End of 2010: Philadelphia Phillies

As I and many others watched the end of game six of the NLCS, the look on the Phillies fans faces said it all leading up to the final nonchalant Ryan Howard strike-out( who amazingly finished second in strike-outs for the team). This was not the same Philadelphia team that thundered into the playoffs pushing the Braves to the brink of play-off elimination touting a formidable pitching rotation. While the rotation did their their job, the offense sputtered through the young, but talented Reds and completely fizzled out against the Giants. Was the writing on the wall it was not to be? Yes, I seen it in game four. J-Roll and Victorino weren't effective as lead-offs in the least. Ross Gload did nothing at the plate and Ryan Howard failed to drive in an RBI. Ruiz gave us what we expected and Jayson Werth gave us one last memorable plate appearance before he rides off into the sunset. Utley had a down post-season, but it would be hard to replicate last year's performance. Ultimately, the Phils relied too much on a strong rotation.

The 2011 Phils will be much different as Domonic Brown will replace Jayson Werth and platoon with Ben Francisco(should he be offered a contract). There is also a possibility Jose Contreras will cost the Phils too much. Jamie Moyer, Mike Sweeney, J.C. Romero and Greg Dobbs will almost certainly be axed and Kyle Kendrick maybe non-tendered. In oder to remain competitive, Howard should take a pay-cut and free up some money to retain talent. Another scenario brought up a few ago, is if the Phils could trade Joe Blanton and Raul Ibanez and make a pass for Cliff Lee. Still won't solve their offensive woes, but will help buy someone to fix such.

This will conclude my 2010 season writings, but be on the look-out for the 2010-11 off-season posts.

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Summer's Last Swan Song

It's almost the worst time of the year, when the baseball regular season ends and the post-season begins. This post-season my attention will be on the Phils who have the BEST 1-2-3 punch pitching rotation in all of baseball. Can I say I was bummed out about my beloved Sox missing the playoffs? Totally, but I for the first time in years gave up on watching and paying attention to them. Did they give it a good run? I think so given the fact they still a .8% chance of making it. The regular season though, was great. I went to a few games this season (Is four considered a few?). My final game of the season took place on Saturday at PNC Park where believe it or not, I saw the Pirates win. Pedro Alvarez smacked a 3 run shot over the RF wall and the Pirates gave Zach Duke the support he needed to get his 8th win of the season. It was a fundamentally horrid game( 4 errors and a few pitches in the dirt). After all was said and done, I left with a retro Roberto Clemente jersey at a great price, plenty of pics, and a happy note to end my baseball trips for 2010.

Already looking forward to next season, but for now Go Phils! ....and here's to hoping the Yankees choke.

Trying To Keep The Faith

Whether you're a Phillies fan or Red Sox fan, you're close to the edge of your seat with 30 games left in the 2010 regular season( Sox fans like me are past the edge and have fell off curled up like a fetus with every passing game). At least Mets fans don't have to worry about this..(sorry, had to throw it out there). The Sox are about 8 games out of first and 6 of the wild-card( after dismally losing to the O's tonight). The Phils meanwhile as I blog, are up 3-1 to the Dodgers in the 2nd inning (off a Brian Schneider 3 run HR). The difference between these two teams is of course health. Both teams were ravaged by injuries to crucial players like Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and etc. However, the Phils have those players back and just aren't hitting. The Red Sox would kill to have Youk and Pedey back (Fans would kill, too). Fact of the matter is, they're done and the Sox hopes die every day, unlike the Phils who are just stuck in an offensive slump.

I'm pulling for both teams, (even if the Mets could make an improbable run I'd be stoked), but I know more than likely my beloved Sox will be home watching the post-season hoping for a better( and healthier) 2011 season. So keep believing Phils fans...

(Mets fans should hope that in a freak event R.A. Dickey wins the NL Cy Young Award lol).

P.S. my reaction to the Delcarmen trade....Not sure how this helps the Sox out. He wasn't the best reliever, but Robert Manuel has yet to reach his effectiveness.

Trade DeadLine thoughts 2010

By now, you've scoured every source you could and waited patiently or impatiently for your team to make the necessary move they need for a post-season run. If you're me, you've watched your team(s) fail miserably. So let's begin:

- What can I say about the ill-thought Roy Oswalt trade that hasn't already been said? J.A. Happ will be a consistent 15 game winner given enough run support in Houston. Roy Oswalt will be a higher priced Joe Blanton for the Phils.

