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!

Written By Jason Voorhees

The future of professional sports in Philly is super bright.  Never do I remember a time in this town where all of the teams were blessed with such an abundance of talent and youth.  All four teams have a wealth of young talent and all four rosters have solidified their talent with star free agents and trade aquisitions.  The Phillies even brought in a generational talent in Bryce Harper who is the face of Major League Baseball.

The sky is the limit for each one of these teams and its going to be an amazing time to witness these teams evolve year by year to be perennial contenders.  Of course, the basis of how these teams were built is very different but the end goal can be viewed by each roster and the talent that has been eschewed thus far.

The Philadelphia Eagles are only one year removed from winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history.  Carson Wentz, the teams franchise quarterback, had a lot do with the team winning that championship.  Although Wentz ultimately tore his ACL, and missed the playoff run, his near MVP season catapulted them into the playoffs and definitely fueled that championship run.  The team is hoping that Wentz can once again return to that greatness of 2017.  

Of the four teams, the Eagles may have the least amount of home grown talent. If you review their roster, they do not have too many perennial pro bowl players that have been drafted.  That list would include Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox, Zach Ertz, and Lane Johnson.  Due to the salary cap, the NFL probably has the most superior free agent system.  And Eagles GM Howie Roseman has mastered the cap and free agent process.

Lets look at the Eagles star power as it sits today.  Obviously that list today would include Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox, Alshon Jeffery, Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, Malcolm Jenkins, and Brandon Brooks.  That list is not over the top, but definitely bodes well for a franchise that has a superior supporting cast.  Of course, Carson Wentz trumps all other players due to the quarterback position being the most important position in sports.  

Ultimately, the Eagles future success will be directly tied to Carson Wentz's ability to become the player who's talent defines him.  Wentz has been injured the past two seasons and the doubt will remain until he proves that he can overcome those injuries to return to MVP level.  If and when Carson gets back to that level of play, then the Eagles will definitely sustain success as one of the top teams in the NFL.

​The path that the Philadelphia 76ers have taken to get to stardom has been a much longer "Process."  However, they have quickly established themselves as a top contender in the NBA in a very short time period nonetheless.  In 2014, the 76ers drafted a young Joel Embiid with the third overall pick in the 2014 draft.  At the time, the highly touted center was projected to be one of the best centers to enter the NBA since David Robinson.

Of course, injuries delayed his debut for two seasons until he finally played in 2016-2017.  That season he was named to the All NBA Rookie team despite only playing in 31 games.  However, Joel has quickly shed the injury prone label the past two seasons to ultimately become one of the best players in the NBA.  Embiid has shown that he is not only the top center, but that he belongs in the list of Top Players in the entire NBA.

In 2016, much later in the "Process" the Sixers drafted another top player Ben Simmons with the first overall pick.  Simmons gave the Sixers another young star to pair with Embiid to give the team a 1-2 Punch in the East. 

After missing his entire first season due to an injury, Simmons finally debuted in 2017-2018 to the tune of the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year.  Not only did Simmons win Rookie of the Year, but the Sixers quickly went from last to first and made it to the Second Round of the playoffs.  Unfortunately, they were bounced in the second round.  The future was already bright though for this franchise and that future was soon to be bolstered by the trade market. 

This season, the 76ers added star players Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris in two separate deals to bolster their talented young roster.  Butler and Harris are both all star caliber players that are both expected to garner max deals during the free agent offseason.  

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are good enough in their own right to carry this team far in the playoffs as evidenced by last seasons run.  However; if the 76ers are somehow able to ink both Harris and Butler going forward (or even just one of the two); this team should be poised to contend for multiple championships for years to come going forward.

And then there is the Philadelphia Phillies.  The golden years of 2008-2012 has long since passed the team by.  The team has been in rebuild mode for quite sometime all the while developing some very good young players of their own.

Aaron Nola, a former first round pick, quickly developed into a front line starter and ace of the Philadelphia Phillies.  In 2018, Nola graduated to Cy Young status after finishing third in the NL Cy Young Voting behind only Jacob DeGrom and Max Scherzer.  Nola has solidified himself as one of the best young pitchers in Major League Baseball/

Rhys Hoskins, another high round draft pick, quickly solidified himself as a young rising star on the offensive side of the ball.  In 2017, he was one of top rookies finishing in the top 5 for NL Rookie of the Year voting.  He followed up that brief stint in the majors with an above average sophomore season that saw the Phillies again become relevant in Baseball, notwithstanding their late September collapse.

