This team does not resemble the youthful talent of 2008, but it does offer the Phillies fan a translucent reflection of the golden year. Let us put aside contract talks and stop dreaming about being Miami and Pittsburgh and their ever quest for the fountain of youth and cheapness to achieve herculean goals. We live in the real world where talent does count and fills seats. We have the ingredients to match San Francisco’s recent championships and the Phillies’ roster seems eerily similar. But if you think that is too farfetched, let’s compare just the pitching today and the reasons for hope.

Starting Pitching:

We have a solid three rotations that the 2008 Phillies did not have. Roy Halladay’s injury will only make a stronger rotation as we get to July and August. You must remember the departure of Brett Myers in 2008 as he lost his mojo and found it again in September after a stint in the minors. Hamels and Lee are legitimate #1s in today’s league and if you give them any support, they will win 80% of their games. Kendrick has enough to be a .500 starter and has proven his changeup is major league caliber. The youth of Pettibone will be tested but he has enough this year to be a .500 #5 in the rotation. Lannan will be used in the bullpen when he returns and will provide a solid backup for Bastardo.  All the others pitchers are just gravy on the season. This is the rotation that should and can win the East. The hottest 3 at the end will get us through to the Pennant.

Relief Pitchers:

While the 2008 bullpen squad had as many questions, the 2013 Phillies have just as many solutions. Mike Adams and Papelbon are as capable and have more experience than Madson and Lidge. In fact, Papelbon’s season is emulating Lidge’s magical tour of 2008 with less stress on the heart. Bastardo does not have the fight Romero did, but he does have good stuff and the Phillies should use him as a specialist and not a 7^th inning eater. The Phillies need to fill up the seventh inning, but with quality starting pitching, the bullpen gives enough arms to Charlie to protect the victory, especially mixing in Durbin. His pitching saved us in the past and he has enough to do it one more year.

We will talk about the hitters another day, but the pitching gives the Phillies a chance, as long as we do not give away hitters and starters come July. The east is too wide open and we will be within 5 come July’s trade deadline, even at .500. Pitching is not the reason we will lose, but like 2008, it can be the reason we win the Series come October.

 Michael J Shay is the author of What Baseball Teaches: A Poetic Odyssey into the 2008 World Series Champions: Philadelphia Phillies and Thirst. You can follow him on facebook and on twitter at @michaeljshay1  

dennis

Major League Baseball will soon have to create their Legion of Doom Hall. Will steroids keep Sosa, Clemens, and Bonds out of Baseball’s Hall of Fame? This year will see some of the best baseball players being rejected from Cooperstown and that is a travesty of justice. It is a foregone conclusion that come January, The Hall of Fame will become more inaccurate in recording our pastime and further removed from being the inclusive and true representation of the game as these three are denied entrance.

When I went to visit the bucolic setting of the Hall of Fame, I was amazed to see how many records Pete Rose still held after 20 years of retirement. I still clamor that Pete Rose should be part of the game’s history, regardless of the shame associated with his name. He was the face of baseball and the iconic image of a man who never grew up so he could live and play his dream. In rejecting a player of his caliber, the Hall of Fame seemed petty and incomplete during my visit.

In the era of steroids, the time has come for the Hall of Fame to decide if they are baseball’s history keepers or revisionists. We cannot deny the Hall of Fame presence to Barry Bonds. He was the most feared hitter in baseball for ten years. He was intentionally walked at every opportunity and yet still managed to hit 50 homeruns or more a year. In the same vein, Roger Clemens was the most feared strikeout pitcher who performed his best in the most pressure packed games. He dominated the strike zone and plate in a way not even Nolan Ryan could.

These two players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame regardless of their alleged drug use. They represent a chapter of baseball that must be told, even if it is not to celebrate their accomplishments. I want my kids to know these two players from my youth like my Dad told me stores of Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, and Richie Ashburn. If they leave Clemens and Bonds out, the Hall of Fame becomes a Disney retelling of a men’s game that has as many glorious moments as it does pain, shame, and frustration. We will never be able to face the Steroid era of baseball unless we are able to face its realties and the players.

