guy with the gambling problems? The one whose last name has something to do with a tree?

Branch? Leaf? Purple? Bark? That's it, Barkley.

Yes, Charles Barkley.

His demand to be traded out of Philly after playing with the team from 1984-1992 didn't sit well with many Sixers enthusiasts, but they got over it. Since, fans have grown to appreciate Barkley, even as his sanity is put in question more and more each and every day.

Back to Allen Iverson, though.

If I was ranking the most iconic figures in Philadelphia sports history, A.I. would have to have a no doubt top five placement, and could possibly fall into the top three.

But I'm not ranking, so I'll just spit out some information on the relationship with the fans.

From practices to crime investigations, "The Answer" always left onlookers looking for some of their own. But through it all, he is loved by fans, largely due to how he was able to make basketball relevant again in the area.

Ever since his absence, attendance has plummeted and the strong following has largely subsided. For example, playoff games are not even being filled to capacity after his departure.

In his first game back in the city with the Denver Nuggets, Iverson received a standing ovation that lasted a few minutes (but was cut off by the PA announcer).

Other polarizing figures branching from the Sixers include Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, and of course, Dr. J (Julius Erving).

The Philadelphia Flyers' list of players that come to mind when you think of the Flyers is much longer than that of the 76ers', mainly because of the storied history and the passion that runs deep throughout much of the city.

Flyers fans pass down their fan-hood to their offspring, much like what occurs with the Philadelphia Eagles. If your father, or even mother, is a fan of the Flyers, their is a 99% chance you follow suit.

Plus, when you are able to establish such a dominant team early in your history, along with a catchy nickname ("The Broad Street Bullies"), there has to be some names to remember.

The biggest of all is without a doubt Bobby Clarke.

Clarke was known as a dirty player at the time, but a skillful and competitive one at that. He led the Flyers to both of their Stanley Cup titles as captain, still being the only Flyers captain to lead the team to a championship.

Flyers fans still hold Clarke above all other Flyers legends, but names like Bob Kelly, Bill Barber, Reggie Leach, Brian Propp, Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Eric Desjardins, Tim Kerr, Rod Brind’Amour, Mark Howe, Pelle Lindberg, Ron Hextall, Bernie Perant, and most recently, Simon Gagne and Mike Richards.

Mike Richards' legacy is growing, and he is only 24. Most consider him to be the next Bobby Clarke. His playing style is similar, and his leadership is already shining through.

Richards is locked in for many years to come, after he signed a 12-year extension in 2007.

Fans already love Richards, who isn't flashy, but gets the job done. You could call him the Steve Yzerman of the Flyers.

The reason for the deep history and large group of players who are considered as Flyers legends is due to the way the organization continuously reminds its fans about its alumni, and loves to keep their former players around.

But with all-time greats like Clarke, Lindros, Desjardins, and Perant, who would want to keep them away?

The Phillies do not have as large a group of highly touted players as the Flyers, which may come as a surprise to many due to their many, many more years of existence.

There is only two names who immediately come to mind with the Phillies: Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt.

Need I say more?

Carlton is one of the best left-handed pitchers of all-time, and Schmidt is nearly the unanimous selection as the best third baseman ever.

Carlton was always appreciated, and still is today. Yet, for some odd reason, Phillies legends aren't remembered as much as they are for the Flyers and Eagles.

Mike Schmidt, ironically, wasn't particularly "adored" as a player. He was occasionally booed by the hometown crowd, but those who knew him, for the most part, enjoyed his presence.

Nowadays, Schmidt is involved with the Phillies on many occassions and his relationship with the fans has improved.

Larry Bowa always brings a smile and a story or two to fans, mainly due to his outgoing style and aggressiveness as a manager. Plus, he was a better than average player, to say the least.

This small group of legends (there are more names like Pete Rose, Dick Allen, Richie Ashburn, Curt Schilling, and Tug McGraw, among others) will be welcoming a few members within the next decade or so.

Chase Utley is sure to be among the group by the end of his career, which many believe will be Hall of Fame worthy; Ryan Howard may end up as the best first baseman in team history; and Cole Hamels has a shot to be among Grover Cleveland and Robin Roberts as the best pitchers in Phillies history.

As of right now, Brad Lidge remains an icon solely based on his perfect season in 2008, which will never leave the minds of all Phillies fans.

Jimmy Rollins' impression on Phillies fans has been remarkable, but it's tough to evaluate his legacy just yet.