Enter John Middleton and Matt Klentak.  The team produced an "objectively excellent offseason" of epic proportions.  The team added the following players via trade and free agency to an already above average roster of young talent: Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Jean Segura, Andrew McCutchen, David Robertson.  In case you are not doing the math...that's 2 former MVP's, a multi year all-star catcher, a multi year all star shortstop, and a former top AL Closer.

If the team had only signed Bryce Harper, the offseason would have been a success.  Add the other players and this offseason was possibly the best in MLB history.  The sky is the limit for this roster and the Phillies are set up to win multiple championships themselves.  So the star players on the Phillies now includes Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola, Rhys Hoskins, Andrew McCutchen, J.T. Realmuto, Jean Segura and David Robertson.

The final franchise on the list is the Philadelphia Flyers.  Although the Flyers are probably further from contending than the other three teams, they have developed a super young core of players that are destined for stardom.  First of all, the team employs Claude Giroux.  Although he may not be at the top of "elite status" players like Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin, Giroux is definitely in the conversation when it comes to elite NHL talent.

Well, now the team hopes that it has an elite player behind the pipes in Carter Hart.  Hart was a second round pick a few years back and has quickly graduated to stardom. 

What Hart has been able to do in his brief start in the NHL (at only 20 years old) has been nothing short of amazing.  Hart has a 14-10-1 record in 25 starts while posting a 2.73GAA and a very impressive .919 Save Percentage.  Hart was named the NHL's rookie of the Month for the month of January as well as Star of the Week twice in February.  Hart has also been named the Games First Star seven times in the season.

The Flyers roster also employs Sean Courturier who is a borderline star, several young defensemen including Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim (both #1 picks) and young forwards Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny.  The Flyers also signed power forward James van Reimsdyk as a free agent in the offseason.  So all and all, the future is very bright for one of the youngest teams in the NHL.  

So to recap, Philly's professional sports teams are loaded with star power both young and established throughout their rosters.  This is definitely one of the greatest time periods for all four franchises moving forward.  And this is the greatest time for us the fans to enjoy being spoiled for awhile.  God knows that we have earned that right.  So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride that all of these star players take us on.  What a time to be a sports fan in Philly!

Written By Jason Voorhees

The silence from the stands was deafening.  The cheers coming from the away players on the ice and bench were ear-piercing.  The Flyers comeback win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday truly saved their season.  The team still has a huge uphill climb that leaves very little room for error.  However; making the playoffs still remains possible and the teams effort on Sunday reflected that notion.

Sean Courturier's goal with 3.4 seconds left in overtime gave the Flyers yet another come from behind win against the Penguins.  This was actually the second such win in the final seconds that they were able to achieve against their cross state rivals.  The Flyers showed a ton of heart in the win and their never say die attitude displayed the true level of maturity for one of the youngest teams in the NHL.

39 games into this season, the Flyers found themselves in last place in the NHL.  The team's General Manager (Ron Hextall) and the team's Coach (Dave Hakstoll) had both been recently relieved of their duties.  Basically, the Flyers were looking at yet another lost season of disappointment. 

Then something changed.  Phantoms coach Scott Gordon was promoted to the big leagues and the rest is history.  The team started winning.  The young talent began to start believing in itself and the results started to change.  The Flyers were once again relevant in the NHL.

After last nights win, the Flyers sit six points behind a playoff spot with only ten games to play.  Their chances of making the postseason remain slim to none.  However; one thing that is not slim is the size of the team's heart; which continues to increase with each passing comeback victory like last nights. 

These type of wins have become more commonplace for the Flyers and its a true testament to how far they have come in a little over half a season.  The teams rookie phenom goalie Carter Hart displayed yet another reason why the teams future is extremely bright after stopping 40 of 41 pucks in the victory. 

Carter Hart had missed the previous eight games due to injury before playing in Thursday's 5-2 loss against Washington.  Hart rebounded in a huge way last night stopping many point blank shots against one of the premiere scoring teams in the NHL.  The Flyers were also able to blank Sidney Crosby on the scoreboard which put an end to his impressive scoring streak against them.

The turning point in the game came with a little over a minute left in regulation; with Carter Hart sitting on the bench in favor of the extra attacker.  Defenseman Ivan Provorov sped like a thief in the night and made a diving play to knock the puck away from Nick Bjugstad; just as he was about to tip the puck into an empty net.  Then with just 19 seconds left, James van Riemsdyk scored the game tying goal to erase the 1-0 deficit.

Van Riemsdyk has been extremely hot down the stretch posting 19 goals in his last 29 games since January 10th, which places him second in that category over that span.  In fact, JVR has goals in each of his last three games.  He now has 25 goals despite missing 16 games earlier in the season due to injury.  If James did not miss any time, he would have been projected to score 37 goals; which would be a career high for the goal scoring winger.

