I'm back to blogging, and how fitting is it that this entry and the previous one over two weeks ago are both related to the Milwaukee Brewers? After a month of having an extended bench and some extra bodies in the bullpen, teams will have to return to the conventional 25 man roster. How will the Phillies go from the comfy roster size back down? Pat Gillick says that everyone who was active today will be eligible with the exception of Tadahito Iguchi, so with that in mind, let's take a look at the stone cold locks.
Catcher (2)
Chris Coste
Carlos Ruiz
You obviously need two catchers, and these were the guys the Phillies rode all season. Chris Coste stepped up and had a bunch of starts when Ruiz was having his struggles, but it seems like Ruiz has taken the starting job back. Ruiz is pretty much a lock for starts made by Hamels and Moyer, Coste usually handles Myers, and I guess they'll ride the hot hand with Blanton. Lou Marson could be an interesting choice if Manuel wants to have Coste available to pinch hit, but that's a luxury.
Infielders (5)
Ryan Howard
Chase Utley
Jimmy Rollins
Pedro Feliz
Greg Dobbs
These are the five guys who either play every day or get a lot of significant action. Manuel seems to have a good handle on switching Dobbs and Feliz in and out of the lineup, and the other three players obviously start every game. No one else is needed for a bat off the bench, but it's likely that Bruntlett gets added to run and play defense.
Outfielders (3)
Pat Burrell
Shane Victorino
Jayson Werth
I really don't think I can commit to more than that right now. Those three are the every day players, and the backup picture is too muddled. Stairs and Jenkins, the Canadian in particular, add a good left handed option off the bench, Golson is really fast, and Taguchi is there. They obviously need some backups, and we'll choose them when we see how many roster spots we have left in a bit.
Starters (4)
Joe Blanton
Cole Hamels
Jamie Moyer
Brett Myers
Are these guys good enough to win a championship? We know Hamels is an ace, hopefully. Brett Myers has showed a lot in the second half. He's had a couple clunkers in a row, but he should be well rested and ready to go. Jamie Moyer has made a lot of big starts, and hopefully he can continue his solid season for a few more starts. I still think the shoulder injury might be bothering Blanton a bit, but he's a solid guy at the back of a playoff rotation.
Relievers (5)
Chad Durbin
Scott Eyre
Brad Lidge
Ryan Madson
J.C. Romero
We'll want to carry maybe two more relievers, but these are the guys the Phillies will lean on to pitch the tight innings late. Eyre has done a great job since coming over for Chicago, and he's given Manuel great flexibility as a second reliever in the bullpen. The 8th inning was hairy for a little bit, but a combo of J.C., Durbin and Mad Dog should be able to get it done when it counts. Lidge has obviously had some tense moments, but I'm confident when he comes into the game.
That's a total of 19 guys that I think every Phillies fan can agree should be on the postseason roster. Where should the other six spots go? Let's get a couple more pitchers in the bullpen. Clay Condrey has worked hard this season, and he probably deserves a spot in case one of our starters gets in deep trouble. That means it comes down to Rudy Seanez or J.A. Happ for the last spot. I'd like to keep the young guy, but I could see us going for the experience angle with a guy that can probably warm up faster. Frankly, if either guy has to pitch, it's not good.
That means we have four more spots for the offense. We really like Eric Bruntlett, so he's got one locked down. Matt Stairs adds some power, so he has to be on. Geoff Jenkins has finally made the playoffs, and it's a tough call, but I guess he can slip onto the roster. With 24 guys left, what else do the Phillies need? Another pitcher? Probably not, 11 is enough. We could use an extra pinch hitting bat from the right side. Lou Marson would be nice for this, either directly or indirectly. He could hit, or he could be a safety net if we want Coste hitting. I'll give the nod to Greg Golson. We might not trust an inexperienced player, but his speed is game changing, and he's better at being So Taguchi than So Taguchi is.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Playoff Push Series 2: Brewers at Phillies
Mets 82-63
Phillies 3.5 GB
Brewers 83-63
Phillies 4 GB
9/11-9/14 v. Milwaukee Brewers
9/11 Ben Sheets v. Jamie Moyer
Sheets 2008, career v. Phillies: 13-7 2.82 ERA, 2-3 4.50 ERA
Has trouble with:
Pat Burrell 7/14, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.563/1.071
Matt Stairs 6/17, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .353/.333/.882
Carlos Ruiz 1/2, .500/.500/.500
Moyer 2008, career v. Brewers: 13-7 3.64 ERA, 8-5 3.57 ERA
Has trouble with:
Bill Hall 5/6, .833/.833/1.167
Rickie Weeks 2/4, .500/.714/.750
Mike Lamb 6/16, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .375/.474/.563
Previously, it was believed that the Wild Card would be unattainable, but the Brewers seem to be fading. They had to grind out a win against Cincinnati to avoid a sweep, and this is a great time for the Phillies to make up ground on them. Moyer hasn't started on three days rest this season, and the rest of his splits indicate he does better with more rest.
9/12 Manny Parra v. Cole Hamels
Parra 2008, career v. Phillies: 10-7 4.03 ERA, 0-1 18.00 ERA
Has trouble with:
No one, yet.
Hamels 2008, career v. Brewers: 12-9 3.12 ERA, 1.1 4.76 ERA
Has trouble with:
Ryan Braun 3/7, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .429/.429/1.000
J.J. Hardy 3/8, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .375/.444/.875
Mike Cameron 1/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .200/.429/.800
Manny Parra has a sky high ERA in his brief career against the Phillies, yet it's not because of anyone on today's roster. In the 11th inning of an August meeting last season, Wes Helms doubled home Howard and Rowand to give the Phillies a lead. For most guys, it'll be the first time facing him, and he's a pretty decent pitcher. This game should be low scoring.
