I'm sure most of you have already heard the news by now, but if you haven't let me break it to you. As of about 8:30 tonight, Donovan McNabb is a Washington Redskin. The Philadelphia Eagles traded their long time quarterback to Washington for a second round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, as well as either a third or fourth round pick in the 2011 Draft. Ladies and gentlemen, the Donovan McNabb era has ended in Philadelphia.
Of course, that means that Kevin Kolb is now the starting quarterback for the Eagles. In the two games that Kolb started in place of McNabb last season, he put up great numbers, but you once again have to remember that the Eagles were playing against the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints, two teams that weren't exactly known for their pass defense early in the season. Now, it's Kolb's team on offense, and he's got to prove that he can in fact get to places that Donovan couldn't. That means that this guy has to win the Super Bowl. Not too much pressure on you, kid.
I really, really tried to think about something good to say about this deal, but nothing is coming to me. The second round pick is nice, especially with it being so high in the second round, but to trade Donovan McNabb, the best quarterback the Eagles have ever had, to a division rival makes no sense what so ever. I have no idea what this team was thinking when they made this deal, because it doesn't help the Eagles out in any way. Sure, the team gets a second round pick, but you know that McNabb has already got the two games against the Eagles marked down, and he's going to go all out to show this team and this city how good they really had it over the past 11 years. This whole situation boggles my mind.
How can you trade a franchise quarterback to a division rival? I don't know if there were any other teams with offers on the table, and quite frankly, I don't care. What I know is that the Eagles should have listened to other offers before even thinking about going through with the one that they did. I don't care whether or not Donovan didn't want to go to Oakland. I would have been fine with him in silver and black, because the Eagles don't play the Raiders twice next season. I knew that this trade was coming, as did most other Eagle fans, but not to the Redskins. Why would you make another team in your division better? About the only thing that the Redskins were missing last year from making a decent run was a good quarterback, and now they have that with Donovan. Washington has a top ten defense, a solid running game and good young receivers. Now, they have the quarterback that can put all of that together.
If you look at what the Eagles have done so far this offseason, it's clearly a rebuilding process now. They've either traded, released or let go their starting quarterback and running back from last season, as well as a former All Pro offensive tackle, their starting middle linebacker for half of the season, almost all of their defensive linemen and, arguably, their best cornerback from last season. If anyone thinks that this team isn't going to take a big step back next year, I want to have some of what you're smoking. Instead of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook in the backfield, the Eagles now have Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy, two players that look like they could be good, but have proven very little yet. There is no leader on this team right now. Sheldon Brown seemed to step into the role, and now he's gone on defense. Westbrook and McNabb were the veteran voices on offense, and now it's DeSean Jackson and Jason Peters, with Brent Celek there as well. This is a team that is going nowhere next season, and possibly the 2011 season as well.
Honestly, I would be surprised to see the Eagles win eight games next year. They still have too many questions in that defense, and no amount of their 11 draft picks this season are going to make that defense good enough to compete with the Dallas Cowboys this coming season. It's just not going to happen, I'm sorry to say. Then again, perhaps the front office saw that the Eagles weren't going to be able to compete over the next few years and decided to get what they could for McNabb now, before the market completely dried up. That would be the only rationale that I could accept when it comes to making this trade. I still think McNabb has a bit left in his tank, and while he's never been the most accurate passer in the league, he was still able to do plenty with what he had on the Eagles, but his time is up now.
In the 11 years that McNabb was the quarterback for the Eagles, he got the team to the NFC Championship five times. However, he came up short in four of those games, giving Philadelphia fans enough of a reason to call for his head each and every time the Eagles couldn't get over the hump. The one time he did get the Eagles to the Super Bowl, he apparently was winded in the huddle during the last two minutes of the game, and that would become his legacy in Philadelphia: a player that was good, but couldn't get himself, or his team, to the promised land. It's honestly a sad way to be branded, and he doesn't deserve all of the blame. McNabb was never really liked by all Eagle fans from the day he was drafted. The idiots that booed him are probably cheering the loudest tonight, even though this team isn't going anywhere this, or next season. I hope that Kevin Kolb can fill McNabb's shoes, but I don't exactly have the highest hopes right now. I just hope that this team can prove me wrong.
McNabb won 82 games with the Eagles (though most came before the 2005 season), passed for 216 touchdowns and almost 33,000 yards and rushed for 3,249 yards with 28 touchdowns on the ground. From his first start with the Eagles, fans could see that he was something special, and through the years, he proved it again and again. Whether it was fourth and 26, a 14 second scramble against the Cowboys, or the seasons where he led the offense with James Thrash and Todd Pinkston as his starting wideouts, McNabb always made me feel like the Eagles had a chance to win the game. Whether they would or not is another story, but on this night, when Donovan McNabb is done as an Eagle, I want to remember the good times.
Donovan, I wish you nothing but the best down in Washington, and next year, and I mean this, I hope you come to Philadelphia and kick the Eagles' asses. Show this team and these fans what you can do. Best of luck, #5.
CSNPhilly.com: Eagles trade McNabb to Redskins for picks
Showing posts with label 2010 Free Agency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 Free Agency. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Brown and Gocong have left the nest
The Eagles continued to make puzzling offseason moves today, trading both Sheldon Brown and Chris Gocong to the Cleveland Browns for linebacker Alex Hall, as well as a fourth and a fifth round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. I really, really have nothing positive to say about this.
Honestly, this just screams salary dump by the Eagles in terms of Sheldon Brown. Brown had his contract issues before the season last year, then sucked it up and played one of the best seasons of is career. I stated back when Asante Samuel made the Pro Bowl and Brown didn't that Brown was the best corner that the Eagles had last year, and I'm going to stick by that. What Brown did to set himself apart from Samuel and the rest of the corners that the Eagles have is that he could tackle with the best of him. His physical play helped ease the pain a little bit from losing Brian Dawkins, and he was starting to emerge as one of the leaders on defense.
I really don't like moving Brown in this trade at all. With him and Samuel in the secondary, the Eagles had at least two good coverage players at the cornerback position. Now, they have Samuel, who likes to guess on routes and not tackle, and questions at both safety positions. Plus, who are the Eagles going to start at the other corner position? Right now, the only options are Ellis Hobbs, Joselio Hanson or Marlin Jackson, who the Eagles brought in to play safety. I've already heard some people talk about bringing Nnamdi Asomugha from the Raiders in exchange for Donovan McNabb, but that is just an idea in a trade that hasn't happened yet. There's no guarantee that trade will ever even happen, and right now, all the Eagles have is a very big hole where there used to be a great cornerback.
