Ryan Howard is Messy

I'd love to start this with some cutesy little opener about the Winter Meetings, but I just don't have it in me.

This past weekend, Philadelphia Phillies star Ryan Howard tied the knot with his former Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader lady friend in Hawaii and to cap off the celebration, took part in what only can be described as a bizarre "ritual".

You see, after posing for pictures, the 2006 National League MVP and his wife Krystale decided to, well, frolic in the surf...thereby destroying their duds.

Thankfully, the couple got some mileage out of the clothes before trashing them.

Apparently the dress in the picture was one that Mrs. Howard selected during her recent stint on TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress".  And while I'm not sure what the "ritual" is...but I'm positive that the folks that designed the dress for the then future Mrs. Howard didn't plan on their creation being wrecked.

Yup, I'm fully aware that I've now written about Johnny Damon's haircut, Derek Jeter's weight and Ryan Howard's cheerleader wife's wedding dress on back-to-back days. 

Baseball fever...catch it!

 

Chooch Popped for Amphetamines

It looks like the Philadelphia Phillies will have to begin their 2013 campaign without All-Star Carlos Ruiz behind the plate.

Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that the fan favorite (Phan Phavorite?) has been suspended 25 games for using a banned amphetamine.

"I am sincerely regretful for my mistake in taking a prohibited stimulant," Ruiz said in a release. "I apologize to my teammates, the Phillies organization, and the Philadelphia fans. I will serve the imposed 25-game suspension to begin the season and I look forward to returning to the field and working toward bringing a championship back to Philadelphia in 2013."

The 33-year-old had a career season in 2012...hitting .325 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI.  His suspension means Erik Kratz will likely begin the season as the team's starting catcher.

Suffice it to say, Kratz didn't do as well as "Chooch" this past season...nor does he have as catchy of a nickname.

Ugandan Little Leaguers Hit The Big Apple

The Ugandan National Little League team has been on quite a roll as of late.

Not only did they become the first African team to advance to a Little League World Series (they finished their inaugural visit Thursday with a win in a consolation game), but now...they're making their way to Major League ballparks.

Tuesday night, they were in Philadelphia to catch a Phillies game.  But cooler than getting a chance to dance with the Phillie Phanatic...they got to meet Jimmy Rollins.

Rollins, you could say, is partly responsible for the youngsters even getting the chance to play baseball. 

You see, the All-Star shortstop went to Uganda in January and left as the team's unofficial sponsor.  Dude has been sending the kids money for equipment and their education ever since.

"Jimmy Rollins is a great man to us, as a brother, as a father, as a caretaker," Ugandan coach Odong Henry said. "When he's with us, he's really down to earth. He's not like a superstar. He talks to us freely. He plays with us. When he comes to our country, he doesn't care where he sits. He eats with us."

And on Wednesday, the team made their way to the Big Apple where they were able to catch a matinee at Yankee Stadium.

"It’s a wonderful story. It takes everyone back to your Little League days," New York skipper Joe Giradi said. "To watch what these kids accomplished, talking to their coaches...none of them had ever even seen an airplane before or ever traveled before. For them to accomplish what they have is truly amazing."

Oh, and almost as cool as meeting big leaguers and mascots, they even got to hang out with friend of The Hall "Bald Vinny" Milano.

Not too shabby, boys.

Mike Lieberthal Selected to Wall of Fame

Friday, former Philadelphia Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal was enshrined on the team's Wall of Fame.  He became the third catcher (Bob Boone and Darren Daulton are the others) among the 34 inductees.

"What a tremendous honor it is to be added to the Wall of Fame along with some of the greatest players in Phillies history," the career .274 hitter said back in June.

Which brings me to this...dude's Wikipedia page.

I'm not going to lie, this kind of stuff makes me laugh.  And if/when it does...I'm passing it along to you.

***Props to @soundofphilly for the screen grab.***

Charlie Manuel Reads Tweets...Hilarity Ensues

The MLB FanCave has had a number of big name guests so far this baseball season, but few have been as entertaining as Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

And since the 68-year-old skipper has “no idea what Twitter is” it was good that he brought the team’s most active tweeter, Shane Victorino, with him to help him read some of his player’s tweets.

One cat who got to witness the hilarity up close and personal was MLB FanCave dweller Gordon Mack.

