Bleacher Report - Articles by Kevin McGuire

Philadelphia Phillies Mighty in Sweep of Arizona Diamondbacks

Kevin McGuire — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:40:00 -0400

How else would you expect the Phillies to put the exclamation point on a series like the one they just played against the Diamondbacks? The Phillies flexed their muscle in the three game set and completed a sweep of the dismal Diamondbacks with a dominating 12-3 defeat of Arizona.

The offense wasted no time giving starting pitcher Joe Blanton a lead to work with. After Blanton put the Diamondbacks down in order to start the game Shane Victorino put the wheels in motion with a one out triple to deep center field.

After Chase Utley walked Ryan Howard hit a double to right field with no shift in play by Arizona. Victorino scored and Utley advanced to third base. Two batters later Ben Francisco brought Utley and Howrd home on a single to right center field to give the Phillies a quick 3-0 lead.

Arizona rallied against Blanton and picked up their first run in the top of the second inning and chipped away with a pair of runs in the fourth inning to tie the game.

Blanton would help his own cause in the bottom of the fourth though by picking up his first run batted in since his memorable World Series home run in game four of the 2008 World Series. Blanton grounded out but Jayson Werth scored on the play to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.

From there the rout was on.

Werth hit a two run home run in the fifth inning to extend the Phillies lead to 6-3. In the sixth inning catcher Carlos Ruiz hit a lead off home run to left field. Blanton followed with a single, his first hit of two on the night, and Jimmy Rollins followed that with a single.

Two batters later Utley singled to score Blanton and Howard connected for a three run home run that landed in the Diamondbacks' bullpen. Howard's homer put the Phillies up 11-3. The Phillies added one more run in the seventh inning to cap the scoring for the game.

Blanton had an interesting night. His two base hits aside, he pitched eight innings while striking out just four batters. He yielded 10 hits and three runs although he had some shaky defense behind him, but he threw just 97 pitches. He likely could have pitched a complete game but Charlie Manuel opted for Chad Durbin for the ninth inning, probably just to get some work in.

The starting pitching (and starting pitching like relief appearance by Jamie Moyer) was incredible in this series.

It should be expected that the Phillies would beat the Diamondbacks as the two teams are on different playing fields right now, but the Phillies did what they need to do. That is to take advantage of games against clearly inferior opponents.

While the Phillies put the finishing touches on a three game sweep the Florida Marlins lost another game in Houston. The Marlins fall into a tie for second place with the Atlanta Braves and both teams sit six and a half games behind the Phillies.

This weekend the Phillies head to New York for a weekend series with the Mets and the Marlins travel to Atlanta for a key weekend series against the Braves.

Simp-Lee Amazing: Philadelphia Phillies beat Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:24:00 -0400

He did it again.

For the second time since joining the Phillies, Cliff Lee pitched a gem, resulting in a two-hit, no earned runs complete game, handing the Phillies a stress-free victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Just for good measure, Lee tacked on a pair of base hits to make up for the two hits he allowed in the game.

The rest of the Phillies' offense was not too shabby, either. Jayson Werth hit a pair of home runs, with the first bouncing off the brick ivy-covered wall in center field. Chase Utley got the scoring started in the third inning with a two-run shot off of Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren.

Two innings later, Ryan Howard connected for a three-run home run to give the Phillies a 5-1 lead, and Werth followed with his first home run of the night to make it 6-1.

Werth had a 3-for-4 night and saw just 10 pitches in the game. Each player in the starting lineup recorded a base hit except for third baseman Pedro Feliz.

The new fan favorite in the starting rotation flirted with a no-hitter for a while. Arizona second baseman Ryan Roberts led off the fourth inning with a hot shot down the third base line that could have been called a hit, but with the no-hitter intact, the hometown scorekeeper opted to give Feliz an error. It was a tough call to make, but the basic rule of thumb is you want the no-hitter to be broken up by a no-doubt-about-it hit.

Lee took that no-hitter into the sixth inning. First baseman Chad Tracy entered the game to pinch hit for Haren, and as fate would have it, he broke up Lee's no-hitter with a single right up the middle and into center field.

Phillies fans gave Lee a partial standing ovation, as they have come to respect his abilities and work ethic in his brief stint with the club.

When all was said and done, Lee pitched a complete game, struck out 11 batters, walked none, and allowed two base hits. He did hit one batter, and one run scored that was unearned.

For Lee, it was his 12th career complete game and his second career multi-hit game. Lee went 0-for-5 in interleague games with the Cleveland Indians this season, but with the Phillies, he is currently hitting .385 with five hits in 13 at bats. Of those hits, two are doubles.

Do not epect to see that kind of offensive firepower forever, but enjoy it now.

The Phillies are now 31-29 at home and increased their lead in the NL East over the Florida Marlins with the win. Florida dropped a game in Houston, which puts them five 5 1/2 games behind the Phillies.

We'd Be Lion If We Said Penn State's List of Preseason Honors Wasn't Impressive

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:49:19 -0400

A day after five Penn State players were named to the Maxwell Award and Chuck Bednarik Award watch lists, three Nittany Lions found themselves named to the watch list for the 2009 Lombardi Award.

Linebackers Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman and defensive tackle Jared Odrick, who were each named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, have been named to the watch list for the Lombardi Award. The Lombardi Award is given to the top lineman, on offense or defense, or linebacker in the nation by the Houston Rotary Club in Houston.

Only one Nittany Lion been honored with the award. All-American defensive lineman Bruce Clark was the first junior to win the Lombardi Award, doing so in 1978. Clark went on to have an interesting professional football career.

After being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1980 NFL Draft, Clark opted to play in the Canadian Football League. After playing two seasons for the Toronto Argonauts, Clark went on to play for the Barcelona Dragons of the World League of American Football, where his leadership carried the team. Clark led the Dragons in sacks and started all 10 games.

Between stints on the international football stage, Clark played a combined eight seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.

Last year's recipient of the Lombardi Award was Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.

Preseason accolades continue to pour in for quarterback Daryll Clark as well. Clark was named to the 2009 Manning Award watch list, as compiled by the Allstate Sugar Bowl committee, which sponsors the award. The Manning Award is the only college quarterback award that takes bowl game performances into account.

The Manning Award was first awarded in 2004 (Matt Leinart of USC), and no Penn State quarterback has won the award yet. Florida's Tim Tebow won the Manning Award last season and looks to become the first player to win multiple Manning Awards in its brief history.

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Penn State Well-Represented on Maxwell and Bednarik Award Watch Lists

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:41:28 -0400

A couple of major individual award committees in college football are keeping a close eye on Penn State players.

The Maxwell Football Club annually awards the Maxwell Award to the top college football player in the nation and the Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the top defensive player. This year a combined five Penn State players appear on both preseason watch lists.

Quarterback Daryll Clark and running back Evan Royster are among the athletes listed on the Maxwell Award watch list. Linebackers Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee and defensive tackle Jared Odrick can find their names on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award.

Penn State players are no strangers to these awards historically.

No other school has been the home of more Maxwell Award winners than Penn State. The Nittany Lions have won seven Maxwell Awards, one more than Notre Dame. Awarded since 1937 it was not until 1959 until a Nittany Lion was honored as the top player in college football.

Richie Lucas, quarterback, took the top honor before moving on to a professional career in the American Football League with the Buffalo Bills. Despite being noted as the best all-around quarterback in Penn State history, the Heisman Trophy eluded him.

Offensive lineman Glenn Ressler received the Maxwell Award in 1964. Defensive tackle Mike Reid won the award in 1969, running back John Cappelletti won in 1973 (his Heisman winning season), quarterback Chuck Fusina won in 1978, and quarterback Kerry Collins won in 1994. Running back Larry Johnson was the last Nittany Lion to win the Maxwell Award, doing so in 2002.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has won the last two Maxwell Awards, only the second time in history a player has won two consecutive awards. Notre Dame running back John Lattner did so in 1952 and 1953.

Penn State has been the home of the most Chuck Bednarik Award recipients, with a Penn State player winning the award four times. Linebackers have been the dominant position, with LaVar Arrington winning the award in 1999. Paul Posluszny brought home the award in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006.

Dan Connor followed that up by winning the award in 2007. No other university has won the award three years in a row. Current Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald won the award the first two years it was available in 1995 and 1996. Michigan's Charles Woodson won the award in 1997.

Rey Maualuga of USC won last year's Chuck Bednarik Award.

Jamie Moyer steals show in home debut for Pedro Martinez, Phillies win 5-1

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:44:00 -0400

It was a night of great anticipation for Phillies fans.

It was the night they finally got to see legendary pitcher, Pedro Martinez, pitch at Citizens Bank Park. But alas, it was Jamie Moyer who would dazzle the fans on this night.

In what must have felt like an old timer's game on the pitching mound for the Phillies, Martinez and Moyer combined for an impressive 5-1 victory for the Phillies.

Martinez took the start and lasted three innings, when a rain delay a little over an hour forced manager Charlie Manuel to replace Martinez with Moyer. Martinez had given up a demoralizing lead off home run to start the game to Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew, but recovered nicely. He allowed just one more base hit, also in the first inning, and struck out three batters in his brief three inning stint. Of his 38 pitches in the game, 26 were for strikes.

Moyer was called upon in his new role out of the bullpen for some long relief. Perhaps pitching with some added motivation to show that he belongs in the starting rotation, Moyer was as dominant as he has been all season.

The crafty lefty pitched the rest of the game after the rain delay and was fantastic in his six full innings of relief. Moyer allowed just two hits and shut the Diamondbacks out. He also struck out five batters and did not issue a walk.

Offensively, Moyer also got the job done, chipping in with a pair of base hits. On a night where the Phillies left 11 base runners stranded on the base paths, it was Carlos Ruiz who lead the charge.

Ruiz went 3-for-3 on the night, including a a base hit in the bottom of the third to push the Phillies' lead to 3-1. The Phillies had trailed entering the third inning, but scored three runs in the inning. Pedro Feliz was called out at home to end the inning.

Ruiz and Jayson Werth each hit solo home runs in the game, which was good because Ryan Howard had a rough night.

The 1B who had hit a couple clutch home runs over the weekend in Atlanta, could not come through in two separate bases loaded situations with less than two outs. Howard went 0-for-5 on the night, including his two strike outs with the bases packed.

