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I am currently writing from my brand new Arc located right smack dab In the middle of the East Coast. Any more rain and we will be gathering animals 2 by 2.
Does anyone else think that they should get rid of the DH and Pitcher award slot for the Silver Slugger award? Instead, just create a utility position and give it to the next best hitter at any position in the league. Since the National League does not have the DH it seems like a reasonable idea to me. Let’s face it; giving this award to a pitcher with an average of .217 is kind of watering down the award, just a thought.
The American and National League announced its 2009 Silver Slugger Awards Thursday afternoon. Phil’s second baseman Chase Utley won his 4th straight Silver Slugger Award, proving that he is not just the premier second baseman in both leagues, but one of the best complete players in the game. Utley hit .282 with 28 doubles, 4 triples, 31 homeruns and 93 runs batted in during the 2009 campaign.
Here is the complete list for 2009:
NL SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS
| POS | PLAYER | HR | RBI | AVG |
| 1B | A. Pujols, Cardinals | 47 | 135 | .327 |
| 2B | Chase Utley, Phillies | 31 | 93 | .282 |
| 3B | R. Zimmerman, Nats | 33 | 106 | .292 |
| SS | H. Ramirez, Marlins | 24 | 106 | .342 |
| OF | Ryan Braun, Brewers | 32 | 114 | .320 |
| OF | Andre Ethier, Dodgers | 31 | 106 | .272 |
| OF | Matt Kemp, Dodgers | 26 | 101 | .297 |
| C | Brian McCann, Braves | 21 | 94 | .281 |
| P | C. Zambrano, Cubs | 4 | 11 | .217 |
AL SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS
| POS | PLAYER | HR | RBI | AVG |
| 1B | M. Teixeira, Yankees | 39 | 122 | .292 |
| 2B | Aaron Hill, Blue Jays | 36 | 108 | .286 |
| 3B | Evan Longoria, Rays | 33 | 113 | .281 |
| SS | Derek Jeter, Yankees | 18 | 66 | .334 |
| OF | Jason Bay, Red Sox | 36 | 119 | .267 |
| OF | Torii Hunter, Angels | 22 | 90 | .299 |
| OF | Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners | 11 | 46 | .352 |
| C | Joe Mauer, Twins | 28 | 96 | .365 |
| DH | Adam Lind, Blue Jays | 35 | 114 | .305 |
Yummmm….Gold Glove Update
I happened to be visiting Philly this past weekend for the first time in a while. I decided before I left that it was extremely important for me to take what I call the Pats vs. Gino’s Challenge. So, a buddy and I went into South Philly and first stopped by Pats. After following the directions printed on the building, we ordered our “Philly Wiz Wit” and of course cheese fries. I was very pleased. Not wasting anytime we walked across the street to Gino’s and after the fifteen-minute wait, we ordered two more “Philly Wiz Wits.” Although, I thought it was good, in my eyes it did not match up to Pat’s. Maybe the difference was Pats pouring on the whiz and Gino’s just smearing a little on the bread. Whatever the case, Pats won my challenge and I had to get an angioplasty. Let me hear ya Philly!!!
As expected Phil’s Short Stop Jimmy Rollins took home his 3rd consecutive Gold Glove Award on Wednesday. Teammate Shane Victorino secured his second straight award for his stellar defensive play in center field. One of the biggest keys to a good baseball team is to be strong up the middle and the Phil’s are definitely that with Ruiz, Rollins, Utley and Victorino.
The Phil’s, Cardinals and Dodgers dominated the awards by winning two Gold Gloves each. The Nationals and Padres also had players win Awards. Here is the entire list of award winners:
C: Yadier Molina
P: Adam Wainwright
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Orlando Hudson
SS: Jimmy Rollins
3B: Ryan Zimmerman
OF: Shane Victorino
OF: Michael Bourn
OF: Matt Kemp
Gold In Sight
Tomorrow the National League Gold Glove Award Winners will be announced. There is a good possibility that the trophy room will be “philled” with red and blue.
Jimmy Rollins with his Major-League best .990 fielding percentage will almost certainly win his 3rd straight Gold Glove, but he may not be alone. Shane Victorino and Chase Utley also have a good chance of joining Rollins. For Victorino, it would be his 2nd consecutive Gold Glove and for Utley his 1st. Carlos Ruiz, Pedro Feliz and Jason Werth are sure to receive some consideration. Stay Tuned….
