Opening F#^%in' Day!!

I'm so happy I could plotz! Tonight, tonight my World Fuckin' Champion Philadelphia Phillies start playin' ones that count again! Luckily for me, my man and sax-a-phonist supreme Wild Bill Kate was on one of his many trips to Las Vegas the other week and put down some bucks for me on the Phils to DO IT AGAIN. To start off the season in style, we get these sweet gold trimmed jersies, and I don't know if you know this, but I bleed gold.
















Yesterday was the last Spring Training game (ahh, Spring Training, can't wait for it to start, can't wait for it to be over!), and though I had to work (SUCKS), my lucky parents were there (as well as mc Ben and of course the Main Man), six rows back of first base and squarely in camera for all them lefties! So, I got to do one of my favorite things and photograph the tv!

My ma is in the big shades and my dad in in the Phils cap and beard, and the Flyin' Hawaiian is the one with the helmet! You can't see it, but my mom is wearing her Pat Burrell shirt I got at the York Galleria for $2.99, and when Ace Lefty Colbert Hamels tossed Pat the Bat a sweet meat ball in the first (cause that's how you treat yer freinds!), and the Bat lifted it out of CBP, she went bananas! Alright everybody... let's win 100!

Thievin' and Stealin' and Robbin' and Takin'

Grabbed this off Frolic's blog by way of phillies.com. Didn't I blow yer mind this time? Didn't I? Man that Big Man is sexy! Even Brett "Old South" Myers (workin' on '09 nick-names) lost a lot of poundage. That's it, I'm going to FLA, kidnappin' The Bat, and then we're gettin' in my time machine. Let's go Karl.

Getting Our Due

Great photo and terrific tagline... one only us Golden Geese can truly appreciate!






















Here's a photo of new Tampa Bay Ray (tear!) Pat "the Bat" Burrell. That man in that hat is a mind-blowing image. Courtesy of the Tampa Tribune.

Bittersweet Farewell for Burrell

Just this one more, I swear. There is alot to say, and sometimes other dudes can say it better. This one is by Inquirer Sports Columnist Phil Sheridan.

There were times in the last seven years when the departure of Pat Burrell would have been greeted with a smile and a huge sigh of relief.

Now that Burrell's decade-long tenure as a Phillie appears to be over, it's hard to know quite what to feel. Sadness? Anger? Shrugged acceptance of the business of sports? Burrell has given Philadelphia fans reasons to feel all those things and more during what was, after all, one of the more complicated careers here.

There's a time and place to compare Burrell to his replacement, Raul Ibanez. This isn't that time or place. This is about observing the end of an era.

Actually, Burrell was the human bridge between two Phillies eras. He was the epitome of the bumbling Phillies, who couldn't figure out where to invest their long-term guaranteed money. And he became the elder statesman on a team that won the World Series.

It was a nearly impossible metamorphosis.

The Phillies rushed to sign Burrell to a long-term deal after their bitter experiences with Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen. There followed seasons of watching the clock, willing time to run out on Burrell's deal and the paralyzing effect it had on the Phillies' payroll.

For a while there, Burrell seemed like the kind of player Philadelphia would eat alive: former No. 1 overall draft pick, huge contract, underwhelming numbers, maybe a bit too good-looking. And, yes, the leftfielder heard his share of boos during his time here.

He'd strike out, flailing away at a low-and-away breaking ball, and the long low roar would start. But a funny thing happened during Burrell's most puzzlingly unproductive seasons. Each time he came to the plate, he'd get a cheer that sounded almost - dare we say it? - supportive.

There was something very human about Burrell's struggles, something that made a lot of fans cut him more slack than better players, in every sport, have gotten here. Burrell would walk to the plate to a cheer. If he struck out, especially if he looked clueless doing so, he'd get a boo. But next time up, he'd get another cheer.

Partly it was because Burrell spent long sessions with hitting coaches, trying to break bad habits. His work ethic explained why he had the respect of his teammates even when he wasn't producing on the field. That respect was there even when manager Charlie Manuel made the hard decision to sit Burrell for stretches of the season.

Managers don't like to keep their highest-paid player out of the lineup. It makes everyone look bad. It took backbone for Manuel to do it and grace for Burrell to accept it without public complaint.

His teammates noticed. So did the fans.

It worked, too. Burrell would gradually come around after one of these time outs, start popping home runs, then turn some of those awful pitches into walks instead of outs.

