- What a Philadelphia sports weekend so far! First the Sixers win a thrilling game against LeBron James and the Cavs on Friday night to grab the No. 3 seed in the East. Then the flyers clinch a playoff spot by burying the hapless Rangers 5-0. The icing on the cake was the Phillies exploding for 20 runs and 20 hits in their victory over lowly Miami on Saturday night.
- It will be interesting to see if Manager Kapler keeps the same line-up today (Jake Arrieta's debut) after the offensive explosion. It was the first time ever a Phillies team hit two grand slams by the fourth inning. They also became only the second team on major league history to club three grand slams in one game. Carlos Santana smashed a 3-run homer, just after Cesar Hernandez unloaded the bases with a fielder's choice grounder. The Yankees are the only team to hit three grand slams in a game in 2011.
- Will we see Scott Kingery more at shortstop since J.P. Crawford is struggling?
- Mychal Franco has 10 RBIs in the last two games. Is he finally turning the corner?
- Pitcher Vince Valasquez looked shaky early against the marlins, typically running deep pitch-counts. Once the Phila got him a cushion of 9-1 Valasquez relaxed and pitched six innings of good ball.Was that fool's gold, and Valasquez really does belong in the bullpen?
- We may finally hit 80 degree weather next weekend- when the Phillies are out of town. Again, it's stupid for major league baseball to start a season early and have home game sin the east. The players hate to play in cold weather, the fans hate to sit in conditions even worse than football weather in the fall. Why not play the first two weeks of the baseball season out west and down south? No home game in the east should begin before April 15th at the least.
- The Flyers destroyed the hapless New York Rangers 5-0 yesterday afternoon to clinch a playoff berth. Bad draw for the Flyers? They play the two-time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins starting on Wednesday. The Pens beat up on the Orange and Black during the regular season. But to be the best you have to beat the best. The Flyers are in, and once in, anything can happen. Nice to see goalie Brian Elliot back. He threw a shut-out against the Rangers, who looked like they didn't care and had their bus running for the Jersey Turnpike. Nice to see the new York teams struggling.
The Sixers go for 14 consecutive wins this afternoon vs Dallas, while the Phillies hopefully saved some runs for Arrieta as they try to sweep the Marlins. Late note: Kingery is out of the line-up today as Crawford plays SS. Nick Williams gets his wish and plays right field. Andrew Knapp catches. He has handled Arrieta in spring training.
- The struggling Reds come into Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series starting Monday night. The Phils catch a break and go to Tampa next weekend against the Rays, before the team returns to Atlanta to face the braves again.
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