Finally, we finish off with the most beloved team in Philadelphia, the Eagles.

Possibly the most appreciated player in team history departed the team just this offseason. His name? Brian Dawkins.

You can call him B-Dawk, Weapon-X, or just plain old Brian Dawkins. But whatever you call him, the Philadelphia Eagles will always come to mind.

He has yet to play in a Denver Broncos uniform, which is the team he signed on with just a few months ago, yet even when he slips on the Bronco blue and orange, B-Dawk will always bleed midnight green.

He won't have it any other way.

Moving on, we cross over a few other superstars who have played in the same era as Dawkins, the first name being Donovan McNabb.

The ignorant sports fans of the world will say Eagles fans booed him. The knowledgeable one's will acknowledge that it was a group of fans that were sent to boo any pick other than Ricky Williams.

Nonetheless, the relationship between McNabb and Philadelphia has been shaky, at the least.

One minute he's laughing, showing off those pearly white's of his, and the next he's whining over criticizers bashing his play. It wasn't until recently that most of the fan base and media members began to agree that with a Super Bowl, McNabb could very well be a Hall of Famer.

Much of the trauma McNabb has gone through has involved one man.

A man he connected with for 14 touchdown's and won the NFC Championship with. A man he feuded with for much of the 2005-2006 season, wrecking any chances of a return to the Super Bowl. A man whose nickname involves a mere two letters.

That man is Terrell Owens, or T.O., as many call him.

Owens was a man amongst children from the moment he was sent to the Eagles from San Francisco. The fans adored him, and his play only increased the level of appreciation.

And in stepped Drew Rosenhaus.

We all know the story. In the end, Owens was cut, and moved on to the Dallas Cowboys. Eagles fans have trouble just saying his name ever since.

But moving farther into the past, Vince Papale is a favorite player of many due to his inspiring story.

Randall Cunningham is remembered as one of the most explosive players in team history. Chuck Bednarik is simply known as a tremendous player who could demolish anyone he wanted to.

Reggie White continues to bring back memories of his historic seasons in Eagles green. It's unfortunate he had to retire as a Packer, and it's even worse that he had to lose his life so early.

Steve Van Buren, Tommy McDonald, Wilbert Montgomery, and others rank among the best Eagles of all-time. The list goes on and on.

But everyone else aside, there is no other Eagle who is adored by the fans as much as Brian Dawkins is at this moment.

With that, part two is complete.

Is there a part three, you ask? I'm not making any promises, but I think it's likely that there will be.

Until then, so long.

Why the NHL Reigns Supreme Over The NBA

Christian Karcole — Sun, 31 May 2009 02:05:42 -0400

The National Hockey League has a poor reputation, to say the least.

Most who dislike the sport, in all honesty, mock it.

ESPN, The "Worldwide Leader in Sports," chooses to show two or three hockey highlights per SportsCenter during the regular season. If your name does not start with Sidney or end with Ovechkin, then you will not see much time on the network.

This gives the casual fan reason to believe the sport should be put on the backburner.

Those viewers who are also fans of the National Basketball Association are quick to believe that the NBA is superior to the NHL. They may be right, they may be wrong.

Yet, because of the lack of airtime on ESPN for the NHL, the sport becomes the butt of numerous jokes.

It is possible that it could all be a thing of the past in the near future.

Recently, I feel like the NHL is becoming "popular" again. People genuinely enjoy the sport now more than in recent years, and the respect for the game is creeping back up.

Most of us can admit that besides pick-up street hockey games from time to time, hockey is not a sport many of us partake in as children.

Football, baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, and especially basketball, were all typical games to be played in the neighborhood. They were easy to prepare for and easy to understand.

In football, you need a ball; basketball, a ball; baseball, a ball and bat. We all have a football, a basketball, and a baseball and bat. Even the least athletic of us have these typical sports items.

In hockey, you need a goalie, some pads for said goalie, sticks, pucks/balls, and possibly skates, all of which are expensive.

Because of this, hockey has never been the sport of choice for many children.

And yes, that has harmed hockey from its very beginning to this very moment in becoming America's sport of choice. But for some reason, people keep coming back.

Viewership is up, as well as ticket sales, and stadiums are filling to capacity more than most NBA arenas.

Jerseys are selling, sponsorships are growing, and stars are being born.

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are the best that could ever happen to the NHL. In the league's darkest times, these two perennial stars shine.