But its nights like these, when the big guy struggles in the clutch and the starter's night is cut short, that make you feel like the Phillies are going to win the NL East.

The Florida Marlins picked up a win against the Houston Astros to remain 4.5 games behind the Phillies. The Atlanta Braves fell farther behind in the race, losing in New York to the Mets.

With a month to go, it will be interesting to see if the Phils can keep that distance between them and other NL East teams.

Penn State No. 8 in USA Today Coaches' Poll

Kevin McGuire — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:59:53 -0400

Click here for the original post on Examiner.com.

Now we know we are getting closer to the start of the college football season. The USA Today released the first coaches poll this morning, and it came with much anticipation.

Penn State, coming off a Big Ten championship season, is the eighth ranked team in the country in the poll. Penn State received 988 votes. Ohio State is ranked sixth with 1,126 votes.

If pre-season polls are any indication, it seems that the Florida Gators will be the team to beat this year. With Tim Tebow leading the charge, the defending national champions received 53 first place votes and are the top ranked team to start. Texas, the second ranked team, received four first place votes. Oklahoma follows at third in the country and one first place vote. The USC Trojans are the fourth ranked team, picking up the last available first place vote.

Only one other Big Ten team cracked the Top 25; Iowa showed up at No. 21.

Looking for potential BCS busters? Boise State (No. 16), TCU (No. 17), and Utah (No. 18) are lumped together. Brigham Young is also ranked in the top 25 at No. 24.

Below is the pre-season top 25, with first place votes in parentheses:

1. Florida (53)
2. Texas (4)
3. Oklahoma (1)
4. USC (1)
5. Alabama
6. Ohio State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Penn State
9. LSU
10. Mississippi
11. Oklahoma State
12. California
13. Georgia
14. Oregon
15. Georgia Tech
16. Boise State
17. TCU
18. Utah
19. Florida State
20. North Carolina
21. Iowa
22. Nebraska
23. Notre Dame
24. Brigham Young
25. Oregon State

JA Happ dominant as Phillies beat Rockies 7-0

Kevin McGuire — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:02:00 -0400

Honestly I do not know why there is so much discussion about sending JA Happ to the bullpen. If last night was any indication, Happ has earned his spot in the starting rotation.

Happ threw his second career complete game shut-out, his second of the season as well, and gave the Phillies a much needed quality start to save the bullpen. The offense backed him up with a quick run in the first inning and by utilizing the long ball as Pedro Feliz and Jimmy Rollins each went deep in the second inning to get the Phillies in front 4-0.

It was more than enough for Happ, but Jayson Werth got in on the act with an opposite field three run home run in the fifth inning to put the Colorado Rockies in a tough hole.

This hole though would be muddy because the way Happ was throwing it was going to be tough to climb out of. Happ went over 120 pitches and allowed just four hits on the night.

After walking the lead off batter in the game he only allowed one walk the rest of the way. Proving to be the master of his domain, Happ struck out ten batters on a Rockies squad that had been hitting the ball pretty well lately during their surge to the National League Wild Card lead.

The hype entering tonight's game was that Happ would probably be making his final start in the rotation, as it is believed he could be moved to the bullpen to make way for Pedro Martinez, who was dominant in double A Reading as well (more on him later). Charlie Manuel was quoted as saying that Happ proved that he wants to stay in the starting rotation, and the 45,000 plus fans at Citizens Bank Park probably agree.

After retiring the side in the eighth inning Happ was given a standing ovation as he walked to the dugout. Due to hit third in the bottom of the eighth and already just over the 100 pitch mark it was widely thought that Happ's night would be done after eight outstanding innings and a reliever would come in to finish the deal in the ninth.

But Happ did not leave the game. When he came up to bat the atmosphere would have made you think that Ryan Howard or Jim Thome was coming up with the bass loaded in the bottom of the ninth of a tight game. And then he delivered.

Happ smacked a double over the head of Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler, who was playing incredibly shallow, and the fans loved it. It was Happ's third career hit, and his first for extra bases.

Phillies fans will have to wait and see how the club works out their starting rotation over the course of the next week. But Happ has done all you could ask of him, and more, to prove that he deserves a spot in the rotation.

The Phillies go for the series victory Thursday afternoon when Cliff Lee makes his Citizens Bank Park debut in a business person's special. Aaron Cook will take the mound for the Rockies.

One Penn State Player on Award Watch List, One is Not

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:58:25 -0400

During Penn State's 2008 football season, running back Evan Royster started to become a popular name among Big Ten running backs. He finished third in the conference in total rushing yards, scored 12 touchdowns, and had a rushing average of 6.5 yards per carry.

All of Royster's hard work lead him to become a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the top running back in college football.

So it should come as a surprise that Royster was not named on the 2009 watch list, which came out today. Of the 45 names on the initial watch list, Royster's name somehow fell through the cracks.

Ask yourself this: How can the running back with the most rushing yards (that is returning in 2009) in the Big Ten not be on the list? Considering the same player was a semifinalist for the same award just last season, it is absurd!

Royster is being widely regarded as one of the top running backs in the Big Ten, if not the best. The venerable college football preview expert Phil Steele lists Royster as the ninth best running back in the nation, and tops in the Big Ten, in this year's preview magazine.

This blatant omission is even more puzzling because Big Ten running backs have a strong history with the Doak Walker Award. A running back from the conference has won the award five times since its incarnation in 1990.

Only the Big XII conference has had a running back win the award more times (six—including twice by Ricky Williams of Texas). A Big Ten running back has won the award three times this decade, including Penn State's Larry Johnson in 2002. Last year Iowa's Shonn Green was handed the award.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg has even more scathing criticism of the Doak Walker Award watch list, pointing out that to have players that only had a fraction of the success Royster had in 2008 on the list and not Penn State's back is a joke.

But calm down Penn State fans, for the omission is not the fault of the Doak Walker people.

The initial list that was released is actually a non-traditional list of players nominated by the universities. After hearing from Jeff Lockhart, Manager of Athletic Forum and Programs at Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum, and one of the contacts for the Doak Walker Award, he tells me that Penn State has not yet nominated Royster for the award.

"The candidate list we released today is not a traditional 'watch list' that is selected by our organization, but a list of candidates that have been nominated by their universities as of Aug. 4," Lockhart said.

He goes on to say that Royster not being on the initial list will in no way negatively impact Royster's chances of competing for the award. Because Royster was a semifinalist in 2008, Lockhart seems to believe that Royster will be in the mix once the season gets going, and Penn State will fulfill the nomination.

So the Blue Royster Cult does not have to start sending negative mail to the Doak Walker folks. Instead we should be wondering why Penn State has not already nominated Royster? Academics are supposed to be a part of the nomination, but there have been no stories of any academic struggles by Royster.

Daryll Clark is among four Big Ten quarterbacks named to the Davey O'Brien Award watch list.

On Monday the list was released and Clark headlined the names from the Big Ten, which also included Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, Minnesota's Adam Weber, and Juice Williams of Illinois. To see Clark and Pryor on the preseason list is no surprise.

Semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award, which honors the best quarterback in college football, will be released Oct. 26, with the finalists being named Nov. 23. The award winner will be announced Dec. 10.

Penn State has had two Davey O'Brien Award winners in the program's history. Todd Blackledge was honored in 1982 during the school's first national championship season. Kerry Collins, quarterback of the undefeated 1994 team, was named the winner that season as well.

Michael Robinson was Penn State's most recent semi-finalist in 2005.

Sam Bradford, of Oklahoma, was the 2008 Davey O'Brien Award winner and is also among the 33 players on the watch list. Other players like Florida's Tim Tebow, Texas' Colt McCoy, and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen are also on the list.

This post was a combination of a pair of recent posts on Examiner.com. Click here for the original Daryll Clark post and here for the original Evan Royster post.

NL East Power Rankings: Week of Aug. 3

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

After making what is regarded as the most significant trade last week—in getting Cliff Lee—the Phillies may have solidified their spot at the top of the NL East for the remainder of the 2009 season. But the addition of Lee will not cure the offense, although Lee did record a pair of base hits in his Phillies debut.

In the second position there is another switch since the previous rankings were unveiled.

The Florida Marlins took two games out of three from Atlanta last week and also took it to the top team in the National League. If anybody thinks that the NL East race is over, think again.

Previous Power Rankings

(59-44; 1) While the Phillies have struggled offensively this past week the Phillies remain the top team in the division. Now featuring Cliff Lee in the starting rotation the Phillies have widely become recognized as a team to beat not only in the division but in the National League.

The offense will have to get back on track this week though to help live up to those lofty expectations.
(55-50; 3) The Marlins are doing what they do best; sticking around. Many felt that the Marlins would hang in the race for the division for a while and today they sit just five games behind the Phillies. After taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers (in LA) and two of three from Atlanta and the Chicago Cubs (both at home) the Marlins are sending a message up to Philadelphia. These Marlins will not simply fade away.
(53-52; 2) If the Braves are going to remain a contender for a playoff spot this week will be crucial. After dropping consecutive series to the Marlins and Dodgers, Atlanta heads on the road for a west coast swing in San Diego and Los Angeles. The Braves are currently five games out of the NL Wild Card lead.
(50-54; 4) The New York Mets stood still at the trade deadline, which comes as no surprise really. When healthy the Mets do have a roster of players that is good enough to compete for a playoff spot so the notion that the Mets would trade away guys like David Wright and Johan Santana last week was silly. The Mets may still work their way back into the wild card conversation before the season is over, but at this point it appears that all eyes are on 2010 for the Mets. The Mets do have the best home record within the NL East so they have that going for them.
(33-72; 5) The Nationals are 5-5 in their previous 10 games, but they did lose two of three games so far to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that nobody recognizes now after the trade deadline. They also let rookie Pirate Andrew McCutchen power his way to three home runs on Saturday.

Hang in there D.C. Sports fans, the Capitals are not that far away from returning to the ice.

Penn State 101: Joe Paterno

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:34:45 -0400

Joe Paterno. His name is synonymous with college football. The trademark Coke-bottle glasses and nose would surly find a spot on a college football Mount Rushmore if one were ever created. To say that Penn State football would be incomplete without the Brooklyn native pacing up and down the sideline would be an understatement.

Joe Paterno is Penn State football.

At this stage of his career you may find it difficult to believe that Paterno was not always the head coach. The college football icon has coached the Nittany Lions since 1966 as a head coach, but also served as an assistant coach under Rip Engle from 1950 to 1965 before taking over the program.

