- The Phillies start spring training today in Clearwater, Fla. Pitchers and catchers report this morning. It should be a fascinating spring. It's Bryce Harper's 2nd year of his 13-year contract. I'm looking for him to have a monster year. Harper is entering his prime and he seems comfortable in Philly.
Another interesting story is catcher J.T. Realmuto. The Phillies need to sign him to a contract extension and not let him become a free agent after this season.
Young prospects Spencer Howard and Alec Bohm will be in camp, hoping to open some eyes and win jobs. Most likely both will start the year in Lehigh Valley but eventually see Philadelphia sometime this summer.
Will the front office make a major trade before camp breaks/ The team needs another starter, preferrably a left-hander. The bullpen is also lacking. I can see the 'pen being an early problem and GM Matt Klentek doing nothing to improve it, waiting until the July trade deadline.
Will Scott Kingery play 2nd base or 3rd base? Will Adam Heasley or Roman Quinn man center field? Will the phillies trade for Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant?
New manager Joe Girardi has his first press conference this morning. Having Girardi as manager should add at least five more wins this season. Will the team be better fundementally? Will they play more small ball- bunting, hit-and-running and stealing more? How will Girardi handle players not hustling/
What will happen to Odulbel Herrera? Will he ever play for the Phillies again?
It should be a great spring!
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Major League Baseball is talking about adding more playoff teams, starting in 2022. Theyw ant to go from the current 10 teams making the playoffs to 14 clubs- almost half the teams in Baseball. Chances are there will be sub .500 teams getting inot the post season. It's certain to delute the game and make the long regular season be even more irrelevant.
On the other hand, Baseball hopes it will stir interest in pennent races even more. Of course, this is all for money and TV. The weirest proposal is for the two division winners and the first wild card team in each league to pick their playoff opponent. The two teams with the best overall records in each league will get first round byes. Baseball hopes to make the "selection" show a big deal on prime time the Sunday night of the end of the regular season.
Baseball is yielding to the younger fans, the geeky fantasy players, to draw more attention to the game. By doing so, Baseball is drifting further from the original game i knew as a kid. No divisional or wild card rounds. The best teams in the National and American leagues simply met in the World Series. The WS was a big deal back then. Now it almost seems anti-clamatic.
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Big basketball game tonight in South Philly, as the powerful Los Angeles Clippers invade town to face the 76ers. The Sixers are 24-2 at home this season, Despite the on-going turmoil with the beleaguered coach and center Joel Embiid, it should be a great game.
Embiid mocked the fans for theirr ecent booing, by moutihng 'shut the f*** up!" near the end of a victory against the Bulls Sunday night. Embiid is an immature guy. The fans loved him early on, despite his moodiness and his many injurires. Maybe Embiid is trying to talk his way outta town? Jimmy buter would love for Embiid to join him in Miami.
Embiid could be the best center in the NBA, and one of the greatest players in the league, if he would just work harder and focus on his game. Hopefully he gives max effort tonight, as all eyes will be on the Sixers.
I've got the Sixers minus 1/2 point. The clippers ar eplaying their 3rd game in 4 nights. They have a game in Boston on thursday night before the All-Star contest this weekend. The Sixers are brilliant on thei home court. The fans could either be with them tonight, cheering on a massive win, or really let Embiid have it with even more boos if he and the team get behind. Worse, if they dog it on the floor, the fans will ( and should0 jeer the hell out of the team.
I find it tough to cheer for this organization. During their tanking years, the franchise actively encouraged losing, yet continued to charger their "loyal" fans full ticket prices and parking.
As it turns out, the Process didn't work. If the Sixers had hit on most of their many high draft picks over the years, the club would've been solid for the future. Instead they are scuffling to hold onto the 6th slot in the Eastern Conference.
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Word is that the nFL is looking into extending their "Flex" policy to Monday night Football as well in the second half of the schedule. Flexing means to switch the previously scheduled Sunday night game for a better match-up, but only during the 2nd half of the year.
It messes up the fans, who may have to readjust to different kick-off times, and scramble to rearrange vacations, etc. Again, it's all for money and TV.
Also word is that, for the 4th straight season, the Eagles are hiking up ticket prices. Fans will pay because they are addicted the Eagles football, but that doesn't make it right.
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