Written By Jason Voorhees

The NFL kicks off it's season tonight with a game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers.  As a new season is upon us, we must ponder the good, the bad, and the ugly as it pertains to the best sport in America today.  Every year each team in the NFL comes into the season with high hopes and dreams of attaining the ultimate goal of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Many teams share the dream.  Few teams can feel the dream.  And only one team will get to taste that dream.  As we envision the endgame,  there is loads of drama and theater that must play out on the field of battle.  The following is a preview of where the 2019 season may shape up and an account of how the chips will fall in the Greatest Show on Turf.  Without further adieu, here is a list of my 2019 picks, predictions, hot takes, and awards.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4)
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
3. Washington Redskins (6-10)
4. New York Giants (4-12)

1. Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
2. Green Bay Packers (10-6)
3. Chicago Bears (8-8)
4. Detroit Lions (6-10)

1. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
2. New Orleans Saints (9-7)
3. Carolina Panthers (9-7)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)

1. Los Angeles Rams (13-3)
​2. Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-11)
​4. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)

1. New England Patriots (13-3)
2. New York Jets (9-7)
3. Buffalo Bills (5-11)
4. Miami Dolphins (2-14)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
2. Cleveland Browns (10-6)
3. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (4-12)

1. Houston Texans (11-5)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)
3. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
​4. Tennessee Titans (6-10)
​

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
2. LA Chargers (10-6)
3. Denver Broncos (6-10)
4. Oakland Raiders (3-13)

The Divisional Races are always the hardest to pick as the NFL can be a crap shoot from year to year.  There are always the mainstay teams and then a group of surprise teams that enter the fray.  Last season saw the LA Chargers and Indianapolis Colts make the playoffs in the AFC while the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears were participants in the NFC.

2019 is shaping up to be just the same as a few teams will fail to make the playoffs as others will play the Cinderella role and become the new darlings of football past.  Coming into the season, there seems to be an influx of parity and many of these races could be tighter than experts have predicted. 

So as we look to the playoff predictions, it appears that five new teams will again enter the postseason (NFC-Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers/AFC-Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers.)  In contrast, there are 5 teams that will not make another run in 2019 (NFC-Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears/AFC-LA Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts).

With that being said...Here are my Playoff Predictions:  

 (4) Atlanta Falcons vs. (5) Seattle Seahawks                                       (3) Minnesota Vikings vs. (6) Green Bay Packers

 (1) Philadelphia Eagles vs. (5) Seattle Seahawks                                 (2) Los Angeles Rams vs. (3) Minnesota Vikings

(1) Philadelphia Eagles vs. (3) Minnesota Vikings

(4) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (5) Jacksonville Jaguars                                   (3) Houston Texans vs. (6) Cleveland Browns

(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (5) Pittsburgh Steelers                                (2) New England Patriots vs. (3) Houston Texans    

(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (3) Houston Texans

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

In this world today, there is nothing that can be certain except death and taxes.  Well, in the NFL world the only certain has become the New England Patriots making the playoffs and competing for the Super Bowl.  In fact, the Patriots hold the active streak of making the playoffs with 10 seasons in a row.  2019 will be no different as the Belichick and Brady show will once again dominate opponents en route to another playoff appearance.

However, this season Andy Reid is finally able to exercise his demons of playoff past as he leads the upstart Kansas City Chiefs to an upset over the Texans in the AFC Championship.  But, in a cruel turn of events, his former team the Philadelphia Eagles win the NFC and will be his opponent in the big dance.  And in true Andy Reid fashion, the Chiefs will loose to the Eagles in the Super Bowl and Reid will still be chasing that dream.

NFL 2019 will see its share of story lines.  If its anything like the offseason and weeks leading up to the opener on Thursday, this season will be one of epic consequences.  So far this offseason, we have saw multiple players sign new long term deals (Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Ezekiel Elliott) to name a few.  We also had the holdouts of Zeke and Melvin Gordon.  We saw a few big trades including Jadaveon Clowney and Laremy Tunsil.

But all of these breaking news events are pale in comparison to the story of Antonio Brown.  With all of the craziness of the NFL, expect many more side stories to develop in front of our eyes.  Needless to say, 2019 is shaping up to be another exciting version of football lure.  So you have saw my predictions.  You have witnessed my award winners.  Now let me leave you with a few hot takes as we head into the opening game on Thursday:

1) The Dallas Cowboys have a very good season and Ezekiel Elliott wins a rushing title- but the Cowboys fall just short of making the playoffs.

2) The new NFL- 5 Quarterbacks throw for 5,000 Yards (Pat Mahomes, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Philip Rivers.

​3) Saquon Barkley is once again the leading all-purpose yardage leader and runs away with the fantasy football points total.

​4) Nick Foles leads the Jacksonville Jaguars to a playoff berth in his first season as a starter while playing his first FULL season in the NFL.

5) Julio Jones is the most dominant receiver in 2019 as he leads the league in both receiving yards and touchdowns.

6) Baker Mayfield does in fact avoid a sophomore slump leading the cinderella Cleveland Browns to the playoffs.  He also sets franchise season records in Completions, Yards, and touchdowns.

7) Although the Eagles win their second Super Bowl behind an all-star offensive cast, its the defense that ultimately overachieves and finishes in the top ten.

8) The Saints fail to make the playoffs and Drew Brees decides to retire after the season.

​9) The Miami Dolphins do in fact tank and land the first pick of the 2020 Draft.

10) LeSean McCoy has a comeback season for the ages as he once again eclipses 1,000 yards rushing and scores 10TD's in the Chiefs version of a Tecmo Bowl offense.

11) Carson Wentz is beaten out by Patrick Mahomes for MVP but he does eclipse all of his 2017 numbers as he finally stays healthy for a full season, which graners him the Comeback Player of the Year award.

12) Playing for the doormat Miami Dolphins, Xavien Howard (CB) leads the NFL with 12 Interceptions.

13) Kyler Murray beats out David Montgomery for Offensive Rookie of the Year.  Both players have admiarble numbers but Murray ultimately wins the award due to the padded stats of the "air raid" offense.

​14) The Cleveland Browns finish inside the top 5 in both offense and defense during the regular season.

15) Russel Wilson throws for over 4,500 yards while eclipsing 500 yards rushing to become the only player to do ever do so in NFL history.

16) Daniel Jones supplants Eli Manning as the lead signal caller for the New York Giants in Week 3.  Manning retires at the end of season.

​17) JJ Watt sacks Tom Brady in the Divisonal Round of playoffs knocking him out of the game which ultimately ends their run of conference titles.

18) Le'Veon Bell finishes in the Top 5 in rushing once again establishing himself as an offensive juggerneaut.

​19) Dez Bryant makes a comeback but its derailed after only playing in two games as he once again suffers a season ending injury.

20) Diva Wide Receiver Antonio Brown becomes the first NFL player ever to be traded three times during a season as he fails to ever set foot on the field.

