Congratulations, Chaser!

Congratulations to Chase Utley who won his third straight Silver Slugger award at second base.

Chase lead second baseman in many categories. Three of the most prominent ones are homeruns, RBIs, and runs scored.

CHASE UT-LEY! CHASE UT-LEY!

I'm Back

Just an FYI for all you webgemmers out there. I will be continuing the blog. Deal with it.



Sean

Dear Ruben,

Please do NOT trade Shane Victorino or Jayson Werth for Matt Holliday. Give them prospects, give them all the prospects, but don't destroy our core. That.is.all.

Love,

TheWebGem.com

Could the Hollidays Be Coming Faster Than Thought?

Buster Olney says the Rockies are very motivated to move Matt Holliday. Olney wonders if the Rox might end up taking a bit less than expected for him. Troy Renck says various execs see the A's and Phillies as the most likely matches for Holliday. The Rays are another possibility.

The Philadelphia Phillies For President

As more of the Presidential Election votes come rolling in we're learning so much about Tuesday's historic day. The outcome has shown that Senator John McCain wasn't Barack Obama's only competition. The Phillies received 509 votes! (Dobbs 09?)

Check out the link:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/allcandidates/

A Below So So Year.

The Phillies alerted So Taguchi that he will not be returning to the team in 2009. So was originally signed to be a pinch hitter and a late inning defensive replacement for Pat Burrell in left field, but lost that spot to utility man, Eric Bruntlett. Taguchi's year was disappointing, he hit .220 in 91 at-bats over 88 games in 2008. Maybe the only player on the Phillies this year that I never said was "due for a dong."

MLB Look-a-Like: #6. Jimmy Rollins & The Grinch

Here's another one of Natalie's gems. Now we know what Jimmy is up to in the offseason.

Two Gold Gloves!

Congratulations to both Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino for their excellent defense in the 2008 season. They are both being honored with Rawlings Gold Gloves. Shane Victorino for CF and Jimmy Rollins for SS.

MLB Look-a-Like: #5: Chase Utley & Patrick Dempsey

We at thewebgem.com appreciate our visitors and always welcome your opinions. We want to thank Reilly Fies for this look-a-like entry. Hey now Phils!

MLB Look-a-Like: #4. Chris Young & Our Very Own, Quintin Cliett

MLB Look-a-Like: #3. Chipper Jones & Matt Damon

"Chipper Jones makes the game un-fun."

MLB Look-a-Like: #2. Carl Crawford & The Game

Nice one, Shiznatt.

MLB Look-a-Like: #1. B.J. Upton & Frozone

This look-a-like is 100% credited to Natalie. During the World Series she pointed out this uncanny match. What do you think?










"Hate a B.J."

Who Will Wave 'Em In?

Charlie Manuel on Tuesday made his first offseason coaching staff decision. He and the Phillies let go of third base coach Steve Smith. All other members of the coaching staff will be returning in 2009. Smith spent two years with the Phillies. There is no word on who his replacement will be at this time. Stay tuned.

The Offseasons Biggest Questions

1. What will the 2009 outfield look like?

-The 2008 outfield started with a few questions. 1. Can Pat Burrell have a year where he is consistent? We all know the answer now. He started hot, and become ice cold. (What's cooler than being cool?) 2. Could Shane Victorino live up to the success and popularity that Aaron Rowand had in Philadelphia? Answer: Absolutely! He surpased all expectations, and is now one of the most popular outfielders in the game. 3. How will the platoon of Geoff Jenkins and Jayson Werth shake out? Answer: It was WERTH giving Jayson the opprotunity.

-In 2009, the Phillies will have Victorino, Werth, and Jenkins, but Pat "The Glove" is another question. Manny Ramirez is a free agent. Will the Phillies take a shot? Will the Phillies make another run at Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday? So much to think about it. We here at thewebgem.com are glad it isn't up to us, although, we love Pat a Burrell.

2. Arbitration

The Phillies will have 10 players up for a salary increase, and after winning the World Series who can argue the fact that they deserve it? Some key names that will be heading to the meeting rooms are Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, and Ryan Madson. These are all players that the Phillies will want to keep happy.

3. The Rotation

We can all agree upon the fact that the Phillies rotation was sick at the end of the year with Cole, Brett, Jamie, and Joe (Blan-Ton). The Phillies will have Hamels, Brett, and Blanton at the top. It's guranteed, but what about Jamie Moyer? He led the team in wins this year, and was at times untouchable. He throws a dead fish that most young hitters look baffeled with. Jamie is a free agent and will most likely take a paycut to stay in his beloved him town. The 5th starter is the biggest question. Will the Phillies give Kyle Kendrick another shot? Will they let impressive youngster JA Happ take the hill or will they turn to their top prospect Carlos Carrassco? Remember at the 2008 trade deadline Carlos was the player they refused to let go of.

4. Will '09 be the year of Greg Dobbs?

If we have anything to do with it. Absolutely. More to come on that campaign.