Their memorable seven-game dogfight in round two will stick in the minds of many for years to come. Even non-hockey fans sat around to watch as the series unfolded.

Players are more likeable now more than ever.

The NHL revamped their website for the 2008-2009 season, which was a huge hit. Traffic on the site increased, and their program to watch out-of-market games is considered to be the best throughout the four major sports.

Just watching the sport is fun.

The passion from the crowd during the playoffs surpasses that of any other sport. The excitement after every goal reminds us of European soccer teams and their fanatical followers, except that with hockey, loud buzzers and songs ring after every time the puck crosses the line.

And hey, who doesn't love loud noises from time to time?

With high-definition, complaints of the inability to see the puck on the screen is no longer understandable. You can see the silver lining on the face of the puck when watching in HD five blocks away.

In HD, you can even sneak a peak at the living organism growing on Sidney Crosby's upper lip in perfect clarity, or the Afghan Hound found on Johan Franzen.

Just watching the sport on television is a beautiful thing.

The sounds are incredible, far superior to any other sport.

The physical game gives every man, woman, and child (fine, maybe not the second one) at least the slightest bit of interest. Fights are especially entertaining to watch.

Things are looking up for the NHL and the game of hockey.

And in the midst of all this is the slow, apparent downfall of the NBA.

College basketball entertains me, especially the NCAA Tournament. Basketball as a sport is interesting to watch and fun to play.

But the NBA is not basketball anymore.

The difference between the heart and soul poured into every second of every college basketball game and the lack of such attitudes in the NBA is enormous. I can't get enthused about a sport in which half of the players couldn't care less about what they were doing.

And even if they do care, they play like it is a pick-up game in the neighborhood.

Don't even get me started on player likeability.

LeBron James will be one of the greatest to ever play the game, not just because of his talent, but also because of his passion.

But look beyond him, and what's left?

A bunch of dispassionate, uncaring, and just dumb players. Don't agree with me?

The NHL has none of that.

The sport is filled with intellectual and genuine players. You do not find any tattoos in hockey, or crazy piercings, either.

No, you find a group of tightly knit players who don't take their aggressive style of play from the ice to the streets.

How many NHL players are convicted of criminal charges? How many are found to have taken sports-enhancing drugs?

This has nothing to do with race or heritage. All I am getting at is that the atmosphere among hockey players is miles ahead of that in among basketball players. It is a genuine game.

The fights and grudges on the ice are exactly that—on the ice.

Players in the NHL decide problems on their own. If near the end of a game a cheap hit is made on a player, the opposing team will stick up for their teammate on the next shift or in the next meeting between the two.

Issues are always left on the ice.

In the NBA, everything is a foul nowadays. Because of that, players expect those calls. If a foul is not called, you will hear it from that player after the game.

Not in hockey. There is a general respect among players and referees that the NBA cannot compare to.

Just take the handshakes at the end of every playoff series in the NHL. No other sport does this. Only the NHL chooses to show sportsmanship and respect among players in such a manor.

You will rarely see such a sportsmanlike action in the NBA. There is excessive pushing and shoving under the basket, elbows being thrown left and right, and nose-to-nose confrontations in basketball than any other sport.

You might say that hockey is guilty in the area of the pushing and shoving, but that is part of hockey. You have to play tough to win, and that is how you gain respect.

Then once the game is over and the outcome is clear, the opponents generally show their respect for one another.

The likeability and attraction to hockey and its players is far ahead that of the NBA. There is an attraction to the celebrations after each goal. Every team is a family.

The sport is just genuine.

It is fast-paced, energetic, eye-opening. While what really goes on in a hockey game may be difficult for the casual fan to understand, as I mildly touched on earlier, hockey is attractive because of its geniality.

Who knows? Maybe it's just me.

It is possible hockey is not making a comeback. Maybe I just want to believe that it is.

But I doubt it. I am sane enough to realize that when ESPN shows an NHL playoff highlight before an NBA playoff highlight, something has to be up.

The sport of basketball will never die. In fact, basketball is probably the second-most popular sport in the United States of America, behind football, of course.

But when it comes to the NBA, their stock is falling while the NHL's just keeps rising.

The common belief among non-hockey fans is still that the NHL is a joke, that hockey itself is a joke. To them, if ESPN doesn't regularly endorse something, it must be uninteresting.

But all it takes is a little common sense.

Why would ESPN show support and endorse a sport from which they would receive zero benefit from doing so? In actuality, regularly showing hockey highlights could hurt the network, as it would draw fans away from watching ESPN to watching hockey games on Versus and NBC.