That completes my 2019 NFL preview.  I hope you enjoyed the predictions as well as my not so awful takes.  Needless to say, these are obviously predictions and I will be lucky to get any of them right.  Nonetheless, that's what makes sports interesting.  The thrill of the take and the journey one takes to chase that take.  Stay tuned for my Eagles predictions and more sports related news.  

Its so awesome to have football back and I am completely pumped for the beginning of the season.  Buckle up and enjoy the ride folks.  And as Hall of Famer Terrell Owens once said..."Get Your Popcorn Ready!"

Written By Jason Voorhees

2019 was supposed to be the year.  This was going to be the year that the Phillies franchise ended their postseason drought.  After having an epic offseason in which the team acquired multiple all-star caliber players, Phillies brass claimed that the rebuild was over and that the future was now.  Except they forgot one very important ingredient.  And there was one major elephant in the room.

Despite adding Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Jean Segura and Andrew McCutchen, the team failed to address the starting rotation.  King Klentak and company promised that Zach Efflin, Nick Pivetta and Vince Velasquez would show huge improvement and that the starting pitching would be a better than average unit. 

Well, those promises were empty and the starting pitching has been a huge failure.  In fact, the entire roster has been a huge disappointment thus far.  The Phillies have underachieved in every facet of the game.  Whether it has been their bi-polar offense that is extremely inconsistent and frustrating to watch.  To the aforementioned starting rotation sans Aaron Nola, which remains in shambles.  And then there is the injury plagued and ravaged bullpen that has failed to deliver time and time again.

No matter which way you turn, this team consistently fails to show any type of consistency.  After dropping 2 of 3 to one of the worst teams in baseball over the weekend, it may be time to assume that this team just isn't that good.  But how did we get to this point?  How did a team with such promise coming into the season become a team that is holding on to a string in the wild card chase?

One could argue that there are many factors in play that could answer the question as to what ails the 2019 Phillies.  But the biggest problem continues to be the lack of a starting rotation.  And an even bigger problem is GM Matt Klentak's failure to acquire capable starting pitching at the trade deadline.

Sure, to say that he did nothing would be a lie.  Klentak did add Jason Vargas (trade), Dan Straily (trade) and Drew Smily (free agent) as a means to bolster the rotation.  He also went out and signed free agent relievers Mike Morin and Blake Parker.  And finally, the team traded for outfielder Corey Dickerson. 

So yes, the team did make some moves and on paper it was addition without subtraction of any premium prospects.  However, these acquisitions did not move the needle in my opinion.

What these moves signified was the waving of the white towel. 

This was Phillies leadership saying that what we did in the offseason was good enough and that we are good enough to win with the team we have.  In other words, this is really not a playoff team and we have just been lying to the fans this entire time.  This lack of aggressiveness points to one thing.  This franchise did not show enough desire at the deadline to bring a winner back to Philadelphia and that my friends is very disappointing.

So much for spending stupid money.  Well, one could argue that in true Philadelphia fashion, John Middleton really did back up his promise to spend stupid money.  Its just not what most fans envisioned when he made those comments.  David Robertson, Tommy Hunter, and Pat Neshek represent the epitome of wasting a ton of money on a broken product.  Now that's what I call stupid money.

Sure, its not ownerships fault that these three key cogs of the relief corps have all been injured and not able to help the  team.  However, these signings do represent an indictment on the teams overall failure in talent evaluation and its lack of success in roster construction.  Between the three players that is $28 million dollars on the books wasting away on the injured list.

Team President Andy Macphail came out last month and praised the teams manager and gave a vote of confidence in this teams staff.  He then went on to minimize expectations saying that if the season ended today, that the team was in fact a playoff team.  However, in contradictory fashion he then made it known that the team would not sacrifice the future and trade away top prospects at the deadline to acquire other players.

So which one is it Andy?  Are the Phillies a playoff contender or not?  If you truly believed that they are not quite ready why did you not just chose to sell some players.  I tend to believe that these guys talk out of both sides of their ass when analyzing the state of the organization.  

The main crux of my argument is that this team did not do enough at the deadline to improve the team and try and make a run at a wildcard.  For an example of this, lets look at the New York Mets and what they did at the deadline.  There were plenty of starting pitchers available at the deadline that could be a huge upgrade and boost for the staff.  The Mets traded for one of those pitchers in Marcus Stroman.

They only gave up two pitching prospects that were rated #4 and #6 in their system.  Now you are telling me that the Phillies could not have matched that package without giving up their top prospects Alec Bohm, Spencer Howard, or Bryson Stott.  I don't believe that for a hot second.  I believe that we have over rated our faith in a GM and President that just are not good when it comes to execution of its job functions.  

There is no reason why the Phillies did not get better at the trade deadline.  There were players that could have been had and Macfailure and Klentak instead chose to snub their nose at the fans. 

Yes this team has underachieved.  Yes their offense continues to be a huge disappointment on a nightly basis.  Yes, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto need to be better.  Of course, the bullpen has been decimated by injuries and cannot be counted on daily.  All of these things are true.

But when its all said and done, the Phillies did have a chance to improve this team.  They had a chance to show this roster that they are committed to winning.  And when it mattered the most, they instead chose to wave the surrender flag.  It pains me to watch this team.  The team appears to be uninspired and they are definitely not fun to watch.  The trade deadline was crunch time and the Phillies choked.

Only time will tell where the Phillies end up this season and whether or not they make the playoffs.  With 51 games left to play, the team stands at 58-53.  And if the season ended today, the Phillies would in fact be tied for the second wildcard. 

But in a mediocre national league, that is truly not saying much.  For a team that had pennant and world series aspirations coming into the year, this would be a downright failure. 

On paper, it seems that this team should remain in the hunt for a wildcard birth.  However, it would not surprise me at all if they begin to falter and fall out of the chase due to their lack of consistency day in and day out. 

And for this, ownership has no one to blame but themselves. 

They only need to look in the mirror to see the true cause of what ails this franchise.  They have failed the team and they have failed the fans.  Their lack of moves at the deadline not only could doom them this season but also beyond as they could have acquired controllable assets at Starting Pitcher.  The team instead chose to fold its hand and play with the deck they have.

Everyone wants to blame the manager.  Gabe Kapler should be fired they say.  Others blame the players and their lack of execution.  Ultimately it comes down to team leadership who constructed a roster that just isn't good enough.  Klentak and MaCFailure have failed to make this a winning product and Middleton needs to hold them accountable.  Until that happens the Phillies will remain an unfinished product.

Written By Jason Voorhees

After what was labeled an objectively excellent offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies were picked as one of the favorites to win the National League and contend for the World Series in 2019.  King Klentak and company had secured mega star free agent Bryce Harper and had committed to over $500,000 dollars in salaries moving forward.  The team also traded one of its best prospects in Sixto Sanchez to acquire J.T. Realmuto one of the best catchers in MLB.

Fast forward five months and that original prediction couldn't seem further from the truth.  After an extremely disappointing first half, the Phillies find themselves in third place in the National League East with a 47-43 record.  One could argue that they have been the biggest underachievers in the league thus far, with the roster that they have assembled.  In fact, the Phillies have struggled tremendously in virtually every facet of the game.

Offensively, the Phillies bolster the most inconsistent lineup in major league baseball.  They currently rank in the bottom third of every important batting metric including team batting average (.246)-17th, HR (115)-20th, OBP (.325)-15th, SLG (.424)-17th, and OPS (.749)-18th.  They have only scored 442 runs in 90 games which places them at 14th in the league.

The statistics alone are bad and show a team that reeks of poor execution with the bats.  However, the eye test truly cements the depths of ineptitude that this offense has fallen too.  What exactly is the problem? 

For starters, losing Andrew McCutchen was a major blow to the lineup.  The leadership that he brought to the table as well as setting the tone as the consummate leadoff hitter.  Also, losing Odubel Herrera for the season was a blow, even if Herrera was not having his best season.  He was still a player with upside that provided skill from the left side of the plate.  

Others point to a failed organizational philosophy at the plate.  To often the Phillies hitting approach just flat out sucks.  No one truly knows for sure why the Phillies offense has sputtered to this point.  However, no one can deny that it can only get better from here (we hope).  It has truly been a disappointing season at the dish.

While the offense has been below average, the Phillies pitching has been even more of a dumpster fire.  Phillies pitching has given up 153 home runs (27th) in the league thus far.  Only the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners have served up more. 

They are ranked 23rd in opponents batting average at .265.  Moreover, they have only struck out 751 hitters which ranks them 22nd.  In a league where making teams swing and miss is so important, the Phillies have failed miserably in these areas.

Starting pitching has been abysmal sans Aaron Nola and Zach Eflin.  Besides those two guys, this staff has been terrible.  Nick Pivetta and Jared Eickhoff have ERA's approaching 6.00.  Vince Velasquez has shown more of the same ineptitude.  Any and all rookie spot starters that they have brought up have been just as bad.  And finally, $75 Million Dollar man Jake Arrieta has been less than pedestrian.

And then there is the revolving door bullpen.  If it were not for Hector Neris, this area could be called a complete washout.  Truly the unit has been decimated by injury. 

David Robertson has only played in 7 games and has been out since April.  Seranthony Dominguez was facing surgery and is still trying to return from the mound.  Neshek, Arano, Hunter, Morgan, Garcia and Rios have all tasted the injury list as well.

So the million dollar question at this point remains...where do the Phillies go from here?  This is crunch time folks!

We have reached the turning point of the season in July.  The Phillies success or lack of success the next week will truly dictate the answer to that question. 

If the Phillies can somehow come out firing, find their mojo and gain some ground in the division fast; then Klentak will have no other choice than to add some players at the deadline.  However, if the team comes out flat and continues to falter the organization may have to fold its hand and look towards next season.

This is an extremely fluid situation that could be the defining moment of Matt Klentak's career.  One of Klentaks biggest mistakes thus far has been his failure to improve the starting rotation. 

Klentak has completely ignored this hole and now it is coming back to bite him in the ass.  He had a chance to get Cole Hamels at last years trade deadline and declined.  He had a chance to get Patrick Corbin or Charlie Morton in free agency but passed.  There was even Dallas Keuchel who he could have had for a cheaper one year deal in June and he chose to look the other way again.

Well, Klentak cannot continue to ignore this area of need anymore no matter what happens this season.  It all comes down to whether he is willing to part ways with good prospects for a rental, sell the farm for controllable star talent, or wait for next years free agents (basically give up on this season).

Of course the majority of fans will say make a trade and win now.  But its not that simple.  First of all, the Phillies farm system is not that good and Klentak will be competing with all of the other GM's whose teams are in win now mode.  Secondly, if you want the starter like Matt Boyd or Trevor Bauer with controllable years it may cost you Alec Bohm.  Are you really prepared to trade away your 3B of the future for a really good #2.  For me its a no doubt about it NO WAY!

If I was Matt Klentak, there is one Starting Pitcher that makes perfect sense and bucks the trend of both of these scenarios.  If the Arizona Diamondbacks make Zack Greinke available that's who I am calling. 

First of all, Zack Greinke will cost next to nothing in prospects.  The Phillies will only have to be willing to pay the remainder of his hefty contract which should not be an issue; beings that John Middleton is willing to spend stupid money. Secondly, Greinke is under control for 2.5 more seasons.  At 35 years of age he is still at the top of his game and would be an excellent #2 starter to complement Aaron Nola.

In my opinion this is a no brainer.  All of the other SP are going to cost multiple prospects and I am not willing to part with these players, especially when the Phillies don't have many of them to begin with.  If Klentak can sure up the rotation I do expect that this team can contend for at least a wild card.  However, if he ignores the issue the season will be over. 

The current roster has an obligation to be better in the second half.  As bad as they were during the first half, they still remain in striking distance of the division leading Braves.  However; it all comes down to the next few weeks.  Either these players realize what is at stake and come to play or they will be playing golf come October.  Crunch time has arrived folks...its up to the players to execute on the field.

Written By Jason Voorhees

Will the real 2019 version of the Philadelphia Phillies please stand up!  It has become apparently obvious that the Phillies team as it stands now is not as good as we had originally predicted.

Yes, the Phillies have had a hold of first place in the National League East for most of the first half of the season and currently only stand 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves after losing 2 out of 3 this past weekend.  Yes, the Phillies on paper still have a very decent lineup that should be able to score runs when they are not underperforming as they have been for most of the season,

However, an alarm should have been sounded after losing the series to the Atlanta Braves.  What is apparent is the fact that the Phillies are just not very good right now. 

Offensively, the Phillies currently rank 16th in total batting.  The team is even worse when it comes to power numbers where they are 23rd in home runs in a league that has hit home runs at a record pace.  The team, which lost star outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a torn ACL, has definitely underperformed in every batting metric that is measured.

Likewise, the teams pitching has been average at best and totally inconsistent.  In 2018, pitching is what carried this team but the same cannot be said of this team.  The team's ace Aaron Nola has been totally ineffective.  Despite his 6-1 record, Nola carries an abysmal 4.89 ERA and 1.59 WHIP.  Moreover, he has walked 36 batters in only 81 innings after walking only 56 last season in 212 innings pitched.

One could argue that regression was bound to happen after Nola finished 3rd in NL Cy Young voting in 2018.  However, this performance is far beyond regression and there is a major cause for concern.  In order for the Phillies to be a legitimate contender, it is absolutely imperative that Nola returns to his 2018 form.  Unfortunately, the eye test as well as numbers do not support this transformation.