- Did anybody inform the Mets today was the deadline?

- Typically, when the team leading your division makes several moves to bolster their reinforcements and the team ahead of you deals for a decent reliever/closer, you should probably make a really good move considering the underachieving done thus far in the second half. Theo Epstein felt none of this mattered after dealing Ramon Ramirez to the Giants. Thankfully, he tried redeeming himself by getting Saltamacchia from Texas, but designate their best reserve OF instantly shrugged that progress off.

- The Rangers are freakin' stacked! This could be their year if the Yanks or Rays bow out early.

- I'm still confused what the Pirates were trying to accomplish today.

- The Dodgers were about the most active team aside from the "Skanks", but I don't see them working out as well as the Yanks move.

- The Cards TOTALLY overpaid for Jake Westbrook, just saying.

- Disappointed Adam Dunn didn't move as well as Josh Willingham, but I see the Nats building a contender finally.

- The Royals weren't properly compensated for Rick Ankiel.

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Sox And The Phils: The Great DL Race

By now if you're a Red Sox or Phillies fan (or both), you're just praying that one more person doesn't go down. It's been rough for both teams with the highest of expectations to be in third place. Who knew all the hitters we're going to get injured in Philly? Who knew the hitters and some pitchers were going to go down in Boston?

Current DL status for Phillies:

Antonio Bastardo (P) -- Could be a long time before we see him again
Chad Durbin (RP) -- rehab assignment Sat.
Ryan Madson (RP) --ready to be activated supposedly
Placido Polanco (3B) (sore elbow; could see baseball activities resume Saturday)
Chase Utley (2B) -- optimistic for an early return, but early Aug still looks like target.
Carlos Ruiz (C) --saw a concussion specialist Monday
Brian Schneider (C) --DTD (thumb sprain)

Having Utley and Polanco hurts the Phils for a big bat leaving Ryan Howard unprotected. Ruiz not being in the line-up hurts them by not bringing in runs and him getting on base. Ryan Madson can hopefully return to closing duties because Brad Lidge has just been terrible in close games. The bullpen is also hurting without Chad Durbin whose been a steady arm in 29 games this season with a sub 4 ERA. Things are looking up post All-Star Break for the Phillies, they just can't get too far behind the Braves and Mets (who are semi-injured).

As for the Sox, they've overachieved as an injury-plagued team in the AL East. A few days ago, the Yankees were sweating bullets as the Sox pulled within half a game for first place. The bullpen couldn't get it done for them against the Rays and the bats came too late after the Rays built up a lead. No need for the Sox to panic, though. Right after the AS break expect to see Clay Buchholz back in the rotation, Jacoby Ellsbury could be back, and Victor Martinez.

Current Red Sox DL:
Josh Beckett (P) --threw 64 pitch simulated game; rehab assignment discussion
Clay Buchholz (P) --threw an aggressive side session yesterday
Junichi Tazawa (P) -- done until 2011 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April
Manny Delcarmen (RP) -- late July return after MRI revealed forearm strain
Jacoby Ellsbury (LF) -- resuming baseball activities very soon
Jeremy Hermia (OF) -- Takes BP; late July return
Jed Lowrie (SS) -- Rehab assignment
Mike Lowell (3B) -- ready, but on personal leave as per Tito
Victor Martinez (C) --Thumb sprain; surgery not needed
Jason Varitek (C) - broken right foot; out 6 weeks
Dustin Pedroia (2B) -- early august return after broken left foot
Kevin Youkilis (1B) --playing through ankle pain
**Hideki Okajima battling back issues

There's a lot of season to play for both teams and both play their best ball after the All-Star break. No need to get alarmed, but expect trades to add temporary depth until these stars come back.

