Lidge Lands on DL; Burrell DFA'd

The Phillies placed reliever Brad Lidge on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to May 10) due to inflammation in his right elbow. An MRI did not show loose bodies or damaged ligaments, however the pain has yet to go away despite being well-rested.

Lidge only appeared in four games this year, saving one. Lidge will decide if he wants to get a cortisone shot. He previously received a cortisone injection in March.

Antonio Bastardo was recalled to take Lidge’s spot on the roster. Bastardo appeared in seven big league games earlier this year.

The Phillies beat the Brewers today, 10-6, beind Joe Blanton.

In other news, former Phillie Pat Burrell was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays. Don't count on the Phillies bringing him back. Yes, they have a tendency to bring back ex-Phillies, but the right handed bat off the bench seems to belong to Ben Francisco and Ross Gload.

Iverson Returns; Baseball News

Allen Iverson is back in Philadelphia. Iverson almost retired, however he met with the Philadelphia 76ers, who eventually offered him a contract. He accepted, and is back with the team that he became a Hall of Fame player with.

Iverson led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, but the Sixers haven't been back since. When Iverson left the Sixers, he started to decline and the Sixers became a weak team.

Adding Iverson is exactly what the Sixers needed. Before the Iverson talks, nobody cared about the Sixers (sorry to those few die-hards). But once the AI Rumors came out, the Sixers were mentioned before any other team, including the Philadelphia Eagles. That never happens, not even for the playoffs.

The Iverson move will help the Sixers more than record-wise. Without him, the franchise would continue to lessen in popularity. Now, more tickets will sell, and perhaps increase the Sixers' popularity. With Iverson on the court, more fans will watch. When more fans watch, they will notice some of the other, younger stars. They needed that, because right now they're not very popular in a football town.

We're aware that this is a baseball blog, so here's your daily dosage of MLB:

The Atlanta Braves signed Billy Wagner. The deal is worth $7 million with an option for 2011.

There is a "strong possibility" for a Pat Burrell-Milton Bradley trade. The Cubs are Rays could make the deal, although it's also possible to see Burrell in a Mets uniform. With a left fielder in Alfonso Soriano, the Cubs could flip him to the Mets. The Mets are in need of a left fielder. They could get rid of Luis Castillo and get Burrell in return.

The Phillies have their eyes on J.J Putz. Putz missed most of last season due to arm troubles. The Pirates and Astros also appear to be interested. The Phillies are also being linked to Randy Wolf and Rafeal Bentancourt for the first time this offseason.

The Mariners are pursuing Rich Harden.

The Astros and Rangers are interested in Brett Myers. The Rangers would likely want him as a reliever.

Burrell's Blast Beats Blanton

Originally featured on Phillies Nation.

Looking at the final score of the Phillies and Rays game, it doesn't appear that there was a pitchers duel in the process. One bad inning, and a former teammate, hurt the Phillies in their 7-1 loss.

In the second inning, Pat Burrell hit a two-run home run to give the Rays an early lead. That was all Joe Blanton gave up in seven innings. He allowed six hits, struck out ten, and walked two. The only problem was that Matt Garza was better.

Garza hadn't pitched past the sixth inning in his previous three starts, but Wednesday was different. He struck out five of the first seven batters he faced. He pitched eight innings only surrendering one run, a Jayson Werth solo shot. Garza gave up three hits, walked three, and struck out seven.

It was still 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth. Blanton exited, handing it over to the bullpen. However, J.C Romero got into a jam with no outs and runners at the corner. Willy Aybar hit a shallow fly ball to Matt Stairs. Taking a chance with one of the fastest runners in the game, B.J Upton tug up. With a great block by Carlos Ruiz, Stairs nailed Upton at the plate.

It looked like Romero would escape the inning when Pat Burrell hit an soft grounder to Jimmy Rollins. Rollins nonchalantly tossed the ball to Chase Utley covering second, only for Ben Zobrist to be safe and a run to score. Rollins made a huge mistake by not throwing to first, especially with a slow runner in Burrell.

The Rays continued to pound runs on the Phillies, winning 7-1.

Umps are Busy with no DH

While there are errors on the field, there are errors in.. the lineup?

The Tampa Bay Rays made a mistake in their lineup on Sunday that forced starting pitcher Andy Sonnanstine to bat.

Evan Longoria was supposed to be the Ray's designated hitter, instead the lineup card had two third baseman: Longoria and Ben Zobrist. No DH was listed.

Making sure the decision was correct, the game was delayed 13 minutes before the umpires declared that Sonnanstine would have to bat third and the Rays would lose a DH. Longoria would be available to come off the bench.

