Monday, August 28, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Bad news Phils fans. Well let's just say to those of you who probably didn't watch the game today because it started so early, be glad you didn't. In his 1st start with the Phillies Jamie Moyer had electric stuff and went 6 solid innings for his 1st phils win. Today, he didn't quite do so well. Yes he still managed 6 innings, as before, but in those 6 innings he was roughed up for 7 runs on 9 hits, including 6 alone in the 3rd inning, and that was pretty much all she wrote for the Phils. I mean, the game started and faster than you could blink it was 6-0 Mets through 3 innings. The Phillies themselves managed only 3 runs, on a 2 run homer by Pat Burrell and a solo shot by Ryan Howard(that's 47 now), and took the loss 8-3. Funny thing is, if not for some bad luck things might have been closer, as 3 Mets hits flukishly rolled through the infield during their 6 run 3rd inning, and a 4th( an RBI double by Paul Lo Duca), somehow stayed fair, despite being initially ruled foul. Basically, the Phils just had some bad luck tonight and it cost them the game. Fortunately, the Phils remain just 1.5 games back in the wildcard despite the loss. Well, happy trails everyone.
EAGLES NEWS
Big news today Eagles fans. Today the Eagles acquired wide reciever Donte Stallworth from the New Orleans Saints for Mark Simoneau and a conditional 4th round draft pick. They had been looking to get a big name receiver, for most the off-season, and now in Stallworth they finally got their guy. Last season Stallworth had a career year with 70 receptions for 945 yards and 7 touchdowns, not extraordinary numbers, but pretty damn good. With the way the Eagles recieving corps was shaping out for the coming season, Stallworth is a welcome addition to to the team. He might not put up T.O numbers, but he will produce enough to keep the Eagles offense flying in high gear.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Today's game with the Mets was rained out, but it will be made up tomorrow at 12:10 in the afternoon, which means you probably won't be able to watch, but you can read about it here. Anyway, despite the rain out the Phils still made some news on the day. First they acquired veteran outfielder Jeff Conine from the Orioles for cash and a player to be named later. The hope here is that Conine can bolster the Phillies bench a little better than Jose Hernandez has so far ( if you watched the game yesterday you know what I mean). The only other news for phils today, is that Reds once again lost to the Giants today, so the Phils are now within 1 game of the wildcard, and can close to within .5 games with a win tomorrow, a Reds loss, and a Padres win. They can also gain a share of the wild card lead, with a win , a Reds loss , and a Padres loss (the Padres are currently 2nd in the wild card standings, .5 games ahead of the Phils, and .5 games behind the Reds). Well that's all I have for today, so happy trails everyone.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Remember last night, when I said if you score runs early and get good pitching, those runs stand up long enough to get you win. Well, that didn't quite work out for the Phils tonight. Just Like last night the Phils started strong. Yes, They trailed early 2-0 on a 2 run homer by Carlos Beltran in the 1st inning, but Ryan Howard led them back with a grand slam, as part of a 5 run 5th inning for a 5-2 lead. This time however, that lead would not hold up for the remainder of the game. Starter Jon Lieber pitched well, tossing 6 innings and holding the Mets to 4 runs, but the Phils bullpen just didn't have it tonight. When the bottom of the 7th inning started the Phils were holding a precarious 5-4 lead, but by the time it ended the Phils bullpen had imploded, and the Mets had scored 7 runs to take what would be an insurmountable 11-5 lead. All told in the inning, relievers Rick White and Aaron Fultz were roughed up for 7 runs on 7 hits. Basically, when the 7th inning was over the game was over too, as the Phils never recovered from it, and lost 11-5. In the end the Phils lost because their offense didn't keep after the Mets, and their bullpen just picked a bad time to have arguably their worst night of the year. Fortunately for the Phils, the Reds also lost earlier today so the Phillies remain 1.5 games back in the wild card race, so they are still okay for now. Well, happy trails everyone.
Friday, August 25, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Sometimes when you score runs early and you get good pitching, those early runs stand up for the entire the game, and stand up they did for the Phillies tonight. The Phils got on the board early with 4 runs in the 1st 3 innings and they held up for the rest of the night, as Randy Wolf pitched 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, and relievers, Geoff Geary, Arthur Rhodes, and Ryan Madson combined to blank the Mets for the final 4 innings. Now, if I was to ask you who the team leaders are for the Phillies, you would probably answer Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Well wouldn't you know it was those 2 that combined to knock in all 4 Phillies runs. Utley had an RBI single in the 1st inning and Howard had a sac fly in the 1st inning and a 2 run homer in the 3rd inning (that's 45 now). Now, just to put this win (it was 4-3 Phillies) in perspective let's look at how the Mets played tonight. Their starter Brian Bannister actually pitched 6 innings, 1 more than Wolf, but he gave up 4 runs on 6 hits, as opposed to 3 runs on 5 hits, and he too was followed by scoreless innings from the Mets bullpen, although only 3 instead of 4. Now offensively, a guy you might consider a team leader on the Mets, like Utley and Howard on the Phils, Carlos Beltran knocked in all 3 Mets runs on an RBI double and a 2 run homer. So as you can see, the 2 teams played pretty evenly, but the Phillies were just a little better, which bodes well for them ,for the remainder of the season. I mean, it really says something about your team when they can go from being blown out by arguably the worst team in the NL 1 night, to beating what is arguably the best team in the NL the next night. Anyway speaking of the remainder of the season, the Reds lost tonight and the Cardinals won, so the Cardinals are back in 1st place in the NL Central, and the Reds are now back in 1st place in the wild card by 1.5 games over the Phils. Well, happy trails everyone.
EAGLES NEWS
The Eagles played their 4th of 5 preseason games tonight and defeated the Steelers 16-7, but let's not dwell on that. Let's deal with some more important matters instead. As they have been all preseason long, both starting units were impressive. On offense, Donovan Mcnabb completed 7 of his 9 passes for 79 yards and Correll Buckhalter rushed 7 times for 31 yards. Their only real problem on the night is that they were unable to put the ball in the end zone, as they settled for a pair of field goals by David Akers. However, the Eagles starting defense also kept the steelers out of the endzone, and off the scoreboard, as they bottled up the Steelers running game and limited Ben Roethlisberger to just 52 yards and an interception. Now as for the Eagles backup units there is much to talk about as usual, but I'll mention a few things. Backup QB Jeff Garcia was impressive tonight completing 6 of his 12 passes for 110 yards, including a 61 yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis. Also CB J.R Reed looked pretty good with a sack and a forced fumble in the redzone, and an interception late in the game. Well, that's about all there is to talk about tonight, so all and all the Eagles had good night and there is plenty to be happy about.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Reds update
the Reds beat the Giants 6-3 tonight, so the Phillies are now 2.5 games back in wildcard. However, with the win the Reds are now tied with the Cardinals for 1st place in the NL Central, which means the Phils now trail both the Reds and the Cardinals by 2.5 games and the Padres, currently 2nd in the wild card standings, by 1.5 games.
