PHILLY SPORTS CORNER

Talking about a weekend of Philly Sports..

* The Phillies are playing well, winners of 4 in a row, going for 5 this afternoon vs. Atlanta. It seems as though the younger players, like Nick Williams, are adding much-needed life and energy into the team. Aaron Altherr and Williams are playing so well, they are challenging guys like Odubel Herrera and Mychael Franco to keep pace. If you don't hustle around the young up-starts, you look really bad.

This was yet another reason why the Phillies' front office blew it at the beginning of the season, by signing washed-up has-beens like Michael Saunders, Clay Bucholtz and Howie Kendrick. Not only didn't they produce, or were often injured, they took away playing time and roster spots of young prospects who could've helped the club early on when the games mattered.

Hopefully this isn't the case next spring, when young stars Rhys Hoskins and Scott Kingery, to name a few, make a bid to crack the Phillies' Opening Day line-up.

Add to the fact that the pitching staff is coming around. A rotation of Nola, Pivetta, Valasquez and Eichoff doesn't look too bad. A veteran ace to anchor the young rotation would be ideal. Texas' Yu Darvish is a free agent after the season, but he will soon turn 31.Clayton Kershaw, if he opts for free agency after the 2018 season, would be a prime candidate. Actually, a Cole Hamels would look good right now. How about another Cole, Garrett Cole of the Pirates? He is younger and will be a free agent.

I still think Valaquez' future is in the bullpen. I'm not sold on the inconsistent Eichoff. And where do guys like Jake Thompson, Ben Lively and Zach Efflin fit in?

It's good to know there should be lots of competition next spring. Even for the res tof this summer, players are jockeying for position to stake a claim to make the team in 2018.

* The Phillies are having a Beatles Appreciation Night at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, September 25, vs. Washington. By then, Monday Night Football will be on and no one will really care about a meaningless baseball game during the week. The organization is giving away a free Phillies/Beatles ski cap that night. It promises to be a night full of Beatles' music and fun.

Hopefully they don't play "I'm A Loser" over the loudspeakers.

* What grade would I give Matt Klentak on his recent trades ( the trade deadline is today at 4 p.m.)? I would say a C is fair. You couldn't expect him to get much back for Kendrick and Hellickson. The fact that Klentak got anything a tall in return for an injury-plagued Kendrick was amazing. But if Seattle could trade their best prospect for a lesser relief pitcher than Pat Neshek, whom the Phils traded to Colorado, then why didn't the Phillies get more than 3 class-A lottery ticket-hopefuls?

The big part of the deals was getting increased international pool money to spend for Latin prospects. Let's hope the club uses this extra money to sign a few more talented Latin prospects to add depth to their farm system.

* eagles training camp is in fulls wing. 23,000 fans showed up at the Linc on Sunday morning to watch open work-outs. So far, no one has gotten hurt in camp, aside from a scare with Alshon Jeffery the other day, landing on a shoulder ( he seems fine).

The competition looks stiff among the wide receivers, going form one of the worst in the league to guys like Nelson Agholar and Jordan Matthews having impressive camps so far. Either the receivers look really good or the corner backs suck worse than expected ( or a combination of both).

I can't see the Birds going into the season with these defensive backs. Hopefully they add some help before camp breaks. If they continue to struggle into the exhibition games, doesn't GM Howie Roseman have to do something to improve the secondary? It would be a shame, after a productive off-season of improving the offense and defensive line, to blow games because the corners are giving up big plays?

Scary to think opposing wide-outs like Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham Jr. get to run wild against the Philly secondary twice this season. The Eagles' pass rush better generate a lot of pressure and sacks in order to give those D-backs a break.

* What's wrong with Allen Iverson? He didn't show-again- for a 3-on-3 event in Dallas over the weekend. Is he that much of a slacker that he was a no-show as he was in Philadelphia several weeks ago? Or is there another hidden reason, such as a legit medical problem, a substance abuse problem or worse?

In Philly, the excuse could've been Iverson was at the casinos or out partying the night before. But in Dallas?

* Flyers' single game tickets should be going on sale around Labor Day, which is only a little more than a month away. Plus Sixers' tickets go on sale sometime in August, with the schedule being released as well. I may only try to attend one game this year ( I'm still not happy with their blood-sucking front office) but I will watch them on TV, a step up form past seasons. It will be fun to plan my weeknights around 76'er games, like in the Iverson era.