Sonnanstine didn't look like a pitcher at the plate. In the fourth inning, Sonnanstine smoked an RBI double to left. He also reached based on a failed sacrifice attempt. He became the first pitcher since Matt Garza in 2007 to get at least two plate appearances in an American League game.

"I knew something was up, but I didn't know exactly what was going to happen,"
Sonnanstine said. "They told me that I was going to have to hit, and I corrected
them and told them 'I get to hit.' I took it as an opportunity. That was one of
the craziest games I've ever been a part of."

On the mound, Sonnanstine allowed five runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work.

Maddon took the blame, but the players backed him up winning it 7-5. In the process of the win, benches cleared when Kerry Wood nearly hit B.J Upton twice. Victor Martinez, who almost was hit by a pitch earlier in the series, got into a verbal argument with somebody on the Rays bench until the dugouts emptied.

Troy Percival responded plunking Mark DeRosa in the ninth, but was likely unintentional as it was a save situation and DeRosa was buried in an 0-2 count.

Besides figuring out the DH situation and separating the players from each other, the umpires were busy. They appeared to have missed a call on Ryan Garko's fly ball to left field. Carl Crawford caught the ball against the wall, but the replay shows that the ball clearly hit the padding before entering Crawford's glove.

The outcome of the game may have been different if the Rays had their regular DH, Pat Burrell. Burrell was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 11. Burrell suffered a neck strain, but Joe Maddon doesn't expect it to be more than 15 days.

QUOTE SOURCE: ESPN

Ibanez Vs. Burrell, So Far

As Seen on PhilliesNation.com

When the Phillies signed Raul Ibanez, many were unsure how he would fill the shoes of a fan favorite, Pat Burrell. So far, there have been no complaints; just chants of “Rauuuuuuul!”

Traveling back a year ago, Burrell batted .326 with eight home runs and 21 runs batted in. He struck out 18 times, but had a 1.135 on-base plus slugging percentage in April of 2008. Not too many people thought you could get much hotter than Burrell.

So far this season, Ibanez batted .359 with 7 home runs, and 17 RBI. His on base percentage is .433 and he slugged .718, giving him a 1.151 OPS. He has come up clutch with a walk off home run and a late-inning grand slam. The numbers are close, but Ibanez is off to a better start than Burrell was last season.

In 2009, Burrell is batting .254 with with just one home run and eight runs batted in. His on base percentage is .370, but he is slugging a low .343, totaling a .714 OPS. He has struck out 14 times compared to Ibanez’s 10.

There were question marks surrounding Ibanez’s base running and defense, but so far he has been superb in the field and on the base paths. He isn’t the greatest defender, but he has made some spectacular catches and his arm is stronger than originally thought to be. He isn’t a track star, but he hustles, and is a better running option than Burrell.

Because of the upgrade in speed and defense, the Phillies do not have substitute him for a defensive replacement or pinch runner. An extra bat in the lineup in the later innings has proved to be a difference as the Phillies are among leaders in all of baseball in runs scored after the seventh inning.

If Ibanez can continue to be the consistent hitter that he is, he is going to put up very good numbers. Ibanez played at Safeco Field last season, a pitcher’s park. Moving to a hitter friendly park will only benefit him. Burrell, on the other hand, moved from a hitter’s park that fitted him well.

As long as he continues to produce, the “Rauuuuuuul!” cheers will live on.

Call of the day: In 1993, a group of goofballs were able to make it to the World Series. Here is Kalas's call from the division clincher. (I recommend watching the video. Kalas talks about the whole team and you see the celebration and clubhouse interviews.)

"Ground ball.. it's a fair ball. Kruk, to Pall, and the Phillies are the '93
National League Eastern Divison Champions. This wonderful band of throwback
players have won the National League East, mobbing one another on the field."

Bring Back Eaton!

Adam Eaton brought joy to Baltimore, making his first start of the year.

Eaton's line: 4 IP/ 4 ER/ 8 H/ 2 BB/ 6 SO

As sad as it might seem, his line was better than most Phillies in their season debuts, including ace Cole Hamels. If Eaton were still a Phillie, his line wouldn't seem so out of wack. In fact, Eaton did not allow a home run, while every single Phillies starter did.

The Orioles lost the game to the Tampa Bay Rays, 11-3. Pat Burrell was 2-4 in the game, but 0-2 against Eaton, including a strike out.

The Last Exhibition

It's hard to believe that 38,000 showed up for an exhibition game. Well, 38,000+ showed up for the Phillies exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Rays as the Phillies prepare for the home opener tomorrow.

A ball tossed by Jimmy Rollins, a hot dog, Coca Cola, wind burn, and an appearance on Phanavision later, the lost Phillies 9-7 to the Rays.

Pat Burrell recieved another standing ovation, and homered off his former teammate Cole Hamels to lead off the game.