PHILLIES NEWS
So far in the month of August Cole Hamels had been unhittable with a 1.33 ERA and opponents batting just .187 against him. Today he wasn't so good allowing 9 runs on 9 hits in 2, that's right just 2 innings of work. Yes, the phils bullpen did keep the Cubs to just 2 runs the rest of the way, but the damage had already been done. Oddly enough the Phils actually led early 1-0 following the top of the 1st inning, but they would never lead again. Hamels allowed 4 runs in bottom of the inning, then after a scoreless 2nd inning, he allowed 5 more runs and failed to retire a batter in the 3rd inning. Thus, the Phils had to piece together 7 innings out of their bullpen, and like I said they did but it didn't matter. While the Phils were piecing together innings with their Bullpen, Carlos Zambrano was dominating for the Cubs pitching 7 solid innings, giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits, and striking out 7. Basically, the phils offense could only fire blanks all day long, and if you haven't guessed by now the Phils lost 11-2. Yeah so the phils had a bad day, but so what, no matter what happens with the Reds (currently they are tied with Giants at 3 in the top of the 7th inning, I will have an update later) tonight, the Phils will still be at least within 2.5 games of them. So if you are ticked off by this loss and are looking for someone to blame, just blame it on Wrigley, because today was just one of those days with the wind blowing out, where everything the Cubs hit went out (they hit 4 homers today, I know I forgot to mention it earlier). Also whatever you do, don't blame Hamels, because he's a young pitcher , he's going to have days like this, and the best thing for you and him to do is to just forget about it and move on. Well, happy trails everyone.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
For those of you out there who like pitching, tonight was your kind of night. For 8 innings the Phillies' Brett Myers and the Cubs Angel Guzman and relievers David Aardsma and Will Ohman were locked in a pitcher's duel. Myers pitched 8 innings while Guzman pitched only 6 innings, but both gave up just 1 run on 4 hits. Now there is obviously not much offense to talk tonight, but I'll give it a try anyway. Initially, the Phillies led 1-0 through 7 and 1/2 innings on a solo homer by Ryan Howard (that's 44 now) . The Cubs tied it at 1 in the bottom of the 8th inning on a solo homer by Matt Murton. Then in the top of the 9th with Cubs threatening to send the night into potentially dangerous extra innings, the phils came up with some big hits to regain the lead. After the 1st 2 batters of the inning were retired, Abraham Nunez worked a walk. Then Joe Thurston ,in his 1st at bat as a phillie, blooped a single to right field, moving Nunez up to 2nd base. Jimmy Rollins then delivered an RBI double scoring Nunez, and ending the inning as Thurston was thrown out trying to score, though it should be noted that it wasn't his falt as he was waved around by third base coach Bill Dancy. Anyway, when all was said done the Phils were back ahead 2-1, and that's how it ended as Arthur Rhodes and Geoff Geary combined to put the cubs down in order in the bottom of the 9th. Now this win is a pretty big one for the Phils for a couple reasons. First, Brett Myers had been struggling this month, so it was huge for him to get back on track with a night like this. Second the Reds finally lost earlier today so the Phils have now moved to within 1.5 games of the wild card. So if you weren't excited about the Phils yet, you should be now. Well, happy trails everyone
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
When a collision, like last night's occurs it's effects can be lingering. One of those effects is obviously roster changes which we'll talk about later, but another effect can be a let down in the game following the collision. Tonight however, the Phillies were able to put it behind them and take care of business. In his 1st start as a Phillie Jamie Moyer pitched 6 solid innings, giving up just 3 runs on 6 hits. Now if Moyer was still with the Mariners, his aforementioned stats probably would not have been enough to get the win, but the with potent Phillies offense by his side they were. Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, David Dellucci, and Ryan Howard all knocked in 1 run a piece, and the suddenly hot Pat Burrell knocked in 2 runs. Add it all up and you've got 6 runs on the board and a 6-3 win the for the Phils. Its was as simple as that tonight, although I should mention that the bullpen had another strong night, pitching 3 scoreless innings to finish the game. Anyway like I said at the beginning the Phillies made some roster changes today. 1st of all it was announced today that Aaron Rowand had in fact fractured his ankle rather than spraining it as was originally thought. Thus, he will be out for the remainder of the regular season, but should the Phillies make the playoffs he would available. Obviously with no Rowand, Shane Victorino will start in center field for the rest of the season. Now, with Victorino starting the Phillies found themselves short of extra men on the bench, and so today they added some players to their roster. First they acquired veteran infielder/outfielder Jose Hernandez from the Pirates for cash to fill the void left by Rowand. Then since Chase Utley sat out tonight's game just as a precaution because his ankle felt a little sore, they recalled infielder Joe Thurston from AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre. Now I don't know much about Thurston, but I know Hernandez is one those guys who can play anywhere in the field , and do it well, so I think the Phils will be okay without Rowand. Anyway, the Phillies who at 63 -62 are at .500 for the 1st time since May, remain 2.5 games back in the wild card race. Well happy trails everyone.