After tying the game up in regulation, both teams went up and down the ice in overtime.  The overtime period was extremely entertaining as the teams traded odd man rushes at a record pace.  Both goaltenders made highlight goal saves during the period until the game approached the final minute.  In fact, the Penguins came very close to ending the game themselves when Brian DuMoulin came a blocker save away from scoring on Hart.

Sean Courturier finally ended the game in dramatic fashion after deking Sidney Crosby on the half boards as he glided into the slot and fired a wrister past Penguins goalie Marty Murray.  The goal was the exclamation mark to galliant effort by the Orange and Black.

Only time will tell if the Flyers are able to make the playoffs.  One thing that's set in stone is that the Flyers have finally found their Hart.  And its that hart and the heart of the rest of the young group that will truly define the success of the franchise going forward.  The sky is the limit for this roster and the future is bright.  There is no arguing that the team has matured and at least the remaining part of the season will be entertaining.

A young squad that has grown up in front of our eyes.  A group of talented players that have turned their season around in less than half a season.  A team of players that believes that this could be their year.  Why Not?  Anything can happen and this will surely be a doozy down the stretch.  Here is to hoping that the Hart will propel them into the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Keep the faith. 

Written By Jason Voorhees

Bryce Harper mania has swept the town of Philadelphia like no other free agent signing in the history of Philly sports.  Its all you hear about on talk radio.  Its all that you see across social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.  Sports television is littered with Bryce Harper content and this includes national media outlets like ESPN and Major League Baseball Network.  In fact, Bryce Harper apparel has even made news by setting the all-time record for jersey sales in a 48 Hour Period.

Today marks the one week anniversary of the Bryce Harper signing in Philly.  Last week Harper inked a professional sports record breaking contract of 13 Years for $330 Million Dollars.  While taking in all of the Harper energy, I couldn't help but wonder what were some of the biggest free agent signings in Philadelphia sports history.  So with that thought, I have decided to compile my own top 20 list of Top Free agents in Philly sports.

For the record, this was a difficult list to draft and obviously there will be some notable names that are missing when its all said and done.  However; as I have stated in the past, these lists are and always will be controversial due to differences in opinion.  Likewise, the parameters of the list ensures that the players on here at least enjoyed some success and also brought success to the team.  For that reason, players like Nnamdi Asomugha, Matt Geiger, DeMarco Murray, Danny Tartabull, Gregg Jeffries, Vincent LeCavalier, and Ilya Bryzgalov did not make the cut.  

Here we go...  

CONTRACT: 3 Years, $75 Million Dollars
The Philadelphia Phillies signed Jake Arieta to a three year 75 million dollar contract in 2018.  Arieta had been one of the leagues most dominating pitchers in MLB over the past few seasons.  In 2015 he went 22-6, while posting a 1.77 ERA and 236 Strikeouts en route to a Cy Young Award Victory.  Then in 2016 he helped lead the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908.

Arieta was mediocre at best during his first season with the Phillies going 10-11/3.96ERA/138 Strikeouts in only 172.2 Innings of work.  However; it was announced this offseason that Arieta had played parts of the season with a partially torn meniscus which definitely could have contributed to his subpar season. 

He has shown tons of promise this spring and seems poised for a comeback run which would be huge for a team with playoff aspirations.  Jake makes the list due to his prowess and history; as well as his contributions in turning the Phillies around last season in which they were able to contend until a last month collapse.  Arieta's legacy here is still unwritten and he could jump up on the list with sustained success...we shall see.

CONTRACT: 5 Years, $82 Million Dollars
Although Brand often appears on NBA "Worst Free Agent Signings of All-Time" lists...he still makes this list due to his pedigree and also the fact that he did help the team make the playoffs in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.  On July 9, 2008 the Sixers signed Brand as a free agent and at the time he was expected to help the team return to greatness.  

Unfortunately, Brand was injured early in the season, and would have season ending shoulder surgery on February 5th, 2009.  It was an extremely disappointing ending to the start of Brand's Sixers career.  During the 2010 season, Brand appeared in 76 games and averaged over 13.0 Points per game, despite the team missing the playoffs.

However; he would rebound one year later in 2011-2012 by averaging 15.0 Points per game and leading the team to the playoffs.  Of course, it was a one and done series and off to the next.  The following season, Brand was able to build on his success and that success saw the Sixers make an improbable run to the conference semifinals.  Brand was out of basketball only a few seasons later.  And even though his Sixers legacy did not end with a championship, he was able to bring some excitement back to a team that had been starving for that since the departure of one Allen Iverson. 