In 2011, when the NHL's contract with Versus is up, we very well may see ESPN make a push to sign with the NHL.

All I know is, my love for hockey has grown over the past year, just as it has for millions of others out there. The game of hockey is back, better than ever.

Oh, and how sweet it is.

Revisiting The J.C. Romero Suspension Nearly Five Months Later

Christian Karcole — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:57:13 -0400

On January 6th, 2009, J.C. Romero was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for an illegal drug on Major League Baseball's banned substance list.

Immediately, Romero adamantly defended himself and had the proof to back himself up.

The Major League Baseball Players Association had told Romero that the supplement was perfectly fine to take (the MLBPA then sent out another letter in November saying the supplement could cause a positive test), his personal nutritionist had approved of the substance, and Romero even brought the substance up to Dong Lien, the Phillies' strength and conditioning coach.

Although Major League Baseball never completely admitted that Romero cheated, they did accuse Romero of negligence.

Negligence? Is checking with the Players Union, his personal nutritionist, and his strength and conditioning coach not enough?

What made the situation worse was the fact that the bottle Romero had bought had absolutely no warning label on it.

Yet, at his arbitration hearing, the bottle MLB showed had a warning label. You can speculate that to be what you want, but Romero's original bottle had no warning label.

In the end, the suspension ended up costing Romero $1.25 million and the first 50 games of '09.

That was then, this is now.

Now, the suspension is turning out to be more costly than most supposed it would be.

His 2.75 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 1.34 WHIP, and 24 holds last season in 81 games provided the Phillies with a reliever who can be trusted to be called upon every other day, especially in the playoffs, where he pitched 7.1 scoreless innings.

In 2007 with the Phillies, he recorded a 1.24 ERA in 51 games.

Yet, with the best bullpen in the National League from 2008 returning for '09, his absence was not expected to create any longstanding conflicts.

While the bullpen still sits at eighth in the Majors and fifth in the NL, the load on Ryan Madson has been increased. More noticeably, Brad Lidge has had to be used in nearly the same number of non-save situations as he has in save situations.

Many believe this constant change in situation for Lidge is what has launched Lidge into his troubles.

Whether this is the case or not, that remains to be seen. Yet, considering the fact that Lidge's season completely went off when he was forced to make the switch from closer to set-up in Houston, it seems to be a likely possibility.

If you still believe J.C. Romero was and is a steroid user, just take this into consideration:

It was proven the supplement was not found in his body for the duration of the 2008 playoffs, in which he pitched 7.1 scoreless innings.

This was the first time he tested positive for this substance, and he has recorded an ERA under 2.00 two times in his career, 2008 not being one of them, and an ERA under 3.00 three other times in his career, not including 2008.

The fact that he approached three separate sources for confirmation on the substance, one of them being the MLB Players Association, and was assured by the clerks at each of the two stores he bought the substance that it would not cause a positive test shows he was in no way, shape, or form attempting to cheat.

The lack of a warning on the substance's label didn't seem to help much, either.

But now, with the Phillies entering their 44th game of the 2009 season this evening, Romero has just six more games to watch and wait before his is eligible to return.

You can bet he'll be ready.

Phillies Complete Four-Game Sweep Of Nats, Improve to Four Above .500

Christian Karcole — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:54:57 -0400

After a rough 5-8 stretch, the Philadelphia Phillies ran into the right team at the right time. After playing the Mets, Cardinals, Braves, and Dodgers, the Washington Nationals were just what a slumping team needed.

Jimmy Rollins, who came into Saturday with a .199 average, improved his average to .222 by accumulating seven hits in the series.

Chase Utley, who hit .342 in the month of April, is hitting .195 thus far in May and is now hitting .291 overall. Oddly enough, the downfall in Utley's average began the day after he sat out a May 5 game against the Cardinals.

The reason for his absence was a bruised foot, which had been struck by a pitch. Utley has not been the same since.

You might recall that, around this time last season, Utley began to see a decrease in his average. Many speculated that there was something wrong with his body, which turned out to be true. News of a hip injury became afloat after the season, proving the theory right.

Could this recent "injury" be the same? Only time will tell.

Raul Ibanez, the new Philly Messiah (Pat who?), came back to life in this series. He entered Friday with a .336 average and left Sunday with a .357, tallying three home runs, nine hits, and nine runs batted in.