The year of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire homerun contest was the greatest year for baseball excitement in my life. The story needs to be told. Just like the storied careers of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. No amount of fake justice and bitter resentment should change the history as the Hall of Fame tries to whiteout the unsavory parts of the game. If they do, then I will be the first in line for the new Baseball Museum featuring the Legion of Doom, players who stopped at nothing to reach the zeniths of their talent and success in the game. I guess I still do have a soft spot for the bad guys.      

Kars4kids

One of greatest showmen in boxing was shot in Puerto Rico. Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho is brain dead. Boxing has had a precipitous decline in the past decade, but in the 80s and 90s, Camacho and De la Hoya created plenty of good boxing and entertainment. Boxing and its stars were once on par with professional baseball, football, and basketball.  The lightweights were as competitive and exciting as any heavy weight bout, and Saturday night boxing was a fixture in my youth. Ultimate Fighting has come to displace boxing, but its chaos and ruthless violence does not beckon to the sport and gamesmanship of its predecessor.  It was skill, talent, and the ultimate challenge to become a boxer, and I rarely saw it as just a guy beating on another. It was mainstream sport and Macho Camacho was part of its greatness.

Who was your favorite boxer? (Ask your uncle if you do not have one)

National

The sports continue on the table. 138 Points in 1 college game. Grinnell College’s Jack Taylor scored the highest single game amount of points in 179-104 victory. There was a player on the other team, who remains anonymous due to his lack of stellar performance, who scored 70. Jack Taylor shot 108 times and the NBA’s stars made plenty of comments.  The lack of defense is disturbing on both sides. My coaches would have benched me if I allowed someone to score 50 points unless he was 7’2. Taylor is under 6 foot. I will not show this film to the 3^rd graders I’m coaching this winter and I hope they are banned from the internet until spring. This game should be called the most selfish performance in all time. He had 80 points in the second half. Unbelievable.  

What was the most impressive athletic performance you can recall?

Local

Now to finish our list of superheroes we head to New Jersey. It will take Superman to knock Governor Christie over his high approval ratings for governor since Hurricane Sandy. But this mayor, who made his fame helping his constituents during last month, might have the stuff. Mayor Booker of Newark NJ will live on food stamp budget for a week. Booker is trying to demonstrate the need and hardship of the most destitute in his city and country. Recently, the Arizona governor performed the same feat and wrote a blog each day. As we celebrate the holidays and our endless consumption on Black Friday, let’s not deny the sustenance, housing and education needs of our most vulnerable citizens.

 Will you try to live on $4.44 a day?

ElCapitanBSC

R. A. Dickey and David Price won this year’s Cy Young award. Price beat Verlander in a close vote, as another Rays’ pitcher came in third. Dickey was the clear winner on a losing team. The Knuckleball pitcher is as frustrating to watch as I suppose to hit against. Regardless, Dickey had plenty of good days this year. He is the only other knuckleball pitcher to ever win the Cy Young. He also joins Tom Seaver (who beat out the great knuckleballer Phil Niekro) and Dwight Gooden as the only Mets to win the coveted award.

The contrast between the two winners is vast. The slow, methodical, unorthodox, and repetitive arm motion of the Mets’ star contrasts the beauty, speed and power of Tampa’s Price. Price is a talent and joy to watch even for the opposing team.  On nights that Dickey is pitching against the Phillies, I ask my wife if we have any shopping to do. Dickey’s life, told by the University of Tennessee English Literature major in Wherever I Wind Up, is a powerful story of high expectation, crushing defeats, and the power of perseverance. It is a must read this winter, especially since R.A. Dickey will probably be traded to the highest bidder this offseason. In fact this year, Dickey will be paid only 5 million by the Mets. I just hope this Phillies leave him alone. I think I would rather watch Moyer again.

