PHILLY SPORTS CORNER- PHILLIES, FLYERS, FOOTBALL

* The Phillies lost again to the Yankess last night, 4-3. The bright spot was Scott Kingery, who went 3-3 with a game-tying homer in the ninth inning.

Kingery will probably start the season at Lehigh Valley until the club figures out what to do with second baseman Cesar Hernandez, or decide to make Kingery a Ben Zobrist-like super utility man. Plus Kingery needs to go down because of service time. After May 1 the Pihls will have control for an extra year and can then bring Kingery to Philadelphia.

Kingery has power, speed, plays excellent defense and can hit. He is a potential All-Star for years to come, whereas you pretty much know what you have in Hernandez. A good, solid player but nothing special. Who would he want for the long-term?

"Jet-pac" is the high-energy guy that new manager Kapler loves. Kingery can play leadoff, but I can easily see him hit second or even third in the lineup. He reminds me of a young Ryne Sandberg, only faster.

* The Phils play in Clearwater this afternoon, facing the Tigers.

* Did 6abc sports guy Jeff Skversky really ask Aaron Nola "Are you a superstar?" Is there any answer for such a stupid question? Skversky is among the worst, right up there with Mike Sielski and Marc Farzetta in the city. Totally clueless.

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The Flyers are smoking-hot, now in first place of the Metropolitian division after beating Montreal last night, 1-0, in a shoot-out. They also picked up veteran defense man Johnny Oduya from the Senators. The new goalie is playing great, as is the defense, especially Ghost. They have confidence, and, even without Wayne Simmonds, they continue to roll.

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* Dallas owner Jerry Jones is getting exactly what he deserves. The league fined him $ 2 million to pay court costs from all his stupid legal issues last season. Life must suck in cowboy country now. First  the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs. Second, the Eagles win the Super Bowl. Now ego-maniac Jones gets his.

 Later in the spring Dallas hosts the NFL draft. That can't go well, especially in comparison to the success in Philly last year when the city hosted the draft. Won't it be nice when someone form the Birds' family, maybe Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins, strolls to the podium in April and announces: "With the 32nd pick in the first round of the NFL draft, the world champion Philadelphia Eagles select...."

Will it even matter?

* For the last time, if the Eagles don't trade QB Nick Foles before or at the draft ( I doubt they will-they aren't sure of Carson Wentz' health to take that risk)they won't trade him. No trade before the season starts, like Sam Bradford. No mid-season deal. They will simply let Foles play out his contract, then seek to sign him after the 2018 or let him walk.

Why should Foles sign an extension during the season when he is so close to hitting the free agent market? Why should the Birds sign a back-up to starter money when they are already cap-strapped? They like third-stringer Nate Sudfeld, so if Foles does bolt after the 2018 season, the Eagles seem OK with that, knowing Wentz is healthy.

Foles' value will never, ever be higher then it is now. The Eagles would want draft picks for this spring, not for 2019, especially since they lack picks in the second and third rounds. Buffalo has multiple early picks. Arizona has the No. 15 overall selection. They picks are out there from teams that need a quarterback. but would they surrender those picks? Would the Birds forego the insurance of Foles without knowing the status of Wentz before the season starts?

Unless it's a financial issue, or unless the team is overwhelmed by a trade offer there's no way Foles is leaving.