Monday, August 21, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Sometimes, even when you win you lose, and there is as much bad news to talk about as there is good news. So is the case for the Phillies tonight. Things started well, for the Phils as they scored 4 runs in the 4th inning, capped off by Jimmy Rollins' 2 run homer, and took an early 4-0 lead. Chase Utley kept the good times rollin with a solo homer in the 5th inning for a 5-0 lead. Despite giving up a hit in every inning he pitched. Jon Lieber kept it that way for 6 innings, but in the 7th he was not able to get out of trouble and allowed 3 runs to score. Still, the PHils remained ahead 5-3 and only needed 6 more outs to get the win, so there was no reason to panic, yet. However, in the 8th inning things took a turn for the worse for the Phils, and not because Cubs scored runs. John Mabry led off the inning with a shallow fly ball to center, and both Chase Utley and Aaron Rowand raced after it. Both called for it, but Utley got to it 1st and tried to wave Rowand off, but he didn't see it in time. Just as the ball landed in Utley's glove, Rowand collided with Utley, going end over end, and knocking the glove and the ball out of Utley's hand. Fortunately, Utley was not injured on the play, but Rowand wound up with at least a sprained ankle and had to be helped off the field. Although, Mabry reached 3rd on the play he never scored as reliever Geoff Geary struck out the side following the collision. Now, ultimately the Phillies did manage to hang on for a 6-5 win, but wasn't what everyone was talking about after the game. All the post game focus fell on the health of Rowand, which pending x-rays is a sprained ankle, but it could be broken, and if it is it could be a devastating blow for Phillies. At any rate, the Phils won tonight so I am still happy, but I would be happier if Rowand didn't get hurt. Speaking of getting hurt, closer Tom Gordon was placed on the 15 day DL today due too a strained shoulder. Over the last couple of weeks he had been sidelined with soreness in his throwing arm, and apparently the Phillies just weren't confident enougth in his health to let him get back on the field to soon. Thus for the next 2 weeks Arthur Rhodes will be the Phillies closer, hopefully he will be able to hold down the fort until Gordon comes back, because the Phils are in big trouble if he can't. Anyway the Reds also won tonight so the Phillies remain 2.5 games back. Well, happy trails everyone.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
WEEKLY POLL QUESTION
What do you think of the Phillies acquiring Jamie Moyer, for 2 minor leaguers?
a. smart move, Pat Gillick is the man
b. what were they thinking, he's nothing but an old fart now
c. not sure
last week's results:
b. they are done 50%
c. not sure 50%
a. win wild card 0%
a. smart move, Pat Gillick is the man
b. what were they thinking, he's nothing but an old fart now
c. not sure
last week's results:
b. they are done 50%
c. not sure 50%
a. win wild card 0%
PHILLIES NEWS
Given how the Phillies have been playing lately, it seemed justified to think that day belonged to them, after they had scored 10 runs through the 1st 4 innings on a homer and RBI single by Mike Lieberthal, a 3 run homer and 4 RBIs by Abraham Nunez, 4 hits and 3 runs scored by Aaron Rowand, and 2 hits and 2 RBIs by Pat Burrell, and owned a 10 -1 a lead. However, no one told the Nationals the game was over. Through 5 innings phils starter Randy Wolf had dazzled the Nationals hitters, holding them to just 2 runs, but in the 6th inning the bottom the fell out as he tired from spending to much time on the base paths. Wolf was unable to retire a batter in the inning and wound up being charged with 5 runs allowed before the inning was over, as part of a 6 run 6th inning for the Nats. Suddenly, and without warning the Nationals had stormed back, and the Phillies now led by only 2, at 10-8. In only 1/2 of an inning, the Phillies had gone from a relatively comfortable victory, to a real dogfight, but that wasn't their only problem. Back in the 5th inning with his team ahead 10-2, manager Charlie Manuel, apparently sensing victory, had taken Chase Utley out of the game in favor of Danny Sandoval. Thus, Utley was no longer available for the Phillies for the remainder of the game. Now since they were only ahead 10-8, the Phillies really needed to tack on some extra runs in order to put the outcome to rest, but without Utley, it seemed like that would not be easy. Luckily for the Phils, replacing Utley with Sandoval did not prove to be disastrous, as Sandoval himself wound up plating the phils 11th and eventual winning run on a sac fly in the 7th inning. the Nationals actually battled back in with 2 runs in the 8 inning, but the the Phils were able to tack on another run in the bottom of the 8th and hang on for a 12-10 win. Yeah, so the Phils made it a lot harder than it should have been, but a win is a win, so they have nothing to be ashamed of. Now unfortunately the Reds won again today as well so the Phils are still 2.5 games back. Well, happy trails everyone
WEEKLY TRIVIA QUESTION
So far this season Ryan Howard has hit 43 homers, making him only the 6th player in Phillies history to have 4o homers in a season, who are the other 5?
last week's answer:
Steve Jeltz and Tomas Perez
last week's answer:
Steve Jeltz and Tomas Perez
Saturday, August 19, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Over the last few weeks it has become increasingly evident, what the key to Phillies season is right now, Pitching. Ever since they got on this second half hot streak, it is their pitching that has determined their fate night after night. Whenever they get good pitching, whether it be from a starter, or from their bullpen, they win, and whenever they don't get good pitching, they lose. Now, in their last 2 games they suffered through bad starts by Scott Mathieson, and Brett Myers, and obviously lost badly in both games. Today, however Cole Hamels cooked up a good one going 6 innings, and giving up just 2 runs on 5 hits. Needless to say the Phils won easily, pounding out 13 hits and 11 runs, including 8 runs alone in the 2nd inning, en route to an 11 -2 victory over the Nationals. Jimmy Rollins went 3 for 5 on the night with an RBI double, Shane Victorino also went 3 for 5 with a double and 3 RBIs, Ryan Howard hit a 3 run homer (that's 43 now), and heck even Hamels had a hit and 2 RBIs. As you can see it was truly a team effort, with 5 guys combining to knock in the 11 runs (Chase Utley was the 5th), and 3 pitchers combining to hold the Nationals to 2 runs (the other 2 were relievers Geoff Geary and Fabio Castro, who pitched 3 scoreless innings to finish the game). Simply put, it was a good win for the Phils, and you can only hope that they can continue playing the way they did today. Of course, in order to do that they will need to get more good pitching, and with Jon Lieber who pitched a shutout in his last start, on the mound tomorrow they could very well get it. In other pitching related news, the Phillies made a huge deal with the Mariners (Gm Pat Gillick's old team) today. If you look at the Phillies rotation, you immediately notice that with exceedingly raw rookie Scott Mathieson 5th in the rotation, they only have 4 reliable starters. In fact if you look at the Phillies roster they only thing missing is a 5th starter. I mean, the Bullpen has the NL's 3rd best ERA, and the offense is near the top of the NL in runs scored. Really, the Only thing lacking on the team up to this point is consistent starting pitching. With today's deal they might just have that now and then some. They sent single A minor league pitchers, Andrew Baldwin and Andrew Barb to the Mariners for veteran left-handed starter Jamie Moyer. On the year Moyer is only 6-12, but his ERA is a respectable 4.39 and so far this season he has recieved less run support than any other pitcher in the American League. Now obviously run support is something the Phils can give him, thus he should be able to help the Phils win some games. Also he brings a lot of experience and he's been in the playoffs before, so he knows what it takes to get there. Basically ,with Moyer aboard the Phillies now have that 5th starter they've been lacking and are serious playoff contenders. Oh and about the playoffs, the Reds won today so the Phils remain 2.5 games back of the Wild Card. Well, happy trails everyone.