The American League announced its Gold Glove winners earlier today:
P: Mark Buehrle
C: Joe Mauer
1B: Mark Teixera
2B: Placido Polanco
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Evan Longoria
OF: Adam Jones
OF: Torii Hunter
OF: Ichiro Suzuki
How will Pedro’s time in Philadelphia be remembered
Wherever he has gone Pedro Martinez has elicited a lot of emotions from his team’s fan base and the fan base of the opposition. Some view Pedro as a fun, wacky guy who brings energy to a team and a stadium every time he takes the mound.
Others view him as a cocky, arrogant pitcher whose history of hitting batters makes him an intimidator.
But how will his two-month stay in Philadelphia be remembered?
The Phillies signed Pedro Martinez on July 5 to a modest 1-year/$1 million contract. The former Red Six and Mets pitcher had been out of baseball to that point, as his asking price of $5 million to start the season garnered little attention.
Shortly after the signing of Pedro, the Phillies traded for Cliff Lee, reducing the expected impact of Martinez. However, with Jamie Moyer struggling, the Phils gave Pedro is first start on August 12 against the Cubs.
A little over a month later, he finished his regular season with a 5-1 record with an ERA of 3.63, good enough to earn himself a spot in the postseason rotation.
After not pitching in the NLDS, Pedro pitched a 7-inning gem against the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS. The bullpen would blow an inherited 1-0 lead, leaving him without a win.
However, the World Series was not kind to Pedro. Against his nemesis, the New York Yankees, Pedro went 0-2, including the deciding Game 6 loss in which he allowed four runs in just four innings.
It is unlikely Pedro will be resigned for next season. The Phillies are set in the rotation 1-through-4 and have Jamie Moyer under contract. There is also the chance that Kyle Kendrick earns his way back to the majors or that highly-touted prospect Kyle Drabek makes the roster.
So how will the future Hall of Famer’s short stint in Philly be remembered?
My guess is that fans will look at Pedro’s time with the team fondly. He gave the team more than anyone could have expected given the way things ended for him in New York the previous season. Sure he didn’t execute well enough in the World Series, but Brad Lidge and Cole Hamels’ shortcomings will be talked about much more going forward.
Pedro wasn’t great, but his two month stint at in Philadelphia did more good, than harm.
Yankees beat Phillies to claim 27th World Series
The Philadelphia Phillies’ quest to repeat as World Series champions has come to an end.
Thanks to six RBIs for Hideki Matsui the New York Yankees finished off the Phillies in Game Six, winning 7-3, to claim their 27th World Series.
It was a frustrating day all the way around for Phillies fans. Pedro Martinez never gave the team a chance, allowing four runs in four innings. Chad Durbin came in and made things worse. The offense had its moments, but never brought the tying run to the plate in the late innings.
This series and this season will be broken down over the next couple of weeks as fans try to swallow the concept of New York taking their title.
The Phillies certainly have nothing to hang their heads about. They were best team in the National League and second-best team in baseball. However, a year after winning the World Series, that just wasn’t enough.
In a few weeks, maybe we can look back with fond memories of this season.
But not now.
The Evil Empire has struck again.
Westbrook ready to run wild on Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid announced today that running back Brian Westbrook should be able to play on Sunday when the Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in NCF East action.
Westbrook suffered a head injury two weeks ago against the Redskins and missed the Eagles 40-17 beat down of the New York Giants last Sunday.
If he does indeed return, Westbrook will once again be the featured back meaning, LeSean McCoy goes back to being a change-of-pace runner.
McCoy played well filing in for Westbrook, breaking off a 66-yard touchdown run that helped seal the win.
The question is: Will Reid commit to the run again this week?
Sunday’s matchup is a big one as both teams are tied atop the division at 5-2. Having Westbrook healthy adds another weapon that will go against the Cowboys’ 10th ranked defense. Expect Dallas to come out firing after being eliminate from the playoffs – and embarrassed – 44-6, on the last day of the 2008 season.
Whether it is the Eagles who lead early or the Cowboys, the Birds cannot abandon the run, as they do so often.
Westbrook will be back, now he just needs Reid to call his number!
Leonard Weaver gets his chance to shine
All preseason Philadelphia Eagles fans heard about what a good signing Leonard Weaver was.
Weaver was a true fullback who could take on linebackers and open up big holes for the running back tandem of Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy. He could also carry, the rock, something Eagles’ fullbacks before him struggled to do.
Through six games, Weaver’s impact seemed marginal at best. He almost never got a carry and was often on the sidelines, with the team going into single-back sets. Until last week, Weaver had just six carries on the year.
Against the Giants, Weaver reminded people just how big of a piece he could be.