“I actually smiled at him as he was running the bases and thought, ‘Oh, that’s
Pat. I’ll let him have one in spring training,’” Hamels said.

Hamels struggles didn't stop there. He allowed a 3 run homerun to Carlos Pena in the same inning. Hamels allowed 6 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

“I think I was just trying to do too much too soon,” Hamels said. “I really need
to establish my fastball and pitch off that. Going out there with their big guys
in the lineup I was trying to do way too much and make way too many pitches and
I just don’t have the reps yet. I haven’t made enough starts yet. But after
today I’m ready.”

Don't worry about Hamels. Typically a slow starter in spring, Hamels will take his April 10 start to the next level as he typically increases his velocity once the seasons starts. But don't count oh him throwing over 100 pitches. Charlie Manuel will have a close eye on him.

The wind may have helped the Rays off Hamels, but it aslo helped the Phillies at the plate. Raul Ibanez, Greg Dobbs and Jason Donald each hit homeruns. The Phillies had many opportunities to score, but left 7 runners on base.

J.C Romero struggled in his one inning of work allowing 2 earned runs.

QUOTE SOURCE: CSNPhilly.com

Burrell To Attend Ring Ceremony

Also shown on Philliesnation.com

In Clearwater on Saturday, Pat Burrell received a standing ovation from Phillies fans. At Citizen’s Bank Park on April 8, 2009, Burrell will receive his World Series Championship ring.

“Fortunately, it works out for me that we’re going to be in Boston. So, I can
shoot over. The Phillies have a day game. So, I’ll be able to come over and jump
right back on a flight. That’s just a coincidence. Fortunately for me, it worked
out. I had heard that was going to be the date. Obviously, they weren’t moving
the date around for my schedule. But it just happened to work out, and I was
glad.” Burrell said.

Not only will Burrell be present for the ring ceremony, Chris Wheeler announced during yesterday’s broadcast that the Phillies will honor Burrell at Citizen’s Bank Park prior to their exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, April 3.

QUOTE SOURCE: Deleware Online

Phirst Win of Spring

The Philadelphia Phillies won their first game of the spring against the Tampa Bay Rays, 12-5.

The Phillies put on a power display in the first inning. Ryan Howard, John Mayberry Jr. and Miguel Cairo each hit home runs off Mitch Talbot. Ronnie Paulino later hit a home run in the 6th inning off J.P. Howell.

Kyle Kendrick pitched 2.2 innings, allowing just one earned run, a solo home run by Ray Sadler. Kendrick worked on the changeup he is trying to improve, overall having a solid performance.

Pat Burrell was 1-2 with a double down the left field line against his former team. Burrell received a nice ovation by the Clearwater crowd and tipped his cap.

Jason Werth was a late scratch because he tweaked his shoulder during batting practice yesterday, but hopes to be ready to play on Monday.

The Phillies have also been giving prospect Jason Donald every opportunity. Donald has played in every game this spring. Although he has just one hit to show, he has hit the ball hard. Today he played third and made a spectacular catch in foul territory, falling into the stands.

Pat The Bat Moving On

ATTENTION PHILLIES PHANS: WARNING! The image you are about to see may be disturbing to some.


This picture makes me tear up. It's just not right. Pat Burrell started his career without the Phillies.

Burrell's new teammates are the players he helped beat to win the 2008 World Series.

"The thing I keep thinking about is, when you've been in a place like I was for
a long time, you have a hard time turning the page and accepting some of the new
things. It's going to be an adjustment period for me, but these guys have made
it very easy for me as far as making me feel welcome and stuff like that."

Burrell will no longer man left field. He'll act as the Rays designated hitter. However, Burrell will not change his preparation. He has even spoke to his friend and former teammate, Jim Thome, on DHing.

"For me, playing every day [in the past], I'm going to have to find a way to
stay active," Burrell said. "I don't think I'm going to be somebody who can just
sit in the dugout and wait for his time to come up."
"It is a change,"
Burrell said on being the DH. "I'd like to sit here and say I've got it all
figured out and I know what I'm going to be doing, but it's kind of a work in
progress."

It finally hit me. Burrell is no longer a Phillie. Despite some of the rough times he had, he will be missed.

The Rivalry: Talking the Talk

Philly vs. New York. The City of Brotherly Love vs. the Big Apple. The Liberty Bell vs. Broadway. Cheese steaks vs. Pizza. No matter the sport, both cities hate each other's guts. Eagles vs. Giants. Flyers vs. Rangers. Sixers vs. Knicks. Bad blood. The Phillies and Mets on the other hand... talk about a high blood pressure.

Before 2006, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets didn't have much of a rivalry. Both teams were never good at the same time, or both teams were horrific. When the Braves finally gave up their 14 year streak of division titles, the Phillies and Mets were the two teams on top of the division. The focus of the Phillies and Mets moved away from the Braves, and onto each other. Something that may have started between fans in the stands carried onto the field.

