Phightins

Many people think JC Ramirez is better than Phillippe Aumont.

The Phillies signed former Phillie-killer Brad Wilkerson to a minor league contract today. So in one winter, they signed arguably the 2 most random Phillie killers of the past decade, with the other being Brian Schneider (ironically both did most of their damage with the Montreal Expos).

From Les Bowen at philly.com.... http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Eagles_release_Westbrook_2.html

Saw it coming, but yeah, still sad. Eagles "insider" Jeff McLane is reporting that Andy Reid and Jeffrey Lurie will hold a press conference later.

Also...while I do understand your Lee argument (and have heard it many times from Phillies fans as well), I can't really believe you are discounting the idea of striving for a run like the '90-early 2000s Braves. One World Series in that entire time, yes, but 13 consecutive division titles is absolutely ridiculous. If that is the direction Ruben Amaro is trying to take the Phillies, I see no possible argument for how that is a bad thing. Also, just on a sheer comparison of the rosters, these Phillies and '90s Braves are really entirely different. The Braves were built for the regular season and put up some ridiculous seasons. The Phillies never really "dominate" in the regular season (at least, they haven't in the past 3 years), but they do just enough to get to the postseason and then they turn it on in October. Can't really explain why this is, you'd think that a Maddux-Smoltz-Glavine rotation would be incredible in the playoffs, but it's the facts.

The Phillies won the World Series without Cliff Lee OR Roy Halladay and I have no doubt in my mind they can do it again. That point doesn't really say much.

I do not agree with you at all, as I have said. The Phillies with or without Cliff Lee appear to be the best team in the National League. Keeping the farm system stacked is how you stay competitive for years and have similar runs to what the Atlanta Braves had. That is what Ruben Amaro is going for. In a video game world, I'd have loved to keep Cliff Lee. Would have been incredible for just this one season. But as somebody who also studies up on the business side of baseball as much as I can, this move is without a doubt in the best interest of the team.

Lol...couldn't resist.

Ehh... I'd definitely see it, but it is absolutely overrated. Good movie, but definitely not up to some of the hype I have heard.

They do.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/22/2827004.htm?site=sport&section=all

Interesting. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-iversonsixers022210&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Damnit, Chan Ho. He signed with the Yankees today...for half the money the Phillies offered, and also knowing he has no shot at the Yankees rotation. Apparently he told the Phillies he was going to pursue a starting job elsewhere. Also.... http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/philsphan1210/68420176-d1dc435618e3ab27bd7bcbeb26.jpg Get this man resigned please.

This was the kind of game that I'd imagine could convert quite a few people to hockey fans.

Holy [expletive] Miller...

Yeah if this game holds up as is I would expect Luongo as well.

This is an incredible game.

Backes was pushed.

Ryan Miller has been incredible. USA is hardly getting any pressure this period.

It isn't scary at all, just a bit disturbing.

The Phillies had no chance to keep Lee beyond this season. As Amaro has said, the $9 million owed to him this season was not the issue at all. It was the fact that he will be a $16-17 mil per year pitcher next winter. Sure they would have gotten 2 high compensation picks for him when he left, but with as spot-on as this scouting department has been over the past decade, I will trust their judgement that Aumont, Gillies, and Ramirez are more valuable than whoever they could have taken in the draft. Not to mention, they are all relatively close to big-league ready, and whoever they would draft certainly would not be. The farm would have been absolutely barren outside of Domonic Brown and a few other high ceiling guys in low-A ball, which would have made it very difficult to make any mid-season trades when a need arises, as they do every year.

It was not a matter of deciding to keep Joe Blanton over Cliff Lee. From what I heard, Amaro tried trading Blanton before he put Lee out there, but obviously they couldn't get nearly as big of a haul of prospects as Lee would have brought them. And it has nothing to do with money for this season. As it's been said many many times, paying Cliff Lee for this season would not have been an issue.

I just saw it. Thought it was pretty good, although it dragged at certain points. I also predicted the ending right from the start.

I agree. I honestly think the starting pitching is as deep as you will find in the NL. Only two real question marks. One being if we will get the 2006-08 Cole Hamels, or the 2009 Cole Hamels, and the other being whether or not JA Happ has a sophomore slump. Scouts have always doubted him and the consensus seems to be that he will fall to earth at some point, but I'm not sure I buy that. But if those two things go in the Phillies favor, this rotation is flat out nasty regardless of who the 5th starter is. Bullpen definitely has some question marks/concerns. I am really hoping that some of the young guys step up (Antonio Bastardo, Scott Mathieson, Sergio Escalona) and maybe we can get something similar to what the Dodgers had last year with Troncoso and Belisario coming essentially out of nowhere and being awesome. Also hoping for the obvious...that Brad Lidge is healthy.