Phightins

Wish I could have seen more, but I am hearing there were many positives. I will take it.

Haven't seen any of this, just getting home from the airport (ironically, drove past the arena on my way home...seeing the WFC parking lot filled for a Sixers game is a rare sight). I guess it's cool that they were able to hang in as long as they did...

Disgraceful showing in Columbus. And I am not a fan of Nik Zherdev at all. On top of not showing a thing on the ice yet, he has supposedly refused to talk to the media, because Tim Panaccio (local hockey writer) "looks like a member of the Russian mob" to him (Panaccio is full-on Italian). While that is completely hilarious since Panotch has a good sense of humor about it, Zherdev seems like a total jerk. I mean, the dude clearly is a first round talent, but he is 26 years old and is already with his third NHL organization and is coming off a year in the KHL. On a one year deal too, so you'd think the guy would be smart enough to realize he needs to prove something this year. Guess he isn't.

I agree about Anthowhatever....from what I have heard, the dude is a genius. It might take a few years to see it all come together, but he knows what he is doing. No clue about Farrell as a manager. Maybe ECN could give some insight about what kind of pitching coach he was in Boston. Always hard to evaluate coaches in the big markets. The Red Sox usually have great pitching, but it's tough to tell if it was because of Farrell, or because they could spend a lot of money.

The World Series is still ahead of us, but now that all but 2 teams are finished, the MLB hot stove is about to warm up. It will probably be easiest/most organized if we keep general rumors/transactions and discussion in one spot, like we did last year. So perhaps this can get a sticky? Anyway, in the coming days we will begin to see managerial/coaching vacancies filled (John Farrell officially hired in Toronto today, to start it off). Teams will also begin to non-tender players. Once the World Series ends, free agents will have 5 days to negotiate with their former teams (down from 15 days, which is what it used to be), and then the real fun will begin.

Really sad to see such tiny crowds in Columbus. That has always struck me as one of those towns where hockey could work if they had a good team to get behind but it just has not worked yet.

John Farrell is the new Blue Jays manager.

Haha, I saw this joke made by at least 20 writers right as he was striking out. A tad bit late, now. Usually the Onion is better than that.

I was just busting your balls Cobb. But for real, does everybody remember what happened the last time Andy Reid announced his "starting quarterback"?

Uh you know we do have an Eagles thread

If only Vick were capable of covering Kenny Britt . But for real, time to dress Trevard Lindley next week. Enough of Hobbs. The safeties had terrible games too, but I am confident they will bounce back. Hobbs has been horrible for the whole season.

Why is Ellis Hobbs still on the field?!?

Also, it is time for a "true leadoff hitter". That would solve so many of the offenses inconsistency problems, I think, if they had a legitimate leadoff hitter and Placido Polanco hitting 1 and 2. Jimmy Rollins was never a true leadoff hitter even in his prime, and now his speed is basically gone, so the one asset he brought to the position isn't there anymore. Since they are locked into big contracts across the board, I'm not sure how they will fit a new leadoff hitter in. Maybe they have to trade Vic.

Interesting. I'd keep things just like they had them in the NLCS, except maybe I'd go Cain in game 2 and Sanchez in 3. But they are probably better off using Sanchez at home, I really think the crowd noise got to him a bit yesterday.

Just noticed that the Padres only have $1.1 million committed for next season, currently. And that money is for two buy outs. So technically they have nobody under contract right now. Wow. Meanwhile the Phillies have over $140 million committed. Weeee.

Weirdest season ever. Looked like they weren't going to be in the postseason 3 months ago. I have thought for a while that the Giants might be the toughest playoff matchup for this team in all of baseball. This is going to be a super-long winter, and I already cannot wait for the day pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater. Hopefully the Flyers, Eagles, and Sixers do their best to get me through this winter. Anyway...Jayson Werth, it's been real. Good luck in Boston/Anaheim/whereever you wind up. Thank you for the past 4 seasons, you earned every dime and then some. I know that a lot of the knee jerk Phillies fans are looking for wholesale changes here, but that will not happen nor should they. The only changes I can foresee are obviously in RF, short relief, and probably 5th starter. Dom Brown will obviously go into spring training with the RF job being his to lose. Ben Francisco will likely get a lot of playing time, as will whichever free agent they bring in (maybe a Marcus Thames type). Vance Worley appears primed to take a spot in the starting rotation, and talent-wise anyway, he'd appear to be a huge upgrade over Kyle Kendrick. I think Scott Downs would complete this bullpen, but he is probably out of the Phillies price range. Anyway, looking ahead, as long as the Big Three remains healthy it is hard to count this team out. The offense is painfully inconsistent, but there will not/cannot be significant changes. The window is closing, but it should be open for the next two years or so. I might have more to say later, but for now I am very disappointed.

Hah...there isn't a hitter in baseball who wouldn't have buckled on that Wainwright curve. Wilson striking out Howard is a different story. No excuse for not hacking there, although that is Ryan's MO. I dreaded the day when something like this would happen.

He has absolutely no grasp for the strike zone with 2 strikes. Saw that ending coming a mile away.

This season goes down as a complete and utter disaster. Weirdest season I can remember. I will throw a post-mortem together in the Phillies thread later. Anyway, 'grats to the Giants. A Rangers-Giants series will be sick.

Ross Gload!!

The most common trait of a troll: just pick and choose what you want to read and respond to. I have been giving the Giants credit all series long, and I have been ripping the Phillies' shortcomings all series. I also mentioned that the Giants seem to be getting more breaks, but please do not say I am putting this series entirely on "luck". That would show you have an inability to read. Anyway..Uribe hits a pop up that leaves the yard, and Ruiz kills a ball, that, if goes an inch to either the left or right, ties the game and puts the go ahead run on 3rd with less than one out. Seems like that has happened a lot in this series, hence the nutshell comment. I'll be back after this inning.

You know exactly what you were doing. Every time I point out that luck is not on the Phillies side, you get very troll-like and deny it. And the numbers aren't lying. Virtually identical for both sides.

And you are a troll in a nutshell.

And that right there would be this series in a nutshell. Chooch killed it. An inch to the right or left and we are tied with the go-ahead run on 3rd with 1 out. Typical.

Wonder what happened to all those Giants fans who have been [expletive]ing about this "bandbox" all week.