In Part I of this series, we will look at the roots of the rivalry and how this rivalry has come to grow.

Everybody knows about the classic Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees rivalry. While the Phillies and Mets don't have the history of that rivalry, it's becoming one of the better rivalries in Major League Baseball.

A bat flip, finger point, or dancing after a home run could start controversy. All it took was a few words for the rivalry to get started. Perhaps it started with the saying "Ya gotta believe!" said by Met turned Phillie, Tug McGraw, originally stating it with the Mets. However, it became a slogan for the 1980 World Series Championship Phillies, and McGraw carried it throughout his life. Although it wasn't a big deal in the day, it may be now more than ever. Which team has rights to the quote?

Billy Wagner also may have played a role in the rivalry. In the 2005 offseason, Wagner turned down an offer from the Phillies, signing with the Mets. Wagner claimed he chose the Mets because the Phillies failed to offer him a no trade clause, but the real reason may have Pat Burrell, who reportedly called Wagner "a rat" after Wagner claimed the Phillies had "no chance" at the postseason.

Instead of a positive quote like McGraw's for the use both teams, talk was directed at each other. The Mets won the division and lost the NLCS in 2006. You'd think they would be the favorite for 2007 with talented young players David Wright and Jose Reyes, but Jimmy Rollins thought differently.

"I think we are the team to beat in the NL East - finally. But that's only on
paper." -Rollins

Rollins knew he wasn't going to get away empty handed.

"I read in the paper that Jimmy Rollins thinks nobody else has a chance. … When
you read that, it irks you a bit and makes you want to go out there and beat
them that much more." -Wright

Other comments from other players were overshadowed due to Rollins bold statement, such as Tom Gordon's.

"Everybody pencils in the Mets. Everybody pencils in the Braves because they've
done it every year. But why can't the Phillies win this year and next year and
the following year, and be one of those teams?" -Gordon

After being swept by the Phillies in August, the Mets heads were up a little too high.

"They’re dancing around the field now, but we’ll see what happens when the time
comes." -Paul LoDuca

"I’ve been there many times and this all feels very normal to me, very much like
what a pennant race should be. My players are feeling it, too – and this will be
a good experience for them. When we sip a little champagne later on, it’ll be a
little sweeter." -2007 manager Willy Randolph

Leading the division for the entire season, 17 games to go and a 7 game lead, the Mets won just 5 games, while the Phillies went 13-4. The final day of the season marked an epic collapse. The Florida Marlins toppled the Mets, and Brett Myers threw a curveball to Wily Mo Pena capturing the Phillies first division title since 1993. Not only was Rollins right, he backed himself up winning the 2007 MVP Award.

After the collapse, the Mets had no other way to respond to Rollins than to go out and get one of the best pitchers in baseball, Johan Santana. The Mets were declared favorites by all baseball experts. With their new addition, the Mets felt confident that 2008 would be different than 2007.

Carlos Beltran was the first to let everybody know.

"Without Santana, we felt, as a team, that we had a chance to win in our
division. With him now, I have no doubt that we're going to win in our division.
I have no doubt in that. We've got what it takes. To Jimmy Rollins: We are the
team to beat." -Beltran

Coming from Beltran, a quiet player, the comment was shocking. Rollins joked about it, but also made another prediction of his own.

"We’ll win probably 100 games … 100 games will get us to the playoffs."

"There’s going to be fireworks, I know that much … and I plan on another
celebration, but not just one. I don’t plan on giving up that title of NL East
champions, I know that much. I don’t know if we can make a run like the Braves
did, but we’ve started." -Rollins

It turned out that Beltran's comments were wrong. For the second straight year, the Phillies came out on top of the division. Although the Phillies won 92 games in the regular season, 11 postseason wins totaled them to 103. Rollins was right again.

During the 2008 season while the Phillies were starting to slump, Hall of Famer, and all time Phillie great, Mike Schmidt used the Mets to motivate the Phillies.

"One pitch, one at bat, one play, one situation, think ‘small’ and ‘big’ things
result, tough at-bats, lots of walks, stay up the middle with men on base,
whatever it takes to ‘keep the line moving’ on offense, 27 outs on defense, the
Mets know you’re better than they are," Schmidt wrote. "They remember last year.
You guys are never out of a game. Welcome the challenge that confronts you this
weekend. You are the stars. Good luck. #20."

While the Mets were playing golf, the Phillies went onto win the World Series. At the parade, talk was still about the Mets, from the mouth of Rollins.

"A lot of things were made in the offseason," Rollins said. "We can talk about
the New York Mets. They brought in that great pitcher, Johan Santana, but they
forgot that it takes more than one player to bring home a championship."