In the month of April, Ibanez hit .359, and was already beginning his new love affair with the Philly faithful. But May has been even sweeter, as he has hit .379 in the month.

Among others, Pedro Feliz has boosted his average above .300 once again, and Jayson Werth is inching closer to .300 with every day.

Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino stand alone among Phillies' hitters, being the only two hitters not producing to their highest ability of late. Even Carlos Ruiz has been coming through when needed, which is huge for the club.

Overall, the Phillies rank sixth in baseball in runs (199), eighth in OBP (.348), fourth in SLG (.454), eighth in OPS (.802), and third in home runs (50).

As for the pitching staff, the bullpen is slowly moving up the ranks. Once near last in the league, the 'pen is now in 13th in baseball with a 4.14 ERA. Chad Durbin (4.03 ERA), Ryan Madson (3.57), Scott Eyre (4.00), and Jack Taschner (3.86) have given consistent relief efforts of late, while the best relievers so far have been J.A. Happ (2.49) and Clay Condrey (2.61).

The starting rotation began the season in a funk, but just as the bullpen has, the rotation is quietly improving. Brett Myers' 4.50 ERA appears to show inconsistency, but five quality starts beg to differ.

Cole Hamels battled soreness, a bruised shoulder, and a strained ankle through April, but has allowed just three earned runs in his last 17.1 innings. His ERA in the month of April is 2.08, and his year-to-date ERA of 5.04 would likely be better had it not been for his departure after 4.1 scoreless innings due to a strained ankle.

Jamie Moyer's 8.15 ERA is certainly a cause for concern, as he has just one quality start and has allowed seven earned runs in each of his last two starts. But the 46-year old does have three wins, and that's a plus no matter how you look at it.

Joe Blanton could be pitching more consistently as well, but his three quality starts is what you expect. The 6.86 ERA needs to improve, and only time will tell if it will.

Now, what is there to say about Chan Ho Park? A poor start to open the season, then decent starts in his next two outings, then a terrible start, then two impressive starts, and the most recent start was today's poor outing. "Inconsistent" is all you can say, but a call for Happ to take his spot is a not an easy decision.

Without J.C. Romero for 14 more games, the bullpen would be without their best reliever so far. Waiting through a few more Park starts is not the worst idea.

Overall, the rotation's ERA still ranks last in baseball, but look at the bright side. The Phillies are just one game out of first and four games above .500 (20-16) with an inconsistent rotation that is going to improve.

Plus, being last means one thing: Up is the only way to go.

Analyzing the Philadelphia Sports Scene, Part 1: The Media

Christian Karcole — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:04:48 -0400

Sadly, the voice of Philadelphia sports passed away just a few weeks ago.

Yet, the deep, movie-like voice of Harry Kalas was not the only polarizing voice in Philadelphia.

While Harry-the-K was the most famous of the Philadelphia media, the city is kept alive with a lively local radio station, and a few talented television broadcasters.

The main piece of the puzzle to the City of Brother Love's sports media is held in place by a local sports network, Comcast SportsNet (CSN).

CSN is where we will begin our tour of the best and worst sports media personalities in Philadelphia. So if you are ever passing through this great city (you may not think so), this may help you decide what to turn on and whom to listen to.

If you already live in the area, well then maybe you'll be interested in seeing my opinion on the men and women who bring to you our sports news.

So without further adieu, please take your seats, identify your closest emergency exit, and enjoy.

Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia (CSN) - Philadelphia-based sports television network

Comcast SportsNet was founded in Philadelphia in 1997. Ever since, the network has been a staple in Philadelphia sports.

In its 11 and a half years of existence, CSN has come to branch out to 10 locations around the United States. In the Philadelphia area, CSN mainly televises Philadelphia Flyers, Phillies, and 76ers games.

In the mornings, at noon on weekdays, at 6:30 PM every night, and at 10 PM every night, CSN Philly airs a sports newscast, similar to ESPN's SportsCenter.

Over the years, CSN Philly has employed 18 anchors, nine of which are still on the network and are actively anchoring.

Just two of the six original anchors for the network are not currently with CSN.

Most anchors also do on-location reports, such as post-game interviews and pre-game coverage. Some go as far as to travel with the Eagles to away games.

As briefly stated above, CSN Philly televises Flyers, Phillies, and Sixers games. Yet, they also show special programs such as: Eagles Pre-and-Post-Game Live, Monday Night Live, Daily News Live, Inside the Eagles, Eagles Locker Room, Phillies Clubhouse, Phillies Post-Game Live, Flyers Post-Game Live, Sixers Post-Game Live, and special pre-and-post-game specials for the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers during their respective postseasons.

