Phightins

Just look at last year though. Most predicted a Cubs/Angels series. They were the first two teams to clinch playoff berths, and thus cooled off significantly in the final week and got bounced in the first round. The Cardinals pitching staff is disgusting, but they are staged to clinch pretty early this year, so we'll have to see how they handle it. If I were LaRussa, I'd just play the starters every day to keep the momentum up. I hope Charlie Manuel does the same thing if/when the Phillies clinch (knock on wood).

Everything is so unpredictable when the playoffs arrive. It's all about who gets hot at the right time. Pretty difficult to predict.

I say Mets vs. Indians. That was a popular one before the season started.

http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/10/14/alg_phillies-stairs.jpg Even if the dude does not get another hit in his career, he will never have to buy a beer or dinner in this city again. He's probably done after this year anyway.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/philsphan1210/28729816.jpg http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/philsphan1210/28728452-0a546909bfc563e630c6abecbe.jpg Hockey is almost here!!!

Andy Tracy and Sergio Escalona have been added to the active roster. Both fill huge needs. Matt Stairs is in an epic slump and Greg Dobbs is hurt, so Tracy fills that role of a masher from the left side to bring in off the bench if need be. And as I mentioned yesterday, our left handed specialist situation is not very good right now, so Escalona is needed.

Also, I think you should watch some videos of vintage Pedro if you think it was his control that set him apart.

You seem to really be familiar with the farm systems of a lot of teams, but you need to realize that in baseball, unlike any other sport, it is next to impossible to predict if a prospect will pan out. Especially a starting pitcher who, well, has yet to make a Major League start. If you'd like, I can go through the past 20 years and name all of the "can't miss" pitchers with dominant stuff and pinpoint control who were total busts. Obviously I have seen Feliz pitch, and chances are he will be a very good Major League pitcher, but it is ridiculous to assess his hall of fame credentials when he hasn't even made a Major League start yet. Things can change when he has to face guys 2-3 times a game, if not more, and multiple times a season.

You lost me when you used the name of a 21 year old pitcher with just over a month of MLB service time and the words "hall of fame" in the same sentence. I don't care what the context is, just stop.

The Vet was the absolute best. So many memories.

http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/landing_09?Sixers-Reach-Deal-With-Swingman-Carney=1&blockID=73823&feedID=704

The offense is horrible right now. It's amazing how much they live and die with the solo homerun. They scored 5 runs tonight...5 solo homeruns. First time since 1991 that a team has scored 5 or more runs solely via the solo homerun (the A's scored 6 times on 6 solo homeruns in August of 1991). So I am happy they got the win, but the offense is a mess. To turn that into a positive, though, they now have 4 guys with 30+ homeruns (Howard-38, Werth-32, Ibanez-30, Utley-30). Twelfth time it's happened in MLB history and the first in Phillies history. I would also say that tonight was probably the final time this season that Brad Lidge sees the mound in a save situation. He loaded the bases with 1 out and Charlie went and got him. This is the first time that Charlie has not shown complete confidence. A week ago, Charlie would have let Lidge attempt to get out of his own jam. Tonight, he replaced him with Madson. Thankfully Madson struck out Zimmerman and got Dunn to ground out to seal the win. It is also worth noting that Brett Myers threw a very impressive inning and a third today. This is his third appearance since coming back and he has looked very good. I'm guessing that this means that Charlie has seen what he needs to see out of Myers and is going to make a change. Should get very interesting. Lost in all of the talk about the back of the bullpen and the offense is the fact that the starting rotation has been keeping this team afloat over the past 2-3 weeks. Pedro Martinez has been far better than any Phillies fan could have imagined, and he may be pitching himself into the postseason rotation, especially if Romero/Eyre are done in which case I think they may move Happ to the pen.

Wasn't Jerry Reinsdorf involved in the bidding at one point, with the intent of keeping them in Phoenix? Sorry I guess I am pretty behind on this story. And should they come east, I wonder what the NHL would do as far as realignment. They already have a bunch of teams on the eastern half of the continent playing in the Western Conference, so that would be very interesting to see play out.

I was following this a couple months ago, but now that it isn't hockey season, this gets absolutely no coverage in the States. I'm hoping they stay in Phoenix. They have that beautiful new arena down there. And I can think of a few other cities with NHL franchises who are far less deserving. Obviously can't control that though.

Flyers rookie camp started today as well. Can't wait for hockey.

I actually don't think Matt was trying to take a cheap shot at Kobe right there (I know it is shocking...and I'm not just saying this because I know Matt personally haha). But Kobe gets booed like crazy every time he comes to Philly. Personally, I have no problems with Kobe and have never booed him, but 80% of the crowd gives it to him big time when the Lakers are in town.

He is not your average 19 year old single-A pitcher.

Great...Happ is going to miss his next start. Also Scott Eyre has "sharp elbow pain" which is never good. I guess that makes Jack Taschner our primary lefty out of the bullpen for the time being...ouch. Also, I wonder what they will do with the rotation this weekend, with the double header combined with the Happ injury. My guess is Moyer will pitch at some point, as will Kyle Kendrick.

Eh, I'd probably say "no" if I had to decide today. Brand has way more upside. If Brand either gets hurt again or just winds up being a major bust, then it will completely suck being on the hook for both he and Sammy's contracts, but it's a risk I'd take. But then again, what do I know.

I will join. Will probably be horrible but will give it a shot lol.

That is correct, however I still don't think Wright is quite top 10.

Top ten might be pushing it unless he fully rebounds next season, but he hardly sucks.

Pitching matchups for the Nationals series: Tonight: Pedro Martinez vs. John Lannan Tomorrow: Cliff Lee vs. Garrett Mock Thursday: Joe Blanton vs. Livan Hernandez

Drinking in moderation is fine, as people have stated in here. I do have a problem with consuming as much cheap beer as possible just for the sole purpose of getting as [expletive] faced as possible, but there is so much liquor out there, so drinking responsibly for the sake of expanding one's horizons is not only cool with me, it's actually encouraged lol. Pot is fine with me too, and it should be legalized. I don't smoke anymore though, for reasons which I will not get into, however there is nothing wrong with people doing it if they want to. Harder drugs, different story, but weed is pretty harmless if you aren't an idiot about it (which is the same deal as alcohol when you think about it).

I rooted for Wake Forest while my cousin was on the team (he graduated after the Orange Bowl season). I still root for them but almost all the guys I knew on the team are gone now (including now-NFL players Aaron Curry, Alphonso Smith, and Steve Vallos...I know how cool am I ).