Rumored Trade Targets for Phils:

Jeremy Guthrie (SP) Orioles
Ty Wigginton (2B) Orioles
Miguel Tejada (3B) Orioles
Cliff Lee (SP) Mariners
Dan Haren (SP) D'Backs
Ben Sheets (SP) Athletics
Mike Lowell (3B) Red Sox

Rumored Targets for The Red Sox:

Chris Snyder (C) D'Backs
Scott Downs (RP) Blue Jays
Kerry Wood (RP) Indians
Will Ohman (RP) Orioles

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Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July all! It's been awhile since I typed up anything as I been preparing for my new job( which will mean I'll be posting even less) and such. However, I did attend last Sunday's Mets game against the Twins. Phenomenal game and a great time with my buds. For the first time ever live, I witnessed back-back HR's (courtesy of David Wright and Ike Davis) and a shut-out. Jon Niese pitched 7.2 innings of four hit ball on a sweltering New York afternoon. Lucky for me, that was before the Puerto Rico trip, but the Mets still trail Hotlanta by a few games with the injury-depleted Phillies two games back.

Ironically enough, next Sunday I may be in Philly for the game against the Reds. I'm hoping to catch Mike Leake pitch after watching him pitch against the Phils earlier this week. Let's hope the Phils can squeeze out a win against the red hot Reds.

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Phils bats have gone silent

What is wrong with the NL champs? Only 20 runs in 10 games? They've a few points on team batting average and lost about 2 runs a game since. The Braves have proven to be quite a surprise with the rest of the NL gaining on the Phils coveted second place.Now that Steven Strasburg has hit the majors, I'm sure the Phils are praying they don't face him after his dismantling of the Pirates. Ryan Howard's monstrous HR's are few and far between, Jayson Werth is far from having a huge season, Chase Utley has scattered singles and doubles, but not many HR's lately. Poor Raul Ibanez can't get a hit to have an argument in his favor. Placido Polanco has been getting quite banged up for a thirty-five year old guy this season, so it's hard to stay ina rhythm. Ruiz has never been a prime-time/average contact hitter to argue that he's been hurting them. I credit J-Roll being hurt as a big problem for the team. The bench isn't exactly lighting the field on fire either.

So what to do? In my opinion, Howard is cutting down on his strike-outs, but has to be more aggressive at the plate...maybe crowd it a bit for opposing pitchers to draw walks if he can't get a hit. Utley is some minor adjustments in his swing to get those extra bases. Werth needs to get his mind off the pressure of a new deal, he's flat-out giving away money now. The Phillies shouldn't be in a rush to sign him, nor should he be to. Raul is just an aging mess. Some time in extra BP would do him great to compensate for the loss of bat speed. The bench needs to do something. Castro has been the most productive member in Rollins's absence.

From a manager's stand-point where are the steals and hit and runs? Getting more quality starts and committing less errors would help on the defense side of the ball. The Phils aren't in danger yet of this season slipping away, but they should be taking advantage of the scheduled teams they have coming in under .500.

Baseball reflects life sometimes....

I apologize for my brief disappearance, but I've been busy getting ready for graduation, figuring out how I'm gonna pay my bills on my limited income, and relationship issues. Quite simply, it hasn't been all roses here, a lot of questions that need answers.

The season is underway and in full swing. Some teams have found their identities and others, like my Red Sox haven't. It's hard to pin-point the exact problem because every night it's something different. Is it me or since Josh Beckett signed the new contract he's sucked? Wake is angry he's been relegated to the bullpen, but has little to show he deserves to be in the rotation. Buc has been dynamite and in another start mediocre. Lackey had one bad start. I'm still re-visiting my disgust for Dice-K..how many more years do I have to put up with him? Pedey's mini-slump has hurt the offense with it being crippled by injuries to Cameron (possibly beginning a minor league assignment this week), Ellsbury, and now V-Tek is sore, but not expected to miss much time. V-Mart STILL can't throw runners out. The OF positions are in constant shuffle with one really getting accommodated to playing consecutive days aside from J.D.

Meanwhile, the Phils and Mets continue to excite. I've been watching a lot of Phillies games as of late including the fantastic Hamels outing against the Cards, when the other idiot jumped onto the field. The Mets win streak ended a week ago today, but who knew Mike Pelfrey would be this good?!? It's been a refreshing change to watch when I've had the time instead of banging my head against the wall with the Sox. The Phils look like a well-oiled machine mowing through their competition without J-Roll in the line-up. Don't fret about Blanton's outing today, he'll come around. The Mets got into a funk after being dismantled by the Phils last weekend, dropping games to the Reds, but the dugout has never looked that good in years..finally, the Metsies look like they're havin fun. Ike Davis is electrifying on the field.