Burrell's curious relationship with the fans would be the most memorable thing about his time here if he hadn't rewritten his legacy in his final weeks.

The slumping Burrell came to Miller Field in Milwaukee for Game 4 of the first-round playoff series wondering whether he'd be in the lineup that day. He was. He responded by hitting two home runs to help clinch the Phillies' first playoff series victory in 15 seasons.

Dallas Green, manager of the 1980 champions and franchise scold, grabbed Burrell in the clubhouse and told him how proud he was of him. It was a moment that illustrated how much genuine affection there is for Burrell within the Phillies organization - even if that affection was often mixed with hair-pulling frustration.

The official Major League Baseball DVD commemorating the Phillies' title features another candid moment - one that leaps out at you because it's surprising it wasn't on the cutting-room floor.

During Game 5 of the World Series, Jimmy Rollins approaches Burrell in the area behind the Phillies dugout.

"That's what's missing: you," Rollins says, goading the teammate he'd met when both were in high school. "I don't know who this guy is. I don't know who you are. I want to see No. 5 show up."

Burrell walks away without responding. But then he came out and hit the double, just feet from clearing the fence, that led to the Series-winning run.

That was Burrell's last at-bat as a Phillie. His last public appearance as a member of the team was as honorary grand marshal of the unforgettable parade down Broad Street.

The parade will linger in the collective memory long after the most awkward strikeouts and the head-down walks back to the dugout have faded. In Philadelphia, at least, Burrell will get to do what so few athletes here have ever done - leave on top, as a champion.

Maybe it's OK to smile after all.

Grapheme and the Money Ball

What an emotional time for baseballers. The loss of Pat Burrell still sticks in my crawl. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Ibanez isn't a total dud, and apparently Amaro Junior is after those RISP and clutch numbers. But again, if the issue was giving three years and alot of money to a player who isn't defensively sound or fast at all, then why not keep the band together? Pat the Bat turned out to be a fan favorite and someone we trusted, one way or another, and the advent of a Championship does not translate to a kinder, gentler Philadelphia. Ibanez is gonna get the business from the left field stands, for sure.

Thankfully we resigned Jamie Moyer. This was very wise. With Moyer, you get a good arm and a great mind, and any young pitchers on the staff are lucky to have him. Not to mention it means retaining another piece of our beloved team. We signed Chan Ho Park, the ex-Dodger pitcher to jump in the mix for the fifth starter along with J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick, and Carlos Carrasco, but I've seen some hopeful bloggers with some good ideas. Namely, go crazy, trade Ibanez for a high tier starter and retain Pat the Bat. I know that is just wishful thinking, but what if?

Watching a player of franchise status get a new team and a new uni can be fascinating and exhilarating. I love when things (cows, ghosts, athletes) look the same as always but in a different color. Like when Shaq went from Laker gold and purple to Miami black and red, or when my man Allen Iverson strapped on that Detroit penny this year. Baseball is even better. I love the color match-ups in baseball, and I love getting the city scape shots and local flavor that somehow finds its way to exhibition on the diamond. Interleague is the best for this synesthetic joy. Like when the Dodgers play the Angels in the Battle for Los Angeles, and you have straight up red team vs. blue team action, fighting for the ideals of their neighborhoods. Even better is Oakland A's vs. San Francisco Giants, poor vs. rich, green and yellow vs. orange and black. The Phillies/Dodger series was great because 1) It was red team/blue team, 2) It was mean and wild vs. lazy and apathetic, 3) We won.

Still, I don't really want to see the Bat in any other uniform, but I assume he's gonna go to the AL, so I'll have a favorite Junior Circuit team soon I guess. If I had to see it, I'd hope it would be in Orioles gear, or barring that Kansas City or Oakland or Tampa Bay. And dear lord please not New York, Boston, or Atlanta. Either way the decathexis is painful and I wish it didn't have to happen.

Burrell Leaves Phillies Quietly, But Disappointed

Here is a terrific article/Burrell interview with Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Watch out though... it's a tear-jerker.

PAT BURRELL was asked to lead the Phillies' triumphal parade down Broad Street. Then, nothing. After that the organization seemed content to allow him, like MacArthur's old soldiers, to just fade away.

Even while actively seeking his replacement, club officials never said out loud that they didn't want their longest-tenured player back. Didn't say they did, either. Just decided not to offer arbitration and went about the business of not having substantive discussions with the first overall draft pick in 1998, the leftfielder they once viewed as the face of their franchise.