The kicker is that Sheldon is going to get paid, too. The only problem is that it's the Cleveland freaking Browns that are going to be the ones paying him. Cleveland needed a shutdown corner, and rather than take a risk on Joe Haden in the first round, now they have a proven corner that can tackle and had the best season of his career last year while playing with a hamstring injury. Tell me how getting rid of him helps the Eagles at all, aside from saving them the trouble of a holdout come training camp.
The Chris Gocong part of the deal, I'm ok with. It's obvious that his experiment is well past its intended success date, with Gocong never really reaching the levels that the Eagles expected him to. When he lost his starting job last season, the writing was on the wall that they were going to get rid of him, it was just a matter of whether or not they would get anything in return when they did. What they gt was Alex Hall, who started two games for the Browns in 2008, then spent most of last season on the bench or in on special teams plays. So, the Eagles basically exchanged backup linebackers with the Browns, and traded Sheldon Brown, their best corner, for a fourth and a fifth round pick.
Pardon me for asking, but what in the blue hell were these people smoking when they made this deal? Coming into this offseason, I listed everything that I thought the Eagles should do to make sure they could compete with the Dallas Cowboys going into next season. So far, all that they've done right is resign Leonard Weaver. Other than that, they've managed to let Brian Westbrook, Sheldon Brown and most of their defensive tackles go, and they're talking about trading Donovan McNabb...but only if they can get at least a high second round pick for him. The entire offseason has smelled of salary dumping and rebuilding, which is something I don't want to see the Eagles doing.
You can talk about a youth movement at the cornerback position, but quite honestly I don't like what's out there for options aside from Samuel right now. The Eagles struggled with depth at corner last season, and now, they're getting rid of their best corner. I know he wasn't going to be happy with the deal that he had left, and the Eagles weren't going to resign him with three years left on his contract, but something could have been done to keep him here. This team already has enough holes on defense, I don't think intentionally putting another one at the corner position makes much sense, but it's done now.
It has been one hell of a questionable offseason for the Eagles so far, and with the draft coming up, and a potential McNabb trade on the horizon, it's only going to raise more eyebrows. All I have to say is that the Eagles had better pull out the best draft ever, or else next season could be a very, very long year.
Oh, there is one guy that's getting a contract extension...Joe Banner. I wish I was making that up.
ESPN.com: Eagles trade Brown to Browns
Philly.com: Eagles extend Banner's contract
Honestly, this just screams salary dump by the Eagles in terms of Sheldon Brown. Brown had his contract issues before the season last year, then sucked it up and played one of the best seasons of is career. I stated back when Asante Samuel made the Pro Bowl and Brown didn't that Brown was the best corner that the Eagles had last year, and I'm going to stick by that. What Brown did to set himself apart from Samuel and the rest of the corners that the Eagles have is that he could tackle with the best of him. His physical play helped ease the pain a little bit from losing Brian Dawkins, and he was starting to emerge as one of the leaders on defense.
I really don't like moving Brown in this trade at all. With him and Samuel in the secondary, the Eagles had at least two good coverage players at the cornerback position. Now, they have Samuel, who likes to guess on routes and not tackle, and questions at both safety positions. Plus, who are the Eagles going to start at the other corner position? Right now, the only options are Ellis Hobbs, Joselio Hanson or Marlin Jackson, who the Eagles brought in to play safety. I've already heard some people talk about bringing Nnamdi Asomugha from the Raiders in exchange for Donovan McNabb, but that is just an idea in a trade that hasn't happened yet. There's no guarantee that trade will ever even happen, and right now, all the Eagles have is a very big hole where there used to be a great cornerback.
The kicker is that Sheldon is going to get paid, too. The only problem is that it's the Cleveland freaking Browns that are going to be the ones paying him. Cleveland needed a shutdown corner, and rather than take a risk on Joe Haden in the first round, now they have a proven corner that can tackle and had the best season of his career last year while playing with a hamstring injury. Tell me how getting rid of him helps the Eagles at all, aside from saving them the trouble of a holdout come training camp.
The Chris Gocong part of the deal, I'm ok with. It's obvious that his experiment is well past its intended success date, with Gocong never really reaching the levels that the Eagles expected him to. When he lost his starting job last season, the writing was on the wall that they were going to get rid of him, it was just a matter of whether or not they would get anything in return when they did. What they gt was Alex Hall, who started two games for the Browns in 2008, then spent most of last season on the bench or in on special teams plays. So, the Eagles basically exchanged backup linebackers with the Browns, and traded Sheldon Brown, their best corner, for a fourth and a fifth round pick.
Pardon me for asking, but what in the blue hell were these people smoking when they made this deal? Coming into this offseason, I listed everything that I thought the Eagles should do to make sure they could compete with the Dallas Cowboys going into next season. So far, all that they've done right is resign Leonard Weaver. Other than that, they've managed to let Brian Westbrook, Sheldon Brown and most of their defensive tackles go, and they're talking about trading Donovan McNabb...but only if they can get at least a high second round pick for him. The entire offseason has smelled of salary dumping and rebuilding, which is something I don't want to see the Eagles doing.
You can talk about a youth movement at the cornerback position, but quite honestly I don't like what's out there for options aside from Samuel right now. The Eagles struggled with depth at corner last season, and now, they're getting rid of their best corner. I know he wasn't going to be happy with the deal that he had left, and the Eagles weren't going to resign him with three years left on his contract, but something could have been done to keep him here. This team already has enough holes on defense, I don't think intentionally putting another one at the corner position makes much sense, but it's done now.
It has been one hell of a questionable offseason for the Eagles so far, and with the draft coming up, and a potential McNabb trade on the horizon, it's only going to raise more eyebrows. All I have to say is that the Eagles had better pull out the best draft ever, or else next season could be a very, very long year.
Oh, there is one guy that's getting a contract extension...Joe Banner. I wish I was making that up.
ESPN.com: Eagles trade Brown to Browns
Philly.com: Eagles extend Banner's contract
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
See you later, Shawn Andrews
In a move that was almost two years in the making, the Eagles today announced that they had released lineman Shawn Andrews, ending his six year run with the team. While some people could see the move coming, to many, it was bittersweet, as Andrews was one of the best linemen in the NFL when he was at his peak.