Still, for all the bad, at least we've gotten some surprises (Darnell McDonald, Ortiz's bat is starting to come alive, and Hermida). The Sox are far from consistent, but should the pitching and hitting become more consistent, we'll see the Sox team we've been hoping to see....just like I'm hoping to get my first REAL job interview in a very inconsistent job market.

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Ryan Howard extension

By now you've heard the Phillies have locked up 1B Ryan Howard to a five year contract worth $125M. If you're a Phillies fan, you thought you'd never see the day when the team spent money to keep up competitively, but if you're not a fan, you probably think the Phils made the worst financial deal of all time given Howard's age and contract length. Let's be honest, Howard hasn't reached a decline point yet, but how will he respond to age. He's a smaller David Ortiz (and Ortiz hasn't aged well). Howard is thirty this season which is typically where analysts and fans begin to jump off hte wagon on a guy, and how can you blame with a league like the NL without a DH? Howard will basically become un-trade able should he decline (which I'm generously giving him until 34).That point, the Phils are on the hook for one more year under contract and he's free to walk. I don't see the problem here. Boston fans have watched Big Papi slip for almost a season and a half. The biggest reason the Phils did this deal without flinching is the fact of the team they have currently. Victorino, Halladay, Ruiz and etc. are all under contract to make consecutive runs. Sure, Raul Ibanez could retire and Jayson Werth & J-Roll could be gone, but still looking at them on paper, they still look like a first place team. This is why Ryan's deal make sense. It's more than enough incentive to take a small risk of decline. Maybe the analysts need to lay-off saying it's overall bad (excluding Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal partially). If anybody needs to leave, it's Cole Hamels. He's been inconsistent to a "t" and when Joe Blanton comes back should be sent to AAA to work out his issues. In the meantime, don't knock a guy who knows how to bring in runs and swings a good bat getting a big contract. Wait until the years go away (with or without WS championships) and see how Ryan Howard continues to play the game.

As a society, we tend to evaluate decisions quickly without giving things time to work out. Look at Alex Rodriguez's sky-high contract. Great in the regular season, but leaves much to be desired in the playoffs when it counts (don't argue that 2009 validates him, because one season doesn't). Howard is just as consistent come play-offs ( excuse his hiccup last season hitting an abysmal .174). A-Rod's playoff resume is longer than Howard's and his BA only outranks Howards by .23. Yankees fan would agree that A-Rod has been worth despite his struggles would they not?

Ryan Howard may not be the HR leader of all-time, multiple-time world champion, or best 1B of all-time, but he provides a solid bat for a solid team that has multiple bats. Just like A-Rid, just like pre- 2008 David Ortiz, etc.

Phillies Notes

- Anybody else bummed out for Kyle Kendrick? The kid threw eight scoreless frames last night only to see Ryan Madson blow the game. Don't get down on Kendrick, he's warming up, as is Cole Hamels. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the win on Sunday either, but his confidence should be built back up after struggling at the beginning of the season.

- In other pitching related news, J.A. Happ may be ready to go by the weekend if he makes it through a bullpen session Thursday. Happ has missed his last two starts due a to a mild flexor pronator muscle strain in his left arm. both J.C. Romero and Brad Lidge are stopping in Lehigh Valley this week. Romero gave u a run and three walks Monday in an innings work for the IronPigs. Romero was slated to be in last night's game, but it was suspended in the top of the second due to weather.

- Jimmy Rollins is on the mend still, but it's unlikely he'll be ready to go April 28 when he is eligible to come off the DL. A minor league stint is in order upon his return.

- The Doctor is in today against Tim Hudson and the Braves.

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Mets, Phillies, Red Sox Notes

- The Sox got lit up in the finale against the Twins 8-0 with Wakefield taking the loss and the offense rendered non-existent. Next is a series with the Rays for the weekend.

- Reliever Alan Embree has decided not to opt out of his contract with the deal according to WEEI, but doesn't necessarily mean he's sticking around in Boston.

- Mike Cameron sat out the finale with an abdominal strain. He seen a doctor in Minneapolis and will have tests in Boston today. Jacoby Ellsbury is still out from the collision in Tuesday's game and is a long-shot from starting. The Sox may look to AAA to bring someone up.

-Daisuke Matsuzaka threw six scoreless frames in Pawtucket and feels "ready to pitch in the bigs."