Paterno was also a stand out college football player at Brown University. In 2003 the Brown Bears unveiled their top 50 players in the program's history and none other than Paterno was listed under the corner backs.

With Brown, Paterno still holds school records for interceptions in a season (14) and interception yards (290). Paterno also ranks third in Brown history with 350 punt return yards and is a member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame.

After his playing career wrapped up at Brown, where he was coached by Engle, Paterno was offered to come to Penn State as an assistant under his coaching protege. And thus the legend was born. throughout his lengthy career Paterno has picked up a number of awards, crowning him as an elite coach in college football.

Awards
1972	Walter Camp Coach of the Year
1978	Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1981	Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year
1982	Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1986	Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year
1986	Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1986	Paul "Bear" Bryant Award
1994	Walter Camp Coach of the Year
2002	Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
2005	Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year
2005	Home Depot Coach of the Year
2005	Walter Camp Coach of the Year

How many coaches have been named Walter Camp Coach of the Year in three different decades?

One. Only Paterno has been awarded the Walter Camp Coach of the Year in three different decades, and somehow missed out in the 1980's, the decade in which he won two national championships.

Under the guidance of Paterno Penn State was crowned as national champions twice, in 1982 and 1986. But there should be more. Penn State has had undefeated seasons in 1968, 1969, 1973, and 1994 and despite the successes on the field in those seasons the Nittany Lions could no better than number two in the final standings. Perhaps this is the reasoning for Paterno's somewhat liberal view on the playoff debate in college football.

Known as a political conservative, and a vocal supporter for former president George H.W. Bush (Paterno gave a speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention) and a friend of Gerald Ford, it may be somewhat of a surprise to hear Paterno speak out in favor of radical changes in college football and the tradition laden Big Ten conference.

Paterno has made no secret that he is in favor of expansion in the Big Ten, allowing the conference to organize a championship game, and has at times alluded to his preference for a playoff system in order to settle everything on the field.

Paterno received the ultimate recognition in 2007 when he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

"You need to play with supreme confidence, or else you'll lose again, and then losing becomes a habit."
- Joe Paterno

Perhaps no other quote from the mind of the living legend has so much meaning as that. At the turn of the century Penn State football went through one of the worst stretches in the program's history. Struggling through four losing seasons between 2000 and 2004 (the Nittany Lions went 9-4 in 2002) brought about many questions from critics and naysayers.

Proclamations that the sport of college football had passed by Paterno were abundant. Cries for his job were countless. The thought of Paterno hanging up his patented black sneakers crossed the minds of many in the Penn State community, but it is Paterno who continues to stride forward, telling the disbelievers, as ESPN's Lee Corso might say, "Not so fast my friend."

Since taking the head coaching position at Penn State in 1966 there have 838 coaching changes in the top tier of college football, an average of more than six coaching swaps at each school. The game of college football does not pass by Paterno; head coaches pass by Paterno on their way to the unemployment line.

While being recognized as a great coach for his actions on the field is great, Paterno tends to take most pride in his actions, and the actions of his players, off the field. When he started coaching at Penn State Paterno immediately took initiative to ensure that his players not only succeeded on the field, but off of it as well.

Paterno encouraged his players to keep up their studies and emphasized that winning on the field is good but getting an education and setting yourself up for the future after football was essential.

It should come as no surprise that Penn State football players graduate a a rate well above the Division I average of 67 percent. Penn State players graduate at a rate of 78 percent, second in the Big Ten behind Northwestern.

Paterno does not stop there. Name me another college football head coach who has a wing of the school's library named after him. Joe Paterno does in honor of his charitable contributions to help expand the Patte Library at Penn State's University Park campus.

In addition to the library Paterno and his wife, Sue, have contributed over $4 million in funds to various academic departments which have helped Penn State to grow and provide a better environment to educate.

Joe Paterno Record by Year
1966	5-5
1967	8-2-1
1968	11-0
1969	11-0
1970	7-3
1971	11-1
1972	9-3
1973	12-0
1974	10-2
1975	9-3
1976	7-5
1977	11-1
1978	11-1
1979	8-4
1980	10-2
1981	10-2
1982	11-1*
1983	8-4-1
1984	6-5
1985	11-1
1986	12-0*
1987	8-4
1988	5-6
1989	8-3-1
1990	9-3
1991	11-2
1992	7-5
1993	10-2
1994	12-0
1995	9-3
1996	11-2
1997	9-3
1998	9-3
1999	10-3
2000	5-7
2001	5-6
2002	9-4
2003	3-9
2004	4-7
2005	11-1
2006	9-4
2007	9-4
2008	11-2
2009	?

At the age of 82 everybody wonders at the beginning of the football season, "Is this Paterno's final year?" The truth is he he may stick around long enough to reach 400 wins and then some. He has left no question that he would like to this coaching gig as long as he is able too and he will always tell you that he feels great.

Maybe he stays away from extra helpings of Peachy Paterno, a popular ice cream flavor at the famous Penn State Creamery.

There is no doubt that Paterno has been an icon in the sport of college football and has mentored many people, not just football players, in his time. Feel free to share any ways that Paterno has influenced your life in any way in the comments section. You are also invited to share your favorite Paterno memory.

To read the original article on Examiner.com, click here.

Philadelphia Phillies Drop Opener by the Bay, Lose to San Francisco Giants 7-2

Kevin McGuire — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:02:00 -0400

Sloppy defensive play hindered the Phillies' chances of winning last night in San Francisco. After striking first and taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the Phillies failed to capitalize on some opportunities and handed the Giants extra outs. The Giants finally beat the Phillies 7-2 last night.

Rodrigo Lopez took the loss, his first with the club, but he was not totally at fault. With Lopez on the mound the Giants scored seven runs in four innings. Only three were earned runs. The rest were courtesy of errors from Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz. Chase Utley also had an error in the game.

Lopez was also hit hard by the Giants, including a two run in the third inning by Pablo Sandoval.

Sandoval had a good game, perhaps demonstrating to Phillies manager Charlie Manuel why he should have been added to the all-star roster for the National League. The Giants third baseman had two hits, a two run home run and a double, four runs batted in, and a run scored.

Tempers flared a little bit in the sixth inning when Giants starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez hurled a ball towards the head of Utley. Up 7-1 it seemed there was little reason to be sending a message to a guy like Utley. After stepping out of the box late on Sanchez, Utley sent a Sanchez pitch to the seats for a home run.

Utley may have won that showdown but the National League Wild Card leading Giants got the last laugh last night. Tonight the Phillies will send Cliff Lee out for his Phillies debut. They look to even the series before the tough Giants pitching hits this weekend.

Signing Milton Bradley over Raul Ibanez Was a Game Cubs Never Should Have Played

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:00:00 -0400

In the offseason free agent market, there were two teams with great interest in right fielder Raul Ibanez. Today one team is thankful for acquiring the veteran, and the other wishes they had him.

The Phillies signed Ibanez to a deal, and the Chicago Cubs were forced to find another option—so they made the decision that was supposed to help out more and signed Milton Bradley.

It has not gone exactly to plan for the Cubbies, as Bradley has had a rough season on the field, on the bench, and at the plate.

Bradley was thought to give the offense a lift for a team that many felt could make a run at the National League pennant and possibly the World Series (myself not included in either category). To date Bradley is hitting a woeful .238 (.201 against right-handed pitching) with just 29 runs scored and 21 runs batted in.

Pouring salt on the wounds of the Chicago faithful, Ibanez has had such a successful season so far that he earned his first career All-Star berth and went as a starter.

Ibanez is hitting .310 (.311 against right-handed pitching) with 58 runs scored, 68 runs batted in, and a team-leading 25 home runs. Let me repeat that last part: team-leading 25 home runs on a team that has Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Former manager for Ibanez and current Cubs skipper Lou Piniella is a fan of Ibanez:

"'He can hit. He's a very professional, productive hitter,' Piniella said. 'And he's doing it. This is a nice ballpark for him, but you've still got to hit, and he's hit. He's having an MVP-type season for the Phillies right now.'"—Chicago Sun-Times

Unfortunately for the Cubs, they made the decision to walk away from Ibanez in the free agent season due to his age:

"The Cubs didn't get far down the road with Ibanez in the offseason. They hesitated over his age for a multi-year deal (Ibanez turned 37 last month) and whether the left fielder could handle right field at Wrigley Field."—Chicago Sun-Times

What turned out to be a lost opportunity for the Cubs, and countless other teams, has been a blessing for the Phillies. Ibanez replaced local favorite Pat Burrell in right field, and many Phillies fans had the same concerns the Cubs had with Ibanez: age.

Throw in the fact that Burrell signed with the Tampa Bay Rays for considerably less than Ibanez, and Phillies fans were initially asking what the point was.

Ibanez has more than won over the fans. Asked for his thoughts on the possibility that he could have been with the Cubs, Ibanez confirms he made the right decision.

''I'm just happy to be a Phillie,'' he said.

And Phillies fans are happy he is in Philadelphia instead of Chicago.

Phillies' Ibanez still has what Cubs want—Chicago Sun-Times

Preview Game 92: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago Cubs

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0400

The Philadelphia Phillies have beat the Chicago Cubs in a pounding and on a walk off. What will they have in store this afternoon?

A day after a pitcher's duel between former teammates, there will be quite a contrast in pitching styles today as the Cubs and Phillies wrap up a three-game set in Philadelphia. Jamie Moyer will go for his team leading 10th win of the season. His opposition will be the feisty and powerful Carlos Zambrano.

Moyer has won in five-straight starts and has dropped his earned run average in the process. In his last start, Moyer threw seven innings of one-hit ball against the Marlins in the first game after the All-Star break.

Moyer has lowered his ERA by almost 0.50 in the last month. He will have to keep the Cubs' batters off their game, as Joe Blanton and Rodrigo Lopez have done in the previous two games.

Moyer is 3-0 against the team that drafted him.

The Cubs have scored just two runs in this road series and this afternoon they will look for Zambrano to put a stop to the Phillies' offense. Zambrano has won in his last two starts, but has failed to pitch more than six innings in each.

In seven career starts, Zambrano is 3-3 against the Phillies with a 3.38 ERA and has allowed only two home runs. The power righty has struck out 88 batters this year, but has also walked 47.

