Bleacher Report - Articles by Brian McCollum

Mac Attack's Top Five: Baseball Video Games

Brian McCollum — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:08:03 -0400

Trying something out of the ordinary here. I believe that a decent sized number of writers here on Bleacher Report fit the video game player demographic. And a good chunk of the Baseball writers on here fit right into that demographic. So what better than to rank the top five baseball video games of all-time? There were no fancy ranking systems or formulas or anything like to determine rankings. Next to each number is the game franchise title followed by the publisher

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The Good, the Bad, and the Plain Ol' Tacky of Baseball Uniforms

Brian McCollum — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:37:26 -0400

Seeing how I have only been alive for 19 years, I have many a change in Baseball uniform. The Phillies Alternate Home Day Game Uniform, The Tampa Bay [Devil] Rays name and color change. Whatever happened to the "uni's" of old? Solid Colors, Polo "button down" Shirts, Long Sleeve Polos. Here are some of the weirdest, coolest, ugliest, and the flat out oddest jerseys, pants, patches, caps, and colors that I have ever seen. PS: Anytime you can name your article/slideshow after a very famous and popular Western movie you can't go wrong.

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Livin' The Dream: The Very First Bleacher Report Commercial

Brian McCollum — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:45:21 -0400

I wonder what a Bleacher Report commercial would look like if Zander and the head honchos at B/R decided to make one. I wonder what it would look like if Billy Mays was presenting it...hmm...zzz...

This pitch was presented in front of a live studio audience.

Bored with sports? Is sports a passion that you can write about? Are your writing skills at least up to the minimum standards (i.e. at least eighth grade)? Think you can write about your hometown or favorite teams better than your local newspaper writers?

Hi, Billy Mays here with the solution. Welcome to the open source sports networking site known as Bleacher Report. Here you can interact with fans of every genre of sport. From baseball and football down to high school sports, Bleacher Report has it all.

But wait, there's more! Here on Bleacher Report you can write all your favorite teams and players in a news-style platform. Bleacher Report is your one-stop-shop for all sports and sports-related news and humor written by you the fans.

Boring college classes giving you fits? Have a laptop with a free Wi-Fi connection like at Temple University? Write an article on Bleacher Report, vote for the article that you think deserves to be the "Article Of The Day," and much more.

Boring family get together? Near a computer? Jump on Bleacher Report and see who's been reading your articles.

Now for a change; you don't have to be a Journalism major in college to write about sports. It's so easy even a spotty teenager and old-timers can write about sports on Bleacher Report.

Here you can see how the "patent" B/R process works for writing articles

1. It starts in the brain: all those ideas formulating into an idea that is filled with sports goodness.

2. Then as that creamy idea of sports nougatty goodness starts to cram into a candy bar sized idea, it flows down to the fingers when the idea becomes words.

3. Then, as those fingers type out those words it is translated to the interwebs or interweb for you to see.

4. Finally, after spell check is used on your creamy goodness that is a sports article it is finished ready for all to see (and comes back to you as the finished product).

Now lets hear some customer testimonials

Person One: "Yeah man, B/R is the best. I go on there everyday to see the latest and greatest sports writers have to say about stuff."

Person B: "B/R truly is the greatest Open Source Sports Network out there. It beats personal blogs, Yardbarker, even those in my local newspaper."

Act now, and we will throw in your first AOTD or POTD (Post Of The Day) for free. But wait! There's more! Act now and you'll also get a free Bleacher Report t-shirt; a ten dollar value, yours free, just pay shipping and handling!

Sign up in the next 10 minutes and we will DOUBLE your AOTD/POTD total. So you'll get your free membership, your first AOTD, second AOTD, and Bleacher Report t-shirt absolutely free, just pay shipping and handling.

Not only that, but if you sign up in the next FIVE minutes, we will throw in your first article featured on a major sports site like, FOXSports, CBSSports, Yahoo! Sports absolutely free.

So you get your first AOTD, your second AOTD, your major sports site featured article, and the Bleacher Report t-shirt; a 10 dollar value yours free, just pay shipping and handling. Overall, a 10 dollar value, just pay shipping and handling.

Think you have what it takes? Sign up now, log on to Bleacher Report today to start your journey into the great beyond that is fan journalism.

Whoa...I just had this crazy dream that B/R finally made it's very first commercial Billy Mays was the pitchman presenting B/R to everyone in the world.

For Dionte Christmas, Santa Didn't Show at the NBA Draft

Brian McCollum — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:03:42 -0400

I guess to be drafted by a professional team in any sport (football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, etc.) is like Christmas morning. So for those 60 players drafted in last night's NBA Draft, it must've been like Christmas morning. Instead of opening up presents, they were being drafted by a professional basketball team.

You see where I am going with all these Christmas references?

Christmas never came for many players, but one sticks out in particular: Temple's senior shooting guard, Dionte Christmas. Even the talking heads at ESPN (Jay Bilas) said that Christmas was one of the best available players left at the end of the draft.

"I wanted to hear my name called," Christmas said. "My family wanted to hear my name called. If that would have happened, it would have been a blessing. I'm upset."

Christmas played on one of the most successful Temple basketball teams the school has ever seen. In each of his last three seasons, he has scored at least 20-plus points a game. He even helped lead the Owls to two Atlantic 10 titles in the last two years.

There were two other Big 5 players drafted: Villanova's Dante Cunningham and Saint Joseph's Ahmad Nivens at No. 33 and No. 56, respectively.

I might not be able to judge what kind of talent Christmas has, due to the fact that I could not attend many basketball games last semester. But what I missed live and in person, I caught on television—especially during the A-10 Tourney.

From what I did see and watch on television, I can say that I believe Christmas has the stuff to make a NBA roster and start. Christmas can both drive to the bucket and shoot from long distance, which makes him a valuable asset to any team.

Here's a quote from the Philadelphia Daily News:

"It's disappointing, my dad is real upset. But I've been an underdog my whole life. People weren't expecting me to do what I've done thus far. I've put it in God's hands right now. Some team is going to want me. And I'm going to give them everything I've got. Nothing less."

So what are his options?

Dionte has a ton of options that will present themselves to him. OK, maybe not a ton, but at least the three listed below.

Option No. 1

He could go pro...in Europe. A lot of American college basketball players bypass the NBA for the European professional basketball leagues, to either improve their skills or just to make some money.

Christmas could play over in Europe for a year and then come back to the States and see what his "stock value" is.

Option No. 2

He could sign a rookie free agent contract with some team. This option is most likely. He could always sign a rookie free agent contract with the local NBA team, the Philadelphia 76ers.

He wouldn't be the only undrafted Temple athlete to be signed by a professional sports team. Temple senior quarterback and classmate Adam DiMichele went undrafted. But DiMichele signed a rookie free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Christmas would be joining some notable classmates:

QB Adam DiMichele (undrafted, signed by the Philadelphia Eagles)

OF Sean Barksdale (drafted by the Houston Astros in the 38th round)

C Alex Derenthal (undrafted, signed by the New York Giants)

Option No. 3

Yes, the dreaded third option. Christmas has a degree to fall back on, but I don't think that will happen.

"I'm going to lay low for a little bit. Then I'm going to get back to work to show everybody that I belong. I've definitely got a chip on my shoulder. That's [my motivation]."

Whatever Christmas does, it should be interesting. Overall, I hope Dionte latches on somewhere. He's a good ballplayer, and he didn't deserve to be undrafted.

Baseball Excluded From 2012 Olympics: Discuss This, Not Favre, ESPN

Brian McCollum — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:17:33 -0400

Dear talking head, celebrity sports gossip, TMZ/MTV-like sports people at ESPN,

I have a suggestion to make: Please stop talking about Brett Farve during baseball season. It's starting to get on my, and everyone else's, nerves. I mean, who cares if Brett Farve is in cahoots with the Vikings?

Which comeback is this for Brett Farve anyway? 11th? 12th? I stopped caring (and counting) after comeback No. 3.

So, to combat this problem, I give you an Olympic sized issue to talk about to your heart's content.

Okay, for those of you who didn't know already, baseball was excluded from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. It was excluded most likely due to a lack of MLB support, licensing, and promotion. I do not know EXACTLY if those were the reasons why baseball was excluded, I am just hypothesizing here.

Baseball has been a staple of the Summer Olympic lineup since 1992.

But, for whatever reason, baseball was excluded from 2012. There is some good news here to report: Baseball is up for reinstatement for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, or Madrid.

It will not be that easy, though. Baseball is competing with six other sports.

Here are some of the points that the IBAF (International Baseball Federation) made to the 15 member IOC (International Olympic Committee) board for reinstatement:

Baseball will offer a five-day, eight-team tournament that will allow maximum participation of the top players from the countries that qualify for the Olympics. The qualifier for 2016 would be held during the 2015 offseason.
All four potential host cities for 2016 already have established baseball venues and domestic baseball programs in place.
The MLB offer not to broadcast any games in direct competition with the 2016 Olympic baseball schedule, or have any games on its schedule on the climactic day of Olympic medal play.
The participation of eligible "elite players" around the world; cited as examples were de Jong and Bryce Harper, the 16-year-old Las Vegas phenom recently featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

IOC President Jacques Rogge is quoted as saying, "To be on the Olympic program is an issue where you need universality as much as possible. You need to have a sport with a following, you need to have the best players and you need to be in strict compliance with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). And these are the qualifications that have to be met."

Let's see the checklist here:

Sport with a following? Baseball has it (has it big time): check.

Best players? If baseball gets into the 2016 Olympic Games: check.

Universality? At least 15 countries around the world play baseball: check.

Strict compliance with WADA? Just exclude Manny Ramirez, A-Rod, Pablo Ozuna, and Roger Clemens: check.

The key to baseball's reinstatement most likely lies with the ability to get the marquee players, like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, David Wright, Tim Lincecum, Johan Santana, Joe Mauer, Jose Reyes, Grady Sizemore, and Mariano Rivera.

The list of marquee players goes on and on—these players were just to name a few.

A key to the sport's reinstatement is participation of the best eligible players, a mission for which Fehr pledged the players union's full support.

"The MLBPA has and will continue to work ... to come up with the best scenario so that more top players will be able to participate, and fulfill the dream of representing their countries in the Olympic Games. We will make sure that happens, and the 2016 Olympics will have the best representation of players ever to participate in any Olympics.

"I am confident that MLB and the MLBPA ... will make available to the qualifying countries a to-be-determined number of top players, with the rest of the roster coming from the best athletes available from the professional ranks. The teams will have a sampling of the best individuals in the sport, and the best-ever representative national teams."

Bob DuPuy is quoted as saying, "Baseball will make a commitment over the next seven years to use all of our assets [toward that goal]. We will work with the IOC to find opportunities in sponsorship and licensing, where our year-round global reach and popularity and our growing cadre of international stars can assist in growing Olympic marketing opportunities."

Of course, the reinstatement process will not be that easy for baseball. Baseball is competing with softball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, and squash.

The 15-member IOC board taking in the presentations is expected to decide on the two "winners" when it meets in mid-August. Its choices then will be voted upon in early October by the full IOC membership.

You can find the article used as background information from MLB.com.

Check Out Brian's Phillies and Philly Sports related blogs at PhillyPhans4Life and Philly Phan 4 Life

Want Brian's non-sports related blogs? Check out Mac's Business.

Revisiting Nick Adenhart Two Months Later

Brian McCollum — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:44:29 -0400

Roughly two months ago, Nick Adenhart had his very first start of the 2009 season. In six innings of work, Adenhart pitched masterfully, throwing six shutout innings.

To quote master "songsmith" Frank Sinatra: "But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes, he's got high apple pie in the sky hopes."

Adenhart, after the game, went out to celebrate with friends after what could be described as his best work of his short Major League career. On their way back from the nightclub that the group and Adenhart went to, their vehicle was struck by a drunk driver.

Adenhart, the driver, and one other person were killed.

We all know what happened.

Now two months since that depressing and shocking accident, the man who killed Adenhart, the driver, and one other person was in court. On June 8th, Andrew Gallo (22), who is charged with three counts of second-degree murder along with three other felony charges and a misdemeanor, plead not guilty.

The deputy District Attorney in charge of the case said that if Gallo was convicted of the three murder charges, he would be seeing a minimum of 45 years in prison which would be mandatory. If Gallo is convicted of all charges, he would be looking at 54.8 years to life behind bars.

Gallo, when he crashed into the car that was carrying Adenhart and three others, was triple the legal blood-alcohol level; which in the state of California is .08. His BAL (Blood Alcohol Level) was .24, well over the legal limit anywhere in the United States.

Gallo's attorney will be seeking a change of venue becuase Gallo might not be able to get a fair trial in Orange County which is home to the Angels and California State University at Fullerton.

His attorney also noted that he and his client (Gallo) have been receiving death threats.

"I think people are venting and it's just evidence of the passion people have in this case. I don't think it's a true threat," he said, noting he had not brought it to the district attorney's attention.

The lone survivor from the wreck was with the friends and family of Adenhart and the other victims in the courtroom. The lone survivor, 24 year old John Wilhite, received surgery to repair what doctors call "internal decapitation," which is a rare and often fatal separation of the skull from the spinal column.

Gallo's attorney says that he [Gallo] is frequently in tears and was crying during their last meeting.

At least Gallo feels some remorse for his actions.

You can find the article used from FOXSports here.

The majority of people I talked to about this incident believe that it could have been prevented if Gallo was in jail for his first DUI offense. As they said, this was not a case of underage drinking.

No, this is a case of someone who should not have even seen the driver's seat of a car, let alone a license.

Without getting too political about the DUI laws, I asked some friends from outside of the United States about their country's laws. Of course all of them agreed that the United States has some of the laxest DUI laws around.

Ontario (Canada) and the cities inside the province has a zero tolerance policy for DUIs. Zero-tolerance meaning if you get caught, no three strikes, no suspension of license, no fines: none of that. If your caught not only do you lose your license permanently, but you face a minimum of jail time starting at three years.

It's the same thing in Northern Ireland and Germany.

I guess it doesn't matter what the DUI laws are. Incidents like Nick's are still going to happen. But we can prevent more incidents, like Nick's from ever happening.

As Frank Sinatra once sang: "I said that's life, and as funny as it may seem, some people get their kicks stomping on dream."

Finally, whatever you do: never drink and drive.

Mac Attack: Welcome to the Show(case) Edition

Brian McCollum — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:19:32 -0400

Welcome back to the Mac Attack, it has been a while hasn't it? But guess, what? I am back again to host a party that never ends. Phillies party that this.

We have a lot to catch up on. In this edition of the Mac Attack: Brett Myers goes down and under the knife, Chan Ho Park, J.A. Happ's ascent into the rotation, and a profile of rookie starter Antonio Bastardo and a look at the rest of the farm system.

All that plus trade rumors.

So let's get this party started.

Brett Myers, one of the Phillies most consistent starters so far this year has gone down will what the doctors are agreed it to be a torn hip labrum. A torn hip labrum is the exact same thing that Chase Utley had received surgery his past offseason to repair.

Here are couple of medical definitions that way you are clear as to what everything is.

What is your labrum? The labrum is a ridge of cartilage that acts similarly to a suction cup and holds the hip joint together. It is similar to the rotator cuff in the shoulder.

