36 Years Ago: Lefty Carlton to the Phillies

Hot-shot prospects Jay Bruce and Joey Votto demand that Dusty Baker be replaced.

Johnny Bench is being honored on a limited edition bottle of Makers Mark at Kentucky's Turfway Park. This should totally be a trend. I want more players to be on bottles of hooch for me to buy. Give me a Bret Boone bottle of Wild Turkey or the Bret Favre bottle of Sailor Jerry any day...

No one cares about the outcome of exhibition games, but they are useful for veterans to get tuned up for the season, and for rookies to get used to big league opponents. The Phillies lost 11-6 to the Pirates today, and while a few veterans are showing they might already be prepared, one rookie floundered.

It looks like Brett Myers will go from closer to number one starter. In a somewhat surprising move, the Phillies announced that Myers will be their starting pitcher on Opening Day against the Nationals. Most people assumed that Cole Hamels would start on Opening Day because he is widely considered the Phillies best pitcher.

Nathan, a regular reader here at Baseball Reflections, asked my opinion on the Ryan Howard arbitration situation. Here's what he said, "What do you think about Ryan Howard's arbitration awarding him $10 million??? Was it good for him (of course) but was it good for baseball (probably not) ??? It certainly changes the game financially for younger players. ...

The Phillies started off their quest for the 2008 World Series in strong fashion by defeating the Reds 8-1 in their first Grapefruit League game. The Phillies showed off their offense by scoring seven runs in the 5th inning, led by a Greg Dobbs 3-run homerun. On the pitching side, Jamie Moyer started the game and gave up only one hit in three innings, while Rule 5 pickup Travis Blackley...

We continue our fantasy baseball team previews, taking a look at what 2008 holds for the Philadelphia Phillies, highlighting key offseason moves, projected starters, players to draft/avoid and sleepers.

This could be interesting... If Bailey, Volquez, Cueto and Maloney fail to make the rotation out of camp, might Dusty Baker take them north in the bullpen? Sounds like he is in favor of such a plan but then what to do with the old guys in the pen that the Reds owe money too? Eat it? Move them somehow before ST ends? Stay tuned, this could raise some eyebrows!

Here is where the offseason takes a funny little turn: in addition to Bartolo Colon, Sox officials checked out another overweight injured starting pitcher, Freddy Garcia. I'm not even sure what to think about this move. He hasn't officially been signed, and won't be until he has tried out for a few more clubs; however, even if he does get snatched up, he won't be...

Ever since that Game 5 three-run home run served up to Albert Pujols in the 2005 NLCS, it seems Lidge hit a mental wall, or at least that's what those affirming the consequent — fans and media alike — would like you to think.

I'm sure this post will bring in a lot of flack from Phillies fans and fans of other NL East teams, but I'm not concerned. I'm confident there are "decent typing" fans out there who can tell the difference between a direct insult and a generalization (which is what I'm doing here). So what might be on the mind of Mets fans going into the 2008 Season? After...

Baseball Library records The 25th and 27th of February, 35 years ago, marked two groundbreaking events which have served to shape fiscal and economic reality in contemporary baseball. The former date being the root for the evolution of MLB salary arbitration and free agency. The latter date in 1973 made Dick Allen baseball's highest paid player having received a 3 year,...

Wh will be the 5th starter for the Red Sox?

If your in a fantasy league that uses OBP you'll probably want to check this out. The 2007 HBP as a % of OBP leaders.

Barry Foote, I barely knew ye. In fact, I don't really remember you at all, I only know of you because of interesting last name. See Foote was before my time, but that won't stop me from giving him a shout out on a Phlashback. However, he's going to have to share the limelight with another appendage named Phillie, and in a strange way you could say he's connected...