The Phillies finally jumped over .500 at home with last night's extra inning win. The Phillies are now 24-23 at Citizens Bank Park and have won seven-straight at home. The Cubs are 20-27 on the road.

Phillies' Record: 53-38
Cubs' Record: 47-45

NL East Standings (Team, record, games behind)

PHILLIES 53-38, -
Braves 48-46, 6.5
Marlins 48-47, 7.0
Mets 44-49, 10.0
Nationals 27-66, 27.0

Pitching probables: Moyer (9-6, 5.58 ERA) vs. Zambrano (6-4, 3.36 ERA)

TV: Comcast Sportsnet (Philadelphia)

First pitch: 1:05pm

Season Series: Phillies lead 2-0

7.20 CHICAGO CUBS W 10-1 Preview/Open Thread/Recap
7.21 CHICAGO CUBS W 4-1 (12) Preview/Open Thread/Recap

Open thread for the game will be posted at 12:30pm. Depending on the length of the game there may not be a game recap. I am once again packing my bags and heading away for a few days, this time a camping expedition. As such regular blogging activity will be a little out of whack over the next few days.

Phillies-Cubs: Werth Staying Up For, Phillies Win 10th Straight

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:55:00 -0400

You want dramatic? How about a pitchers’ duel between a pair of former teammates who were dealt at the trade deadline last season and a walk-off home run by an All-Star outfielder who had been struggling at the plate in the 13th inning?

That is exactly how last night's Cubs-Phillies game turned out.

Jayson Werth hit a three-run home run off of Cubs reliever Jeff Samardzija in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Phillies a walk-off 4-1 victory.

Joe Blanton battled against his former teammate in Oakland, Rich Harden, for seven strong innings and allowed just one run on five hits and struck out five batters.

The Phillies bullpen also got the job done, going six innings without yielding a base hit or issuing a walk. Chan Ho Park pitched three of those innings and picked up five strikeouts. Ryan Madson pitched the eighth inning, and Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning.

Lidge was involved in the play of the night when with a runner on first, a ball was hit back up the middle. Lidge kicked it up and it fell in the glove of Jimmy Rollins, who was on second base, and he relayed to first for an inning-ending double play. When your team is hot, bounces like that go your way. Clay Condrey picked up the win.

Rollins put the Phillies on the board in the third inning with a solo home run. The Cubs got the run back in the top of the fourth when Kosuke Fukudome doubled to left field to score Ryan Theriot with two outs. That would be all of the scoring until the 13th inning.

With two outs, Ryan Howard drew a walk on four pitches. Raul Ibanez then forced a walk after working a full count on Samardzija. With the winning run on second base, Werth stepped up trying to find a way to drive Howard home. He did just that on a 1-1 count, smacking a home run to left field to send the Phillies fans home happy.

The win is the 10th straight for the Phillies, the first time since 1991 that they have had such a streak. Coupled with the Atlanta Braves’ victory, Philadelphia’s lead in the NL East remains 6½ games.

Preview Game 91: Phillies vs. Cubs

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0400

Offense? Check.

Pitching? Check.

The Phillies had both covered last night in a 10-1 laugher at the expense of the Cubs, who had been making a surge in the NL Central. But the Phillies are continuing to roll as they go for their tenth straight win tonight.

Joe Blanton gets the start tonight for the Phillies. Blanton has only faced the Cubs once but he received a no-decision after 5.2 innings of two-run baseball last August. The Phillies lost that game 3-2. Blanton has won two straight games and has allowed one run in 14.2 innings in his last two starts.

For Chicago the pitcher on the mound will be Blanton's former Oakland teammate, Rich Harden. Harden was acquired by the Cubs last year in a move to put the Cubs over the top and become the team to beat. The Phillies traded for Blanton, also from Oakland, and that move actually paid off better for the Phillies.

Harden enters tonight with a 1-0 record over the Phillies in two career starts. He is also 4-1 on the road this year, which evens up his season record at 6-6. Harden has pitched just 80 innings this season but has racked up 90 strike outs. He has walked 36 batters.

The Phillies brought their home record to .500 with last night's win. The Phillies are now 23-23 at Citizens Bank Park and have won six straight at home. The Cubs are 20-26 on the road.

Phillies Record: 52-38
Cubs Record: 47-44

NL East Standings (Team, record, games behind)

PHILLIES 52-38, -
Braves 47-46, 6.5
Marlins 47-47, 7.0
Mets 44-48, 9.0
Nationals 26-66, 27.0

Pitching probables: Blanton (6-4, 4.44 ERA) vs. Harden (6-6, 5.06 ERA)

TV: Comcast Sportsnet (Philadelphia)

First pitch: 7:05pm

Season Series: Phillies lead 1-0

7.20 CHICAGO CUBS Preview/Open Thread/Recap

Open thread for the game will be posted at 6:30pm. Game recap will be up tomorrow morning.

Phillies Fans are on Roy Halladay Watch

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:25:00 -0400

Now that the Pedro Watch is officially over, it is time to shift the focus back on the ever changing Roy Halladay sweepstakes and how the Phillies fit in.

Let's take a moment to look at the situation.

The Toronto Blue Jays have announced that they will entertain offers for their Cy Young award winning pitcher, but have also said they do not mind waiting until the deadline to make the deal that best fits the Blue Jays. Mind you that means they could end up keeping Halladay, and who could blame them as Halladay is among the best pitchers in the game.

The Phillies have long been rumored to be a front runner to obtain Halladay, with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees finding their name in the conversation as well.

Phillies fans want Halladay, but not at the expense that may be required. Today, Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman said that the Phillies would be unwilling to trade away top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, a name that could be considered a deal breaker. Other names that have been rumored to be part of various deals include minor leaguers Michael Taylor, Dominic Brown, Lou Marson, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and current Phillie JA Happ.

There in lies the sticking point.

Happ has won the fans' support to keep him in town at all costs. To date, Happ has a perfect 7-0 record and has filled in at the fifth starter's spot after Chan Ho Park faltered early in the season. Happ also carries one of the best ERA's in the National League, and some consider Happ a leading candidate for NL Rookie of the Year. That's all fine and dandy but as far as I'm concerned, if losing Happ means Halladay suits up in red pin stripes, it was nice knowing him.

I continue to be amazed at the overwhelming opinion that Happ should be untouchable. Let's compare Happ and Halladay to date.

HAPP: 7-0, 2.68 ERA, 65 K, 33 BB, 1.15 WHIP
HALLADAY: 11-3, 2.73 ERA, 113 K, 17 BB, 1.07 WHIP

Halladay clearly has the advantage over Happ in every category, except he has a slightly higher earned run average. Keep in mind though that Halladay is pitching in a better offensive league, and has not faced the Phillies. Halladay has also not factored in a decision only four times this entire season. Happ, who took over a starting job on May 23 has not been handed a decision in six games. To his credit though, Happ has had some games blown after his departure and he left a couple games in a tie game.

So if somebody can tell me what the advantage of Happ, who has pitched mostly against mostly mediocre teams, is over Halladay I would love to hear it.

I will go on record and state that I would like to see the Phillies acquire Halladay at just about any cost, involving any of the players mentioned previously. This Phillies team is clearly built to win now, and while they are running away with the NL East they should not be complacent.

There is little room for standing still as the top competition within their own league has improved. The object at this stage for the franchise is now to win division titles and raise white flags with blue numbers.

This franchise has reached the level where anything other than red flags with white numbers is not good enough. Halladay gives the Phillies a better chance to win it all than Happ does.

It's just that simple.

When Brett Myers Bounces Back, Who'll Be Bumped from the Bullpen?

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0400

The entire Phillies pitching staff seems to be doing well right now. What would happen if Brett Myers were to return?

Myers, on the disabled list since May 28, says that he is ahead of schedule with his rehab and there is a belief that he could return to the team in some capacity by mid-August. Myers has stated that he will not have enough time to get prepared enough to throw 100 pitches, so a stint in the bullpen seems most likely for the former closer.

"There's no time for me to get up to 100 pitches," he said. "I'm not going to help the team if I go four innings. That's not going to help anybody."
—Brett Myers via Phillies.com

Adding Myers to the bullpen would be an interesting move. Which reliever would get bumped out of the mix? Clay Condrey? Looking at the group today, it would seem Condrey would be the first man out.

Figure the team will have five starters when Myers comes back and that rotation could include some new names such as Roy Halladay and/or Pedro Martinez.

Whatever happens with the pitching, it seems like it will be a good problem to have; too many arms are always a better problem to have than not enough.

Raul To the Rescue: Ibanez and Phillies Power Past Cubs, 10-1

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:05:00 -0400

Just when the Roy Halladay rumors started to hit high gear in Philadelphia, the current starting pitching got hot. Last night Rodrigo Lopez went six full innings, allowed one run on five hits, and struck out five batters, as the offense put a ten spot on the scoreboard. The Phillies beat the Cubs 10-1 to extend their winning streak to nine games.

The Phillies wasted no time getting to Cubs starter Ted Lilly. In the first inning, with Jimmy Rollins at third base and Shane Victorino at second base, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard failed to bring a run home. But Raul Ibanez saved the day with his 25th home run to dead center field to give the Phillies an early 3-0 lead.

Carlos Ruiz chipped in with a deep home run to right field in the second inning to put the Phillies up 5-0. After bringing four runs across the plate in the fourth inning the Phillies had all but put the Cubs away for the night. Ryan Howard added a solo home run, his 24th of the season in the eighth inning, to get the Phillies to double digits in runs scored.

Chad Durbin pitched three innings of relief and picked up a save in the game.

Phillies-Cubs: Preview Game 90

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0400

The Phillies are happy with the way things are going. Will they keep up the momentum against some tougher competition at Citizens Bank Park?

Until recently, playing at home has been a detriment to the team. If not for an abysmal home record up through the end of June the Phillies could probably find themselves up at least 10 games in the division. Regardless, the Phillies have a nice buffer between them and the Atlanta Braves.

To keep the momentum going, the Phillies will hope that Rodrigo Lopez can rebound after a short outing. Lopez left his last outing early with inflammation in his elbow.

Lopez has had a pair of quality outings despite his injury and has helped keep the Phillies' starting rotation above water at the fifth spot. In his career against the Cubs, though, Lopez is 0-1 in one start, allowing eight runs on nine hits in just 4.2 innings—but that was back in 2007.