What exactly is a torn labrum? According to the Mayo Clinic's Web site, a hip labral tear involves the ring of soft tissue that follows the outside rim of the socket of your hip joint.

So according to the same site, what Myers experienced with the "catching," "popping," "locking," and "clicking" sensations are both signs and symptoms of a hip labral tear.

Enough of the scientific and medical stuff, what does this mean for the Phillies? Myers got his second opinion from the same doctor who did Utley's surgery. The doctor opinion concurred with that of the team's doctor. Myers will need surgery and has elected to have surgery on his hip.

Myers has been put on the 15-Day Disabled List. Myers has been the Phillies most consistent starter so far this season. Myers is 4-3 with an ERA of 4.66 in 63.2 Innings Pitched in 10 starts. In those 10 starts he has struck out 46 while walking 20 giving up 33 runs (all of them earned).

The Phillies called up top pitching prospect, 22 year old left-hander Antonio Bastardo to take Myers' spot in the rotation for now. Bastardo's first major league start will be against Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres tonight, June 2nd 2009.

Is 300 Wins Truly an Impossible Feat?

Brian McCollum — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:14:51 -0400

Why is it that 300 wins for a pitcher is a seemly impossible feat to achieve? Could it be that the style of pitching has changed? Is that pitchers just are not pitching as long as they used to?

I don't know.

Pitchers starting in little league are taught it is easier to fool the hitter than it is to blow it by them. Not only that, pitchers are taught it is okay if they only go 5-for-6.

Come to think of it, pitching style has indeed changed.

But it's not just pitching style that has changed. The physical and mental toll has also increased, which we thank and attribute to the explosion of offense in the 1990's. Not to mention the four-man rotation has given way to the five-man rotation, so pitchers are getting less opportunities for wins.

As a result of said explosion of offense, managers are much quicker to put in relief pitchers than in the past, particularly after the starting pitcher has thrown more than 100 pitches, even when the starting pitcher is winning the game. This increases the likelihood that a pitcher not get a win because of circumstances beyond his control.

Former New York Yankees pitcher and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre is quoted on Baseball Alamanc's 300 Win Club page, "Pitching has become tougher and more demanding and it's harder to throw consistently for as long a period as it would take to win 300 games. It would take a tremendous amount of dedication to do that."

There are currently 23 pitchers with 300 or 300-plus wins. Only one of those pitchers are active. They are listed below. The pitchers highlighted in bold are currently active.

Cy Young, 511

Walter Johnson, 417

Grover Alexander, 373

Christy Mathewson, 373

Warren Spahn, 363

Pud Gavin, 361

Kid Nichols, 361

Greg Maddux, 355

Roger Clemens, 354

Tim Keefe, 342

Steve Carlton, 329

John Clarkson, 328

Eddie Plank, 326

Nolan Ryan, 324

Don Sutton, 324

Phil Niekro, 318

Gaylord Perry, 314

Tom Seaver, 311

Old Hoss Radbourn, 309

Mickey Welch, 307

Tom Glavine, 303

Lefty Grove, 300

Early Wynn, 300

There are a number of pitchers that are close to 300 wins, listed below:

Randy Johnson (age 46), 298

Mike Mussina** (age 41), 270

Jamie Moyer (age 47), 249

Andy Pettitte (age 37), 219

Pedro Martinez* (age 38), 214

John Smoltz (age 42), 210

*free agent; **free agent/retired

There are number of "young" pitchers approaching milestone win numbers. Listed below are a few along with their age.

Johan Santana (age 30), 115

Mark Buerhle (age 30), 122

Rpy Oswalt (age 31), 129

Roy "Doc" Halladay (age 32), 139

C.C. Sabathia (age 28), 119

But the majority of pitchers in the Hall of Fame have not even won 300 games. In fact, the majority of pitchers in Hall of Fame have won less than 300. Listed below are a few pitchers in the Hall without 300 wins.

Bob Gibson, 251

Robin Roberts, 286

Jim Palmer, 268

Bob Feller, 268

Three-Finger Brown, 231

Jim Bunning, 224

Catfish Hunter, 224

Lefty Gomez, 189

Chief Bender, 212

Hoyt Wilhelm, 143 Wins, 227 Saves

Don Drysdale, 209

It just shows you how hard 300 wins really is. It seems that when Randy Johnson wins number 300, it may be a while until we see another 300-game winner. The closest to 300 wins would be Mike Mussina with 270 wins, followed by Jamie Moyer with 249 wins.

Mike Mussina has 270 career wins. If he would have pitched for at least the next three years and had at least 10 wins each year he would have won at least 300, maybe more. But I understand why Mussina retired.

So the next closest pitcher after Mussina to 300 wins is Jamie Moyer. Moyer has 249 career wins and is stuck on attempting career win 250. Once Moyer gets 250, he would have to average at least 10 wins over the next five years.

The only problem with Moyer is that he is 46 right now and might be starting to run out of gas.

After Moyer it gets a little bit bleaker. Andy Pettitte with 219 career wins would be next. Pettitte would have to average 14 to 17 wins over the next five to six years to reach win No. 300.

To try and answer the question in my title: 300 wins is possible. But it would take a new generation of pitchers whose style is to go the full nine and maybe more to get the win.

The value of money needs to be downsized. Pitch counts need to be de-empathised.

A change in pitching style is needed for next generation of incoming pitchers and pitching prospects. Less relying on the bullpen to close the game and more going deep into games. "Going deep" meaning eight, nine, maybe even 10 or 11 innings required to get the win.

In my short life on this little mud-ball we call Earth, I have watched on television three pitchers earn number 300 or better. Maddux, Glavine, and Clemens.

I am eagerly awaiting the next 300-game winner. I hope you are too.

A Happ[ening] Phillies Report: Park, Happ, and the Farm

Brian McCollum — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:27:14 -0400

This is probably old news by now but... if you have not heard by now, the Philadelphia Phillies have removed Chan Ho Park from the rotation in favor of J.A. Happ.

I usually like to stay away from puns in the title, but this pun says it all. The Phillies have finally removed veteran Chan Ho Park from the fifth starting rotation spot and have put rookie J.A. Happ in his spot.

So in my triumphant return to the Report, I bring you my report on the Phillies. I apologize for the puns in title and in this article. I just could not help myself.

What is HAPP[ening] with Chan Ho Park and the rest of the rotation?

What sealed Park's fate?

It could of been that Park was thinking that he had the luxury of a few bad starts. Maybe it was the fact the he could not get out of the second against the lowly Nationals.

To quote PTI host Michael Wilbon: "Anyone can beat the Nats..." and combine that with my own words, "yeah... except Chan Ho Park!" Even John Russell's Pirates can beat the Nationals.

I will give credit to the Nationals. Everyone thinks that they are a bad team. No, they are not a bad team; they are a team with no direction from the upper echelons of their ownership, management, etc.

In his last start, Park barely managed to get out of the first let alone the second. Park pitched an inning and a third (1.1 IP) with just under 80 pitches thrown.

Park's line from April:

0-0, 7.16 ERA in fourGames (three started), 16.1 IP, 20 H, 13 R (all earned), 10 K, 5 BB

Line from May:

1-1, 7.00 ERA in four Games (all starts), 18 IP, 21 H, 14 R (all earned), 12 BB, 11 K

Totals:

1-1, 7.08 ERA in eight total appearences (seven starts), 34.1 IP, 41 H, 27 R (all earned), 21 K, 17 BB.

Park in seven starts this season has an ERA of 7.29 and has struggled to make it to fifth inning four times out of his seven starts. Meanwhile, Happ in 12 relief appearances is 2-0 with an ERA of 2.49, allowing just six earned runs in just 21.1 innings pitched.

In a blog for MLB.com by former Philadelphia Inquirer Phillies writer and columnist, Todd Zolecki: Park is quoted as saying,

"Obviously, I had a little pressure. I felt like I was pitching like it was Spring Training, you guys asking me all the time, 'Are you going to still have a job or not?' I put pressure on myself."

But the fact for Park was, it Just Ain't Happening. Yes, that was a pun based off of J.A. Happ.

Does Happ's entrance into the rotation mark a change for the Phillies rotation? Coming into Tuesday's game against Cincinnati, the Phillies had the fourth highest staff ERA in the Majors with an ERA of 5.23.

I hope Happ does well in his first start of 2009, but I believe he will be held on a short "leash".

250 will have to wait...

Jamie Moyer pitched a quality outing in true "Moyer fashion" this past Wednesday (5/20) only giving up three runs. The Phillies could not muster enough run support for "Doc" Moyer and lost 5-1 to Reds ace, Aaron Harang.

Moyer surrendered three runs, all earned, in six innings of solid, quality work. He kept the game close while striking out two and walking one lone batter.

I guess win number 250 will have to wait until Monday when the Phillies return home to face the scuffling Marlins. 250 wins is certainly no small accomplishment in today's day-in-age of baseball. Players just are not playing that long anymore.

New York, New York

The Phillies start their first interleague matchup this Memorial Day Weekend against the Bronx Bombers, the New York Yankees. The Phillies will be facing the heart of the Yankees rotation.

Your projected starters for Friday, May 22 2009:

Brett Myers (3-2) vs. AJ Burnett (2-1)

Your projected starters for Saturday, May 23 2009:

J.A. Happ (2-0) vs. Andy Pettitte (4-1)

Your projected starters for Sunday, May 24 2009:

Cole Hamels (2-2) vs. C.C. Sabathia (4-3)

The Phillies will look to keep up their momentum while on the road after sweeping Washington and taking two of three from Cincinnati. The Phillies may be looking to bring up a right-handed bat, so my guess is that rookie reliever Sergio Escalona draws the short straw and gets sent down to Lehigh Valley or Reading.

The Phillies in turn will bring up either Miguel Cairo, Pablo Ozuna, or maybe even John Mayberry. Your guess is as good as mine.

Farm Report

Here is a look at several prospects at every level of the Phillies farm system with some thoughts about some of the players 2009 seasons.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs

Kyle Kendrick: 2-3, 4.17 ERA, 8 G, 8 GS, 41.0 IP, 18 BB, 28 SO.

My thoughts: I still like Kyle. From what I've noticed and heard about Kyle, is that he has been throwing his breaking ball and off-speed pitches roughly 30 to 40 percent each outing. Throwing more of the breaking and off-speed pitches will help Kyle develop confidence to throw them. Look for Kyle to be back in the Show for the homestretch in August and September

Carlos Carrasco:0-5, 6.37 ERA, 8 G, 8 GS, 41.1 IP, 11 BB, 44 SO

My thoughts: Youth is not everything. Give him a few more years at triple-A, like the traditional Phillies prospect way.

John Mayberry Jr.: 36 G, .278 BA, 133 AB, 33 H, 8 HR, 25 RBI

Jason Donald: 38 G, .242 BA, 157 AB, 38 H, 14 RBI

Double-A Reading Phillies

Antonio Bastardo: 2-2, 1.83 ERA, 9 G, 5 GS, 34.1 IP, 7 BB, 39 SO

My thoughts: this kid can do it all. He can start, he can relieve, he can even close if you need him to. But I would like to see him get a full year at triple-A first before we start talking about the Show.

Vance Worley: 3-1, 3.14 ERA, 7 G, 7 GS, 43.1 IP, 9 BB, 37 SO

Quintin Berry: 32 G, .269 BA, 119 AB, 32 H, 6 RBI

Michael Taylor: 32 G, .308 BA, 104 AB, 32 H, 6 HR, 23 RBI

Single-A Lakewood and Clearwater

Dominic Brown(Clearwater, ADV-A): 34 G, .328 BA, 125 AB, 41 H, 6 HR, 29 RBI

My thoughts: I like what I'm seeing from this kid. If he continues to put up these kinds of numbers he will find himself at Reading real fast. He will be a decent if not good outfielder in a few years.

Zachary Collier (Lakewood, A): 34 G, .254 BA, 122 AB, 31 H, 7 RBI, 10 SB

Jason Knapp(Lakewood, A): 2-3, 8 G, 8 GS, 3.38 ERA, 72.0 IP, 27 BB, 96 BB

Kyle Drabek(Clearwater, ADV-A): 3-0, 8 G, 7 GS, 2.53 ERA, 46.2 IP, 15 BB, 58 SO

My thoughts: a first round pick of the Phillies from 2006 who has recovered from what I will call a successful Tommy John surgery. He is doing well at Clearwater, look for him to be at Double-A Reading by the middle of the season.

Last but not least: the J.C. Romero watch:

Only 12 more days (June 2) until reliever J.C. Romero returns from his 50 game suspension for testing positive of a banned substance. It might be that Taschner will draw the short straw if Escalona is already sent down.

The Voice of Baseball: A Generation of Funny Quotes (Volume One)

Brian McCollum — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:58:03 -0400

The Voice Of Baseball: A Generation Of Quotes and Soundbites, Volume 1

Baseball generally is a silent sport. Unless you are a fan in the stands, the game is usually silent.

But the players do talk; sometimes during a game, sometimes after the game, and sometimes before the game.

It does not matter.

Baseball players have come up some of the best quotes and sound bites out there. So here is volume one of my favorite funny/somewhat serious baseball quotes.

Section Ten: Bob Uecker

I figured I would start off with something funny. So, what better person to get a quote from than Bob Uecker. Before there even was a Mendoza line, there was a Uecker line. So despite his relative undistinguished playing career, Uecker has a penchant for self-deprecating humor.

"I led the league in "'Go get 'em next time.'"

"One time, I got pulled over at four a.m. I was fined $75 for being intoxicated and $400 for being with the Phillies"

"The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game.

"He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game.

"Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud."

"They said I was such a great prospect that they were sending me to a winter league to sharpen up. When I stepped off the plane, I was in Greenland."

Section: A quote about the DH Rule

The Designated Hitter was implemented in the American League in 1973. The Designated Hitter Rule was implemented in the National League in... never. The National League has never had the DH Rule implemented.

What better than a quote from one of the best baseball movies and one of my personal favorites, Bull Durham.

"I believe in the soul ... the small of a woman's back, the hanging curveball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter." - Crash Davis

Section: No offense, no problem. No one out there... problem

Look, everyone loves a good offensive game. Four, five, six, seven or more hits sounds really great, if your team is the one getting them hits. But if your team is not hitting the ball, it is probably not drawing a lot of fans to the stands.

Nor probably is it drawing many ears on the radio. This one is from Major League:

"That's all we got, one goddamn hit?"

"You can't say 'goddamn' on the air."

"Don't worry, nobody is listening anyway."

Section: Knuckleballs, Curves and Splitters

Have you ever tried to catch a knuckleball? Yeah, it is not that easy, that is one of the reasons why I am not a catcher. The thing (the ball) just goes everywhere on you. It dives, dodges, dips, corkscrews, curves, slides, and floats all on one throw.

Trying to throw one is equally difficult. It is not actually thrown with the knuckles, but rather the fingertips and fingernails. To throw one, instead of snapping the wrist, you more or less "puss" it towards the plate.

Here is a quote from who else, but Bob Uecker.

"I always thought the knuckleball was the easiest pitch to catch. Wait'll it stops rolling, then go to the backstop and pick it up."

