Phightins

Really, is going to games a factor for you? If so, you can save yourself a lot of money by choosing the Devs or Islanders.

I'd still be wary about putting hockey in an arena not built for it. But I guess with the Islanders, if it's their only option they have to go for it. But NHL hockey in buildings built primary for basketball always has problems. Just look at Phoenix.

Oh yeah, seriously, I would definitely go Devils or Islanders. You live near them, and unlike with the Rangers, you can get to a bunch of games for very cheap.

Flyers!!

Oh yeah, even though many of the bandwagon, post 2008 fans (especially those who don't take interest until September) won't admit it, this season was a great success and was my favorite Phillies team ever. Such a treat to watch these guys play every night for six months. I can only hope it will be this much fun next season. And Brad Lidge, even though the last three seasons didn't go as well as expected, thank you very much for 2008. I hope someone gives him a chance next year. http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/large_BradLidgeCarlosRuiz.jpg

My offseason wish list is simple: don't do anything drastic. This 2011 team was a fantastic team that was ultimately done in by random playoff luck. There is nothing that can be done when building a team to prevent this. All you can do is what the Phillies did this season...build the best team possible and hope things go right in October. There are two things that need to be done this offseason. 1) Re-sign Jimmy Rollins. I feel weird saying this about a non-elite player who is sure to decline in the next few years, but they need to bring him back at almost any cost. The shortstop position is incredibly thin around the league. Unless the Phillies pull Jose Reyes out of nowhere, there is literally nobody that can replace J-Roll. Freddy Galvis (and his sub-.700 minor league career OPS) would likely be the leading candidate. This would leave a massive hole. He needs to be back. I am getting very bad vibes about it though. 2) Lock Cole Hamels up for life. Self explanatory. He is a free agent after 2012. The time for an extension is right now. I am sure the Phillies realize this and I have a very good feeling that this will get done before spring training. I hope so anyway. Hunter Pence is a free agent after 2012 also, and while I'd definitely like to see him get extended also, Hamels is definitely the primary goal. Other than this, there are just a few smaller things to be taken care of. Lots of big contracts coming off the books (Raul Ibanez, Brad Lidge, perhaps Roy Oswalt). I would be okay with bringing Ibanez back on a one year deal if he is willing to take a part time role, but my concern with this would be that Charlie would give him the first shot at LF. That job needs to be Domonic Brown's, plain and simple. The Ryan Howard injury complicates things also. Unless the Phillies bring in a first baseman, have to figure John Mayberry Jr. will be playing a lot of first base next year, which would seemingly open up LF for Brown. As for the other big free agent, I certainly want Ryan Madson back but I do not want to overpay for him. If he leaves, the bullpen will probably be incredibly young next year. And I am okay with this. It will definitely be an interesting offseason. I just don't want to see the Phillies pull a Flyers and dismantle a great team as a result of failure in a tiny postseason sample size. Of course, the Flyers were a different case since the salary cap dictated most of their moves, and the Phillies probably couldn't dismantle this team even if they wanted to due to bad contracts, but my point stands.

I think I may like this team...

Officially a torn achilles tendon for Ryan Howard and he may miss the entire 2012 season. Just in time for his $125 million contract to kick in! But really, I hope he is OK. That is just awful.

Two games in, and it has become pretty clear that Zac Rinaldo is not worth the trouble. Not even close.

Before the series, would anyone in their right mind have picked the Cardinals though? Jonah Keri and Joe Sheehan are the only two national writers I know of who picked STL.

Disappointing. Only word I can really think of right now. Well, the reason I am so disappointed right now is also the reason why the playoffs are so awesome. Anything can happen, especially in a five game series. I'll have more to say later probably.

Early observations: -Timonen and Pronger look very old and very slow. They did in the first period at least. I will hope this was just a product of sitting in the locker room for an hour right before face off and isn't something terribly major. -This top line (JvR-Giroux-Jagr) is going to be hella fun to watch.

Okay this is ridiculous. Does every single executive need to speak? The teams finished warmups 35 minutes ago and the game is nowhere close to starting.

Blah, just start the game already....this is making me vomit. (In reference to the shit in Boston right now).

Well, it should be exciting. But I'd have preferred if they won tonight since I also have NLCS game 1 tickets .

Okay, the sheer stupidity of letting Betts leave for absolutely nothing is just starting to set in. Seriously, couldn't turn him into a draft pick or something? Some of the shit this team does amazes me.

I really did not want to have to use my game 5 tickets.

Well, [expletive].

Here is to hoping the Phillies are slightly more patient against Edwin Jackson than they were against Jaime Garcia.

And that team would be the Canadiens. Wish we'd have kept him, especially with Schenn going to the AHL (for now). Center depth lacking.

Come on, do it. Don't [expletive] around Charlie.

Let Madson pitch 2 innings plz.

Trivia: Phightins made a cameo appearance in this video.

Massive game in an hour and a half. Wish I was more confident, but Jaime Garcia is precisely the kind of pitcher that owns the Phillies regularly (talented, soft throwing lefty). At least JMJ will be in the lineup.

Blair Betts waived. I guess we have several other guys who can fill his role and do a decent job, but I always thought he was a tremendous value for such a small cap hit. Some NHL team is about to get a terrific 4th line center. Maybe this secures Couturier's spot?