Meeting Charlie and Shane was unreal, especially Charlie. Not many fans get the opportunity to talk baseball with their favorite manger.” the 24-year-old Phillies fan said.  Charlie was hilarious with his stories from his playing days, and it was fun to chat with him about mound visits and umpire chats as would imagine.”

And while Manuel struggled with the tweets from current Phils Jimmy Rollins, John Mayberry Jr., Hunter Pence and, of course, Victorino…Mack has his thoughts as to what five former Phillies he’d like to see on Twitter. 

• @HarryKalas - a memorial Twitter account to remind us how awesome he was for us
• @LeeAndHalladayProspects - a group Twitter account for all the young kids that we gave away for Lee and Halladay.
• @PapelbonThoughts - a Twitter account created to let fans know what Papelbon is thinking every game that could potentially get him thrown out by the umpire.
• @MikeSchmidt - Why not?
• @BradLidge - but we would only want to read his first 48 tweets because we can guarantee those tweets will be perfect just like in 2008.

 I couldn’t agree more.  Pound swoooooooosh!

The Phillies Bring Back Pat Burrell...Hilarity Ensues

You're never going to see Pat Burrell get his day in Cooperstown, but, thankfully, that didn't stop the Philadelphia Phillies from bringing back the fan favorite for one more game.

Saturday, "Pat the Bat" was back in uniform and retired as a member of the Phillies.

"It doesn’t seem that long ago, really, that it started," the 35-year-old said. "It was a really nice thing for the organization to do."

And the fine gents from Bird Text put together the hilarious video below to commemorate the occasion.

Some stats of note from Burrell's time in Philadelphia.

• He was the Majors' number one overall pick in 1998
• He hit 20 or more home runs for eight straight years (2001-2008)
• His 251 home runs ranks him fourth all-time behind Mike Schmidt (548), Ryan Howard (286) and Del Ennis (259)
• Nearly 72% of Philadelphia's elementary school students have been fathered by Pat Burrell

And, apparently..."once you go Pat, you never go back."

Enjoy.

 

Jonathan Papelbon Needs New Music

With Jonathan Papelbon having agreed to make make the nearly six hour trip on I-95 from BeanTown to Philly...it's pretty safe to say that he'll kick his entrance music to the curb right?

You see, for the past three seasons, the newly minted Philadelphia Phillies closer has been using "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys every time he heads to the mound.

So, now that the Boston Red Sox are in his rearview mirror (to the tune of  nearly $50 million), I'm curious...what might the enigmatic closer use when he trots to the hill at Citizens Bank Park?

Do you go with an old school Philly local?

"Night Songs"

Cinderella

"Brand New Funk"

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

Or do you go with a song that has Philadelphia in its title?

"Streets of Philadelphia"

Bruce Springsteen

"Philadelphia Freedom"
Elton John

Maybe you like something from the popular TV show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"?

"Going Back to Philly"

Or, rather...do you go with the obvious?

"Gonna Fly Now" (the theme from "Rocky")

Bill Conti

What do I think?

I've gotta go with a mix of all of the above (kinda)...Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger".

Sure, they're not from Philadelphia, the city isn't in the title...but, c'mon, when you hear the song all you can think about is one of the Philly's most iconic characters.

What do you think? What should Jonathan Papelbon use as his entrance music this upcoming season?

Raul Ibanez Joins Phillies Greats Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton in Cooperstown

When it comes to players making it to the Hall of Fame, you're either "in" or "buying a ticket like the rest of us".

Well, this past weekend, Raul Ibanez did the latter...and in the process, made history by becoming the the first active Major Leaguer to spend the night in the Museum.

The Philadelphia Phillies outfielder joined a group of more than 40 that had an exclusive experience to learn more about baseball's history and see the game's treasures before calling it a night in sleeping bags on the floor of the hallowed Hall.

"To be a part of this, to see the artifacts and the history of the game, is just a tremendously humbling experience," Ibanez said in a story that appeared over at The Hall of Fame's website. "I'm in awe of the history and the greatness of what has been achieved and what is documented about the game."

Oh, before you ask, no, Ibanez and his group didn't just wander in and spend the night...they took part in the Museum's "Extra Innings Overnight" program in Cooperstown.

Jamie Moyer to Rehab in Clearwater

In less than 15 months, Jamie Moyer is eligible to join AARP.

And, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki...he is also giving baseball one more shot.

He is going to be continuing his rehab from Tommy John surgery at the Phillies’ Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla. The Phillies have not signed Moyer to a contract, so he remains a free agent, but he asked the Phillies if he could use their facilities.

“We’re providing him our space in Clearwater and our expertise,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

The 48-year-old Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA in 19 starts last season for Philadelphia.  For his career, he has compiled 267 wins...good for ninth all-time among left-handers.

This past December, he had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

In case you were wondering...the only other instance of a pitcher north of 40 coming back after Tommy John surgery was John Franco.  Dude was 42 when he returned from the procedure. He pitched three more seasons, putting together a 2-11 record and a 4.63 ERA in 95 inning.

Oh, and in case you were wondering...the asking price on Moyer's house in Seattle that, last year, had been slashed to $7.8 million is still for sale.

And I've got 6.75 million reasons why you should own it! 

Save Lenny!

There's a joke that the last book I read was Nails.

Truth is...I think I've read at least three or four others since the Lenny Dykstra-penned opus hit the shelves in 1987.

Either way, I'm embarrassed that it took me a week to discover savelenny.com.

And if you've been following the recent exploits of Dykstra, you had to have figured that taking to the internets to raise money for his legal troubles would be the next step for the three-time All-Star.

Here's an excerpt from the site:

Lenny was notified in early June, that the charges not originally filed in state court would soon be filed and he was told when to appear in court, and what to expect for bail.

Since then, Lenny has remained in custody on $500,000 bail. To bond him out, it requires $40-50,000 in cash to pay the bail bond agent, and collateral of $500,000 to secure the bond. The $500K collateral for the bond has been secured, however – the bond premium is still needed.

A few of Lenny’s friends have come forward to assist Lenny with the bond premium, however since the court has refused to lower the bail amount, there is still a bit of a shortfall.

This is where you can help! Help Save Lenny today.

Clearly an impassioned plea from those friends of "Nails". But my favorite part of the site is the "Help Now" section.

Ask yourself this.

If you met Lenny on the street, would you offer to buy him lunch? $10.00 would buy a couple of tacos and a coke for the Dude.

Hey guys, I read Nails...isn't that enough?

A couple of tacos does sound nice though.

***A big thanks to the boys over at Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest for bringing savelenny.com to light.***

Pedro Martinez Looks to be Done

As one former big name pitcher is contemplating a return...another is actually saying that he might be calling it quits.

Sure, it was just a couple of weeks ago that Pedro Martinez said that he was "in shape" and ready to go, but now...word on the street is that the three-time Cy Young Award winner is ready to hang it up.

Oh, and by "the street"...I mean The Associated Press.

Pedro Martinez has virtually ruled out a return to the major leagues and says he is on his way to retirement.  The three-time Cy Young Award winner gave an interview that was broadcast Sunday in the Dominican Republic.

"I keep active because I have not announced my retirement, because that is something that takes time and you have to plan it. Plus, it is something that the Dominican people expected," Martinez said.

In 18 big league seasons, the 38-year-old righty was 219-100 with a 2.93 ERA and 3154 strikeouts with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.

Martinez last threw a pitch in the 2009 World Series and barring any stupid revelations (fingers crossed)...dude should be a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame Class of 2015.

Talkin' Baseball (and Mustaches) with Evan Fjeld

Last November, in support of Movember, University of Vermont hoopster Evan Fjeld started growing his mustache. 

A few wins later...it was there for good and a national media darling was born.

The senior from Durham, North Carolina helped lead the Catamounts to a 23-9 record and the top spot in the America East Conference.  But now that the season is done for the Cats (they lost to Cleveland State last week in the NIT)...Fjeld can turn his attention to baseball.

HOVG: All in all, the Catamounts had a pretty good season, but, clearly, it didn’t end how you would have liked. The silver lining, if there is one, is that baseball is around the corner…who will you be rooting for?

FJELD: I'm a Phillies fan and sometimes I root for Tampa Bay because they are the Major League affiliate of the Durham Bulls. I can walk to the Durham Bulls ballpark from my house.

HOVG: Much has been written about it and, at first glance, people notice your now iconic mustache. In your estimation, which loomed larger on the court this season, that lip sweater or your 6’8’ frame?

FJELD: I think the mustache did to be honest. Everyone we play is my size or bigger but very few of them have the ability to grow a mustache like I do.. It’s a psychological advantage to know that. You have to look for and exploit every advantage you can find and the ability and follow-through to grow and maintain a mustache was just the advantage I needed.