Other various programs include Inside Golf, Golf Shots, Fantasy Fix, Pro Football Now, 'net IMPACT, and occasional horse racing specials on weekends.

The most famous of the CSN Philly team is popularly thought to be Michael Barkann. Barkann is a lively and enthusiastic character to watch during his television specials.

Although Barkann does not appear on the networks' sports newscasts, he hosts popular shows such as Daily News Live, Eagles Pre-and-Post-Game Live, and some Flyers Post-Game Live specials, as well as occasional Phillies and Sixers Pre-and-Post-Game Live specials.

Barkann is never afraid to get emotional (just look at his job as host of the Harry Kalas special when he teared up during the introduction), nor is he too shy of getting personal. Overall, many consider Barkann as one of the most talented members of the Philadelphia sports media.

Personally, I think of Barkann as the most truthful and "real" member of the CSN team.

Other popular CSN Philly anchors include Ron Burke, Derrick Gunn, Leslie Gudel, Neil Hartman, and Dei Lynam. New anchors to the team include Amy Fadool, Marshall Harris, and John Boruk.

Overall, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia provides a more unbiased view at Philadelphia sports, as well as national sports. While the main focus is on Philadelphia, as it should be for a local station, the network also gives all scores from all professional sports. Something the, eh-em, national four-letter network does not do.

As we move on, we turn our attention to the local sports radio station, 610 WIP.

Sports Radio 610 WIP - Philadelphia Sports Radio Station

Coincidentally, 610 WIP was created during the same year of Jamie Moyer's birth. This was also the year of ending to the Ice Age.

If you guessed correctly, neither of those statements were correct. Yet, WIP really is one of the older radio stations in the tri-state area.

610 WIP's first show was aired in 1922, yet did not convert to a part-time sports station until 1986 before completing their transition a few years after. You see, Moyer was older than the sports version of WIP, yet this was nowhere near the end of the ice age...

Anyway, ignore my painful attempts at humor. Turns out "Jokes for Dummies" doesn't work. (See, there's another one.)

Back to WIP...

In 1986, Howard Eskin was the original broadcaster for a sports talk radio show from 5PM-6PM. Eskin is still with the station today, yet is considered the most controversial on the team.

Eskin is criticized by many for his apparent hot-headed attitude and his rudeness to callers who disagree with his opinion.

He can be a pleasant, knowledgeable radio show host, and he does provide entertainment to his listeners with his occasional outbursts. Yet, most of the time people find him unreasonable.

Personally, when seeing him at professional sports games, I cannot stand the guy. It becomes obvious to those around him that he wants the attention on him.

Also, it is partly because of him that I no longer listen to the talk shows on WIP.

So even with Eskin being the only member of the WIP team to still hold a talk show, he is not the most pleasant guy to listen to.

The other most notable WIP host is Angelo Cataldi.

Cataldi is known for his humor and connection with the fans. While he can provide outbursts of his own just as Eskin will, Cataldi tends to be more humorous and sarcastic in his rants.

His partner in crime, Al Morganti, is a big piece to that humor. The two make a great pair for entertainment. Other notable hosts such as Keith Jones, Chris Therien, Mitch Williams, and Hugh Douglas make appearances on Cataldi's morning show.

Cataldi has been involved with numerous conflicts, including a long-standing riff with Howard Eskin, and a moment when Cataldi challenged Phillies manager Charlie Manuel to a fistfight and signed legal papers to do so (Manuel, of course, never responded).

Yet, these are all what makes Cataldi such a lovable loser. He is quite frightening at times, to the point where I wouldn't want to be alone with the man for more than five minutes. But from afar while listening on the radio, it's a treat to listen to him.

Other notable WIP hosts include Ray Didinger, Hugh Douglas, Mitch Williams, Keith Jones, Chris Therien, Brian Startare, Glen Macnow, Joe Conklin, Ike Reese, and Anthony Gargano.

The station airs Flyers and Sixers games throughout their seasons, while two other stations air Eagles and Phillies games.

Tim Saunders and Chris Therien present Flyers games, while Tom McGinnis and Todd MacCulloch present 76ers games. Both teams are enjoyable, yet I find Saunders and Therien to be more entertaining.

