We interrupt March Madness to bring you this update from beautiful Clearwater, Fla.
There are storm clouds forming around the Phillies. You remember them.
Went out in the off-season and brought back local hero Cliff Lee to form one of the most formidable starting pitching rotations in Major League history.
They were expected to waltz to a National League pennant and their rightful place in the World Series.
Turns out they might be limping.
Yesterday’s news on the Chase Utley front is troubling. Utley has not played yet this spring as he battles tendinitis in his knee. You can pretty much scratch him from your Opening Day lineup, which is now less than two weeks away. Utley appears headed for the disabled list to start the season.
Instead you can write in Wilson Valdez, who filled in so admirably for both Utley and shortstop Jimy Rollins during injuries last year, as your opening day second baseman. But he might not stay there. He might have competition for the job.
To give you an idea of just how concerned the Phils are about Utley, they’re making contingency plans.
The Phillies signed former Met Luis Castillo to a minor league contract.
The former All-Star was released by New York on Friday. No doubt Phillies Phanatics will soon get over the notion of hiring a former Met if Castillo proves an effective replacement.
Maybe even more worrisome is the state of the Phils’s offense. The team is now looking at the prospect of starting the season without two of the biggest cogs in their offense – the injured Utley and the departed Jayson Werth.
OK, that’s enough. Now back to basketball.
How ‘bout those Villanova Wildcats! Oh, they’re one and done?
Let’s go, Temple! Uh, they lost Game 2 in 2 overtimes.
Get well soon, Chase.
There are storm clouds forming around the Phillies. You remember them.
Went out in the off-season and brought back local hero Cliff Lee to form one of the most formidable starting pitching rotations in Major League history.
They were expected to waltz to a National League pennant and their rightful place in the World Series.
Turns out they might be limping.
Yesterday’s news on the Chase Utley front is troubling. Utley has not played yet this spring as he battles tendinitis in his knee. You can pretty much scratch him from your Opening Day lineup, which is now less than two weeks away. Utley appears headed for the disabled list to start the season.
Instead you can write in Wilson Valdez, who filled in so admirably for both Utley and shortstop Jimy Rollins during injuries last year, as your opening day second baseman. But he might not stay there. He might have competition for the job.
To give you an idea of just how concerned the Phils are about Utley, they’re making contingency plans.
The Phillies signed former Met Luis Castillo to a minor league contract.
The former All-Star was released by New York on Friday. No doubt Phillies Phanatics will soon get over the notion of hiring a former Met if Castillo proves an effective replacement.
Maybe even more worrisome is the state of the Phils’s offense. The team is now looking at the prospect of starting the season without two of the biggest cogs in their offense – the injured Utley and the departed Jayson Werth.
OK, that’s enough. Now back to basketball.
How ‘bout those Villanova Wildcats! Oh, they’re one and done?
Let’s go, Temple! Uh, they lost Game 2 in 2 overtimes.
Get well soon, Chase.
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