Weaver broke off a 41-yard touchdown run in what became a 41-17 whitewashing by the Eagles over their NFC East rivals.
Weaver finished with eight carries and 75 yards, more than doubling his production going into the games. Maybe the performance shouldn’t be that surprising, given Andy Reid’s tendency to run the ball in games when Westbrook is NOT playing.
Comcast Sports Net’s Ray Didinger has a good column on Weaver’s day here http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/landing_09?Didinger-Weaver-Finally-Given-a-Chance-t=1&blockID=86076&feedID=704
The word commonly thrown out when talking about the Eagles’ offense is “weapons.” DeSean Jackson is one, Brian Westbrook is another. Leonard Weaver belongs somewhere on that list. He won’t always have performances like he did last week, but he will continue to do the little things that has made his career such a successful one.
The fullback position is a dying breed in the NFL, making good fullbacks hard to find.
Weaver is a very good fullback and he reminded everyone on Sunday.
Phillies win Game 5, keep title hopes alive
Even with six run lead heading into the eighth inning it wasn’t easy for the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the end, though, Philly got exactly what it needed. Game Six is on the way.
Chase Utley pounded two home runs and Ryan Madson pitched a shaky ninth inning to close out an 8-6 victory for Philadelphia.
The Phillies offense got going, pounding out six runs over the first three innings off New York starter A.J. Burnett.
Phils’ ace Cliff Lee was in control until the eighth, when the Yankees knocked him out by plating three runs and making it an 8-5 game.
With the lead at three Charlie Manuel opted to stay away from struggling closer Brad Lidge and go with Madson. Although it wasn’t easy, Madson did the job and the World Series is going back to New York.
Tuesday will be an off day as Game 6 s slated for Wednesday night.
The Phillies are still down, but are very much alive.
This World Series isn’t over by a long shot.
Game Highlights:
- Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Utley hit a three-run home run that electrified the Citizens Bank Park crowd and gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead.
- Philadelphia kept the offense coming in the third. After Utley and Ryan Howard walked to lead off the inning, Jayson Werth ripped an RBI single that plated Utley. Raul Ibanez followed with an RBI single that chased A.J. Burnett after just two-plus innings. Carlos Ruiz then added an RBI groundout, giving the Phillies a 6-1 lead.
- Utley and Ibanez each hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to push the score to 8-2.
- Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings, but faltered in the eighth, allowing three runs, two of which came on a Alex Rodriguez double.
- In the ninth, Jorge Posada greeted Madson with a double and Hideki Matsui to put runners on the corners. Representing the tying run, Derek Jeter bounced into a 4-6-3 double play that plated Jorge Posada, but put a big dent in the Yankees rally. With two outs Johnny Damon singled up the middle, bringing Mark Teixeira to the plate. Mired in a slump all World Series, Teixeira struck out to end the game.
Phillies World Series hopes rest on Lee
While the Philadelphia Phillies former ace is already talking about next season, the current staff ace will do his best to keep this season alive.
Cliff Lee takes the mound tonight at Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies hope to extend the World Series to six games against the New York Yankees.
New York is on quite a run winning three straight contests, taking the Phillies home crowd out of play. Tonight Lee will look to slow down the Bronx Bombers and repeat his Game 1 performance when he pitched a complete game and allowed just one unearned run.
He will be opposed by A.J. Burnett, who also has a victory in the series, as he held the Phillies in check for seven innings in Game 2. Burnett will be throwing on two-days rest.
Philadelphia fans had hoped this day would not come. Coming into the World Series everything seemed to be clicking. Ryan Howard was as hot as he had ever been, the offense was clicking in unison and the pitching was superb. Now Howard is swinging and missing at breaking balls, the offense is getting solo home runs instead of three-run shots and the pitching has been spotty both in the rotation and the bullpen.
Baseball is a funny game. You can be as hot as fire one week and as cold as ice the next. The Phillies don’t have a week to catch fire though; they have a matter of hours. When their backs are against the wall the Phillies have shown their character and punched back. With the threat of the Yankees celebrating a World Series championship on their own field, I would expect that trend to continue.
There are plenty of question marks surrounding the Phillies for Games Six and Seven, but the biggest is whether they will get there.
By the end of the night the season could be over. Or, the Phils could be two wins away from a second-straight World Series title.
Game Time: 8:07
Lights out on Philadelphia?
It wasn’t a blown save, it was something much worse.
Bard Lidge allowed three runs in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-4, to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the World Series, Sunday night.