CONTRACT: 3 Years, $8 Million Dollars
William Fuller was one of the most prolific pass rushers in the NFL during the late eighties and early nineties.  In 1994, the Philadelphia Eagles signed him as a free agent.  Of course, Pro Bowl Defensive Linemen were no strangers to the Birds who employed all-time greats in Reggie White, Clyde Simmons, and Jerome Brown.  Fuller had big shoes to fill and he did not disappoint.

Fuller had 9.5 Sacks his first season with the team which earned him his first of three consecutive Pro-Bowls.  He followed that up with back to back 13 Sack campaigns while leading the team in forced fumbles with 8.  Fuller was a force to be reckoned with during his tenure as an Eagle.  He was also able to help the team make the playoffs in back to back years.  He recorded a sack and had six tackles in the 58-37 wild card win against the Detroit Lions in 1995. 

Of course, the Eagles lost the following week to the Dallas Cowboys In the Divisional Round and were bounced out the following season by he 49ers.  William Fuller may not be the greatest free agent in Philly sports history; however, he may just be the greatest free agent bargain if you take into account the contract vs. his production.  William Fuller was an excellent free agent signing and has the numbers to prove it.

When Peter Forsberg was traded along with a massive package to acquire the rights to Eric Lindros in 1992; no one could have ever predicted that he would have more individual and  team success than Lindros.  However; that's exactly the scenario that took place as Forsberg enjoyed a much longer career as well as his ability to help lead the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup Championship.

In 2005, after a year away from the NHL, Forsberg decided to return and when the Avalanche were caught in a salary cap situation, he signed with the Flyers.  Of course, the Flyers were getting their once prized draft pick back, with a chance to finish something that he never got started.  Although his stay with the Flyers was marred by injury, he was still able to put up impressive numbers in that first season.  Despite only playing in 60 games, he scored 75 points (19 Goals/56 Assists) and lead the Flyers to the playoffs.  Unfortunately, they were bounced out in the first round to the Buffalo Sabres.

He never got off on fresh ground the following season due to injuries and was ultimately traded away.  Although his second stint in Philly was short lived, he did bring a ton of leadership to the team and he mentored a lot of the young Flyers players.  It was a huge signing at the time and Peter surely packed the seats at The Wells Fargo Center.  Definitely one of the bigger free agent signings for the Flyers.

When Pedro Martinez signed with the Phillies in 2009, he was a shell of his former Hall of Fame self.  However; at the time the Phillies were in the thick of another playoff push and the organization hoped that his addition would provide a much needed spark to the rotation.  Also, taking a flyer on a future Hall of Famer for a $1 Million Dollar salary was a no brainer.  Pedro had spent the offseason working out privately in hopes of landing a new contract.  When he remained unsigned during the winter, Martinez entered the World Baseball Classic to showcase his arm.

In July, he joined the Phillies in hopes of adding another ring to his finger.  Pedro did not disappoint either as he became a fixture in the rotation right away.  He helped the team down the stretch going 5-1 in nine starts.  He posted a 3.63 ERA while striking out 37 hitters with only 8 walks in 44.2 Innings.  The Phillies actually won in Pedro's first seven starts which was the first time that happened in franchise history.  Martinez pitched great in the NLCS, although the Phillies ultimately blew the lead In his only start.  Unfortunately, he did not fare as well In the World Series start as he was torched by the New York Yankees.  

Pedro only played one season  with the Phillies and did not help them win their second championship in consecutive seasons.  However; Pedro was in fact the spark that the team needed and definitely belongs on the list of top free agent signings, even though his stay was short lived.  

Johnathan Papplebon ultimately became one of Philly fans most hated players.  However; his signing was one of their tops as far as free agents go.  The Phillies signed the free agent closer in 2012 to replace their former closer Ryan Madson who left the team in free agency.  In his first season as the Phillies stopper, Papplebon did not disappoint saving 38 while appearing in a career high 64 games.  He posted a stellar 2.44 ERA with 92 Strikeouts in 70 Innings.  Of course, the Phillies failed to make the playoffs despite Papplebon's all-star first season.

Papplebon struggled in his sophomore season and posted a career low in saves as a closer with 29 and a 2.92 ERA while losing some velocity on his fastball.  He claimed that he had played with an injury and that was the reason that his fastball dipped.  Papplebon also made controversial comments that he had never played for a losing team.  2014 was a bounce back season for the closer as he once again made the all-star team while saving 39 games for the team.  He struck out 63 hitters in 66.1 innings while posting a 2.02 ERA.  The team still struggled as they continued to rebuild and ultimately missed the playoffs once again.