On another front and a not so happy one, we have glorious Miami. The Marlins traded away their hopes to Toronto Blue Jays. The players lost were Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Josh Johnson representing  about 30+ million in salary for next year. This was on top of dumping Anibel Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez, and Omar Infante during the season.  They also rid themselves of the underachieving, but very expensive closer Heath Bell. This once promised juggernaut of talent that was going to take the NL east from the straggle hold of the Braves and Phillies, is now empty of talent except for slugger Giancarlo Stanton. They will also have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball if nothing changes. That is after spending 191 million dollars last year with the dawning of their new stadium, name, and uniforms.

Miami never had chance with Ozzie Guillen as manager. They had incredible talent and played well through the first part of the season. I wish they had held the team together because it provided some great games in the NL east. Now Toronto is going to push the Red Sox, Orioles, and Yankees to make a move to improve their roster. R.A. Dickey just might be taking the subway over to the Bronx. Miami pulled the chord too fast and the fans deserve to be irate. With the Phillies and Washington willing to spend on players, the Mets’ strong pitching and the always-talented Braves, Miami’s hope in developing talent might make them the Rockies of the east for a long time.

As for a Phillies fan, it was a good day. Miami will no longer be a threat to the division. R.A. Dickey will soon be traded as his stock is rising and the Mets need key field players. And no one gets hurt during the off-season. The cold weather is here, but my mind is already thinking about spring and baseball.

You can follow James Dugan on facebook and on Twitter @jamesduganlb. Purchase his new book through Amazon What Baseball Teaches: A Poetic Odyssey into 2008 Season of the World Champions Philadelphia Phillies   

Matthew Straubmuller

Juan Castillo is out. Temple graduate, Todd Bowles, has replaced the much-beleaguered defensive coordinator who should have been fired during the summer. The talent on the defense has been good enough to compete and a fresh start with the squad would have created enthusiasm. The defense has been good this year except for the Arizona game and two fourth quarters, yet someone’s head needed to be chopped to appease Eagles fans.

The offense is the problem. The Eagles lead the league in turnovers. The offense is confusing even for someone who watches every play. We are a passing team one week and a running team the next. There is no rhyme or reason to the game planning as the Eagles never game plan for the team they are facing. Week after week, we choose one of the multiple weapons and dedicate a game to them. The Eagles need to focus on the weaknesses of the opposing team and exploit them with a mixture that ensures the best success. We are too proud and too enamored by the offensive talent and our defensive legacy.

This is why Reid should go. He has had the talent to win. He has had the players. We have blamed the offensive line and the defensive line for the past ten years. It is the game planning that is sorely lacking in this town. Reid is arrogant in defeat and befuddled in victory. I do not know how long it has been since a journalist praised the Philadelphia Eagles for a game plan that actually worked. Oh, yea, it is when we had Jim Johnson as defensive coordinator.

We need to run Shady McCoy. We need to bench Michael Vick because he is not winning football games. His risks outweigh his benefit right now and I would like to see Nick Foles try to run a balanced offense. It is six games into the season and for all purposes, the Eagles could be 0-6. Michael Vick has been given his chances, but this year he continues to be unpredictable and frustrating. If the offensive line is not strong enough for a rookie quarterback or someone who cannot run out of trouble, then we are in bigger trouble than we think. That just might be the case and reason for the hesitation.

It is time to push the panic button, but Reid is excellent after the bye. I would not say it was his game planning, but maybe he needs two weeks to prepare for every game. In my corner, I am ready for a new quarterback, a running game, and a fresh start on defense. None of this will make me happier than having a new head coach at the realm and if the Eagles hope to win the Super Bowl in Giants Stadium in 2014, we better get started in the next two weeks.

