Quick thangs

I've been exhausted and working too much and not blogging, but I've still kept up with a bit of Phillies news. Some thoughts:

• I like Chase Utley for MVP this year.
• The more I think about Adam Eaton, the more I'm convinced that 3/$24M deal is bad enough to rival the 5/$44M deal Juan Pierre squeezed out of the Dodgers.
• Speaking of which, if we trade Lieber, we damn well better be ready to slot in Scott Mathieson or somebody else if Eaton craps the bed.
• If Victorino doesn't steal 25 bases this year, Davey Lopes was hired for nothing.
• People keep saying the Nationals could be the worst team ever, but that pitcher's park is enough to give the biggest schmoe confidence. Getting lit up in a Grapefruit park doesn't necessarily translate.
• I'll bet Chipper Jones doesn't play in 50 games, and I'll bet Andruw Jones hits more home runs than Ryan Howard. And then he goes to the American League and is never heard from again.
• I have so many young Marlins on my fantasy team who I want to succeed statistically again this year, but I hope they don't come as close to being a thorn in Philly's side as they did last year.
• If Gordon goes down, close with Fabio Castro. Dad would agree with me, I bet.
• I love my Ryan Howard t-shirt, but I gotta go to the gym more so I don't fill it out so much below the logo.
• Once Barry Bonds breaks down or breaks the record, send Pat Burrell and Carlos Ruiz to the Giants, they can send pitching prospect Tim Lincecum to the Cubs, who can send Jacque Jones and Mark Prior to the Phillies. Prior is injured nearly beyond repair but there would always be that twinkle of possibility of recovering past greatness, and irrational investment like that is the principle on which the Phillies are founded.
• I think the Phillies go 90-72, lose the division to the Mets by two games but win the wild card by two games. Baseless predictions are the principle on which my Phillies phandom is phounded.
  

I KNEW IT!

One Marlin says Girardi helping Lieber amounts to "expletive."

Even so, Dontrelle Willis shrugs it off.

Burrell, etc.

Mike Schmidt hones his God-given ability to not leave well enough alone. I guess it's good for him to soften his comments about Burrell, but he clearly meant what he said before and he should have enough respect for Burrell as a man to stick to his accusation of "mediocrity." Which is a little harsh, but not far off.

Sheridan takes a more historical tack, and indirectly chastises Philadelphia fans for the millionth time. Old news, Philly-boy.

Finally, Burrell says his foot feels good -- I have totally not heard that before, or something -- and Schmidt thinks McGwire should apologize for his testimony to Congress. Hey, one of these days your advice will be taken in the spirit in which it's offered, right Mike?

Starting over

Say the entire MLB tossed all its players back into a pool for a re-draft, but each team was allowed to hold onto one player before that happened.

Who would you keep?

Who would I keep? Chase Utley.

Here's my argument for him over Ryan Howard:
1) Position scarcity. Many more power-hitting first-basemen of Howard's ilk (if not caliber) than second-basemen of Utley's.
2) Speed. Utley has it, even if he's no Shane Victorino, and Howard doesn't.
3) Though they both strike out a decent amount, Utley's swing is more compact, so I can more readily imagine him cutting down on the K's.

They're about the same age, Utley born December '78, Howard born November '79, and they both hit lefty. And in fact, they can both play first base, whereas I don't think you'd ever want to put Howard at second.

Let me hear some arguments for Howard.

Mench isn't one

• So sad we didn't get this guy in exchange for Lieber. I understand guys having pride and wanting to play all the time, but painting your manager into a corner is bush-league. Plus, he also apparently doesn't wear the right-sized shoes.
• If I have to have a guy on my team who smacked his wife, I suppose I'm glad it's him.
• Having a fast guy steal bases is a concept that only occurred to the Phillies once they hired a former base-stealer as first-base coach? My head hurts.
  

Mahalo, Victy!

• How about this promotion?
• Rowand reacts to Linebrink-trade rumors.
• Linebrink reacts to Rowand-trade rumors.
• Joe Girardi gives Jon Lieber advice on mechanics in the middle of the 2006 pennant race? I know they were once battery-mates, but if I read that as a Marlin or a Marlins fan I'd be ticked off.
• A guy I've never heard of has a bum shoulder. Dang.
• A cap that dries in 10 minutes and doesn't smell? Blasphemy.
  

Inky links and quick thoughts

• No more tix for opener. Hope that trend continues for the rest of the season, as long as I can get my hands on a couple.
• Rollins is feeling his oats. That's a real expression, right?
• Conlin wonders what kind of April all the dudes will have?
• Gillick is old-school.

At this point, what 25-man roster do you go with? Here's mine:
C: Barajas, Ruiz
1B: Howard
2B: Utley
SS: Rollins
3B: Nunez, Helms
LF: Burrell, Werth
CF: Rowand, Roberson
RF: Victorino, K. Garcia
SP: F. Garcia, Myers, Moyer, Eaton, Hamels
RP: Gordon, Smith, Geary, Madson, Castro, Alfonseca, RP from Lieber trade