Phinally Philly

By all accounts, Brandon Graham seems like a good kid. Despite what was technically a holdout likely engineered by his agent, Graham still said the right things and exuded all of that youthful enthusiasm that comes from a star player with a good head on his shoulders. He knows he has talent, and he wants to prove to the coaches and vets that he belongs on the team.

According to the club, the Eagles #1 pick (13th overall) has agreed to terms on a 5-year contract. A monetary figure has yet to be released, but he is just the 7th first rounder to sign yet this season.

While Graham has been anxious to get to Lehigh and begin to practice, Andy Reid has been just as eager for the rookie defensive end to make it to camp. His target date was this weekend, to coincide with the arrival of the vets, so this is perfect timing.

“It feels good,” said Graham in a statement released by the Eagles. “Because I really wanted to get to training camp and Coach Reid really wanted me to get to camp and now it’s time to show them why they picked me. I have a lot of work to do, but I’m ready to go.”

With the rookie set to arrive in camp sometime tomorrow, the work begins for him. Not only do the Eagles have very high hopes for him, but many league experts expect him to make quite the splash this season. While undersized for his position, his above-average work ethic and speed has turned heads.

There’s nothing better than seeing a kid straight out of college being thrilled to get on the field and play the game he loves. His enthusiasm is infectious, and on his Twitter account tonight he spread some of that love to his followers: “Thanks everybody for congratulating me and I can’t wait to go out there tomorrow and get to work!! I’m about to cause havoc and kill QB’s!!”

He’s got the goods and the right attitude, but can his mastery of football translate to the professional level? The Eagles sure seem to think so, otherwise they wouldn’t have traded up 11 spots to get him. If he can bring speed and vigor to the Birds’ stagnant pass rush, then this will go down as a successful pick. I, for one, can not wait to see what this kid can do on the field.

After weeks of chatter, the trade that everyone in Philly has been talking about is done.

Roy Oswalt has agreed to waive his no trade clause and accept a trade to Philadelphia in exchange for J.A. Happ and two minor leaguers, Jonathon Villar and Anthony Gose.

The Phillies will also receive $11 million from the Astros in order to cover some of the $24 million Oswalt is owed for the rest of 2010 and 2011. As part of the swap, instead of picking up the option year in 2012 for $16 million, the Phillies will increase Oswalt’s buyout from $2 million to $3 million.

It’s a great trade for the Phillies. Getting Oswalt gives the Phillies a top 3 of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt & Cole Hamels. That’s a very strong rotation to take into the playoffs.

Happ is clearly the loser in this deal. He worked hard to get back to the bigs after injury, and he’ll most likely be sent back to the minors in Houston.

With Ed Wade in place, Houston has become a top target for Ruben Amaro. RAJ has shown he has the chops to pull off a big mid-season deal, but he clearly worked over Wade with this trade.

First Cliff Lee, then Roy Halladay, and now Roy Oswalt? Been a great year for the Phillies.

With the offense finally finding it’s stride and the pitching staff getting a big upgrade, the Phillies are showing that they’re out to become the first team in over 60 years to 3-peat as National League Champions.

UPDATE: It appears as if Roy Oswalt has agreed to waive his no trade clause and head to Philly, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark. The Phillies will send J.A. Happ and two prospects, rumored to be Vance Worley and Anthony Gose, to Houston and will get Oswalt and $10 million from the Astros.

More updates and reactions as news comes in.

According to a report from Fox 26 of Houston, the Astros have a deal in place to send Roy Oswalt to the Phillies. The deal hinges on the pitcher waiving his no-trade clause. Despite the rumors that he didn’t want to play in a tough media market, getting out of Houston and playing for a contender appears to be his top concern.

Philly and Houston have agreed on the amount of money Houston will take back in the deal and the two teams have agreed on the players Philadelphia will be sending. Oswalt is owed another $5 million this season and $16 million next year. He has a 2012 option for $16 million with a $2 million buyout, but it’s not confirmed as to whether the Phils will guarantee that.

J.A. Happ will likely be one of the players headed to the Astros. The other names involved in the deal are currently unclear, but if Ed Wade sticks to script, the Phils will hold onto their best prospects.

Oswalt’s next start for Houston is slated for Friday against the Brewers. He is is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA in 129 innings with 120 strikeouts.

If this trade is approved, it will give the Phillies one hell of a 1-2-3 punch with Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt through at least 2011. Stay tuned for more info.

Roy Halladay went the distance for the 8th time as a member of the Phillies, got the win in a dominating performance in a 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks, and still got upstaged.

In the most anticipated Phillies’ debut in years, Domonic Brown showed the rest of baseball just why he has been labeled the best prospect in the minors. Brown laced an RBI double in his first major league at-bat and finished the night going 2-3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Not a high bar to set in your first time out, right?

Brown, replacing Shane Victorino on the roster, showed why he belongs on the big club. Even though the Phillies are streaking right now, winning 7 straight, Brown still caused a buzz at Citizens Bank Park for his debut. It’s going to be hard to pull him from the lineup any time soon.

Halladay tried, but even his dominating performance was overshadowed by D-Brown. He got his 12th win on the season and extended his home scoreless streak to 33 innings before giving up a run in the 9th. Doc even struck out 9 and walked none. Just another standard Roy Halladay performance.

If Domonic Brown can make nights like tonight the usual, we’re all in for something special in Philadelphia.

The first three days of training camp are in the books and what have we seen so far? Honestly, not much. First round pick Brandon Graham still has yet to sign a contract, and contrary to his words from a couple of weeks ago, he’s a camp no- show. While I am still confident that this isn’t going to be an issue beyond the next few days, bear in mind that there are only two first rounders that have signed with their respective teams.

Nate Allen, the other draft pick who was still unsigned, agreed to a 4-year deal late yesterday with the team. He arrived in camp late Tuesday night, and with just four hours of sleep, he was up at 6:15 am and on the field ready to practice. According to coach Reid, Allen is the team’s starting free safety.

Being that he was chosen in the second round at #37, otherwise known as the Donovan McNabb pick, there’s some added pressure. Despite being a bit behind, he’s ready to work with his only objective is to “come in and produce right away and [show] that I was a good pick for them.”

By all indications, Allen spent Wednesday getting acclimated to the system and his teammates, working out, getting involved in 7×7, and spending some one-on-one time with secondary coach Dick Jauron.

To make room for him on the 80-man roster, OLB/DE Alex Hall got the axe. You might remember him as being a throw in from the deal that sent Chris Gocong and Sheldon Brown to Cleveland.

Sticking with the defense, it seems that Reid has been impressed with rookie Daniel Te’o-Nesheim. His play over the first two practices has really stood out, especially in the offensive line / defensive line one-on-ones.

Another guy that has been getting a ton of ink is wide receiver Riley Cooper. Reid likes his speed and his play within the red zone. Right now he’s fighting for the #4 spot with Hank Baskett, and may have an edge with his 6’3″ 222 pound frame. While he’s just duking it out rookies and selected vets, the real test comes Saturday when the starters arrive.

There is still some concern over left guard Todd Herremans’ foot, which was operated in on last year. He missed OTAs with this issue, and he will likely be out the first preseason game as well. While the team insists this is all precautionary, if the injury is bigger than they’re letting on, the domino effect it causes will be damaging.

To end on a good note, according to CSN Philly, center Jamaal Jackson is “a little bit ahead of schedule,” according to coach Reid. You may remember that he tore the ACL in his left knee against Denver last season, which exposed an already weak offensive line.

Photo courtesy of the Inquirer (Yong Kim / Staff Photographer)

According to various sources, including the Inky’s Matt Gelb, the Phillies are calling up top prospect Domonic Brown for tonight’s game at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Brown will wear #9. It’s unclear as to whether he’ll start the game or not.

This is the corresponding move to Shane Victorino being placed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain.

Fans have been waiting for this day for a long time, and it’s absolutely thrilling to see this highly touted player make his debut. We’re hoping for the best for him. More importantly, we’re hoping to see him add to a very talented lineup that needs an injection of youth in the homestretch of the 2010 season.

More news at it comes to us.

UPDATE 3:50pm - According to Ryan Lawrence of the Delaware County Times, Brown will be starting and batting sixth.

Despite training camp having just wrapped its second day today, we’re just getting around to putting together our fourth and final preview of the Birds leading into camp and the season. Let’s just say that real life and the damn day job is keeping us a bit too busy.

Looking back to 2004, the Eagles had one hell of a defense, one that could be ranked right up there with Gang Green. They were a group of guys that shut down the run and pass equally, and in part, got the team to only its second ever Super Bowl.

That was a long time ago, and since then the defense has fallen on hard times. Between the departure of stars like Brian Dawkins, and the injuries to promising young talent like Stewart Bradley, the D was a huge problem for the team. Acknowledging this fact, the Birds used 9 of their 13 draft picks on the defense.

Their #1 pick (13th overall) was Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham, who was nabbed after the braintrust traded up 11 spots. Although undersized, his work effort and skill have been praised. He’s a speedy pass-rusher that some national experts say could nab the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He earned second-team All-America honors as a senior in 2009 after finishing his collegiate career ranked second on Michigan’s all-time sack list with 29.5.

While the rookie remains unsigned, and there’s no word on when he’ll put pen to paper, this does not appear to be a holdout situation.

The defensive line we can expect to see on the field this year includes the ever-dependable Trent Cole. He’s incredibly good at right end, pulling down 12.5 sacks last year, but still criminally underrated league wide. I just can’t get over the lack of ink this guy gets because he’s very good.

On the left end, vet Juqua Parker expects to slot in (splitting time with Graham), while Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley will represent the team’s tackles. Chris Clemons is off to Seattle, and taking his place is Darryl Tapp. Third round pick Daniel Te’o-Nesheim is expected to fit in as a pass rusher on third down, a key for the team going into this season.

Keep an eye on Trevor Laws, a wildcard that could give the line some much needed breathing room. He came to the team in the second round of the ’08 draft, and while he’s never panned out like he should have, it looks like he may be starting to put it together.

The linebacker class is led by Stewart Bradley in the middle, and by all indications, it seems that he is ready to return to his 2008 form after a season-ending injury during last year’s Flight Night. This is a guy that can play all three downs, blocking and blitzing with the best of them. If he’s 100%, he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player that can make a hand in truly making this a great defense. If he goes down again, the Birds could be royally screwed if they don’t find a suitable replacement.

Also in the mix is former first rounder Ernie Sims who came over from Detroit. He’s a speedy guy who fits the system well, and most importantly, he isn’t afraid to tackle hard.

With Sims at weakside, we’ll likely see Moises Fokou at strongside, although I’m not totally convinced that he’ll win the starting job out of training camp. His game is still rough, and a guy like Akeem Jordan gives him a run for his money.

Other names that could round out the bench include Omar Gaither (best in the middle), Joe Mays, Alex Hall, and draft picks Keenan Clayton and Jamar Chaney. Chaney seems to be making a good impression, both for his work ethic and his tackling prowess. Don’t be shocked if this guy’s on the team when camp breaks.

When it comes to the secondary, the Eagles saw just how much they missed Brian Dawkins last year. When Weapon X left for Denver after getting a much better offer from the Broncos, the Eagles should have had a good plan to replace him. They didn’t.

While 2009 saw a revolving door at free safety with names like Macho Harris, Sean Jones, and Quintin Demps not quite making it, it appears that it’s just signed second round draft pick Nate Allen’s job to lose. While it’s a lot of pressure to put on a rookie, he does have the skills to get it done. Plus it’s not like the team has other options outside of Quintin Demps, who lost the starting job last year.

Strong safety will be held down by the excellent Quintin Mikell, a Pro Bowl alternate last year. The bench could be occupied by names like seventh round draft pick Kurt Coleman, Ryan Hamilton, or Brett Johnson

Pro Bowler cornerback Asante Samuel looks like he’ll continue stealing balls from opposing QBs, but the man needs to learn to tackle guys every now and then. He may be a force on the field, but his knack for running from tackles is detrimental to the entire team.

The dropoff from Samuel is quick, but there is talent to be seen in guys like Ellis Hobbs and Macho Harris. A fight for right cornerback could light the fire under one of these guys, and if anyone gets it, it will be the former. I just don’t have a lot of faith in the second-year Harris who remains raw and a bit lost of the field.

Also in the CB mix are Dimitri Patterson, Geoff Pope, Joselio Hanson, and rookie Trevard Lindley.