It was a curiously anticlimactic end for the player who has hit more home runs for the Phillies than anybody but Mike Schmidt and Del Ennis, an end that finally came when the organization agreed to terms on a 3-year, $31.5 million contract with free agent Raul Ibanez, a deal expected to be formally announced this week.

"I kind of had a feeling there was a strong possibility, you know, that I wasn't in the cards," Burrell said during a lengthy phone conversation over the weekend. "At the same time, I hadn't heard anything from the team.

"I'm disappointed. I can't lie about that. But I can't say I'm upset about it, either, because when I think about my time there I have nothing but good things to say. The city, the fans, have been behind me from the very beginning. That's the hard part, especially with respect to what happened last year, with us winning the whole thing. It was very meaningful to me to be a part of something like that. But you have to move on.

"You know, there's a business [aspect] to this sport. And as a player you'd better learn to accept that or else it's going to be pretty frustrating for you. I was aware that, most likely, the team was going to go the other way. At the same time, I thought there was a chance I might be back."

He's still just 32 years old. He hit 33 home runs last season. Only three righthanded hitters in the National League (Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and St. Louis' Ryan Ludwick and Albert Pujols) had more. While he rarely shared himself with the media, he was immensely popular with his teammates, who respected his toughness and work ethic. And he was consistent in talking about how much he enjoyed playing in Philadelphia and that he would love to return.

On the other hand, he recognized that he was making $14 million and doesn't run as well as he used to and routinely came out of games for a defensive replacement or a pinch-runner in the late innings.

So after he doubled against the wall to lead off the bottom of the seventh against Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the World Series - the score was tied, 3-3, at the time - the realization of what it all might mean started to hit him when Eric Bruntlett trotted onto the field to run for him.

"I was coming off the field and I started looking around and thinking, 'This might be it.' At the same time, here we were possibly about to win the World Series," he said. "On a personal level, I remember hitting the ball and thinking it was way over the fence. Then getting a chance to be on second with nobody out and [Shane] Victorino up, I thought we were going to get [Bruntlett] over and we were going to get him in. That's kind of where I was at."

That's exactly what happened. Bruntlett went to third when Victorino grounded out to second and scored what proved to the winning run when Pedro Feliz singled.

During the chaos in the celebration that followed the second world championship in franchise history, Burrell remembered club president Dave Montgomery seeking him out.

"I could be wrong about this, but we won Game 5 and I think at some point during the celebration [Montgomery] asked me if I wanted to bring [his wife] Michelle and [his dog] Elvis and go on with the Clydesdales. At that point, I was in a dream," he said.

"They called the next day and confirmed it. But even at that point we didn't know where it fit in the whole scheme of things. There were so many people and it seemed like such mass confusion to start this thing off. Then we found out that we were actually in front of all the flatbed trucks with the players, then I really knew it was something pretty special."

He embraced the city in a way few professional athletes have. And the city, in return, returned the emotion. Sure, there were boos when he fell into a prolonged slump. Overall, though, the fans were often more supportive than might have been expected.

"The only way I can explain it is that if you're always on top of the world, if you're always at the top of your game and feeling great, it's hard to understand why other players who are struggling are having a good time. You understand what I'm saying?" he said.

"I've certainly been through some periods where I haven't played very well and struggled and went through all these things. And to be able to get out of that and to get back to where I am now and have the fans' support that whole time, it's a special feeling.

"These fans, I don't think they get the credit they deserve for being as passionate about the game and the players as they are. They only want one thing, and that's to win. As a player, that should be the only thing that matters, too. They came every night, and that's all you can ask. If you don't think the fans were important in us winning that World Series, you must have been watching on TV. Because every one of us on our team knew we had the [homefield] advantage. And I think their team did, too."

Asked what he would like people to know about him that they might not know, he said simply: "That winning came first."

He got a heads-up from former Phillies third baseman Dave Hollins. He was on his way up, on the verge of making the big leagues. Hollins was on his way down, playing in the minors.

"I was at Triple A [Scranton/Wilkes-Barre] and we were in the playoffs against Charlotte. I got to first base, I was having a good series, and [Hollins] was playing first. I remember him saying, 'They're going to love you up there. Just keep playing hard.' For some reason, after all these years, that sticks in my head more than anything.

"Because when you're going through these times and the fans are watching you go through it and you're struggling, as long as you're giving it everything you've got, they appreciate it. Especially for me.

