The season has begun!

The season is on!!
I'm sorry the blog died for a while, but it is back and should stay steady!

As of now, I'm liking the way the season is going so far!
It has been a fun April.
Us Phillies fans are so used to terrible April's, most of us are jumping for joy that the worst that we can be on May 1st this year is 14-14!

Cole Hamels,Chase Utley, and Pat Burrell have sparked the Phillies. Our bullpen has also been AMAZING, but we are going to need Ryan Howard to step up his performance if we want to be contenders!

As for suprises so far, Florida, Tampa Bay, top my list.

The Marlins have a team full of AAA caliber players and of course, the top shortstop in the Majors, Hanley Ramirez. So their record is a shock. Sadly, I think they have more wins this year than sold tickets, but they will fade by the all-star break and will not be competitive unless they spend some money on more decent players. I see them finishing the season at 75-87

Tampa Bay has also played well, and they will be Contenders, not pretenders this season. IF you trust what John says, you shouldn't be surprised by their season so far. They will be fun to watch this year, and would contend for the division title in any division but the one they are in. The Red Sox and Yankees have a hold on that division for a few years to come, but Tampa Bay will eventually overthrow their reign. They should win at least 80 games this year. Evan Longoria is a star in the making and should be the Rookie of the Year for the 2008 season.

Rays Pitching

I LOVE this teams pitching. They have 3 guys who would be #1 starters for most other MLB teams. James Shields was the Rays #2 last year and had a 3.85 ERA to go along with 12 wins. Matt Garza, who came to the Rays from the Twins in the Delmon Young deal looked really good in his stint with the Twins, compiling a 3.69 ERA. Scott Kazmir(shown left) is the team ace. He led the AL in strikeouts while throwing just over 200 innings to go along with his 13-9 record and 3.48 ERA.
All 3 should improve over last season and get 12-15 wins while keeping their ERA's under 3.50 for the year. Kazmir will start the season on the DL, but should be back by mid-April.Then throw in last years First Round pick, David Price, who should be playing with the Rays by the All-Star break, and you've got 4 pitchers who will keep you in the game ever time out there. The question mark for the Rays is the bullpen. Closer Troy Percival should pitch well, but injuries are a concern for the aging right-hander who missed the entire 2006 season with injuries and will turn 39 in June. Besides Percival, the Rays bullpen is VERY shaky and so the Rays will need to pick someone up to help out their bullpen, or pray the the big 3 starters can pitch VERY LATE into every game. A good setup man can turn the bullpen around.

Tune in tomorrow for my thoughts on a preview of the Rays offense and defense.

I REALLY like the "RAYS"

I really like the Tampa Bay Rays this year. I really like the new culture that the team has. As we have seen this spring, they are trying to be a completely different team, and I have loved the all out play they have shown us in Spring Training. People think that a name change changes nothing. People think a new uniform changes nothing. Let me tell you HOW WRONG YOU ARE. Mark my words on this one. The Tampa Bay Rays will finish above .500 this season. Pretty bold prediction for the worst team in MLB over the last 10 years? Yeah maybe. They have, after all, finished in last place in the American League East 9 out of 10 years? It sure is. But hey, I'm making that prediction. Over the next two days I will describe why I like the Rays and will discuss their pitching tomorrow and their defense/offense on Tuesday. Check back in then!

Thanks for reading!

Spring is finally here!

For anyone who didn't know, Spring training games have started. I couldn't believe it until I was able to watch a game, and last night, I was able to do watch the Red Sox game on MLB.tv. I had to see to believe. It was great to see a game being played, especially after the crazy off season stolen by steroids. I'm glad the off season is over. I'm glad that 30 teams believe they have as good a shot as anyone to shock the world and be World series Champions. Thank God that are National Pastime is back in FULL SWING!

Johan Santana gets rocked.