Friday, August 18, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Generally, when your are in a pennant race, and you are playing the team that is in last place in your division, you are supposed to just take care of business, but tonight the Phils did anything but against the last-place Nationals. Budding ace, Brett Myers, like Scott Mathieson yesterday, just got off to a terrible start on the night. In fact, you could almost say he never got started at all, as he lasted just 3 and 1/3rd innings and allowed 6 runs on 9 hits. Needless to say not his best stuff, which begs the question is there something wrong with Brett Myers? I mean he was seemingly cruising along, racking up strikeouts and pitching deep into games night after night, but now out of the blue he's been hit around unmercifully in his last 2 starts. Maybe he's injured or maybe he's just tired, but whatever is going on with him ,the Phils better figure it out fast, because they are not going to make the playoffs with Myers getting roughed up every night. Anyway, getting back to the game, with Myers off his game, the Phillies found themselves in 6-0 hole after only 4 innings. Though they battled valiantly, it proved to be to big a hole to dig out of. Largely due in part to the hot night by new phillies record holder, Mike Lieberthal (tonight gave him a record -tying 1,124 games caught in his Phillies career), the phils were able to battle back late, and if nothing else make things interesting. They scored 3 runs in the 6th inning, on doubles by Pat Burrell, and the aforementioned Lieberthal, then tacked on a 4th run on a solo homer by Lieberthal. In all on his record tying night Lieberthal went 3 for 4, with a single, double, homer, and 3 RBIs, not bad for an old guy. Ultimately though, Lieberthal's heroics, would not be enough as the Phils lost to the Nationals 6-4. However, by the shear grace of God, the Reds also lost tonight, so the Phillies remain 2.5 games back of the wild card. Well, happy trails everyone.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Winning 3 games in a row against the same team is hard enough, but trying to make it 4 in a row, as the Phillies were today against the Mets is harder still, so it's no surprise that the Phillies lost today 7-2. Why did the Phillies lose today you ask? simple the Mets supposed super offense finally woke up today and the Phils offense which had been out of this world, came back down to earth. While Scott Mathieson was unable to continue the Phillies excellent pitching ,as he was roughed up for 6 runs on 8 hits, the Phils offense ran into a buzzsaw in Mets pitcher John Maine, who held them to 2 runs on 8 hits. Through the 1st 3 innings it was 4-0 Mets, and you just knew it was going to be a long day for the Phils. Even when Ryan Howard (that's 42 now) hit a 2 run homer in the 4th inning, there was still no real feeling that the Phils had a comeback in them. I mean when you've been playing ahead 3 straight days, it's kinda of hard to suddenly be playing from behind all day and so it was for the Phillies today. Following Howard's homer it was all Mets for the rest of the night. They scored 2 runs off Mathieson in the 5th inning to end his night, and eventually tacked on another run off reliever Aaron Fultz in the 7th inning to effectively end the Phillies hopes. Yeah so the Phillies had a bad day, but did you really expect them to get a 4 game sweep of the Mets. I mean as great as that would have been, I really wasn't expecting it and you shouldn't have either. Anyway there's no need to worry because the Reds lost too so the Phils are still just 2.5 games back. Well, happy trails everyone, and keep those heads held high, the season is not over yet baby!
EAGLES NEWS
Final score Ravens 20 Eagles 10, bad night right, well I am not so sure about that. I know I have already said this, but you have to remember, the outcome is not important during the preseason, so we'll talk about what is. Tonight the Eagles 1st stringers played for the entire 1st half and once again they looked sharp, staking the Eagles to a 10 -3 lead at the half. Donovan Mcnabb had another solid night going 6-10 for 97 yards and touchdown. Although he only rushed for 8 yards on 5 carries in his first night back in 3 years, Correll Buckhalter made a lasting impression, when he took a shovel pass, and rambled 48 yards to the 1 yard line, setting Mcnabb's touchdown pass to Reno Mahe. They struggled a little against the run, but the Eagles 1st string defense still looked pretty solid, as they kept Steve Mcnair and the Ravens 1st string offense out of the endzone in the 1st half. As for the Eagles backups, there is not much to say. They made a plethora of mistakes, as they have all pre-season long and nobody really stood out as a performer. Omar Gaither had another good night with a couple key tackles, and WR Jabar Gaffney looked pretty good catching passes from both Koy Detmer and Timmy Chang, but other than that there is really nothing to talk about. However, on the whole there were more positives than negatives for the Eagles on the night, so there is plenty for the Eagles to be happy about and not to much to be worried about just yet.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Well the Phillies just kept on rolling today with their 3rd straight win over the Mets. However, the Mets were actually able to make a game out of it this time as they only lost by a final score 0f 3-0. The keys to victory on the night for the Phillies, were the same as they have been the last 2 nights, good pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense. First let's talk about the good pitching, or should I say pitcher, as in Jon Lieber who pitched a complete game shutout of the Mets on just 5 hits. This is the pitching the Phillies have been waiting to get from Lieber, and now he is finally delivering it at just the right time. If he and the rest of the Phillies staff can continue pitching like this there's a pretty good chance we could be talking baseball in October. Anyway, enough about the pitching, time to talk hitting. While the Phils offense wasn't as good tonight as it has been that last couple nights, it was more than adequate. I mean they scored 3 runs off Tom Glavine, so you could make the argument that doing that is just as good as scoring 11 runs off El Duque. Anyway the big contributors on the night, were Chris Coste who hit a 2 run homer in the 2nd inning, and Abraham Nunez, who helped the Phillies tack on an extra run in the 6th inning with a sac fly. Well, that's about all there is to say about the offense, so lets finish up with some talk about the defense. Now, when Jon Lieber is pitching well he is a ground ball pitcher, so it is important for the Phillies to back him up with good defense every time he is on the mound. Needless to say that is what the Phillies did tonight, so I really have nothing else to talk about. Anyway, for those of you wondering about the wild card standings, the Reds won tonight, so the Phillies are still 2.5 games back. Well happy trails everyone.