Papplebon did not endear himself to the fans and he was ultimately jettisoned to the Washington Nationals in 2015.  He still makes the top free agent list due to his two all-star appearances and he also became the all-time save leader in franchise history.

In 2008, Asante Samuel was one of the most sought after free agents in the NFL.  Within minutes of the beginning of free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles had swooped in and scooped Asante up.  Samuel was brought in to shore up a sub par secondary and help get the Eagles back to the playoffs.  Samuel had previously won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots while becoming one of the best shut down corners in the league.  He had carved his niche with the perennial contenders and now wanted top test the waters of free agency to get back to the big game after a last minute heartbreaking loss to the Giants the previous season.

Samuel made the pro bowl his first season after posting 4 interceptions for the Eagles.  That postseason, he set a record with his fourth interception return of a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.  It was a 44 yard beauty and helped get the Eagles to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.  That following week against the New York Giants, Samuel again almost found the end zone after a pick of Eli Manning, which also tied a then NFL record with 7 postseason interceptions.  The Eagles would make the NFC Conference Championship against the Cardinals.

In 2009, Samuel followed up his great first season with a monster sophomore gig.  He tied an Eagles all-time record with nine interceptions.  He was selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and his fourth overall.  Unfortunately, Samuel did not get that ring and he was ultimately traded away in 2012 to the Atlanta Falcons.  Still one of the Eagles all-time free agents and he backed up his pedigree with stellar numbers. 

Nigel Bradham was not a huge name signing by any means.  In fact, when the Eagles signed him as a free agent in 2016, he was relatively unknown around the NFL outside of the Buffalo Bills.  However; Jim Schwartz (Eagles Defensive Coordinator) had coached Bradham during his tenure in Buffalo and knew that the Eagles were getting a player well above his value at a position of need at linebacker.

Nigel became a fixture on the Eagles defense right away making his mark as the starting strongside linebacker.  He posted 102 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception while starting 16 games.  Bradham actually graded out at 86.5 which was good enough for the 8th best linebacker in football.  Of course, we all know what happened in 2017.  The Eagles won the Super Bowl and Bradham was once again wreaking havoc in Eagles defensive scheme. He was one of the leaders of the Defense and definitely outplayed his contract by far as far as production and the ultimate prize was Philly's first Super Bowl victory ever.  Rewards were reaped on this one.

In 1996, the Eagles made Vincent one of the highest paid cornerbacks in NFL history at the time.  Vincent had previously starred at cornerback for the Miami Dolphins.  He was already one of the best corners at the time of the signing and Vincent maintained his elite status throughout his entire career with the Eagles.  In fact, Troy made five consecutive Pro-Bowls for the team from 1999-2003.  In 2002, he also cemented his name as one of the best "people" in the NFL after winning the NFL Man of the Year Award.

Troy Vincent was named to the Eagles 75th Anniversary all team in 2007.  He was one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever don Eagle green and will always be remembered for his 104 yard interception return against the Dallas Cowboys in his first season with the team.  The interception was an instant highlight reel classic and by itself makes Vincent one of the greatest free agent signings in Eagles history.

"For Who, For What."  This line will forever live in infamy as the legacy of Ricky Waters in Eagles history.  However; he truly was one of the best free agent signings in Eagles history.  Watters signed a free agent contract with the Eagles coming off a fresh Super Bowl victory with the San Francisco 49ers.  He quickly made fans forget those famous comments as he further established himself as one of the top running backs in the NFL.

In fact, he helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs in both 1995 and 1996.  He had three above average seasons as the bell cow of those Eagles teams.  In three seasons, he posted 3,794 Rushing Yards and 31 Touchdowns on 995 carries.  Talk about a workhorse back.  Watters endeared himself to the team as well as the fans while becoming one of the most successful running backs in franchise history.

Jeremy Roenick was already an elite player in the NHL in 2001.  The Flyers brought Roenick in to fill the void left by one Eric Lindros.  At the time it was one of the Flyers biggest free agent moves of all-time.  It did not take long for Roenick to become a fan favorite as he lead the team to the Atlantic Divison title during his first season.  He led the Flyers with 46 Assists and 67 Points while posting a plus/minus rating of +32.  Unfortunately, the Flyers were bounced in the first round by the Ottawa Senators.

In 2002, Roenick again led the Flyers in points during the regular season.  He enjoyed a very nice postseason scoring 13 points and leading the Flyers to the second round of the playoffs, before again losing to the Senators.  However; Roenick forever supplanted himself as an all-time Flyer in 2004.  After suffering a broken jaw and multiple concussions during the regular season, Roenick put the Flyers on his back in the Playoffs carrying the team to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Jeremy had a postseason to remember scoring 13 points, including a series clinching overtime goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Flyers came up one game short of the Stanley Cup; nonetheless Roenick did more than his part in getting the team to the promised land.  Although Roenick never sniffed the Stanley Cup again.

