PHILLY SPORTS CORNER

PHILLIES-

* Aaron Altherr hit his third homer in three days as the Phils beat the LA Dodgers again, 7-5. This team is so different compared to earlier in the season. Why? I think it's the burst of energy the kids have given the line-up. Offensively, they are more explosive. Their youth and enthusiasm are making the older players better. Competition is always good. Guys are fighting for their jobs as the team is winning in the process.

Take Tommy Joseph for instance. He didn't play for several days. He was back in the line-up last night and smashed a double and home run.  Franco has played better recently. Is it because he feels the heat from rookie J.P. Crawford?

Rhys Hoskins, when he is not hitting home runs, continues to get on base. In four at-bats Tuesday night he saw a total of 30 pitches. Other players have learned to be selective. Take a walk, don't swing at balls in the dirt. It's OK not to swing too hard.

Back to Altherr. I wrote back in spring training that I thought Altherr would have a big year. The injury-bug bit him again this summer, otherwise he hasn't stopped hitting the ball since way back in Clearwater.  He has 19 home runs, plays a smooth outfield and can run. He has established himself as a building block for the future.

* One position to check out this off-season will be catcher. Interesting situation. Jorge Alfaro has raw power, but is lacking defensively. He cannot be sent back to the minors . Cameron Rupp is the veteran who didn't have the break-out year the club hoped for. Instead, the pitching coach questioned the way Rupp calls a game. Andrew Knapp is a switch-hitter who has power as well. On Wednesday night Knapp had a problem behind the plate with wild pitches and passed balls.

I think the team will go with a combo of Alfaro and Knapp in 2018. Teams need solid catchers like Rupp. The Phils should have takers for a Rupp trade.

The Phils can sweep the series with Los Angeles today at 1:00. They embark on their final road series this weekend at Atlanta before returning home to close the season with Washington and the Mets.

EAGLES-

* Chance Womack looks like he will be the starter at guard on Sunday vs the Giants. Anyone would be an improvement over the struggling Issac Seumalo. Maybe Issac can play center down the road instead of Jason Kelce.

Yes, the Giants will be a desperate team on Sunday. Losing and dropping to 0-3  would just about bury the New Yorkers.  It's going to be closer than the 6-point line ( which has gone up since their Monday night loss to the Lions).

Desperation can't protect Eli Manning all afternoon. I still say Eagles 20 Giants 17.

SIXERS-

The Sixers are only a week away from the opening of training camp. Joel Embiid still isn't playing 5-on-5 basketball, even six months after knee surgery.

I'm getting the feeling either the Sixers are ultra-conservative  medically or Embiid is always going to be fragile and injury-prone. Six months after a supposed minor procedure and he still can't play? Plus Sixers management has said he may not be ready for camp-or even the first game?

Yet there are 14,000 season tickets that were sold.

We know that Sixers management hasn't always been honest with the fans. We know the owner is a con artist  who really doesn't care or know basketball but is in it for the money.

Seeing is believing, and I won't get excited about the 76'ers until I see Embiid, Simmons and Fultz all on the court together. Only when there are no minute-restrictions, or limitations regarding back-to-back games will I feel comfortable about the Sixers' prospects this upcoming season.

ALL SPORTS-

* Interesting to note: The Cleveland Indians are only a game behind the Dodgers  for best overall record in baseball. Worthy to note, as the best record now secures home field advantage in the World Series.  It's a shame that Arizona fell so far behind LA, a good 20 games back at one point. The Diamondbacks are now 8 1/2 games behind- too far back with few games to play.The D-Backs will notch of the wild card spots and should be a factor in the NL playoffs.

* Also, the Phillies are just 4 games in back of the Mets. Can the Phils catch  New York with only 10 games left in the season? # of those games are with the Mets in Philly. Wouldn't that end 2017 on a positive note- climbing out of the cellar while your arch-rival sinks into the basement?

* Giancarlos Stanton hit his 56th home run on Wednesday. Will he reach 60 before the end of the season? He hits them in bunches, so I say yes. And if he's available in the off-season, do the Phillies try to deal for him? Again I say yes. Big contract, he's 27, one could argue he can't top this season and has reached his prime. But imagine the fear in the rest of the National League with Stanton and Hoskins hitting in the middle of the Phils' line-up.

Trade Franco, Herrera and Hernandez to Miami? Get back Stanton and Dee Gordon? Play Gordon at second. Move Scott Kingery to third base full-time.  There's your infield; Hoskins, Gordon, Crawford or Galvis and Kingery. Stanton plays right field, as Altherr mans center and Nick Williams plays left.

* I've got Washington upsetting the Raiders at home on Sunday. The Redskins can't lose their first two home games. They need to keep the pace in NFC East. Oakland travels cross-country. At the very least, take the 'Skins and the points.