The only problem was that his peak was so short. After missing all but one game in 2004 with a broken leg, Andrews came back in 2005 and began to establish himself as a premier guard. In 2006, he took the next step and was named to the All Pro team, as he protected both Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia on his way to his first Pro Bowl. The next season was more of the same, as Andrews got a second straight trip to Hawaii, but then things went downhill from there.
At the end of June 2008, Andrews left the Eagles for what he called "personal reasons" that was later revealed to be a bout of depression that he was getting professional help for. When he returned to the Eagles, he was never the same. A back injury knocked him out for all but two games in the 2008 season, and despite the signing of his brother in the offseason, Andrews never returned to his former stature. He re-injured his back during training camp and was placed on injured reserve after the second week of the 2009 season. After three years where it looked like he would be one of the top guards in the NFL for the next decade, Andrews played in just two games over two seasons. The Eagles were justified in cutting him, but fans should have a bitter taste in their mouths over this one.
Andrews is always going to be one of the biggest "What-ifs" in the NFL over the past decade. Had he managed to stay healthy and keep his head on straight, I have no doubts that the Eagles would have their foundation on the offensive line for years to come. Instead, they're left with a bust of a first round pick from 2004, and Andrews is left without a team. He says he still wants to play in the NFL, but with his recent history, he's going to have to prove himself if he even wants a shot.
Best of luck to you, big man. You could have been one of the greats.
ESPN.com: Eagles release Shawn Andrews
The only problem was that his peak was so short. After missing all but one game in 2004 with a broken leg, Andrews came back in 2005 and began to establish himself as a premier guard. In 2006, he took the next step and was named to the All Pro team, as he protected both Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia on his way to his first Pro Bowl. The next season was more of the same, as Andrews got a second straight trip to Hawaii, but then things went downhill from there.
At the end of June 2008, Andrews left the Eagles for what he called "personal reasons" that was later revealed to be a bout of depression that he was getting professional help for. When he returned to the Eagles, he was never the same. A back injury knocked him out for all but two games in the 2008 season, and despite the signing of his brother in the offseason, Andrews never returned to his former stature. He re-injured his back during training camp and was placed on injured reserve after the second week of the 2009 season. After three years where it looked like he would be one of the top guards in the NFL for the next decade, Andrews played in just two games over two seasons. The Eagles were justified in cutting him, but fans should have a bitter taste in their mouths over this one.
Andrews is always going to be one of the biggest "What-ifs" in the NFL over the past decade. Had he managed to stay healthy and keep his head on straight, I have no doubts that the Eagles would have their foundation on the offensive line for years to come. Instead, they're left with a bust of a first round pick from 2004, and Andrews is left without a team. He says he still wants to play in the NFL, but with his recent history, he's going to have to prove himself if he even wants a shot.
Best of luck to you, big man. You could have been one of the greats.
ESPN.com: Eagles release Shawn Andrews
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
More Eagles free agency news
I'll be the first to admit that the Eagles haven't exactly set the world on fire during this free agency period, but with baseball on the horizon, the Birds did their best today to keep their names in the conversation. First, they sent Chris Clemons and a fourth round pick to Seattle for defensive end Darryl Tapp, and then, running back Mike Bell agreed to the offer sheet that the Eagles gave him.
I'll start with the trade for Tapp first. Though I don't think anyone is going to miss Chris Clemons in Philadelphia, trading both him and a fourth round pick for a guy that had just two sacks last season seems a little bit high of a price to me. Yes, Tapp is three and a half years younger than Clemons, but his best season was two years ago, and that year, he had four of his seven sacks in a single game. In 2008, he recorded 5.5 sacks, and last year, he had just 2.5. I don't like the decrease in numbers one bit when it comes to rushing the quarterback, but I do like the fact that Tapp is a bigger guy, and seems to be much more adept at stopping the run than Clemons ever was. While Clemons was more of a linebacker/end combination, Tapp is strictly a defensive lineman, weighing in at about 270 pounds. He recorded 49 tackles last season, and while I don't see him as much more than another rotational lineman, he still has a chance to make an impact opposite Trent Cole. That much I do like.
Then, we come to the Mike Bell offer sheet. Ever since Duce Staley left, people have been clamoring for the Eagles to sign a big back to pick up the short yards when they matter the most. Well, it looks like they've finally listened. Bell weighs in at 225 pounds and played a part in the Saints winning the Super Bowl last season, rushing for 654 yards and five touchdowns. You might remember him from the second week of the season, when he pounded the Eagles for 86 yards and a touchdown. He certainly wouldn't be the number one back with the Eagles, but he would be nice to see in the backfield on a third and one or two situation.
Of course, the Saints still have a week to match the offer sheet that the Eagles gave Bell, and at one year and $1.7 million, it's not going to break the bank for New Orleans to do that. However, with both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush still under contract, I don't know how much the Saints want to keep all three of their running backs from last season. Bell certainly looks like the odd man out, and if the Saints don't match the offer, then he would come to the Eagles without any sort of draft compensation going back to New Orleans. As far as I'm concerned, that's actually the best part about this potential deal. Rather than have to give up a draft pick for what could basically be seen as a third down back, the Eagles could get him for just under $2 million for next season, and with Bell, Leonard Weaver and LeSean McCoy in the backfield, all of a sudden, the Eagles look even better at the running back position. Bell will be turning 27 years old before the start of the 2010 season, but with only 348 carries in his entire pro career, I don't see age being as much of a factor here as it was with Brian Westbrook.
Hopefully, the Saints don't match the offer sheet for Bell. I'd enjoy seeing him in Eagles green, at least for one season. Besides, it would give us Eagles fans something to be happy about in a relatively dull offseason so far.
ESPN.com: Eagles trade Clemons to Seattle for Tapp, Bell agrees to Eagles deal
I'll start with the trade for Tapp first. Though I don't think anyone is going to miss Chris Clemons in Philadelphia, trading both him and a fourth round pick for a guy that had just two sacks last season seems a little bit high of a price to me. Yes, Tapp is three and a half years younger than Clemons, but his best season was two years ago, and that year, he had four of his seven sacks in a single game. In 2008, he recorded 5.5 sacks, and last year, he had just 2.5. I don't like the decrease in numbers one bit when it comes to rushing the quarterback, but I do like the fact that Tapp is a bigger guy, and seems to be much more adept at stopping the run than Clemons ever was. While Clemons was more of a linebacker/end combination, Tapp is strictly a defensive lineman, weighing in at about 270 pounds. He recorded 49 tackles last season, and while I don't see him as much more than another rotational lineman, he still has a chance to make an impact opposite Trent Cole. That much I do like.