Here is a quote from a former American League Umpire:

"Like some cult religion that barely survives, there has always been at least one but rarely more than five or six devotees throwing the knuckleball in the big leagues... Not only can't pitchers control it, hitters can't hit it, catchers can't catch it, coaches can't coach it, and most pitchers can't learn it. The perfect pitch."

Here's one from Richie Allen:

"I never worry about it. I just take my three swings and go sit on the bench. I'm afraid if I ever think about hitting it, I'll mess up my swing for life."

Section: Team to beat? More like "response to that to beat"

Remember that old phrase, "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is"? Well this section of quotes goes to the old adage of team to beat.

Only the responses, though.

"Great. Now we're on, not a sequel, we're on the third time and those movies really suck." -Brett Myers

Section: Spaceman

Bill "Spaceman" Lee, I believe deserves his own section in volume one. He is "out there", and by "out there" I mean he at least smoked the funny stuff a few too many times.

"I think about the cosmic snowball theory. A few million years from now the sun will burn out and lose its gravitational pull. The earth will turn into a giant snowball and be hurled through space. When that happens it won't matter if I get this guy out."

"There's nothing in the world like the fatalism of the Red Sox fans, which has been bred into them for generations by that little green ballpark, and the wall, and by a team that keeps trying to win by hitting everything out of sight and just out-bombarding everyone else in the league. All this makes Boston fans a little crazy, and I'm sorry for them."

"You have two hemispheres in your brain: a left and a right side. The left side controls the right side of your body and right controls the left half. It's a fact. Therefore, left-handers are the only people in their right minds."

"You take a team with 25 assholes and I'll show you a pennant. I'll show you the New York Yankees."

Section: Random Quotes about the game and players

These are just some of the randomest quotes that I found out there. Some of them are from former players and others are from players still playing. This the last section of volume one.

P.S.: The Majority are from Brett Myers. Why? He is like Bob Uecker. Some of the stuff the Myers says is pure gold.

"It's fun to bust some caps."- Brett Myers

"Guys [in the bullpen] were like, 'No way!' But I was saying, 'You don't let Superman beat you when you have Wonder Woman on deck.'"- Troy Percival

"I like walks about as much as I like high gas prices."- Brian Bannister

"Sometimes the best ideas come to you on the mound, that's why I always carry around my little black notebook on the field."- Michael Mussina

"I'd rather them blow up some hot dogs or some ketchup and mustard and relish than have it be a real bomb"- Chad Durbin

"They were trying to get into my head. They don't want to get in my head. Not too many people have been successful getting in there, besides myself."- Brett Myers

“I tried to tackle him, I pushed him, and he didn’t go anywhere. He kept going straight into the end zone.”- Brett Myers on trying to tackle Lito Sheppard back in High School

Me: "Yo! Matt! Is it: Dias or Diaz?"
Matt Diaz: "It's Diaz, that way if you are going to curse my mother out... you got the right pronunciation."

I had to include the conversation that I had with Braves utility player, Matt Diaz. The response I dot from him was both classic and epic.

"Oh, Rickey like that. Rickey definitely like that."- Jimmy Rollins

I would have given Brett Myers his own section, but decided due to a lack of funding and computer "issues" not to give him a section.

Well, I hoped that you enjoyed reading these quotes as much as I enjoyed presenting them to you. Hang around for Volume Two of my funny/somewhat serious baseball quotes.

A Guide to Surviving Baseball's Steroid Era (Satire)

Brian McCollum — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:52:39 -0400

Performing Enhancing Drugs, steroids, HGH, hGC, geez oh man. What is baseball coming to these days? Why is it that players need these things to play better?

Well I am not here to answer those questions. Heck no. I would feign an attempt to answer those questions. I am not a "baseballologist" (baseball+some kind of -ology+ scientist), so I have the slightest of ideas as to why players take the stuff.

But, I can try to provide a survival guide for how to survive the steroid era of baseball. That I can do for you. This guide you will find all the tools you need to survive a potential steroid era collapse of Major League Baseball.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 1: Make a "Voo-Doo" Doll

No. Not for the kids. If anyone person can take most of the blame for allowing steroids on their watch, it would be you know who. So go ahead make a "Voo-Doo" doll.

Start off small. Try starting off by making a doll of your fantasy league commissioner, then move your way up the ladder. Try sticking the pins in some place were it hurts the most. Or try giving it to the dog; see what he does with it.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 2: Become a medical doctor

First off, don't be like House and steal your own prescription pad and then forge your doctor/friend's name on it, just so you can get the "stuff". No. You won't get very far.

Become a medically licensed doctor and write your own prescriptions for the "stuff." That way you do not get in trouble with the law or any overseeing organization.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 3: Muckrake

If at first you don't succeed at trying to metaphorically "bury" someone, try some good old-fashioned 1910's muckraking. If it worked for Upton Sinclair and William Randolph Hearst back in the 1900's, it can work for you.

Try muckraking "small fish" first, then move up to "bigger fish." Start at the township level and then move up to county. Or if we are talking about PEDs start at the middle school level and then work your way up.

But watch out what claims you make about children in high school. Remember in ninth grade one looks completely different from what they would look like in twelfth grade.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 4: Stay away from questionable people and things

Look...if you got an uncle or an aunt or a cousin at is rather shady. Or they have "priors" stay away from them. Don't allow them to give you anything that looks "funny," tastes "funny," or makes your body feel "funny."

This means stay away from needles of all kinds. Sewing, hypodermic, medical, lasers, etc. Also stay away from weird sounding, smelling, or tasting products.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 5: Go on "Fact Finding" missions

If you do choose to take a substance or product, go on a fact finding mission. Get the information about said substance or product.

No one likes being caught with their pants down. No, not even porn stars. Get the facts straight. Try asking your boss if said substance would be a "fireable" offense.

Plausible Deniability only works for the President of the United States, because there is some stuff that he/she does not need to know (about). Just ask J.C. Romero.

Or just ask yourself: "What would Cole Hamels do?"

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 6: Blacklists, marked men, persecutions, and the truth

If your name lands on a list due to said use of said substance come out and say it. "Yes, I took said substance. I did it so I could finish (insert job)," or "I did it so I could get back to/from (insert something) sooner."

No one likes a whistler or a whisteblower. Everyone loves the truth. Lying only makes you look more guilty. Now then, if you just happen to be a "marked man" or a selected individual chosen by a journalist for persecution, slap a restraining order on them. Gag orders are also effective.

If worse comes to worst, try the United States Supreme Court. They work very well. Congress...they are only good at exposing the issue.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 7: Go on Hiatus

Just that, go on hiatus. Go away for about four to five months. It all blow over, like a raging hurricane or typhoon. Go into "exile" or seclusion or even hermitage.

If you go away for a while the issue will just die out eventually. If not... try changing your name, shaving, chop off the dreadlocks, and your profession. Or try going on a Christian mission, and while your at it: try finding God.

If all else fails and you can not escape the issue: enter Federal Witness Protection.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 8: Think about the children

Think about the children. Try doing some "public relations" in schools. Get the word out about the "stuff" that people are taking. Whatever you do, do not, under any circumstances, offer children steroids, PEDs, or other contraband stuff.

No. Giving the "stuff" to children will get your big butt thrown in jail for a time period of no less than three years to no more than ten years.

Just think about the children.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 9: Prohibition

"You can't seriously want to ban alcohol! It tastes great, makes women appear more attractive and makes a person virtually invulnerable to criticism!"- Mayor Quimby.

I am not saying ban alcohol. Heck no. If it failed the first time why try again? Try gunning for this: if steroids and other performing enhancing drugs are illegal, why not make them more illegal.

Steroid Era Survival Lesson Number 10: Just Say No

Remember that one phrase that your teachers, parents, high school guidance counselors, and family doctors told you? Well here it comes into play.

Just say no if someone offers your performing enhancing drugs or steroids. That also goes for other illegal substances under United States Code (U.S.C.) and legal age requirements.

I do not need to reiterate how bad these things are for you. Unless you are recovering from Chemotherapy, receiving hormone therapy, or recovering from some other medical malady; do not take the stuff.

You know what? Maybe Major League Baseball needs to revert back to the Dead Ball Era. Where the men were men...their "forms" of PEDs and steroids consisted of beer/alcohol, cigars and cigarettes, hot dogs, Coca-Cola, and a whole lot of women.

Rain Delay or Rainout You Say? No Problem, We Will Just Play Through

Brian McCollum — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:47:14 -0400

For baseball players the worst possible thing, other than a season ending injury, that can happen is: rain. I actually like the rain though, there is something calming about it. Also, it is how I got my first win as a pitcher and girlfriend.

For me and my friends there are no rain delays, rainouts, snow delays, snowouts, or any other weather related problem. We play through the rain and other weather related issues. All weather issues except the following: Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Duststorms, or Lightning Storms.

For two or three days a week there are no worries. No college exams. No papers due. No big research projects. No job to worry about. No global warming, terrorists, wars, or strife. No, not even the "deadly" N1H1 swine flu to worry about.

Just baseball.

Pure unadulterated baseball. No steroids, sociocultural, socioeconomic, or gender/ ethnicity issues added.

Just add:

Five Ash bats.

Two Rawlings "Boog Powell" edition first baseman's mitts.

Two sets of throwback "tools of ignorance" (catchers gear), including mitts.

Eighteen fielder's gloves and batting helmets.

Eighteen players of mixed gender and various ages.

Eighteen pairs of sneakers/spikes.

One bucket of twenty-five baseballs.

One baseball diamond.

Eye Black, sunglasses and High-knee baseball socks optional.

No uniforms necessary.

Total cost of the above: $0

Nothing but eighteen guys (and girls) having some fun, and just trying to escape from all of their everyday problems. Skill level does not matter to us: you can be the greenest of rookies or the craftiest of veterans. The name of the game is fun.

It is always funny to watch someone imitate David Wright, Ryan Howard, or the Babe in the box. Or imitate Walter Johnson, Tim Lincecum or Cole Hamels on the mound. Or watch someone rob another person of a hit, home run, or gun down a runner at the plate.

It you get hit by a pitch it is like an honor or a rite of passage in our games. No one charges the mound, or throws the ball back at you, or hurls the bat at you. There may be a combination of the stink-eye, dirty-eye, or evil-eye shot back at you but nothing serious.

Even when someone does decide to charge the mound people are usually laughing. Even the batter.

It is cool when someone pulls out the seemingly impossible due to some previous negative stereotype. Everyone marvels at the unbelievable plays. The deep home run bombs hit. And every double-play turned.

Everyone gets their own walk-up song. Everyone gets their own starter and reliever entrance song. Everyone has their own home run celebration tune. All of which gets played from a big stereo.

A batter's walk-up as cool as Chase Utley. (Led Zeppelin's Kashmir)

A reliever's entrance as dominating as Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman. (Metallica's Enter Sandman or AC/DC's Hells Bells)

A starter's entrance as random as everyone chooses. (In my case: Embassy's Gravity)

A home run celebration tune from EA Sports cult classic, MVP Baseball 2005 that goes, "We got the noise!" (Donots' We Got The Noise)

Whenever it rains, the game winds up being a giant "slip" and sliding contest out in right field. It is like playing flag football during the fall in the rain and snow. No one cares about getting muddy or dirty.

Getting mud or dirt on your clothes, arms, legs, and the rest of the body is like a badge of honor. A "war wound" or "battle casualty" if you will. Cuts and scrapes are also like a badge of honor.

In the end it is not about whether or not your team wins but if you had fun playing. Because that is what it comes down to: "Did you have fun out there? Or was it 'so much work, work, work...yeah, yo it's too much work for me?'"

That is all God meant baseball to be. Fun.

Plain and simple.

Temple's Baseball Program Keeps Rolling Along: April Update

Brian McCollum — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:38:57 -0400

The last time I wrote something about Temple's Division I baseball program was back on March 28 on this year. Time to catch up with the gang from Ambler, PA.

When I last checked, the Owls they were in first place in the Atlantic 10.

After a month, they are in third place with a 10-7 record in the A-10 conference.

Overal,l the Owls are 16-23 and are currently riding on a three-game losing skid.

The month of April started out great for the Owls. They won two of three games up in Amherst, Massachusetts against intraconference opponent UMass.

It started with a 11-9 victory over UMass on April 4 and continued with splitting of a doubleheader the next day. Temple would take the first game 8-7, while UMass would take the "nightcap" of the doubleheader, 7-6.

On the seventh of April, the Owls took on cross town and Big Five/A-10 rival LaSalle in an intraconference matchup. While Temple was winning the game, LaSalle sparked a late inning rally, retook the lead and the game. Temple lost 10-8.

That loss would not bode well for the Owls. As Temple dropped the next five of six. Temple rode another seven-game losing streak. Losses in this time frame included an April 8 matchup against Rider, a April 10 weekend matchup against intraconference and Big Five rival Saint Joseph's and losses to Lafayette on April 16, and intraconference opponent Charlotte on April 17.

The Owls would finally right their fast sinking ship on April 18, with an 8-6 win against intraconference rival Charlotte. But that winning feeling would not last long, as the Owls would fall to Charlotte in a 14-5 blowout the next day.

The next game would come against Big Five rival Villanova on the twenty-first. Temple would win in a crushing 14-6 rout of 'Nova at Skip Wilson Field on Temple's scenic Ambler Campus.

Temple would round out the week against A-10 opponent Xavier. Temple took the Friday night game, 13-9. But, Temple would drop the weekend series against Xavier. On Staturday the 25th the Owls lost 14-9 and on Sunday the 26th the Owls would lose a heartbreaking 6-5.

Temple's Record for the month of April: 5-11. Overall 16-23, 10-7 A-10 (3rd Place A-10), 4-6 Big Five, five games back of first place Rhode Island in the Atlantic Ten Conference.

Temple's Remaining Schedule:

4/29 Lafayette*

5/1 @ Richmond**

5/2 @ Richmond**

5/3 @ Richmond**

5/8 Saint Louis**

5/9 Saint Louis**

5/10 Saint Louis**

5/14 @ Fordham**

5/15 @ Fordham**

5/16 @ Fordham**

5/20-5/23 A-10 Tourney @ Dayton, Ohio

*nonconference; **conference

Commentary: I as a Temple student, I have to say that I am used to disappointing seasons for sports teams. The baseball team started off weak, then got stronger, then petered off again.

I have been to a couple of the games, and whenever I could not make it because of class, I would watch the game on my friends laptop using the Gametracker on Owlsports.com.

Temple's baseball program does have some decent talent. Players like Sean Barksdale, Carmen Del Mastro, Jamie Abercrombie, Kyle Obal, Matt Blackburn, and Ryan Thomas stick out the most. These player might even be a late-round draft pick for some MLB teams.

Team Leaders (batting):

AVG: Carmen Del Mastro (.387)

Hits: Sean Barksdale (66)

HR: Sean Barksdale (13)

RBI: Sean Barksdale (44)

Runs: Sean Barksdale (48)

Walks: Bryon McKoy (18)

SLG: Sean Barksdale (.667)

OBP: Carmen Del Mastro (.451)

If Temple can win their upcoming games, they should clinch a spot in the A-10 Tournament. If they can win the A-10 Tournament, they should clinch a spot for the College World Series Regionals.

It should be interesting.