"Living downtown with Michelle and having the dog, walking to the park every day, the support was incredible coming down the stretch. I can't tell you how many people came up to me and said stuff like, 'We love having you here, we hope you stay. You went through such bad times and you made it out. You came back and became a great player.' Stuff like that is important, for me anyway, to know that, hey, they're behind you and they care about you and they're pulling for you to get back on track."

There were reports earlier in the season that Burrell had turned down a 2-year, $22 million offer that would have kept him in red pinstripes. He addressed the issue reluctantly.

"This is all I'm going to say about it: Early in the season there were preliminary discussions about the possibility of an extension. And the truth of it is, it never got to be more than that. It just never did," he said. "The rest of the season went on and that was the end of the preliminary discussions. To be honest, nothing specific was ever talked about. Nothing official was offered. There were just some preliminary talks."

Then there were no talks at all. Now Burrell is starting over, wondering what the future holds.

"I wish I knew," he said. "For the last 10 1/2 years, being in this organization since 1998, I always knew where I was going. For me, that meant a lot. There was a comfort in that.

"At the same time, this is what we signed up for. You never know what's going to happen. I don't know what the future holds. We'll have to wait and see."

It's a bittersweet time. "If you had told me last spring training that this was going to be my last year and how did I want to go out, there would be no better way to go out," he said. "But having gone through everything . . . Like Cole Hamels said, 'I can't wait to do this again.' So there's a touch of that, too."

Now he knows, finally, that if he wins another World Series it will be with a different team. *

Pat the Bat Tribute

Well, it happened. During the economic crunch and Manny-Mania, the Phils took the step and signed a replacement for my man, Pat Burrell in the Philadelphia left field. It just went down, so I don't know everything, such as why we would sign another left handed hitter to our lefty-heavy squad, or why we were able to give a 36 year old three years and not to the younger Burrell, but we now have the extremely respectable "Too Cool" Raul Ibanez. Great numbers, better OBP+ than the Bat, good man, good cheap alternative guitar, and I'm happy to have him, but I may be the biggest straight, non-female Pat Burrell fan in the tri-state area. I will miss him desperately. See, I am a better fan and more knowledgable than most, and while most money-ballers cream to OBP+ etc..., in my eyes the biggest stat is heart. While so many heckled and booed Burrell, I was always cheering, realistic yet optimistic. During those lean years Pat and J-Roll (with and assist from Bobby Abreu) were the whole team. I really wish we could have had him back for another two/three years, but here we are. I just hope he finds a good home, probably making bank as a DH somewhere, hopefully not New York or Boston, hopefully Baltimore! Pat the Bat and Big Tex? I'll drive down, or catch a ride with mc Ben. Anyway, thanks Pat! Here is an abbreviated highlight reel. We'll see ya around...

Words of the Bat. Pat, Elvis, and fans. Pat and Elvis in the PARADE. One of Pat's many fans. Burrell takes Dice-K deep.A big two-run homer.Burrell's 200th carreer dinger, out in Chavez Ravine. Eagles chant?
The crowd goes crazy for Pat the Bat!
A "Burrell Bomb" - dig the newly retired Jumbo-Tron graphic. Left field hecklers.On Deck with Pat, Chase, and J.C.Just for fun.
Philly #1 Draft Picks.

Phillies Offseason

Since their isn't any more baseball until pitchers and catchers report in February 2009, dudes like me who deify baseballers can only partake in the modern luxury of the Hot Stove Report on mlb.com. Imagine, prior to like 1996 young Dan getting up every day of the summer and unfurling the newest edition of the News Journal and huffin' newsprint and staring for hours upon end at the box scores and standings comprised of only four divisions. Then all winter long, daily one inch by one inch transaction reports buried on page six of "Sports." Now it is better, but worse too, colder... you can't really sniff a monitor like you can a paper. That's the only problem with scanned, downloadable comics. My Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1 from 1989 actually is better for sniffin' then for readin'! BUT, you can get up-to-the-second trade rumors and facts. The Hot Stove has the good writing, but prosportsdaily.com has juicer, sometimes less apt to happen reports. Now, I have the privilege of being a life-long Phillies fan, so as you know, we rule, and won't be doing too much off-season shuffling, but here's my analysis of what we're gonna look like come April.

