One of the great things about my job and working at RCN is our involvement in the local community.  I’m very proud that RCN sponsors so many community events and our staff spends countless hours participating in charity functions and activities throughout the year.  I was also thrilled to hear that our own “SportsTalk” show gets to play a small part in a fund raising event going on this summer with our shows from Buffalo Wild Wings in Whitehall, PA .

I also have the good fortune to speak with young students from the college level down through middle schools, discussing the broadcasting industry, sports of all sorts, and on working in today’s fast-paced media environment.  One of my favorite experiences is being asked to participate in charity sports events…and I had that pleasure once again very recently, thanks to the Diocese of Allentown.

Each year they have a “Catholic Schools Week,” in which many events take place highlighting students’ abilities during the five–day stretch.  I participated again this year in their annual “celebrity” (and I DO use that term lightly) basketball game, playing against up-and-coming basketball talents—as well as teachers and administrators—from their Sacred Heart Middle School.  Our team was comprised of local head basketball coaches, including new Dieruff Head Coach Joe Jarjous (who was raining-in three-point shots all afternoon), politicians and media members. 

In addition to getting great exercise (the other team seems to gets better every year), I get an opportunity to get a sneak peak and do some scouting for the not-too-distant-future Central Catholic high school  team—a program we see regularly on our RCN-TV broadcasts.  I know the Vikings had a good year this past season, but  this year’s group of young athletes might just be the best collection of basketball players I’ve seen at this event.  If the players I saw continue to work hard and play like they did against us (I know, we’re not the toughest competition in the world), Central Catholic will definitely be in the conversation of league favorites in the next couple of seasons.

More importantly, this event is an opportunity to meet young people up-close-and-personal and get to talk with them.   It’s wonderful to hear students’ great achievements from their teachers and administrators, and to interact with a new generation of wonderful people.  Here are some of the photos from this year’s event.

If, by chance, you’re looking for photos of  me, or video of my “highlights” (and I also use that term EXTREMELY lightly), I’m saddened to report that those files were destroyed by a rapidly moving fire outdoors behind my office.   And the final score is not important and should take a back seat to just enjoying the experience (yes, we lost).  Besides, it’s more important that we focus on the young people here in today’s blog entry…right?

In all seriousness, my thanks to Principal Jim Krupka and his wonderful staff and colleagues within the Diocese for inviting me each year and for making us visitors always feel very welcomed at their school.  It is great to see our young students getting together, screaming their lungs out for a meaningless game, and being involved in a community event.  I charge everyone to try to get outside this summer and get involved in your community…whether it’s participating in a charity event, or just going to see a show or youth sports event in the upcoming months.  It does feel good to see positive young people doing something they love.

Don’t forget, we’re always on the lookout for outstanding achievements by today’s young people and big events that you would like the public to hear about.   Send us an email to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and we might just include your comments on our “ShoutOut” segment on an upcoming “RCN SportsTalk” episode!

Guest blogger, Cathy Neelon, is filling in while Chris takes some time off.  Cathy is a member of the RCN-TV staff and an avid fan of horse racing.  Chris will return with a new blog June 29.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015…

There I was, hunched over in my seat at Coca-Cola Park, in the midst of a crowd of waving, hollering IronPigs fans. With eyes closed and fingers jamming my earbuds as far into my ears as they could go without coming out the other side, I desperately tried to shut out all the noise and distraction so I could hear the faint sound of the radio broadcast of this year’s Belmont Stakes.

The closer to post time it got, the more hunched over I got, the more I ignored or waved off any attempts to engage me in conversation, and the more I wondered why oh why I had come to the game in the first place when my attention was clearly not on what was happening on the field right in front of me.

During the race itself, I was still as stone, listening to the call, gripping my smartphone, almost breathless, not daring to believe what I was hearing as the horses made their way down the backstretch, then rounded the far turn into home. During the run down the homestretch, I quickly wondered – after all the years of disappointments and near-misses, when would American Pharoah lose this one? Which horse would be the one to thwart yet another promising attempt at the title? Would I ever see another Triple Crown champion in my lifetime?