If Nola is not an ace, then the Phillies organization is in trouble.  Most teams that contend for a World Series Championship on a yearly basis, not only boast one ace, but most have at least two legitimate top end of the rotation guys.  With Aaron Nola pitching like a shell of himself and former CY Young winner Jake Arietta showing steep decline, the Phillies do not match up well with any of the other contenders when it comes to starting pitchers.

Sans the top two, the Phillies other starting pitchers have not performed much better.  Besides Zack Eflin, who has been the teams best starter, the rest of the group has been more of a collection of mish mosh.  Teams that have two aces can afford to go with average or below average talent at the bottom of the rotation.  Unfortunately, the Phillies do not have this luxury.

I believe the Phillies have come to a crossroads.  Matt Klentak and company went out and spent a ton of money in the offseason and team owner John Middleton proclaimed that his goal is to win multiple championships.  Well, this is the time where an organization can show its true colors.

If this group is truly devoted to bringing a world series title back to Philadelphia, then its time to put its money where their mouth is.  Its time to put away the doubt about not showing a willingness to go over the tax threshold and make some moves.  The Phillies have holes up and down the roster and the only way to improve those weaknesses is to invoke a few trades.

There are plenty of frontline starters that are available or will be as the MLB trade deadline approaches.  This is where the Phillies need to focus most of their attention.  There is something that can be said that the offense has better days ahead of them.  However, I think to put all of your eggs on the Nola will improve basket is taking a huge risk.  That is why I firmly believe that the Phillies need to target a top of the rotation ace.

The team definitely lacks a left hander in the rotation and this could be in the cards as well.  However, the top target on my radar would definitely be Zack Greinke. 

Greinke is currently 8-2 with a 2.65 ERA/0.88 WHIP/85K's in 95 innings pitched.  At 35 years of age, Zack is still bringing it at a top line level and would slot in  perfect as the teams ace.  Trading for Greinke carries the highest salary of the available pitchers but would probably take a lesser prospect return than the other guys on the list.  If the Phillies did decide to trade for Greinke they would still have control of him for the remainder of 2019 and all of next season.  

Zack Greinke has been one of the most consistent starters in MLB over the past five seasons.  Greinke goes deep into games and does not walk many batters.  In fact, he has went at least 6 innings in 13 out of his 15 starts.  Even more importantly, he does not give up many free passes as he has only walked 14 batters in 95 Innings.  He also has only given up 9 Home Runs.  The Phillies rank at the bottom of the league in all three of these categories and Greinke would be a breath of fresh air as a welcome addition to the rotation.

Other pitchers that are available or could be if their teams become sellers at the deadline include Mike Minor (Rangers), Madison Bumgarner (Giants), Trevor Bauer (Indians), Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays), Noah Syndergaard (Mets), Matt Boyd (Tigers), and Corey Kluber (Indians).  All of these guys would provide the Phillies with a top of the rotation stud to infuse some energy into the group.

This Phillies team is not lacking in talent.  The chances that the team will remain in playoff contention the rest of the year remains high. 

However, if this organization truly wants to contend for a championship, its going to have to make some moves to improve the team.  These moves may be expensive and the team will have to be willing to bite the bullet and take a shot.  The team may have to be willing to part with their best prospects.  This should be a no brainer. 

In my estimation, the Phillies need to upgrade their SP (Frontline Starter), RP (Long Relief and Setup-Closer), OF (Starting CF).  My trade proposal would be centered around a package including either Luis Garcia or Spencer Howard and a few lower level pospects in exchange for Zack Greinke (SP), Jarrod Dyson (CF), and Greg Holland (RP).  This is the type of deal that one Phillies fan could only dream of at this point but this is the type of deal that could put the franchise over the top.

Will the Phillies be aggressive at the trade deadline?  That's the million dollar question.  But the answer could be the precursor to whether this group is really ready to contend or if they are settling to be average. 

Good teams make moves to plug holes in the roster.  Its put up or shut up time.  The next month could be a telling factor for the Phillies immediate future.  I hope the Phillies brass has the guts to make the deals to improve the team moving forward.  If not, its gonna be trouble in Phillies land.  If you want to truly be relevant, its time to go all in folks.  Only time will tell.

Written By Jason Voorhees

After an objectively excellent offseason, all signs pointed to the Philadelphia Phillies having an elite level offense. Matt Klentak was coming off a spring in which the team added Bryce Harper, Jean Segura, J.T. Realmuto and Andrew McCutchen to their lineup. When evaluating their roster, the area of opportunity was definitively their pitching staff, mainly the starting pitching.  In fact, if there was a weak link in the roster it was their starting rotation.

Fast forward to today, June 3rd.  The Phillies still sit in first place in the NL East after a three game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Their losing streak now stands at four games and their once fairly large lead in the division is now only 1 game over the Atlanta Braves. 

As the season has went on, all the fans and pundits continue to complain and clamor for the Phillies brass to add pitching (both starting and relivers) because that is the main problem with the team. 

There is no doubt that the Phillies starting rotation is thin and that they definitely need to add a starter via trade or free agency.  Likewise, their bullpen is thin due to injuries with 3/4 of the unit missing and they definitely could use reinforcements in that area as well.  The Phillies pitching situation has remained less than ideal.  However; the Phillies biggest problem this season has actually been the offense.

The Phillies offense, yes the offense that many predicted to have one of the most potent lineups in the league.  Well that offense has instead been one of the most inconsistent units in MLB.  Everyone keeps blaming the pitching, but the numbers truly paint a different picture. 

One day the Phillies come out and score 11 runs and then they score a total of 5 runs in the next five games total.  Its like Jekyll and Hyde on the diamond.  The team came out hot in April scoring the most runs in the league the first two weeks.  Since then, the Phillies lineup has been primarily dormant.  Lets take a look at the numbers more closely.

The Phillies are ranked 15th (287) in total runs scored thus far.  That number is right in the middle of the pack.  In contrast, the league leading Minnesota Twins have scored 347 runs.  The Phillies are even worse when it comes to team average where they are ranked 21st with a .247 team average.  The Twins lead the league in that stat as well with a .275 Average.  

The Phillies have not fared any better in the other important hitting categories ranking 16th (.325) OBP, 19th (.412) SLG, 19th (.736) OPS, 23rd (68) HR, 18th (826) TB.  One common theme that these numbers scream is middle of the pack average and its not a good sign.  Even if the Phillies had the best pitching in the league, these putrid offensive numbers are just not going to get it done.

Ok, so the Phillies offensive numbers prove that their offense has underperformed this season.  However, the eye test truly backs up the fact that the teams hitting issues far outweigh their pitching deficient roster.  The most glaring problem with their offense is inconsistency.  The fact that the team can put up a 15 spot one night and then get shutout the next two.

These kind of issues should not be happening with the elite talent that the Phillies have assembled on the roster.  Of course, Bryce Harper has struggled for most of the first half of the season.  Harper has been known to struggle early but his inability to hit the fastball has been somewhat of a red flag.  He is leading the league in strikeouts with 78.  He also only has 11 Home Runs which is also somewhat disappointing.