REPEAT?

Okay, okay. No J. I know, but why not be excited for the chance of a repeat? Trick question. Which MLB Team has the best chance to repeat as World Champions? You guessed it.

EEL!

An Old Friend, Traded Again?

An NBA source today said that Allen Iverson has been traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. TheWebGem.com is a baseball site so we will have no more information to come on the story. Just an FYI. :)

"There's a New Kid In Town."

Ruben Amaro Jr was named the Phillies new General Manager this morning at 10 a.m. replacing Pat Gillick whose contract ended on Halloween. Ruben's first order of business will be the contract of Pat Burrell which has also expired. Will Ruben and the Phillies want to pay a big contract to a player who Charlie pulls from the game in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings? Will he stay in Philadelphia with the city and team he loves or will he move on? Ruben it is up to you.

Goodbye, Mr. Gillick.

Ruben Amaro Jr. reportedly will become the Phillies' next general manager, with an official announcement expected on Monday.

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, citing "sources close to the situation," club president Dave Montgomery met Friday with Mike Arbuckle, the team's assistant general manager, scouting and player development -- and the other strong candidate for the position -- and told him that Amaro was given the job.

Mike Arbuckle has also told sources he has planned to move back to the midwest area where he is from to help rebuild the struggling Kansas City Royals. Arbuckle and his scouting crew have brought players to the Phillies such as Pat Burrell, Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Brett Myers, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. What does this mean for the champions future? We'll soon find out.

I used to talk with Pat Gillick every Friday morning while I worked for KYW. I must admit I always had my doubts with the way he ran things, but he has definitely proven he is the greatest GM this team has ever had. He will surely be missed.

Under Gillick's term with the Phillies they went 266-220 (.547) in regular season play, while 11-6 (.647) in the playoffs.

Jimmy's Promise

"We'll win probably 100 games . . . 100 games will get us to the playoffs," said Jimmy Rollins on November 27th, 2007. Little did he know the team would surpase 100 wins and end up with a total of 103 Wins and only 73 losses.

Their 103 wins equaled a World Series championship.

Congratulations to the entire team.

We'll Never Forget

2008 will be a year we will never forget. The connection between two die hard fans and a never quit baseball team will live in our hearts forever.

"Thanks, Wheels."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12GNs8ERYL0&feature=related

Phillies Parade Details

Step off for parade is 12 noon at 20th and Market Streets - The parade will proceed down Broad Street

Expected time for parade is 2-4 hours

Closures will be rolling based on parade and crowds.

Expect east - west traffic to be very difficult for the day.

They are advising that you tell you take public transportation for the day.

The parade will include riding floats as well as the entire Phillies squad and ex-players, ballgirls, team officials, and, of course, the Phanatic.

The forecast calls for sunny skies, with a high in the low 60s and light breezes.

Thinking of driving downtown? Think again, city officials say.

Streets will be jammed and parking will be difficult to find, so people are urged to take public transportation.Or walk or bike.

Parking will be prohibited after midnight tonight on Market Street west of City Hall and Broad Street south of City Hall, a parking official announced.
Vehicles left there will be towed.

SEPTA will provide additional bus and subway service. Riders were advised to buy tickets in advance, and asked to be very patient tomorrow.

The PATCO high-speed line will have extra service all day, with trains to and from South Jersey running every six minutes or less from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Plenty of police will be on hand, the mayor said at the news conference.

The crowd at the 1980 parade for the Phillies first-ever world championship was estimated at 750,000 to 1.5 million, with another 80,000 at J.F.K.
Stadium, where players and team officials addressed the fans. The 1983 parade after the Sixers won the NBA title - the city's last major title until last night - drew about 1.7 million fans. Biggest of all might have been the 1974 Flyers parade, witnessed by 2 million or more fans, according to estimates. 1974 Flyers parade, witnessed by 2
million or more fans, according to estimates."

2009 News: Marlins Make Trade

A surprise move will move slugger Mike Jacobs to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for always needed relief help in Leo Nunez.

Jacobs, who turned 28 on Thursday, should answer the Royals' need for a proven power hitter. He had career highs of 32 home runs and 93 RBIs for the Marlins last season. A left-handed hitter, he batted .247 and had an on-base percentage of .299. The Marlins were looking for relief help, and Nunez was 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 45 games last season. He was on the disabled list from May 29 to July 21 with a strained right lat.

Victory!

No Words. Just Pictures.

It's a Celebration! Grab a Drink, Grab a Glass...

23 Years Later!

OUR PHILS ARE WORLD CHAMPS!

Unbelievable. The curse is broken! We'll give a huge recap tomorrow, but for now, we're speechless. This is a moment we will never forget.

Our Boy Madson!

Word is out: Madson will start the seventh inning for the Phils tonight. Charlie's pinch hitter is still up in the air. It's amazing that tonight's game will only consist of three innings.. may the best bullpen win!