If that was enough for the Mets, Cole Hamels took a shot. While be interviewed on WFAN, Hamels was asked if the Mets were "choke artist."

Hamels replied: “Last year and this year we did believe that. I think three
years ago we didn’t, because they smoked everybody and I thought that was the
year they would go to the World Series - and unfortunately that didn’t happen.
But, you know, that’s kind of what we believe and what we’re gonna always
believe until they prove us wrong. Yeah, over the last two years they’ve been
choke artists.”

Former Met Darryl Strawberry had an answer.

“That’s sad… If we had a team say that about us – oh, no – they were gonna be in
trouble… I mean, it would definitely be hard if, in the days us playing, if
somebody said that, I mean, we’d have stuck one right in his neck. We’d be
fighting. There’s no way any one would be allowed to disrespect us like that,
and that is what has happened to the Phillies.” -Strawberry

The Mets bullpen was their main problem in 2008, blowing 29 saves, posting a 4.24 ERA. The Mets addressed this problem signing the all time single season saves leader, Francisco Rodriguez. He immediately got into the rivalry.

"Of course we're going to be the frontrunner. Of course were going to be the
team to beat," Rodriguez told reporters. "I don't want there to be a
controversy. I don't want the other team to take it personally, or take it in a
bad way. But I'm a really competitive guy. I like to win. If they ask me, 'Oh,
which ball club is going to win the National League East?' It's going to be the
Mets. Easy question."

K-Rod used two of Rollins words: "frontrunner" and "team to beat." The last time a Met used JRolls words, it didn't work out to well for the Mets.

David Wright has also gotten into the action. Wright has been respectful toward the Phillies, stating since they won the division, they're the team to beat. However, he finally snapped, admitting his true feelings toward the Phillies.

"I don't like [the Phillies]. I know they don't like us. There are guys that I
respect on that team. I respect them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I'm
going to be friends with them. My whole career, I've tried to stay away from
that. I’ll shake somebody's hand and say hello, but I'm not going to be
buddy-buddy with anyone before the game."

"I'm not a big fan of the teams in our division just because we play them so
much. I would hope as a competitor that you would have that edge, that you would
have a genuine interest to go out there and beat them by as much as you can." -
Wright

Not only has the talk been between the Phillies and Mets, it has spread throughout the National League East. Just recently, Chipper Jones expressed his feelings of the rivalry, and being left out of NL East chatter.

"From a Mets standpoint, they've had a running feud with the Phillies the
past couple of years. It's kind of weird not to be in it."

"We won for 14 consecutive years, and you never, ever saw any bulletin board
material. And now that these two teams are on top of the division, they can't
keep their mouths shut. Just go play baseball. It's Cole Hamels now. It was
Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Beltran the past couple of springs. These two teams are
constantly going at each other verbally. You know, win with class, lose with
class. Just keep your mouth shut and go play your game."-Jones.

There hasn't been a brawl... yet. With all the talk already, this is only the beginning of the rivalry. The rivalry continues to grow day in and day out. It's the early stages on a rivalry that could become of the classics. Every they play each other on the field, they give it their all, as we'll look at in Part II. The rivalry makes the game so much better.

QUOTE SOURCES: Wikipedia, ESPN, Home Run Derby, MetsBlog, The InterMet, The Sexy Crimes

Burrell a Ray; Other Updates

Pat Burrell will be playing at Citizen's Bank Park in 2009. A Ray will have a 2008 World Series Ring.

Burrell signed a 2 year, $16 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Phillies will scrimmage the Rays during the On Deck Series prior to Opening Day. The World Series Ring ceremony isn't until April 8th, but maybe the Phils can have a mini ceremony for Pat a little early.

Burrell's contract was much less than I expected. Less money, less years. Raul Ibanez, who is the better option for left field, will have a larger contract than Burrell.

"First of all, at the end of last year, obviously, I got to know the [Rays]
pretty well," Burrell said. "And coming into free agency, the thing that was
most important to me was to go somewhere where I thought I had as good a chance
or better to repeat and go back to the World Series."

Burrell will be a good fit for the Rays, adding the bat they need. Burrell will get on base and hit 25+ HR, plus get on base. Moving him to the middle of the other, and moving the speedy guys up in the lineup will produce more runs for the Rays. Burrell will DH, so you don't have to worry about taking him out as a defensive replacement.

The Phillies did not offer Burrell arbitration, therefore will not receive a draft pick.

In other news, the Chicago Cubs signed outfielder Milton Bradley. Bradley and the Cubs agreed to a 3 year, $30 million deal.

In 126 games last season, Bradley hit .321 with 22 HR. He also led the American League in OBP, .436. Bradley had a .999 OPS.