The Cubs will send one of the better pitchers in the league to oppose the Phillies' offense. Ted Lilly enters with a 9-6 record, but is riding a two-game win streak. Lilly leads the Cubs in strikeouts with 101 and innings pitched with 119. He is also coming back from some inflammation in his left knee.

The Phillies have had success against the Cubs' starter, though, as they are 1-3 against Lilly in his career. Lilly's ERA against the Phillies is 4.88 and his road record this season is 3-5 with a 4.66 ERA.

The Phillies have upped their home record to 22-23 and are looking to be at .500 for the first time in a long time. The Cubs enter with a 20-25 road record and a four-game winning streak. The Phillies have a major league best eight-game winning streak.

Phillies Record: 51-38
Cubs Record: 47-43

NL East Standings (team, record, games behind):

PHILLIES 51-38, -
Braves 46-46, 6.5
Marlins 46-47, 7.0
Mets 43-48, 9.0
Nationals 26-65, 26.0

Pitching probables: Lopez (1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. Lilly (9-6, 3.18 ERA)

TV: My Phl 17, ESPN

First Pitch: 7:05pm

Season Series: First meeting.

Open thread for the game will be posted at 6:30 p.m. Game recap will be up tomorrow morning.

NL East Power Rankings

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:04:00 -0400

After the all-star break it seems the message is clear now. The Phillies are, once again, the team to beat. After a rain-shortened sweep of the Marlins to start the second half of the baseball season, the Phillies have built one of their largest second-half leads in the division race since 1993.

And we all know how that season went.

Will anyone catch the Phillies by the end of the month, or by the end of the year? This is why you play all 162 games of baseball.

Previous Power Rankings

Philidelphia Phillies (51–38; 1) The best road team in baseball made short work of the Marlins over the weekend, and extended a four game lead to seven.

The Phillies took three games in Florida on the backbone of their pitching, both starting and bullpen.The offense did their part as well, outscoring the Marlins 15-5, including a pair of shutouts and a 12-inning contest.

The Phillies are one of two teams in the National League to have a winning record against each division in the league. The San Francisco Giants are the other.

Atlanta Braves (46–46; 3) The Braves move up a spot in the power rankings, though it is more by default than anything else. Atlanta is sitting at .500 right now and has been equally mediocre both at home and on the road this season.

To start the second half the Braves took three of four games at home against the woeful Mets.

While the Braves' home run total is second worst in the division, their batting average is the second highest.

I have never been one to count the Braves out, but they still have some holes they need to fix in order to make a serious run at the Phillies.

Florida Marlins (46–47; 2) The Marlins had a shot at closing the gap against the division leaders at home this weekend, but fell flat on their faces.

After being swept at home the Marlins fell from second to third place and put themselves nine games back of the Phillies in the loss column.

The Marlins have enough weapons that they should not be shut out twice at home in one series, but they were clueless against Jamie Moyer and JA Happ, who both made them look silly at times.

New York Mets (43–48; 4) Ahh, the New York Mets. In all fairness, with the players they are fielding, criticism might be unjust. Injuries have crippled the Mets like few teams have experienced before.

The team continues to do a free fall down the standings. The Mets are nine games out of the NL East, and it is beginning to be time to focus on the wild card standings, which find the Mets seven games behind the Giants.

With 52 home runs, the Mets are in dead last in the National League. The pitching is also causing some problems with a team ERA that is rising and strike out totals that are falling.

The addition of Francisco Rodriguez was supposed to put the Mets over the edge, but it's tough for him to make a difference when the team rarely has the lead.

Washington Nationals (26–65; 5) Nationals fans, I feel your pain. I really do. The Nationals have fielded a pretty bad team all season, but let's continue to look at the bright spots.

Washington continues to have the second highest on base percentage in the National League. They also have the fourth most hits in the league.

Pitching is clearly the downfall for the Nationals and it remains to be seen if a change at manager will work.

Fans must be wondering when the team will start to work out a contract with top draft pick Stephen Strasburg.

How Did Lenny Dykstra NOT Win MVP in '93?

Kevin McGuire — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0400

Last week I posed this question on Twitter.

Lenny Dykstra was the catalyst of the 1993 Phillies that took the baseball world by surprise en route to a National League pennant. Those same Phillies took the defending world champion Toronto Blue Jays to six games before running out of steam at the end but Dykstra did everything he could to bring the franchise's second world championship home.

As you may know, Dykstra did not win the National League's MVP that season. A man by the name of Barry Bonds picked up his third career MVP award, with Dykstra coming in second place. To this day many Phillies fans still question that decision so let's take a closer look at Dykstra and Bonds.

Runs Scored

143 - Dykstra
129 - Bonds

It comes as no surprise to see Dykstra with the edge in this category. Dykstra was one of the most patient batters in the league and he batted leadoff, where Bonds batted clean up.

Once Dykstra got on base he had guys like Darren Daulton and John Kruk to drive him home. Bonds did not have that kind of support, although he had some talented players behind him.

Hits

194 - Dykstra
181 - Bonds

Just like runs scored, it should not be a surprise to see Dykstra on top of this list, especially considering he had 98 more at bats in the lead off spot. If you recognize the surplus in opportunities when compared to Bonds then you could say that Dykstra should have run away in this category. Fair point.

Home Runs

46 - Bonds
19 - Dykstra

Two different types of players. Bonds was the prototypical home run basher and Dykstra was the scrappy leg it out player. Bonds' 46 home runs was tied for the most in baseball in 1993. Leading the league in home runs usually helps you on your way to capturing an MVP award. Just ask Ryan Howard.

RBI

123 - Bonds
66 - Dykstra

Naturally, when you lead the league in home runs you are bound to pile up in the runs batted in department. This is the case here, but again it should be pointed out the place each player batted in the lineup. A player batting clean up should rack up more runs batted in than a lead off hitter.

Walks

129 - Dykstra
126 - Bonds

Again, Dykstra has the edge in this department, but keep in mind two things. the first is that Dykstra saw 98 more plate appearances than Bonds due to his lead off spot. That being said perhaps it would be more impressive if he had more, as patient and disciplined as he was.

But then consider this as well. Bonds was much more likely to be intentionally walked as teams would shy away from pitching to the home run hitter. Bonds lead the league with 43 intentional walks. Dykstra was issued an intentional walk just nine times.

So how do you judge the total walks and intentional walks. Intentional walks, in some cases, is a sign of respect for a player's bat and that is the case for Bonds. But if you are looking for which batter had a better approach at the plate, you could make an argument for Dykstra.

Stolen Bases

37 - Dykstra
29 - Bonds

Which player was a bigger threat on the bases? Dykstra, hands down. Of course, Bonds hit almost 30 home runs so he did not have to steal as many bases.

OPS

1.136 - Bonds
.902 - Dykstra

This is probably where Bonds gets the final push for votes over Dykstra. The OPS is a player's on base percentage plus a player's slugging percentage. It gives you a sense of how powerful a player is in a a lineup and Bonds definitely gets the edge here. In fact in the top ten in the NL MVP voting Dykstra was fourth in this statistic.

But sometimes when you consider who should be the MVP you have to ask yourself one question; what does that one player have to do with his team's success?

Bonds put up terrific numbers that 1993 season, and so did Dykstra. Dykstra did one thing that Bonds could not, and that was push his team into the playoffs by way of capturing a division crown.

Critics to that philosophy will point to the records of the Phillies and Giants that year and say that Bonds' Giants were actually a better team (they were with 103 wins, six more than the Phillies) and just fell short to the Atlanta Braves and their 104 wins on the final day of the regular season.

To which I argue that Bonds put up great numbers on a superior team and still couldn't get his team over the edge? Here is the other side of the argument. How valuable was he then?

It is well documented that Dykstra's Phillies went from worst-to-first in the NL East, improving their win total by 27 games from 1992 to 1993. But Bonds took a 72 win Giants team in 1992 to a 103 win team in 1993, an improvement of 31 wins. Bonds did make a difference, and he did so with more of an immediate impact than Dykstra did.

In retrospect, maybe Bonds did deserve the NL MVP award over Dykstra. What do you think?

Philadelphia Phillies First Half Report Card: Outfielders

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:38:00 -0400

Today marks the last day off for the all star break and the past couple days we have handed out midterm grades to the Phillies infielders and their pitchers.

Today, on the final day of the break for the Phillies, we finish up by assessing the outfielders. Things have been pretty stable in the outfield as the Phillies sent their entire starting outfield to St. Louis for the all star game. The backups are not bad either.

Raul Ibanez, Left Field
.309 AVG, 80 H, 22 HR, 60 RBI

When Pat Burrell left the Phillies the fan support was so overwhelming for the long-time Phillie that the addition of Raul Ibanez was initially met with mediocre response. Some fans wanted the Phillies to make a push for Manny Ramirez if they were not going to bring back Burrell.

Ibanez has done his part, though, to win over the fans in a way no other Philadelphia free agent athlete has ever done before.

Ibanez has played like an MVP through the first half of the season and despite missing twenty games due to injury, he still finds himself among the team leaders in a number of categories. Now that he is back the question remains as to whether or not he will have as much of an impact on offense.

His defense and base running has been somewhat of a surprise to most fans as well, making most everyone forget about Burrell. If he continues to play this well the Phillies can put themselves back at the top of the National League by the end of the regular season.

Ibanez was voted to be a starter in his first career all-star game.

First half grade: A+

Shane Victorino, Center Field
.309 AVG, 108 H, 6 HR, 42 RBI

Shane Victorino has been more of a spark plug at the top of the batting lineup this season as Jimmy Rollins had gone through some struggles. Because Rollins's production had been down for a long time one can only imagine where Victorino's RBI total would be with an effective Rollins.

Victorino not only gets the job done on the base paths (15 stolen bases, caught stealing five times) but he also continues to excel in the field. Coming off of his first Gold Glove award in 2008, Victorino is making a case for a repeat in 2009. His .995 fielding percentage is among the leaders in the league.

Victorino also was selected to his first all-star game by winning the Final Vote.

First half grade: A

Jayson Werth, Right Field
.263 AVG, 81 H, 20 HR, 56 RBI

Jayson Werth has quietly had a nice season, worthy of making his first all star game as well. Werth is just four home runs shy of his career high and is on pace for a career high in total hits. He is also just eleven runs batted in shy of another career high.