After finishing last in the NHL during the 2006-2007 season, the Philadelphia Flyers again decided to make a huge splash in free agency when they signed Daniel Briere, making him the highest paid player in the NHL in 2007.  Briere became a superstar while playing for the lowly Buffalo Sabres and spurned the Montreal Canadians to instead sign in Philly and become a Flyer.  That season, the Flyers went from last place to making it to the Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  After a regular season in which he was second on the team in scoring; Briere recorded 9 goals and 7 assists (16 Points) in his third consecutive semi finals appearance.

After some injury plagued seasons, Briere again rose to the occasion in 2010.  Briere lead the Flyers to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1997.  Briere lead all players in playoff points posting a Flyers postseason record 30 Points (12 Goals/18 Assists).  During the Stanley Cup alone, Briere provided 12 Points (3 Goals/9 Assists).  Unfortunately, the Flyers were bested by the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, coming up short of a championship.  Briere made himself an all-time Flyer during that playoff run and will always be considered one of their top free agent pick ups ever.

On December 6, 2002 the Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent slugger Jim Thome to one of the largest contracts in MLB history at the time.  Jim Thome brought something to the Phillies that they had been lacking in forever; star power.  Thome had an impressive debut season for the Phillies mashing 47 Home Runs.  He batted .266 knocked 131 RBI and scored 111 Runs.  The Phillies plan was to sign Thome in the middle of their slow rebuild to enhance fans into buying season tickets.  The plan worked as fans flocked to see Thome in red pinstripes.

During his second season with the Phillies, Thome once again starred while hitting bombs at CBP to the tune of 42 knocks on the season.  He batted .274 while producing 105 RBI and scoring 97 Runs.  That stellar season earned Thome the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for his play both on and off the field.  However; his star power was not enough to help the Phillies get back to the playoffs.  Unfortunately, Thome never was able to finish what he started in Philly as he was ultimately injured the following season and subsequently traded away.  Thome may not have been in Philly a long time but his legacy as one of its greatest free agents will live forever.

As an offensive tackle, Jon Runyan did not play one of the DIVA positions in the NFL.  However; during his career he had a "DIVA" impact on the game at his position.  In February of 2000, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Jon Runyan to a 6 Year/$30 Million Dollar contract, which at the time made him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history.  Runyan had a penchant for being a dirty player and he brought a swagger to the Eagles that had not been seen since the days of Buddy Ryan.  The Eagles imagined Runyan as the anchor of the most important unit on the team; the offensive line that would ultimately protect Donovan McNabb for his entire career and Runyan made good on that dream.

Jon Runyan went on to set an amazing streak by starting 190 consecutive games as an offensive lineman.  At the time this was the second longest streak in NFL history for active players.  He also played in 18 playoff games during that streak which made the feat even more remarkable.  Needless to say, Jon Runyan went on to have one of the best careers for an offensive lineman in NFL history.  He is widely considered the greatest Eagles lineman in history and played in some of the teams best games including the Super Bowl loss in 2004.  Runyan was also named to the 75th Anniversary All-Eagles team.  Great Player...Great Signing.

When Cliff Lee signed his free agent contract with the Phillies in 2011, he was no stranger to the team.  In fact, only two seasons earlier in 2009, Lee had been acquired in a trade at the MLB deadline and helped the team make its second consecutive World Series; almost singlehandedly helped them win.  Of course that team ultimately lost to the New York Yankees and Lee was subsequently traded away after the team acquired Roy Halladay.  Well its amazing in sports how things seem to always come full circle and now Lee was back in red pinstripes.

When the Phillies signed Cliff Lee in 2011, they had assembled one of the greatest pitching staffs in MLB history as the staff was quickly labeled the "4 Aces."  The rotation included Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt.  The fans and local Phillies media called the rotation "The Phantastic Phour."  What made the signing even more dubious was the fact that he turned down more money from the New York Yankees to instead join his old team.  He did not disappoint that first season going 17-8, while posting a 2.40 ERA and 238 Strikeouts in 232.2 Innings pitched.

Lee never did win a World Series with the Phillies as his career ultimately ended early due to arm injuries.  He did make the all-star team twice during his stay in 2011 and 2013.  Lee was highly coveted around MLB and the fact that the Phillies landed him over those other teams like the Yankees and Red Sox made his signing even more important to the team.  Lee may not have taken the Phillies to the promised land but he definitely was one of its best signings all-time.