QUOTE AND PHOTO SOURCE: MLB.com

Pat Burrell Tribute

Man or Machine? The infamous T-Shirts with a shirtless Burrell pictured hung in each and every Phillies player's locker during Spring Training 2008. After a World Series Championship, and signing of left fielder Raul Ibanez, Burrell's 9 year tenure with the Philadelphia Phillies appears to be over. Burrell was the longest tenured Phillie on that 2008 World Championship team, and through all those 9 seasons, Burrell has been through plenty of ups and downs with the team.

In 1998, Burrell was drafted by the Phillies out of the University of Miami, where he is now a member of their Hall Of Fame. At the University of Miami, Burrell batted .442 with 61 HR and 187 RBI over 3 seasons. He earned MVP honors during the College World Series. He was quickly rated the Phillies number one prospect by Baseball America. He won the 1999 Paul Owens Award as the Phillies top Minor League Prospect. Burrell quickly worked his way up to the big leagues, making his Major League debut in 2000.

Rico Brogna went down with an injury, and Burrell, number 33 at the time, filled in at first base. In his debut, he had his first Major League hit and RBI. Also in his debut, he hit a triple. He wouldn't get many since, although he said some big triples in his days with the Phillies. He led all rookies with 18 homeruns.

As a personal anecdote, from the time Burrell stepped foot on the field, Burrell was my favorite player. I was only about 9 at the time, but I wrote him a letter. I can't remember what I wrote, but I remember how awesome it was receiving an autographed picture of him in return.

In 2002, Burrell had his best season yet, setting career highs in nearly every offensive category. He batted .282 with 37 HR and 116 RBI, and OPS of .920. Burrell signed a 6 year $50 million contract with the Phillies, including a no trade clause. After the signing, Burrell's numbers began to drop.

In 2003, expectations of Burrell were very high, but Burrell slumped tremendously. He hit just .209. His homerun total dropped to 21, and his RBIs dropped to 64. Burrell, who normally has a high OBP, had an extremely low OBP of .309 in 2003. He had an OPS of .713, a very disappointing year for Burrell. On a historic note, Burrell got the last hit at Veterans stadium. Fans weren't happy with Burrell's production, and thus he heard the boo birds.

In 2004, Burrell rebounded from the previous year as he batted .257 with 24 HR and 84 RBI and an .820 OPS. However, Burrell strained his wrist in batting practice and was placed on the 15 day disabled list for the first, and only time of his career.

In 2005 Burrell's numbers continued to get better from his slump year. He batted .281 with 32 homeruns and a .893 OPS. 2006 and 2007 were statistically similar years. In those 2 years, Burrell averaged an average of about .257 with 30 HR and 96 RBI and 8.96 OPS.

While in previous years, Burrell had second half turn around, Burrell started off the year red hot hitting .326 with 8 HR in April. He should have made his first All Star team, however, Burrell lost the Final Vote leaving him watching the All Star game at home. Burrell ended the year with a .250 AVG with 33 HR and .874 OPS, but more importantly a ring.

Burrell has 251 career homeruns, third on the Phillies all time homerun list. His first hit came in his Major League debut, and his final hit came in the final game of the 2008 World Series, game 5. He was hitless for the entire series, but doubled, just missing a homerun. The hit eventually turned into the game winning run, and a World Championship.

The fans were bitter sweet to Pat Burrell over the years, but never once did Burrell complain. Every day he played his heart out, whether it was noticeable or not. Boos, Let's Go Pat chants, and women trying to flirt with him from the stands didn't stop Pat the Bat.

Burrell was always the center of trade rumors, but never once asked to be traded. Burrell was even traded to the Baltimore Orioles, but vetoed the trade. Burrell wanted to stay in Philadelphia, and even if you were to ask him now, he would most likely still say he wanted to be in Philly.

Through the years, Burrell as known as the "Met Killer." He hammered 42 HR, which surpassed Barry Bonds and Chipper Jones on the all time list. To go along with the homeruns, Burrell has 104 RBI against the Mets. Perhaps his two biggest hits came in 2007 off closer Billy Wagner. Wagner and Burrell didn't get along too well while Wagner was a Phillies, and Burrell let him know calling him "a rat." Burrell homered off Wagner twice, resulting in 2 blown saves for Wagner.

All of Burrell's ups and downs will always be remembered. So thank you Pat, for being a favorite player of mine for a long time. Thank you, for at times being one of my least favorite players. Thank you for 251 career homeruns. Thank you for striking out looking. Thank you for getting walked. Thank you Elivis, Pat's dog, for supporting the Phillies every home game. Thank you for running slower than I can walk. Thank you for those clutch hits off Wagner and the Mets. Thank you for beating Chris Coste to the mound after the Phillies clinched the 2007 NL East. Thank you for your 2 homeruns in the NLDS. Thank you for your World Series hit. Thank you for the World Series Championship. Thank you for riding the Clydesdale. Thank you for wearing number 5. Thank you for never complaining. Thank you, for being a Philadelphia Phillie.