9/13 Dave Bush v. Joe Blanton
Bush 2008, career v. Phillies: 9-10 4.23 ERA, 0-0 6.18 ERA
Has trouble with:
Pat Burrell 4/10, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .400/.455/1.300
Greg Dobbs 5/10, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .500/.500/1.200
Chase Utley 3/7, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .429/.636/.857
Blanton 2008, career v. Brewers: 2-0 4.61 ERA, N/A
Has trouble with:
Ray Durham 5/11, 2 RBI, .455/.455/.818
Mike Cameron 1/2, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500/.667/2.000
This is the time for Joe Blanton to prove it was a good move to acquire him. A lot of people are souring on the trade if they weren't from the beginning, and Blanton has turned in some lackluster efforts recently. A lot of the Phillies have had success against Bush, so as long as they continue to hit him, it'll just be up to Blanton to not give up the lead.
9/14 Jeff Suppan v. TBA
Suppan 2008, career v. Phillies: 10-8 4.63 ERA, 3-5 5.59 ERA
Has trouble with:
Chris Coste 2/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500/.600/1.250
Jayson Werth 3/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .600/.600/1.200
Pat Burrell 8/20, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .400/.538/.800
TBA 2008, career v. Brewers: N/A, N/A
Has trouble with:
Likely no one
They really can't give Kendrick another start, can they? How far has this guy fallen? He's still young and has a shot to be a back-end starter, but he has just collapsed over the second half this season. He's lost his command and become completely ineffective. J.A. Happ hasn't been much better, but since neither Carpenter nor Carrasco are on the active roster, they don't have much of a choice.
New York Mets 9/11-9/15
Off
v. Atlanta (Hampton @ Santana)
v. Atlanta (Reyes @ Martinez)
v. Atlanta (Campillo @ Perez)
@ Washington (Pelfrey @ TBA)
Phillies 3.5 GB
Brewers 83-63
Phillies 4 GB
9/11-9/14 v. Milwaukee Brewers
9/11 Ben Sheets v. Jamie Moyer
Sheets 2008, career v. Phillies: 13-7 2.82 ERA, 2-3 4.50 ERA
Has trouble with:
Pat Burrell 7/14, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.563/1.071
Matt Stairs 6/17, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .353/.333/.882
Carlos Ruiz 1/2, .500/.500/.500
Moyer 2008, career v. Brewers: 13-7 3.64 ERA, 8-5 3.57 ERA
Has trouble with:
Bill Hall 5/6, .833/.833/1.167
Rickie Weeks 2/4, .500/.714/.750
Mike Lamb 6/16, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .375/.474/.563
Previously, it was believed that the Wild Card would be unattainable, but the Brewers seem to be fading. They had to grind out a win against Cincinnati to avoid a sweep, and this is a great time for the Phillies to make up ground on them. Moyer hasn't started on three days rest this season, and the rest of his splits indicate he does better with more rest.
9/12 Manny Parra v. Cole Hamels
Parra 2008, career v. Phillies: 10-7 4.03 ERA, 0-1 18.00 ERA
Has trouble with:
No one, yet.
Hamels 2008, career v. Brewers: 12-9 3.12 ERA, 1.1 4.76 ERA
Has trouble with:
Ryan Braun 3/7, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .429/.429/1.000
J.J. Hardy 3/8, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .375/.444/.875
Mike Cameron 1/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .200/.429/.800
Manny Parra has a sky high ERA in his brief career against the Phillies, yet it's not because of anyone on today's roster. In the 11th inning of an August meeting last season, Wes Helms doubled home Howard and Rowand to give the Phillies a lead. For most guys, it'll be the first time facing him, and he's a pretty decent pitcher. This game should be low scoring.
9/13 Dave Bush v. Joe Blanton
Bush 2008, career v. Phillies: 9-10 4.23 ERA, 0-0 6.18 ERA
Has trouble with:
Pat Burrell 4/10, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .400/.455/1.300
Greg Dobbs 5/10, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .500/.500/1.200
Chase Utley 3/7, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .429/.636/.857
Blanton 2008, career v. Brewers: 2-0 4.61 ERA, N/A
Has trouble with:
Ray Durham 5/11, 2 RBI, .455/.455/.818
Mike Cameron 1/2, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500/.667/2.000
This is the time for Joe Blanton to prove it was a good move to acquire him. A lot of people are souring on the trade if they weren't from the beginning, and Blanton has turned in some lackluster efforts recently. A lot of the Phillies have had success against Bush, so as long as they continue to hit him, it'll just be up to Blanton to not give up the lead.
9/14 Jeff Suppan v. TBA
Suppan 2008, career v. Phillies: 10-8 4.63 ERA, 3-5 5.59 ERA
Has trouble with:
Chris Coste 2/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500/.600/1.250
Jayson Werth 3/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .600/.600/1.200
Pat Burrell 8/20, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .400/.538/.800
TBA 2008, career v. Brewers: N/A, N/A
Has trouble with:
Likely no one
They really can't give Kendrick another start, can they? How far has this guy fallen? He's still young and has a shot to be a back-end starter, but he has just collapsed over the second half this season. He's lost his command and become completely ineffective. J.A. Happ hasn't been much better, but since neither Carpenter nor Carrasco are on the active roster, they don't have much of a choice.
New York Mets 9/11-9/15
Off
v. Atlanta (Hampton @ Santana)
v. Atlanta (Reyes @ Martinez)
v. Atlanta (Campillo @ Perez)
@ Washington (Pelfrey @ TBA)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Playoff Push Series 1: Marlins at Phillies
I thought of an improved and efficient way to do game previews. Let's see how it turns out.