And then I had my answer.

The first words to go through my mind?

Holy…

I was stunned. He’d done it. I was shocked. American Pharoah was the Triple Crown champion. I almost couldn’t believe it. After so many fabulously hyped and talented horses had tried and failed, this colt had found success.

And somewhere in the background, I think there was a baseball game going on…

As most of my RCN Studio colleagues could tell you, I have long been a rabid fan of the Triple Crown races. Chris Michael himself could probably attest to the number of times that I’ve bugged him to include a horse racing topic in the ‘Roundtable’ section of “RCN Sports Talk” or piped in with a suggestion for an equine ‘Shoutout’ when Derby time came around each year. What many of my colleagues might not realize is exactly how long I’ve been a fan. And what I did not fully appreciate until this past Triple Crown season is just how much my experience of those three races has changed over the years.

My first Derby-Preakness-Belmont viewing came in 1977, the year of the sensational Seattle Slew. Cable TV was around, but not nearly as ubiquitous as it is today. We certainly didn’t have it yet at my house, so, like most of America, I watched the three races live on broadcast network TV. Like cable, consumer-grade VCRs were around but the market was still in a relative infancy, so chances were if you missed a race live, you were out of luck and had to wait to read about it in the newspaper the next day.

No doubt as a result of those early viewing limitations, the Triple Crown races became my first true “appointment TV”. For years afterward, on those three Saturday afternoons each year, you would not have been able to budge me from my lonely spot in front of the TV until the very end of each broadcast. Even now, my first inclination is to plant myself firmly in front of my TV at home and tune out as much of the rest of the world as possible. Don’t try to call me, don’t ask me to go out, don’t knock on the door – I won’t answer. It’s race time and I don’t want to miss a second of it.

However, times change. Technologies change. Personal circumstances change. I grew up, graduated from college and went to work for a TV production studio where occasionally I have to – gasp! – work on one or more of those sacred Saturday afternoons in May and June.

Usually the culprit has been our Grandview Speedway coverage. My fellow crew members on those productions have seen me go through contortions to get my live Derby-Preakness-or-Belmont fix.

A couple of times, I’ve poked my head through one of the side windows at the Grandview concession stand if they’ve had the race running on the TV in the kitchen; one of those times, I had to resort to listening to it on my old Sony Walkman (remember those?) while watching it because the volume on Grandview’s set was either turned off or busted. Most other times, when the kitchen TV was turned off, I listened to the races on the radio, either with the aforementioned Walkman or, more recently, with an app on my smartphone – pacing up and down behind the stands trying to find the quietest spot possible. At least two of those Saturdays ended in rainouts in Bechtelsville, and I either managed to catch the races on the set back at the studio office or had to settle for listening on the car radio on the drive back.

Despite all of those contortions and non-traditional viewing methods, all of those years had one thing in common. I managed to watch at least one of the three races per my original “appointment TV” mandate – live, alone, and in front of a traditional TV set.

And that held true for a long time. Until this year.

This year’s Kentucky Derby saw me at home, but with a dead TV set. I hadn’t yet signed up for MyRCN, so I couldn’t watch the Derby live online – and I was forced to listen to it through a radio app on my laptop computer. Hours later, I was able to watch a clip of NBC’s race coverage that had been posted on YouTube.

This year’s Preakness Stakes saw me at Grandview, pacing up and down by the production truck, earbuds in place as I listened to my smartphone app and relayed the dreadful Baltimore weather conditions and gratifying race results to my fellow crew members. Grandview ended up raining out that day and as soon as I got home, I popped onto YouTube to check the clips.

This year’s Belmost Stakes, as I mentioned back at the beginning of this post, saw me at Coca-Cola Park at an IronPigs game. In addition to listening live on my smartphone app, I was able to watch a delayed replay of the majority of the race on the park’s huge videoboard when the guys in the booth showed it between half-innings. Later on, there was the obligatory YouTube clip check at home and the reading of just about every online newspaper article on the race that I could find.

When I’d first realized the date on the game ticket, I had seriously considered staying home and giving my ticket away. It struck me that if American Pharoah won the Belmont, as he seemed likely to do, I would have experienced this Triple Crown in a completely different way than the last one 37 years ago.

1978 – I watched Affirmed take the Crown – on old-school live broadcast TV right down the line.
2015 – I “watched” American Pharoah take the Crown – via an weird amalgam of Internet, WiFi, radio, cable TV, websites, apps, mobile phone, videoboard and laptop computer.

Oh, what a strange new world…

One that I doubt my eleven-year-old self could ever have imagined.

RCN’s coverage of the state baseball playoffs this past weekend officially concludes the scholastic sports season in the RCN viewing area in Pennsylvania and the Washington, DC regions.

First, a few “shout-outs” for outstanding achievements for the spring sports season.

In the DC area, Bishop O’Connell HS softball coach Tommy Orndorff coached his 700th win as his Lady Knights defeated PVI, 10-0, in six innings.  The win came later in the season, making Coach Orndorff one of only a handful of coaches in the region—-in any sport—to win that many games.  Orndorff has coached at the school for 30 years and has compiled a winning percentage just south of .900.  In addition, he has led his squad to 19 Virginia Independent School State Tournament Championships and 21 Catholic League Tourney Titles.  Orndorff was inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame this past November.

Also, special congratulations are in order for the Gonzaga lacrosse team, who won its sixth consecutive title in a very competitive region for the sport.  The Eagles is one of a few teams in our coverage area that has won repetitive lacrosse titles.  This year, they overcame obstacles and faced a very tough schedule en route to its “six-peat” season here in the spring of 2015.

And although we mentioned this last year here at the “SportsTalk Shop,” congratulations once again for an ultra-impressive spring season overall for the Parkland sports teams.  The Trojans were in EVERY District XI championship game, winning titles in baseball, girls lacrosse, tennis, softball and volleyball (also winning a PIAA title).  They also recorded impressive track-and-field numbers in boys and girls conference and district meets.

The Trojans’ tremendous spring brings their overall sports record to an impressive .690-winning percentage, and ups their total to 233 conference championships, 140 district championships and 12 state titles.  This doesn’t include all the individual honors racked up in sports like track, wrestling, tennis and golf.

Speaking of Parkland’s success, we will have a chance to honor its District XI 4A-winning football team at our next “RCN SportsTalk Gets Wild” show from Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall, on Thursday, June 25^, from 7-8 pm.  Head Coach Jim Morgans, his coaching staff and members of last year’s team will be in attendance as they talk about last year’s success, its controversial finish to last season, and look ahead as they try to defend their title once again against Easton, Whitehall and a number of other teams in the area that will all be improved from a year ago.

We’ll also be doing a fund-raising event that day at Buffalo Wild Wings, focusing on a great charity in the RCN viewing area.  Keep checking back to the RCN website for details on this great opportunity to support a local organization and make sure you mark your calendar to come out and support the Trojans and local football in person. http://www.buffalowildwings.com/en/locations/Detail/0474

Before we close the door on this spring sports season, here’s a final sampling of some of the teams we featured over the last few weeks on our Thursday “RCN SportsTalk” program (you can view these features in its entirety and all of our spring sports packages by viewing our “SportsTalk” shows through RCN On-Demand).

If you happen to go through high school sports withdrawal over the next several weeks, remember that the fall season’s “double sessions” begin in less than two months.  In fact, many schools have already started their “conditioning drills” for the autumn sports season, so it won’t be long until football, soccer and other popular sports will be in full swing once again!