An Introspective and Humorous Look at Cole Hamels: Part Deux

Brian McCollum — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:24:01 -0400

...And now we return to our regularly scheduled broadcast. Yes, welcome back to part two of my two-part introspective look at Cole Hamels. So continuing our discussion on Cole Hamels, let me first start off by thanking the fine people at Cole Hamels Facts [dot] com.

So where did I leave off... oh, yeah the canonizing sainthood thing. If Cole Hamels was a country on his own, which he is, his chief export is/would be K's. Barack Obama did not run against John McCain, because all of the Red States voted for Cole Hamels.

On the hit television show 24, whenever protagonist Jack Bauer needs help, he calls Cole Hamels. You don't see Jack make the phone call, because it would shred Jack's credibility as a terrorist fighter.

In honor of Cole, the national speed limit will be set to 35.

Cole Hamels actually won the final presidential debate while winning the clinching game five of the NLCS. Cole Hamels is the only person who is legally allowed to hunt any animal from a helicopter. He just throws fastballs at them, and occasionally at Sarah Palin to make sure she understands the “law.”

When people consult Cole Hamels on things, he always says yes, and it's always good advice. Charles Darwin's Theory says, "Survival of the fittest." Cole Hamels's Theory says, "The Mets will lose to Cole Hamels."

Gotham has Batman and Robin. Philadelphia has Cole Hamels and Cole Hamels. Boston lost the last game of the ALCS on purpose.

Manny Ramirez called his old team and warned them about Cole Hamels making them look pathetic in front of a national audience.

Rick Ankiel lost his ability to throw strikes because he had a nightmare about Cole Hamels.

To save the country from financial crisis, whenever the DOW shows a downward trend Cole will throw a fastball. The DOW will immediately rise to its highest average ever. To commemorate Cole, the New York Stock Exchange will be renamed the Cole Hamels Stock Exchange.

The Phillies-Dodgers confrontation started when Shane Victorino heard Hiroki Kuroda say Cole Hamels isn't handsome. Manny Ramirez wears a wig made out of Cole's hair. Therefore, all those lame Dodgers fans wearing those ridiculous fake dreadlocks are indirectly paying tribute to Cole.

That theory by some dead math guy states that: A squared + B squared= C squared. Well according to modern day math people, A squared + B squared = Cole Hamels.

The New England Patriots contacted Cole Hamels about being Tom Brady's replacement, but during his tryout Cole broke both of Randy Moss' hands with his amazing arm.

While in college, Cole Hamels's professor made him write a 1,000 word essay about the greatest leader in american history, he wrote COLE HAMELS five hundred times and managed to get and A++.

Cole Hamels doesn't lift weights like most people; that is... because he can't. They just don't make weight heavy enough to contain the guns of Cole Hamels. So instead of curling dumbells, Cole Hamels curls baby elephants.

When people need inspiration they pray to god. When Pedro Martinez needs inspiration, he looks at a baseball card of Cole Hamels, which he keeps in his hat. When Cole gets into fights, he punches people so hard that he breaks his own hand.

If Cole really wanted to, he could steal your girl and take care of business with her. He wouldn't do such things though, because he's Cole Hamels.

Chuck Norris ain't got nothing on Cole Hamels. In fact it is said that when Chuck Norris went out for Halloween, he went as Cole Hamels.

Superman may wear Tim Tebow pajamas when he goes to bed; keyword may. It is fact that Superman wears Cole Hamels pajamas when he goes to bed. Cole Hamels would soon be put to work for PSE&G because he always puts opposing batters' lights out.

When Cole gets Chinese takeout, he uses one chopstick. When he opens his fortune cookie, it says, "You're Cole Hamels. Lucky Numbers? You tell me".

By the time Cole has retired, they will have changed the best pitcher award from the Cy Young award, to the Cole Hamels award. Cole will win one Cy Young and 11 Cole Hamels.

Back to them math guys, they you can't divide by zero. But Cole Hamels can.

US intelligence thought they had proof that Iran was testing nuclear weapons, but in fact it was just the sound of Cole Hamels's fastball hitting a catcher's mitt in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Cole's changeup is so deadly that it used to be a federal offense. Cole had to get himself elected to the Supreme Court in order to change the law.

Look at the fact is that Cole Hamels isn't left-handed, he's just bored.

36 countries have national defense strategies designed to protect themselves against Cole's left arm. Those plans are futile. Did you know that as young kid, Cole Hamels once had 27 strikeouts. It was a Tee-ball league.

George Bush claimed that the federal government was monitoring Cole Hamels actions because, "Any man with a changeup that deceptive must be monitored for national security reasons." In actuality, Bush is afraid Hamels may attempt to have sex with his twin daughters. He already has, twice.

Upon hearing an ignorant fan leading and E-A-G-L-E-S cheer at a Phillies game, Cole Hamels approached the man and told him that he had lost the respect of Cole Hamels. The man was paralyzed with shame and died of hunger three weeks later.

Speaking of hunger, the famous Pat's and Geno's Steaks have since changed their respective named to Cole's and Hamels's out of genuine respect for Cole.

Alright here is are the final facts about Cole Hamels. Cole is so great that he makes suicide commit life. The only certainties in life are death, taxes, and Cole Hamels. Because of their effect on women, Cole Hamels's pitching reels are considered pornography in 35 countries.

Last but not least: Chase Utley was heard saying during the introductions at the HR Derby, "BOO ? F*&# You." He actually said, "NO COLE ? F&*# You."

So that is Cole Hamels* in brief. I could make a ten to twenty part miniseries article on who Cole Hamels really is. But I won't. But I will ask if anyone wants me to create a third and final article on Cole Hamels?

So the floor is open to you, the reader: "Should I make a part three about Cole Hamels?"

*Note: all facts and information are provided by CHF, Cole Hamels Facts [dot] com.

An Introspective and Humorous Look at Cole Hamels: Part One

Brian McCollum — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:02:01 -0400

So who is Cole Hamels? Well, Wikipedia defines Cole Hamels as "a left-handed starting pitcher who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball."

Yeah, but who is the real Colbert Michael Hamels?

Hamels is really 100 feet tall. He just shortened himself to Major League standards. That way, hitters might have a chance in the batter's box against him.

DNA tests will conclusively prove that Jamie Moyer is Hamels's great-great grandfather.

The fact is Hamels is more than a person. He is a myth and legendary folk figure. I mean how else could someone outpitch Steve Carlton before they were born?

Could it be that Hamels is a mythic figure like Odysseus or Achillies? In short: Maybe, I don't know for sure. What do people think?

So here's the deal: Hamels. Yes, he is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, but he is also a legend. The late and great Harry Kalas once said that he could bring the heat.

It takes a legend to know a legend.

Scientists have tried to find out what the chemical makeup of Hamels is. They discovered that the chemical formula is IP9H0BB0K27, AND that those exact same scientists are renaming the fossil fuel coal.

It's new name is "Cole", and it has since become the greatest, never-ending energy source know to mankind.

Moreover, on the scientific part of Hamels, he has his own Periodic Table of Elements. It reads: 1F (fastball), 2Cv (curveball), 3Ch (changeup), 4Fu (brushback). Any exposure to 4Fu is instant death.

When someone asked a fan "who would have really won the 2008 Presidential election," he responded, "Cole Hamels. But he was too busy winning a World Series for Philadelphia. So he let Barack Obama win."

Though he's only 24, Hamels can run for president because his jersey number is 35.

Remember that line from Franklin Roosevelt's first inagural address during the Great Depression? "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Yeah that line. As it turns out, we may fear fear, but Cole Hamels? Fear fears him.

The only reason he pitches left-handed is because it was too easy pitching right-handed.

Hamels is used by the United States Government as an effective and legal use of torture. The application of mental or physical torture in order to obtain information or confession from a prisoner is commonly referred to as the "third degree".

The only confirmed act that guarantees 100 percent success in securing information is showing the prisoner a life-size cutout of Hamels holding a baseball, from 60'6" away.

While scores of people train to compete in the grueling eight-hour Ironman Triathlon (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile run in succession), none are willing to take on the rigors of a 10-second Cole Hamels Triathlon, which consists of trying to hit his fastball, curve, and changeup in succession.

That course is simply impossible to complete.

The only way to be canonized into sainthood by the Catholic Church is proof that at least one miracle has been established. Of all the miracles recognized, it can be said that no saint has ever gotten as much as a foul-tip off of a Hamels pitch—and it may never be achieved.

Stick around for part two of my look into Cole Hamels.

Welcome to the Farm: Meet Phillies' Top Prospect Jason Donald

Brian McCollum — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:38:04 -0400

I would first off like to thank Giants27for the idea. I am a big believer in Intellectual Property (IP for short). Here is his article. I will give credit were credit is due.

For a long time, roughly three years, I been going to minor league Phillies games. Cheaper than the big club, but less thrilling. I have watched the likes of Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Scott Rolen, Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, and none other than Cole Hamels.

With that in mind, meet the next shortstop/third baseman/utility infielder, and top prospect for the Philadelphia Phillies, Jason Donald.

Of course to start off, Jason Donald was born on Sept. 4, 1984 in Fresno, CA.

Donald, who turns 25 this year, was drafted originally by the Anaheim Angelsin the 20th Round in the 2003 MLB Draft. He was originally drafted out of high school by the Angels, but chose to go to college instead.

He was later drafted by the Philadelphia Philliesin the third round (97th overall) of the 2006 MLB Draft out of the University of Arizona.

Later that year Donald started his professional baseball career at the single-A short season New York-Penn league affiliate, the Batavia Muckdogs.

At Batavia, Donald hit .263 with 56 hits in 213 AB. Donald struckout 42 times while walking 23 and managed to steal 12 bases while only getting caught once. He knocked in 24 with 14 doubles, two triples and one home run.

He had an On Base Percentage of .347 and an OPS of .709.

In 2007, Donald started at class-A Lakewood. At Lakewood, Donald hit .310 with 61 hits in 197 AB. He struckout 39 times while walking 29 times. He knocked in 30 with nine doubles, three triples and five home runs.

At Lakewood, Donald had an On Base Percentage of .409 and a OPS of .855.

Jason would be promoted to the Advanced single-A league affiliate, Clearwater. While at Clearwater, Donald continued to hit the ball well. He hit .300 with 88 hits in .293 AB. He struckout 70 times while walking 35 times.

He also drove in 41 with 22 doubles, five triples, and eight home runs.

Donald's combined single-A 2007 numbers: 134 G, 490 AB, 149 H, 89 Runs, 12 HR, 31 2B, 8 3B, 71 RBI, 5 SB, .304 BA, .395 OBP, .473 SLG, and .869 OPS.

In 2008, Donald was promoted double-A affiliate, Reading of the Eastern League. At Reading, Donald hit .307 with 111 hits in 362 AB. Donald struckout 86 times, but walked 47 times.

He also had 19 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 54 RBI and 11 stolen bases. At Reading he had an OBP of .384, a SLG of .497, and an OPS of .889.

In 2008, Donald was selected to the United States Olympic Baseball team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the Bronze Medal Game of the 2008 Olympics, Donald homered and led team USA to a Bronze Medal.

Donald led his Olympic team in batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage in which he hit .381 for the Olympic Games.

During the 2008 Minor League seasons, Donald was selected to several All-Star games/ events. Which included the biggest minor league All-Star game of them all, the MLB Future All-Star Game. He also participated in the 2008 double-A, Eastern League All-Star Game.

Right now, Donald is playing with the triple-A affiate of the Phillies: The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

During the 2009 Spring Training, the Phillies had Donald start and play games at third base. This was because the Phillies were not sure if current third baseman, Pedro Felizwas going to be ready by Opening Day. Feliz was recovering from off-season back surgery.

Donald was also considered one of the front-runners for a spot on the bench on the Phillies 25 man roster, along with John Mayberry Jr., Lou Marson, Miguel Cairo, Pablo Ozuna, and Marcus Giles. Donald was sent down to triple-A along with Mayberry, Marson, and Ozuna.

My opinion on Jason Donald? Well, I think that he has the talent to become an All-Star in the Majors. If either Rollins or Feliz get injured look for the Phillies to call-up Donald and possibly platoon him with either Greg Dobbs and Eric Bruntlett.

Stats are courteously provided by Baseball Reference

His Bio is brought to you by Wikipedia.

On The Rocky Mountain Way: A Recap Of The Phillies First Week

Brian McCollum — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:24:24 -0400

I would have written this article earlier if I had not heard the sad news. Sad news everyone. The legendary, Hall of Fame broadcaster, Harry Kalas; THE voice of the Phillies has passed away.

Mr. Kalas was found unconscious in the broadcasting booth prior to the beginning of the Washington Nationals- Philadelphia Phillies game this afternoon, April 13. It seems fitting for some reason that Mr. Kalas would “go” in the booth. It just seems fitting.

At least he went out as a champion. Last year, in his second to last year in his current contract, Mr. Kalas got to call the Phillies final out of the 2008 World Series and watch the Phillies come out as champions for the first time in 28 years.

It also seems fitting that his very last game, yesterday, Sunday April 12, he would get to call a winning ball game.

Harry will be missed by all, not just Philadelphians. Harry is survived by his wife and three sons.

So onto a review of the Philadelphia Phillies first week return to regular season baseball.

You know that old Joe Walsh hit, Rocky Mountain Way? Of course you do, who doesn’t know that song, it's got one of the best talkbox solos ever made. Well the Phillies took a trip on the Rocky Mountain Way during the first week of baseball.

One of the lines from Walsh's song is:

"Rocky Mountain Way

Couldn't get much higher"

The Phillies have taken a trip to the "Rocky Mountain Way". One problem. Their starting pitching seems to have left itself back in Philadelphia. I am in no way bad mouthing my favorite team, but the offense is holding up its end of the "bargain".

So, I guess a week one recap is in order for the Defending champion Philadelphia Phillies. I hope your fantasy teams are doing well. Mine are...well let's just say..."BOOM!!!" would describe how my team is doing. "BOOM" is not good. Not good at all.

Where to begin? Ah, yes the pageantry that is Opening Day, okay Opening Night in this case. Prior to the game starting, there were all sorts of ceremonies and stuff. The raising of the 2008 World Series Banner, walking down the aisle out in the left-center seats etc., etc., etc.

Right, there was still a game. The matchup was between Atlanta's Derek Lowe and Philadelphia's Brett Myers. A battle of Division foes.

The Braves got off to a rip-roaring start. After securing the first two outs, Myers gave up a double to Chipper Jones. Then Myers gave up a monster two-run shot to Brian McCann.

The Phillies did nothing in the bottom half of the first, so the score after one was 2-0 Atlanta. Two runs, easy to overcome for the defending champs right? Ahem... yeah right. Myers later in the second gave up two more home runs.

One to rookie-just-out-of-AA ball centerfielder Jordan Schafer.

Another to revamped and rebuilt, Jeff Francoeur.

Myers lasted six full innings. Gave up four runs, all earned, all coming off the long ball, while striking out six in the process.

The Phillies where no-hit for I believe six innings by Lowe. The Phillies eventually manufactured a run in the ninth. But to no avail. Atlanta beat the Phillies 4-1.

The Phillies then faced off against Jair Jurrjens. Countering Jurrjens would be ageless, crafty veteran and slow junkball specialist, Jamie Moyer.

Moyer did not fare much better than Myers. Moyer gave up two home runs and four runs: all earned, on eight hits.

