Philer Up…So Long Big Jim.
Jim Thome has been traded to the Orioles and he will be missed. We love him and don’t want to see him go but I’m happy he is going to a contending team. The guy has 609 HR’s and no World Series rings. So I am now routing for Baltimore in the AL. Not all of the details of the deal have been disclosed but as of right now it seems like the Phils got RHP Kyle Simon and C Gabriel Lino. The Phillies farm director Joe Jordan drafted Kyle Simon. Simon is 21 years old 6’5” and 219lbs. Simon is 2-8 in with 3.96 ERA 14 games started this season in Single A. Here is the scouting report from the orioles:
Throws from a low 3/4 arm slot and needs to use his body more in his delivery to take advantage of his good size and frame. Displays solid control of an 89-91 mph fastball that touches 93 mph. Slider needs to better maintain its tight two-plan break; could become above-average pitch. Does a good job of keeping all his pitches down in the zone. Since he comes from the low arm slot, every pitch dances. Stuff could play better in the professional ranks than it did in college. Could be a decent change of pace type arm in the back of a rotation.
Gabriel Lino is a 19 year old catcher. He is 6’3″ and 195lbs from Venezuela. In 55 games this season in Single A he is batting .218 with 4 home runs and 18 RBI’s. Here is the scouting report from the Orioles:
Venezuelan catcher with a big league body; athletic. Above-average power potential and solid bat speed. Above-average arm strength — clean transfer and good carry.
So good luck big Jim we wish you the best.
Quick Tuggs: Youth Hockey Coach Trips 13 Year Old
At the level in sports 40 year old Martin Tremblay is coaching two aspects of the game that is expected to be taught is the foundation of the sport and sportsmanship. Well as seen in this video Tremblay is doing an awful job of teaching sportsmanship. Kids what do you do if something in the game happens that you’re not happy about? Just trip two kids on the other team during the post game hand shake. So lesson learned kids? Dude the post game hand shake is done to teach the kids to be good sports. Here’s the catch, that’s the coach of the winning team! Not only that but it is said that he gave the finger to the crowd after he tripped the kids and the kids on his team, following his lead, threw things at the crowd. As result of the trip one of the kids who fell broke his wrist. Tremblay was taken into custody but was released. He may end up facing assault charges but he claims the trip was accidental.
Sixers Balls… Will Thad Young be the one to go?
Something has to be up. I mean, there has to be. Collins and Thorn can spin it all they want. There is no way in hell you draft another small forward in the first round and give him Sam Young minutes. Well, Doug has done something like that before with a young player and his minutes (Evan Turner). Easy there Joe, you don’t want to go down that road again. I have written about that dumbass situation a thousand times.
The first person name that pops up in everyone’s mind for a trade is Andre Iguodala. Especially, with philly.com reporting that Iggy’s sold his house. It has a lot of fans thinking that Iggy is finally on the move. Not so fast there peeps. Iggy has not lived in that house in over three years. He supposedly sold it during the Sixers playoff run. If they did move Iggy he would be the one able to bring back the most value. Here is a tweet from Iggy about the house.
Andre Iguodala “I see a lot of questions about a sold home… Haven’t lived in the house in 3yrs”
I have a weird feeling that it will Thad who is going.I love what Thad brings to this team. He is a heart and soul type of player. He could be the odd-man out. We all know Doug infatuation with Iggy. I won’t believe they are moving him until it happens. The Sixers seem vested in Turner finally, though you never know.
That is why I say Thad. I am not sure what he would bring you back in return. Off the top of my head let’s just say Thad and Vouch for Paul Millsap. The money matches-up. Millsap is making 8.1 million this year. He is also in his last year of his contract. Thad is making 7.4 million and Vouch is making 1.6 million. The Sixers would get a relentless rebounder, who has an underrated offensive game. The Jazz would get an athletic wing player in which, they need badly. Thad is a guy who will bring them energy every single night and be crafty as hell around the basket. They would also get a young center with good touch and a solid knowledge of the game.
It really makes zero sense for the Sixers to go into the season with Harkless, Turner, Iggy and Thad. ZERO. The first of July is a day away. Moves are about to be made. The question is who will be the chosen one to go?
Sixers Balls…. Elton Brand Gone already? ESPN thinks so..
Here is little interesting thing I found. ESPN has the Sixers 2012-13 roster already up to date. Though there is someone missing. So Brand is already gone from the Sixers? Hmmm…I know for a fact that the Sixers have yet to decide to amnesty him. Or does ESPN already know something we don’t. They most likely had another ‘Chink in the Armor” mistake.. Sorry, could not resist. Here is the link to ESPN’s roster.
Philadelphia 76ers Roster – 2012-13
| TEAM ROSTER | |||||||
| NO. | NAME | POS | AGE | HT | WT | COLLEGE | 2012-2013 SALARY |
| 0 | Moe Harkless | SF | 19 | 6-8 | 210 | St. John’s | |
| 11 | Jrue Holiday | PG | 22 | 6-4 | 180 | UCLA | $1,741,440 |
| 9 | Andre Iguodala | SF | 28 | 6-6 | 207 | Arizona | $13,531,750 |
| 0 | Arnett Moultrie | PF | 21 | 6-10 | 230 | Mississippi State | |
| 12 | Evan Turner | SG | 23 | 6-7 | 205 | Ohio State | $4,947,840 |
| 8 | Nikola Vucevic | C | 21 | 7-0 | 240 | USC | $1,645,440 |
| 21 | Thaddeus Young | F | 24 | 6-8 | 220 | Georgia Tech | $7,478,261 |
| Coach: Doug Collins |
Philer Up…Phillies/Marlins Lee/Johnson..Game Preview
The Phillies play the Marlins at 7:05 tonight which is start of three series that are immensely important. The first series is a three game set in Miami followed by a trip to New York to face the Mets for three games and then they come home to play the Braves for three. All three teams are divisional opponents that are currently above the Phils in the standings. The Phillies need to at very least hold their ground which means they are going to have to take two of the three series.
Anything less than that will be digging themselves a hole I’m not sure they can recover from. Losing the majority of these games will drop them into the category of the Astro, Cubs, Rockies, and Padres. It hurts just to say that. On the flip side if they can win all the series or maybe sweep one the Phils can put themselves right back in the mix before the All Star break. They still will have some digging to do but it will be much easier to get out of especially with Utley back and Halladay and Howard not to far behind him. It would be awful to get these guys back just in time to be out of contention.
So tonight Cliff Lee (0-4) will be opposed by Josh Johnson (4-5). Johnson has had his struggles this year but is looking more like the dominate pitcher he is over the last six starts going (4-2) with a 2.56 ERA. The Phils batters will have a tough task against Johnson but beating him would be a nice statement to prove they’re not done. Plus Cliff Lee is no slouch and one of these starts he is going to pitch a gem that’s going to be hard to lose. Hopefully that start is tonight and will be the spark that this team needs to get them going.
Phillies lineup: 1)Rollins 2)Pierre 3)Utley 4)Ruiz 5)Pence 6)Victorino 7)Polanco 8)Mayberry 9)Lee
Marlins lineup: 1)Reyes 2)Ramirez 3)Stanton 4)Morrison 5)Ruggiano 6)Infante 7)Sanchez 8)Buck 9)Johnson
EL Diablo’s Beer for your Holiday Weekend is…Philadelphia Brewing CompanyRowhouse Red.
EL Diablo’s choice of beverage…Philadelphia Brewing Company’s RowHouse Red.
His reasoning…”If you don’t like it then you hate Philly”. Very patriotic of him.. Hers is the review
By Pat Hickman… @pathickman
Sixers Balls…Draft Recap and Grading
This was me last night after the Sixers drafted Harkless..
Another God-Damn player that is too small to be a power forward/does not have a good enough jumper to play the small forward spot. Why!!!!!!!!!!
You have Perry Jones, Terrence Jones and Sullinger all in front of you. It was not that hard to take one of them for the love of God. They are all better players than Harkless. We have Turner and Thad, who both can not shoot. Does this mean that Thad/Turner are on the move now? I have no clue what the hell Thorn and Doug are thinking. I waited all this time for this pick. I feel like I wasted my night. Why do I love this team so much? I will never understand it. I can’t wait for the rest of the off-season now. They better make up for this.