PHILLIES

- The Phils were denied a sweep by the Nats in a 2-1 heartbreaker when Nats 3B Ryan Zimmerman went long.

- Brad Lidge says "He's 100% healthy, but not 100% ready to re-join the club." I'd agree looking at his peripherals (0-1; 16.87 ERA) in A ball. He thinks a late April return. J.C. Romero is only a step ahead in his rehab. Joe Blanton will throw a pen session today before his first start in Clearwater Tuesday.

- Juan Castro's bat sure is hot these days. The hot Marlins are coming to town, so his bat will be important.

METS

- Mike Pelfrey looked like Tim Lincecum yesterday as the Mets beat the Rockies. Jeff Francoeur is still hot at the plate having a hit in the last 9 games.

- Manager Jerry Manuel would love to move Jose Reyes in the batting order while the SS is still rusty. The three spot is where Reyes maybe this weekend against the Cards.

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Phillies Notes

- According to Todd Zolecki, the Phils have been in contact with Pedro Martinez. Can't hurt to have him around. Cole Hamels is still out in la-la land and Blanton isn't due back for a couple days still.

- The team made a decision today to put Jimmy Rollins on the DL for his right calf. He'll be out of service for two to four weeks. J-Roll is hitting .391 and has an OBP of .516 so missing him would hurt the Phils. On the same day (Monday), Jayson Werth left the game with a sore left hip. His status is day-day, but took BP and pinch-hit duties. Wilson Valdez has been called up.

- Washington must hate playing Philly. They've won just one game against them in five meetings. The series finished out today with Kendrick struggling, but Victorino and Utley having huge days to propel the Phils to a 14-7 win over the Nats. The Phils are off to their best start since '93.

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Phils/Nats & Mets/Marlins games 2 & 3

The Phils continued their dominance of the Nationals in game two. The Nats did put more runs up on the board and show a little life defensively this time. Cole Hamels gave just enough and the bullpen did the rest over the final four frames. Ryan Madson came in to close it out and earn a save. Hamels line read five hits, three runs (two earned) and five K's over five innings of work. He lacked control and command. Ryan Howard blasted his second home run of the season in the fifth off of Jason Marquis, who had a considerably rough outing with his new team. Placido Polanco picked up where left off adding three runs and Chase Utley had two as well an RBI. The Phils officially claimed Nelson Figueroa.

Going for an opening series sweep, Kyle Kendrick lasted just four innings giving up six hits and five runs, including a HR. Despite the rough outing, the Phils managed to stage a rally only to fall short in a 6-5 loss. Nelson Figueroa (and took the loss) gave up the tying run Phils still take the series two game to one. The top of the order had a great day with most batters going 2/4 or 2/5 and counting as a run. Jayson Werth went 3/5 with a run. Raul Ibanez continued his slow start going 0/4 with two strike-outs. The Phillies head to Houston next with J.A. Happ starting the series off.

The Mets didn't have the kind of luck the Phils did. They rallied to tie the game at six before falling in extras 7-6 on a Ronny Paulino RBI grounder to center in the tenth. John Maine lasted five innings giving up two HR's and four runs on eight hits. The bullpen wasn't much better giving up another three between Mejia, Green, and Takashi. K-Rod and Feliciano pitched a combined two innings of scoreless ball on two hits(noth given up by Rodriguez). Jason Bay had the best day going 1/3 with two runs. A plsu was the Mets drawing nine walks out of the Marlins, but the pitching still appears to be the problem carried over from last season.

Jon Niese dueled against new Marlins pitcher Nate Robertson and came up on the losing end giving the Marlins the series. Niese worked six innings on eight hits and three runs striking out three. He looked good despite giving up the hits, but the offense simply wasn't there. Once again, the blame goes to the bottom of the order. Jeff Francouer and Angel Pagan were solid offensively. The thing about this game was seeing the upside Niese and Francouer are bringing to New York, both men looked like the investment they were thought to be. The Mets face the Nationals today with Mike Pelfrey going against Garrett Mock.

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NL East Opening Day : Phils/Nats and Mets/Marlins

For the Phils and Mets, Opening Day was a huge success. Both starting pitchers looked sharp and both offenses had no problem breaking out their bats. The Phils beat the Nationals(thought to have re-vamped nicely) 11-1 while the Mets fried the fish 7-1. Both teams jump out to an early lead(Braves are currently winning 8-5 in the 7th) in the division.