Moyer gave up a home run to Kelly Johnson on the second pitch of the game. Moyer later gave up one to Chipper Jones as well.

This time the Phillies could not manufacture any runs.

Now on the day where the Phillies players, coaches, upper management, management, Adam Eaton, Pat Burrell, and the rest of all full time Phillies staff received their rings you could tell something was different.

Not much different actually. Joe Blanton went up against Javier Vazquez in the rubber match of the series.

Big Boy Joe was pummeled by the Braves offense. Lasting only four full innings, giving up seven earned runs, Blanton left the game in the hands of the Phillies rock solid bullpen to keep the game close.

In a string of 10 batters, the Phillies manufactured runs off of 5 walks and a couple base hits. Brad Lidge came in, in the ninth and closed out the game for his 42^nd consecutive regular season save (41 going back to last season).

It’s Lidge’s 49^th if you include the seven from the playoffs.

The Phillies after winning there first of the season last Wednesday, traveled out to Mile High, Denver to face the Rockies.

Friday was ace lefthander, Cole Hamels’ first start of the regular season. If you remember he was lit up against Tampa Bay during his last preseason start. Well, it did not bode well.

Hamels was lit up by Colorado. The Phillies lost on Friday 10-3.

Saturday was slightly better. Not much. The Phillies starting pitchers have been lit up like a Thanksgiving Day Turkey. Brett Myers on Saturday gave up three home runs, but managed to earn his first victory of the year. As the Phillies held off the Rockies 8-4.

Easter Sunday was did not fare well for the Phillies despite them manufacturing a win. Fifth Starter, Chan Ho Park was torched. Only going 3.1 innings and giving up five runs.

Park struggled with command mightily, as he threw 48 pitches in the first inning. He finished with 96 pitches thrown overall.

But the Phillies came back and won the game off of Canadian slugger Matt Stairs' bat. Phillies won by a score of 7-5.

First week Grades:

Starting Pitching: F

Bullpen/ Relief Pitching: B+/A- (leaning towards A-)

Offense: C+/B- (leaning towards B-)

Defense: A

Stay tuned for next week's recap.

“Long drive, watch this baby, OUTTA HERE!!! HOME RUN!!!” ~Harry Kalas

“Chase Utley, you are the MAN!” ~Harry Kalas

Harry Kalas 1936-2009

Rest in piece Mr. Kalas. Say hi to Whitey up there for me.

Philadelphia to God: Why?

Brian McCollum — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:27:21 -0400

Okay, this just might be my most controversial article yet. By no means is this article representative of the views of those here on Bleacher Report. Only me. So with that out of the way, here goes...

This is an open conversation/letter to God.

An outspoken Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer once said, "God to Philadelphia: Drop Dead." While my words may not be as harsh, I still wonder what we did to deserve this.

Dear God,

Remember me? It's Brian; you know, one of your "children"? I have never contemplated about your existence. I have never been one to blaspheme or spout sacrilege. Okay...but just a small amount.

I am writing to you because I am wondering what your deal is with Philadelphia? Do you just not like our sports teams? Is it because William Penn tricked some Native Americans into selling their land for a couple of beads?

You have blessed us with three, no wait, four baseball teams of legend. The 1915 Philadelphia Phillies, the 1928 Philadelphia Athletics, the 1929 Athletics, and the 1930 Athletics.

Except in fell swoop, those teams are gone.

You seem to have toyed with our hearts when it came to baseball. I have always wondered why it took 97 years for the Phillies to win a World Championship, yet the American League Athletics won five World Championships in their short time in Philadelphia.

You seem to have people in this town believing in curses. But wait a minute! I thought you said curses were sacrilege and blasphemy!

The one professional football team in this town, the Eagles, won three championships, with the third and final one coming in 1960.

The Eagles haven't won one since.

Is it because we allowed Canadians to play their national sport in our town?

The one professional ice hockey team in our town, the Flyers, won their second and last championship in 1974.

Is it because we don't support our basketball team?

The one professional basketball team in our town, the 76ers, won their last title in 1983.

Prior to 2009, 1983 was the last time any Philadelphia major professional team won a championship. So, it begs the question, God: "Why?"

I always thought you loved to pick on the Cubs and Mets fans because of the way they act and behave.

Why is it that after after we finally win a world championship in any sport, you choose to take away the voice of a team? Or make us start off slow like molasses?

I guess God, some things are better off not being answered. Huh, God?

Well-hit, watch this baby, Outta Here! Home Run.

Recapping the First Home Stand, Plus Preview of Rockies-Phillies

Brian McCollum — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:10:19 -0400

With the 2009 Regular Season well underway, the Philadelphia Phillies look to rebound after losing their first home-stand of the regular season to the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies starting pitching this past home stand was rocked by the revamped Atlanta offense.

The Phillies won their very first game of the season yesterday, Apr. 9, on what was the World Series Ring Ceremony. With Pat Burrell in attendance, the Braves got off to a two nothing lead in the first. With the two-run blow coming off the bat of Braves power-hitting catcher, Brian McCann.

The Fightin' Phils would answer with a two-run shot themselves in the bottom of the second, with the home run coming off the bat of Phillies new left fielder, Raul Ibanez. The Braves in the third would hang a five spot on the scoreboard off of starter Joe Blanton, which made the score seven-two.

The Phillies would get one run back in the bottom half of the third inning, to make the score seven-three in favor of Atlanta. Joe Blanton had an early exit, leaving in only the fourth inning.

In came the Phillies bullpen, working on their own "perfect game' of sorts. In came rookie left-hander J.A. Happ. Happ gave up a two-run home run to Braves rookie center-fielder, Jordan Schafer. Thus summarily ending the Phillies bullpen "perfect game".

Happ pitched two innings, giving up two runs on the lone hit: the Schafer home run ball, walked one and struck out two.

Score after six: 9-3 Atlanta.

In came Chad Durbin to pitch the seventh. Durbin struggled with his command walking three and parted after tossing two-thirds of an inning and giving up a run. Next to enter from the Phillies bullpen was the big Texan, Clay Condrey.

Condrey would be the eventual winning pitcher for the Phillies, got out of the inning unscaved.

Score going into bottom of the seventh: 10-3 Atlanta.

Here is where the game gets weird. The bottom of the seventh started off with Shane Victorino grounding out to start the inning. Then Phillies second baseman Chase Utley hit a shot out to center off of Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty.

O'Flaherty then hit the next batter, slugging first baseman, Ryan Howard to put runners on first and second with one out. Braves manager Bobby Cox then went to the 'pen for right-hander Peter Moylan to replace O'Flaherty, put only to no avail.

Moylan walked Jayson Werth to load the bases. Then Moylan gave up hits to Ibanez and Pedro Feliz to score two runs, cut the lead to 10-5 and still the Phillies had the bases loaded. Big, power-hitting Canadian slugger Matt Stairs would pinch hit for catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Stairs would draw a walk, scoring a run, cutting the lead to 10-6. Cox then called for reliever Blaine Boyer, but that did no good. Boyer walked pinch hitter Chris Coste to score Ibanez to make the score 10-7. Boyer then walked Jimmy Rollins to make the score 10-8.

Cox, frustrated that none of his relievers could throw strikes and get him out of the innings called on change-up specialist, Jorge Campillo. Campillo gave up a single to Victorino, who started off the inning with a ground out; which in turn scored Stairs, and made the score 10-9.

Next batter, Chase Utley, would walk on a close pitch to tie the game at 10-10. Ryan Howard would then ground out to Braves first baseman, Casey Kotchman, which drove in a run make the score 11-10 Phillies.

This was the first time so far this season that the Phillies have had the lead.

The Phillies scored eight runs, all earned on only four hits, but the bulk of them runs coming from four, bases-loaded walks. Total number of walks in the inning: six, four with the bases loaded.

The Phillies would score one more in the eighth inning and that would be all closer extraordinaire Brad Lidge in the ninth would need. After giving up a Matt Diaz solo home run, Lidge came back and got the next two batters out and closed out his 42nd consecutive save to cap a stunning and surprising comeback.

That is why the Phillies have been called the "Comeback Kids" before. The Phillies seem to be masters at the come-from-behind victory.

Home Stand Recap, Pitching

Phillies starting pitching prior to yesterday, April 9th, 2009, gave up a total of eight runs (all earned) on 16 hits in 11.0 innings pitched. Add yesterday's game in their and you get a "grand" total of 15 runs, all earned, on 25 hits in 15 innings pitched.

With a team starting rotation ERA of 9.00.

Here are the lines for the starting pitchers:

Brett Myers (0-1) Losing Pitcher of Opening Day (Apr. 5): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 4 R, BB, 6 K, 3 HR, 6.00 ERA

Jamie Moyer (0-1) Losing Pitcher of Apr. 7: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 7.20 ERA

Joe Blanton (0-0) No- Decision on Apr. 8: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 7 R, 2 BB, 6 K, HR, 15.75 ERA

The bullpen this past home stand has really thrown it's weight at the Braves. The Phillies bullpen in seven innings pitched prior to yesterday had three-fourths of a perfect game going with seven perfect, shutout innings pitched.

Although the Phillies bullpen gave up runs yesterday, it was pretty much rock-solid performances all around.

The bullpen closed out their first home stand with a combined 2.25 ERA with three runs, all earned, three hits, four walks, and 11 K, one Hold and one Save.

Home Stand Recap: Hitting

The Phillies bats were all but silent coming into yesterday's game. The Phillies hitters had only managed to hit a total of eight hits and score a run in two games played. With the lone run coming during the ninth inning of Opening Day/ Night.

The starting eight stats through Apr. 7:

Jimmy Rollins: 1-for-9

Shane Victorino: 0-for-7, 2 K, BB

Chase Utley: 2-for-7, K, BB

Ryan Howard: 2-for-8, 2 K

Raul Ibanez: 1-for-8, K

Jayson Werth: 1-for-8, 1 RBI, K

Pedro Feliz: 0-for-5, 2 BB, 2 K

Carlos Ruiz: 2-for-7

But on Junior...I mean World Series Ring Day the Fightin' Phils' bats came alive for 11 hits and 12 runs.

The starting eight stats through Apr. 8:

Rollins: 1-for-14, 1 R, 1 RBI, BB, 3 K

Victorino: 2-for-13, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, BB

Utley: 4-for-11, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K,

Howard: 3-for-12 (1 for 4), 2 R, 1 RBI, 2K

Werth: 1-for-11, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, K

Ibanez: 3-for-11, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, K

Feliz: 2-for-9, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K

Ruiz: 3-for-9 (1 for 3), 1 BB

Starting eight combined: 16 for 79, 10 R, 10 RBI, 12 BB, 13 K

Bench stats:

Eric Bruntlett: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 RBI

Matt Stairs: 0 for 1, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Miguel Cairo: 0 for 2, 1 K

Chris Coste: 1 for 1, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Greg Dobbs: 0 for 2, 2 K

Next game: Philadelphia (1-2) vs. Colorado (2-1) on Apr. 10

Preview: it is the return of World Series and NLCS MVP, Cole Hamels. Look for the Phillies to take out some pent up frustration on Colorado. As in 2008 they made the Rockies their whipping boys, scoring over 40 runs in five games against them.

The Phillies are looking to climb above .500 this weekend.

Next three probable starting pitchers: Hamels (0-0) Apr. 10, TBD (0-0) Apr. 11, Myers (0-1) Apr. 12.

Phillies-Braves: A First Hand Look at the Icy Winds of April

Brian McCollum — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:19:07 -0400

Last night (April 7) I was down at Citizens Bank Park for the second Philadelphia Phillies game of the season.

It was a cold one.

Temperature gauges read 35 degrees, but in all reality it was really five to 10 below once you factor a 20 mph breeze and 35 mph wind gusts.

Now I saw a crowd of roughly 41,000 to 43,000 (10,000 to 20,000 by the seventh inning) last night froze their you-know-whats off to watch some baseball. It was a marquee match-up. The young flamethrower versus the ageless veteran.

It could not get much better than that.

If you were a Braves fan, that is.

The Braves' bats came alive early; actually on the very first pitch of the ball game. Kelly Johnson launched a Jamie Moyer slow pitch into section 106 out in right field.

After giving up another run in the first, Moyer seemed to settle down—until the fifth when Chipper Jones launched a Moyer pitch for a home run. You can try to judge how a pitched did by his stats, but you have to see how he did physically on the mound.

Did he keep his emotions in check?

Did he sulk after giving up a home run?

Did he bounce back and get the next guy out?

Did he maintain composure?

The Fightin' Phils bats seem to have come alive last night, despite not scoring any runs. There big three left-handed hitters combined for five for 12 with four singles and a double.

The Phillies were hitting the ball well, I guess it was a combination of the wind knocking a lot of the balls down, or they were just hitting them at people.

The bullpen once again proved to be a strong point, has the bullpen shut down the Braves potent offensive attack for four innings, and the rest of the game.

Last night, new reliever/ spot fifth starter, Chan Ho Park got his first taste of Philadelphia, coming in to pitch in the sixth inning. Park pitched a perfect sixth, and was followed by Jack Taschner, who tossed two scoreless innings.

Clay Condrey followed Taschner in the ninth inning. Condrey pitched a perfect ninth inning. It looked like Condrey had gained a little weight from last season, but nevertheless the big Texan struck out two in the ninth.

Am I worried about the Phillies losing the first two games of the season? Hell no. Everyone knows the first two weeks of the season, players are just trying to get back in the swing of things. I am not worried at all.

No. What worries me is the lack of true fans. This may be a small rant, but what gives fans the right to boo their own team? I don't care how much you paid for your ticket(s), you boo the play—not the player.

Brett Myers did not deserve to get booed. Yes, granted he gave up three home runs, but he struck out seven or eight and settled down after those home runs.

I guess those fans who are booing within 17 minutes of the first pitch of the 2009 regular season were the ones that used to boo Pat Burrell in left field.

Also, what worries me is the fans who are leaving in the fifth, sixth, or seventh innings to beat traffic home or to go get drunk at McFadden's, rather than sit outside in the cold and support their team.

Next I go down to catch a Phillies game, I'm starting a new chant. Okay, well it was stolen from the "Bleacher Creatures" up at Yankee Stadium. But I never saw or heard about any copyright or trademark on it! So intellectual property is null and void here.

Yes it is the famed "Roll Call", only with Philadelphia Phillies players.

I am not worried about the Phillies at all.

Next game: vs. Atlanta, today, 4/8/2009

Recapping What Was: Philadelphia Felled By Revamped Braves Team

Brian McCollum — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:42:08 -0400

The Philadelphia Phillies' quest to repeat as world champions in 2009 started off rough. I will recap what each team did: on the mound, in the box, next games, records, and standings.

Atlanta Braves 4, Philadelphia Phillies 1.

WP: Derek Lowe (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

LP: Brett Myers (0-1, 6.00 ERA)

Braves on the Mound

Derek Lowe showed why he is one of the most dominate and crafty veteran pitchers out there. Lowe pitched a masterful game, logging eight solid innings of two-hit ball.

In those eight innings, Lowe struck out four while walking none and giving up no runs, earned or otherwise.

In the ninth, Atlanta turned to the left-handed flame-throwing closer, Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez gave up a lead-off double to the bearded wonder, Eric Bruntlett, who scored on a one-out single by Jayson Werth.