HOVG: Since this is a baseball site, let’s get back to baseball for a second. You mentioned being a Phillies fan…as far as your future grooming habits go, do you stick with the very Mike Schmidt-like mustache or, perhaps, switch gears and grow out a John Kruk mullet or get a Steve Jeltz-like jheri curl?

FJELD: I like the Chase Utley slick-back look, or maybe I’ll grow a goatee like Brad Lidge. I know it’s a sore subject right now but I could also see myself growing a beard like Jayson Werth had going for a while.

HOVG: It seems like everyone is handing the Phillies the National League pennant given their pitching staff…what are your thoughts on their chances this upcoming season?

FJELD: I think it’s a lock. The Phillies are going to win the World Series this year. Pitching is the most important aspect of baseball and having the best starting rotation in history has to make them the heavy favorites.

HOVG: So what’s next? I’m assuming graduation in May…but then what?

FJELD: I want continue playing basketball, wherever it takes me. I’ve wanted to be a professional athlete pretty much my whole life and I have the opportunity to live that dream. That is not something that I’m going to pass up. Hopefully I can play for a long time and put off making any real life decision for as long as possible.

HOVG: Most importantly…are you keeping the lip sweater?

FJELD: Unfortunately I’ve already shaved the mustache. It was time. I needed a break from it for now. It wasn’t an easy thing to do and I do miss it but the best thing about hair is that it will grow back so I’m not ruling out a return of the mustache but I’m going clean shaven for a while.

Evan Fjeld helped lead the Vermont Catamounts to the America East Regular Season Championship by averaging 14.5 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. Earlier last week, he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 1 second team.

And while it is the mustache that made him a legend among Mustached Americans worldwide...let's not forget his memorable appearance in the 2010 State Farm NCAA Dunk Contest.

2011 Milestone Preview: National League East

The easy lead to write here would include something about the Philadelphia Phillies and their pitching staff.

So, um...didja hear the one about the Phillies and their pitching staff?

While they're way impressive...not a single one of them is going to achieve any notable milestones this upcoming season.  None of them are chasing down 200 wins or 3000 strikeouts.

Nothing.

But, given he threw two no-hitters last season, is it wrong to hope that Roy Halladay does it again when he opens up the season with his league-leading ninth Opening Day start?

Thought not.

And with that…here’s the NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST.


ATLANTA BRAVES

Limited to a career-low 95 games last season, future Hall of Famer (yeah, I said it) Chipper Jones is looking at eclipsing a couple benchmarks this season…2500 hits, 1500 RBI and 450 home runs are all in his sites. The first two being the easiest to accomplish given he is sitting at 2490 hits and 1491 RBI.

Heck, he'll probably knock those out before Easter.  But with 436 home runs, reaching 450 might take a little longer.

Any way you slice it, the Braves third baseman is the only switch hitter in Major League history with a career batting average better than .300 (.306) and more than 400 home runs.

He’ll enter the season ninth all-time among switch hitters on the career hits list, but should end up the season well ahead of eighth place hitter Tim Raines at 2605. And with a mere 20 RBI, he’ll surpass Mickey Mantle and move into second place on the all-time list of RBI by a switch hitter.

FLORIDA MARLINS

Next year at this time, we won't have the Florida Marlins to knock around anymore.

No, contraction fans, they're not going away...they're changing their names from "Florida" to "Miami".  Meaning...this is also the last season that the Marlins will be calling Sun Life Stadium home. 

With that, I'm going to make a bold prediction...Logan Morrison is going to hit for the cycle at some point this season.  And when he does...he'll become the first in franchise history to do so.

NEW YORK METS

Oh...the Mets.

It's pretty hard to get excited about a team that is only in the headlines because "Former New York Mets Ace Dwight Gooden" is appearing on "Celebrity Rehab"...but let's try.

The Mets actually do have three players going for significant milestones...if they can stay healthy and/or out of jail

In the bullpen, Francisco Rodriguez is sitting at 268 saves. On the career list, that’d put him just ahead of Bob Wickman and 26th all-time, but considering this cat just turned 29…we’re going to, by the end of the season, witness the youngest reliever ever to reach 300 saves and could be looking at someone to challenge Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera’s career numbers.

Also on the bump, pitcher Johan Santana is 113 strikeouts away from 2000 for his career.  On paper, that's a tiny sum (dude has struck out 200 or more five times), but given he's more hurt than effective lately...113 Ks might take a while.

And speaking of injured Mets.