The Phillies won their game solely by two players: pitcher Roy Halladay and 3B Placido Polanco. Halladay threw seven innings giving up a run and six hits with nine k's. Not only was he brilliant on the mound, but brought in a run and advanced runners in his at bats. Polanco had a six rbi day including his seventh inning grand slam. Ryan Howard added a two run shot in the fourth. Every position player had at least one hit.

Philadelphia AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Rollins, SS 4 2 2 1 2 1 2 .500
Polanco, 3B 5 1 3 6 0 0 2 .600
Utley, 2B 3 1 1 0 3 0 1 .333
Howard, 1B 6 1 2 2 0 0 8 .333
Werth, RF 5 1 1 0 0 0 3 .200
Ibanez, LF 4 2 1 0 1 1 1 .250
Victorino, CF 5 1 1 1 0 1 2 .200
Ruiz, C 2 2 1 0 3 0 2 .500
Halladay, P 4 0 1 1 0 1 4 .250
Bastardo, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Baez, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
a-Dobbs, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
Herndon, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 39 11 13 11 9 4 26 .333

Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Halladay(W, 1-0)7.0 6 1 1 2 9 0 1.29
Bastardo 0.2 1 0 0 1 1 0 0.00
Baez 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Herndon 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0.00
Totals 9.0 9 1 1 3 11 0 1.00

Meanwhile, the rival Mets had a fantastic outing from Johan Santana, who returned from off-season surgery to pitch one run with four hits and five k's over six innings of work. David Wright was the bright spot in the top of the order belting a two run shot in the first. The mid-bottom of the order( Bay, Matthews, Francoeur, and Barajas) really paced the team combining for seven hits and three rbis. Nieve pitched two innings of relief before K-Rod got his first outing of 2010.

NY Mets AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Cora, SS 4 0 0 1 0 0 3 .000
Castillo, L, 2B 4 1 0 0 1 0 1 .000
Wright, D, 3B 3 1 1 2 1 0 1 .333
Jacobs, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 .000
Tatis, 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Bay, LF 4 1 2 0 0 1 2 .500
Matthews, CF 3 2 2 0 1 0 1 .667
Francoeur, RF 2 0 1 2 1 0 0 .500
Barajas, C 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .500
Santana, J, P 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 .000
a-Pagan, PH 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1.000
Nieve, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
b-Catalanotto, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000
Rodriguez, F, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 32 7 9 7 4 5 14 .281

NY Mets IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Santana 6.0 4 1 1 2 5 0 1.50
Nieve 2.0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0.00
Rodriguez, F 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Totals 9.0 6 1 1 2 7 0 1.00

The Phils take on the Nats again with Cole Hamels opposing Jason Marquis and the Mets send John Maine to face Ricky Nolasco. A rumor to consider the Phils may pick up Nelson Figueroa(released by the Mets last week) to fill the injury void and have an eye on Pedro Martinez as he beings to get back in shape.

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Close of Spring Training: Philadelphia Phillies

Like the Mets, the Phils had some injury issues before Opening Day. Pitcher Joe Blanton tweaked an oblique in a bullpen session Wedensday after coming off an abysmal performance in an intrasquad game. His return to make his 2010 debut Apr. 8 is jeopardy. Kyle Kendrick would take his place if he's not ready to go. Closer Brad Lidge received a cortisone shot in his right elbow Tuesday. Last we heard was that Lidge's velocity wasn't back which most certainly spells trouble.

In efforts to combat these injuries, the Phils agreed to minor league deals with Josh Fogg and Ty Taubenheim. Fogg made one start last season for Colorado, while Taubenheim spent his season at AAA Indianapolis going 7-9; 3.65ERA. The bullpen is right now the biggest weakness for the Phils.

Jamie Moyer pitches the finale for the Phils today against the Pirates.

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Red Sox, Phillies Notes

RED SOX

-Six man rotation? It's a possibility. I still like the traditional five man more because it promotes a regimen. If you got the arms though, it might not hurt to try it out.

- Beckett didn't pitch masterfully in his last spring training game(possibly with the Red Sox) giving up 3 runs over six innings of work. Mike Lowell went 2-3 with Texas scouts watching. No word if a deal is coming of this.