Next came Chase Utley, who walked. Then Ryan Howard looked at a 93 mph fastball right down the pipe for strike three after looking foolish swinging at two sliders out of the zone.

Finally, new left fielder Raul Ibanez struck out swinging on high, hard heat to end the game, stranding runners on first and second.

Phillies on the Mound

Brett Myers showed once again that Opening Day games are not his cup of tea.

After getting two easy outs in the first inning, Myers gave up a double to Chipper Jones. Then came Brian McCann, who smacked a high, hanging change-up to the second deck of Citizens Bank Park for a two-run home run.

Myers' troubles were just beginning. In the second inning, a revamped Jeff Francoeur crushed a fastball to left field for a solo home run.

After retiring Casey Kotchman to secure the first out of the inning, he gave up another home run, this time to rookie center fielder Jordan Schafer, who became the 99th player to homer in his first major league at-bat.

On the bright side, Myers hit 95 on the radar gun. But it did seem to help in quieting the Braves' bats.

The Phillies bullpen showed its strength in relief of Myers.

In his Phillies debut, lefty Jack Taschner pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out one. Chad Durbin and Scott Eyre combined for a scoreless eighth inning, each striking out one.

Closer Brad Lidge, in a non-save situation, threw a scoreless ninth inning, striking out one.

The Phillies bullpen combined for roughly a third of a perfect game, with three perfect innings thrown.

Braves in the Box

Three Braves had home runs: McCann, Francoeur, and Schafer.

Chipper Jones went 2-for-4 with two hits and two strikeouts, but the rookie Schafer was the stand-out of the night.

Making his major league debut, Schafer went 2-for-3 with a home run in his first at-bat. He also struck out once and walked once.

As a team: 8-for-35, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 10 SO, 1 BB, 9 LOB, .229 BA.

Phillies in the Box

Words can't even describe the disdain that I have right now for the Phillies hitters.

Swinging at first pitches, taking wild hacks at bad pitches, not making Lowe work hard at all—It was bad.

Jimmy Rollins, Werth, Carlos Ruiz, and Bruntlett all collected hits. The big left-handed three of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez went a combined 0-for-11 with three strikeouts and one walk.

As a team: 4 for 31, RBI, BB, 6 K, 8 LOB, .129 BA

My Commentary

I wonder why Myers threw a 3-2 change-up to McCann in the first inning. Worse yet, it hung up there, looking like a high school baseball hitter could crush the thing.

It's a 3-2 count, you know he's going to be swinging. Don't help the guy out by throwing something 83 mph over the plate.

A high-and-inside fastball or a curveball would have worked much better in that situation.

The problem I had with Myers' outing was that he did not establish the fastball well enough. When he wasn't throwing the fastball for strikes, he went back to his assortment of crap pitches; outside of that curveball.

Also, the sharp decrease in velocity had me worried. Myers' fastball in the first inning was clocked at 94-95 mph. By the third inning, he could barely hit 90 on the radar gun.

You would think losing that extra weight would help him regain his velocity.

I guess not.

But I'm not just focusing on Myers' outing on the mound. Them bats have some explaining to do.

I don't know whether it was nervousness, pre-game celebrations/ceremonies, or what, but how could a powerhouse lineup like that be silenced by a pitcher who they beat in the postseason last year?

Look at these numbers from the Philly sluggers:

Rollins: 1-for-4

Werth: 1-for-4

Utley: 0-for-3

Howard: 0-for-4

Ibanez: 0-for-4

Victorino: 0-for-4

The top six batters in the lineup went a combined 2-for-23 with four strikeouts, one walk, and one RBI.

It seems the guys you wouldn't think to count on were the only ones to come through.

Ruiz: 1-for-3

Bruntlett: 1-for-1, albeit off the bench in a pinch-hitting role.

The Phillies' bats better come alive on Tuesday night, no matter what the weather is like. Snow showers, cold, windy—The bats better be ready to hit and make Braves starter Jair Jurrjens work.

Make Jurrjens work hard, possibly work up a swear, unlike Lowe o- Sunday night.

I guess not signing Lowe four years ago came back to bite them. Not signing Lowe this past offseason will come back to haunt them as well.

Stay turned for Tuesday night's wrap-up.

Can You Believe It?: The First Phillies Casualty at Citi Field

Brian McCollum — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:23:38 -0400

With new stadiums come the firsts. The first strikeout thrown, the first strikeout victim hurt, the first home run hit, and the first win, loss, and save completed.

We can add a new one to that list, first Phillies fan thrown out. It may just be a dubious honor. But for a Phillies fan you should hold it with honor and pride.

Dictionary.com defines the term casualty as, "One that is harmed or eliminated as a result of an action or a circumstance."

So, does the very first Phillies fan to be thrown out of Citi Field have a name? Of course. His name is Reed Frazier, a 22-year-old, Television and Film Productions major at St. John's University-Queens—as well as a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan.

Frazier was thrown out of a non-MLB event. It was a NCAA baseball game, the very first game of any kind of baseball, professional, or collegiate. The game was a Division-I matchup between Georgetown University and St. John's University.

To give some background, Frazier was helping St. John's Office of Athletic Communications broadcast their university's game live through their athletics website. The weather was, to put it bluntly, crappy. Nobody likes to get wet, so Frazier had put on his Phillies jacket.

Expecting no friendly welcome within the new confines of the NY Mets, Frazier soldiered on. When he arrived at the stadium he was heckled by Mets fans, but that would come naturally, only because he is entering another team's territory.

After meeting a lifelong Mets fan and photographer, he continued his job of setting up the cameras. The photographer and Frazier joked around. Can you believe it? A Met fan and a Phillies fan getting along?

So he was approached by a fellow co-worker and student, who weirdly enough, brought with them a St. John's jacket from the department head of the university. After telling the messenger with the jacket, "Thank you, but my jacket works perfectly well for me," he continued to prepare his camera.

After a John Franco ceremonial first pitch, Frazier went to work. He was approach by another co-worker, who this time was a Mets fan. The co-worker insisted that he put on the St. John's jacket. Frazier told him that the jacket he was currently wearing did not affect his ability to work.

Frazier responded, “If I was wearing a Mets jacket, would this even be a problem?” Frazier even offered a compromise by wearing the St. John's jacket under his Phillies jacket. The second messenger dismissed and rejected the idea and left.

Frazier went back to his camera, only this time to be approached by the department head with the St. John's jacket.

He said, “You have to take off your jacket.”

Frazier replied, “In no way does it affect the job I am doing. It is a non-issue.”

He responded by saying, “It is an issue with the Mets. You can either put on the jacket or leave.”

“Then, I’m leaving," Frazier responded.

Frazier then left the camera platform, shook the photographer's hand, and started to exit the stadium. The head of the department followed him.

He asked, “Are you really going to do this?”

Frazier replied, “Yes.” Then, he left the building.

As he walked to the subway, a group of Mets fans commented, "You got to have balls to wear that here." Frazier chuckled and continued on his way up the steps to the elevated subway platform.

What do I make of this? Here is my commentary:

The jacket was a non-issue. Frazier was correct in saying that in no way was trying to incite people to riot or confrontation by wearing the jacket.

It is most likely because of his allegiances that he was asked to remove the jacket. The problem is that Frazier had no warning from the Mets Organization that they had an issue with him wearing the Phillies jacket.

At least he should of put the St. John's jacket over his Phillies jack and not zip up the St. John's jacket. That way the Phillies logo would still be noticeable.

I would like to get some Mets fans' commentary here.

Then again, it must be some kind of honor to be the first of something?

Right?

A Blow Out, Shelling, Cannonade, and Fusillade All Smashed Into One Game

Brian McCollum — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:51:09 -0400

I thought I had seen it all, but time and time again life loves to throw things at you.

I was on a bench while my high school baseball team was no hit, I've been drilled by a 6'5", 240lb power pitcher and I've even sat through multiple blow outs.

Never in my life have I seen something this absurd.

A 50-run mercy ruling.

That's right, you heard me, a 50-run mercy ruling.

Well, it wasn't 50 runs, but with a score of 49-1 you have to round up from 48.

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels played against the Kentucky State Thorobreds yesterday. It was supposed to be a doubleheader between the two schools, but the first game was finished after five, and the second was cancelled.

Eastern Kentucky must of been eating their Wheaties or something because they opened up on Kentucky State. The score at the end of the first inning was 22-1 in favor of Eastern Kentucky.

And no, this is not a late April Fools joke either...this really happened.

The starting pitcher for KSU, Kendall Wilson, was lit up for 13 runs, four of them earned, in a third of an inning.

Relievers Jaamal Duncan and Robert Wilson combined for, are you ready for this, 33 hits, 36 Runs and 16 EARNED Runs in three and two-thirds innings pitched.

Highlighting the offensive attack for EKU was Jayson Langfels. Langfels went seven for eight, with 11 RBI and six runs scored; Including his eighth and ninth home runs.

The Thorobreds, as a team, had a combined nine errors.

Final score: EKU 49 KSU 1

This kind of game angers me a great deal. KSU is a Division II team and they should not be playing a Division I team.

This kind of thing is funny, because it is both sad and pathetic.

Another Opening Day, a New Adventure Begins and Life Finally Returns to Normalcy

Brian McCollum — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:21:55 -0400

With it less than a week away from the start of Opening Day, or should I say Opening Night in Major League Baseball, what better time than now to write something about the boys of summer, right? I also figured this could cure what would seem to be an incurable case of writer's block.

Diagnosis: Case of extreme writer's block

Prognosis: It's breaking up, like a SAM to a fighter jet

Opening Day or Opening Night in this case (thank you ESPN) to me is like Christmas morning, my birthday, my first kiss, my first home run, and reaching "third base" (if you know what I mean) all rolled into one big glorious day/moment thing.

No more NCAA Men's or Women's Basketball, no more National Football League, no more National Basketball Association, or National Hockey League, or NASCAR, or Golf or tennis taking center stage.

No, none of that. Baseball triumphantly returns to save many of us from the crushing winter hibernation.

Spring training is ending. The rosters are set and the chalk is being laid down the lines.

It is time to break out the hats, shirts, gloves, and for all intents and purposes the foam fingers. It's time to start talking about how our teams are going to go all the way this year.

Or repeat as World Series Champions.

Or just pray to God that our team finishes above .500 this season.

Or start making deals with the devil to get our team from collapsing for a third straight year.

Time to open up fantasy leagues and trash talk friends over who has a better team. With the arrival of Opening Day or Night, brings the revival of life as we know it for baseball fans.

It is time to reopen the rivalries of old.

Yankees-Red Sox

Phillies-Mets

Mets-Yankees

Cubs- White Sox

Man, it is truly great to be a baseball fan at this time of year. Even if your a fan of a rock-bottom team like the Pirates or Royals, you look forward to this time of year. If your a Mets fan, even YOU look forward to April; maybe not September, but definitely April.

April brings a renewed sense of hope and endearment.

Even if you don't watch baseball on television; but rather, play baseball, you love this month. There is no greater smell than of fresh-cut grass.

Or the feel of brand-new unused baseballs.

Or the sound that a bat makes when the ball hits the barrel.

This season is shaping up to be a great one, so sit back and relax. Be like T.O. and get your popcorn ready. Welcome to the show, please come in inside.

For all Phillies fans: if you read this, please partake in the Phillies-Mets Challenge.

Two Icons: Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente

Brian McCollum — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:17:23 -0400

I was typing up my Gen Ed (short for General Education) English paper on icons, when I remember my paper was on Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente. I figured I would post it here and let you the readers think about how these two legends of the diamond are true icons of American culture.

I did use other sources and information that I did borrow, so I will give credit to those whose information and articles I used to help me write this essay.

This great nation has had its share of icons. Some of these icons are born and bred American, and some icons are born and bred elsewhere around the world. Many of these so called “icons” are not icons at all but rather “anti-icons.”

“Anti-icons” are “figures magnified to larger than life proportions not because they really are larger than life but precisely because they aren’t outstanding at all” (Massik and Solomon 712).

As Jake Brennan, a lifestyle commentator for AskMen.com states, “one of the only ways to get attention consistently is to shock people in new and ‘interesting’ ways” (Massik and Solomon 729). Two real American and Non-American icons are Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente.

Robinson and Clemente are no the prototypical sports icons. No. They pioneered not only social change but cultural change as well.

Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente pioneered social and cultural change in the United States and around the world. This social and cultural change was not just in baseball alone, no, but rather in society as well.

While both icons were prolific and legendary players in their own time, hence the fact that both Robinson and Clemente are in Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York.

Both players/icons faced tremendous challenges along their career paths. Both pioneered said social and cultural change by methods that would seem different to most people, but were very, very, similar in nature.

The majority of challenges faced by Robinson and Clemente were through racial and cultural dogmas and stigmas by the general public. Both players in reality did not want to pioneer social changes, but rather just to achieve their own personal success at Major League Baseball.

Jackie Robinson, full name: “Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in the town of Cairo, Georgia in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers” (Estate of Jackie Robinson). Robinson was a four sport star at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

While at UCLA, he “was the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football and track” (Estate of Jackie Robinson). The context of how Robinson became an American cultural icon lies in the roots of World War II United States. Prior to becoming a social and cultural pioneer he was in the army.

The United States Army was at this point starting to become desegregated, thanks to “the Roosevelt administration ordering non-discrimination in war-related industries” (Kelly 1011).

After being court-martialed for relations to objections with incidents of racial discrimination, and after being honorably discharged in the midst of a global war, came home and played professional baseball.

Major League Baseball never had an African American ballplayer prior to 1947. In 1947 it is a well known fact that Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier. Jim Kelly in his 2005 article entitled: Integrating America states that “Jackie Robinson was the first black American known by most of white America” (Kelly 1012).

Robinson’s work ethic in the face of daunting challenges earned him the adulation of his teammates. According to Kelly, “the theme continually, was that the first man across the colour line could not fight back.

"He had to have the courage to take abuse, again and again, to suffer the indignities and injuries, even the spiking and knockdowns, without antagonistic response” (Kelly 1020).

Kelly states in another article that “Jackie Robinson’s transcendent status in American culture is no surprise, then. He is not only a piece of American history but a vehicle for the idea of it, specifically when he becomes one of ‘us’, not ‘them’, for US citizens” (Kelly 1040). “His suffering won over the hearts and minds” (1041) Kelly states.

This is important to Robinson’s cultural figure because it makes white America sympathetic to similar trials and tribulations that their families endured as immigrants. As a tribute to Robinson, Major League Baseball retired his number. Robinson’s number is the only one retired by all 28 teams.

Roberto Clemente was born in 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Clemente’s work ethic is almost as well known as his humanitarian side. Samuel O. Regalado states that “Roberto Clemente did not come to the United States mainland to pioneer social change. He came to pursue his dream of success in the major leagues” (Regalado 678).

Clemente was more than a prolific hitter of his day, he had other “credentials as well: a generous heart, compassion and a sense of outrage at social injustice” (Regalado 679).

Regalado states in his article, that in a 1971 interview that Clemente had with the New York Times, “social responsibility and leadership in the Latino world accompanied his stature. ‘Lots of kids will try to imitate me, and maybe I will have the chance to do some good for people'".