Then, we come to the Mike Bell offer sheet. Ever since Duce Staley left, people have been clamoring for the Eagles to sign a big back to pick up the short yards when they matter the most. Well, it looks like they've finally listened. Bell weighs in at 225 pounds and played a part in the Saints winning the Super Bowl last season, rushing for 654 yards and five touchdowns. You might remember him from the second week of the season, when he pounded the Eagles for 86 yards and a touchdown. He certainly wouldn't be the number one back with the Eagles, but he would be nice to see in the backfield on a third and one or two situation.
Of course, the Saints still have a week to match the offer sheet that the Eagles gave Bell, and at one year and $1.7 million, it's not going to break the bank for New Orleans to do that. However, with both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush still under contract, I don't know how much the Saints want to keep all three of their running backs from last season. Bell certainly looks like the odd man out, and if the Saints don't match the offer, then he would come to the Eagles without any sort of draft compensation going back to New Orleans. As far as I'm concerned, that's actually the best part about this potential deal. Rather than have to give up a draft pick for what could basically be seen as a third down back, the Eagles could get him for just under $2 million for next season, and with Bell, Leonard Weaver and LeSean McCoy in the backfield, all of a sudden, the Eagles look even better at the running back position. Bell will be turning 27 years old before the start of the 2010 season, but with only 348 carries in his entire pro career, I don't see age being as much of a factor here as it was with Brian Westbrook.
Hopefully, the Saints don't match the offer sheet for Bell. I'd enjoy seeing him in Eagles green, at least for one season. Besides, it would give us Eagles fans something to be happy about in a relatively dull offseason so far.
ESPN.com: Eagles trade Clemons to Seattle for Tapp, Bell agrees to Eagles deal
Monday, March 8, 2010
Hey, it's Eagles Wide Receiver News!
No, they didn't trade for Anquan Boldin, or sign Terrell Owens (though that would make the news, wouldn't it?), but the Eagles did make a couple of moves at wideout today. First, they resigned Jason Avant to a five year extension, and then they followed that up by trading Reggie Brown to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a sixth round pick in 2011.
The Jason Avant deal is a nice one, because he's coming off of his best season to date, and has become one of Donovan McNabb's favorite targets on third downs. Last year, Avant caught 41 passes for 587 yards and three touchdowns, which are very solid numbers for a number three receiver. He fits perfectly into the Eagles' system, and I don't think I've ever heard him complain about getting the ball or anything of that nature. He knows his role with the team, and he fills it very well.
With Avant here for the next five years, and DeSean Jackson hopefully getting a new, long term deal, the Eagles are going to have their top three wideouts signed for the future, which is a very good thing, especially when they make the move to Kevin Kolb. Having an established set of receivers can only help a young quarterback along, and that's what the Eagles seem to be putting in place right now. You can't go wrong with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant and Brent Celek out there on offense. It's a winning combination of receivers and tight ends that are only going to get even better as time goes on.
Where the Eagles did go wrong was with Reggie Brown, and today, they tried to at least make good on their missteps. Brown was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today for a sixth round pick, ending his five year career in Philadelphia. After putting up decent numbers as a starter in 2006 and 2007, Brown's production dropped, as did his playing time, as the Eagles brought in other wide receivers. Some would argue that Brown never really did get a fair shake when the Eagles got Kevin Curtis and drafted DeSean Jackson, but at the same time, he needed to make the most of his chances, and he couldn't do that. What he did instead was play in just 17 games over the past two seasons, catching 27 passes for 407 yards and just one touchdown. Those numbers aren't going to keep you around, I don't care who you are.
Quite simply, Reggie Brown wore out his welcome in Philadelphia. After his two decent seasons, the Eagles rewarded him with a five year contract extension, and it never worked out. The fans turned on him for making his money without putting up the same numbers that he was producing before his contract, and once you lose the fans in this city, it can be very, very hard to get them back on your side. Reggie was never able to do that, and now he's gone. I don't know how he's going to do in Tampa, but I at least hope that he can produce a little bit better than he did with the Eagles these past two years. He needed a change, and now he has one.
I wish I had more to write about during free agency, but so far, the Eagles haven't done a damn thing, aside from the Jason Avant and Leonard Weaver contract extensions. Dammit guys, give me something to write about!
CSNPhilly.com: Eagles Give Avant Extension, Trade Brown
The Jason Avant deal is a nice one, because he's coming off of his best season to date, and has become one of Donovan McNabb's favorite targets on third downs. Last year, Avant caught 41 passes for 587 yards and three touchdowns, which are very solid numbers for a number three receiver. He fits perfectly into the Eagles' system, and I don't think I've ever heard him complain about getting the ball or anything of that nature. He knows his role with the team, and he fills it very well.
With Avant here for the next five years, and DeSean Jackson hopefully getting a new, long term deal, the Eagles are going to have their top three wideouts signed for the future, which is a very good thing, especially when they make the move to Kevin Kolb. Having an established set of receivers can only help a young quarterback along, and that's what the Eagles seem to be putting in place right now. You can't go wrong with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant and Brent Celek out there on offense. It's a winning combination of receivers and tight ends that are only going to get even better as time goes on.
Where the Eagles did go wrong was with Reggie Brown, and today, they tried to at least make good on their missteps. Brown was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today for a sixth round pick, ending his five year career in Philadelphia. After putting up decent numbers as a starter in 2006 and 2007, Brown's production dropped, as did his playing time, as the Eagles brought in other wide receivers. Some would argue that Brown never really did get a fair shake when the Eagles got Kevin Curtis and drafted DeSean Jackson, but at the same time, he needed to make the most of his chances, and he couldn't do that. What he did instead was play in just 17 games over the past two seasons, catching 27 passes for 407 yards and just one touchdown. Those numbers aren't going to keep you around, I don't care who you are.
Quite simply, Reggie Brown wore out his welcome in Philadelphia. After his two decent seasons, the Eagles rewarded him with a five year contract extension, and it never worked out. The fans turned on him for making his money without putting up the same numbers that he was producing before his contract, and once you lose the fans in this city, it can be very, very hard to get them back on your side. Reggie was never able to do that, and now he's gone. I don't know how he's going to do in Tampa, but I at least hope that he can produce a little bit better than he did with the Eagles these past two years. He needed a change, and now he has one.
I wish I had more to write about during free agency, but so far, the Eagles haven't done a damn thing, aside from the Jason Avant and Leonard Weaver contract extensions. Dammit guys, give me something to write about!
