Every season or so, we are going to take a look at where are 4 teams are at the moment including where they’ve been and where they’re going. Coming up with a name was rough sledding. I landed on Pharmer’s Almanac thinking that it was ole Benny Franklin who started it, but that was Poor Richard’s. I couldn’t come up with anything better though, so here we are…
Phillies
The season has started and while our emotions may have started with disinterest, we quickly stepped back into our familiar cocky distraught dichotomy. We’ve been up (beating the Dodgers and winning 9 straight) and we’ve been down (getting swept by the Mets and Brewers) but find ourselves with a 2-game lead in the division mostly thanks to the best rotation in baseball and our two biggest rivals having much bigger problems.
The Phillies are still getting nothing from the outfield and are in desperate need of bullpen help (in the Spring I was (rightfully) pretty skeptical of the Jose Alvarado return to form) but they are treading water with the deadline still a month away. Free Agent additions Jordan Romano and Max Kepler have been serviceable, but still pretty bad. Just a poor use of resources by Dave Dombrowski. They NEED to make a move. Thankfully, starting pitching isn’t on the Christmas in July list this season unlike every other contender.
Speaking of which, Ranger Suarez, Zack Wheeler, and Cristopher Sanchez just finished a month for the ages. Combined they gave up 15 runs in 16 starts over 106.2 innings. Damn! Jesus Luzardo seems to have fixed what was wrong with him after giving up 20 runs in 2 starts in what has otherwise been a fantastic debut season in Philly. The real surprise though has been – not Aaron Nola going on the IL for the second time ever – Mick Abel being the rookie to come up and look great. Other than a rough go against the Mets, he is finally making good on as a prospect we all gave up on a long time ago.
The second half of the season is going to feature some excitement. The biggest addition the club could make at the trade deadline might not be a trade at all. Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford are ready to come up from AAA and are both probably an injury away from their debuts. They are under the radar reinforcements that could join Abel and Otto Kemp on this team’s post season roster. The young blood will be greatly appreciated down the stretch.
Coming Up: MLB Draft (#27), All-Star Break, Andrew Painter, Trade Deadline, Playoff Push
Flyers
The Flyers did their job by losing as much as they could to end the regular season. It didn’t matter come lottery time though as they finished with the 6th pick. That allowed them to draft Porter Martone, the best wing in the draft and an all-around badass that will fit in VERY nicely in Philadelphia. They are going to push for this kid to make it out of camp and bring some excitement to the team. He was a monster in the OHL and made the Canadian National Team.
As for the big club, the move of the early offseason was trading for Trevor Zegras from the Ducks. Zegras is a post-hype prospect who clearly has talent but may have been forgotten about by Anaheim. The Flyers will be hoping he can be a first line center.
Also, for the first time in forever, the Flyers have cap space; enough for one pretty solid move. Free agency starts today, so we will see if they have any trades or signings that will propel the franchise forward. The team is young, but they will be trying to win this season.
Coming Up: Free Agency, Schedule release, Training Camp
Sixers
The Sixers did their job at the end of the season too, losing so much that they had the 5th best lottery odds. Unlike the Flyers though, things worked out with the Sixers jumping up to 3 and taking VJ Edgecombe. In only a few days, he has shown the positive and competitive attitude that has been sorely missing in Philly for years.
Free Agency started yesterday but the Sixers only came away with Trendon Watford. This isn’t surprising considering the team simply doesn’t have any money after last year’s Paul George misstep. The only thing to look out for is a possible extension for Quentin Grimes and to a lesser extent Guerschon Yabusele.
Joel Embiid had arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee and the only news we have received on his recovery is that he is trying to be ready for camp. That is ominous as all hell. This plus the draft has shown that internally, the Sixers have pivoted away from being Embiid’s team and is now firmly Maxey’s team.
Coming Up: Free Agency, Summer League, Schedule Release, Training Camp
Eagles
I’ll have a much bigger Eagles Spring recap soon, but in general the team got rid of excess fat and got younger this offseason. Gone are Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, and CJGJ; in are Jihaad Campbell, Andrew Mukuba, the Vanilla Gorilla and the young backups of Moro Ojomo and Jalyx Hunt. The Eagles are going to be fine.
The season starts in 10 weeks and there is palpable excitement about the team and its chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The offense stays almost completely the same outside of losing Makhi Becton. For a squad as young and talented as this one, that’s a very good thing. The defense saw significant jumps from almost everywhere with Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith looking like All-Pros, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean making the most scary secondary duo in the league, and Zack Baun now firmly entrenched as a possible DPOY in the center. This team does not have a weakness.
The only orders of business are making it through the preseason and training camp healthy while possibly getting an extension done for Reed Blankenship. Otherwise, Howie Roseman has this roster exactly where it needs to be.
Coming Up: Training Camp, Roster Cut-Down, Possible Pick Ups and Trades, Sept. 4 Cowboys at Eagles
One More!
Yesterday it was announced that the city of Philadelphia will be getting a WNBA team by 2030. The as yet unnamed team will be owned by the same group that owns the Sixers and will play in the new arena everyone hopes will be finished for the inaugural season. Considering 3 expansion franchises were awarded instead of 2, this seems an awful lot like a promise came through on the stadium compromise from a few months ago. Which…fine! It is about time Philadelphia had a WNBA franchise. It should have been on the list of debut cities rather than the 18th edition. Seriously, how did Portland, Atlanta, Indiana, Phoenix and just about every goddamn city except NY, Chicago, and LA get a team before Philly? Anyway, even though I don’t follow the WNBA, that will probably change once Philly has a team and I am looking forward to it.
Coming Up: The Name
Philly Front Office 
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