Phillies Sign Ibanez

The Pat Burrell era is over. The Phillies agreed to a 3 year, $30 million contract with outfielder Raul Ibanez.

In his career, the 36 year old veteran has hit .286 in his career. He has a career OPS of .818. In 2008, Ibanez hit .293 with 23 homeruns.

Burrell has the better numbers compared to Ibanez, but not by much. Ibanez has a career OBP of .346 compared to Burrell's .367. Also, Burrell slugged .485 in his career compared to Ibanez who slugged .472. Burrell has hit 251 homeruns in 9 seasons, while Ibanez has 182 in 13 seasons. Neither player has much speed, but Ibanez would beat Burrell in a foot race. Ibanez also has better defense, plus comes cheaper. Overall, the slight edge to Burrell, but in Citizen's Bank Park, Ibanez numbers could increase slightly.

The fact that Ibanez is a left handed hitter is a downside to the signing. That puts 3 lefties in a row, while Burrell broke up the lefties. Overall, its a decent signing.

In other MLB news, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Matt Clement to a minor league deal. Clement has missed several seasons due to injuries. The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Ramon Vazquez to a 2 year, $4 million contract. In addition, Felipe Lopez signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Year In Review: May

A successful April brought on May, where the Phillies went 17-12 in the month.

After a red hot April, Utley and Burrell's numbers started to drop. Utley hit .259 in May, his lowest monthly batting average. Burrell's May batting average was as low as .227. Cole Hamels had a 4.89 ERA, his highest monthly ERA. Brett Myers continued his struggles posting a 5.94 ERA in May.

As a team, the Phillies posted a 4.25 team ERA. As a team they hit .273 with 42 homeruns.

Despite a statistically down month for some key players, the Phillies still managed to win. Other players stepped up.

Ryan Howard tore up Spring Training, but started the year stone cold hitting .168. In May, slowly started to pick up the pace as he hit .238 with 10 HR.

Jayson Werth was added to the disabled list at the end of May, but Jimmy Rollins returned from his month long stint on the DL. Rollins helped carry the team in May as he hit .298 with 12 RBI. Jenkins, who filled in for Werth, batted .303 with 10 RBI. Pedro Feliz hit .311 with 18 RBI.

The big games:

May 2: Aaron Rowand returned to Philadelphia for the first time. He received a big round of applause in his first at bat as he tipped his helmet. The applause turned into boos as he hit the go ahead homerun in the 10th inning to give the Giants a 5-4 lead. However, his ex-teammate, Pat Burrell hit a walk off homerun as the Phillies won.

Two days later, the Phillies beat the Giants again as Geoff Jenkins reached on an error in the 9th inning that scored Ryan Howard from second base as the Phillies won, 6-5.

May 15: Cole Hamels threw a complete game shutout against the Braves. In his next start, Hamels would throw 7 shutout innings.

May 20: Greg Dobbs drove in the Phillies only run against the Washington Nationals in the 9th inning. The Phillies won the game 1-0. Greg Dobbs delivered once again with another pinch hit.

May 26: The Phillies pound 20 runs against the Rockies, a night after they scored 15 runs off the Houston Astros.

Other highlights:

In Rollins return, he had 3 hits, 1 HR, and 3 RBI to help the Phillies win 7-4 against the Giants.

May 16: Jayson Werth hit 3 HRs against the Toronto Blue Jays.

May 23: Pedro Feliz rips a single off the Astros close, Jose Valverde. The Phillies started to rally, but came off short. Valverde stayed in the game.

The Phillies would have a tough schedule coming up in June as the Phillies would face American League teams.

Year In Review: April

In recent years in the past, the Phillies were known for having a poor April. In 2007, they proved that a bad April would not hurt their postseason chances, but the Phillies wanted to get off to a hotter start in 2008, and they did just that. The Phillies shipped off Wes Helms, added Rudy Seanez and finished April with a 15-11 record to start the year.

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell carried the team through April and much of the first half of the season. Utley hit 10 homeruns with 21 RBI in April sporting a .352 batting average and 1.168 OPS. He was named April's Player of the Month. Burrell wasn't too shabby himself. He hit .326 with 8 HR and 24 RBI with an OPS of 1.136.

The early success of Utley and Burrell help carried the team through a fun filled April. As a team the Phillies hit .252. They had a team ERA of 3.56.