 You can follow James Dugan on facebook and on Twitter @jamesduganlb. Purchase his new book through Amazon What Baseball Teaches: A Poetic Odyssey into 2008 Season of the World Champions Philadelphia Phillies  

Marianne O'Leary

Jason Werth came up big with his homerun. He helped the Nationals even the series and send it to a deciding fifth game. In another Phillies' line, the dastardly Kyle Lohse pitched a great game and came up short. Werth has been missing down in the Capital since his huge deal, but he was worth his weight in gold this October night.

Raul Ibanez would not be outdone. Rauuuul hit another walk off homerun. The Phillies organization was betting he was spent and that age had finally caught up with him. He was often  a great Spring and early summer player, but he faded in each of the last two years as the weather grew more brisk. Though I have no love for the Yankees, it is great to see Ibanez continue to be successful. Now his team is one win away from the ALCS. He was the constant professional in Philadelphia and though he never won it with us, he deserved it.

What other former Phillie could give us local fans something to smile about? Jim Thome and Randy Wolf are playing in Baltimore. It would be great if Jim Thome ends the Yankees for the season. Hunter Pence is still swinging wild in San Francisco as they ended the Reds run this afternoon. Pence had two hits and now is drinking champagne. The only other Phillie I know of is Freddy Garcia with the Yankees, but that connection is a stretch.

October is exciting. It is tough getting used to no Red October after being spoiled for so many years, but it is much more relaxing. The Phillies will be back next year. At least that is what I keep promising. If not, I am sure a released player from the winter moves will make us regret it.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edrost88/7116828901/

6. Luke Schenscher

Though last among players on this list due to a short and unglamorous two-year stint in the NBA, Schenscher makes this list as an honorary selection for his accomplishments in college.  In 4 years at Georgia Tech, Schenscher started 90 games and averaged 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while seeing just 21 minutes of action in each contest.  In his senior year, Schenscher and the Yellow Jackets made a miraculous NCAA tournament run all the way to the championship game before being downed by a stacked UConn team featuring Emeka Okafor, Charlie Villanueva, and Ben Gordon.

5. David Andersen

Born in Carlton, David Andersen spent the same two years in the NBA that Schenscher did.  What broke the tie is Andersen's success on the professional level elsewhere and the contract given to him in 2009.  Andersen spent 9 years in the Euroleague, with his teams winning the championship 3 times during his stay.  Andersen just finished the last season of a 3-year $7.5 million deal he signed with the Rockets.

4. Patty Mills

One of the most promising young players in the NBA right now, Mills began his NBA career after a stellar two-year stint at mid-major St. Mary's College.  He was selected 55th in the 2009 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers. His big break came this past season when he played in 16 games for the San Antonio Spurs, the team that finished with the best record in the league.  Mills even started 3 games, and averaged over 10 points per game in just 16 minutes of floor time each night.  He followed that up by playing amazingly for the Australian national team in the Olympics a few weeks ago.  Watch out for Patty Mills moving forward!

3. Luc Longley

Though much of Luc Longley's fame was not fully his own doing, he was still the only one on this list to be a big part of an NBA championship team, and he did it three times!  Longley was the starting center for the Bulls in 1996,1997, and 1998 when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led them to 3 straight championships.  The 1996 team finished with the best record in NBA history at 72-10.  Not bad for a big Aussie!

2. Andrew Bogut

In the 2005 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Andrew Bogut, an Australian center, with the first-overall pick.  Bogut didn't play the toughest competion while putting up amazing stats in his two years at the University of Utah, but there are very few quality centers in the league these days, and the Bucks had no choice but to take their shot at one.  Since then, Bogut has been solid yet unspectacular, averaging nearly a double-double in his career, but recently has had some injury issues.  Still, the number 1 pick is nothing to sneeze at.  If not for the technicality of the last player on this list, Bogut would be an easy choice for the top Aussie.

1. Kyrie Irving

Yes, it's true: The Cavaliers' 2011 Number-1 overall draft pick and young star Kyrie Irving was born in Melbourne in 1992 while his father Drederick was playing for a local team.  Kyrie grew up American, and attended the legendary Duke University basketball program, but his Australian birth cannot be denied.  In just one professional season, Irving has lived up to his billing as the top pick, as he averaged  18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game on a horrible team.  Surround this man with a better supporting cast, and he could win a championship like Longley really soon!

