But more importantly, an Anchorman Sequel is on the way!!!

Everybody take a deep sigh of relief. Verducci has the Phils winning 94 games, taking the division and making it to the NLCS (only to lose to Giants sans Burrell). I'll sleep like a baby tonight.

Fantastic writer. His curiously long posts are usually a must read. He has earned a well deserved dolphin-clap...

Quick Ruben...here's your opportunity to jump in and overbid. I'm thinking a 9 year deal for 189 million. Hurry.

...to a minor league deal

Buh bye Roy (unless your agent's definition of long-term is two years).

If you found the seemingly countless cut-aways to Tony LaRussa *managing* in the dugout during the MLB playoffs intolerably nauseating, then prepare for more misery. Retirement be damned. It seems Bud Selig is open to TLR managing next year's Allstar game, as would be his right if he were still managing.

"I'd like to see him do that"...quoth the Selig.

I puked a little in my mouth just thinking about it. Can you even imagine how much face time he'll get if he manages this game? It will be unwatchable. Considering the Phils put St. Louis in the playoffs, the least Selig could do is let Cholly take over.

Good question.

At least no off days whille a series is in one city.

"...Among teams with interest are Detroit, Atlanta, Cincinnati, the New York Yankees, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland...."

For all the lovely and kind attorneys who infest this site, there's apparently a new practice called "Lawyer Ball," wherein an alleged talentless group of offensive hacks (in this case the A's) decide to repeatedly and strategically take close pitches in the hopes of getting walks, or so alleges C.J. Wilson:
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"...They take everything close. If it’s not called a strike, then they walk. It’s lawyer ball. That’s how they roll. That’s how they’re going to beat me. That’s how they have to beat me. I have to make a bunch of mistakes and walk a bunch of guys because they’re not that good of a hitting team...’’

Ugh... "Today, the 30-year-old Myers is called a great teammate, an enforcer of accountability and a leader..."

And, of course, no article of Myers' transformation would be complete without a desultory crack at the way the Phillies handled him. So says Houston's pitching coach:

"Where he was before," said Arnsberg, referring to Philadelphia, "I don't think they gave him as much leeway. We've let Brett be what he wants to be rather than always try to mother hen him. We let him tend to his own backyard."

lolMets

This is sort of interesting. MLB is eliminating loopholes which allow MLB teams to hide debt in holding companies, and placing limits on organizational debt. Apparently, the following teams carry more than 50% debt service:

1. Mets (apparently the Madoff suit is not their only concern)
2. Cardinals (bye-bye Pooholes)
3. Nationals
4. Cubs
5. Tigers

We're Number 1, We're Number 1...

The cutting will continue until morale improves. Good thing we don't need a lefty specialist. gulp
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"The amount owed to Perez ranks No. 1 on an unofficial list of largest contracts eaten in organization history, with Castillo also high on the list. " OUCH

This is perplexing.
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"A source close to the team indicated Tuesday that there is "exasperation" with Zito, that his status as the No. 5 starter is "definitely not safe," and that the team would even consider buying out his expensive contract before Opening Day if that's what it takes to say farewell....

[H]is contract: $18.5 million owed this season, $39 million more through 2013 and a $7 million buyout for 2014."

Hot damn... Atlanta is Number Two!

1. Seattle

2. Atlanta: "Atlanta’s postseason misery is legendary, led by the Braves’ failure to take home a world championship in 13 of 14 playoff appearances from 1991 to 2004. Throw in a Falcons loss in their lone Super Bowl appearance (1999) and a pair of losses by the NBA Hawks in the Eastern Conference finals, and Atlanta rides neck-and-neck with Seattle on the disappointment meter"

3. Phoenix
4. Buffalo
5. San Diego
6. Houston
7. Kansas City
8. Cleveland
9. Denver
10. Cincinnati

The title is a tad misleading, but it's pretty damn funny.

This chump's doing a bracket of 28 teams. And he's nominated both the 1980 and 2008 Phils teams.

This is great. Cliff Lee is a bona fide superhero, replete with superpowers to turns AL franchises against one another.

Now exiled in KC, he reflects back on the early years of what will surely be a HOF career.

On Plate Discipline:

Q. Jeff, you swing at a lot of pitches outside the strike zone. Is that part of your approach, or something you’re trying to improve on?

A. "You know, it’s funny," "…I’m sure like anything I get knocked on blogs. I’m well aware — you know..."

On His Future:

"You know, I just turned 27 last week. You see a lot of guys these days, from Jayson Werth — guys that figure it out when they’re 29 years old."

"I don’t see there’s any reason I’m not a 20-homer, 40 double guy"

On the Mets Facilities:

"Citi Field is a damn joke...I hit a ball off Livan Hernandez 415 feet last year to right-center and it hit the wall… that’s pretty frustrating"

23? Really?... It's not that bad.
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23. Phillies
I like the individual elements, but it's just a little too crowded inside that ball field outline, don't you think? Kind of like Greg Luzinski squeezing into one of those polyester uniforms after it had been left in the dryer too long.

This may be posturing, but Ruben sure sounds serious about keeping Blanton.
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1. "I don’t feel comfortable doing it (trading him)... He’s going to pitch for the Phillies, probably for the entire season....

2. "We do not need to trade the man"

3. "Why would we want to trade the guy?" He gives us a whole lot of protection. I’d stack him up against the rest of the fifth starters in the league."-- YEAH!

Doth tweet Jon Heyman. Let the mocking commence.
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#phillies are considering bringing back lee. Would be crazy rotation. But they won't outbid #yankees, the favorite.

And number 4 on the list:
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4. John Smoltz-Tom Glavine-Greg Maddux Atlanta Braves (1991-2005)

Accomplishments: Fourteen division titles, nine NLCS appearances, five NL pennants, 1995 World Series championship...

Ouch.

Anyone got $800 million in spare change?

Anybody see this? From Jon Heyman. Talk about a conflict with Jayson Stark's sources.
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heard #phils making big push to keep werth. gm amaro told philly inquirer he wants answer soon. quick deal still not likely

From his rumblings and grumbling column.
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The free agent the Phillies have been most aggressive about trying to re-sign isn't Werth. It's right-hander Jose Contreras, who struck out 57 in 56 2/3 innings in his first full season in the bullpen.

Amaro wouldn't confirm that, but did say: "We've made contact with 40 free agents, predominantly bullpen guys." He also said: "Left-handed relief is a priority for us."
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Also... Stark's source gives us great odds on resigning Werth. "No chance. None. Zero"