9/8-9/10 v. Florida Marlins
9/8 Anibal Sanchez v. Joe Blanton
Sanchez 2008, career v. Phillies: 2-3 5.54 ERA, 0-2 8.79 ERA
Has trouble with:
Ryan Howard 3/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .600/.778/1.400
Chase Utley 3/9, 1 RBI, .333/.333/.778
Carlos Ruiz 2/3, 1 RBI, .667/.667/1.000
Blanton 2008, career v. Marlins: 1-0 4.34 ERA, N/A
Has trouble with:
Jorge Cantu 2/7, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .286/.375/.857
Alfredo Amezega 1/2, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500/.500/2.000
The key for the Phillies to kick off this series is Joe Blanton recovering after a poor performance last time out. He needs to go longer than 4 innings, and it would be great if he could pitch into the 7th. We got him to throw a lot of innings, but in the last few starts, he's walked a lot of guys and racked up high pitch counts early. The Marlins have a dangerous lineup, and Blanton needs to throw strikes and stay in control.
9/9 Chris Volstad v. TBA
Volstad 2008, career v. Phillies: 4-3 3.32 ERA, 1-0 0.00 ERA
Has trouble with:
Chase Utley 1/2, .500/.667/.500
Cole Hamels 1/2, .500/.500/.500
TBA 2008, career v. Marlins: N/A, N/A
Has trouble with:
Likely no one
The Phillies can use J.A. Happ and Kyle Kendrick to fill the two TBA spots this week, with the other one being on Thursday. Looking at the career splits, despite being small sample sizes and unreliable, it might be best to start Happ on Tuesday and Kendrick on Thursday. Kendrick has gotten hit hard by Florida this year, and although Happ's two innings against them were awful, maybe he can rebound. Kendrick pitched well against Milwaukee last season, so maybe they should see if he can do it again.
9/10 Ricky Nolaso v. Brett Myers
Nolasco 2008, career v. Phillies: 13-7 3.56 ERA, 3-3 4.41 ERA
Has problems with:
Ryan Howard 2/10, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .200/.500/.800
Jimmy Rollins 5/15, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .333/.375/.867
Pat Burrell 4/12, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333/.429/.750
Myers 2008, career v. Marlins: 9-10 4.19 ERA, 6-8 5.05 ERA
Has problems with:
Josh Willingham 5/10, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500/.583/1.000
Mike Jacobs 8/24, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .333/.429/.750
Luis Gonzalez 6/15, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .400/.500/.600
Florida has historically hit Myers, but they haven't run into the buzzsaw version since he returned from the minor leagues. He's almost due to have a bad outing, and a lot of people are still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Ricky Nolasco has enjoyed a breakout 2008 campaign, including an earlier gem against the Phillies.
New York Mets 9/8-9/10
Off
v. Washington (Lannan @ Ol. perez)
v. Washington (Od. Perez @ Pelfrey)
Milwaukee Brewers 9/8-9/10
v. Cincinnati (Volquez @ Bush)
v. Cincinnati (Ramirez @ Suppan)
v. Cincinnati (Arroyo @ Sabathia)
9/8-9/10 v. Florida Marlins
9/8 Anibal Sanchez v. Joe Blanton
Sanchez 2008, career v. Phillies: 2-3 5.54 ERA, 0-2 8.79 ERA
Has trouble with:
Ryan Howard 3/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .600/.778/1.400
Chase Utley 3/9, 1 RBI, .333/.333/.778
Carlos Ruiz 2/3, 1 RBI, .667/.667/1.000
Blanton 2008, career v. Marlins: 1-0 4.34 ERA, N/A
Has trouble with:
Jorge Cantu 2/7, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .286/.375/.857
Alfredo Amezega 1/2, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500/.500/2.000
The key for the Phillies to kick off this series is Joe Blanton recovering after a poor performance last time out. He needs to go longer than 4 innings, and it would be great if he could pitch into the 7th. We got him to throw a lot of innings, but in the last few starts, he's walked a lot of guys and racked up high pitch counts early. The Marlins have a dangerous lineup, and Blanton needs to throw strikes and stay in control.
9/9 Chris Volstad v. TBA
Volstad 2008, career v. Phillies: 4-3 3.32 ERA, 1-0 0.00 ERA
Has trouble with:
Chase Utley 1/2, .500/.667/.500
Cole Hamels 1/2, .500/.500/.500
TBA 2008, career v. Marlins: N/A, N/A
Has trouble with:
Likely no one
The Phillies can use J.A. Happ and Kyle Kendrick to fill the two TBA spots this week, with the other one being on Thursday. Looking at the career splits, despite being small sample sizes and unreliable, it might be best to start Happ on Tuesday and Kendrick on Thursday. Kendrick has gotten hit hard by Florida this year, and although Happ's two innings against them were awful, maybe he can rebound. Kendrick pitched well against Milwaukee last season, so maybe they should see if he can do it again.
9/10 Ricky Nolaso v. Brett Myers
Nolasco 2008, career v. Phillies: 13-7 3.56 ERA, 3-3 4.41 ERA
Has problems with:
Ryan Howard 2/10, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .200/.500/.800
Jimmy Rollins 5/15, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .333/.375/.867
Pat Burrell 4/12, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333/.429/.750
Myers 2008, career v. Marlins: 9-10 4.19 ERA, 6-8 5.05 ERA
Has problems with:
Josh Willingham 5/10, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500/.583/1.000
Mike Jacobs 8/24, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .333/.429/.750
Luis Gonzalez 6/15, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .400/.500/.600
Florida has historically hit Myers, but they haven't run into the buzzsaw version since he returned from the minor leagues. He's almost due to have a bad outing, and a lot of people are still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Ricky Nolasco has enjoyed a breakout 2008 campaign, including an earlier gem against the Phillies.