There were a few standouts at this year's Olympics, so we might see more Australians stateside in the future.  Until then, did I miss anyone?  Let me know in the comments below!

Adam Robinson is a guest blogger who writes about all things Australian. His home from home is www.luckynuggetcasino.com/au/online-pokies/.

Some rights reserved by Brian Giesen

After being embarrassed by the Giants in the postseason, the Packers are going to be determined get back to the Super Bowl, and they have all the weapons to make that happen. Of course, it all starts with MVP Aaron Rodgers who threw for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns. The scary thing is he has a good chance of repeating that type of performance in 2012. He has the same weapons as last year, but he’s got a veteran center in Jeff Saturday to give him more time. The team lost safety Nick Collins and tackle Chad Clifton, and the defense has a few weak spots. But if Rodgers plays like he’s capable of playing, they should have no problem winning 13 games and winning the division.

Detroit Lions (11-5)

Calvin Johnson is arguably the best receiver in the league, and he has made it a goal to finish every game with 100 receiving yards this season. That’s highly unlikely but Megatron is coming off a season in which he finished with 96 catches for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns. So on average, he accomplished that goal. His quarterback, Matthew Stafford had an impressive 2011 season with over 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns as he looks to add to his already-impressive resume. If he and Johnson stay together for their whole career, they’ll destroy the record books.

Unfortunately for Stafford and his Lions, they rely on his arm too much that they don’t have much of a running game. Jahvid Best has been prone to concussions and will miss the first six games, and Mikel Leshoure will miss the first two due to suspension. So it looks like desperate times will call for desperate measures. Just how desperate are the Lions? Well, the lack of running game will likely mean more balls to Johnson.

Defensively, the team lost corners Kevin Barnes and Bill Bentley, but replaced them with Eric Wright and Aaron Berry. Despite the odds being against them to win the division, the Lions have a great shot at sneaking back into the playoffs as a wild card.

Chicago Bears (8-8)

This team could very easily finish second in the North. They had no big losses on the roster, and they added several weapons including receiver Brandon Marshall and running back Michael Bush who will no doubt be more than insurance policy for the injury-plagued Matt Forte. He’ll get plenty of looks and will be a legit threat in the backfield. He’ll take pressure off quarterback Jay Cutler. Veteran linebacker Brian Urlacher had a knee procedure, and it is questionable whether or not he’ll even return to the field in 2012. Either way, it’s an injury sure to hurt the Bears. If he does return, he won’t be 100 percent, and his absence will leave a big hole to fill.

Minnesota Vikings (4-12)

If there’s anything this Minnesota teams is good at, it’s putting pressure on the quarterback. Jared Allen’s 22 sack total was just a half a sack short of Michael Strahan’s single-season record he set in 2001. Unfortunately for the Vikings though, they don’t have a whole lot more to write home about. Their secondary is weak, and so many question marks surround Christian Ponder who’s entering his second season. After going from two really old quarterbacks in Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb, the Vikings thought they'd take the opposite approach and go for someone really young.

Ponder doesn’t have a lot to work offensively. His best receiver, Percy Harvin has made it extremely clear he doesn’t want to be there. The Vikings brought in Jerome Simpson (no, not related to Ashley or Homer either), and if he meshes well, he could be a threat to oposing secondaries. Stud running back Adrian Peterson did make the opening weekend after coming off knee surgery. Taking 17 carries, the former Sooner wasn't at 100 percent, which means the the Vikings will have their work cut out for them until he fully recovers. As of right now, their ship is sinking and they need a miracle. If Ponder can be what they hope, they Vikings might finish third in the division. That’s a big “if” though.

This post originally appeared on thehaguesports.com. Check it out for more clever sports commentary.