EAGLES NEWS
There is nothing new to report, but I would like to mention that the Lehigh unversity portion of Eagles training camp is over, and from now until the beggining of the season they will be back in Philly at their practice facility, so start getting ready for some football, in about a month. Also the Eagles play their 3rd of 5 preseason games tomorrow, so come back tomorrow to read about that.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Well, apparently I was wrong the Phillies can play at their very best for 2 nights in a row. I mean it's just been incredible how good the Phillies have been so far during this series against the Mets . I don't know if the Phillies are that good right now or if the Mets are just that bad right now. Either the way the Phillies are winning right now and I am happy. For the 2nd night in a row the Phillies offense pounded the Mets into submission, this time with 11 runs and 13 hits, including a homer ,triple, and 3 RBIs by Shane Victorino, and a homer and 3 RBIs by David Dellucci. Heck, even the pitcher Randy Wolf had an RBI double. Incredibly all 11 of the Phillies runs on the night came off Mets starter Orlando Hernandez, a career high for him. Conversely as Hernandez was giving up runs and hits, Randy Wolf was holding the Mets at bay just as Cole Hamels had done yesteday. All told Wolf pitched 7 solid innings giving up just 2 runs on 4 hits, and earning his 1st win since July of last year. Now that little factoid may not mean much to you, but it's a huge thing for Wolf, and hopefully it will give him the confidence to keep winning games for the rest of the season. Anyway, not to beat a dead horse, but the Phils did win again tonight by the final score of 11-4, and oddly all 4 Mets runs came on homers by Jose Reyes. Well, I would love to talk more, but blowouts like these don't give you much to talk about, so that's about all I have for tonight. Just a quick note before I go, the Reds lossed to the Cardinals tonight so the Phillies are now back to within 2.5 games of the wild card. Well, happy trails everyone.
Monday, August 14, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Baseball Games don't get more one sided then tonight's was. Usually when you play a team that is 14 games ahead of you in the standings you don't beat them so easily, especially when their ace is on the mound as Pedro Martinez was for the Mets tonight. However, the Phils were not intimidated by Pedro at all and touched him up for 6 runs on 4 hits in just 1 inning, yes that's right 1 inning of work. Never before has Pedro been as ineffective as he was tonight. However following the 1st inning it became clear why he was so ineffective, as he left the game with a strained right calf. Darren Oliver came on in the 2nd inning to replace Pedro and he didn't do much better, allowing 7 runs on 8 hits in 3 and 2/3rd innings. In all the Phillies scored 13 runs on 12 hits in just the 1st 4 innings of the night, including homeruns by Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins who hit his record 18th homer(no other Phillies shortstop has ever hit more homers in a season), and David Dellucci. Oddly enough the Phillies would not even get another hit for the rest of the night. Of course, the Mets didn't get another hit either, as Cole Hamels and Fabio Castro combined to shut them out on 4 hits. Hamels alone pitched 8 scoreless innings, allowing just those 4 hits and recording 9 strikeouts. I mean I don't know if the Phillies can play any better than they did tonight and that actually could be a problem for the Phillies tomorrow. When you have already play as good you can, you can only play worse the next day. hopefully for the Phillies that will mean scoring 9 runs tomorrow instead of 13 and winning 9-3 instead of 13-0. At any rate I am going to try to not think about tomorrow just yet, so I can savor this sweet victory as long as possible. Oh and by the way the Phils are now within 3.5 games of the wild card leading Reds so don't count them out just yet. Well, happy trails everyone.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
WEEKLY POLL QUESTION
What do you think of the Phillies chances after today?
a. they will still win the wild card
b. they are finished
c. not sure
last week's results:
50% b. some but not all
50% c. not at all
0% a. all of them always
a. they will still win the wild card
b. they are finished
c. not sure
last week's results:
50% b. some but not all
50% c. not at all
0% a. all of them always
PHILLIES NEWS
Today's game was a tough pill to swallow both for the fans and the players hungry for a playoff berth. Yes, that's right the Phillies lost again, this time 7-5, in front of another raucous Citizens Bank Park crowd hoping for a win. I don't want to have to give all the sickening details, but I have nothing else to talk about tonight, so here goes nothing. The Phils started off on the wrong foot, falling behind early 2-0 and never really got back on the right track. Phils starter Brett Myers had a rare tough outing, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 5 and 2/3rd innings of work, including back to back to back homeruns by Edwin Encarnacion, Adam Dunn, and Rich Aurilia in the 6th inning. Following the homers, Myers was pulled from the game, forcing the Phillies tired bullpen to embark on another long night, and this time behind 5-1. Still despite being behind by 4 through 6 innings, as they had the last 2 nights the Phils were able to mount a rally. Ryan Howard hit a 2 run homer in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 5-3. Then with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth following a pinch RBI single by Chris Coste, Howard singled to plate Jimmy Rollins with the tying run and put runners on 1st and 3rd for Pat Burrell. If Burrell had been able to get a hit the Phils would have won dramatically 6-5, but instead he struck out to end the inning and send the game into extras. There, after squandering another opportunity when Mike Lieberthal hit a 1 out double, but was subsequently doubled off after straying to far off the base on a line drive, the Phils bullpen let it get away. Ryan Madson came in to pitch in the top of the 11th inning and was roughed up for 2 runs on 3 hits, putting the Reds up by the eventual final score 0f 7-5. The Phillies did actually mount another rally in the bottom of the inning, but it felt short when Chase Utley grounded out to end the game, stranding Howard in the on deck circle just before he could get another chance to extend the game with a hit. Once again sorry to remind you of all those horrible things but I had to. Anyway the Phils are now 4 games behind the Reds in the Wild Card race, but that is still well within striking distance for the Phils ,so I wouldn't count them out just yet. Well, happy trails everyone.