Werth is also showing more patience at the plate it seems as he is five walks shy of his career high. When he gets on base he can be dangerous as he has 12 stolen bases, including one successful steal of home against the Dodgers.

Werth's defense has been solid as well. He has been charged with a pair of errors but has been a part of one double play and has picked up seven outfield assists. Opposing base runners know they can not sleep on Werth as he also has shown the ability to throw a runner out at first base in the right situations.

First half grade: A

John Mayberry Jr., Left Field
.184 AVG, 9 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI

The young John Mayberry Jr. had a wonderful debut in New York against the Yankees, but since then he has been quiet. Mayberry has struck out 19 times, picking up some at bats with the absence of Ibanez.

Mayberry may in fact not be major league ready at this time but the Phillies are lacking right handed options on offense. The Phillies have had little choice but to keep Mayberry up in Philadelphia rather than playing every day at triple A Lehigh Valley.

You do not want to be too hard on the rookie as his playing time is scarce, but unless he can get some more hits (and not necessarily home runs), Mayberry has been poor.

First half grade: D

Matt Stairs, Right Field
.283 AVG, 17 H, 4 HR, 13 RBI

Matt Stairs has taken over the role of best pinch hitter from Greg Dobbs. The folk hero provides the Phillies with a true professional hitter in a pinch hit situation and he is not afraid to swing and take pitches. It is rare to find a player who can be both patient and swing happy.

Stairs has picked up four home runs this season and has been used mostly as a pinch hitter late in games when the Phillies need a big hit. Stairs delivers clutch hits but he also provides clutch walks that extend rallies.

For his role on this team, Stairs has done a fine job.

First half grade: A-

The outfielders have probably been the most consistent area of the team. The infield may be the core of this Phillies team but the outfield to this point has been the better unit. Three players from the outfield went to the all star game and two of them started, although Victorino was a fill in for an injured player in the starting lineup.

The defense is as good as it has been in years in all three parts of the outfield and the offense may be the best out of an outfield unit the Phillies have seen in years.

So what are your thoughts on the Phillies outfielders? Are these grades too high or too low (doubt that)? What do you expect to see in the second half of the season?

Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Game Recap

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:19:00 -0400

It was supposed to be a homecoming he would never forget. He may never forget it, but it will now be for some of the wrong reasons.

Ryan Howard, the St. Louis native, struck out in his pinch hitting appearance in the eighth inning with the game's tying and potential winning run in scoring position. Mighty Howard got fooled on a bad pitch and struck out.

The American League, which has not lost an all star game in 13 years (their last loss came in 1996 at Veterans Stadium), pulled out a tight 4-3 win over the National League.

The rest of the Phillies did not fare too much better, but this should have been no surprise for Phillies fans as the defending world champions have struggled against the American League all season unless they wear New York pinstripes.

Chase Utley went 0-for-2 but had some nice plays in the field. Raul Ibanez, making his first all star appearance in his long career, also went 0-for-2. Reserve player Jayson Werth struck out in his only at bat but made the second best catch of the night to end a threat from the American League.

Shane Victorino had the best night for the Phillies representatives, knocking a two-out hit in the bottom of the second inning and scoring on an error at third base on a base hit by St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Victorino's run tied the game at two and the National League went on to score one more run in the inning.

Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay got the start for the American League. Halladay, who is the hot topic in Phillies trade rumors right now, pitched two innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits.

For Charlie Manuel, he became the first Phillies manager to lose an all star game.

Now it is time to get back to the games that really do count.

Philadelphia Phillies Sign Pedro Martinez

Kevin McGuire — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:57:00 -0400

The Philadelphia Phillies are officially reporting that they have agreed to terms with free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez. He signed a one-year contract worth $1 million, including $1.5 million in incentives.

The Phillies are expected to have a press conference sometime today, with the New York Daily News saying that a 12 PM press conference is likely. Stay tuned for confirmation.

The signing of Martinez brings an end to a media frenzy and speculation, but it's hardly the final piece of the puzzle. Martinez will need a couple of starts in the minor leagues before jumping into the mix in the starting rotation, so expect to hear some details about that today.

The right-handed pitcher may not be the same guy who has won a Cy Young, but he does bring a winning attitude.

Martinez owns a career record of 214-99 with a 2.91 ERA. He went just 5-6 last year with a high ERA, but he says that the passing of his father bothered him and now is ready and focused to pitch. He also says he feels he is in the best shape he has been in over the last few years.

Let the Martinez Experiment begin.

Greatest Phillie in the Last 50 Years? Mike Schmidt or Steve Carlton?

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:33:00 -0400

Choosing between the two is like asking which child is your favorite. You love them both and would never want to place one above the other. But 950 ESPN is asking you to do just that with a poll this week on their website.

Each week the Philadelphia sports radio station is polling listeners asking for their input on the best athlete for each of the Philadelphia teams, culminating with a poll pitting the best of the best between each other to determine the best Philadelphia athlete over the last 50 years.

Wilt Chamberlain won the vote for the best Sixer over the last 50 years and this week they are looking for the best Phillies player over the last 50 years.

Your options are Richie Ashburn, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Robin Roberts, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley.

I have some issues with this poll right from the start but the fans at least are showing that this really is just a two man race; Carlton at the moment has 57 percent of the votes and Schmidt has 35 percent of the votes. Chase Utley is in a distant third with 3 percent of the votes, Ashburn behind him with 2 percent.

Let me get the most annoying part off my chest; Richie Ashburn does not deserve to be on this poll. Seriously. Ashburn is one of the best players in franchise history, but judging by the foundation for the poll and the restriction of the last 50 years should eliminate Ashburn from discussion.

Ashburn did play the 1959 season with the Phillies, so he does fall under the 50 year guideline, but the 1959 season was Ashburn's worst with the Phillies. His 20 runs batted in were the worst of his Phillies tenure, and his nine stolen bases were tied for a low with the Phillies. His .266 batting average also ranks at the bottom for his Phillies career. Want more? With 150 hits Ashburn had his worst season as a Phillie in 1959.

What I am trying to say is that Ashburn not only is not the best Phillie in the last 50 years, but to have him on the poll is a crime. Now what about Robin Roberts?

Roberts is one of the best pitchers in Phillies' franchise history, evidenced by his retired number. With no disrespect intended for the Hall of Famer, Roberts also does not belong on this list, going with the guideline of the last 50 years.

Roberts played for the Phillies between 1948 and 1961, but for the purposes of this poll, I only take into account his 1959-1961 seasons.

In those three seasons Roberts went 28-43, including 1-10 in 1961, failing to record a winning season in each of those three seasons. He also suffered the worst three seasons in regards to ERA while with the Phillies and he only finished five games (after finishing an average of 21.6 games each season from 1948 to 1958).

So what am I saying here?

If 950 ESPN is going to do this poll they should at least put some research and thought into their poll selections. Carlton or Schmidt should win this poll no matter what players they are up against, but at least give the correct options.

The two players who should be on this poll before Ashburn and Roberts are Jimmy Rollins and Curt Schilling.

Rollins has put together 150+ hit seasons from 2001 to last season, lead the team in triples four times, put together an MVP season, stole 311 bases, scored 896 runs, recorded over 1,500 hits and picked up a pair of Gold Glove awards.

Schilling put together 95 wins in Phillies pin stripes and was the ace of the 1993 World Series runners up. The three-time Phillies All-Star pitched 15 complete games in 1998 when the Phillies were 75-87. In today's age that is almost as close to Carlton's 27 win 1972 season as you can get.

Now my final riff. This one is with the voters who are creating a landslide for Carlton over Schmidt. Again, Carlton and Schmidt are unquestionably two of the best players in franchise history, so choosing either one of them makes sense just about any way you pose the question.

But Schmidt is the best third baseman of all time. Again; of all time.

The vote should be in favor of Schmidt because as good as Carlton was, not even he is a landslide to be named the best pitcher, or maybe even left handed pitcher, of all time. To vote against someone who is unanimously recognized as the epitome of a position is just ludicrous.

Schmidt is a 10-time Gold Glove winner, though some may beg to differ, a twelve time All-Star selection, six time Silver Slugger winner, three time NL MVP, and a World Series MVP.

Yes, Carlton has four NL Cy Young Awards but Schmidt clearly had more competition for the MVP award. Schmidt also played every day at one of the toughest positions in the field.

Be smart people. Vote Schmidt.

Philadelphia Phillies First Half Report Card: Pitchers

Kevin McGuire — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:12:00 -0400

Today marks the second day off for the All—Star break, so let us continue our mid—season grades for the Phillies. Today we take a look at a pitching staff, who have been fighting their way through injuries and various struggles at this point. How have they fared individually?

Let's take a look, beginning with the starting rotation.

Cole Hamels
5-5, 4.87 ERA, 85 K, 18 BB

Coming into the 2009 season I had very high expectations for Cole Hamels. To say he has come up short would be an understatement of mass proportions.

After showing a new level of dominance in the 2008 post season Hamels captured MVP honors in the NLCS and World Series, so thoughts of Hamels cruising his way to a 18, 19 or even 20 win season were not to be questioned.

Today we sit with an ace who has posted a 5-5 record with an ERA that is second worst in the starting rotation.

His strike out total sits at 85 and he has only walked 18 batters, which is not too bad, but he is on pace for a number of career highs if his play continues to be mediocre in the second half.

Hamels has already allowed 15 home runs, four shy of his career low of 19 (his career high is 28). He has also given up 117 hits, which already ties his career low for a season (2006).

If the Phillies are going to win their third straight division title they will need Hamels to work things out and have a much better second half. Hamels will need to pick up nine wins in the second half to help hold off the Florida Marlins and a possible late season surge from the New York Mets.

First half grade: C-

Joe Blanton
6-4, 4.44 ERA, 91 K, 33 BB

Joe Blanton got off to a worrisome start to the season but has come on strong lately. Blanton owns the best ERA among the opening day starting rotation and leads the team in strike outs. Due to the mediocre play around the rest of the pitching staff Blanton has become one of the most reliable pitchers to look to.

The Phillies are getting what they need out of Blanton. He is leading the team in innings pitched and has the only arm to throw over 100 innings. He will need to stay healthy and may be looked at as the second pitcher in the rotation in the second half, barring any significant trades that may be made.