Today, Johan Santana made his MUCH anticipated Mets debut. Now I KNOW it's Spring Training...but come on dude. He gave up 3 runs to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2 innings. Is that worth $137.5 million over 6 years. I think we might see more of this in the regular season than everyone wants to admit. I think Santana will come down with the sickness known as "the Barry Zito syndrome". For those of you with Alzheimer's, that is is where you get a big contract, AND THEN SUCK.
Zito is my boy, but even he admitted that the contract he got before last season from the San Fransisco Giants distracted him. I think the same thing COULD happen to Johan.

Barry Bonds to the Tampa Bay Rays?

I first heard this rumor this morning on ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning. The Rays front office are discussing it, and if Bonds is willing to take a pay cut, this makes sense. I then did some research and found this humorous 11 reasons why Barry Bonds will play for the Tampa Bay Rays.

11. because all things disgraceful feel at home in Tampa.

10. Barry Bonds is a coastal guy; loves the water because it is good for his health (also; see #1)

9. Tampa Bay has openings in all positions, especially left field

8. Barry Bonds could play DH and LF and nobody will care one way or another (he'll bat twice, and nobody will care; once a cheater....)

7. Tampa Bay is not really a hockey or football town, it REALLY loves its BASEBALL!!! Honest!

6. ROI, return on investment: Barry Bonds will pay for himself in a week or 2

5. The scientologists in Clearwater can help him get clean and will provide him with a new view of reality

4. Bobby Bonds once mumbled to young Barry about all the classy bars and escorts there

3. Oakland doesn't want him and can't afford him

2. The Los Angeles Dodgers don't want him and can afford him

1. Tampa Bay is on the water and Barry Bonds may need a quick escape route if the heat is on!


HAHA I love it. In all seriousness though, the Rays need to weight their options. Is he going to worth what he brings in terms of offense and leadership he brings to your team? OF COURSE. Is he worth the perjury and publicity that comes with him? That's what they are going to debate, and that is why Bonds is still a free agent right now.

Oh boy...

As A phillies Fan, I hope this is not a sign of things to come this year.

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The brisk rain that drenched the Carpenter Complex on
Saturday morning wasn't the only thing to put a damper on Spring Training
proceedings.
The site of reliever Brad Lidge limping off Richie Ashburn
Field at the Carpenter Complex provided the most pain.
Lidge, the Phillies'
key offseason pitching acquisition, caught his spike on the mound throwing live
batting practice. Two pitches later, he stopped and met with manager Charlie
Manuel, pitching coach Rich Dubee and athletic trainer Scott Sheridan on the
mound.
"It was my push-off [right] leg," Lidge said. "I just caught the
spike. I threw the pitch, but it felt like I pulled something in the knee. It
didn't feel real good after that. Because of where we are in Spring Training,
there's no reason for me to push it. It swelled up a little, but I'm optimistic
I just pulled some scar tissue or something. We'll take a look at it [on Sunday]
and be smart with it."
Lidge said he's day-to-day. The Phillies will wait
until they know more. Lidge was scheduled to have an MRI exam on Sunday.
"It's pretty soon to know what's going on in there," Dubee said. "We'll know
more [on Sunday]. He'll get looked at by our doctors in the morning, and we'll
have a better idea where we're at and what we have to do."
Lidge was already
behind schedule after offseason surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right
knee. The righty has said he expects to be ready by Opening Day.
"I'm sure
this will set him back a little bit, but his arm's been feeling great and he
feels like it's ahead of schedule [in that regard]," Dubee said. "We have a long
way to go."
Though it's way too early for concern, Spring Training hasn't
been a good time for Phillies relievers. Last year, closer Tom Gordon had a
delayed start to his spring, and he ended up flying to Philadelphia for an
examination. Gordon eventually missed two months with right shoulder
inflammation.
This is a different year.
"That was last year," Dubee
said. "This year is '08."

Origanally posted on Phillies.com

http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080223&content_id=2385813&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi