WIPblog by Joseph Santoliquito- Looking South For Something Refreshing
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Here’s a pop quiz for all you baseball heads and sports fans out there: Name me three players on the best team in baseball today?
And no, the answer isn’t Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, or Curt Schilling, nor is it Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter and Garrett Anderson. That throws out the Boston Red Sox and Los Angles Angels, two teams that rolled over the Phillies last week.
How about Dioner Navarro, who hit a lofty .227 last year; how about Evan Longoria, who wasn’t even in the major last year; or Andy Sonnanstine, who in early-July has already surpassed his victory total for all of last season.
I know all of us here in Philly land think, breath and eat the Fightins’, but there is a great story going on today in sports and it’s the Tampa Bay Rays. Navarro, Longoria and Sonnanstine are three key reasons why Tampa Bay has the best record in baseball as of July 3.
They’re a refreshing group that’s bucked the Big Boys so far—the Red Sox and Yankees.
The Rays didn’t win their 52nd game last year until August 28th. By then, they were 28 games out of first place and headed to another disastrous, last-place finish, ending 2007 with a 66-96 record.
While the Phillies were throwing their gloves in the air and spraying each other with champagne, the Rays organization was wondering what the heck to do to with yet another losing season. They had put considerable stock in their draft—and right now, I’d trade the Rays for the Phillies franchise in a heartbeat, based on upside, considerable upside.
In the first 10 years of the franchise, the Rays never won more than 70 games. At the rate they’re playing now, they’ll go over that my mid-August, at least a few weeks ahead of when they won their 52nd game last season—where they are now.
The Rays are feisty. They’re fun to watch. And they’re able do something the Phillies failed miserably in achieving—they’re beating the Boston Red Sox.
So while everyone is giddy again on that Phillies bandwagon, as they steamroll the kings of mediocrity, also known as the National League Eastern Division, keep a wary eye to the South and see if this magical journey, led by a host of unknowns, can continue rolling over the Big Boys.
It’s been fun so far.
A Recipe For Disaster
Is is just me or does the team with the best chance of bringing a championship to this starved city, in my opinion, taken gaping steps backward and are one concussion away from throwing their next season in the trash?
Does anyone think the Flyers have gotten better this off-season? Sure, bolstering the defense is important. There were some needs that had to be addressed there. But does anyone think that Simon Gagne is one stiff shot to the chin from having his career finished?
I do.
Covering boxing, I`ve seen guys get knocked out quicker and easier once they suffer that first traumatic blow to the head. Gagne is special. There`s no questioning that. but for the Flyers to entrust their future on his health is a very scary propostition. I wanted to see the Flyers address their offensive needs---mainly look for a scorer who could spell Gagne.
That didn`t happen. Gagne`s head is much too fragile to carry the 2008-09 season on it.
I hope it doesn`t happen. But it`s just a feeling that I have.
Joseph Santoliquito is an Emmy Award-nominated writer based in the Philadelphia area who can be contacted at Jsantoliquito@yahoo.com
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