PHILLY SPORTS CORNER- PHILLIES NFL WRAP-UP

The Phillies are what they are. Average. 81-81. Another season without a winning record.

As of this morning, Gabe Kapler is still manager. I expected him to be gone by now. Along with GM Matt Klentek and Team President Andy MacPhail.

I can see Kapler being fired soon. But sadly I sense that Owner John MIddleton will give both Klentek and MacPhail one more year to get things right.

I know the front office is divided. I'm sure Klentek is pushing to keep Kapler. Middleton needs to consider the fans, his ticket sales, and do the right thing. Clean house.

Hire Joe Madden as manager. Garry Maddox as general manager, and Larry Bowa as team president.

The players clean out their lockers today and go home for the winter. The first spring training game is February 22 vs the Tigers.

I love Baseball and already have my games picked out for 2020. But I will be highly disappointed if changes aren't made. I don't want to suffer through the same old, same old.

Maybe a new GM will be more aggressive to improve this team. We need pitching, both starting and bullpen help. We need a third baseman. We need to trade Cesar Hernandez, Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco.

Maybe a new GM will draft wisely and build the farm system to produce as abundantly as Atlanta or St. Louis.

Maybe a new GM will trade and sign free agents without hesitation.

Maybe a new GM will hire a real pitching coach.

MacPhail lost me when he uttered the stupid statement "If we don't, we don't."

Do something, John Middleton!

************************************************************************

Wrapping up Week 4 in the NFL..

- Finally Dallas plays a good team and loses. New Orleans without QB Drew Brees. playing at home, squeaked by the Cowboys 12-10. Dallas has Green Bay next week before playing the woeful Jets and the Eagles. Both Dallas and the Birds could be 4-2 going into their big match-up in Week 7.

- New England survives in Buffalo again. Until the Bills can beat the Patriots they will always be an afterthought in AFC East. Two of the worse team in Pro Football- the Jets and Dolphins- reside in AFC East. So if the Pats are to finally be dethroned, Buffalo must step-up.

- San Francisco leads the pack in NFC West after the stunning 55-40 Rams loss to the Bucanneers. Seattle is still very much in the picture.

- The Giants are a foolhardy 2-2. The schedule will soon start turning tougher when they travel to New England  and play MInnesota next week.

- Let's see how real Cleveland is in the next few weeks when the Browns play the 49'ers and Seahawks.

- Who will win the AFC North? Baltimore  had a leg up on the Steelers, Bengals and Browns until they lost at home to Cleveland. I still believe in the Ravens to ultimately take the division.