New York Mets 9/8-9/10
Off
v. Washington (Lannan @ Ol. perez)
v. Washington (Od. Perez @ Pelfrey)
Milwaukee Brewers 9/8-9/10
v. Cincinnati (Volquez @ Bush)
v. Cincinnati (Ramirez @ Suppan)
v. Cincinnati (Arroyo @ Sabathia)
Big East Rankings Week 3
Once again, it seemed to be a down week for the conference. WVU got upended by an ECU team that looks like they want to crash the BCS early on. USF, UConn and Pitt won, but I think each game was a tad closer than they hoped. Cincinnati played Oklahoma as close as you could expect for a while, but they lost their starting QB. Onto the rankings.
(Previous Ranking) Current Ranking Team Last Week, This Week
(2) 1. South Florida W 31-24 (OT) @ Central Florida, v. #13 Kansas: I said that the Knights would look better than they did in the 2007 edition of this rivalry, but I wasn't expecting a game that close. The UCF defense made some key plays, and an inexperienced offense took advantage of their opportunities. The Bulls can't have a repeat performance on Friday night, or they're going to leave Raymond James with a loss.
(1) 2. West Virginia L 24-3 @ East Carolina, Bye: Maybe they should drop further after coughing up a non-conference game, but I think the Pirates have shown they're a pretty good team. The offense did not look good in this one, and now they'll have a week to think about what went wrong. I still think the Mountaineers are favorites to win the conference, but for at least a week, they won't be in the #1 spot.
(3) 3. Connecticut W 12-9 (OT) @ Temple, v. Virginia: I said that the Owls would present a challenge, and they did. The weather neutralized the game, and UConn probably played a bit better than the score would indicate. Donald Brown ran through the Temple defense, and the Huskies defense themselves played great. Maybe their 2-0 record should be worth more than WVU's 1-1, but I'd still like to see them prove themselves a little more.
(4) 4. Cincinnati L 52-26 @ Oklahoma, Bye: The Bearcats played about as well as you could expect them to against a superior opponent but losing Grutza hurts in a big way. They have a week off to look at their options and figure out what they were going to do, but losing one of your best players will definitely knock you down a peg until he comes back.
(6) 5. Pittsburgh W 27-16 v. Buffalo, Bye: For the first three quarters, this game was probably a bit too close for comfort. The Panthers wanted to come out firing and prove last week's loss was a fluke, but I don't think anyone's mind is at ease about this team. Buffalo is not a good team, but they managed to hang with Pitt until a late second half run put the game away. Maybe it's a good thing Joe Paterno never agrees to schedule these guys.
(5) 6. Rutgers: Bye, v. North Carolina: The Scarlet Knights get knocked down one spot just because they didn't play. UNC is on the rise, but Rutgers should still be able to come away with a win and get back on the right track. The conference is wide open, so despite the week one loss, they still have a shot.
(7) 7. Louisville W 51-10 v. Tennessee Tech, Bye: It's great that they could score so many points on Tennessee Tech, but they have to prove themselves against 1A competition. However, they are off this week, so they will likely remain 7th in the rankings, unless the next team pulls off a pretty big upset.
(8) 8. Syracuse L 42-28 v. Akron, v. #17 Penn State: The Nittany Lions have cruised to two easy wins against teams of varying difficulty, and their offense looks like a strong force to be reckoned with. The Orange lost at home against a MAC team, which has really been a thorn in the side of the Big East so far. They are really going to struggle this season, and I don't know what it'll take to turn the program around.
(Previous Ranking) Current Ranking Team Last Week, This Week
(2) 1. South Florida W 31-24 (OT) @ Central Florida, v. #13 Kansas: I said that the Knights would look better than they did in the 2007 edition of this rivalry, but I wasn't expecting a game that close. The UCF defense made some key plays, and an inexperienced offense took advantage of their opportunities. The Bulls can't have a repeat performance on Friday night, or they're going to leave Raymond James with a loss.
(1) 2. West Virginia L 24-3 @ East Carolina, Bye: Maybe they should drop further after coughing up a non-conference game, but I think the Pirates have shown they're a pretty good team. The offense did not look good in this one, and now they'll have a week to think about what went wrong. I still think the Mountaineers are favorites to win the conference, but for at least a week, they won't be in the #1 spot.
(3) 3. Connecticut W 12-9 (OT) @ Temple, v. Virginia: I said that the Owls would present a challenge, and they did. The weather neutralized the game, and UConn probably played a bit better than the score would indicate. Donald Brown ran through the Temple defense, and the Huskies defense themselves played great. Maybe their 2-0 record should be worth more than WVU's 1-1, but I'd still like to see them prove themselves a little more.
(4) 4. Cincinnati L 52-26 @ Oklahoma, Bye: The Bearcats played about as well as you could expect them to against a superior opponent but losing Grutza hurts in a big way. They have a week off to look at their options and figure out what they were going to do, but losing one of your best players will definitely knock you down a peg until he comes back.
(6) 5. Pittsburgh W 27-16 v. Buffalo, Bye: For the first three quarters, this game was probably a bit too close for comfort. The Panthers wanted to come out firing and prove last week's loss was a fluke, but I don't think anyone's mind is at ease about this team. Buffalo is not a good team, but they managed to hang with Pitt until a late second half run put the game away. Maybe it's a good thing Joe Paterno never agrees to schedule these guys.
(5) 6. Rutgers: Bye, v. North Carolina: The Scarlet Knights get knocked down one spot just because they didn't play. UNC is on the rise, but Rutgers should still be able to come away with a win and get back on the right track. The conference is wide open, so despite the week one loss, they still have a shot.
(7) 7. Louisville W 51-10 v. Tennessee Tech, Bye: It's great that they could score so many points on Tennessee Tech, but they have to prove themselves against 1A competition. However, they are off this week, so they will likely remain 7th in the rankings, unless the next team pulls off a pretty big upset.