In 2017, the Philadelphia Eagles were able to land top free agent wideout Alshon Jeffery on a one year prove it deal.  Who would have known then that this signing would go down as one of the Eagles most important signings ever.  Jeffery quickly solidified himself as the Eagles Number one passing option and gave Carson Wentz a much needed weapon in their upstart offense.  During his first season, Jeffery provided the Eagles a true number one receiver option catching 57 Passes for 789 Yards and 9 Touchdowns.    

However; Alshon did his real damage in the postseason.  In 3 games, Jeffery caught 12 passes for 219 yards and 3 Touchdowns including 3 Catches/73 Yards and a touchdown in the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.  After that season it was realized that Alshon had played the entire season with a rotator cuff injury.  That offseason he had surgery to repair the shoulder.  Jeffery's contract had been extended in December to ensure Alshon would be part of the fold for the next four seasons.  

In 2018, Jeffery actually outperformed his 2017 stats in only 13 games.  He went on to catch 65 Passes for 843 Yards and 6 Touchdowns.  He went on to catch another 11 passes for close to 160 yards in two more postseason games.  Unfortunately, the Eagles did not have the same success as they were bounced by the Saints during the Divisional Round of the playoffs.  Ironically, the season ended as a pass went through Jeffery's hands for a game ending interception.  Nonetheless; Alshon was one of the best as well as most important free agents in Philly history.

Malcolm Jenkins has quietly turned himself into one of the best Free Safeties in the NFL today.  In 2014, the Philadelphia Eagles signed him as a free agent, much to the dismay of many fans.  Fan favorite Brian Dawkins had been jettisoned a few years earlier and any safety that was signed in the town would never live up to Dawkins legacy.  Of course, fans in Philly have since forgotten those incredulous doubts about Malcolm.  Although, Malcolm may never be the elite talent that Dawkins was on the field, he arguably has become the same type of leader for the Eagles on that same field.

Jenkins is undoubtedly the Eagles leader on Defense and has become the unquestioned leader of the entire locker room.  Jenkins has also brought upper echelon statistics to the defensive backfield that has made him one of the best safeties in the game.  Of course, his pace of play as well as his leadership helped guide the Eagles to their first Super Bowl championship in 2017.  He was a major factor on and off the field and was once again named to the Pro Bowl.  In fact, Jenkins has made the Pro Bowl three seasons for the Eagles (2015, 2017-2108).  Jenkins has been huge for this Eagles regime and will continue to be the anchor of this defense for years to come.

When the Philadelphia Phillies signed Pete Rose in 1979, they had won the NL East three consecutive years.  They had two 101 win campaigns and another over 90, but yet they still failed to even make it to the World Series.  That is why the team chose to sign Pete Rose as they felt that he would be the difference maker that the team had been lacking.  Rose certainly did not disappoint as he helped lead the Phillies to their first World Series Championship win in 1980.  The team earned three division titles, two World Series appearances and one World Series Championship during Rose's tenure.

The Phillies already had the building blocks of a dominant team,  However; they lacked the spark that would put them over the top.  Rose provided that spark as he lead the team not only by statistics but also by example as evidenced by his nickname "Charlie Hustle."  Rose had been the unquestioned leader of the Cincinnati Dynasty "Big Red Machine" teams and now he was providing the same skills for the Philadelphia Phillies.  We all know how Roses' career ended and was ultimately marred by the gambling label that he is known by.  However; the mark that he made on this team coming in as a free agent may even make him one of the top free agent signings in total Sports history, let alone Philly sports.

There is not much more we can say about Nick Foles and his importance to the Philadelphia Eagles as well as the fans.  Foles legacy in Philly has been forever cemented and he will always be known for leading the team to its first Super Bowl victory in history.  Not only did Nick Foles lead the team at the most important position on its biggest stage; Foles put up numbers during that postseason run that are among the tops of NFL history.  During the teams upset of the New England Patriots, Nick Foles went 28 of 43 Passing for 373 Yards and 4 Touchdowns.  He also caught a Touchdown pass on one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history, "The Philly Special."

Nick Foles career with the Eagles truly did come full circle.  We know how his career began coming out as third round pick and for him to reach the celebrity status that he has reached is definitely well deserved.  Foles will never have to pay for a drink in Philadelphia ever again.  Foles is a legend in the town and will always be remembered for that magical postseason run of 2017.  The Eagles and Philly fans alike are forever indebted to Nick Foles and no free agent list would be complete without mentioning his name.