Pedro Feliz hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 8th off Joba Chamberlain to tie the game at 4-4 and give the Phillies the momentum heading in to the ninth. Lidge came in and got the first two hitters out, as it appeared his postseason reconciliation was going to continue.
Then it all fell to pieces.
Johnny Damon hit the blooper of all bloopers to keep the inning alive. Damon, not the fastest runner these days, stole second and third on the same play as the Phillies were playing a shift against Mark Teixeira, as no one was covering third.
This was Lidge’s first big mistake. With Feliz accepting the throw down to second, there was no one to cover third except for Lidge who never even attempted to get over there. From there he hit Texeiria, let up a double to Alex-Rodriguez, a single to Jorge Posada and it was all over.
While Lidge will take most of the heat for this loss, there is plenty to go around.
- The Phillies hit two home runs, again solo shots, as the team had trouble getting men on base.
- In the fifth inning Chase Utley tried to toss the ball to Rollins with his glove in an attempt to start a double play instead of taking his time to transfer the ball and just get one out. As a result he got no outs and the Yankees would score two runs that innings.
- Joe Blanton pitches OK, but took the crowd out of the game early by allowing two runs in the first inning.
- What is going on with Raul Ibanez?
- Ryan Howard had a broken-bat single, but again looked helpless against the breaking ball.
It is now desperation time in Philadelphia as the Phils must win three straight to defend their World Series title. It can be done, certainly, but the Phils will need to play a lot better than they have through four games. Cliff Lee takes the ball tonight against A.J. Burnett.
The Phillies have been a team that plays well when their backs are against the wall, but this is bigger than any test they have had this season.
We will see if there is any magic left, or if it is “lights out” for the Phils.
Phils need Hamels to step up in Game 3
Pivotal Game 3 has arrived.
To say that Cole Hamels has been a disappointment this season would be an understatement. Coming off of a postseason where he was the NLCS and World Series MVP, big things were expected of the young left-hander. Those expectations were never met as Hamels went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA. He consistently gave up big home runs and never quite found a rhythm. Even upon the Phillies’ return to the postseason, Hamels could not find his 2008 magic.
If he can find it tonight, all of those aforementioned stats will be forgotten.
Hamels takes the hill tonight as the Phillies host the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series.
Opposing Hamels will be postseason veteran Andy Pettitte. With the series tied at 1-1, there are big impactions on tonight’s contest. If the Yankees win they will have the series lead with their ace C.C. Sabathia set to face Joe Blanton in Game 4, a matchup the Yanks undoubtedly feel good about. Meanwhile, if the Phillies win they will go into Game 4 with a load of confidence knowing that Cliff Lee will be waiting in Game 5 to close things out if they can find away past Sabathia.
Playing a part in the atmosphere will be the weather as showers are expected throughout the evening. The rain will certainly not quiet the Phils’ faithful who have helped the team to the point of dropping just one home postseason game in two years.
Pitching matchup: Andy Pettitte is 2-0 this postseason with a 2.37 ERA. In 11 lifetime World Series appearances, he is 3-4 with a 3.82 ERA. You know Pettitte will be relaxed as this is nothing new for him. As is the case with most veteran pitchers, the Phillies would be wise to get to them early as he has the capability to shut teams down if he gets a lead and a favorable strike zone.
Hamels has been ineffective so far in the playoffs, going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA. Giving up the long-ball has been a problem and could be again tonight against a dangerous lineup. Charlie Manuel said they talked about using the curveball more, so we will see if that factors in his outing.
Game Time: 8:07
Balanced Sixers net first win of season
The Sixers got their first win of the season Friday night, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks, 99-86, in their home-opener.
The Sixers recovered from a season-opening loss to the Magic to even their record at 1-1.
Though the sample size is just two games I think what we have seen out of the Sixers so far is what we can expect to see the rest of the way. Philly will do well when matchup up with the average-to-bottom teams that the Eastern Conference puts out but struggle against the top tier teams.
They don’t have enough talent to beat teams like the Magic, Cavs or Celtics, but have more than enough to take down squads like the Bucks, Nets and Bobcats.
It is kind of the way the Sixers have been since Allen Iverson was in town.
New head coach Eddie Jordan promised to implement a Princeton-style offense and the early results are indicating that the players re buying into it. The Princeton offense is one that spreads the ball around and tries to find the open man through a series of cuts and screens. Take a look at the scoring averages through two games and you can see that there is plenty of diversity.
