* As the Phillies season winds down to a mere nine games to go, I'm thinking Manager Pete Mackanin will be back in 2018. I would've never thought so in the spring. I also never imagined the team would avoid losing less than 100 games this season, but unless they totally collapse and lose 8 of their final 9 games, they will do just that.
Mackain is signed through next year. The Phils' organization hates to pay-off players or coaches. The team has played better since the all-star break, playing nearly .500 ball. And I think the front office will want to see how Mackanin handles the young prospects on the club now.
Despite the recent improvement, thanks in large part to Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams and co., this is still abad baseball team, 30 games out of first place. Losing over 90 games is still an embarrassment. Hopefully the front office doesn't look at the last few months as fool's gold and don't make changes.
Columnist Marcus Hayes had yet another ridiculous article in the paper yesterday. He basically wrote that the Phillies should not trade anyone during the off-season. Keep Joseph, Franco, Hernandez and whomever else may be in competition for jobs in 2018 by the prospects. Keep guys like Joseph, who Hayes points out are still young and "entering their prime" as bench players. The more depth, the better.
Problem is, if Joseph and Franco really are entering their prime seasons, why would they be happy sitting on the bench and being platoon players at best? Wouldn't it be fair to them to trade them to teams where they could play full-time, and in the process, help the Phils with needed pitching?
Hayes incorrectly states that all Joseph would bring back are marginal, minor league hopefuls, such as McKenzie Mills, whom the Phillies acquired earlier this season form the Nationals for Howie Kendrick.Joseph has 22 home runs so far, and 70 RBIs. Why wouldn't he command a better-than-average pitcher in return?
Back to Mackanin. I thought he was on his last leg and Lehigh Valley skipper Dusty Warthen would take over, especially since Warthen managed a lot of the kids who are currently in Philadelphia. He still may get the job, as the organization may feel it needs a fresh approach. But I have a feeling that Mackanin will get at least one more summer to prove he's got what it takes to lead this core to contention and beyond.
If Mackanin does stay, he better agree to let his coaches go, especially McClure, Stairs, Samuel and Morandini. You don't want an inept pitching coach like McClure messing up the heads of the young staff. Same way with the hitters.It's obvious that Franco didn't listen to Stairs form spring training on. Maybe Franco will never listen to any hitting coach, but he's too young and has got too much talent not to try a different approach and a different voice.
So, even with all the turmoil in 2017, I believe more than ever that Mackanin will be in charge as the players head to Clearwater in February.
* The April 17th game next spring between the host Oakland A's and the visiting Chicago White Sox will be free of charge to all fans. The A's are celebrating the 50th year they are playing in old Oakland Coliseum. It's not like the A's are packing them in anyway, and will lose a ton of money with this promotion. Still, it's a nice thing to do for Oakland fans.
* There have been more home runs hit this season than in any other season in the history of baseball. Alex Gordon hit the tie-breaking homer the other night. Baseball predicts over 6,000 home runs will be hit this season when all is said and done. Are the balls juiced again? Is the pitching that bad? Or are hitters just bigger and strong than ever? Probably a little of both. Chicks dig the long ball, as they say, so players are also thinking more home runs then ever. It's capped-off by Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlos Stanton, who has 56 homers and counting.The Dodgers' Cody Bellinger broke the rookie record for homers with 38 so far. And Yankee Aaron Judge has 45 and going up. it makes for more exciting baseball. You just hope that steroids or some other kind of outside influence isn't contributing to rejuvenation of the long ball.
* The countdown is on to Eagles-Giants kick-off this Sunday at 1:00 from the Linc. More so-called "experts" are warning against New York being a "desperate" team, not wanting to go 0-3 and drop two division games this early in the season.
I agree- Eagles vs. Giants games are usually close, hard-fought contests. Turnovers, as always, will be key. I also agree that New York needs this game badly. It's early, but going down 0-3 would just about doom the g-men.
But this is the Eagles' home opener. The fans will be wild, on a muggy, hot summer-like afternoon in South Philly. It's the Eagles chance to stick a fork in New York, to give them one less opponent to worry about, and also to go 2-1 in their own right, with winnable games against the Chargers and Cardinals on the horizon.
Desperation isn't going to help the Giants' porous offensive line withstand the onslaught of the Eagles' ferocious pass rush. Let's look at the game realistically- the Birds won at Washington ( not an easy task) and played toe-to-toe with a good Kansas City team, with 10 days rest and coming off the momentum of an upset win in New England, playing at loud Arrowhead Stadium, one of the toughest places to place in all of the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Giants only scored 3 points in an opening night loss at Dallas, and played woefully against a Lions club in the Meadowlands.
OK< maybe the Eagles could lose on Sunday and still have a fine season ( both the Redskins and Cowboys have tough games as well). But the Eagles could make things so much easier on themselves with a victory.
A defeat, and one would have to seriously question if coach Doug Pederson has what it takes in big games to guide the Birds to the playoffs. If he can't win on Sunday- home opener against a division rival who is struggling- then when will he win?
Plus, the next time the Eagles see the giants, it will be in New York ni mid-December, coming off two West Coast games. If the Giants are still in contention that could be a tough game to win on the road. If the giants have packed it in by then, Philly could have an easier time up the Jersey turnpike.
I still say Eagles 20 Giants 17. The Birds could force turnovers, sack Eli Manning a half-dozen times, run the ball effectively, Carson Wentz could throw for 300 yards, and they score could be a rout, something like 38- 10. I just think it will be a typical Eagle-Giant nail-biter into the 4th quarter on Sunday.
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