When MLB analyst Jon Heyman tweeted out..."Breaking: Bryce to the Phillies" the longest free agent saga in history had finally come to an end.  The Philadelphia Phillies had finally gotten their man.  Although Bryce Harper has yet to play a meaningful game for this franchise, his signing has been the most meaningful in history for a number of reasons.  First of all, he signed a 13 year contract at age 26, which could arguably take him to age 39 which in baseball language could be his entire career.  Secondly, the "no opt-out/no-trade" clause.  This means that Bryce Harper does in fact want to be in Philly and this is a career partnership that will ultimately define the next great regime of Phillies baseball.

Bryce Harper is a generational talent that is the face of baseball.  The Phillies have landed the biggest of biggest fish in a very long time.  Harper is destined to lead this franchise to multiple championships and be their face for the next 13 seasons.  What a joy it has been for Philly fans that have taken the free agent ride during the entire winter.  Harpers success on and off the field will ultimately define whether this contract was worth the dollars but regardless of the statistics, the meaning of the signing is so much more.  Just look at the ticket and merchandise sales since the signing.  Bryce Harper is definitely the greatest free agent signings of all time and has set the bar extremely high.  Hope that you enjoyed the list...more to come. 

Written By Jason Voorhees

  
​And so we have all become media whores.  As day 120 of the Bryce Harper saga continues...endless speculation continues to rattle social media like a bat out of hell.  On Thursday, former MLB general manager Jim Duquette went on the radio stating that the Phillies do not have the top offer on the table for Bryce Harper; and that their offer is between 270-300 million dollars. 

This comes on the heels of a report from Steve Philips (another former gm and analyst) yesterday stating that the Phillies now feel their chances of landing Harper are "remote." 

These days everyone has their own take on the Bryce Harper situation.  The contract negotiation has now taken on the appearance of a soap opera.  It's like reading a comic book and comparing a battle between super hero and villain.  The only problem with this scenario is that at the end of the day only one side can win. 

In this case...the "villain" is indeed super agent Scott Boras.  On the other hand, the Phillies organization continues to play the arrogant narrative lead by Matt Klentak and his idea that the Phillies have had an "objectively excellent offseason."  It appears that Klentak would rather play a high stakes poker game than win the player.  This strategy may end up being the death of the Phillies chances of landing Bryce Harper.

Scott Boras is an evil genius.  He is extremely good at his job.  His job is very simple.  Get the most dollars for his client at whatever cost and he knows just exactly how to push buttons to maximize each deal.  In the case of Bryce Harper, Boras is trying to get him a record breaking contract which would shatter Giancarlo Stanton's 13 Year/325 million dollar deal.

Of course, Manny Machado signing for 10 years and $300 million last week and then the Nolan Arenado extension this week have only enhanced the leverage that Boras has in his arsenal.  So knowing all that we know and knowing the facts, the bottom line to make a deal happen should be at 10 Years and 335 Million Dollars right?  And a 3 year opt out right?  This is a no brainer and should now be the starting point for any negotiation with Bryce Harper.  Except that maybe it is not.

No one really knows where the Phillies stand on this issue and there is no way of knowing their exact offer.  However; one thing is for sure, if they have only offered between 270-300 as this report says, then they never really were planning on spending "stupid money" like the owner previously said.  BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!.....THE PHILLIES JUST SIGNED BRYCE HARPER!!!!!! As I was writing this piece the news broke out all over twitter (first reported by Jon Heyman) and then WIP that the Phillies had signed Harper.

So here we are.  Ultimately Boras did his job and did it well...judging by the massive record breaking deal that he was able to secure for his client.  13 Years/$330 Million/No Opt-Outs/Full No Trade Clause.  Now that's a massive contract if I ever did see one...basically keeping Harper in a Phillies uniform for the remainder of his career.  So in the end...the Phillies front office was patient and was able to land their superstar.  

Philadelphia is now the place to be.  Welcome to Philly Bryce.  Thank you to Phillies ownership (Middleton and Klentak) for making this happen.  And thank you to twitter for being the Bryce Harper mouthpiece through this seemingly endless saga. 

For a fan that lived during the 2007-2013 run, this moment has instantly brought me back to that moment.  This may be the biggest free agent signing in the history of Phillies sports.  Harper is a game changer and now we can plug him into the middle of an already improved lineup.  And now the Phillies can truly say that they have had an "Objectively Excellent Offseason." 

​Exciting times to be a Philly fan folks.  We have a multitude of young stars...Carson Wentz, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Carter Hart, Aaron Nola, Rhys Hoskins...and now Bryce Harper.  Savor the moment friends.  Enjoy this opportunity.

​So as the World Of Boras Turns, Remember that it was Boras that delivered Bryce Harper to the Phillies.  And for that I give thanks.  And now I can finally relax.  I am taking a Twitter vacation for a few days.  Welcome Home Bryce!