PBR - Today is arbitration exchange day, in other words, the day in which teams and players eligible for arbitration exchange potential contracts that each side decided would be a fair salary for the player in 2011.
After the Phillies signed outfielder Ben Francisco to a one-year contract last week, the Phillies lone arbitration case on the team is right-handed pitcher Kyle Kendrick.
In December the Phillies offered Kendrick arbitration which guarantees him a contract for the 2011 season. In early January, the Phillies and Kendrick separately came up with a figure that each side thought would be a fair contract that is to be used if the two could not reach a contract agreement prior to arbitration exchange day.
Today, the Phillies and Kendrick will reveal the specifics of their respective deals and try come to an agreement between the two contracts. The Phillies are probably looking to sign Kendrick for around $2 million, but if they are unable to reach a deal, the case will go before a judge and he/she will choose a salary (between the player's or the team's) that he/she deems fair.
Kendrick, 26, went 11-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 33 games last year. If the Phillies are serious about possibly dealing right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton to clear some salary room, a contract agreement for Kendrick this year is vital to the team's success.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
TTN: Owls Pummel Pioneers
The hockey team defeated William Paterson, 6-3.
William Paterson outshot the hockey team, 43 to 24, controlled the puck for most of the game and was consistently on the attack. However, the Owls took advantage of every open opportunity.
Junior goalie Will Neifeld made 40 saves and the Owls scored three power-play goals en route to a 6-3 win over the Pioneers, who were ranked No.2 in the Northeastern Division.
“[We’re] very optimistic after tonight’s performance,” coach Jerry Roberts said. “We talked about playing 60 minutes, we struggled the entire first semester with that. Although it wasn’t pretty at times, this was the first time all season that we got 60 minutes of effort.”
The Temple offense dominated the first half of the first period. The Owls dumped and chased the puck to perfection, allowing for opportunities with loose pucks in front of the net.
In the eighth minute, after senior left winger Ryan Frain’s breakaway attempt was denied, freshman forward Andrew Rafferty’s shot from the point rebounded directly to senior center George Rutter who was in front of an open net. Rutter netted the easy goal to give the Owls an early lead.
“Rafferty had the puck at the point; shot it right to the net,” Rutter said. “I actually went to try to tip it, and it kind of stuck to my stick, so I came around and stuffed it in with a backhand.”
A minute later, the Owls got another goal. Sophomore forward Nick McMahon collected a puck that had sprung loose from a scuffle in the corner and found himself alone in front of the net.
He made one move before sliding the puck through the Pioneers’ freshman goalie Andrew Sullivan’s five-hole to increase the Owls’ lead to two.
“We weren’t really sure of what we had tonight,” Roberts said. “We only had one week of practice coming into this game. We just wanted to contain as much as we could and wait for our chances to come.”
The Owls didn’t let up, and the chances continued to come. After a William Paterson penalty in the tenth minute, the Temple offense quickly set up the power play.
The team moved the puck to the point where freshman forward Matt Benedetto fired a shot past the opposing goalie, who was screened by two Owls, for his first career goal as an Owl. The Owls had a three-goal lead.
“It’s better to be up than to be down,” Neifeld said. “We’ve proven we can come back from deficits, and we’ve proven we can blow leads too, which is why it’s important to play 60 minutes, which is what we played tonight.”
William Paterson did not give up. Just like the Owl’s domination of the first half of the period, the Pioneers controlled the second half, registering 11 shots-on-goal and constantly pressuring Neifeld.
The Pioneers’ relentlessness paid off. After moving the puck into the Temple zone and setting up their offense, the Pioneers’ junior forward Shaun McTique deflected a shot from the point past Neifeld to cut the Owls’ lead to two.
William Paterson continued to get opportunities for the rest of the first period. The team had two more power plays and had four more shots, but Neifeld shut them down. The first period ended with a 3-1 Temple lead despite the fact the Owls were outshot nine to 18.
“It’s not just my effort, it’s a team effort,” Neifeld said. “We made a couple great blocks in front of me. I can’t stress enough – it’s a team effort.”
William Paterson carried its momentum into the second period but was unable to capitalize on its strong play. The Owls got a break in the fifteenth minute after a Pioneers penalty. Temple used the man advantage well, and with a little less than three minutes left, junior forward Pat McHugh was on a breakaway.
He moved to the Pioneer goalie’s left before switching to his backhand and scored the Owls’ second power-play goal of the game. The Owls regained their three-goal lead.
“It’s great to score powerplay goals,” Rutter said. “It’s a great chance to capitalize on bad mistakes by the other team.”
Two minutes into the third period, McTique sent a shot through Neifeld’s five-hole to cut the Owls’ lead back to two. But the Owls came right back as Rafferty tipped in a rebound off of a McHugh shot on a powerplay opportunity three minutes later to ice the game.
“That’s a big part of the way we like to play offense,” Rutter said. “Get the puck to the red line, dump it in and get the puck on net, bang around at the rebounds.”
The Pioneer added a sixth goal by McTique with six minutes remaining, but it came too late. The Pioneers lost to the Owls, 6-3.
“You got to capitalize when you have the opportunity,” Neifeld said. “In order to beat these better teams, we have to capitalize on their mistakes.”
The Owls are now 7-2 in Mid-Atlantic College Hockey Association play and rank second to the University of Maryland – Baltimore County. Their next game is Jan. 21 against Kutztown.
Monday, January 17, 2011
College Magazine: Cam Newton Spotlight
University of Auburn junior quarterback Cam Newton had an incredible week.
On Monday, Newton led the Tigers against the University of Oregon Ducks in the BCS National Championship game. In a surprisingly low-scoring contest, Newton passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the first half as the Tigers took a 16-11 lead into halftime.
The second half was an offensive struggle. Both teams combined for only 14 points, 11 of which came in the final three minutes. A field goal by Auburn senior kicker Wes Bynum in the third quarter gave the Tigers a 19-11 lead going into the fourth quarter.
After two unsuccessful possessions, Oregon got the ball back, down eight points, with just under five minutes to play. Oregon sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas orchestrated a two-minute, fifty-five yard drive before throwing a touchdown pass to sophomore running back LaMichael James. The crucial two-point conversion was successful on a Thomas pass to senior wide receiver Jeff Maehl.
With two minutes and thirty-three seconds remaining in the national championship game, the score was tied and Auburn was getting the ball back with a chance to win the game.
Auburn’s drive started at their own twenty-three yard line. They needed 75 yards to score a touchdown and around 50 yards to get into field goal range for Bynum.
It was Newton’s time to shine.
Newton led a drive into Oregon territory that was capped off by a dramatic thirty-seven yard run to the Oregon twenty-three yard line by freshman running back Michael Dyer. The Tigers were already in field goal range for Bynum, so the Newton-led offense methodically ran out the clock as they moved the ball to the Oregon one-yard line before calling a time-out with just two seconds left on the clock.
Bynum came in, executed the chip shot, game-winning field goal, and Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers were national champions.
The championship capped off an historic and tumultuous season for Newton. He compiled a resume of 2854 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns to go along with 1473 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. He also won the Heisman trophy in December amidst speculation that he and/or his father had violated NCAA regulations.
Newton announced Thursday that he will be eligible for the NFL draft this April, and is projected to be a first-round pick. If the past has taught us anything, it is that no matter where Newton ends up, his future will certainly be exciting and unforgettable.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Flyers Look to Get Upshall Back
Flyers GM Paul Holmgren is looking to acquire forward Scottie Upshall, several sources close to the team have reported.
After playing with the Flyers from 2006-08, Upshall was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes after the 2008 season for a second round draft pick and winger Dan Carcillo.
With the Flyers set at center, it appears that Holmgren wants to add depth to wing. It was reported that Holmgren also pursued longtime New Jersey Devil Jamie Langenbruner before he was traded to Dallas.
Ironically, the addition of Upshall might be least beneficial to the man he was traded for. Carcillo or forward Andreas Nodl would likely be moved if the Holmgren can sign the former Flyer.
After playing with the Flyers from 2006-08, Upshall was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes after the 2008 season for a second round draft pick and winger Dan Carcillo.
With the Flyers set at center, it appears that Holmgren wants to add depth to wing. It was reported that Holmgren also pursued longtime New Jersey Devil Jamie Langenbruner before he was traded to Dallas.
Ironically, the addition of Upshall might be least beneficial to the man he was traded for. Carcillo or forward Andreas Nodl would likely be moved if the Holmgren can sign the former Flyer.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Expectations for 2011
PBR-Professional baseball in Philadelphia is experiencing an unprecedented run of success.
The Phillies have won 371 games over the past four seasons, collected four consecutive National League Eastern division pennants, played in three straight National League Championships and made a pair of World Series appearances. Toss in 2008’s World Series win and you are looking arguably at the best run in Phillies’ franchise history.
The club set attendance records last season, in total (3,777,322) and average per game (44,968), and will enter the 2011 season with a streak of 123 consecutive sell-outs, second only to the Boston Red Sox.
Things couldn't be going much better.
The record-setting attendance figures has generated additional revenue and given Ruben Amaro Jr. and Co. an opportunity to increase the payroll, which now stands as the highest in the National League, and just behind Boston and the New York Yankees as the highest in baseball.
After being a second-division organization for so long, the Philies are widely considered the class of the National League. And that was true even before the club went out and signed Cliff Lee last month.
The Phillies starting rotation for 2011, with Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, is already being heralded as one of the best in baseball’s rich history. The foursome is being compared by pundits to some of the greatest pitching staffs the game has ever seen; including the Baltimore Orioles staff of the late 1970’s, the New York Mets staff of the late 1980’s and the Atlanta Braves staff of the 1990’s.
The mantra of “pitching is everything” has been proven to be true time and time again, and these three staffs support it; all three teams won championships during their respective pitching tenures.
However, there is a sense of urgency. Halladay and Lee are signed until 2013 and beyond, but Oswalt’s contract will expire after this season and Hamels will be eligible for arbitration.
The idea that this season could be the team’s only year with all four of these pitchers together only magnifies the expectations for 2011.
S ince the Phillies won the World Series in 2008 fans have demanded nothing less than another championship. This season won’t be any different, and if anything, the postseason disappointments of the previous two years has created an anxiety amongst some of the Phillies’ most ardent fans.
A World Series victory in 2011 will turn this golden age into a dynasty, and Philadelphia has been waiting for a team like this for quite some time.
The fans will fill Citizens Bank Park, and the Phillies’ front office has hired the talent to succeed, so now the onus falls on the players.
And expectations couldn’t be higher.
The Phillies have won 371 games over the past four seasons, collected four consecutive National League Eastern division pennants, played in three straight National League Championships and made a pair of World Series appearances. Toss in 2008’s World Series win and you are looking arguably at the best run in Phillies’ franchise history.
The club set attendance records last season, in total (3,777,322) and average per game (44,968), and will enter the 2011 season with a streak of 123 consecutive sell-outs, second only to the Boston Red Sox.
Things couldn't be going much better.
The record-setting attendance figures has generated additional revenue and given Ruben Amaro Jr. and Co. an opportunity to increase the payroll, which now stands as the highest in the National League, and just behind Boston and the New York Yankees as the highest in baseball.
After being a second-division organization for so long, the Philies are widely considered the class of the National League. And that was true even before the club went out and signed Cliff Lee last month.
The Phillies starting rotation for 2011, with Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, is already being heralded as one of the best in baseball’s rich history. The foursome is being compared by pundits to some of the greatest pitching staffs the game has ever seen; including the Baltimore Orioles staff of the late 1970’s, the New York Mets staff of the late 1980’s and the Atlanta Braves staff of the 1990’s.
The mantra of “pitching is everything” has been proven to be true time and time again, and these three staffs support it; all three teams won championships during their respective pitching tenures.
However, there is a sense of urgency. Halladay and Lee are signed until 2013 and beyond, but Oswalt’s contract will expire after this season and Hamels will be eligible for arbitration.
The idea that this season could be the team’s only year with all four of these pitchers together only magnifies the expectations for 2011.
S ince the Phillies won the World Series in 2008 fans have demanded nothing less than another championship. This season won’t be any different, and if anything, the postseason disappointments of the previous two years has created an anxiety amongst some of the Phillies’ most ardent fans.
A World Series victory in 2011 will turn this golden age into a dynasty, and Philadelphia has been waiting for a team like this for quite some time.
The fans will fill Citizens Bank Park, and the Phillies’ front office has hired the talent to succeed, so now the onus falls on the players.
And expectations couldn’t be higher.
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