First half grade: B+

Jamie Moyer
8-6, 5.99 ERA, 53 K, 25 BB

How is it that Jamie Moyer leads the Phillies in wins? With eight wins the "crafty lefty" leads the Phillies in victories at the All—Star break. But his 5.99 ERA is Adam Eaton-esque. With 116 hits allowed it is no wonder why Moyer's innings total is at 94.2.

After signing a two-year deal with the Phillies there must be questions spinning around the front office wondering why?

It is no secret that Moyer's age is of the upper variety, but despite that he finds ways to out—think most batters. Though he has been hit hard in a number of games the reality is that Moyer is no better than a back end of the rotation starter.

At this point the only reason Moyer is the fourth pitcher is because the Phillies can not find a solid fifth starter, a position that is a revolving door after the loss of Brett Myers to injury.

Moyer needs to bring the ERA down. If he ends the season with an ERA in the mid to low 4.00 area, then that should be a good sign for the Phillies at the end of the season.

First half grade: D-

J.A. Happ
6-0, 2.90 ERA, 61 K, 32 BB

On the entire pitching staff, nobody has been as dependable as J.A. Happ. Happ started the year in the bullpen, losing the coveted fifth starter's job in spring training to Chan Ho Park.

Being sent to the bullpen must have kept Happ's spirits and motivation high though, because once Park struggled as a starter the team called upon Happ to fill the role he worked hard to obtain.

Whether he has come out of the bullpen or started a game on the mound, Happ has put together a season worthy of NL Rookie of the Year nominations.

Combined with his bullpen work, Happ leads the starters in ERA and is third on the team in ERA. He has walked more batters than you would like to see (32) but he usually finds a way to wiggle out of trouble or at least minimize the damage.

Call me a homer, but a case could have been made about Happ being placed on the All—Star team, although he would have been one of the last guys in. Now Happ has pitched himself into a position where it would either be hard for the Phillies to trade him away or he could be an important piece of a blockbuster trade.

First half grade: A

Chan Ho Park
3-2, 5.49 ERA, 50 K, 26 BB

Grading Chan Ho Park's 2009 season can be tricky. While his time in the starting rotation was anything but enjoyable, his move to the bullpen has slowly become a success. For the purposes of this mid—season report though we must combine all of the efforts put out by Park.

As a starter, Park went a frustrating 1-1 with a 7.29 ERA in seven games. That includes a stellar game in a pitcher's duel in which he out—pitched Johan Santana. He gave up five home runs, walked 17 batters and struck out 21 batters.

As a reliever, being replaced in the rotation by Happ, Park took a couple outings to find his groove but has gone 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA. He has allowed nine earned runs (ten overall) in just under 26 innings pitched, has walked just nine batters while striking out 29.

Park will remain in the bullpen in the second half of the season and he could be a key player in the pen for the Phillies.

First half grade: C (But rising)

Brett Myers
4-3, 4.66 ERA, 46 K, 20 BB

Unfortunately Brett Myers' season may be done already as he suffered an injury after just ten games. Though his absence has hurt the team it is through no fault of his own, so he will not be downgraded for his injury.

Myers was somewhat mediocre in his ten outings. Seventeen of his pitches found their way to the seats in fair territory, which was reminiscent of his poor play from a year ago that prompted a move to Lehigh Valley.

Myers recorded 46 strikeouts, which would have put him on pace to be among the team leaders if he stayed healthy.

First half grade: C

Clay Condrey
4-2, 3.71 ERA, 22 K, 14 BB

Clay Condrey has been a bit of an unsung hero out of the bullpen, he has played a vital role so far this season.

Now out with an injury of his own, Condrey was called upon more often than planned as injuries and bullpen changes continued throughout the first few months. Add in the fact that the starting pitchers struggled for so long and guys like Condrey were being used often.

Condrey has allowed 31 hits, including four home runs, and for awhile led the team in wins. If he comes back healthy in the second half of the season, Condrey will provide some long relief in blow—outs to save the more important role players.

First half grade: B+

Chad Durbin
5-5, 4.87 ERA, 85 K, 18 BB

Chad Durbin became one of the more reliable relief pitchers last season, but has not been as dependable this season. After the first half of the season is in the books, Durbin is shouldered with a 4.47 ERA with 36 hits allowed in 44.1 innings pitched. He has also walked 28 batters and given up six home runs.

Perhaps more concerning is his seven hit batters, tied for the most on the team with Jamie Moyer. Durbin will have to show more control on the mound when called upon for middle relief in the fifth or sixth innings in the second half.

First half grade: C-

J.C. Romero
5-5, 4.87 ERA, 85 K, 18 BB

J.C. Romero joined the team late in the first half of the season after serving a 50—game suspension for a disputed drug policy violation. As such he has only pitched 14.1 innings so far, so giving him an accurate grade is tough.

Romero has been decent enough for the team but has some things he needs to improve. In his 17 appearances, Romero has given up six runs (five earned), two home runs, and a concerning twelve walks and eleven strike outs.

First half grade: C

Scott Eyre
1-1, 2.16 ERA, 12 K, 10 BB

Scott Eyre has been one of the most reliable pitchers out of the bullpen this season. Only used in certain situations, this limits his appearances, but in 27 games (16.2 innings) Eyre has allowed just five runs to cross the plate, four of which were earned.

Eyre holds the team's second lowest ERA and after serving some time on the disabled list looks to continue to provide a steady arm in relief in the second half of the season.

First half grade: B

Ryan Madson
3-4, 4 SV, 3.02 ERA, 44 K, 16 BB

After cementing himself as "The Bridge to Lidge" last season, Ryan Madson was supposed to be the solid eighth inning guy that could lock down a close game. It has not quite worked out that way for Madson this season.

Entering with high expectations, Madson has struggled in both a set—up and closer role. Despite some struggles in the last month, Madson still holds a low ERA even with fifteen earned runs allowed. Madson has given up runs in crucial situations, including blowing four saves.

Even with the problems Madson has experienced he is still holding batters to a lower batting average than he did a year ago. The problem is those fewer hits are counting for more bases and runs. Still though, for his role, he has not performed to the level needed to get the job done and he needs to pitch better in the next couple of months

First half grade: D+

BRAD LIDGE
0-4, 18 SV, 7.03 ERA, 37 K, 19 BB

Baseball fans everywhere knew that there was no way Brad Lidge would be perfect in 2009. And boy were they right. At the All—Star break Lidge is charged with a woeful 0-4 record and while he has saved 18 games, he has also blown six save opportunities.

Lidge was placed on the DL to work out some problems and since he came back he has, for the most part, been solid. In the first half Lidge did allow eight home runs, the latest coming on Friday night.

First half grade: D+

When you look at the entire pitching staff there is no doubt that there needs to be improvement in the starting rotation, the middle relief, and the back end of the bullpen to close out games.

There are reasons to be optimistic for a brighter outlook from the pitchers in the second half of the season, as the Phillies look as though they are going to take a chance with Pedro Martinez.

Of course the Phillies are also a trendy name in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes as well.

What are your thoughts on the pitchers through the first half of the season? Are any of these pitchers marked too high or too low? I know I left some names out.

Guys like Jack Taschner, Kyle Kendrick, Sergio Escalona, Antonio Bastardo and more were left out as they were either not here long enough to dissect (Rodrigo Lopez) or because they appear to not be a player in the second half of the season anyway (Jack Taschner). Feel free to give an assessment to any of those guys if you wish.

NL East Power Rankings

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:43:00 -0400

With the All-Star break upon us, let's take a moment to delve into the latest batch of NL East Power Rankings.

The Phillies have done their part at home and find themselves retaking the top spot in the rankings. Can they keep up the pace in the second half? Will the Mets get some players healthy and make a push up the division? Will the Marlins keep themselves in contention?

We'll have to wait to find out.

Previous Power Rankings

1. Philadelpia Phillies (48-38)

A 9-1 homestand heading into the All-Star break has served the Phillies well.

Brad Lidge is back in the closer role, and Raul Ibanez has returned to the lineup. With Jimmy Rollins possibly turning things around, the offense only figures to get better. Watch out for the Phillies in the second half, as they have been more of a second-half team the past few seasons.

In addition, the Phillies have built a four-game lead over the Marlins. The four-game series in Florida after the break could make the race close, or it could be the Phillies' first step towards running away with the division.

2. Florida Marlins (46-44)

The Marlins will not go away, so expect the upcoming four-game home series against the division-leading Phillies to be a dog fight. Sitting just four games behind the defending champions, the Marlins are always a thorn in the Phillies' side, especially in Florida.

The Marlins offense is second in the division in runs scored with 415 (Phillies have 460), but their pitching has held them back at times.

3. The Atlanta Braves (43-45)

The Braves hope to find a way to stay relevant in the second half. To do that, they will need to pick it up offensively. Atlanta have hit just 68 home runs.

The pitchers have been getting the job done most of the time, carrying a 3.88 team ERA into the mid-season break, best in the NL East.

4. The New York Mets (42-45)

The New York Mets need players like Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran to come back and come back fast!

The Mets once found themselves within a game of the Phillies for the division lead, but they are now three games under .500 and six and a half games behind the Phillies.

Injuries have plagued the team to the point where David Wright can't get it all done. The Mets have hit a major league-low 52 home runs.

But the problems are not just on offense. The team's pitching staff have a 1.45 WHIP, second worst in the National League.

5. The Washington Nationals (26-61)

The Nationals are just bad. Last night, the team fired manager Manny Acta, but a change of skipper will not spark a turnaround.

An NL-worst 5.21 ERA negates a pretty decent offense. The Nationals' team batting average of .264 is second in the division behind the Mets. Surprisingly, the Nationals' on-base percentage of .345 is good for second in the National League.

Waiting for Pedro: Phillies Fans on Pedro Martinez Watch

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:50:00 -0400

The All-Star Break is not offering much of a stoppage in Phillies updates. Right now, the biggest news is centered on Pedro Martinez:

"Pedro Martinez is expected to be in Philadelphia on Monday to meet with Phillies officials and take a physical, which could be the final step in completing a contract for the remainder of the season."—Todd Zolecki via MLB.com.

That's right, Phillies fans. It is really starting to look as if Martinez could be signing a deal for the remainder of the 2009 season.

This news comes after the Phillies watched Martinez throw three innings of a simulated game on Friday, and were intrigued by another throwing session two days before.

So the question continues: Should the Phillies sign Martinez?

Each day, I find myself more and more in favor of this move. There is nothing to lose in signing Martinez. No prospects are being lost and Martinez would likely fill one of the lower spots in the rotation.