Starting Pitching - Despite being snubbed at the All-Star game, Cole Hamels is the class of the National League, NLCS and World Series MVP, a true Iceman, callin' 20 game winner, and our Ace. Plus some old lady called me "Cole Hamels" at the Concord Mall. Brett Myers could suck again, but I am an optimist. He is a headie pitcher, and World Series success could translate into a good full season for the oft woe begotten fireballer. League leader in strikeouts? Callin' it. Jamie Moyer will resign with his hometown team, pitch until he's 50, and probably end up as the Phil's pitching coach eventually. Professor Moyer can play baseball forever, because he doesn't use his arm, he uses his brain. Joe Blanton was a bit of a groaner when we heard the trade went through, but Fat Joey pitched great in the postseason and is a really decent #4 starter. That's a one through four who can all eat innings. Now as for the fifth starter, we got with us now Kyle "KK" Kendrick who lost his groove near the end of this year and may or may not ever be good again. J.A. Happ is a Kendrick clone without the unprecedented success or giant fall, so his blank slate can be seen as positive. I do not want to see Adam Eaton on this team next year. With all this in mind, signing a fifth starter would be a great idea. A hot shot lefty would be ideal, but we may need that money later when we get to the outfield. So that rules out dudes like A.J. Burnett, John Garland, etc... and of course those top tiers as well. I don't want some oldster review with Randy Johnson pitching the first half the year and frickin' Curt Schilling the second half. Call me nuts, but I would like to get Randy Wolf and the Wolf Pack back in Philly, but he somehow has a bidding war going, so he might be out. Who knows, maybe we'll try and conserve in the outfield and go for the big market second Ace, but you know what I wanna do? Give it to Carlos Carassco! Bring 'im up! A homegrown fifth starter.

Relief Pitching - The Phillies bullpen was the best in the majors, and very little is going to change. Keep long relievers Chad Durbin and Clay Condrey, 7-8-9 men J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson, and Brad Lidge right where they are. Combined they could be the National League MVP, with notable contributions from Madson and Lidge, 2009 All-Stars callin' it. Scott Eyre was a classic ex-GM Pat Gillick under-the-radar pick-up that worked out great. He resigned with us already. We will be rid of Tom "Trash" Gordon and Rudy Seanez. That leaves Happ or Kendrick or (god-forbid) Eaton to round out the 'pen, and new GM Amaro Junior could always find a nice low-risk, high-reward type guy to insert.

Infield - We are in the glory days of Philadelphia. We have the best infield we have ever had. People will hate, of course, but let it be known, the "Big Man" Ryan Howard is here to stay and will probably be the N.L. MVP later this week, if not, it's a fix! Chase Utley was ice cold during the World Series, but like all Phils, he was why we were there in the first place. Utley is actually the best second baseman in baseball, and will be the all-time second base home run king. Jimmy Rollins. J-Roll. My favorite Phil and the most sabermetrically sound shortstop in the bigs. He's like Snoopy to the Peanuts team in every way. Pedro Feliz aka Pete Happy is a World Series hero and a vacuum at third. He is capable of doing more with the bat than he did this year, but if he doesn't, a more evenly-split platoon with pinch-hittah extraordinaire Greg Dobbs will be ideal. We'll probably retain Eric Bruntlett, who can play almost any position and seems to be able to come up with big hits. "Rad" Tad Iguchi won't be back. Behind the plate, Carlos "Hamster Pie" Ruiz was the sometimes unsung hero of the year. His dismal plate performance was well overshadowed by his superb skills while calling a game. He is probably the second smartest Phil, behind only Moyer. Now, as far as an offensive counterpart goes, Chris Coste is a great back up guy, but with Lou Marson seemingly ready to make the move to the majors, Coste may end up as trade bait. What's more, if Marson delivers on his hype, Ruiz may become a defensive specialist behind Marson's bat.

Outfield - This is the trickiest area for the Phils this offseason, due solely to the fact that Super-Phillie Pat "the Bat" Burrell is up for free agency. I desperately want Pat to stay. Through all the boos he kept at it and I always cheered. Pat Burrell is for baseball fans with heart, and he should stay with us. But, he will probably be hotly sought after. The known chink in his game is his speed and defense, so American League squads may see a custom built designated hitter. But, it is well known that Burrell hates to DH and would always prefer to pay left field (though first base would suit him too). I hear it will come down to a matter of time. The Phils want to give him two years and he wants three, so we wait for Friday for the games to begin. If he stays, we're pretty solid. Center fielder Shane Victorino is another future All-Star who should be sought after but untouchable. Jayson Werth is the same thing to a lesser degree, and if top-tier pitching could be swung, I think they'd deal Werth. Backing the boys up is Geoff Jenkins, whose horror-story 2008 was wiped clean by that big 'ol World Series double. He's still a question mark, but not to trade valuable. Matt Stairs is another post season hero who is really best suited for trying and hit a home run every couple games then playing the field. So "So" Taguchi will probably retire, but definitely won't be back with the Phils. If Burrell does go, they've discussed a Jenkins/Dobbs right field platoon with Werth in left, but they'll almost certainly go after some kind of big name bat. Not Manny, not Holliday, not Adam Dunn, not Bobby Abreu. The name I keep seeing is Rocco Baldelli, Tampa Bay feel-good story and home run hitter. Seattle's Raul Ibanez would also bring the pop. None are "the Bat" but we'll have to see what offers are made.