Lou Williams 17.0
Marreese Speights 15.0
Andre Iguodala 13.0
Elton Brand 12.5
Jason Kapono 11.5
Thaddeus Young 10.5
Rodney Carney 10.0
Samuel Dalmbert 9.5
While I am not sure the Sixers will finish the season with six or seven guys in double figures, I do expect the balance to remain close to the same. That is the type of team Jordan wants. It won’t lead to many All-Stars, but it should lead to a playoff berth.
The Sixers should get their second-straight win tonight, when they travel to take on the New York Knicks.
Even in basketball it is a Philly-New York weekend.
Joe Blanton will start Game 4
Joe Blanton will get another chance to crack a home run in the World Series.
More importantly, he will get a chance to pitch the Phillies past the Yankees in Game 4, on Sunday. Manager Charlie Manuel announced today that Blanton will get the call, instead of using Cliff Lee on three days’ rest. Lee will pitch Game 5.
Manuel said that he did not think Lee would be ready on three days’ rest and that he did not want to push him. He also said that he will use J.A. Happ exclusively out of the bullpen the rest of the way.
Blanton started Game 4 against the Rays last year, combining a strong pitching performance with a clutch home run in what became a 10-2 Phillies win. It gave the Phillies a 3-1 series lead. Fans can only hope for some déjà vu.
Cole Hamels will start game 3 on Saturday and will be opposed by veteran Andy Pettitte.
So what do you think: Is Charlie making the right move by going with a rested Joe Blanton over Lee on short rest?
Burnett shuts down Phils; Series tied 1-1
Pedro Martinez gave the Phillies a valiant effort Thursday night but the Philadelphia bats went silent against A.J. Burnett, as the New York Yankees took Game 2, 3-1, to tie the World Series, 1-1.
A couple of solo home runs proved to be enough for New York thanks to seven strong innings from Burnett, who had his curveball going, and a two-inning save from Mariano Rivera.
Now the series shifts to Philadelphia where Cole Hamels will get the ball for Game 3 against postseason veteran Andy Pettitte, on Saturday night.
While taking both games in New York would have been a huge boost for the Phillies, a spilt is more-than acceptable. The Phillies have proven that they are a great home team in the postseason, dropping just one home game the last two years. While taking all three games at home will be tough, the Phillies showed against the Dodgers in the NLCS and the Rays in the 2008 World Series that it can be done.
Rest assured that the Philly faithful will be pumped up and bring much more energy than the New York crowd could muter up in two games.
I have never been a Joe Buck fan, but I had to chuckle last night when he said after a Mark Teixeira home run, “At 9:04 the Yankees fans have shown up.”
You can bet that won’t be the case in Philadelphia.
The bigger question will be if Hamels shows up. The Phils need Hamels to find last season’s form and deliver them a big victory. We know he has it in him and now we need to see it.
Pedro Martinez and Yankees renew rivalry
When the Phillies signed pitcher Pedro Martinez late in the regular season it was with hopes hat he could provide them with a little bit more than Jamie Moyer was giving them.
Now, they are asking for more; A lot more.
Pedro will take the mound tonight at Yankees Stadium with the task of giving the Phillies a commanding 2-0 lead in the World Series.
Pedro’s best game against the Yankees came in September of 1999 when he pitched a complete-game one-hitter in a 3-1 Red Sox win. He struck out 17.
The Phillies can’t ask for that tonight can they?
Well, probably not, but given Pedro’s flair for the dramatic the Phillies can expect a solid performance that will keep them in the game.
The atmosphere will no doubt be intense tonight at Yankees Stadium. Last night you could hear a pin drop, but that was only because Cliff Lee was that good. Even if Pedro is on his game, the fans will be on him, surely bringing back the “Who’s your Daddy” chants.
The best thing for Martinez was what Lee gave him by pitching a gem last night – a sense of freeness on the mound. By winning Game 1, the Phillies shifted all of the pressure on the Yankees. Lose Game 2 ad the Yankees are finished.
That is the pressure quality, but erratic, Yankees starter A.J. Burnett faces. It is only Game 2 and it is already a must-win for the Bronx Bombers. This is Burnett’s first start in a World Series game and he has an entire team and city on his back.
Burnett against the Phillies: Between his time in Florida and interleague matchups while with Toronto Burnett has faced the Phillies quite a few times and the Phillies hitters have gotten the better of him. Burnett is 5-8 lifetime with a 4.85 ERA in 16 starts. One of those starts came on May 22, when he was shelled for five runs in six innings in a Phillies win.
Pedro vs. A-Rod: In 55 at-bats against Pedro A-Rod has just one home run. He also has 19 strikeouts.
Game time: 8:07, FOX
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