Meanwhile, 3B Mikael Franco has struggled to the tune of a .209 Batting Average and .383 Slugging percentage.  We all know about Odubel Herrera's issues at the plate and that was before his impending suspension for the Domestic Violence incident last week.  The list goes on and on of the players that have not performed well at the plate.

Moreover, in a league that just set a record for home runs in a month, the Phillies are ranked 21st with only 68 home runs.  This comes with a team that plays its home games in the band box known as Citizens Bank Park.  Rhys Hoskins only has 13 and Bryce Harper has 11.  In fact, the new addition Jay Bruce actually leads the team with 14 HR's.  Not that home runs are everything but the teams lack of power so far has also been somewhat alarming.

The facts remain that the teams offense continues to fail them. 

Yes, they could stand to upgrade their pitching staff but if they continue to put up 2.5 runs per game they will not succeed.  Until the Phillies offense starts to show more consistency at the plate, the team will not have many sustained winning streaks.  For a team that has high hopes and expects to make the playoffs and postseason, they better start to swing the bats better or those hopes will quickly fade as the summer moves on.

This Phillies team will ultimately go as far as the offense takes them.  In the meantime, the organization will look to upgrade their starting pitching as well as hope that their injured relievers return from their maladies. 

Look for Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins to start hitting bombs and expect some walk off excitement as the heat of summer increases.  If not, its going to be a very long offseason as the Phillies ponder what went wrong.  Yes, the Phillies need pitching but their offense has definitely been their achilles heel.  Here's hoping that the team can finally find their stroke.  If not...God help us.

Written By Jason Voorhees

lPhillies centerfielder Odubel Herrera was arrested on Monday evening after a reported incident of domestic violence.  The alleged incident took place in Atlantic City and involved his 20 year old girlfriend.  According to the police report, the victim "had visible signs of injury to her arms and neck that was sustained after being assaulted by her boyfriend, David Odubel Herrera, during a dispute."  It was also reported that she refused medical attention while Herrera was charged with simple assault and released on a summons.

The Phillies released a statement on Tuesday that they had swiftly communicated the incident to Major League Baseball who subsequently put Odubel on administrative paid leave of absence.  Of course, Herrera faces swift discipline under Major League Baseball's Domestic Abuse Policy. If found to be true, Herrera faces a lengthy suspension as well as being placed on the restricted list.

Now the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in somewhat unchartered waters.  Of course, domestic violence in professional sports is nothing new and all sports leagues have adopted more aggressive domestic abuse policies as reported abuse cases have risen throughout the years.  The NFL cases have been well documented recently as many high profile players have found themselves in trouble in this area.  Major League baseball has also had its share of incidents most notably Addison Russell, Aroldis Chapman, Roberto Osuna among others.

The Cubs Addison Russell, the most recent case of note, received a 40game suspension without pay.  The Cubs chose to keep Russell and he is now back on their roster after the suspension.  Last season, the Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna was suspended for domestic violence.  The Blue Jays; however, chose to part ways by trading Osuna to the Houston Astros.  So in both of these cases, the players did receive punishment but here they are still playing in the league.

In my opinion, all of these leagues fall short when it comes to their execution of these policies and my take is that teams need to take matters into their own hands when dealing with these players.  We are not talking about drug offenses here folks.  These domestic issues involve violence towards women in most cases which is NOT OK! 

Lets face it, Odubel Herrera has not been playing well as of late anyway.  But really that should not matter in this case.  What does matter is that Odubel has allegedly commited a violent act that lead to his arrest.  The Phillies obviously have been put in a precarious situation and there are steps that the organization needs to take before they determine their next move.  However, what I am calling for is the immediate release of this player.  Athletes need to be held accountable for their actions and when it comes to abuse of women their needs to be ZERO TOLERANCE.

People do make mistakes.  And yes, Herrera will most definitely receive a suspension.  However; this is a chance for the Philadelphia Phillies organization to take a stand.  Its time to send a message to athletes across the nation.  Do the right thing Phillies.  Teams need to put doing the right thing ahead of the valuation of talent and betterment of the roster.  Just look across the way at the NFL for a current example of the exact opposite.

The Kansas City Chiefs star wide receiver, Tyreek Hill was recently accused of domestic violence on a child.  This would appear on the surface to be even worse than abuse of an adult woman.  But yet Tyreek Hill is still employed by the Chiefs.  Not only has he not been suspended or punished, he is still a current member of the roster with team officials standing by their player.  This is an absolute travesty and the Chiefs have done not only a disservice to the NFL, but also this is a slap in the face to you and I.

Domestic Violence is not going to go away anytime soon.  Yes, the leagues have had to take a more aggressive stance in these cases.  But the onus really falls on the team.  While leagues remain soft and fall short, the individual teams have a chance to truly make a difference here.  With that in mind, the Phillies have an opportunity here to set a precedence in their individual sport and a chance to send a message to all other sports leagues. 

The Phillies need to cut ties now and cut Odubel Herrera.  The remaining salary figure is not important.  Protecting the players brand is not important.  What is important is showing women across America that their well being is more sacred than the sanctity of a players legacy.  The fact that Odubel was arrested is fact enough that he made a huge mistake.  Yes we do not know all the facts...but the facts are clear that an alleged abuse did occur.  For a police department to make an arrest their had to be good evidence that a crime occurred.

Take a stand Phillies.  Do the right thing.  Athletes and their fountains of talent need to be sent a message here.  No one is bigger than the game.  Domestic Violence should not be tolerated and if Zero Tolerance is truly Zero Tolerance, then the player has to be cut.  Its time to start taking this more seriously.  The Phillies really have a chance to make a decision that could transcend sports in general.  This could be the start of a new movement.  The ball is in your court Phillies.  Now take the bat and hit it out of the park.  Or risk yet another mistake in a long line of mistakes.  Its time to send that Message!

Written By Jason Voorhees

​The 2019 NFL Draft is now in the books and its time to recap the Philadelphia Eagles draft haul and assign a preliminary grade. 

​As a sports writer and enthusiast, I have always found it extremely difficult to rate these players before they ever set foot on an NFL field.  However; its easy to provide an early opinion and grade the picks based on where players were expected to be drafted. 

​Lets face it, the NFL is a totally different ballgame than college football.  Draft experts are like meteorologists...there are plenty of them and they are generally wrong more than they are right.  

The NFL Draft, like all other sports drafts is a crapshoot.  However; the importance of the NFL draft has increased over the years and has become more vital in a salary cap league.  Teams that have mastered the draft generally have success in the NFL.  One team that has aced this process is the New England Patriots who have become the ultimate dynasty in sports.

The Eagles on the other hand have had mixed success at drafting players. Howie Roseman is undoubtedly one of the best GM's in the NFL; however, he has struggled when it comes to evaluating talent.  In fact, it was this reason that led the organization to bring in Joe Douglas to assist Roseman in the draft process and constructing the roster.