CSNPhilly.com: Eagles Give Avant Extension, Trade Brown
Friday, March 5, 2010
Free Agency Has Begun
So, the first 18+ hours of the NFL free agency period have now come and gone, and while the Eagles haven't made any major moves, they've done a little bit of spring cleaning inside the organization.
The most important move that they made today was resigning Leonard Weaver to a three year contract worth between $11 and $12 million, according to CSNPhilly.com. This was a move that I said before had to be done. The Eagles finally found their fullback with Weaver, and to let him go after just a single season would have been insane. Weaver was named to the All-Pro team last year, and even showed that he could spell LeSean McCoy as a starting running back if he had to. Throughout the Andy Reid era, the Eagles have been through more fullbacks than I even want to remember. Jon Ritchie, Tony Hunt, Thomas Tapeh and Cecil Martin are just a few of them, but none came close to having the season that Leonard Weaver had last year. Sure, the deal makes Weaver one of the highest paid fullbacks ever, but he deserves it. This was a necessary and smart move by the Eagles.
The moves continued later in the day, as Andy Schwartz reported the Birds had cut linebacker Will Witherspoon. This move comes as a bit of a surprise to me, not because of who was released, but what position he plays. Cutting Witherspoon is going to save the Eagles about $5 million next season, and the Eagles also believe that their young core of linebackers, headed by a healthy Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan, can pull the team out of the muck that last season had at that position. Witherspoon certainly wouldn't have been happy in a backup position, and I don't think the Eagles wanted to pay a backup linebacker $5 million to play special teams. Plus, after a great first game against Washington, Witherspoon's production dropped off, and the Eagles moved him from middle linebacker to weakside, which is where he played for the Rams. The only issue that I have with this move is that the Eagles were so bad at linebacker last season, it couldn't hurt to keep Witherspoon around until training camp and then see if you could get something for him. I mean, the Eagles gave up Brandon Gibson and a fifth round pick to get Witherspoon, and now they just straight cut him after 10 games. It doesn't make much sense to me.
Then comes the move that the Eagles really didn't get a chance to make. As soon as I heard that Julius Peppers was visiting Chicago, I knew that the Bears wouldn't let him leave without signing a contract. That's exactly what happened today, as Peppers signed a six year deal with Chicago. There were rumblings that he would have been coming to Philadelphia for a visit if he couldn't reach a deal with the Bears, but honestly, I think that might have just been posturing on his agent's part. The Eagles did make an offer to Peppers, but once Chicago got him to visit first, it was all over. I can't fault the Eagles for apparently making an attempt, but it wasn't good enough to bring him in. The Bears were desperate for any sort of help, and considering they don't have a first, or second round pick in the draft, they had to do it through free agency. Unfortunately, that leaves the Eagles picking at the scraps of what's left in the free agent pool when it comes to defensive end. I don't think that Aaron Kampman is going to be signed by the Eagles. He's coming off of an ACL injury, and after the Stacey Andrews debacle, there's no way that the Birds go after another player with the same type of injury. Kampman is good, but I don't think it's going to happen, and he's not on the level of a Julius Peppers.
What I want to see the Eagles do now is go after one of the free safeties that is still out there on the market. Darren Sharper may be 34 years old, but everyone saw how well he played for the Saints last season. I'd love to see the Eagles try and make a move for him, but I think his age might seriously be a factor there as well. Remember, Brian Dawkins got to walk last year, and he was 35, so I don't know how much attraction would be there for another older safety. Of course, all anyone working for the Eagles has to do is look at the tape of Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps from last year, and that should be all they need to go after Sharper. If he's not in the cards, then I say they have to go for Ryan Clark, the safety from Pittsburgh. He can tackle and play decent coverage, two things that the Eagles were lacking from their secondary for much of last season. Regardless, something has to be done aside from signing their own players. This team just can't sit back and wait for the draft.
Oh, and I'm not going to touch the Andy Reid blocking a Donovan McNabb trade. No way. I want to hear it from someone actually involved, first.
The most important move that they made today was resigning Leonard Weaver to a three year contract worth between $11 and $12 million, according to CSNPhilly.com. This was a move that I said before had to be done. The Eagles finally found their fullback with Weaver, and to let him go after just a single season would have been insane. Weaver was named to the All-Pro team last year, and even showed that he could spell LeSean McCoy as a starting running back if he had to. Throughout the Andy Reid era, the Eagles have been through more fullbacks than I even want to remember. Jon Ritchie, Tony Hunt, Thomas Tapeh and Cecil Martin are just a few of them, but none came close to having the season that Leonard Weaver had last year. Sure, the deal makes Weaver one of the highest paid fullbacks ever, but he deserves it. This was a necessary and smart move by the Eagles.
The moves continued later in the day, as Andy Schwartz reported the Birds had cut linebacker Will Witherspoon. This move comes as a bit of a surprise to me, not because of who was released, but what position he plays. Cutting Witherspoon is going to save the Eagles about $5 million next season, and the Eagles also believe that their young core of linebackers, headed by a healthy Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan, can pull the team out of the muck that last season had at that position. Witherspoon certainly wouldn't have been happy in a backup position, and I don't think the Eagles wanted to pay a backup linebacker $5 million to play special teams. Plus, after a great first game against Washington, Witherspoon's production dropped off, and the Eagles moved him from middle linebacker to weakside, which is where he played for the Rams. The only issue that I have with this move is that the Eagles were so bad at linebacker last season, it couldn't hurt to keep Witherspoon around until training camp and then see if you could get something for him. I mean, the Eagles gave up Brandon Gibson and a fifth round pick to get Witherspoon, and now they just straight cut him after 10 games. It doesn't make much sense to me.
Then comes the move that the Eagles really didn't get a chance to make. As soon as I heard that Julius Peppers was visiting Chicago, I knew that the Bears wouldn't let him leave without signing a contract. That's exactly what happened today, as Peppers signed a six year deal with Chicago. There were rumblings that he would have been coming to Philadelphia for a visit if he couldn't reach a deal with the Bears, but honestly, I think that might have just been posturing on his agent's part. The Eagles did make an offer to Peppers, but once Chicago got him to visit first, it was all over. I can't fault the Eagles for apparently making an attempt, but it wasn't good enough to bring him in. The Bears were desperate for any sort of help, and considering they don't have a first, or second round pick in the draft, they had to do it through free agency. Unfortunately, that leaves the Eagles picking at the scraps of what's left in the free agent pool when it comes to defensive end. I don't think that Aaron Kampman is going to be signed by the Eagles. He's coming off of an ACL injury, and after the Stacey Andrews debacle, there's no way that the Birds go after another player with the same type of injury. Kampman is good, but I don't think it's going to happen, and he's not on the level of a Julius Peppers.