- Dice-K and Boof Bonser will not be available Opening Day due to injuries. Dick-K is progressing though having pitched a simulated game today. At the end of the week, he will start a game in the minors. Bonser participated in drills with a brace and pitched a simulated game. Word is a bullpen session on Wednesday. Junichi Tazawa is seeing a doctor to look at his elbow(tightness). Tazawa will be opening the season more than likely in AAA. RP Manny Delcarmen's velocity is still down as he's adjusted his mechanics, but remains optimistic that he's getting back to his old self. Only two spots remain for the bullpen and four guys battle for a slot: Scott Atchinson, Scot Schoenweis, Alan Embree, and Joe Nelson.

- The Sox sent C Dusty Brown and INF Kevin Frandsen down to Pawtucket and assigned C Gustavo Molina and 3B Jorge Jimenez to minor league camp trimming the roster to 35. The Sox still must eliminate 10 players by Saturday.

PHILLIES

- Kyle Kendrick makes his final bid for the last spot in the rotation today against the Astros. He'll need a hell of a performance after Jamie Moyer's gem last weekend.

- The Phils cut 10 from camp today including Brad Wilkerson.

- J.C. Romero pitched his first inning today handling AAA-AA guys well. Today was a big step for me," Romero said in the clubhouse at Bright House Field. "I was very pleased with the outcome today. The good thing is that I was throwing a lot of strikes. My arm speed was outstanding."(T.Zolecki interview)

BOS, PHL, NYM Notes

Red Sox

- Brian Shouse has been released despite holding opponents under a run an outing. The 41 year old will be looking for employment and the Phils could use another arm in their pen. The Sox signed Scott Schownweis a short time later to a minor league deal. He has until April 15 to opt out should he not make the bigs. Only two spots remain in the pen leaving Alan Embree, Joe Nelson, Scott Atchinson, Boof Bonser, and Schoenweis. My odds are Bonser and Atchinson are on the outside looking in.

- The Red Sox acquired 2B/SS Kevin Frandsen from the Giants for a player to be named. Frandsen hit .240 for the Giants last year. Frandsen can be sent down this year to AAA (which is very likely given the roster spots left).

- Mike Lowell has a knee contusion and on top of that the trade talks have begun again as of Friday.

- The 2010 goes: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, john Lackey, Tim Wakefield, and Clay Buchholz will start the season. Dice-K may slide in when someone goes down after his return from the DL.

METS

- Jon Niese and Nelson Figueroa are inching closer to grabbing a spot on the ML roster. Niese would be a starter and Figueroa would be in the bullpen. Manager Jerry Manuel made it clear that Fernando Nieve is headed for bullpen duties where's needed which should practically hand Niese the job. Figueroa has looked impressive this spring and could be the long man in the pen.

- Pedro Feliciano wants to be K-Rod's set-up man. Feliciano's competition is Kiko Calero, Ryota Igarashi, and possibly Jennry Mejia. Feliciano has been one of the most reliable relievers on the Mets staff as of late. "I see [J.J.] Putz is gone, and nobody's set up as the setup man," Feliciano said. "I want to get that position. I want to win it. I'm working with the righties like I'm doing with the lefties. And I just want to leave Spring Training as the setup man." - interview with MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez

PHILLIES

- Did someone turn up the heat on Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer. The two are having a battle for the ages in hopes of attaining the fifth spot in the rotation. Kendrick threw 5.2 innings giving up 1 earned run over five hits, two walks and a K. Moyer meanwhile gave up one hit, six K's and no walks against the Yanks in 6.2 innings. Moyer wins this race in my mind despite how strong Kendrick has been.

- Raul Ibanez has struggles since returning from off-season surgery, but will be playing in minor league games to find his rhythm. The organization isn't worried about his struggles. "He's having trouble finding his timing," manager Charlie Manuel said. "When he gets it, you'll see. It's hard to explain. Sometimes you have a hard time really finding your swing. And you try, and you try, and you try, and it seems like forever you're not hitting. The worst thing you can do is really start thinking about digging a big hole for yourself. All of a sudden, one day you might walk out there and a guy throws a ball and you hit a couple right on the nose, and you're right back to square one and you start hitting good again. I've got all the faith in the world in him. I know he can hit." -interview with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com

BOS, NYM, PHL Notes

RED SOX

- The Sox are looking for a back-up SS due to Jed Lowrie's unfortunate health issues. Bill Hall tried out yesterday, but committed two errors. Marco Scutaro is the primary, but coming off his late season injury is still a concern. Will we hear of talks of Dustin Pedroia backing him up and maybe a back-up 2B?