(8) 8. Syracuse L 42-28 v. Akron, v. #17 Penn State: The Nittany Lions have cruised to two easy wins against teams of varying difficulty, and their offense looks like a strong force to be reckoned with. The Orange lost at home against a MAC team, which has really been a thorn in the side of the Big East so far. They are really going to struggle this season, and I don't know what it'll take to turn the program around.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Ch ch ch changes
I don't know how much will actually be different, but I am back, and hopefully for good. I hope I can set aside enough time to update this pretty regularly again. I'll probably cover a bit too much USF football, which is pretty far away from Philadelphia, but they're my team now. I'm going to slap up a pic on the left side, and you can make all the humorous photoshops you want.
This is definitely getting the cheap entry tag. Good to be back.
This is definitely getting the cheap entry tag. Good to be back.
Big East Rankings Week 2
I am back. However, I am choosing to do something that has absolutely nothing to do with Philadelphia sports. This is a Big East power ranking that will be updated every week. However, due to the conference's poor performance in week one, I will refrain from calling the rankings powerful. For this week, the previous ranking will be the Big East preseason poll.
(Previous Ranking) Current Ranking Team Last Week, This Week
(1) 1. West Virginia W 48-21 v. Villanova, @ East Carolina: Villanova scored quite a few points on the Mountaineers, but they're occasionally a solid D1AA program. Regardless, it was a good warm-up for WVU who has a tough test this week. ECU will not be a pushover, and these guys can't afford to drop an early season game just like almost everyone else did.
(2) 2. South Florida W 56-7 v. Tennessee-Martin, @ Central Florida: In a week where a lot of good teams were tested or beaten by weaker opponents, USF looked just about as good as you can against their warmup. The turnovers were a bit concerning, but Gregory and Daniels won't be playing actual minutes when the going gets tough. UCF will have a better showing than 2007 in the last year of this rivalry, but the Bulls should come out of it 2-0.
(6) 3. Connecticut W 35-3 v. Hofstra, @ Temple: The conference was so pathetic in week one that UConn gets a sizable boost. They're returning quite a few starters from a good team last season, so maybe they shouldn't have been ranked as low as 6th to start the year. They cannot look past Temple though; I've been telling anyone that'll listen about this team, and they could get some respect with an upset win over the Huskies this weekend.
(5) 4. Cincinnati W 40-7 v. Eastern Kentucky, @ #4 Oklahoma: Their victory against EKU was admirable, but they face a somewhat different beast this week. I'll be impressed with the Bearcats if they can just stay close against the Sooners, and I can't knock them too far down even if they suffer a bad loss.
(4) 5. Rutgers L 24-7 v. Fresno State, Bye: Here's where things get hairy. Of the four remaining teams, all week one losers, their loss was probably a bit more acceptable than the others. Fresno State is a very good team, and they could emerge out of the WAC with a solid bowl bid. However, even without Ray Rice, the Scarlet Knights came into this season with pretty high expectations, and this slow start does not help.
(3) 6. Pittsburgh L 27-17 v. Bowling Green, v. Buffalo: Pitt's loss was one of the week one shockers, and it wasn't a good start for a team that people thought could make some noise this year. They were probably overrated to start the year, and they could still recover, but it has to be a bit alarming that their offense was totally shut down in the second half. They'll get another MAC challenger, but I don't think Buffalo is as good as Bowling Green.
(7) 7. Louisville L 27-2 v. Kentucky, v. Tennessee Tech: It was generally accepted that this would be a down year for the Cardinals, but their rivalry game was interesting. Their offense laid a huge egg, but their defense kept them in the game, which is the opposite of their recent history. It wasn't an inspiring game for fans or those who thought they could sneak up on some teams, but they should be able to boost their egos against Tennessee Tech.
(8) 8. Syracuse L 30-10 @ Northwestern, v. Akron: Orange football has been a nightmare for quite a few years now, and they've fallen a long way since the glory days of Donovan McNabb. They just aren't a very good team, and they're going to struggle to win games this season. I don't know if a new coach is going to turn them back into a contender.
(Previous Ranking) Current Ranking Team Last Week, This Week
(1) 1. West Virginia W 48-21 v. Villanova, @ East Carolina: Villanova scored quite a few points on the Mountaineers, but they're occasionally a solid D1AA program. Regardless, it was a good warm-up for WVU who has a tough test this week. ECU will not be a pushover, and these guys can't afford to drop an early season game just like almost everyone else did.
(2) 2. South Florida W 56-7 v. Tennessee-Martin, @ Central Florida: In a week where a lot of good teams were tested or beaten by weaker opponents, USF looked just about as good as you can against their warmup. The turnovers were a bit concerning, but Gregory and Daniels won't be playing actual minutes when the going gets tough. UCF will have a better showing than 2007 in the last year of this rivalry, but the Bulls should come out of it 2-0.
(6) 3. Connecticut W 35-3 v. Hofstra, @ Temple: The conference was so pathetic in week one that UConn gets a sizable boost. They're returning quite a few starters from a good team last season, so maybe they shouldn't have been ranked as low as 6th to start the year. They cannot look past Temple though; I've been telling anyone that'll listen about this team, and they could get some respect with an upset win over the Huskies this weekend.
(5) 4. Cincinnati W 40-7 v. Eastern Kentucky, @ #4 Oklahoma: Their victory against EKU was admirable, but they face a somewhat different beast this week. I'll be impressed with the Bearcats if they can just stay close against the Sooners, and I can't knock them too far down even if they suffer a bad loss.
(4) 5. Rutgers L 24-7 v. Fresno State, Bye: Here's where things get hairy. Of the four remaining teams, all week one losers, their loss was probably a bit more acceptable than the others. Fresno State is a very good team, and they could emerge out of the WAC with a solid bowl bid. However, even without Ray Rice, the Scarlet Knights came into this season with pretty high expectations, and this slow start does not help.