This is not the Eagles defense of old, but it is much better on paper than last year. Barring injury we’ll see a unit that is moving in a positive direction. While it’s still a long way from 2004, they’re better than the unit that walked off the field in Dallas this past January.

With rookies and selected vets taking the field at Lehigh today, football season is officially underway in Philadelphia. All is right again in the world, and like one of our favorite Twitter-ers pointed out today, sports radio should be pretty damn happy as well.

Last night we took we a comprehensive look at the team’s quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, and tonight we’re closing out with the running backs. This will be an area of special concern going into the 2010 season. Brian Westbrook, the Eagles’ longtime true #1 running back is gone, and now it’s LeSean McCoy’s backfield to inherit. But can he do it?

His rookie campaign last year started off impressively with 528 yards on 123 carries across his first 11 games, netting him three TDs. Over that same time frame he nabbed 27 catches for 206 yards, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was being molded to be the new Westbrook.

By week 11, McCoy had two straight weeks of flying high, but that’s where things really dropped off for him. The following week saw him touch the ball six times for just two (2!) yards and pull down three passes for 24 yards. The remaining five games saw him run for 109 yards over 32 attempts. The rookie entered the season like a lion, but closed it out like a lamb.

Obviously the Andy Reid offense requires a hybrid back, which is why a guy like Leonard Weaver has thrived as the team’s fullback. For McCoy to be a successful #1 running back for year’s to come, he’s going to need both more carries and to make more of those carries. Last year he averaged 4.11 yards per touch while the league’s top backs sported an average of 5.0 or higher. In his prime, #36 was sitting anywhere from 4.5 to 5.2. Shady may be young, but he has some work to do.

Fullback Leonard Weaver has the best season of his career last year, and with his long-term contract extension, is set to build on that. With an average carry of 4.6 yards, the Pro Bowler showed Philly that he can be an explosive force on the ground and the air, clocking respective highs of 41 and 59 yards respectively.

While the high-ceiling McCoy should be getting around 20 carries per game, young veteran Mike Bell could slot into the fold as a viable #2 guy, especially on short yardage situations and in the red zone. Bell showed his explosiveness last season with New Orleans, but injuries derailed him. If he’s healthy, he’ll de a definite asset for the Birds. Other names to keep in mind include Eldra Buckley and rookie Charles Scott. Former CFL all-star Martell Mallet could play a factor, but the jury is still out in how well he’ll transition.

Despite his frequent injuries, especially last season, Brian Westbrook provided a lot of stability for the Eagles. LeSean McCoy is the future of the backfield, and although the brass is high on this young talent, his full potential has yet to play out on the field. His keys to success are touches, yards per carry, and conditioning in his very demanding position. If he gets it together, saying goodbye to #36 will become just a little bit easier.

With just a day from the start of training camp at Lehigh, it’s time for us to bring you the second installment in our preview series. A few days ago we looked at the pros and cons of the offensive line going into camp, and now it’s time to focus on some of the guys they’re trying to protect – the quarterbacks and receivers.

The Birds’ offense unit is young, with many of the guys still unable to rent cars on their own (or without a significant surcharge). Guys like wide receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end Brent Celek have already shown that they are among the NFL’s elite at their position, while receiver Jeremy Maclin and quarterback Kevin Kolb are part of the young core that will need to prove themselves as the #1 guys on a weekly basis.

Looking forward, this is Kevin Kolb’s offense. Although it can still be argued that this team would have been better off with Donovan McNabb (I wanted him to stay, for the record), he’s moved on to the next phase of his career in Washington. Kolb is young and while he doesn’t have the same speed or raw athleticism of his predecessor, he’s a QB that has the tools to be more memorable than Bobby Hoying.

He has gotten a taste of running the offense in the past, from the ’08 game against Baltimore when #5 was benched in the second half, to the two games last season against New Orleans and Kansas City. What we saw was a raw talent that became increasing confident and was quick to find his targets.

Expect to see less of those glorious downfield bombs to DeSean Jackson and more short yardage plays. Best friend Brent Celek was a popular target in those two games last year when Donovan was down, and with the shifting scope of the offense, the tight end is likely to get more than his fair share of passes.