What I want to see the Eagles do now is go after one of the free safeties that is still out there on the market. Darren Sharper may be 34 years old, but everyone saw how well he played for the Saints last season. I'd love to see the Eagles try and make a move for him, but I think his age might seriously be a factor there as well. Remember, Brian Dawkins got to walk last year, and he was 35, so I don't know how much attraction would be there for another older safety. Of course, all anyone working for the Eagles has to do is look at the tape of Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps from last year, and that should be all they need to go after Sharper. If he's not in the cards, then I say they have to go for Ryan Clark, the safety from Pittsburgh. He can tackle and play decent coverage, two things that the Eagles were lacking from their secondary for much of last season. Regardless, something has to be done aside from signing their own players. This team just can't sit back and wait for the draft.
Oh, and I'm not going to touch the Andy Reid blocking a Donovan McNabb trade. No way. I want to hear it from someone actually involved, first.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Eagles Cut Brian Westbrook
It's been a little while since the Eagles made some noise, but today, they certainly did that. As of 3:00 this afternoon, Brian Westbrook is no longer an Eagle, as he was released by the team today.
Ever since Duce Staley left the Eagles back in 2004, Westbrook was the main weapon on offense, both out of the backfield as a runner, as well as in the open field as a receiving threat. He could make moves on top of moves in his prime, and he actually led the NFL in yards from scrimmage back in 2007. He made the rest of the running game better, and was always a step or two away from breaking a big play.
However, time had not been kind to Westbrook, especially this last season. He never played a full 16 game regular season, as he always missed at least a game or two due to injuries, and this year, the wheels fell off. Westbrook was bothered by ankle and knee injuries, as well as suffering multiple concussions that allowed him to only play in eight games. Though he was only 5'8", Westbrook was also one of the best blocking running backs in the NFL, and he was one of the smartest players on the entire team. I'll never forget him taking a knee at the one yard line against Dallas two years ago.
He was also an explosive punt returner in the early part of his Eagles career, and even when he became the starter, Andy would still put him back there, every once and a while, just to keep opponents on their toes and make the fans think that he could break another big one, just like he did against the Giants back in 2003. The truth is, I could go on for hours about all that Westbrook did, but I'm not going to do that. It would take far too long, and, unfortunately, I think this was the right decision.
Last season, Westbrook clearly didn't have the same speed that he used to have, even before the concussions. When a smaller running back loses his speed, there isn't much left that he can do for a team. Add onto that the fact that he was supposed to make over $7 million next season, and it was a perfect storm for him to be let go. As much as it hurts to see him leave, and more than likely play in another city, it had to be done. He had just 274 rushing yards and a touchdown last season, and while LeSean McCoy could have benefited from another season of learning from Westbrook, I think he'll be fine as the starter coming into next season. As soon as the Eagles drafted McCoy, I thought the writing was on the wall that Westbrook would be gone sooner, rather than later.
For his entire college and professional career, Westbrook has been in Philadelphia. He starred at Villanova, and was probably Andy Reid's best pick ever in the draft, getting nabbed in the third round by the Eagles back in 2002 to do basically what LeSean McCoy is going to have to do now: replace a popular running back. In Westbrook's case, it was Duce Staley. The shoes are a little bigger for McCoy to fill, as Westbrook was, without a doubt, one of the most popular Eagles of this, or any other, era. He never got into trouble, his name was never in the papers unless it was about how he played, and he was one of the most explosive players that I've ever seen in his prime. It's going to hurt not seeing him in the backfield any more, or knowing the Donovan isn't going to have the swing pass to #36 out in the flat as an option, but the time was right to move on.
Best of luck to you for the rest of your career, Brian. I've got your jersey, and I'm going to keep wearing it for a long time to come.
Philly.com: Westbrook era over
Ever since Duce Staley left the Eagles back in 2004, Westbrook was the main weapon on offense, both out of the backfield as a runner, as well as in the open field as a receiving threat. He could make moves on top of moves in his prime, and he actually led the NFL in yards from scrimmage back in 2007. He made the rest of the running game better, and was always a step or two away from breaking a big play.
However, time had not been kind to Westbrook, especially this last season. He never played a full 16 game regular season, as he always missed at least a game or two due to injuries, and this year, the wheels fell off. Westbrook was bothered by ankle and knee injuries, as well as suffering multiple concussions that allowed him to only play in eight games. Though he was only 5'8", Westbrook was also one of the best blocking running backs in the NFL, and he was one of the smartest players on the entire team. I'll never forget him taking a knee at the one yard line against Dallas two years ago.
He was also an explosive punt returner in the early part of his Eagles career, and even when he became the starter, Andy would still put him back there, every once and a while, just to keep opponents on their toes and make the fans think that he could break another big one, just like he did against the Giants back in 2003. The truth is, I could go on for hours about all that Westbrook did, but I'm not going to do that. It would take far too long, and, unfortunately, I think this was the right decision.
Last season, Westbrook clearly didn't have the same speed that he used to have, even before the concussions. When a smaller running back loses his speed, there isn't much left that he can do for a team. Add onto that the fact that he was supposed to make over $7 million next season, and it was a perfect storm for him to be let go. As much as it hurts to see him leave, and more than likely play in another city, it had to be done. He had just 274 rushing yards and a touchdown last season, and while LeSean McCoy could have benefited from another season of learning from Westbrook, I think he'll be fine as the starter coming into next season. As soon as the Eagles drafted McCoy, I thought the writing was on the wall that Westbrook would be gone sooner, rather than later.
For his entire college and professional career, Westbrook has been in Philadelphia. He starred at Villanova, and was probably Andy Reid's best pick ever in the draft, getting nabbed in the third round by the Eagles back in 2002 to do basically what LeSean McCoy is going to have to do now: replace a popular running back. In Westbrook's case, it was Duce Staley. The shoes are a little bigger for McCoy to fill, as Westbrook was, without a doubt, one of the most popular Eagles of this, or any other, era. He never got into trouble, his name was never in the papers unless it was about how he played, and he was one of the most explosive players that I've ever seen in his prime. It's going to hurt not seeing him in the backfield any more, or knowing the Donovan isn't going to have the swing pass to #36 out in the flat as an option, but the time was right to move on.
Best of luck to you for the rest of your career, Brian. I've got your jersey, and I'm going to keep wearing it for a long time to come.
Philly.com: Westbrook era over
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Phillies are Getting Deals Done
In the vast wasteland that is January and February in Philadelphia once the Eagles have been knocked out of the playoffs, the Phillies are once again in the news. While the moves that they made today are nothing amazing, they're quite important for keeping the team that's been to back to back World Series together.
First, they announced that Joe Blanton had been signed to a three year, $24 million extension, keeping him in red pinstripes until 2012. I said it last year during the playoffs, but over the entire season, there was no pitcher for the Phillies that was as consistent as Joe Blanton. He's never going to be a pitcher that's going to go out and win 20 games, but if you're looking for a guy that's going to come out and win 12-15 games with an ERA around 4.00, then that's exactly what you're going to get in Blanton. He had asked for $10 million in arbitration, and the Phillies had come back with a $7.5 million offer. Instead of having him sign a one year deal, he's locked up for the long term now, and that gives the Phillies four pitchers now signed through the 2012 season.
There is the obvious question that some people are asking: why couldn't the Phillies do this with Cliff Lee instead of Joe Blanton? Well, the first thing is that Cliff Lee wasn't going to want just $24 million over three years. It seemed obvious to me that he was going to want much, much more than that, and over a longer span, meaning that if he ended up reverting back to the Cliff Lee of 2007, when he spent most of the year in the minors and was left off of Cleveland's postseason roster, the Phillies would be stuck with a very expensive contract. Throw in the fact that the Roy Halladay trade almost cleaned out the Phillies' minor league system, and they needed to trade Lee to get some of those prospects back, which is exactly what I argued in my first post about the situation. Honestly, with Halladay, J.A. Happ and hopefully a 100% Cole Hamels at the top of the rotation, I'll take Joe Blanton for three years over Cliff Lee for one. That's just how that works out.
The other move the Phillies made today was extending Shane Victorino for three more years through the 2012 season. The contract is reportedly for $22 million over the span of the three years, and will keep the Phillies with a Gold Glove caliber centerfielder, which is something very few teams in baseball can boast about having. While I don't feel like this move was as important as signing Joe Blanton to a long term deal, there is certainly plenty of merit to this deal as well.
First and foremost, this move helps keep the Phillies stable in the outfield for at least the next two years. Raul Ibanez isn't going anywhere until his contract is up, and Jayson Werth is a free agent after next season. As much as I would love to see Werth spend the rest of his career in Philadelphia, the smart money has him taking a big money contract from another team. The 2011 free agent class is very shallow in the outfield, and if Werth can pull off another season like he had in 2009, he's going to be the Jason Bay of the next offseason. With Victorino locked up, the Phillies can afford to call up Domonic Brown for 2011. By all accounts, Brown will be ready to play in the majors after next season, and while Werth has certainly made the most of his time in Philadelphia, it seems like 2010 will be his last as a Phillie. Either way, Victorino now doesn't have to worry about where he's going to be playing the next three years. It'll be nice to watch him out in center, especially with that defense that he has.
With two of the last three arbitration eligible players locked up for the Phillies now, there's only one left to go, and it looks like he's on Ruben Amaro's list. According to Assistant GM Scott Proefrock, the Phillies are working on a long term deal for catcher Carlos Ruiz, and they hope to have it done within a week. I sure hope that gets done, because even though he's not an offensive force, Carlos is an outstanding defensive catcher, and the work he does with the pitchers can not be forgotten.
CSNPhilly: Phillies Ink Blanton to deal
ESPN: Phillies sign Victorino to three year contract
First, they announced that Joe Blanton had been signed to a three year, $24 million extension, keeping him in red pinstripes until 2012. I said it last year during the playoffs, but over the entire season, there was no pitcher for the Phillies that was as consistent as Joe Blanton. He's never going to be a pitcher that's going to go out and win 20 games, but if you're looking for a guy that's going to come out and win 12-15 games with an ERA around 4.00, then that's exactly what you're going to get in Blanton. He had asked for $10 million in arbitration, and the Phillies had come back with a $7.5 million offer. Instead of having him sign a one year deal, he's locked up for the long term now, and that gives the Phillies four pitchers now signed through the 2012 season.
There is the obvious question that some people are asking: why couldn't the Phillies do this with Cliff Lee instead of Joe Blanton? Well, the first thing is that Cliff Lee wasn't going to want just $24 million over three years. It seemed obvious to me that he was going to want much, much more than that, and over a longer span, meaning that if he ended up reverting back to the Cliff Lee of 2007, when he spent most of the year in the minors and was left off of Cleveland's postseason roster, the Phillies would be stuck with a very expensive contract. Throw in the fact that the Roy Halladay trade almost cleaned out the Phillies' minor league system, and they needed to trade Lee to get some of those prospects back, which is exactly what I argued in my first post about the situation. Honestly, with Halladay, J.A. Happ and hopefully a 100% Cole Hamels at the top of the rotation, I'll take Joe Blanton for three years over Cliff Lee for one. That's just how that works out.
The other move the Phillies made today was extending Shane Victorino for three more years through the 2012 season. The contract is reportedly for $22 million over the span of the three years, and will keep the Phillies with a Gold Glove caliber centerfielder, which is something very few teams in baseball can boast about having. While I don't feel like this move was as important as signing Joe Blanton to a long term deal, there is certainly plenty of merit to this deal as well.
First and foremost, this move helps keep the Phillies stable in the outfield for at least the next two years. Raul Ibanez isn't going anywhere until his contract is up, and Jayson Werth is a free agent after next season. As much as I would love to see Werth spend the rest of his career in Philadelphia, the smart money has him taking a big money contract from another team. The 2011 free agent class is very shallow in the outfield, and if Werth can pull off another season like he had in 2009, he's going to be the Jason Bay of the next offseason. With Victorino locked up, the Phillies can afford to call up Domonic Brown for 2011. By all accounts, Brown will be ready to play in the majors after next season, and while Werth has certainly made the most of his time in Philadelphia, it seems like 2010 will be his last as a Phillie. Either way, Victorino now doesn't have to worry about where he's going to be playing the next three years. It'll be nice to watch him out in center, especially with that defense that he has.