(3) 6. Pittsburgh L 27-17 v. Bowling Green, v. Buffalo: Pitt's loss was one of the week one shockers, and it wasn't a good start for a team that people thought could make some noise this year. They were probably overrated to start the year, and they could still recover, but it has to be a bit alarming that their offense was totally shut down in the second half. They'll get another MAC challenger, but I don't think Buffalo is as good as Bowling Green.
(7) 7. Louisville L 27-2 v. Kentucky, v. Tennessee Tech: It was generally accepted that this would be a down year for the Cardinals, but their rivalry game was interesting. Their offense laid a huge egg, but their defense kept them in the game, which is the opposite of their recent history. It wasn't an inspiring game for fans or those who thought they could sneak up on some teams, but they should be able to boost their egos against Tennessee Tech.
(8) 8. Syracuse L 30-10 @ Northwestern, v. Akron: Orange football has been a nightmare for quite a few years now, and they've fallen a long way since the glory days of Donovan McNabb. They just aren't a very good team, and they're going to struggle to win games this season. I don't know if a new coach is going to turn them back into a contender.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Game 124: Phillies at Padres (3/3)
Philadelphia Phillies: 65-58
San Diego Padres: 48-75
Cole Hamels (9-8 3.32 ERA, 1-1 2.86 ERA)
Cha Seung Baek (4-6 5.12 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Hamels P
Hairston CF 2/3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .667/.667/2.000
Giles RF 2/10, 1 RBI, .200/.200/.300
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/5
Gonzalez 1B 3/9, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333/.400/.667
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B 0/7
Bard C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Baek P
Last night may have been rock bottom for the Phillies, and I hope it was. Once again, the offense was left baffled against a starter that's quite frankly, not very good. They got off to a strong start by scoring two and making him throw a lot of pitches early, but for some reason, things just shut down. Kyle Kendrick also had maybe his worst outing of the year against one of the worst lineups in baseball this year. It's unfortunate that this was the only game on the road trip I could see, because it could've been the worst.
Anything can happen in baseball, but if there's ever a mismatch, it's this one. Baek is a career bad pitcher, and I can't fathom the Phillies' lineup pulling another disappearing act. Hamels is due for a win, and he's got a great shot in this ballpark against this lineup.
San Diego Padres: 48-75
Cole Hamels (9-8 3.32 ERA, 1-1 2.86 ERA)
Cha Seung Baek (4-6 5.12 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Hamels P
Hairston CF 2/3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .667/.667/2.000
Giles RF 2/10, 1 RBI, .200/.200/.300
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/5
Gonzalez 1B 3/9, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333/.400/.667
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B 0/7
Bard C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Baek P
Last night may have been rock bottom for the Phillies, and I hope it was. Once again, the offense was left baffled against a starter that's quite frankly, not very good. They got off to a strong start by scoring two and making him throw a lot of pitches early, but for some reason, things just shut down. Kyle Kendrick also had maybe his worst outing of the year against one of the worst lineups in baseball this year. It's unfortunate that this was the only game on the road trip I could see, because it could've been the worst.
Anything can happen in baseball, but if there's ever a mismatch, it's this one. Baek is a career bad pitcher, and I can't fathom the Phillies' lineup pulling another disappearing act. Hamels is due for a win, and he's got a great shot in this ballpark against this lineup.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Game 123: Phillies at Padres (2/3)
Philadelphia Phillies: 65-57
San Diego Padres: 47-75
Kyle Kendrick (10-6 4.74 ERA, 1-0 1.50 ERA)
Chad Reineke (0-0 -.-- ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Coste C N/A
Kendrick P
Gerut CF N/A
Giles RF N/A
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/3
Gonzalez 1B 1/2, .500/.667/.500
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B N/A
Hundley C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Tonight, I'd expect another game in which not many runs are scored. Partly because the Padres have very little offense, partly because the teams have a total of six plate appearances against the opposing pitcher. I find it hard to believe that Reineke will even be decent, considering his age and level in the minors. The Phillies should be able to score more than one run tonight.
If the Phillies can recover and win the next two, a 3-4 road trip wouldn't be the end of the world. They come home to the Nationals, and they can probably handle them too. It's the last time the Phillies go out west, so returning one fewer game above .500 isn't bad. You would've liked to see them beat the Dodgers, who are actually a good team, but it's about how many wins you get, not who you get them against.
San Diego Padres: 47-75
Kyle Kendrick (10-6 4.74 ERA, 1-0 1.50 ERA)
Chad Reineke (0-0 -.-- ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Coste C N/A
Kendrick P
Gerut CF N/A
Giles RF N/A
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/3
Gonzalez 1B 1/2, .500/.667/.500
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B N/A
Hundley C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Tonight, I'd expect another game in which not many runs are scored. Partly because the Padres have very little offense, partly because the teams have a total of six plate appearances against the opposing pitcher. I find it hard to believe that Reineke will even be decent, considering his age and level in the minors. The Phillies should be able to score more than one run tonight.
If the Phillies can recover and win the next two, a 3-4 road trip wouldn't be the end of the world. They come home to the Nationals, and they can probably handle them too. It's the last time the Phillies go out west, so returning one fewer game above .500 isn't bad. You would've liked to see them beat the Dodgers, who are actually a good team, but it's about how many wins you get, not who you get them against.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fake Game 2: Panthers at Eagles
Last week, I covered 10 players to watch in the first preseason game. Today, I'll list 10 players that need to improve on their performance.
1) QB Kevin Kolb. He had his moments, but I'd like to see be a little more aggressive tonight. There's some athleticism on the second team offense with him, so players creating space shouldn't be a problem. After the Pittsburgh game, a lot of people came away unimpressed with his arm strength. He has the ability to get the ball down the field, and he should get ample snaps to prove it.
2) WR Reggie Brown. Brown was inactive last week, so just being in the lineup is going to help him out. To a lot of the fans, Reggie's on the hot seat this season. Although he turned it on a little bit in the second half of 2007, he didn't have that breakout year a lot of people had hoped for. Now, it's believed that Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and even DeSean Jackson could push him for playing time. He says he's more focused and approaches each snap differently now, and that needs to pay off on the field.
3) OL Todd Herremans. I don't have any specific complaints about his game against the Steelers, but with Tra Thomas scratched tonight, protecting 5's blind side is a pretty big deal. He played LT in his rookie season before an atrociously illegal block cut it short, but he's played guard since. Most people would agree that he's a solid player, yet he took a step back in 2007. There are a lot of responsibilities at his temporary position, and he needs to show that he can step in and play the spot in a pinch if necessary.
4) G Scott Young. Who would've thought that tonight's starting O-Line would feature two projected backups and a third player playing out of position? It's unfortunate that Young has to start tonight, and it's also kind of alarming that players such as Nick Cole, and the two rookie Mikes haven't been able to pass him on the depth chart. He's a flat out fringe player, and he can't bring down the first team offense tonight.
5) DT Brodrick Bunkley. After a holdout and some discipline problems essentially eliminated Bunkley's rookie season, he burst onto the scene in 2007 and probably should've been a Pro Bowl player. He's big and athletic, and he can get off the ball fast. He's a huge reason why the team's run defense improved last season, but he struggled against Pittsburgh. He has to do a better job of holding his ground and disrupting the Panthers running game tonight.
6) DT Mike Patterson. The fact that I had to include both DT's shows how poor they played. Patterson has been on the field ever since he was drafted, and he's taken his lumps along the way. However, with a bigger and dominant Bunkley beside him, Patterson broke out last year. He's one of the quickest tackles in the league, and like Bunkley, should've had a postseason trip to Hawaii. The knocks against him are his size and strength, and his game against the Steelers didn't do anything to dispel those criticisms. He was on the ground way too much, and he needs to use his quickness to disrupt the flow and timing of Carolina's ground game.
7) MLB Stewart Bradley. We're already up to our third starting member of the defense. Bradley had some nice plays against the Steelers, but he got lost in the shuffle a little too much for a Linebacker with his size and skill. Some of the criticisms of the game can be deflected to the poor play of the tackles in front of him, but the reality is he won't get great protection from the tackles every play. He has to do a better job of quickly reading the play and shedding blocks to find the ball.
8) CB Lito Sheppard. Working with the second team tonight, Lito will be the best player on the field at all times. There's no reason for him to not blanket his receiver and make plays given the opportunity. He can't mope or not take the game seriously. Against Pittsburgh, he got a stupid penalty, wasn't as aggressive as he could be against the run and made one pretty poor play, albeit in zone coverage. With that being said, I wouldn't expect any special packages with him and the two starters on the field. Johnson isn't going to give us a taste of what he's going to do in the backfield until the regular season starts.
9) Brian Dawkins. I'm really not too worried about him at all, but that doesn't correct his poor position on Santonio Holmes' TD. In this defense, it won't be the last time Sheldon Brown blitzes and Dawkins has to competently cover a receiver that's quicker than he is. Part of that responsibility falls on Jim Johnson and Sheldon Brown, and I'll admit that. Surprise is a key element of blitzes, and lately, teams have had an easy time adjusting to what's being thrown at them.
10) Special McTeams. If special teams had a name, that's what they would be. I was thinking about listing Rocky Boiman for this entry, but he's not responsible for Akers' inconsistent kicking, nor is Akers responsible for poor punt coverage and return blocking. I don't know what it is about special teams, but they have been flat out bad in recent years, and things didn't take a turn for the better last week. DeSean Jackson is an incredibly gifted return man, and if he's not getting good yards, something is terribly wrong.
These aren't the only ten players that need to play better. In fact, a coach will say that every player on the roster needs to get better, and that's probably the truth. That's what these games are for. Donovan McNabb played well last week, but maybe he could get rid of the ball quicker. Buckhalter ran well in the preseason loss, but maybe he should position himself in pass blocking better. Everyone has something to work on, and I hope it culminates into an injury free, positive game tonight.
1) QB Kevin Kolb. He had his moments, but I'd like to see be a little more aggressive tonight. There's some athleticism on the second team offense with him, so players creating space shouldn't be a problem. After the Pittsburgh game, a lot of people came away unimpressed with his arm strength. He has the ability to get the ball down the field, and he should get ample snaps to prove it.
2) WR Reggie Brown. Brown was inactive last week, so just being in the lineup is going to help him out. To a lot of the fans, Reggie's on the hot seat this season. Although he turned it on a little bit in the second half of 2007, he didn't have that breakout year a lot of people had hoped for. Now, it's believed that Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and even DeSean Jackson could push him for playing time. He says he's more focused and approaches each snap differently now, and that needs to pay off on the field.
3) OL Todd Herremans. I don't have any specific complaints about his game against the Steelers, but with Tra Thomas scratched tonight, protecting 5's blind side is a pretty big deal. He played LT in his rookie season before an atrociously illegal block cut it short, but he's played guard since. Most people would agree that he's a solid player, yet he took a step back in 2007. There are a lot of responsibilities at his temporary position, and he needs to show that he can step in and play the spot in a pinch if necessary.
4) G Scott Young. Who would've thought that tonight's starting O-Line would feature two projected backups and a third player playing out of position? It's unfortunate that Young has to start tonight, and it's also kind of alarming that players such as Nick Cole, and the two rookie Mikes haven't been able to pass him on the depth chart. He's a flat out fringe player, and he can't bring down the first team offense tonight.