The big games:

April 3: The Phillies first win came in an unusual way. The win came against the Washington Nationals. Tied at 7 in the 10 inning with the bases loaded, Jayson Werth worked a walk as the Phillies won 8-7 on a walk off walk. Clay Condrey got the win, but it would be the first win of 92 for the Phillies.

April 8: Utley was hit 3, well 4 times at the final home opener at Shea Stadium. He was hit by a pitch 3 times, and was hit the 4th as Carlos Delagado threw to second for the force out, but instead hit Utley in the basepath. The Phillies took the lead, and the win.

However, during the series, Jimmy Rollins sprained his ankle and would miss about a month. Shane Victorino would also miss time due to a strained calf. The only other injury during the month was to Brad Lidge, who missed just the first week of the season, but recorded his first save against the Reds on April 7th as the Phillies won 5-3.

April 15th: The Phillies were down 3-0 in the 9th inning against Jose Valverde and the Astros. Chris Snelling hit a solo homerun to get the Phillies on the board. Pat Burrell then hit a 2 run homerun to tie the game at 3. Pedro Feliz laced a single down the left feild line as Geoff Jenkins rounded the bases to give the Phillies an exciting come from behind win. Steve Smith put up the stop sign for Jenkins, but he scored, and that is all that mattered.

April 20: Subbing for Jimmy Rollins, Eric Bruntlett made a few errors in New York that cost the Phillies a game. Bruntlett made up for it. With a 5-4 lead with 2 men on base and 2 outs, Carlos Beltran ripped a ball up the middle, however Bruntlett made a diving play to end the game.

Other highlights:

Pat Burrell hit a go ahead double in Milwaukee to help capture a Phillies 3-1 win.

Cole Hamels strikes out 11 batters against the Brewers. Hamels recieved some "tough luck" all year, but had a 2.75 ERA in April.

Jayson Werth hit an inside the park homerun at Coors Feild. Down 5-4, the Phillies rallied in the 8th and 9th to take the win.

If April showers bring May flowers, would April wins mean May... aww forget it. After a successful April, the Phillies hoped to continued their winning ways into May.

Payback: Part II

The Phillies offense showed up for the second straight game in today's 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pat Burrell had a big day at the plate driving in 5 runs. He hit a 3 run homerun in the first inning off Dodgers' starter Clayton Kershaw. It got things started for the Phillies.

Russell Martin's 2 run homerun in the third was the only offense the Dodgers put up against Cole Hamels and the Phillies bullpen.

The big blow for the Phillies came in the 5th inning. Pat Burrell hit a fly ball to center field. Center fielder Matt Kemp misjudged the ball and lost it in the sun. Burrell ended up with a double and 2 runs scored.

Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino each drove in 2 runs to give the Phillies a 9-2 lead.

Hamels pitched 7 innings, allowed just 2 earned runs on 5 hits. He struck out 5 and did not allow a walk.

Hamels usually doesn't get much run support, but today he got it. Two offensive explosions in a row for the Phillies. If this is a sign the offense is heating up, its heating up at the right time.

Manny a Phillie?

Could it be? Manny being Manny in Philadelphia? According to recent rumors, the Phillies have interest.

Manny Ramirez has a club option for 2009 and 2010 with the Red Sox. There is a chance that the option will not be picked up, thus making him a free agent. Pat Burrell will a free agent after this year. If the Phillies do not resign Pat the Bat, that creates a hole in left field. Could Manny fill Pat's shoes?

Recently Manny made very controversial comments:

"If they can get a trade, I'd approve it. If they can't trade me, then they will
simply have to inform me by the end of the season that they won't use the
options and we'll go separate ways."

(QUOTE SOURCE- MLBTRADERUMORS.COM)

There is always a chance Manny would want to come to Philly. Charlie Manuel managed Manny when he was with the Cleveland Indians.

What would it be like if Manny wore red pinstripes? How would he hit in a hitter friendly park like Citizens Bank Park? In 25 ABs at Citizens Bank Park, Manny has 3 home runs. Those doubles or long singles off the Green Monster at Fenway could possibly be home runs in Citizens Bank Park. My guess is that Manny would benefit hitting in Philadelphia's home field.

However, how would the fans react with Manny being Manny in Philly? Manny was showered with boos when the Red Sox visited the Phillies in June of this year. As long as he helps the Phillies win, those boos would turn instantly into cheers by Phillies fans.

If Manny is traded to the Phillies before the trade deadline (which is highly unlikely), that would mean that either Manny or Burrell would have to move to right field, unless Burrell is involved in a trade. I don't think that would sit to well with either of them. But, keep in mind that Burrell has a no trade clause. He would have to wave it. Burrell has said that he would like to stay in Philadelphia.

The only chance I see Manny coming to Philadelphia is if the Phillies sign him as a free agent after the season. However, I don't think the Phillies will go after Ramirez. I think Burrell would be their first priority.