The Eagles entered the 2019 draft with seven picks.  In past seasons, the Eagles showed an affinity for  a "draft for need" mentality as opposed to drafting the best player available on the board.  This year, Howie made it known that the team would try and take the best players available when making their picks.

Well, with the 25th pick, the Eagles did not expect certain players to be available when their number was called at 25.  One of these players was offensive tackle Andre Dillard.  Andre Dillard is a left tackle who played at Washington State.  Dillard was pegged by most top draft experts as one of the best offensive tackles available and many had him  going in the top ten picks.  In fact, a few draft experts and teams even had Dillard going in the top 5.

When Dillard began to fall, the Eagles began to tell themselves that they could have a shot.  As many teams tried to take advantage of the depth at Defensive End and Tackle, Dillard continued to fall.  At this point, Roseman decided to strike and he made a trade with Baltimore to acquire the 22nd pick.  The Eagles traded the 25th pick along with a 4th and 6th round pick to leapfrog the Houston Texans, who were reportedly ready to draft Dillard.

By taking Dillard with the 22nd pick of the first round, the Eagles chose to draft their left tackle of the future who will be Jason Peters eventual replacement.  It is no secret that the Eagles need to protect their franchise quarterback.  In fact, keeping Wentz healthy may be the most important aspect for the franchise moving forward.  Drafting Andre Dillard was a huge step in that process.

Andre Dillard was one of the top offensive line prospects and he is undoubtedly the best pass protector of the draft class.  Dillard is also one of the most athletic tackles of the group which bodes well for him developing as a run blocker.  While playing in Washington's air raid offense in college, Dillard did not have much exposure to run blocking but everyone agrees that he has the skill to develop that talent.

So, I give the Eagles an A+ for their first pick.  Dillard is a top ten talent that fills their need of protecting Carson Wentz's blindside for many years to come.  Left Tackle may be one of the hardest positions to fill in a roster and the Eagles believe they have a future all pro.  With Jason Peters being 37 and close to retirement, the Eagles can now relax and concentrate on the rest of their roster.

The Eagles went in to day two holding two picks in the second round.  Many experts speculated that the Eagles may take a running back with one of those two picks.  Coming into the draft, many people had linked the Eagles to Josh Jacobs.  Jacobs was viewed by most as the top running back available in the draft.  However; the Raiders selected Jacobs in the first round so that scenario was no longer in play.

Needless to say, the Eagles did select a running back with their first second round pick.  With the #53 pick, the Eagles drafted Miles Sanders (RB) from Penn State.  The local kid who played his high school games in Pittsburgh, was viewed as one of the top running backs in the draft.  In fact, once again the Eagles were shocked that he was still around when their pick was called.

Miles Sanders was the backup for Saquon Barkley for two years before starting last year at Penn State.  Sanders is a 3  Down back that has major upside.  He still has a ton of tires on his tread as well.  One player that Sanders is comparable to coming out of college is LeSean "Shady"  McCoy.  Ironically, McCoy was the last running back to be drafted this high by the Eagles at you guessed it...Pick #53. 

I give the Miles Sanders pick an A.  Sanders may have been the second back taken but I believe that he has the most upside and he has a chance of being a star in the league.  I think the Eagles nailed the pick and by doing so addressed a major need in the backfield.  

I must say, the Eagles third pick had me scratching my head at first.  With the #57 pick, the Eagles selected Stanford WR JJ-Arcega Whiteside.  When I first heard the pick, my first thought was John Harris.  Ughhhhh….Another reach here folks.  But my opinion quickly changed when I switched over to YouTube and cranked out some highlights.

JJ-Arcega Whiteside is a huge body receiver that has surprising speed.  The player comp that continues to ring true is Mike Evans and Alshon Jeffery.  If JJ is even close to those two players, then this pick was an absolute steal.  Whiteside is considered a red zone beast that can create matchup nightmares all over the field.  My first grade for the pick is a strong B.

After going offensive heavy in the first three picks, the Eagles chose to finally address the defensive side of the ball.  With the last pick of the fourth round, the Eagles selected another Penn State player, Shareef Miller.  Miller is an edge rusher that can play either defensive end or tackle.  Miller is a versatile defensive lineman that has strength and a high motor.

The 2019 draft was one of the deepest drafts as far as defensive line talent and Miller is a middle of the pack player.  All of the top guys went off the board quickly in the first two rounds.  Players like Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Clelin Ferrell, Brian Burns, and Montez Sweat were long gone by the time the Eagles were making this pick.

One local expert had an interesting player comp today...Ross Tucker called Shareef Miller "a poor man's Michael Bennett."  Miller's ability to play multiple positions just like Bennett gives him a chance to be a key contributor for the Eagles defense.  I don't know much more about Miller but I did watch some highlights and love what I see.

I give the Miller pick a B- grade.  I wanted Montez Sweat coming into the draft but understand it was more important to get an offensive tackle to protect Wentz.  With that in mind, and knowing that the Eagles did not reach for either of their second round picks, getting the next best defensive edge rusher with the fourth round pick was a solid addition.

Their final pick of the draft was Clayton Thorson in the fifth round.  Once again, not a name that I was familiar with.  Thorson is somewhat of a project but he does have size and athleticism, something the Eagles value with their quarterbacks. 

One analyst did say that the Eagles probably give Thorson his best chance of success.  Playing behind Carson and under Doug Pederson should give Clayton a chance of becoming a decent back up quarterback in the NFL.  I am going to give this player a C grade with the chance of becoming a B if and when he becomes a solid backup.

So overall, I give the Eagles a B+/A-.  Of course, only time will tell if these players are a hit or miss.  I do think that the Eagles not only got the best players available on their board, but also players that can come in and be key contributors right away.  So for that, I am extremely happy with the results of the draft and am looking forward to see these guys hit the field. ​

Dillard and Sanders have a shot at being stars in the league.  Whiteside could be the sleeper of the draft.  Miller will definitely be part of the Eagles defensive line rotation.  And Thorson has potential to be Carson's backup.  If you have not already done so...go to you tube and pop on some highlights of all of these players.  Especially Sanders and Whiteside.  I promise you it will give you chills.  

Cant wait for training camp folks!  Until then...#FlyEaglesFly!

Written By Jason Voorhees

Aaron Nola's 2019 season has gotten off to a very rocky start.  Studying what may be wrong with the 2019 version of Nola had me wondering where he stands compared to the leagues other ace pitchers.  After glancing at the leaderboards throughout the league one thing jumped off the screen.  The fact of the matter is that many of the leagues aces have not been all that good so far this year.

In fact, it has been a tough go of it so far for many elite starting pitchers.  Max Scherzer, considered by some to be the top pitcher in the game, has abysmal stats by his standards in five starts.  In 32 Innings Pitched, he is just 1-3 with a 4.45 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 44K's and 5BB.  He has also given up 3 long balls early on and has not been the dominant force that we have grown accustomed to watching on a nightly basis.

