- I'm not sure how I feel about Mike Trout this morning. In a way I get it. Trout would be stupid to refuse almost a half of a billion dollars, money guaranteed. What if he gets hurt? He is set for life and he's only 27-years-old.
In another way I'm disappointed. Trout is practically a hometown kid, his hometown being Millville, New Jersey. He has never said that he wanted to play for the Phillies even though he grew up a Phillies fan. Trout is an Eagles season ticket holder.He is visible at the games, sitting in the first row in the end zone area.
So maybe we fans assumed too much, that just because Trout is a local guy he not only wanted to live in Millville for the rest of his life, he also wanted to play in Philadelphia forever.
Maybe he felt the pressure would be too great. Trout can remain relatively unknown in Anaheim and still come home after the season. He could've waited another two years and still made the same money. The Phils not only set themselves up to afford Trout but Bryce Harper was openly campaigning for Trout to come to Philly in two years, to the point of almost tampering.
Still it wasn't enough to stop Trout from signing a record $430 million, 12-year contract with the Angels.
Maybe the Angels will do everything it takes to win now. They now have the seventh best farm system in baseball. They still have money to spend on future free agents. And a new stadium, or a renovation to Angels Stadium is on the way. Maybe Anaheim will finally get into the playoffs and actually win a game or a series.
Regardless, the Angels will always be second-class near Los Angeles. It's all Dodgers out west. They have the team, the money, the history and the tradition.
I would think it would be the exact opposite regarding pressure. Harper would take some of the slack off Trout. But maybe Trout wanted to be the face of the franchise and didn't want to share the limelight with Harper?
It would've been worse if Trout did get to free agency and decided to sign with the Yankees, Mets or another Phillies rival. Either way the Phils don't have Trout.The fans are feeling similar rejection and dejection as Washington fans felt recently when Bryce Harper choose the Phillies rather than the Nationals.
Mike could've owned Philly. Imagine the jerseys sold and the ticket sales. Harper went crazy with merchandise- imagine double that amount. Now it will be interesting if Eagle fans boo Trout at the football games.
Let's hope the Phillies and Harper someday meet the Angels and Trout in a World Series or two.East Coast Trout playing ot west; West Coast Harper plaiyng in the East. Classic!
He will always be a celebrity around the area. He may end up being the greatest baseball player ever. He could've been a Phillie for a dozen years or so. Trout made the choice He went for the money, the California sun and the low-key life in Anaheim. Now he has to live with that decision, especially when he comes home.
- As predicted, there's much emotional fall-out form the firing of long-time St. Joseph's basketball coach Phil Martelli. Maybe the university could've done a better job in letting Martelli go. Their statement was cold and even arch-rival Villanova's coach Jay Wright was more emotional when he learned of the firing. The St, Joe athletic director came off as all-business and not very caring. Perception is everything and the St. Joe administration looked cold and calculated in their decision.
But, in the end, it's was the right thing to do. Martelli spent 24 years as head coach. He had a losing record the last three years while Villanova won not one but two national championships. Their famed Holy war battles are not even competitive anymore. Martelli only took the hawks to March Madness two out of the last eleven years. He had to go.
St Joe's needs a fresh perspective. They need better recruiting to contend with Villanova. Temple is also starting off on a new foot with their coach Fran Dunphy retiring. Penn won the City Series this season and LaSalle is still trying to find its way. So it's a good time for the Hawks to make a new start.
Being a lifelong Hawk fan, I understood and support the decision to hire a new basketball coach. I'm sick of losing to the Wildcats every year and missing out on the NCAA tournament every year. I want the Hawks to be great again. I just didn't like the way Martelli was let go, a nice guy with a lot of class who deserved a better fate.
He just didn't win enough, and in this day of instant gratification and what have you done for me lately attitude, I;m actually surprised that Martelli lasted this long.
- Big game for the Sixers tonight, trying to finally beat the Celtics, again in South Philadelphia. They won without a resting Joel Embiid last nigh tin Charlotte. Bad news for me, who has the 76ers winning less than 54 games this season. They currently have 46 victories. It will be a close call but if they make their playoff push they should break the 54-win mark and break my hear tin doing so.
Tonight is big, not only to further cement their #3 seed in the East, but physocially, they Sixers need to prove that they can beat bosotn. As they did last Sunday in Milwaukee the Sixers can send a message with a win tonight.
- The Flyers lost at home on Tuesday night, Montreal beating them 3-1. The Flyers are still six points out of a playoff spot with only nine games left to play in the season. It doesn't look good for the Orange and Black, especially since they are not playing good hockey right now.
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