Sounds Like Runs!

Due up for the Phils:

Now this lady's got heart.

This chick is my new role model. Her name is Jessie Foyle, she's a Philly native, and she's attended at least one World Series game for the last 44 years. She went to her first World Series game in 1964 and paid the outrageously low price of $8 for a ticket. This is who I aspire to be - talk about a lifetime of memories. Jessie went to the first half of Game 5, so I'm sure she'll be in the stands watching tonight. With fans like this, the Phils definitely have the edge!

Game 5: The Battle of the Bullpens

When game 5 finally resumes tonight at 8:37 pm, we'll see strategy come into play as both managers will need to work their magic. Charlie Manuel and the Phillies are 9 outs and 1 run away from winning the teams second world championship in 125 years. Joe Maddon and the Rays are on the brink of losing their first visit to the World Series if they don't come up with something fast.

Who is the pressure on? It's a good question. Many people are saying it's on the Phillies, because they do not want to head back down to Florida and face the cow bells again. We disagree. The Phillies are in a great position. They have the better bullpen and the better lineup. Here's what Charlie Manuel had to say, "I think the way it sets up right now is, we've got a good bullpen," Manuel said. "We've got 12 outs, and they have nine coming. And I feel like we feel like we're strong, and we can win, and we're going to be ready to play the game."

It looks like right handed reliever Grant Balfour will take the mound in the bottom of the 6th for the Rays. Due up for the Phillies is Cole Hamels (the pitchers spot), which will "Dobbviously" be a pinch hitter. This is where Charlie comes into play. Does he send up Greg Dobbs to get things started? He does have 22 pinch hits this season, an all-time Phillies record. Does he send up Matt "Second Facade" Stairs, or the heart of the bench in Geoff Jenkins. We say go with Dobbs. If Dobbs can get on, with Rollins and Werth to follow, we may have something cooking.

For the Phillies bullpen, they need 9 more outs. Achieving this is nothing new for the team. Due up for the Rays is catcher Dioner Navarro who is a switch hitter with a better average from the left side. Charlie will have to choose from Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero, he may choose to save J.C. for the big boys such as Carl Crawford. Don't forget "The Bridge to Lidge" Ryan Madson will be available for the 8th, and our no longer a secret, but untouchable weapon, Brad "Lights Out" Lidge for the 9th. OUR VOTE: ADVANTAGE PHILS!

Wednesday Stubs.

Advice:

If someone offers you stubs for tomorrow night, TAKE THEM.

Delayed. What do the boys have to say?

As much as we would have loved to see the game end in our favor last night, any true Phils fan knows that we have to win this Series fair and square. Here's what some of the players have to say about last night's rain:

Cole Hamels
"It was the worst conditions imaginable to try and pitch in. It's something you don't train for. You have to do your best. It's not the way you want to finish your last start of the year, but Mother Nature won. Now I have to let our bullpen and our hitters finish it off."

Pedro Feliz
"It was bad. You could see the puddles all over."

Carlos Ruiz
"It was real bad out there. The worst I've ever played in. It was very hard for Cole to pitch."

Matt Stairs
"I remember playing a game in Little League, where guys were wearing rubber boots. It's a shame we lost Cole, but we're not going to have a problem being fired up when we do play. We'll come back and the score will be 2-2. [If we win] the champagne will taste as good, maybe colder. You can't control the weather."

Brad Lidge
"You can't end the World Series and not play nine innings."

Agreed, Brad. Agreed.

Game 5 Part 2: Bottom 6, Rays-2, Phils-2. Wednesday Night.

Game Five of the 2008 World Series will not resume tonight due to inclement weather. Game Five is now tentatively scheduled to resume on Wednesday evening at 8:37 p.m. (ET), weather permitting. Commissioner Bud Selig said: "While obviously we want to finish Game Five as soon as possible, the forecast for today does not allow for us to continue the game this evening. We are closely monitoring tomorrow's forecast and will continue to monitor the weather on an hourly basis. We will advise fans as soon as we are able to make any final decisions with respect to tomorrow's schedule."

Snow? Oh no.

The crazy weather in Philadelphia may keep the World Series on hold for another day. Word is we will know by 2pm. The forecast is now calling for snow. At about 11:30 this morning, some flakes were falling at Northeast Airport in Philadelphia, according to Lee Robertson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. Stay tuned to thewebgem.com for all the details.

Go Phils!

There's Only One November?

MLB Commissioner, Bud Selig says that play will resume when he feels the weather permits, even if it takes until Thanksgiving.

"We would have gone into a rain delay, and that rain delay would have lasted until, weather permitting, we could resume the game," he said. "The game would have been in a rain delay until weather conditions allowed us to continue. And that might have been 24 hours or 48 hours or who knows?"

When play resumes...The Phillies will be batting in the bottom of the 6th inning in a ball game knotted at 2. Pitching match-ups still undetermined.