5) DT Brodrick Bunkley. After a holdout and some discipline problems essentially eliminated Bunkley's rookie season, he burst onto the scene in 2007 and probably should've been a Pro Bowl player. He's big and athletic, and he can get off the ball fast. He's a huge reason why the team's run defense improved last season, but he struggled against Pittsburgh. He has to do a better job of holding his ground and disrupting the Panthers running game tonight.
6) DT Mike Patterson. The fact that I had to include both DT's shows how poor they played. Patterson has been on the field ever since he was drafted, and he's taken his lumps along the way. However, with a bigger and dominant Bunkley beside him, Patterson broke out last year. He's one of the quickest tackles in the league, and like Bunkley, should've had a postseason trip to Hawaii. The knocks against him are his size and strength, and his game against the Steelers didn't do anything to dispel those criticisms. He was on the ground way too much, and he needs to use his quickness to disrupt the flow and timing of Carolina's ground game.
7) MLB Stewart Bradley. We're already up to our third starting member of the defense. Bradley had some nice plays against the Steelers, but he got lost in the shuffle a little too much for a Linebacker with his size and skill. Some of the criticisms of the game can be deflected to the poor play of the tackles in front of him, but the reality is he won't get great protection from the tackles every play. He has to do a better job of quickly reading the play and shedding blocks to find the ball.
8) CB Lito Sheppard. Working with the second team tonight, Lito will be the best player on the field at all times. There's no reason for him to not blanket his receiver and make plays given the opportunity. He can't mope or not take the game seriously. Against Pittsburgh, he got a stupid penalty, wasn't as aggressive as he could be against the run and made one pretty poor play, albeit in zone coverage. With that being said, I wouldn't expect any special packages with him and the two starters on the field. Johnson isn't going to give us a taste of what he's going to do in the backfield until the regular season starts.
9) Brian Dawkins. I'm really not too worried about him at all, but that doesn't correct his poor position on Santonio Holmes' TD. In this defense, it won't be the last time Sheldon Brown blitzes and Dawkins has to competently cover a receiver that's quicker than he is. Part of that responsibility falls on Jim Johnson and Sheldon Brown, and I'll admit that. Surprise is a key element of blitzes, and lately, teams have had an easy time adjusting to what's being thrown at them.
10) Special McTeams. If special teams had a name, that's what they would be. I was thinking about listing Rocky Boiman for this entry, but he's not responsible for Akers' inconsistent kicking, nor is Akers responsible for poor punt coverage and return blocking. I don't know what it is about special teams, but they have been flat out bad in recent years, and things didn't take a turn for the better last week. DeSean Jackson is an incredibly gifted return man, and if he's not getting good yards, something is terribly wrong.
These aren't the only ten players that need to play better. In fact, a coach will say that every player on the roster needs to get better, and that's probably the truth. That's what these games are for. Donovan McNabb played well last week, but maybe he could get rid of the ball quicker. Buckhalter ran well in the preseason loss, but maybe he should position himself in pass blocking better. Everyone has something to work on, and I hope it culminates into an injury free, positive game tonight.
Game 121: Phillies at Dodgers (4/4)
Philadelphia Phillies: 64-56
Los Angeles Dodgers: 61-59
Brett Myers (5-9 5.09 ERA, 3-1 2.76 ERA)
Hiroki Kuroda (6-8 4.02 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Werth CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Coste C N/A
Myers P
Kemp CF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Ethier RF 0/0, .000/1.000/.000
Kent 2B 5/12, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .417/.500/.917
Ramirez LF 3/13, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .231/.353/.615
Loney 1B 0/1
Garciaparra SS 1/8, 3 RBI, .111/.200/.222
Martin C 0/3, .000/.250/.000
Blake 3B N/A
Kuroda P
They have to salvage this last game or this road trip is already a pretty unfortunate failure. People were worried that the improved Dodgers would provide problems, and they were proven correct. They outpitched the Phillies early in the series, and they outhit the Phillies last night. Six runs should usually be enough to win, but when you don't get a hit after the 4th inning, I'm not sure the offense did its job. It got shut down by pitchers such as Jason Johnson and Chan Ho Park.
I think the outrage over Rollins' frontrunners remark is funny. I hate to criticize other people in this great fanbase, but he's completely correct. If you don't play well, the player gets booed. It's fact. They acknowledge it. Fans acknowledge it. Fans say all the time that they boo because they're passionate about sports. When you're booing a guy who's playing poorly but will cheer when he's hot, that's playing exactly into what Jimmy's saying! He probably shouldn't have said it, but he's 100% correct.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 61-59
Brett Myers (5-9 5.09 ERA, 3-1 2.76 ERA)
Hiroki Kuroda (6-8 4.02 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Werth CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Coste C N/A
Myers P
Kemp CF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Ethier RF 0/0, .000/1.000/.000
Kent 2B 5/12, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .417/.500/.917
Ramirez LF 3/13, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .231/.353/.615
Loney 1B 0/1
Garciaparra SS 1/8, 3 RBI, .111/.200/.222
Martin C 0/3, .000/.250/.000
Blake 3B N/A
Kuroda P
They have to salvage this last game or this road trip is already a pretty unfortunate failure. People were worried that the improved Dodgers would provide problems, and they were proven correct. They outpitched the Phillies early in the series, and they outhit the Phillies last night. Six runs should usually be enough to win, but when you don't get a hit after the 4th inning, I'm not sure the offense did its job. It got shut down by pitchers such as Jason Johnson and Chan Ho Park.
I think the outrage over Rollins' frontrunners remark is funny. I hate to criticize other people in this great fanbase, but he's completely correct. If you don't play well, the player gets booed. It's fact. They acknowledge it. Fans acknowledge it. Fans say all the time that they boo because they're passionate about sports. When you're booing a guy who's playing poorly but will cheer when he's hot, that's playing exactly into what Jimmy's saying! He probably shouldn't have said it, but he's 100% correct.
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