WEEKLY TRIVIA QUESTION
On Saturday night Jimmy Rollins homered from both sides of the plate, Only 2 other Phillies players have ever homered from both sides of plate in the same game who are they?
last weeks answer:
Luis Castillo - 35
Ty Cobb - 35
Fred Clarke - 35
Jimmy Rollins - 36(38 over 2 seasons)
Tommy Holmes - 37
Paul Molitor - 39
Ty Cobb - 40
George Sisler - 41
Bill Dahlen - 42
Pete Rose - 44
Willie Keeler - 44
Joe Dimaggio - 56
last weeks answer:
Luis Castillo - 35
Ty Cobb - 35
Fred Clarke - 35
Jimmy Rollins - 36(38 over 2 seasons)
Tommy Holmes - 37
Paul Molitor - 39
Ty Cobb - 40
George Sisler - 41
Bill Dahlen - 42
Pete Rose - 44
Willie Keeler - 44
Joe Dimaggio - 56
Saturday, August 12, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Only one word can adequately describe tonight's game, aargh! okay maybe that's not a word but that is how I felt when it was over, frustrated that the Phillies had lost. Not just because lost ,but because of how they lost. They started the night off right with a 2 run blast by David Dellucci in the 1st inning for a 2-0 lead. Then Phils starter Scott Mathieson got roughed up in the 2nd inning for 4 runs after loading the bases and allowing the pitcher to reach base on an infield single. That alone would have been enough to get me ticked off, but just as I was about to start throwing objects at the TV the Phils staged a rally. In the bottom of the inning Jimmy Rollins put the Phils back on top 5-4 with a 3 run homer. Then 2 innings later just as I was mellowing out , Mathieson was roughed up again this time for 2 runs, and again the Reds were ahead 6-5. Now at this point I was getting tired of the game going back in forth between the 2 teams, so I was kinda of glad when both teams sent their bullpens in and things started settling down, as the both the Phils and Reds were held scoreless for the next 3 innings. Then just as I began to settle down into the flow of the game, Ryan Howard ramped up my excitement, as he hit a towering solo homer to tie the game at 6. I remember thinking to myself at this point "hey it's tied at 6 in the 8th inning, maybe will go extra innings again, and Phils will get another dramatic walk off win". Of course as you'll see to my chagrin none of those things happened. In the top of the 9th inning Tom Gordon came on in relief, but just like last night he was roughed up, only this time he gave up 3 runs and put the Phils behind by 3 going into the bottom of the 9th. I was pretty angry at this point, mostly at Gordon for not getting the job done again, but also at the fact that Phillies were probably going to lose. Still, even though they would need 3 runs to tie it up, I thought the Phils could pull it out. Jimmy Rollins confirmed my suspicions with his 2nd homer of the night to cut the lead to 9-7. Then Mike Lieberthal singled and Chase Utley got hit by a pitch, bringing Ryan Howard to the plate, representing the winning run. At this point I started thinking "man wouldn't that be sweet if he homers to win the game" , but of course he struck out to end the game minutes later for a 9-7 loss to Reds. Just to summarize, I started out happy, then I got a little pissed, then I was happy again, then I got excited, then I got pissed off again, then I started to get a little excited again, and now I am just pissed off because they lost. Boy, isn't amazing the range of emotions you can go through by just watching a game, imagine how the players must feel. Anyway it's all okay because they are only 3 games back now and as long as they win tomorrow I'll be happy. Well, happy trails everyone and turn that frown upside down, or whatever it is that you do get over a loss.
Friday, August 11, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
If the Phillies had their own awards show, tonight's contest would have won for best game of the year. From start to finish it looked like and felt like a playoff game, and with 41,000 + fans filling Citizens Bank Park it sounded like a playoff game too. Every pitch and every swing of every at bat seemed to be packed with pressure. It was one of those nights filled with raw energy where a loss would be crushing and a win would be huge, and every time you thought you knew what the story of night would be, a new story was written . It started off as a simple pitcher's duel with the starters for both teams, Kyle Lohse for the Reds and Jon Lieber for the Phils, dealing to a 3-1 Reds lead through 7 innings. At this point in the game the story was Edwin Encarnacion who had knocked in all 3 Reds runs with a 2 run homer in the 4th inning, and a solo homer in the 6th inning. However, by the end of the night his heroics would be forgotten. Entering the 8th inning down 3-1 the Phillies mounted a rally. First Jimmy Rollins hit a 2 run homer to tie the game at 3. Then a few batters later, with Chase Utley on 1st base, Pat Burrell whom I should mention knocked in the Phils 1st run of the night, tripled to score Utley for a 4-3 lead. Thus, at this point the story was the Phillies dramatic 8th inning rally, but again this rally would only prove to be a footnote to the drama to come. With the Phils ahead 4-3 in the 9th and closer Tom Gordon on in relief to close the game, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Phils would win, but it wasn't over yet. Gordon walked David Ross to begin the inning, then with one out he served up a 2 run homer to pinch hitter Javier Valentin and suddenly it was 5-4 Reds. Now of course the story was Valentin's dramatic homer and Gordon's blown save, but again there was more drama come. Down 5-4 in the 9th inning you would think the Phils might be headed for a loss, especially with the bottom of their order coming up, but they weren't done yet. Chris Coste doubled to leadoff the inning, then was lifted for pinch runner Chris Roberson. Roberson then moved up to 3rd base, when a pickoff attempt by David Ross sailed into the centerfield, and later scored to tie the game at 5 on a sac fly by Shane Victorino. Now the story was the game entering extra innings. Over the next 4 and 1/2 innings both teams had ample opportunity to go ahead and the win, but good pitching and several great defensive plays kept the game tied at 5. Then in the bottom of the 14th inning it finally happened. David Dellucci led off the inning with a single, then Chase Utley walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out for Ryan Howard. However, rather than give Howard a chance to end the game, Reds manager Jerry Narron decided to walk him to load the bases, for reliever Aaron Fultz batting for himself, because the Phillies had no one left on the bench to bat for him. Fultz went up the plate swinging and lined out to 2nd, but the bases remained loaded, now with just 1 out for Aaron Rowand. 2 pitches later Rowand line a single to right centerfield to score David Dellucci with the winning run. Yes, that was it, the story of the night, Aaron Rowand's game winning hit in the 14th inning, and a big 6-5 win for the Phils, who now trail the Reds by just 2 games in the wild card chase. Well, I don't know about you, but after this great game I can't wait to watch the Phils again tomorrow. Anyway, happy trails everyone.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
EAGLES NEWS
The Eagles played the 2nd of their 5 preseason games tonight against the Browns and won 20-7, but like I said before that is not very significant so let's talk about what is. Donovan Mcnabb had another good day passing ball going 7-9 for 78 yards, including a spectactular 33 yard completion to undrafted rookie reciever Hank Baskett who made an incredible over the shoulder catch. In fact Baskett had pretty good day himself ,with 2 catches for 39 yards, and he suddenly seems to have gone from 4th or 5th reciever to starter for the Eagles, with Todd Pinkston and Reggie Brown, both nursing injuries. Equally as impressive on the night was 2nd-string QB Jeff Garcia, who went 8-11 for 125 yards, including a 32 yard touchdown pass to Darnerien McCants who has been making a lot of big plays lately. On the defensive front as a unit, the Eagles were impressive, holding the Browns to just 80 yards in the 1st half and keeping them scoreless in the 2nd quarter. Both Darren Howard and Jerome Mcdougle collected sacks on the night, as did 6th round pick Lajuan Ramsey. Mcdougle also had a QB pressure and 3 tackles. Finally, 1st round pick Broderick Bunkley looked good pretty good during his limited playing time. Even though he was only in the game for 9 plays, Bunkley was able to show the impact he could have on the Eagles defense, as he recorded a QB pressure, and helped Lajuan Ramsey to his 1 sack on the night. On the whole, most things went right for the Eagles tonight, and that seems to be a good sign of things to come during the regular season.
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phillies had an off day today, but tomorrow they return home to start a huge 3 game series with the wild card leading leading Reds. The Phillies can really move themselves up in the wild card race with a good showing against the Reds, while a bad showing could effectively end their chances for the wild card, or at least put a serious damper on them. I just hope they have a good series, and that they play as well as they are capable of. Well, happy trails everyone.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phillies offense has been extraordinarily hot as of late, but yesterday Tim Hudson cooled it off a bit, and today for 5 innings it looked like Braves rookie hurler Chuck James was going to do the same. James kept the Phillies scoreless through the 1st 5 innings and appeared to be on his way to a win. However, Phils starter Randy Wolf was equally strong through 5 innings giving up just one run on a homer by Andrew Jones. Following that homer things began to turn for the Phillies. Pat Burrell homered in the top of the 6th inning to tie the score at 1, and produce an early end to James' day following the inning. As it would happen, this early exit by James after 6 innings would prove to be the Braves downfall. In the bottom of the inning the Braves chased a tired Randy Wolf from the game, scoring 2 runs on an RBI double by Jeff Franceur to take a 3-1. Now, the Braves bullpen has been very inconsistent this year and they had a good night last night, so it seemed likely that they would have a bad day today, and believe me they did and then some. The Phillies started the 7th inning, their 1st of the day against the bullpen, by loading the bases on walks with 1 out against Tyler Yates . Shane Victorino then drew another walk to push across a run and Chase Utley doubled to deep centerfield to score 3 more runs, for a 5-3 Phils lead. From there Yates was relieved by rookie reliever Macay Mcbride and Ryan Howard grounded a high chopper off the mound. While he was being thrown out, Utley scampered all the way home to score another run, as Mcbride never saw him trying to score until it was too late. The Phils now led 6-3, but they weren't done yet, they continued to string together hit after hit after hit, until they had scored a season high 8 runs in the inning, and the Braves had been forced to use 4 pitchers in one inning. On the season the Phillies had not lost a game in which they had the lead after the 7th inning, and now they led 9-3 following the 7th, so you could bet that they were going to win this game, and they did 9-3. All I can say is that 9 run 7th inning was the sweetest inning I have ever witnessed. I mean If you watched this game on TBS during that inning it was hilarious, as they kept showing the chagrined face of Bobby Cox every time the Phillies got another hit. It was like one of those moments you might see on one of those "priceless" commercials. Anyway, happy trails everyone and be sure to tune in next time for the next episode of America's funniest home videos.
FLYERS NEWS
There is some sad news to report. After a solid career, spanning 17 seasons, including 11 with the Flyers, Defenseman Eric Desjardins will reportedly announce his retirement some time tomorrow. Desjardins was an all-star twice in his career, and is the 2nd on the Flyers all-time scoring list for defenseman. All told, he scored 136 goals, 439 assists, and 575 points in 1,143 career games. He will missed by all those who had the chance to see him play, or at least by me anyway.
EAGLES NEWS
The Eagles will play their second preseason game tomorrow night against the Browns, and reportedly although he only has 2 days of practice under his belt, Broderick Bunkley will play briefly during the game. This fact alone, should be incentive enough to get some of you guys out there to watch, because I know will just so I can see him play.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
So far this season, with an 8-10 record and an 5.22 ERA, Tim Hudson has not been at his best for the Braves, but unfortunately for the Phillies he was at his best today. He and Phils starter Cole Hamels dueled to 4 scoreless innings to open the game. Then in bottom of the 5th inning Hudson himself knocked in the 1st run of the night, on a suicide squeeze bunt, of all things. Following these 5th inning heroics, Hudson remained in the game for 2 more innings and kept the Phils scoreless for all of the 7 innings he pitched. Hamels however, only lasted through one more inning, having only given up just that 1 run on 6 hits in his 6 innings of work while recording 6 strikeouts. The 1st time the Braves had a chance to bat against someone other than Hamels, they took advantage of it and were able tack on a couple extra runs to their tally for a 3-0 lead. Still, through 7 innings the Phils were only down 3-0, well within reach of the Braves if they could just start a rally and they did just that in the top of the 8th inning by loading the bases on walks off Danys Baez. Then with the bases loaded David Dellucci stepped to the plate with a chance to put the Phillies ahead with one swing of the bat, and he almost did. After Baez loaded the bases, he was replaced by Wayne Franklin. On the 1st pitch Franklin threw, Dellucci hit a deep fly ball to center field, which at first appeared to be a grand slam, but centerfielder Andrew Jones tracked it the whole way and at the last second leaped up against the fence to make the catch, thwarting Dellucci just inches from the promised land. Thus, Instead of a grand slam and a 4-3 lead, the Phils were left with a mere sac fly to cut the lead to 3-1. Chris Coste then followed Dellucci with a strikeout to end the inning and the Phillies chances for night, as they were retired in order in the 9th inning. Ultimately this was a game the Phils probably could have won, but unlike last night, all of the lucky breaks went to Braves instead of to them, so they lost and the Braves won. In other news Ryan Franklin whom I mentioned had been designated for assignment, was dealt to the reds for a player to be named later. That player will be 1 of 3 Reds minor leaguers, whom the Phillies will be able to choose from in the next few weeks. Speaking of the Reds, they blew away the Cardinals 10-3 tonight so the Phils are now 3.5 games out in the wild card race, but that's okay because there are still plenty of games left to play. Well happy trails everyone
Monday, August 07, 2006
PHILLIES NEWS
Tonight's game was a contest between 2 teams headed in opposite directions in the Wild Card race, The Phillies who are closing fast, and the Braves who are rapidly fading away. As you might guess, when it was over, the Phillies were closer to lead in the wild card, and the Braves were further away from it. The Phillies got the early lead on a 2 run homer by Ryan Howard (39 homers now and 101 RBIs) and never looked back. Initially it seemed like the Braves were still in the game, when they quickly scored a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 2-1, but ultimately they would never recover from Howard's blast. Following the 4th inning, Braves starter Horacio Ramirez was forced to leave the game with an injury to his hand. Thus, just 5 innings into the game the Phillies had the opportunity to feast on the Braves shaky bullpen and they did. In the 5th inning alone they scored 5 runs, capitalizing on a multitude of Braves mistakes, both in the outfield and the infield. Several times, the Phillies should have had their 5 run rally halted, but time and time again they were able to extend the inning, on blooped base hits that fell in , and double plays that weren't turned. Already ahead 8-1 after 4 and 1/2 innings the Phillies seemed to be on victory's doorstep, but for some reason starter Brett Myers suddenly lost the ability to throw a strike and momentarily allowed the braves back in the game, giving up 3 runs, to cut the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the 5th inning. From there though, with their bullpen blanking the Braves, the Phils were able to tack on a couple runs and hold on for a big 9-6 win. With the win the Phillies are now back to within 2.5 games of the wild card, and with the wild card leading Reds slated to visit Citizens Bank Park this weekend, they are suddenly in good position to take the lead in the wild card race. To me this current run by the Phillies, is just pleasant surprise, and I really hope it keeps going until the end of the regular season. Well, happy trails everyone.