- If reliever Brian Shouse doesn't make the team, there's a possibility he may retire rather than report to Pawtucket where Scott Atchinson and Joe Nelson may find themselves. Alan Embree is said to have the inside track to be the lefty specialist behind Hideki Okajima, but may not be ready for Opening Day. He can opt out of his contract on April 15th.

- After the shelling Boof Bonser took (5 runs, 6 hits) in his start yesterday against the Rays, he looks like he could be headed to the pen if he decides to stay with Boston. A few teams have interest in acquiring him. According to Gordon Edes, Bonser has a groin issue.

- Jorge Jimenez was returned to the organization by the Marlins. The Red Sox gave 25K back to Florida.

PHILLIES

- Placido Polanco returned to the line-up on Sunday after spraining his knee earlier last week.

- The Phils plan on twelve pitchers on the Opening Day roster. Roy Hallday, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ round out the penciled in starters. Kyle Kendrick and Moyer are still battling for the last slot. Moyer had a strong outing against the Orioles. Whoever loses, goes to the pen with Antonio Bastardo, Jose Contreras, Danys Baez, Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson, and David Herndon. Mike Zagurski was sent down to AAA, but expect to see him make an appearance at some point this season.

- The Phils aren't the only ones that want Jayson Werth. The Yankees are looking at him and Carl Crawford as possibilities next off-season.

METS

- Catching is a hot topic in NY these days. The team has five catchers available to them. Josh Thole is almost certainly headed to Buffalo and Omir Santos maybe as well. With Barajas and Blanco on the roster, doesn't leave much room for Chris Coste unless one of the two go down very soon. Santos and Thole will battle season round to get the call-up and will more than likely happen due to the aging catchers ability to play.

- 1B Ike Davis made enough of an impression that he will almost certainly get the call in mid-season to join the Mets. As for Daniel Murphy, this is not good news.

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Phillies Notes

- Brad Lidge threw 16 pitches in an inning of work in AA game. J.C. Romero is back on the mound throwing bullpen sessions. He threw 20+ today and said in an interview with Todd Zolecki, "Right now, I'm good. I'm going through everything I need to do with no pain. I'm happy with everything that's going on right now." Both Lidge and Romero won't be rushed back for Opening Day.

- Chase Utley has been sitting out with an upper respiratory infection since Monday. He took some BP and fielding practice today, but probably won't play until Friday if he's up to it. Placido Polanco feels better after his sprained knee over the weekend. He may get some time in Friday's game.

- Prospect OF Domonic Brown was sent down to minor league camp after he went 3-3 with 2HRs and 4RBIs against the Tigers on Tuesday. Easily one of the most exciting prospects currently in the Phils system, Brown should make some appearances later this season given what he's shown Charlie Manuel.

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Phils and Sox Notes

Phillies

- Ryan Howard is unfazed by the rumor of being traded for Albert Pujols.

- 3B Placido Polanco left yesterday's game early with a sprained knee after stumbling on the pitcher's mound fielding a pop-up. Polanco isn't worried about it. "When it first happens, you really get scared," Polanco said. "You don't know what's happening. It doesn't feel right. But now that the doctor took a look at it, it's nothing big at all. ... It's getting better now already after the icing and all that. It's just the back of the knee," Polanco said in an interview with beat writer Todd Zolecki. "It's probably hyperextended a little bit -- irritated."

- Jamie Moyer's bid for the final rotation spot took a serious turn after he was pounded by the Jays in "B" game giving up five runs on eight hits. Kyle Kendrick is still wowing all and looks to be the fifth starter at this point.

Red Sox

- Mike Lowell saw his first action this spring surprisingly at first base going 1-2 in three innings of play.

- After having neck issues backtrack him, Daisuke Matsuzaka will pitch batting practice on Wednesday.

- Jed Lowrie is undergoing tests to find out the cause of his "extreme fatigue." Lowrie has had so much trouble staying healthy and being productive that at this point I think he's a lost cause for the organization. Lowrie's gone 2-9 in limited action this spring and hasn't played in the last three games.

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