Clemente endured the negative stereotypes of Spanish speaking people and persevered at his craft. Clemente was a rare individual; he believed that race was irrelevant in determining the quality of a person. “I don’t believe in colour, I believe in people” Clemente would tout his remark (Regalado 680).

This speaks volumes of Clemente’s personality, and ideology. Prior to the 1972 season’s commencement, Clemente had thought of retiring, but he decided to return for the 1972 season to “continue his quest to defuse the negative images of Latinos in professional baseball” (Regalado 684).

Roberto Clemente never got to see his hard work pay off. On New Year’s Eve of 1972, “while escorting humanitarian aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua, his plane crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico. The baseball star and four others perished” (Regalado 684).

The general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Joe Brown said, “We have lost not only a great baseball player but a very wonderful human being” (Regalado 684).

Some of the other things said about Clemente were, “Roberto Clemente lived nobly, gloriously and with generosity. He fulfilled a high destiny for his family and for his people” (Regalado 684).

Five months after the crash the Baseball Writers of America voted to induct Clemente into the Baseball Hall of Fame (Regalado 684). Clemente was a very modest and humble individual.

“‘Why in America,’ he would ask, ‘if someone tells you, you are a good ballplayer, must you say, you know, ‘Aw shucks’ so you can end up hearing it three times?’” (Collier 34). When somebody would compliment Clemente, he would say “Thank you very much. Yes, I am proud of what I do. I think I am the best in the game” (Collier 34).

Clemente and Robinson were two of the greatest players to live and play. Their actions on and off the field changed American history, culture and society. These two icons made it possible for a generation and future generations of Americans and non-Americans like to play and enjoy baseball.

Both players have foundations and awards aplenty. The character that these ballplayers and icons alike displayed is one of strength, courage, and pride. Future generations would adopt their style of ball playing and life.

To those articles I used:

Works Cited

Collier, Gene. "Pride and Petualance." The Sporting News 28 Dec. 1992: 34-34.

Kelly, John. "Exclusionary America: Jackie Robinson, Decolonization and Baseball not Black and White." The International Journal of the History of Sport 22 (2005): 1035+.

Kelly, John. "Integrating America: Jackie Robinson, Critical Events and Baseball Black and White." The International Journal of the History of Sport 22 (2005): 1011+.

Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. "Celebrities Who Aren't Really Celebrities." Signs of Life in the USA Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 729.

Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. Signs of Life in the USA Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.

The Official Site of Jackie Robinson. 29 Mar. 2009 <http://www.jackierobinson.com>.

Regalado, Samuel O. "Roberto Clemente: Images, Identity and Legacy." The International Journal of the History of Sport 25 (2008): 678+.

Temple's Baseball Program Finally Starts Heating Up: Mid-Season Recap

Brian McCollum — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:00:54 -0400

This will be my second college sports article and my first within the "college baseball" community.

I have no idea what to expect, so here goes.

The Temple University baseball program does not get the recognition it should, along with the rest of the A-10 baseball teams. They are overshadowed by the bigger baseball programs of the southern and western schools.

But, I am not here to rant about it.

No, I am here to talk-shop about Temple baseball.

The Temple Owls started off 2-2 in their first four games, with wins coming against Central Michigan University and Florida Gulf Coast, and losses against Wichita State and High Point.

Temple's next game had to wait until Mar. 6. Prior to that, the Owls had a string of four games cancelled, including two against High Point, one against George Mason, and the other against Maryland Eastern Shore.

They then went on a seven game slide, including a weekend sweep by Liberty, highlighted by an 11-1 blowout.

The Owls returned home and did not find much luck in their home opener against Rutgers on Mar. 10, losing in an 11-8, extra innings affair. The week also saw losses to Manhattan and Niagara.

But the week did include Temple's first win in nearly a month, beating Cleveland State 5-1.

The following week started off with a bang for Temple, winning 10-5 at Lehigh on March 17th. But the team dropped its next game at home against Big Five rival Penn by a score of 11-6.

The Owls then released their pent up frustrations by completing a weekend sweep of conference foe Duquesne, including a 17-5 blowout.

The sweep began Temple's first winning streak of the season, which lasted into the next week with a 8-7 win against Monmouth.

But, of course, all good things always come to an end. Temple lost the next day to in-state foe Penn State, 7-4.

Temple continued its home stand by sweeping conference foe and Big Five rival, La Salle. They took both games of a doubleheader on Friday and capped off the series with 10-3 rout on Saturday.

Temple is off to its best Atlantic 10 start since 1984, when current Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jamie Moyer was pitching for conference foe and Big Five rival Saint Joseph's University.

Temple is currently first in the A-10 Conference and leads Dayton by half a game.

Temple University record (overall): 11-11

A-10 Record: 6-0

Big Five Record: 3-1

Remaining regular season games for the Temple University Owls baseball team:

3/31 at Villanova**

4/3, 4/4, 4/5 at UMass*

4/7 Liberty Bell Classic

4/8 at Rider

4/10 at St. Joseph's***

4/11 doubleheader at St. Joseph's***

4/14 at Delaware

4/17, 4/18, 4/19 vs. Charlotte*

4/21 vs. Villanova**

4/24, 4/25, 4/26 vs. Xavier*

4/28 at Villanova**

4/29 vs. Lafayette

5/1, 5/2, 5/3 at Richmond*

5/4 at St. John's

5/6 at Delaware

5/8, 5/9, 5/10 vs. Saint Louis*

5/14, 5/15, 5/16 at Fordham*

* denotes A-10 conference game

** denotes Big Five game

*** denotes Big Five AND A-10 conference game

Thanks for reading.

Who Are You? What Makes an Athlete an Athlete?

Brian McCollum — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:44:53 -0400

While trying to knock roughly three birds out with one stone, I started to think of ideas for new things to write about on Bleacher Report.

It is not going well, let us just say it is a losing battle.

As it seems those three metaphorical birds are manifesting themselves in the forms of either writer's block, college English papers, or just overall sheer laziness.

These three metaphorical birds just knock me out.

So I decided to get back at those three birds out with a metaphor strewn.

A sociological and anthropological look at what makes an athlete an athlete. BONUS!

It's in the form of a poem. Enjoy.

The poem is at the end of my philosophical explanation.

If this doesn't rhyme, oh well. I was busy writing a paper and needed some inspiration.

The Who have a famous song by the name of "Who Are You?"

The title of the song is my question: Who are you?

A question that not only we all ask ourselves, but athletes ask themselves.

What defines an athlete?

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines an athlete as a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, and stamina.

But there is much more than the physical strength and the rest of the physical attributes.

An athlete is a warrior, and every game, match, series, and tournament is a battle.

To be an athlete not just requires physical skill and training, but mental training as well. An athlete's constitution is approximately 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical.

So, what makes an athlete an athlete?

Is it strength, conviction, desire and the fire to compete?

It is more than that as a matter of fact,

It is all that and more.

To be an athlete is to not just be a competitor,

But to be an athlete is to be human open to mistakes,

Open to criticism, errors, and bad judgment.

But yet there’s more…an almost super human quality,

To throw 90 miles an hour,

Or slap a hockey puck with great power,

Toss a football for great amounts of yardage,

Or shoot a three with finesse and poise under pressure.

We are the Warriors of Time,

We live for the battle and live for the people,

We are soldiers who light it up everyday and night,

With every game, match, and series being a another new battle,

With every point, run, goal, and touchdown scored brings new life,

There is more to us than just physical ability,

We are smart in more than more way,

We can analyze a situation, make difficult decisions.

We are in no way dumb like the stereotype says,

The decisions we make can change the game's flow,

Being an athlete is a balancing act,

Knowing when to land the finishing blow

That is what makes an athlete an athlete.

It is more than the money we play for,

Fame and infamy,

Glory,

The team,

Those are just some of the reasons we play.

When we win we celebrate,

When we lose we cry,

We build a camaraderie with our teammates,

The team is worth more than the money,

Winning is all that matters.

That is what makes an athlete an athlete.

I hope I did not confuse you too much or bore you with my philosophical waxing and waning.

Mac Attack: The Phillies Spring Training Roster Moves Edition

Brian McCollum — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:49:20 -0400

As the waning weeks of spring training come to a close, we are reminded of the troubles that Philadelphia Phillies have trying to fill openings in the starting rotation, and bullpen.

A lot of players' major league lives are on the line. A bad outing here, a blown game there, and the next thing you know your back to triple-A trying to figure out what exactly went wrong, and how to fix it.

Whose lives are on the line? The Phillies need a fifth starter, two relievers, a back-up catcher, and fill some openings on the bench. I will try to profile and answer, in a sense, the Philadelphia Phillies most burning needs.

Pitching

While the Phillies' first four spots are locked up, the fifth spot is up-for-grabs. Like children playing that game: Jackpot, (where they throw a football up in the air and call out random points) the Phillies fifth starting rotation spot is like a game of Jackpot, in that whomever catches the job, gets the Jackpot.

It's a role you can't ignore.

And you can turn your back... but it won't go away
And you don't look scared...but you should be afraid
You can shut your mouth...but you still have a say
And you just don't care...for tomorrow, today

Billy Talent, Turn Your Back

Up for the fifth rotation spot are: Kyle Kendrick, J.A. Happ, Chan Ho Park, and Carlos Carrasco.

Kyle Kendrick: As much as I wanted to see him pitch himself into the fifth starting rotation spot, he kind of, uh, pitched himself out of the job and pitched himself right into triple-A. I was, NOOOOOOOOO!

I am still a Kyle Kendrick fan. Twenty-one wins in two seasons since coming up from double-A, that's impressive. The golden rule that has been tossed around about pitchers is it takes roughly two to three seasons to figure out the "book" on the pitcher.

2009 Spring Training stats: 1-3, 4 Games, 4 Games Started, 9.20 ERA, 14.2 IP, 8 K, 5 BB, 15 R, 16 ER.

Assigned to triple-A Lehigh Valley on 3/23/09.

J.A. Happ: I was a big fan of both Happ and Kendrick when they came up. I almost figured Happ to eventually be the "Ageless Wonder" Jamie Moyer's replacement. Happ has been impressive this spring training.

2009 Spring Training stats: 0-0, 6 Games, 3 Games Started, 3.15 ERA, 20.0 IP, 14 K, 6 BB, 8 R, 7 ER.

My opinion on J.A. Happ's chances of making the rotation: I believe that Happ is now the front-runner for the fifth starting rotation spot.

Chan Ho Park: After coming over from Los Angeles, Park is looking for a starting job. Although Park is familiar with both the rotation and bullpen, I believe that the Phillies would rather have Park in the bullpen. Park even skipped the World Baseball Classic, just to compete for the fifth starting rotation spot.

2009 Spring Training stats: 1-0, 3 Games, 2 Games Started, 1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP, 11 K, 0 BB, 2 R, 2 ER.

My Opinion: Chan Ho Park makes the 25-man roster through the bullpen.

Carlos Carrasco: The Phillies top pitching prospect fared better than Kendrick, but not much better. Carrasco hasn't quite lived up to the "top pitching prospect" title. But I believe that will come with age.

2009 Spring Training stats: 2-1, 5 Games, 3 Games Started, 5.52 ERA, 14.2 IP, 10 K, 5 BB, 13 R, 9 ER

My Opinion: Like Kendrick, I believe he will be assigned to triple-A later this week. Carrasco will be back in September, unless Park, Happ, and Kendrick (when and if they return) craps out.

The Phillies bullpen last season was nothing more than just plain dominant. The Phillies will have some open spots to fill, not just on the bench, but in the bullpen as well. There will be a spot open that was "vacated" by J.C. Romero, once he starts his 50-game suspension.

Pitchers up for a spot in the bullpen:

Chan Ho Park

Robert Mosebach

Mike Koplove

Gary Majewski

Not a left-hander in the bunch, huh? Anyway, there are 10 locks in the pitching section for Philadelphia.

Those 10 are: Brad Lidge, Jamie Moyer, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, and Clay Condrey. Plus you can pencil in J.C. Romero when he returns.

So that's 10 pitchers total that are locks.

My opinion on who gets the bullpen jobs: If J.A. Happ earns the fifth starting rotation spot, Chan Ho Park will be in the bullpen. Joining him will be either Majewski or Mosebach. Most likely Robert Mosebach because Majewski and Koplove signed minor league deals, while Mosebach is a Rule Five draft pick.

The Bench(warmers): Infield Edition

As for bench players, you can do two things: One is pencil in utility and bearded wonder, Eric Bruntlett as an automatic lock. The second thing is pencil in Greg "The Natural" Dobbs as another automatic lock.

So the infielders that are locks are: Chase Utley, Pedro Feliz, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Greg Dobbs, and Eric Bruntlett.

The Phillies badly need another right-handed bat coming of that bench. The wild cards here are Marcus Giles, Pablo Ozuna, Miguel Cairo, and top prospect Jason Donald.

Jason Donald was reassigned to triple-A Lehigh Valley 3/24/2009

My opinion: If the Phillies need another infielder on the bench, Giles would be my pick.

The Bench(warmers): Catcher Edition

You can automatically pencil in Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz as the starting, everyday catcher. So who is the backup catcher? Good Question.

The Phillies had three players competing for the backup catcher role as of, March 24. Those three were: Ronny Paulino, Chris Coste, and Lou Marson.

As of March 24, the Phillies reassigned catcher Lou Marson to triple-A Lehigh Valley.

That leaves two players remaining: Ronny Paulino and Chris Coste.

My opinion: I believe the Phillies will stick with Chris Coste. The Phillies know Coste well and none of the candidates for backup are hitting well this Spring Training. But like I said, the Phillies know what Coste brings to the table.

The Bench(warmers): Outfielder Edition

The Phillies have three locks in the outfield: Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth.

The uncertain of a job future are: Matt Stairs, Geoff Jenkins, and John Mayberry Jr.

While there are rumors are abound over Jenkins and Stairs, the Phillies are not, I think, going to able to trade or release both Jenkins and Stairs.

As of this typing Mayberry has not been sent down to triple-A Lehigh Valley.

So who gets the last two bench spots?

My opinion: The Phillies wind up keeping one of them on the bench, at least Jenkins and keep either Cairo or Giles on the bench as well.

As for Stairs, the Canadian slugger, will either be traded or released to make room for somebody. But, I will let time tell the story.

There are less than two weeks from Opening Day, I should say Opening Night in the Phillies case.

That is it for the Spring Training Roster moves edition of the Mac Attack.

Stay tuned for the Opening Day edition of the Mac Attack. Until then, keep on truckin' people, keep on reading, and keep on writing them articles. Peace.

A Look into Baseball Fans: What It Means to Play Baseball in America

Brian McCollum — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:10:03 -0400

I can happily and adamantly admit that I am a baseball lifer.

By the time that it is my time to go, I hope to have played, coached, taught, and explained the history, inter-dimensions, and theories behind the game that we proudly call our "National Pastime". Right now, I've completed two of the many things on the long list of "things to do in baseball": coaching and playing.

So what does it mean to play baseball? Is baseball a profile of the average American? Why is baseball uniquely American?

These are some of the questions that I have asked myself while playing and watching baseball. I can't help but think that baseball is a global force that is gaining popularity throughout the world. Baseball, to me, is a part of the so-called "American Dream".