Second year receiver Jeremy Maclin will benefit as well. While he’s not as flashy as #10, he quietly does things very well, and I expect him to pull down more balls than Jackson. As we saw at the end of last season, opposing secondaries were neutralizing him, and this year we’ll see how well he adapts. In the meantime, expect the pass happy Birds to look towards Maclin even more.

On the depth chart, Jason Avant may come in as the #3 guy, but his contributions are just as important. He emerged as a huge threat last season, especially on third down. In a way, he’s the anti-receiver. He quietly pulls down catches with increasing regularly, and there is absolutely no show about it. He’s a blue collar player for a blue collar town.

Hank Baskett, who is back through free agency, and rookie Riley Cooper, will more than likely be the fourth and fifth receivers. Cooper, coming out of Florida, made his mark this spring and should be a shoe-in with the team if he keeps up that play at Lehigh.

The number one guy at tight end is the aforementioned Brent Celek. Last year was his first full year as a starter and he made it count. This season will be his league wide coming out party, and if past numbers are of any indication, he’ll be make a trip to the Pro Bowl, both for his receiving and blocking.

Also in the mix are second-year guy Cornelius Ingram, who is back after a torn ACL. If healthy, he’ll be just what the teams needs, but his health makes him a big question mark right now. There’s also rookie Clay Harbor, who has shown the ability to catch and block, a definite plus for any tight end hoping to make the team.

Beyond the starters, there are a few options on the bench depending on how many tight ends and receivers the team decides to keep. Vet Martin Rucker could be an interesting option should Harbor not work out or Ingram goes down with another injury. There’s also the question of a sixth receiver and whether the team feels they’ll need a guy like Jordan Norwood or Chad Hall. With five promising receivers, it’s probably superfluous, but a brilliant training camp performance could force the team’s hand.

Barring an injury, we won’t see rookie third-string QB Mike Kafka take any snaps. The team will likely give Michael Vick more playing, both as a traditional guy under center and in the Wildcat formation. Now that he’s completely back in playing shape, he’ll be more of a factor on the field. While we won’t ever see the Vick of yore again, his speed athleticism will help the team down the stretch. And not to open debate, but on the off chance that Kolb is a bust, we could see more of #7 than we ever bargained for.

In this QB-driven league, the Eagles may have some uncertainty with a new guy taking the reins this year, but they’re 100% set with the receiving corps. On any given play, Jackson, Maclin, Celek, or Avant all have the potential to make a big catch. With all of the changes on the team, it’s comforting to know that at least one area of the team will excel in 2010.

The Phillies’ struggles finally reached a tipping point yesterday. After seeing the offense fail to put a run on the board during Cole Hamels’ gem, Ruben Amaro decided that something needed to be done.

That something turned out to be the dismissal of hitting coach Milt Thompson.  Greg Gross, who was the hitting coach from 2002-2004, was named as his replacement.  The offense wasn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard back then, so I’m not so sure this is an improvement.

It’s hard to understand why a hitting coach gets fired when a team is struggling, especially after the offensive numbers that the Phillies have put up over the past few years.  However, when a team has struggled for as long as the Phillies have at this point, something needs to change. A shakeup like this could be what the team needs to get out of their slump, but it’s hard to make a change like that when the person you’re talking about is Milt Thompson.

Milt was a part of the “Macho Row” 1993 National League champions and will always be a fan favorite because of that. Since coming back to the organization in 1998, as a minor league coach, eh’s climbed up the ranks. He was even held in high enough esteem to survive the firing of Terry Francona and become part of Charlie Manuel’s staff.

When it comes down to it, the Phillies have struggled mightily with putting runs on the board and the first target for those struggles would be the hitting coach. You would think that a player like Jayson Werth, on the verge of becoming a free agent and potentially signing a huge contract, would be having a career year. Instead, he got a hit with a runner in scoring position for the first time in a month last night. Ryan Howard, on the other hand, the most secure player on the team, has been turning it up in the second half, like usual.

Many never thought the struggles would continue for this long, but they have. There is no way Roy Halladay should have 8 losses while pitching for this team, but the offense has let him down on a few occasions.

The second half has been the Phillies’ strong suit over the past few years, so there is hope ( & time) for them to turn it around. With the Mets losing last night, the Phillies are back in second place, albeit 7 games back.  It’s a long climb back to the top, but if the offense starts clicking again, there is still the possibility of a third straight National League East title.