Carlos Beltran is 20 home runs away from 300 for his career.  The milestone seemed like a no-brainer to have happened going into the 2009 season, but since then...he's totaled just 17 longballs in less than a full season of work.

Also not going to happen, but worth mentioning...second baseman Luis Castillo is 111 hits from reaching 2000 for his career.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Let's get this out of the way...Ryan Howard is a beast.

While he's not closing in on any major milestones...is it wrong to suggest that, at 253 home runs, him reaching 300 is completely out of the question?  I thought not.

Over at shortstop, Jimmy Rollins is two triples away from 100 for his career.  And in the bullpen...closer Brad Lidge is 28 saves away from 250.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Since first round pick Bryce Harper got sent to the Minors this past weekend, we'll be waiting a while to see if he can surpass all of Barry Bonds' home run numbers with one swing of the bat.

That said...the Nationals have at least one man who is a headline generator.

Matt.  Stairs.

When he makes the squad, Stairs will have set the Major League record for the number of different teams played for (13)...assuming you count Washington as a separate entity from the Montreal Expos.

Which I do.

Also on the horizon for Stairs.  If/when he goes yard for his new club...he'll have surpassed Todd Zeile by hitting a home run for twelve different ballclubs.

Another journeyman of late, 14-time All-Star Ivan Rodriguez is looking to secure his spot as the greatest catcher ever.

It’s true.

The 1999 American League MVP has 13 Gold Gloves behind the plate, has already appeared in more games than any other backstop (2390) and at 2817 career hits...is about two seasons away from being the first catcher to reach 3000.

The American League Central is next on the docket…feel free to check out the American League East HERE.

Lil Ryan Howard is Awesome!

Looks like our good friend Gar Ryness (you can read The Hall's exclusive interview with the "Batting Stance Guy" HERE) has some competition. 

Check out this video of some random two-year-old at a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game imitating Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard.  Not too shabby...the tyke's even got he's even got the former MVP's batting glove tic down!



A proverbial tip o' the hat to CrossingBroad.com for finding this gem.

Welcome to the Neighborhood, Cliff!

While former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer is still having a hard time selling his house in Seattle...the team's newest lefty is in acquisition mode.

Cliff Lee and his wife Kristen just dropped what had to have been a sizable chunk of coin on a crib at 1706 Rittenhouse, Philly's new 31-story highrise.

Here's what the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner is getting for his money...according to CenterCityRealEstate.com:

The gem of Rittenhouse Square with 29 full floor units; virtually column free space, floor to ceiling windows open to expansive views, 10 to 20 ft. ceilings, two terraces for each unit and the top of the line finishes make this the most desirable address in Philadelphia. Each unit has over 4100 square feet of customizable space. Common amenities include state of the art fitness center with sauna, massage rooms, endless pool, private boardroom and garden.  Included in each unit price is an on-site parking space in the fully automated, state of the art, underground garage.

And here I sit...unable to find one person willing to even pretend to want to buy my home.  Harrumph.

Cliff Lee Back to the Phillies

Ooooooooh...the Phillies were the "mystery team". I get it now!

This...according to Jon Paul Morosi from FOXSports.com:

The Philadelphia Phillies stunned the baseball world on Monday night, agreeing to a contract with Cliff Lee for what is believed to be substantially less than the New York Yankees or Texas Rangers offered, multiple major-league sources confirmed to FOXSports.com.

Lee was widely expected to sign with the Rangers or Yankees. That presumption was shattered Monday evening, in the hours after FOXSports.com senior baseball writer Ken Rosenthal reported that the Phillies were still involved in the bidding for the left-hander.

You're going to hear it plenty given one of the teams involved...but the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner turning his back on the Yankees and signing with the Phillies is reminiscent of when Greg Maddux turned down the Bombers and returned to the Braves.

Except for the fact that 18 years ago, Maddux left a mere $6 million on the table and signed a $28 million-five year deal with Atlanta and early reports has Lee looking to make around $20 a season for the next six in Philadelphia.

Last season, Lee pieced together a 12-9 record with a 3.18 ERA while splitting time with the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.  For his career, he has a career record of 102-61 with a 3.85 ERA in nine seasons.

In the postseason, a place Phillies fans hope Lee helps lead them again, Lee is 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA over the past two years. He was unbeaten in October until this past World Series when he suffered back-to-back losses to the San Francisco Giants.

And yeah, if you're keeping score...the Phillies rotation is consists of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

Yikes.