Ask yourself this: Is he any worse than Jamie Moyer?

Probably not.

If the Phillies sign Martinez and it doesn't work out, the organization will have no problem saying, "Thank you for your time, Pedro," and replacing him with an arm out of the bullpen or farm system.

Should the Phillies sign Martinez, here is my proposed starting rotation:

1. Cole Hamels

2. Joe Blanton

3. JA Happ

4. Pedro Martinez

5. Jamie Moyer

What are your thoughts on the Phillies acquiring Martinez?

Philadelphia Phillies' First Half Report Card: Infielders

Kevin McGuire — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:22:00 -0400

Today marks the first day off for the All-Star break, so before we dig into the All-Star game coverage, let's take a moment to give midseason report grades to the infielders. How have the infielders fared overall through the first half of the season? Grades are based upon both offense and defense.

Ryan Howard, First Base
.257 AVG, 85 H, 22 HR, 67 RBI

There should be no surprise in Ryan Howard's offensive numbers. The heavy hitting first baseman has notched 22 home runs up to the All-Star break and is on pace for over 120 runs batted in. Not surprisingly though is his strike out total, which is sitting at 103 strike outs heading into the break.

While fans are getting pretty much what they expect out of Howard, the surprise of the season has been his defense. In 81 games at first base, Howard has committed an eye-brow raising four errors. Last season Howard was charged with 19 errors.

Howard will be in St. Louis for the all star game as a manager's selection and will participate in the home run derby Monday night.

First half grade: A-

Chase Utley, Second Base
.313 AVG, 96 H, 20 HR, 61 RBI

When it comes to Chase Utley Phillies fans have come to expect greatness day in and day out. Naturally, Utley has not disappointed. On pace for a career high in home runs Utley has been one of the most consistent players out of the infield.

Manager Charlie Manuel pushed for his players to hustle on every play and Utley is the best example of what the manager preaches. Take for instance his recent inside-the-park home run or his gamesmanship as he dekes out opposing players.

There is no secret about Utley anymore as he has widely become recognized as the best second baseman not just in the National League, but perhaps all of baseball, as evidenced by his over 5,000,000 fan votes for the All-Star game.

Utley is on pace to have his second highest batting average, falling short of his .332 AVG in his injury shortened, MVP-type, 2007 season. He also is on pace to have his best fielding percentage (.986) for a season at second base (.985 in 2007).

Utley has been voted to the All-Star game and will start at second base.

First half grade: A

Jimmy Rollins, Shortstop
.229 AVG, 80 H, 7 HR, 34 RBI

Jimmy Rollins may be the toughest infielder to grade. Because his offensive production got off to such a rough start, the first reaction to give Rollins a failing grade may be tempting to many fans. But if you look at where his numbers are right now compared to some other players, and consider all he has given defensively, the outlook may not be so bad.

Rollins had an unbelievable 2007 season, en route to MVP honors, and because his 2007 campaign was so stellar, his 2008 numbers felt underwhelming.

Before the 2009 season started I predicted that Rollins would rebound a little and put together a season that falls between his 2007 and 2008 numbers. Don't look now but that prediction is looking to be in pretty good shape.

With 51 runs scored Rollins is just 25 runs shy of his 2008 total (76). His hit total appears to be pretty much on pace as last season's 154 hits, as are his RBI (34 now, 59 in 2008), and walks (27 now, 58 in 2008). Rollins has struck out more this season though and his batting average has a long way to go, but for as bad as his offense has been this season, it may not be as discouraging as it may feel.

Defensively, though, Rollins makes up for his offensive woes. His .990 fielding percentage is the highest of his career. Rollins has committed just three errors, on pace for his fewest in a full season (seven in 2008).

First half grade: C+

Pedro Feliz, Third Base
.293 AVG, 89 H, 6 HR, 45 RBI

Does Pedro Feliz have the kind of numbers that a guy like New York Mets third baseman David Wright has? No, but he shouldn't. While Wright may be the premiere third baseman in the division one should pay close to attention to where Feliz hits in this high powered lineup, typically seventh.

Batting seventh Feliz usually finds himself leading off innings or batting with few base runners as guys like Howard, Raul Ibanez, and even Jayson Werth have done their part to clear the base paths.

When he was signed by the Phillies, Feliz was thought to be a 20 home run player and defensively sound at third base. While this is not exactly the case, he has been solid in 2009.

Feliz is well on pace to surpass his 2008 stats in just about every category including hits, runs scored, RBI, and walks, and seems to be coming up just short of his 2007 home run total.

However, with the other players in the Phillies lineup, that may not be a big issue.

Although Feliz is generally a terrific fielder at third base, he has committed six errors after being charged with eight errors all of last season.

First half grade: B

Carlos Ruiz, Catcher
.235 AVG, 39 H, 3 HR, 3 RBI

With Carlos Ruiz you know that you are not getting a Mike Piazza with a bat in his hands. Instead, you are getting a guy who usually comes up as an expected out at the bottom of the order. What Ruiz does do is manage a baseball game and handle his pitchers well.

Pitchers seem to have better games with Ruiz than they did with Chris Coste, and Ruiz knows how to fire the ball to catch a runner stealing or sleeping. Ruiz has thrown out 15 of 26 base stealers and has been a part of five double plays.

With the removal of Coste from the roster, Ruiz figures to see even more playing time, as long as he is healthy.

First half grade: C

Paul Bako, Catcher
.214 AVG, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI (11 games)

Paul Bako has taken over the role of back-up catcher as Coste has been picked up by the Houston Astros. To be fair to Bako, who has only played in 11 games, a midseason grade will not be handed out.

However, Bako's addition to the roster was questioned from day one. He has struck out seven times and come up short in a handful of pinch hitting opportunities, including not being able to get a sacrifice bunt down. But he does get some bonus points for getting a walk-off hit against the Pirates over the weekend, capping off a wild rally in the bottom of the ninth inning for a come-from-behind victory.

Eric Bruntlett, Shortstop
.139 AVG, 10 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI

Keep in mind that Eric Bruntlett, barring injury to a regular player, will not come close to his 2008 stats anyway. Bruntlett has been nothing but abysmal at the plate this season. His pinch hitting appearances have been tough to watch as he has only walked five times this season.

Bruntlett's first half has shown that it is imperative that Ruben Amaro Jr. pick up a right handed bat before the trade deadline.

First half grade: F

Greg Dobbs, First/Third Base
.269 AVG, 29 H, 5 HR, 16 RBI

Greg Dobbs has played 11 games in the outfield this season but he has played 17 games in the infield, so we'll grade Dobbs with the rest of the infielders.

Greg Dobbs got off to a slow start, adding to some early season frustrations in the defending world champions as Dobbs was the best pinch hitter in baseball the year before, but he seems to have turned things around.

Seeing some extended time in the field helped to give Dobbs some extra at-bats and some more time to see some pitches and get in a groove offensively.

Now with the regular players back and healthy, Dobbs figures to go back to being one of the top pinch hitting options for Manuel. With that, Dobbs figures to fall well short of many of his 2008 numbers, but if he can get back in his pinch hitting role with a glimmer of his 2008 success, the Phillies will be in good shape.

First half grade: C

Overall the infield has been pretty solid on both offense and defense. There should be no doubt that the core of the Phillies franchise right now is the infield, with MVP caliber players at first and second base, one of the best defensive shortstops, and one of the better all around players at third base.

While the back-ups at the positions could use some improvement there is probably not another infield that can top the Phillies from top to bottom.

What are your grades for the infielders? Am I off base on any of these guys? Is someone given too high of a grade (or too low)? Share your grades and thoughts in the comments section.

Five Eagles I'm Excited to Watch at Training Camp

Kevin McGuire — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:32:06 -0400

With training camp just a few mere weeks away up in Lehigh, it is time to get the juices flowing. So the time to start thinking about which players you are most interested in seeing is now. Below are the five Eagles that I am most looking forward to watching when camp starts.

LeSean McCoy, running back

With the uncertain status of Brian Westbrook as camp draws near, the rookie McCoy will see a lot more playing time in camp and in the preseason.

What McCoy brings to the table is a swift running back with the ability to dodge tackles and find the end zone.

A stand out at Pitt, McCoy can do a lot of the same types of things that Westbrook can do. If Westbrook should go down at any point then McCoy could be the first back up, as he should be.

Leonard Weaver, fullback

It has been a long time since the last time the Eagles had a full fledged fullback that brings the kind of game that Weaver is expected to have.

If Eagles fans had been clamoring for a return to a physical game, the acquisition of Weaver may be a sign of good things to come.

The 6'-0", 250 pound fullback will not only provide some quality blocking in the backfield for Donovan McNabb, but he can also pound out some much needed short yardage.

Victor Abiamiri, defensive end

Call it a gut feeling, but I think that Abiamiri may have as quiet a break out season as there is.

Entering his third season, Abiamiri finds himself sitting behind Juqua Parker at left defensive end as training camp opens up. But a good preseason could help him see more time in the rotation at the position.

The former second round pick out of Notre Dame recorded just 22 tackles in 2008, but I have high hopes for him this season.

Omar Gaither, linebacker

When camp commences at Lehigh, the logic seems to be that Gaither will remain second at his position behind Akeem Jordan. I am hoping that means that Gaither comes in motivated and fired up to retake the starting job. Will he do it? Only time will tell.

If Gaither comes in poised to prove he is worthy of being a starter though it should make for an interesting training camp battle in the hot days of summer. I expect that to result in some good hard hits from the linebackers.

Donovan McNabb, quarterback

Perhaps this is a cop-out, but with the events of the offseason, I am expecting McNabb to come out with a new enthusiasm for the game.

After losing in the NFC Championship game, McNabb made it clear that he wanted the team to make some significant moves.

The Eagles did just that in replacing aging veterans on the offensive line with a Pro Bowl caliber lineman and a massive body on the other side. In the draft, the Eagles picked up McCoy and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.

While Maclin may not be ready to make an immediate impact out of the huddle, he can spark things with a good kick return. Add in the return of Westbrook and the steady crop of receivers, including flashy DeSean Jackson, and there are reasons to be optimistic and excited.

There you have it, the five Eagles players I am most looking forward to checking out at training camp. Who are your five players on your must-see list? Go ahead and leave your thoughts in the comments field.