So, what does it mean to play baseball?

In the "metaphysical" sense, to play baseball means that you are both intelligent and strong. You can discern and analyze a situation in a instant and you know what to do, where to throw, when to bunt, and when to swing away.

Baseball, unlike American football or ice hockey, relies mostly on mental ability, and not just physical strength.

But to play baseball also means that you are of strong body as well. Even though the game itself is about 95 percent mental, that extra five percent is pure physical ability.

Having the mental ability of a ageless, crafty veteran is nice, but so is having the physical ability of a youthful 21-year-old kid.

To play baseball is to be part of a deep and rich history. A history that has produced so many American icons. Ruth, Mays, Cobb, Foxx, Johnson, Young, Alexander, and Wagner just to name a few, have become integral icons in American society. And teams like the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, and Phillies have become fixed parts of our society.

I believe that baseball does profile the average American. The sport may be hard to play, but if you give a kid a baseball, he or she would instinctively throw the ball. Baseball has been bred into American society by previous generations.

Personally, I believe that baseball was a hard sport at first to learn. But once you learn the sport, mastering the sport is as easy as practicing at it.

The profile of an American includes baseball, the two or three kids, and a house with a car, garage, and the white picket fence.

Why is baseball uniquely American? It is uniquely American because it is the sport that defines the United States of America. To lose at any other sport means nothing. But to lose at baseball, our "National Pastime," is like spouting sacrilege and blaspheme at the same time.

But, yet, no emphasis is put on the United States losing at baseball because to the rest of the world, it is just the United States losing at another sport. Nothing new, nothing old.

Over twenty or more countries play America's "National Pastime" around the world. It is because of the United State's influence that so many countries play the sport.

For me, to play baseball is life itself. My life is surrounded by and practically REVOLVES around the sport. To be American, to me, is to be a baseball fan. To be American is to be called a Yankee, not a Cub or Red Sox, or a Dodger or even a Phillie, but a Yankee.

Baseball for me has been an escape at times, allowing me to escape my life and the problems that follow it. It has been a hobby, a pastime, a sport, and something to write about. I love learning and hearing about the history surrounding it, as well as learning the skills behind the sport.

Pitching is a battle between the hitter and the hurler. Not just a physical battle, but a mental battle. It is a challenge between that guy's fastball and the other guy's bat. The outcome is always as random as it is different.

When you strikeout, it means that you get back out there and try again. The pitcher may have won the battle, but the war goes on.

When you give up a home run, it means you tip your cap to the hitter and go after the next guy. The hitter may have won the battle, but the war goes on.

When you make a fielding error, you always have a chance to redeem yourself, much like outside the game.

That's what it means to play baseball in America.

The MLB All-Time All-Star Team

Brian McCollum — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:03:48 -0400

I usually try to stay away from these kinds of articles but, after reading several "Greatest Team Ever" or "Best Team Ever" articles, I decided to write my own. Now, I know this I have only been around for 19 years on God's good green Earth so I do have a bit of bias towards today's players. But, all biases will be put aside and I will judge players based on career and other information.

I will also use a 40-man roster, including a full five man starting rotation, full bullpen (closer and all) and bench. I will also try to fuse currently playing ballplayers into this team (if their numbers apply). As well as include a manager, bench coach, hitting/pitching and first/third base coach.

So let's get started with catcher...

Catcher

Josh Gibson, Homestead Greys (Negro Leagues)

One of the greatest hitting catchers to ever swing the bat that no one knows about. His stats way not be the greatest but it deserves mentioning that in his career it is said that he hit over 800 home runs.

He was posthumously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Gibson played the majority of his career in the Negro Leagues.

Career (Negro, Mexican, Cuban, and Dominican Leagues for a total of 21 seasons): 2582 AB, 946 Hits, .366 BA, .648 SLG ,173 HR (800*), 646 RBI,

*Rumored

"He had a eye like Ted Williams and the power of Babe Ruth. He hit to all fields."- Monte Irvin

Others up for consideration for catcher: Yogi Berra, Rick Ferrell, Carlton Fisk, Joe Mauer**, Mickey Cochrane

First Base

Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees

The "Iron Horse" is my pick for First Baseman. Beside the fact that Gehrig had a "Iron Man" streak of most consecutive games played, Gehrig won the American League Triple Crown in 1934. He was American League MVP in 1927 and again in 1936. Gehrig was also a seven time All-Star, playing in six of the seven.

He also appeared in seven World Series.

Career stats (17 seasons): 2164 Games, 8001 AB, 2721 Hits, 1888 Runs, 493 HR, 1995 RBI, .340 BA, .447 OBP, .632 SLG, 5090 Total Bases

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939

Others up for consideration for First Baseman: Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, Jeff Bagwell, Buck Leonard

Second Base

Rogers Hornsby, St. Louis Cardinals

"Rajah" as he was called, played 23 seasons total. A two time MVP. He won the National League Triple Crown twice: 1922 and 1925. He was also MVP in 1925 and 1927.

He also appeared in two World Series. With St. Louis winning one of the World Series (1926).

Career stats (23 seasons): 2259 Games, 8173 AB, 2930 Hits, 1579 Runs, 301 HR, 1584 RBI, .358 BA, .434 OBP, .577 SLG, 4712 Total Bases.

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1942

Others up for consideration for Second Baseman: Nap Lajoie, Eddie Collins, Jackie Robinson, Joe Gordon

Shortstop

Honus Wagner, Pittsburgh Pirates

"The Flying Dutchman" was one of the fastest to ever play the game. You could say that not only did he pioneer the stolen base with 722 SB, but was the founding member of that exclusive club we call the 3000 hit club.

Played in two World Series. With his team winning one of the World Series (1909).

Led the National League in Batting Average a total of eight seasons.

Career stats (21 seasons): 2792 Games, 10430 AB, 3415 Hits, 1736 Runs, 101 HR, 1732 RBI, 722 SB, .327 BA, .391 OBP, .466 SLG, 4862 Total Bases.

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936. One of the original "founding" members of the Hall of Fame.

Others up for consideration for Short Stop: Robin Yount, Derek Jeter, Luis Aparicio, Phil Rizzuto, Pee Wee Reese

Third Base

Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles

The human vacuum cleaner. A wizard with the glove, he caught everything that came his way at the hot corner. An All-Star in 15 of 23 seasons, Brooks Robinson was the complete player at third.

Played in four World Series. With the Orioles winning two of the four. Robinson was the 1970 World Series MVP as well as the 1966 Major League All-Star Game MVP. Won the 1964 American League MVP.

16 Gold Gloves.

Career Stats (23 seasons): 2896 Games, 10654 AB, 2848 Hits, 1232 R, 268 HR, 1357 RBI, .267 BA, .322 OBP, .401 OPS, 4270 TB

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983

Others up for consideration for Third Baseman: Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Eddie Matthews, Chipper Jones**

Left Fielder

Hank Aaron, Boston/Milwaukee/ Atlanta Braves

To start the Outfield position players off, I'll go from left to right. My starting Right Fielder is "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron. His stats should explain it all, but just in case...

21 time All-Star

1957 National League MVP

1958, 1959, 1960 Gold Glove winner

Career Stats (23 Seasons): 3298 Games, 12364 AB, 3771 Hits, 2174 R, 755 HR, 2297 RBI, .305 BA, .374 OBP, .555 SLG, 6856 TB

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Others up for consideration for Right-fielder: Stan Musial, Mel Ott, Al Kaline, Babe Ruth, Ichiro**

Center fielder

Willie Mays, New York/ San Francisco Giants

The "Say Hey" kid, Willie Mays is my starting Center Fielder. Mays besides hitting over 660 Home Runs, finished with a career batting average of .302 and slapped over 3283 hits.

20 time All-Star

1951 Rookie of the Year

1954 National League MVP

1963 Major League All-Star Game MVP

1965 National League MVP

1968 Major League All-Star Game MVP

12 time Gold Glove winner

Career Stats (22 Seasons): 2992 Games, 10881 AB, 3283 Games, 2062 R, 660 HR, 1903 RBI, .302 BA, .384 OBP, .557 SLG, 6066 TB

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979

Others up for consideration for Center-fielder: Ed Delahanty, Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, Ken Griffey Jr.**

Right Fielder

George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Outfielder/ Pitcher, Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees/ Boston Braves

He's the Babe; the Sultan of Swat; the King of Crash; the Bambino; Colossus of Clout and so on with the nicknames. I need not mention his legendary status.

Do I need to explain any more? He is the greatest to ever play the game.

Career stats (22 seasons): 2503 Games, 8398 AB, 2873 Hits, 2174 R, 714 HR, 2217 RBI, 2062 BB, .342 BA, .474 OBP, .690 SLG, 5793 TB

He also pitched.

Career stats (pitching, 10 seasons): 94-46, .671 Win%, 1221.1 IP, 448 K, 441 BB, 2.28 ERA, 122 ERA+, 1.159 WHIP

Others up for consideration for Left-Fielder: Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Reggie Jackson, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Manny Ramirez**

Starting Rotation

Now we arrive at my starting staff. There are so many great pitchers out there. The starting staff was the hard decisions to make. So lets get started (no pun intended).

No. 1: Walter Johnson, Washington Senators, RHP

The "Big Train" is my number one, my ace. Of course all of the rest of my starting staff are aces. The "Big Train" is my first starter because of the overpowering fastball from that side-arm delivery.

He is also my number one starter, because of his polite and gentlemanly nature. Which was contrary to his competitors.

American League MVP: 1913 AND 1924

American League Pitchers Triple Crown: 1913, 1918, 1924

Most career shutouts: 110

Most career shutouts for a right hander: 110

Most career shutout losses: 65

12 Time American League Strikeouts Leader

5 Time American League ERA Leader

417 wins ranks The Big Train second on the All-Time Wins list

Career stats (21 seasons): 417-279, .599 Win%, 802 Games, 531 Complete Games (CG), 110 Shutouts (SHO), 5914.1 IP, 3509 K, 1363 BB, 2.17 ERA, 1.061 WHIP, 147 ERA+

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936. One of its founding members.

No. 2: Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies, LHP

Lefty is my number two pitcher. I needed a left handed pitcher and I figured Carlton was one of the best that I could find. A multiple time All-Star and CY Young award winner.

4 time CY Young award winner

10 time All-Star

1972 National League Pitching Triple Crown winner

4136 K ranks Lefty fourth on the All-Time strikeout list

1981 Gold Glove winner

Career stats (24 seasons): 329-244, .574 Win%, 741 Games, 5217.1 IP, 4136 K, 1833 BB, 254 CG, 3.22 ERA, 155 ERA+, 1.247 WHIP

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994

No. 3: Cy Young, Cleveland Spiders/St. Louis Cardinals/ Boston Red Sox/ Cleveland Naps, RHP

Denton True Young, otherwise known as Cy Young, is my third starter. The guy had his own award named after his namesake and his profession: pitching, just to restate the obvious.

I could of swapped Young out with Johnson, that's how interchangeable these guys are.

1901 American League Pitching Triple Crown

All-Time Leader in Wins with 511

All-Time Leader in Innings Pitched with 7354.1 IP

All Time Leader in Complete Games with 749

Career stats (22 seasons): 511-316, .618 Win%, 906 Games, 749 CG, 2803 K, 1217 BB, 2.63 ERA, 138 ERA+, 1.130 WHIP

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937

No. 4: Lefty Grove, Philadelphia Athletics/ Boston Red Sox, LHP

Robert Moses Grove, my second left hander in my rotation. Played for arguably the greatest team of all time, the 1929 Philadelphia Athletics. But that's a story for another time.

6 time All-Star

1930 and 1931 American League Pitching Triple Crown winner

1931 American League MVP

A 138 ERA+ ranks him third all time for adjusted ERA.

Career stats (17 seasons): 300-141, .680 Win%, 616 Games, 298 CG, 3940.1 IP, 2266 K, 1339 BB, 3.06 ERA, 138 ERA+, 1.278 WHIP

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1947

No. 5: "G.C." Pete Alexander, Philadelphia Phillies, RHP

My last starting pitcher in the rotation is: Pete Alexander. Who? You may ask. Does the Name Grover Cleveland Alexander ring a bell? Pete is his actual first name. "Ol' Pete" is my fifth starter because he was one of the most dynamic pitchers of his day, however overshadowed by Walter Johnson and Cy Young.

3 time National League Pitching Triple Crown winner (1915, '16, '20)

His 373 wins ranks him third all time for wins

His 90 Shutouts ranks him second all time

Bouts of epilepsy, alcoholism, and a line drive to the head shortened his career.

Career stats (20 seasons): 373-208, .642 Win%, 696 Games, 5190.0 IP, 2198 K, 951 BB, 2.56 ERA, 135 ERA+, 1.121 WHIP

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1938

While I am on the subject of pitching, I will complete my bullpen as well...

Bullpen

Long Relief: Warren Spahn, Boston/ Milwaukee Braves, LHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Long Relief: Nolan Ryan, New York (NL)/ California Angels/ Houston Astros/Texas Rangers, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Long Relief: Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles/ Brooklyn Dodgers, LHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Long Relief: Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Long Relief: Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown, Chicago Cubs, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Middle Relief: Don Drysdale, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Middle Relief: Tom Seaver, New York Mets, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Middle Relief: Roger Clemens, New York Yankees, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Middle Relief: Chief Bender, Philadelphia Athletics, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Middle Relief: Jim Bunning, Philadelphia Phillies/ Detriot Tigers, RHP (Real life role: Starting Pitcher)

Set-Up: Sparky Lyle, Boston Red Sox/ New York Yankees, LHP

Set-Up: Mariano Rivera**, New York Yankees, RHP (Real life role: closer)

Set-Up: Trevor Hoffman**, Milwaukee Brewers/ San Diego Padres, RHP (Real life role: closer)

Closer: Hoyt Wilhelm, New York Giants, RHP

Bench players

Reggie Jackson, Left Handed Batter (LHB), Outfielder, New York Yankees

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Right Handed Batter (RHB), Outfielder, Chicago White Sox

Mike Schmidt, RHB, Third Baseman/infielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Pete Rose, Switch hitting Batter (SHB), Outfielder/Infielder, Cinncinnati Reds/ Philadelphia Phillies

Mickey Cochrane, LHB, Catcher, Philadelphia Athletics

Ted Williams, LHB, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Ty Cobb, LHB, Oufielder, Detriot Tigers

Mickey Mantle, Oufielder, RHB, New York Yankees

Joe Dimaggio, Outfielder, RHB, New York Yankees

Jimmie Foxx, First Baseman/ Catcher, RHB, Philadelphia Athletics

Eddie Collins, Second Baseman, LHB, Philadelphia Athletics

Ed Delahanty, Outfielder, RHB, Philadelphia Phillies

Roberto Clemente, Outfielder, RHB, Pittsburgh Pirates

I almost forgot! Manager! I need a Manager to, well, manage this team. As well as coaches...

Coaching staff

Manager: Connie Mack

Bench Coach: Bobby Cox**

First Base Coach: Sparky Anderson

Third Base Coach: Joe Torre**

Pitching Coach: Jim Bunning

Hitting Coach: Lou Boudreau

**denotes: still active manager or player

That would be my "greatest ever" team. Filled with legendary talent to the gills.
Some constructive criticism would be nice.