EAGLES NEWS
The breaking news today is that Brian Dawkins agreed with the Eagles on a 2 year contract extension. Dawkins has always said that he wanted to finish his career in Philadelphia, and now with this extension he might just be able to do that. He will be 33 in a month and by time this extension is up he will be 35 and likely planning his retirement. If the Eagles had not come to terms with Dawkins now, he probably would have been headed elsewhere at the end of the season. The likely candidate to replace him, would have been Sean Considine, whom the Eagles drafted in 2005. However, Considine spent most of last season on the injured list, and it seemed clear that he was not going to be ready to replace Dawkins by next year. Now, with this extension, he can slowly ease into his role under Dawkins tutelage for 2 more years. Ultimately this extension was one that had to be made, and now everyone is excited that it was, including me.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
WEEKLY POLL QUESTION
Do you watch all of the Eagles preseason games every year?
a. yes always
b. some but not all of them
c. no because they really don't mean anything
Last Week's Results:
50% b. what were they thinking
50% c. not sure
0% a. smart move
a. yes always
b. some but not all of them
c. no because they really don't mean anything
Last Week's Results:
50% b. what were they thinking
50% c. not sure
0% a. smart move
PHILLIES NEWS
Sometimes history has a way of repeating itself and that's exactly what happened to the Phillies tonight. For the second game in a row a Phillies starter, this time Scott Mathieson, spoiled his seemingly commanding performance, with his own throwing error on a simple groundball towards the mound. Yesterday Jon Lieber was cruising along with a 3-1 lead, having retired 15 straight Mets, when he threw wildly on a routine groundball, opening the door for a 3 run 6th inning and a 4-3 win for the Mets. Tonight, Mathieson, started the game with 3 scoreless innings, then in the 4th inning he ran into trouble. After giving up his 1st run of the night, and with Mets runners on the corners, and only one out, Mathieson seemed to catch a break when he induced Jose Valentin, into a groundout, but like Lieber last night, he scooped it up, and threw wildly to 1st base, just out of reach of Ryan Howard. Thus instead of having 2 outs in the inning, and the impetus to pitch out of jam he was in, he was left with still only one out and another run in. After that Mathieson and the Phils never recovered as the Mets scored 7 runs en route to a 8-1 victory, with the Phillies scoring their only run on a Mike Lieberthal homerun. In short, it was an ugly night for the Phillies, and one that is too ugly for me to talk about anymore. All I can say is that the Phillies pitchers better participate in some extra fielding practice before every game from now on. Otherwise they will keep throwing games away like this and that is simply unacceptable at this point in the season. Well, happy trails everyone.
EAGLES NEWS
Tonight the Eagles played the 1st of their 5 preseason games, in the annual hall of fame game, which every year opens the NFL's preseason. Now you are probably wondering why the Eagles were picked to play in the hall of fame game, well it's because on Saturday the late great Reggie White, former Eagles DE, was inducted into the hall of fame, along with Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Harry Carson, Rayfield Wright, and the former head coach of the Raiders, whom the Eagles played tonight, John Madden. Since this was a preseason, game the outcome, although it was 16-10 Raiders, isn't really significant. What is significant is how well the Eagles starters played during their small amount of time in the game, and any good individual performances by their backups. These 2 things can both indicate how good the Eagles will be this year, and how their roster or depth chart will pan out by the time the regular season starts. In light of what I just said, it would seem that the Eagles will be a force to be reckoned with this season. Even though they were only in the game for the 1st quarter, the Eagles starting units were both solid. Actually though the rest of Eagles starting offense stayed in for most of the 1st quarter, Donovan Mcnabb only stayed in the game for one series, but he made it a good one. He hit all 3 of his passes for 29 yards in an impressive 61 yard drive capped off by a one yard touchdown plunge by Brian Westbrook who did most of the work during the drive, just as Andy Reid said he would this year. The Eagle defense was equally impressive in the 1st quarter, holding the Raiders scoreless. After that, backups came in for both teams, and as usual they scuffled through the rest of game. The only other interesting things to happen to Eagles on the night, were a 55 yard field goal by David Akers in the 2nd quarter ( a hall of fame game record), and 3rd string running back/kick returner Bruce Perry suffering a concussion in the 4th quarter, I would tell you more about Perry, but nothing else is known about his injury at this time. Hopefully he will be okay.
WEEKLY TRIVIA QUESTION
Chase Utley's 35 game hitting streak which ended this past week ties him for the the 10th longest hitting streak ever, only 12 players have matched his streak or had longer ones who are they?
Last Week's answer: Dick Allen and Von Hayes
Last Week's answer: Dick Allen and Von Hayes
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