Overall, 610 WIP is a decent station to listen to. The hosts are not the most experienced, and can become annoying at times. Yet, there are enough hosts that will keep your interest with knowledgeable opinions.

Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News - Local newspapers providing largest sports sections in area

Who needs newspapers nowadays when we have Bleacher Report?

Yes, even with Bleacher Report, the journalists who are paid to do their job need to be recognized.

Philadelphia is blessed with one of the most talented groups of journalists.

Countless writers consistently publish solid material into the city's main newspapers. Many of these writers are distinguished and experienced, providing Philadelphia's sports fans with quality writing and material.

Among the many notable journalists, Bill Conlin, Les Bowen, Phil Anastasia, Paul Domowitch, Sam Donnellon, Bob Ford, Paul Hagen, Stan Hochman, Rich Hoffman, Dick Jerardi, Rick O'Brien, Jim Salisbury, and Phil Sheridan stand out.

Most of these various writers contribute to multiple sports day in and day out.

While there are a few included in this bunch that bring race into the picture on too many occasions or look at themselves as superior to the rest, the work generated is still consistently solid.

Finally, we end this article with each of the individual broadcast teams for the four major sports franchises in Philadelphia.

We begin with the Philadelphia Flyers and their broadcast team.

Jim Jackson, Steve Coates, Keith Jones - Philadelphia Flyers' broadcast team

Jim Jackson has emerged into one of the finest broadcasters in hockey. I don't know if it's just me, but Jim Jackson has the touch. There is just something about that energetic voice.

He follows the game so well, it's hard to miss anything.

But what makes Jim Jackson that much more talented of a broadcaster is his ability to call the big moment.

There is this great call from the 2008 NHL playoffs:

"Briere the shot, bounces back, Timonen, shot, save, rebound, THEY SCORE! They score! Joffrey Lupul tucks it home, and the Flyers win game seven in overtime and head to round number two!" You can here that call here.

There is also this call from the 2004 NHL playoffs:

"And here's Roenick the other way, two-on-one with Amonte, Roenick with the puck...Roenick the shot, HE SCORES! He scores! Jeremy Roenick sends the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Finals! Sudden death magic for J.R.! And the Flyers move on!" You can here that here.

I know I'm not the only one who likes this guy. He may not be the next Gene Hart, but he could be pretty close.

Jackson's partner, Keith Jones, is improving as a color commentator, while the team's ice correspondent, Steve Coates is a lively character commonly known to liven up any dull game.

Next is the Philadelphia Eagles' broadcast team.

Merrill Reese, Mike Quick - Philadelphia Eagles' broadcast team

It was 1977 when Merrill Reese began calling Eagles games. For these past 32 years, he has done a tremendous job.

His deep, charismatic voice faintly resembles that of Harry Kalas'. Reese's impact on Philadelphia has not been anywhere near Kalas', because most fans watch the Eagles on television, while Reese is forced to do radio since FOX, CBS, NBC, and ESPN carry most NFL games.

Reese's ability to call a game in its entirety is one of the best in the league. This is mostly because of his knowledge of the game. When listening to Reese, it is apparent that he knows what is going on. He can take a situation earlier in a game and apply it to a current situation better than most out there.

He is commonly known for his ability to call a long-play and field goal kicks. His "He's at the 30, the 25, the 15, the 10, the five, TOUCHDOWN!" phrase flows with perfect rhythm, while his high-pitched "Goooooooood!" after made field goals is one-of-a-kind.

His partner, Mike Quick, compliments Reese well. Although he may not be the most talented commentator, Quick knows the game very well and adds in quite a few witty comments every game.

The Phillies' commentators are up next, yet not lead by the most influential man in Philadelphia broadcasting history.

Tom McCarthy, Chris Wheeler, Gary Matthews - Philadelphia Phillies' broadcast team

Without Harry Kalas, this team of commentators is lost.

Personally, Chris Wheeler is my favorite of the bunch. Gary Mathews can be pleasant at times, as well with Tom McCarthy, but both get somewhat annoying.

McCarthy's fanhood lies somewhere between the Phillies and the Mets, something that obviously interferes with his job with the Phillies.

For example, he often announces home runs for the opposing team almost like the Phillies knocked it out. Also, a few nights ago, he labeled a home run that was hit near Ashburn Alley as "Mike Piazza territory".

Are you serious? Mike Piazza territory? In Philadelphia, of all places? Where does your heart lie, Mr. McCarthy?