Overall, the slickest thing would be to trade Adam Eaton and Geoff Jenkins for top notch relief to super-bolster the bullpen, resign Pat Burell, bring up Carlos Carassco, and get ready for the next parade.

Manny Being Manny vs. Man or Machine?

So, word on the street is that the hated Boston Red Sox are looking to part ways with All-Star left fielder Manny Ramirez, one of the cornerstones of the potent BoSox line up. Apparently, Manny and manager Terry Francona, noted for his impotence while managing in Philly, have some beef, yet again. No surprise there, but the RUMOR has it that Manny may only accept a trade to Philadelphia, reuniting him with ol' Cleavland Indians hitting coach and manager, Uncle Charlie Manuel.

The hated New York Mets are of course after him as well, much in need of a left fielder with Moises Alou out for the year, possibly forever. But the Mets have been burned in the Manny-hunt in the past and aren't likely to go whole-hog. So, IF the trade talk isn't all balderdash, and IF something blockbuster could really be worked out, and IF Philly agreed to the 20 million in 2009 option AND the contract extension it's believed Manny will want, and IF this isn't just the perennial Manny dick-tease... then do we really want him?

Well, who would we have to give up and what would the line-up look like afterwards? Since the trade is based on Ramirez' personality and not any particular Boston team needs, would they be after prospects or some of our most beloved Phils? Well, with All-Star Kevin Youkilis at first base for the Sox, the Big Man, Ryan Howard should be safe in Philly. They got that puss Dustin Pedroia at second, so Chase Utley remains untradeable. J-Roll stays at short forever, and Boston's Mike Lowell outclasses the Phils three-way third base jam-up. Would they be after our outfield? Well, a Manny/Pat Burrell trade would be shockingly even, but why would Philly do it? Burrell has matured to a very important part of the team, more consistent than ANYONE else in the line-up with a .985 on base plus slugging percentage, second among major league outfielders while Manny's down at ninth with .932. Pat's offensive stats are regularly a little better than Manny's this year, and he has earned his place in Philadelphia.

Trading Pat for Manny would be crazy. BUT, what if we moved Burrell to right field, opening up left for Ramirez? Ditching Geoff Jenkins would be great. He's the biggest hole our line-up offers, with that barber-pole swing, but he's not exactly a throw-away player, costing too much. Any team scouting the Phillies wants either Shane Victorino or Jayson Werth, the two speedy outfielders have proven themselves to be clutch and won so many games for the Phils with their bats, gloves, and intangibles. Normally, I would say HELL NO to either player getting traded, but with the potential of Ramirez' bat... we might be able to part with Werth... if they take Eaton too! We don't wanna lose any more minor league pitching though... Joe Blanton cost us, among other things, number 2 prospect Josh Outman. I and most other Phils fans would much rather see our boys (i.e. Carlos Carrasco) get a shot at the majors than waste them on question marks like Blanton who is already in his late twenties.

On Eaton... yesterday's shitty two innings solidified what we already knew. Adam Eaton should not be a major league pitcher, let alone a Philadelphia Philly. Along with odd-man-out Rudy Seanez, Eaton will be moved before the July 31 trade deadline. Either demoted to the minors, but out and out released if a trade can't be found. J.A. Happ was pulled from his triple-A start after just two and two thirds innings yesterday, fueling speculation that he is either a chip in the possible Ramirez deal or just that Eaton is gone and we need the bullpen help.

So trade Jenkins/Werth and some pitchers for Ramirez and you get...

Jimmy Rollins SS

Chase Utley 2B
Manny Ramirez LF
Ryan Howard 1B
Pat Burrell RF
Shane Victorino CF
Pedro Feliz/Greg Dobbs 3B
Chris Coste/Carlos Ruiz C

Tell me that line-up isn't sick.