With two of the last three arbitration eligible players locked up for the Phillies now, there's only one left to go, and it looks like he's on Ruben Amaro's list. According to Assistant GM Scott Proefrock, the Phillies are working on a long term deal for catcher Carlos Ruiz, and they hope to have it done within a week. I sure hope that gets done, because even though he's not an offensive force, Carlos is an outstanding defensive catcher, and the work he does with the pitchers can not be forgotten.
CSNPhilly: Phillies Ink Blanton to deal
ESPN: Phillies sign Victorino to three year contract
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Ed Wade Really Loves His Old Players, Doesn't He?
The Brett Myers free agent train has pulled into the station, and I'm really not surprised where he ended up. After the Phillies decided not to bring him back, Myers looked around for about a month, and has landed with the Houston Astros. Who happens to be the general manager of the Astros? Why none other than Ed Wade, the same guy that drafted Myers and brought him up to the major leagues back in 2002. Wade really does seem to love former Phillies, what with him having Pedro Feliz, Chris Coste, Michael Bourn and now Brett Myers.
While Brett never really found his true potential with the Phils, he was never short on moments. He was on the mound when the Phillies completed their comeback and won the NL East in 2007, and then found his bat during Game 2 of the 2008 NLCS, picking up as many hits (three) in the game as he had hit all season. He'll always be remembered in my mind as one of the best players down the stretch for the 2008 World Champion Phillies and for striking out Wily Mo Pena, but other than that...he never reached the peak of what could have been a very good career with the Phils. I wish him the best of luck down in Houston, because I get the feeling he's going to need it.
ESPN.com: Houston Astros sign RHP Myers
While Brett never really found his true potential with the Phils, he was never short on moments. He was on the mound when the Phillies completed their comeback and won the NL East in 2007, and then found his bat during Game 2 of the 2008 NLCS, picking up as many hits (three) in the game as he had hit all season. He'll always be remembered in my mind as one of the best players down the stretch for the 2008 World Champion Phillies and for striking out Wily Mo Pena, but other than that...he never reached the peak of what could have been a very good career with the Phils. I wish him the best of luck down in Houston, because I get the feeling he's going to need it.
ESPN.com: Houston Astros sign RHP Myers
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
The Phillies Make Some Noise At the Winter Meetings...ok, Maybe a Little Noise
That's right, while the Yankees, Tigers and Diamondbacks were busy trading young players back and forth, and Chone Figgins was shocking me by signing with Seattle, the Phillies went out and made a splash of their own. No, it's not Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, but in all honesty it was an important move. Today, the Phillies reached a deal with infielder Ross Gload, bringing him to to round out the bench. The deal is pending a physical, but it looks like it's all but set in stone, and Gload will be a Phillie for the next two years.
Last year with the Marlins, Ross Gload led the majors in pinch hits with 21, and hit .261 with six home runs and 30 RBI. He's a bit of a journeyman, having played for Florida, Colorado, Kansas City and the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, but he's a solid bat to have off the bench, and he gives the Phillies a lot more depth than they had last year in terms of bench players. He can play both first base and in the outfield, and did both with the Marlins last year.
So, it looks like the Phils have their bench situation taken care of at this point. Paul Bako, Eric Bruntlett, Matt Stairs and Miguel Cairo are out. Replacing them are Ross Gload, Brian Schneider and Juan Castro, and they will join Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco who are holdovers from this past season. Go ahead, look at that bench now. At least tell me it looks better than last year's, because in my mind, it really does. All that's left to do now is work on fixing up the bullpen issues that are present, and this team could be primed for another deep run into October. I certainly wouldn't mind that.
ESPN.com: Phillies, Gload agree to deal
Last year with the Marlins, Ross Gload led the majors in pinch hits with 21, and hit .261 with six home runs and 30 RBI. He's a bit of a journeyman, having played for Florida, Colorado, Kansas City and the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, but he's a solid bat to have off the bench, and he gives the Phillies a lot more depth than they had last year in terms of bench players. He can play both first base and in the outfield, and did both with the Marlins last year.
So, it looks like the Phils have their bench situation taken care of at this point. Paul Bako, Eric Bruntlett, Matt Stairs and Miguel Cairo are out. Replacing them are Ross Gload, Brian Schneider and Juan Castro, and they will join Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco who are holdovers from this past season. Go ahead, look at that bench now. At least tell me it looks better than last year's, because in my mind, it really does. All that's left to do now is work on fixing up the bullpen issues that are present, and this team could be primed for another deep run into October. I certainly wouldn't mind that.
ESPN.com: Phillies, Gload agree to deal
Friday, November 6, 2009
Brett Myers Will Not Be Resigned
I'm sure you've heard by now, but just two days after the Phillies lost the World Series, the blocks are already starting to fall on some of the players. According to Jim Salisbury, Myers was told today by Ruben Amaro Jr. that the Phillies will not be offering him a contract when the right hander enters free agency. Myers had been with the team since the Phils drafted him in the first round back in 1999, if you can believe that, and the 29 year old will be playing for someone else next season.
Myers never reached the levels of success that the Phillies front office thought he could achieve, but I still remember having a lot of hope for him after his 14 win season in 2003. He finishes his Phillies career with a record of 73-63, with 21 saves. I'm always one to believe that every team needs at least one drunken redneck around, and without Brett Myers, the Phillies need to at least attempt to fill that void. He wasn't the best pitcher, or the most likable for some of the things that he did, but I always enjoyed watching him pitch, just because you could never know if he was going to have one of those amazing games.
As he told Ruben Amaro today: "OK, thanks for putting up with my shit." That pretty much sums him up in a nutshell. I know I'll miss you, Brett. For four years, you were the only pitcher I saw when I went to Phillies games. I don't know what I'm going to do now. Best of luck to you, wherever you end up...unless it's Atlanta.
Phillies Zone: Myers will not return to Phillies
Myers never reached the levels of success that the Phillies front office thought he could achieve, but I still remember having a lot of hope for him after his 14 win season in 2003. He finishes his Phillies career with a record of 73-63, with 21 saves. I'm always one to believe that every team needs at least one drunken redneck around, and without Brett Myers, the Phillies need to at least attempt to fill that void. He wasn't the best pitcher, or the most likable for some of the things that he did, but I always enjoyed watching him pitch, just because you could never know if he was going to have one of those amazing games.
As he told Ruben Amaro today: "OK, thanks for putting up with my shit." That pretty much sums him up in a nutshell. I know I'll miss you, Brett. For four years, you were the only pitcher I saw when I went to Phillies games. I don't know what I'm going to do now. Best of luck to you, wherever you end up...unless it's Atlanta.
Phillies Zone: Myers will not return to Phillies
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