Jamie Moyer to Have Tommy John Surgery

Buried among the Derek Jeter and the Yankees "will they" or "won't they" headlines is the news that fellow free agent Jamie Moyer is going under the knife Wednesday to repair his injured left elbow.

This...according to a post on The Moyer Foundation's Facebook page Monday night:

It's official - Jamie is having surgery Wednesday and we are cautiously optimistic superman will make a comeback! – Karen and Jamie

But here's the kicker, the 48-year-old is having Tommy John surgery and will, in all likelihood, be looking at sitting out the entire 2011 season.  Meaning...he'll be 49 when he suits up (assuming he finds a team) for Spring Training 2012!

And if/when he does make a comeback at age 49...he'll be only one of four pitchers (Satchell Paige, Jack Quinn and Hoyt Wilhelm were the others) to take the mound that close to the half century mark.

You'll remember that Moyer originally hurt his elbow this summer after leaving a game in July with elbow pain.  A couple days later, it was determined that the lefty had both a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strained flexor pronator tendon in his throwing elbow.

Earlier this month, while Moyer was attempting a comeback in the Dominican Winter League, he re-injured the same elbow.

Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA in 19 starts this past season and it was unlikely that his former team, the Philadelphia Phillies were going to re-sign him.  For his career, he has compiled 267 wins...good for ninth all-time among left-handers.

Oh, in case you were wondering...the only other instance of a pitcher north of 40 coming back after Tommy John surgery was John Franco. 

The reliever was 42 when he returned from the procedure.  He pitched three more seasons, putting together a 2-11 record and a 4.63 ERA in 95 inning.

Ryne Sandberg Named Manager...

...of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

After being snubbed by the Chicago Cubs last month, Ryne Sandberg decided that if he wasn't good enough for their top managerial position, he wasn't going to be part of their organization.

So...the Hall of Famer returned to the team that originally drafted him back in 1978.

This...according to Allentown, Pennsylvania's The Morning Call:

Ex-Chicago Cub great Ryne Sandberg, a former player in the Phillies minor league organization, was named Monday morning as the new manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Sandberg, 51, spent the last four seasons as a manager in the Cubs' minor league system. He is a Hall of Fame second baseman.

He replaces Dave Huppert, who managed the IronPigs — the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate — the first three years of their existence.

Sandberg has spent the last four years as a manager in the Cubs organization with stints with the Peoria Chiefs (2007-2008), Tennessee Smokies (2009) and Iowa Cubs (2010).

He beings to the Phillies organization a career mark of 284-277...a .506 winning percentage. Last season, he was named the Pacific Coast League's Manager of the Year after posting a career best 82-62 record.

As a player, the 1984 National League MVP had a .285 batting average and 2,386 hits over his 16-year career.  He was a ten time All-Star, seven time Silver Slugger and won nine Gold Gloves at second base.  He was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2005.

Jamie Moyer Might Be Done

Less than two weeks shy of his 48th birthday...pitcher Jamie Moyer looks to be done after injuring his elbow while pitching winter ball in the Dominican.

This according to CBSSports.com:

Moises Alou, general manager for Escogido, Moyer's Dominican team, told reporter Dionisio Soldevila that Moyer "probably won't pitch again in his career" after re-injuring his elbow. If that's true, it's a sad end to a great career.

Moyer started 19 games for the Philadelphia Phillies this past season, but didn't pitch after July 20 due to elbow problems. The lefty was rehabbing this winter in hopes of landing a job somewhere next year for his 24th Major League season.

For his career, Moyer has a 267-204 record (good for a .567 winning percentage), a 4.24 ERA and 2405 strikeouts.  This past June, he surpassed Hall of Famer Robin Roberts on the all-time list when he gave up his 506th home run.

Roy Halladay...(Im)mortal?!?

Alright…so Roy Halladay is human I guess.

We assumed that to some extent though, right?

Yes, we all saw flashes of super human activity back in May when the Philadelphia Phillies ace threw that perfect game against the Marlins. And yes, earlier this month, the righty threw, arguably, a much better game when he became just the second pitcher ever to throw a no-no in the postseason.

But let’s be fair, the dude has just those two wickedly insane outings in 322 career starts…not 322 of them.

And when he gave up those two solo shots to San Francisco outfielder Cody Ross Saturday night, it wasn’t like it was the first time someone victimized the All-World pitcher twice in one game.

Matter of fact…it was the seventh time that it has happened.

Again, the guy is human.