Chris Sale has been even worse.  He is 0-4 with a terrible 8.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 14K's and 5BB while giving up 5 long balls.  Some experts point to a drastic dip in velocity and are claiming a possibility that Sale is injured.  Whether there is an injury or maybe just a mental block, Sale has in his own words flat out "sucked."

Another of the league's elite, Corey Kluber has been awful as well.  In one of his starts he lasted only 2 2/3 Innings and gave up six runs.  Kluber, known as one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the league has been uncharacteristically inconsistent.  Hence his 2-2 Record in five starts.  He has a bloated 5.88 ERA and 1.62 WHIP.  He also has 22K's to go along with 12BB and has served up 4 dingers.

I could keep going with a list of ace pitchers that have been very un ace like so far but it would take up the entire page.  The fact of the matter is...2019 has not been kind to these elite pitchers in the seasons early stages.  This could all change but it does make you wonder why?  What are some of the factors that have lead to this interesting anomaly so far.

Even the National League's reigning Cy Young winner Jake deGrom has been somewhat off of his game.  His teammate Thor has been a disappointment as well.  This is the one reason why it may be too early to write off Aaron Nola just yet.  I do think that Aaron Nola's case could be very similar to the others.

The one constant with all of these examples has been a lack of control.  All of these studs thrive when they are pitching with consistency and staying around the plate.  In 5 starts, Nola has walked 12 batters and given up 7 long balls.  Last year, Nola only walked 58 hitters all year and only surrendered 17 home runs.  Those numbers came in 212.1 Innings Pitched.  The old adage walks kill has been a daily theme in Aarons starts thus far.

Lack of control can be the number one reason why Nola has been off his game.  Another key element of Nola's game that the games other elite share is the movement on their out pitch.  Nola's out pitch happens to be his curveball.  When Aaron is able to locate his curveball with pin point accuracy it is deadly.  Well his curveball's location has been missing the target by a wide margin.  When Aaron can't hit the mark with his curveball, it forces him to rely more heavily on the fastball.  This can explain his sudden propensity to serve up home runs at an alarming rate.

Thirdly, Aaron has had to pitch from behind due to his lack of getting ahead of hitters.  When Nola is at his best, he is pounding the strike zone early and then using his curveball to make hitters chase.  This has been a recipe for success for the young ace.  Well, Nola is instead pitching from behind and then failing to locate the curveball.  Its like the "perfect storm" for disaster and that's where Aaron Nola is living so far.

Can Nola right the ship...of course.  He has to improve in these three areas and you will then see Nola being successful once again.  During his last start, there was some reason for optimism as he was finally getting that nasty movement on his curveball once again.  I think a lot of his struggles could be confidence as well.  Nothing a few quality starts cant repair.  

Lets face it folks...the Phillies season rests on the status of Aaron Nola and whether he can get things turned around moving forward.  If Nola continues to struggle, the Phillies chances of making the playoffs will sink faster than the Titanic. 

However, if Nola can get back to his 2018 form, then this team will be a force to be reckoned with.  Aaron just needs to take a deep breath and start throwing with authority again.  Pound the strike zone early on the corners with the fastball.  Then use the machine like curveball to annihilate opponents.

Sounds so easy right. 

​Well I do think that Aaron Nola will turn it around just like I think the leagues other aces will figure it out.  Good pitching will always favor good hitting in my book.  And the league needs its star pitchers to get back to their dominant form. 

​Here is hoping that this all is just really an anomaly and that the aces will be dealing.  Until then, its aces are wild and the fans are getting ready to flush their royal toilets on the 2019 season.  Don't give up yet folks...its still very early. 

Yes, offense and home runs are exciting to watch.  However, in my book dominant pitching is the masterpiece that we should all be craving.  I cant wait for these guys to get it turned around so that we can see the master script.  Nothing like watching a deGrom/Scherzer battle it out on the field.  If these aces can improve it should be a fall run to remember!      

  

Written By Jason Voorhees

Just in case you were wondering...the Philadelphia Flyers season ended on Sunday.  Yes, the team once again failed to make the playoffs in an NHL league where just about every team qualifies for the postseason. 

Of course this is nothing new as the Flyers have now failed to make the playoffs in four out of the past seven seasons; while getting bounced out in the first round in the three years that they did qualify.

This is just flat out unacceptable anymore.  This once proud franchise has become nothing more than a perennial loser and the depths of mediocrity has reached its highest level.  Something has to give here folks.  A team that was consistently one of the top five teams in the league for two decades has now become one of the leagues doormats.

The Philadelphia Flyers franchise is a complete train wreck anymore and the team's fans deserve change.  I believe that team chemistry begins at the very top and that is where ownership needs to begin its process of turning things around. 

Loyalty is an excellent quality to abide by but this franchise chooses to exude blind loyalty which has ultimately led to failure.  The Flyers organization has continually employed former ex players and coaches at its most important leadership positions.  Whether it has been Bobby Clarke (multiple times), Paul Holmgren (multiple times) at GM or President/Vice President.  Ron Hextall as GM.  Craig Berube as Coach.  

You can go up and down the leadership scale and find examples of this strategic failure.  The underlying cog in the franchises armor is this fundamental mistake.  The team continues to bring back players, coaches, general managers and presidents that have close ties to the organization.  This is where ownership needs to take a stand.

Paul Holmgren needs to go.  Its that simple.  It starts at the top and the top deserves a bulls eye.  The organization needs a complete overhaul.  There needs to be a fresh set of eyes at the top...a set of eyes that will bring new life to this once proud franchise.  A set of eyes that will bring a new found passion and direction.  A set of eyes that will institute a new strategy; one that is more conducive to the new NHL.

In order for the Philadelphia Flyers to move forward the team needs to take a step back.  And by that I don't mean going back to the good old boys network.  This means a complete overhaul and rebuild from the top on down.  Yes this would be a hard sell to the fans.  However; if the fans could see that by doing this that the team would eventually be able to compete like they once did from the 1990's and 2000's, I think they would embrace this change.

Flyers fans deserve much better.  Lets face it...the teams core has just not gotten it done and there have been minimal changes from season to season and zero growth.  There has been no improvement in the past seven years no matter what band aids the team has used to try and get better.  What is the definition of insanity.  Doing the exact same thing with negative consequences and expecting a different result.  Yes the Flyers have played this constant game of Russian Roulette year after year.

Well its time for the franchise to destroy the 1970's mindset and move into the new millennium like most other NHL teams.  Teams today win with elite talent, something that the Flyers have not had in decades.  Yes, Claude Giroux is an extremely talented player but he is not elite.  Elite is Sidney Crosby.  Elite is Alex Ovechkin.  Elite is Connor McDavid.  