I have now calmed down. The pick still leaves me scratching my head. No one, I am mean no one had them picking Harkless. I was not fair to Harkless last night though. I was just so pumped up for the draft. I had my eye on Sullinger, Perry Jones and Terrence Jones. Then they pulled that pick out of nowhere and it blindsided me. Harkless does have upside. He really is good at finishing around the rim and is athletic as hell. Here is Thorn’s quotes about Harkless and how his growth plates are still open. Yup, he said that..
“He fits in with what we have. He’s very young and his growth plates are still open and we think he’s going to get bigger. Eventually we think he’ll be able to play two positions. Our thinking was that with his potential and athletic ability that it was too good to pass up.”
The main problem with Harkless is that he will have to be a small forward in the NBA. So what’s the problem? He can not shoot. We all ready have three small forwards who can’t shoot, Iggy, Thad and my boy ET. So something has to give? Does Iggy finally get traded? There is too much of a log-jam at that position. There was a report last night that Iggy was offered to Memphis for Rudy Gay. Memphis reportedly turned down the offer. Well, then..
Sixers did make a solid move by getting back in to the first round for Moultrie from the Heat. He was picked in most mock drafts to go much earlier. Actually, some mock drafts had him going to the Sixers with the 15th pick. He is the athletic big-man the Sixers have been looking for. He also has a nice little jumper to go with his athleticism. Just in case you missed it this is how the deal went. The Sixers sent a future first round pick and the number 45 pick to the Heat for the 27th pick (Moultrie). The future first round pick they sent toMiami is lottery protected in 2013, 14 and 15. Then after that the pick becomes a second round pick. That is a plus.
The Sixers had one more pick at number 54 but they traded the pick to the Nets for cash. Overall, I will give the Sixers a “B-” for the draft. I give them a “C” for Harkless and “B” for Moultrie. There seems to be more moves ahead for this team. Sixers could surprise us all over again like they did tonight on July 1. Man, I hope they do.
Sixers Balls…Sixers get back in round one and take Moultrie
At least the Sixers have been surprising us all night long. This time by trading back in the first round for Arnett Moultrie. I actually think this one is a nice pick at this spot in the draft. They traded a future first round pick and this years 45th pick to the Heat. I have calmed down a little bit from the last pick. I did go ape-shit. Harkless does have some up-side. I was not ready for that type of pick there.
Arnett is 6′-11′ 233 pounds. Arnett is an athletic big-man. He has a nice little outside game for a big-man and is a solid rebounder. The knock on him is that he likes his jumper too much. Here is a scouts take.
I actually really like this pick. I have now said that twice. I must..
Sixers Balls… Sixers select Moe Harkless. Ummm…
I was looking for the Sixers to make a major splash and move up in the draft. Well, that did not happen. What they did was piss me the hell off with drafting Moe Harkless. Another God-Damn player that is too small to be a power forward/does not have a good enough jumper to play the small forward spot. Why!!!!!!!!!!
You have Perry Jones, Terrence Jones and Sullinger all in front of you. It was not that hard to take one of them for the love of God. They are all better players than Harkless. We have Turner and Thad, who both can not shoot. Does this mean that Thad/Turner are on the move now? I have no clue what the hell Thorn and Doug are thinking. I waited all this time for this pick. I feel like I wasted my night. Why do I love this team so much? I will never understand it. I can’t wait for the rest of the off-season now. They better make up for this..
Sixers Balls…Draft Update number 2.. Kendall Marshall?
Well, things could be getting interesting. Michael Levin of Libertyballers.com, reports that the Sixers might be targeting Kendall Marshall point guard out of UNC.
Michael Levin Suddenly Kendall Marshall is a thing again. Not sure why, but there it is.”
Does this mean that Holiday is on the move? Not to beat a dead horse but that Bynum trade or another trade obviously might be brewing. Why else would they be targeting a PG in the first round. This would be a major shake up if this goes down. This why I love the draft. Seriously, why would anyone really want to beat a dead horse though. Stupid..
PhillyTugger 