Before Kalas passed, McCarthy was not a main commentator, as he was a Peter Gammons-type of reporter. Yet, ever since he was promoted into the booth, his stock is falling for me.

Overall, this trio of announcers doesn't need a complete face lift, but could use some help.

Finally, we end with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Marc Zumoff, Bob Salmi - Philadelphia 76ers' broadcast team

I cannot recall one game this entire season in which I watched more than two minutes of a Sixers game.

Oh wait, there was that one time...wait, no, that was a nightmare a few weeks back.

Anyway, even with only watching two or three Sixers minutes of the entire season, I have heard Marc Zumoff to know that he is a very good broadcaster. His style fits well with the team, I believe.

He does over exaggerate many times throughout his games, though. Just take his "and the fans at the Wachovia Center rise to their feet!" when there is only 27 fans in the building. But hey, the extra enthusiasm is needed for a team that can't even sell out a playoff game.

Salmi provides a more calm side to the broadcast. Salmi is a very knowledgeable fan, so he fits well.

Watching the Sixers can be compared to trying to watch water boil. The water won't boil, and the Sixers won't win. But at least their broadcast team is a decent one.

With that, I salute to you, the reader. I don't know why, but I do.

This may help you sometime down the road, it may not. Either way, I was inspired by Rory Brown's request for sports personality articles, and although this was longer and a bit tweaked from his requests, I wanted to cover all of Philadelphia.

Plus, as you read in the headline (unless you are incapable of reading, in which case you would not be reading this sentence, so no worries...), this will become a series. The next segment should come over the weekend. The topic is a secret until then.

I enjoy writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Be sure to look out for part two.

Phillies Ride Hot Bats of Ibanez and Utley to Five-Game Win Streak

Christian Karcole — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:59:40 -0400

Pat who?

Rauuuuuuuuuuuul (Ibanez, that is), as the Phillies' faithful like to call him, sure has brought the Philadelphia Phillies' offense to the next level.

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino are big helps, too.

Especially that Utley guy who's batting .357 with seven home runs and 20 RBI this season.

So much for out until June, eh Worldwide Leader in Sports?

Back to Mr. Ibanez.

Hitting at .355 with seven home runs and 17 RBI—the voices questioning the departure of Pat Burrell are slowly backing into a dark corner.

Ibanez has hit the ball to all fields and does so during the most important part of games.

He already has a walk off home run, and gave the Phillies the lead in the eighth inning of Monday's 13-11 win over the Nationals by hitting a grand slam.

Tonight, Ibanez continued his consistent play with a single right back up the middle and a home run to the deepest part of Citizens Bank Park in left center.

With the help of Ibanez and company, the Phillies have climbed their way to just a half game out of first in the NL East on the hands of a five game winning streak.

The streak began with a three game sweep of the Florida Marlins, who have fallen from 11-1 to 12-8, losing seven out of their last eight.

The fourth win came against the awful Washington Nationals.

Yet, the win didn't come easy.

It took two grand salami's and more to give the Phillies a come-from-behind win for the ninth time this season, which leads the majors.

The fifth came earlier this evening in a 7-1 trouncing of the Nationals.

Cole Hamels, who had not pitched particularly well—er, terrible—so far this season, came out to pitch a beautiful four and a third innings.

Well, ah, you see...he...uh...he "rolled" his ankle.

No, this isn't basketball, but Cole somehow managed to "roll" his ankle.

He left the game after throwing one warmup pitch, yet appeared to walk off the field just fine. He had thrown 61 pitches in 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and no runs while striking out four.

The severity of the injury is not yet clear, yet it is being called a sprain at this point.

Anyway, the Phillies still managed to pull out the 7-1 victory.

Chase Utley hit two home runs (solo shot and a two run home run), Pedro Feliz hit a three run home run, and Raul Ibanez hit a solo shot of his own to account for the seven runs.

Chad Durbin let up the sole Nationals' run off the bat of Adam Dunn, who clobbered a pitch into the right field seats.

Durbin pitched 3.2 innings, with the Dunn home run being the only hit he allowed.

Durbin would collect the win.

Clay Condrey, the best reliever for the team thus far, finished the game off in the ninth, allowing a hit but nothing more, locking down the Phillies' fifth straight win.

The Phillies will go for their sixth straight on Wednesday night against the Nationals.

They will also be trying for the sweep. Brett Myers will take the ball for the Phillies, while Scott Olsen will toe the rubber for the Nationals.