Phightins

Scrivens looks like an adventure. Luckily for you guys, there shouldn't be much to worry about tonight.

Given the way this year has gone for all four Philly teams, that is the outcome I am expecting. Checking the Orlando box scores and seeing what Vucevic is doing every night does not make this any easier.

At least Bryz will be rested for the game in Winnipeg tomorrow night!

Woah, Michael Bourn to Indians. Who saw them signing two type-A free agent outfielders this offseason?

He has a new contract. I am hoping it is just to make him more attractive for a trade, but it does appear like he will be back.

Vick returning is not the way I had hoped to start this offseason. But I guess I can see where they are coming from.

David Eckstein

Picked up 7 of 8 possible points on the home stand. Pretty much exactly what we needed.

Welp, Felix got paid.

Going to my first NHL game of the season tonight (Flyers-Panthers). Exciting stuff!!

I don't think our playoff chances were too strong with him healthy. I don't like Nick Young at all, but as Smitty said, he's provided pretty much exactly what Richardson was giving. This is just another slap in the face re: the Bynum trade, haha. It's all laughable at this point.

Spring Training will be here in a week or so!!! Rough news about Chris Carpenter today. Career likely over. Also, the top 100 prospect lists are starting to trickle in. I believe Jonathan Mayo and Keith Law have both released theirs. Both have Jurickson Profar #1, no surprise.

[expletive]ing a.

Spring Training is ten days away and I could not be any less excited. While I can't wait for baseball to be back, I have absolutely no excitement for the Phillies. First time in my life I think. Ruben Amaro has murdered my soul.

Okay, so... Not panic time yet, but with the way this organization operates, and with the way the fanbase around here is, I think we are a loss or 2 away from shit getting pretty ugly. It's a shame because Bryz has been awesome and for the most part, the defensemen I was worried about (sans Lilja, he still sucks) have been fine. Not sure what the solution here is. I just hope Snider doesn't go nuclear over this.

I am personally cool as hell with PEDs. A-Rod, Bonds etc made baseball super fun for me when I was a kid.

Only saw the last 2 minutes or so. Depressing

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/philsphan1210/ScreenShot2013-01-28at30913PM_zpsd89ca83d.png

Schenn has been better than expected (but maybe that is because you guys had my expectations so low, haha). Laviolette apparently loves him. He is getting pretty much equal ice time as Timonen and Coburn through the first few games. The scouting report you guys gave is pretty much spot on. Love his physical edge. You can definitely tell that he and Brayden are brothers, haha. Also, this was fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSa9lQyNmgU

Chad Durbin and Yuniesky Betancourt signed. Banner offseason continues.

God damn.

Unreal, Jrue. Must be because of the new avatar.

It sucks because he is terrible, haha. Yeah, they aren't paying him much money, but there is absolutely no use he can possibly have here, except for taking at-bats away from guys who need them (Domonic Brown). Young brings absolutely nothing to the table except for a little bit of power against left handed pitching, which they already have in the corner outfield spots with John Mayberry Jr. and Darin Ruf. You can make a case that Young is the worst defensive player in the game. He has no ability to walk, no ability to make consistent contact, no ability to throw, no ability to run, and not nearly enough power to make up for all his other weaknesses. Most of all, he can't hit right handed pitching at all. If they were to sign another corner outfielder, the only logical choice would be a left handed hitter with strong splits against right handed pitching (I like Ryan Sweeney a lot) so they can platoon with either Mayberry or Ruf. The most damning part of this is the comments Amaro made. He said "I don't care about walks", which I still can't wrap my mind around. How is this guy seriously paid to put a baseball franchise together? Not making outs is the fundamental goal of baseball! Very alarming. He then went on to say that he envisions Young as the starting right fielder, which is absurd for many reasons, two in particular. 1) Where does this leave Dom Brown? So sad that an organization can mishandle a prospect so badly that in three years he goes from the top prospect in the game to a guy who has to fight for at bats with the likes of Delmon Young and Laynce Nix. And 2) I am not sure how Amaro seriously expect Young to handle right field, a position he has not played at all since 2007, when he can't even handle left field, an easier position. Blah. Okay, rant over. If you couldn't tell, I am so ready to move on from Ruben Amaro Jr. But sadly I think ownership will give him a few seasons to dig out of this mess he has made. In which time I am pretty sure he will only make things worse.

It's unbelievable. Can only laugh at this point. The team I invest more time in than anything else ever is run by total idiots, so awesome! This pretty much sums up my thoughts: http://www.thegoodphight.com/2013/1/23/3905252/done-with-ruben-amaro-jr-a-special-comment

Anyway, as much as I HATE this offseason, and Ruben Amaro's recent moves in general, it could have been worse (Amaro didn't blow our first round pick on an expensive free agent) and I do think the team will be a bit better than they were in 2012. If everything shakes out right, I could see them easily challenge for a Wild Card. The health of Roy Halladay and Chase Utley are the two biggest keys, I'd say. Offseason moves I like: Ben Revere trade. Was totally against it at first, since Vance Worley and Trevor May seemed like a steep price. But I have warmed up to it. Revere is young and under team control for a while. Very affordable, potentially very useful. I suspect I have been overrating Worley for much of his career here, and I would not be surprised if a move to the AL is very bad for him. May is a crapshoot. Offseason moves I don't like: Basically everything else. Michael and Delmon Young...barf. Mike Adams...too much money for an aging, serious injury risk IMO (although this could easily wind up being a great signing, hope I am wrong). John Lannan...meh. Bad pitcher, but I guess overpaying Edwin Jackson or Kyle Lohse would have been worse.