That is not to say that the team does not have future elite talent, because I firmly believe that Carter Hart could be that elite goaltender that the team has been searching for in forever.  However; Carter Hart will never reach that elite level if this franchise does not take some extreme measures to improve its talent level moving forward.  So yes, it starts at the top by ousting Holmgren.  Bring in a new face, a talented executive that has zero ties to the Flyers.

After the team replaces Holmgren, bring in a new coach, once again one with zero ties to the Flyers franchise.  Try to target a coach with a Stanley Cup pedigree, or at least one that has had consistent playoff success.  Of course, one such option went off the board today when the Florida Panthers hired Joel Quenneville.  Of course, Joel  won three Stanley Cups as a coach and another while he was an assistant.  There are definitely some other good options out there its just a matter of finding the right fit.

After replacing the President and coach, the team then needs to shed some salary.  Goodbye Jake Voracek.  Bye Bye Andrew MacDonald.  Sayonara Shane Gostisbehere.  Its been real Radko Gudas.  We were glad to have you back but wish you luck elsewhere James van Riemsdyk.  Yes, the only player that I am keeping is Claude Giroux.  Giroux still has upper echelon talent and you can still build around him.  But these other guys have to go.

As new team president, I am then taking a run at Erik Karlsson and Artemi Panarin.  Yes, this would give the team an elite NHL defenseman to pair with its very young core.  A young core that took a step back this season.  I still belive that Ivan Provorov has the ability to be that elite shutdown defenseman but he needs a mentor to help him grow.  Karlsson fits that mould and would instantly upgrade the team on the back end.

Likewise, Panarin at age 27 would give the team a bona fide sniper.  Something this team has lacked in forever.  And he would give the team a fresh set of eyes on the ice to pair with Giroux.  Then I would let the younger players continue to gain valuable experience under the tutelage of a new coach and team concept.  I believe that these extreme changes would be able to propel this franchise forward.  

Of course, there would be many other changes along the way.  But in order for these changes to breed success, the first move has to be made.  Fire Paul Holmgren.  Please, for the Love of God.  Desperate times require drastic measures.  It is time for this franchise to be great again.  Getting there will require putting an end to the good old boys network.  Change is in the air and the Flyers faithful is owed a better fate.  Get your head out of your ass and take action.  Or else we will be singing the same song in 2020.

Written By Jason Voorhees

The Phillies wrapped up their spring training schedule today in walk off fashion.  Minor leaguer Malvin Matos went yard in the bottom of the ninth to give the home team the 3-2 victory.  The Phillies finished the most anticipated spring in recent memory with a .500 record (14-14-3).  The Phillies begin their quest of a championship on Thursday against the Atlanta Braves in their home opener.

Last years team was one of the Cinderella stories before a late season collapse ended that dream.  Of course, that was last season.  Thanks to an objectively excellent offseason, the Phillies are now one of the top teams in major league baseball and are expected to contend for the National League pennant.  Team brass Klentak and Middleton backed up their promise to be aggressive in free agency by having a historic offseason of epic proportion.

Adding Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura, and David Robertson to the already talented young team may have put the team over the top on paper.  However; were all of these moves enough to propel the team to its first division championship since 2011?  Only time will tell.

One things for sure though...this team is going to be exciting to watch day in and day out as the Phillies are once again RELEVANT.

On paper, this team definitely appears to be the favorite to win the National League East.  However; that's why they play the games and we know its not always the most talented roster that wins.  The Phillies definitely have the superior lineup, which may be the best in the entire national league.  And do not discount the importance of having the same everyday lineup day in and day out which is in direct contrast with last season when Gabe Kapler rolled out 134 different cards.

As we sit here today; let's take a look at what the starting lineup will look like in 2019:
1) Andrew McCutchen (CF)
2) Jean Segura (SS)
3) Bryce Harper (RF)
4) Rhys Hoskins (1B)
5) J.T. Realmuto (C)
6) Odubell Herrera (CF)
7) Cesar Hernandez (2B)
8) Mikael Franco (3B)
9) Starting Pitcher (P)

That s a pretty impressive lineup to say the least.  A ton of on base percentage and lots of pop up and down the lineup.  Last season Franco was the 5-6 hitter and now in this lineup he is batting 8th.  This team is projected to score a ton of runs especially playing half its games at CBP.

Of course, the starting pitching remains a bit of a question mark sans Aaron Nola.  However; any team that boasts a pitcher of Nola's caliber cannot be doing too bad.  Nola is the unquestioned ace and he should once again be in the CY Young conversation throughout the year.  If Jake Arietta can overcome the disappointing 2018, this team should have a dynamic 1-2 punch to say the least.

The x-factor of course is Nick Pivetta.  Some analysts are picking Pivetta to make the jump to stardom this season.  Nick is blessed with an above average fastball and has added great secondary pitches as compliments.  If Pivetta can somehow step up this year, then look out Major League Baseball.  The rest of the rotation is rounded out by Zach Eflin and Vince Velasquez.  However; Phillies brass is already on record saying that they will look to trade for help at the deadline if these young guys stumble out of the gate.

The Phillies of course boast an above average bullpen which should be the missing link as long as their offense is as good as advertised.  They brought in closer David Robertson who was one of the most consistent back end guys in a very tough American League for years.  Then they have Seranthony Dominguez and Hector Neris (both have closer experience as well) as setup guys.  When these guys are on, their stuff is absolutely nasty as well.

The rest of the division also improved during the offseason including the New York Mets, Washington Nationals, and Atlanta Braves.  The Mets and Nationals both have pitching staffs that are TOP 5 in MLB.  However; their lineups are no where near the level of the Phillies.  And the Braves, who did sign FA 3B Josh Donaldson; are one year more mature after winning the division last year.

The division will ultimately come down to whichever team is able to execute at top level.  As mentioned, on paper the Phillies seem to be the favorite to come out on top at the end of the year.  It would not be surprising to see three of these teams in the East make the playoffs.

Here are my picks for the Division standings:
Philadelphia Phillies: 96-66 (NL EAST CHAMPS)
New York Mets: 90-72 (WC)
Washington Nationals: 87-75 
Atlanta Braves: 82-80
Miami Marlins: 70-92

This is my pick and I am standing by it.  Some of you will say that I am a homer and I am ok with that suggestion.  The bottom line is that the Phillies had one of the best winters of all-time and I firmly believe that this team will overachieve due to the excitement around the ballpark and because they have the best fans in baseball.  When the Phillies are having success, like the last golden years of 2008-2012, CBP is electric and that home field advantage will take this team to the next level.

In fact, Phillies fans actually travel with the best of them and it begins in one week when we takeover DC in Harper's return to the Nationals.  This season should be epic and its going to be awesome to watch Bryce Harper, one of the games best young stars shine in front of the Philly faithful.  As mentioned in his own introductory press conference...there will be ups and downs.  However; here's to hoping that the ups absolutely trump the downs.  Get your popcorn ready Philly...BRYCE Yourselves...Its gonna be a SHOW!