For the last several months, people have been playing the role of Phillies General Manager, trading players right and left without the burdening restrictions of having to negotiate with another team.  They’ve theorized about trading Cole Hamels for three future MVPs while swapping Ryan Howard and Jonathon Papelbon for a pair of Cy Young award winners.  However, until we get to mid-June, it is EXTREMELY rare for a major deal—no matter how optimistic you are–to actually come to fruition.

Now that we are entering the legitimate trading season, one can start seriously examining potential trade candidates as the Phillies look to move its higher-priced veterans.  The Phillies have holes in multiple areas, so, much like with the NFL or NBA Draft, they must look to acquire and stockpile talent, and not necessarily key in on a specific position.  But before checking out other teams’ prospects or reviewing this year’s MLB draft too closely, let’s take a look at what the Phils could look like in the near future.

As far as timetable, I’m looking at late 2016 (for the optimists), or more probably 2017.  This is an “as-is” lineup—looking only at the players currently in their system.  Keep in mind, this is assuming Philadelphia is able to unload ALL of its veterans.  This is unlikely, if, for no other reason than the Phillies are trying (struggling?) to get equal value in return.  Also, while I’ve been huge fans of Darin Ruf and Cody Asche, I have to admit that having both of them as everyday players on a team that (hopefully) will be successful may be a bit of a stretch and perhaps a platoon situation could eventually develop between the two of them.  With that, let’s pencil in a look into the Phillies’ future (stats are MLB-level, unless indicated otherwise).

Starting Lineup
CF                   Roman Quinn (.302 BA, .351 OBP, 27 for 36 in SB attempts in double-A )
SS                    J. P. Crawford (recently promoted to double-A after hitting .392 in 20 games in single-A Clearwater)
RF                   TBD
3^rd Base           Maikel Franco (a team-high slugging percentage (.529); 2^nd in home runs (6) despite only playing 22 games)
LF                   Cody Asche (.237 / .277 / .331, 2 HR, 6-RBI in 39 games)
1^st Base            Darin Ruf (3 HR, 10-RBI when he does get a chance to play)
2^nd Base           Odubel Herrera / Freddy Galvis / Caser Hernandez
Catcher            Jason Knapp / Deivi Grullon (ONLY assuming a gigantic, progressive leap ahead of their development schedule)

Starting Rotation
Ace                  TBD
#2                    TBD
#3                    Aaron Nola
#4                    Zach Eflin
#5                    Ben Lively / Tom Windle / Matt Imhof / Jesse Biddle
Closer            Ken Giles

Now for some explanations…

• I don’t think there is a legitimate #3 hitter currently in the organization:  a clutch player you want up to bat with the game on the line, and someone who can hit for power and average on a consistent level.  I have a hard time banking on anyone currently in the farm system for this role.  Franco might be that guy, and I’ve seen flashes of plate-patience needed for this spot, but I would really like for them to try to look for a guy to fill this spot in the batting order.  Keep an eye on this week’s MLB draft.  While there are seemingly more top pitching options than hitters available (the Phillies first selection overall is #10), a shrewd big bat pick-up, if one’s available, could go a long way in solving the issue.  For more on this week’s draft and insights on prospects, you can check out last week’s “RCN SportsTalk” On-Demand featuring ESPN Draft Analyst Eric Longenhagen.
• Who’s your Right Fielder?  In my opinion, they might not have a “true” right fielder outside of Aaron Altherr or even Kelly Dugan anywhere on their “top 20 prospects” chart.  I was optimistic Cam Perkins could be the guy but he took a major step backwards after struggling at Triple-A last season (for the record, he was just named Eastern League Player of the Week in double-A).  Asche, Ruf, Brown, Revere and probably Herrera (assuming Quinn takes his spot in center field) are all better suited to playing left and would not be an everyday option to play right.  Take current Phillie Jeff Francour’s ability to patrol right field and slap it on any of the others’ offensive potential and you might have something.  But as a guy who thinks this team still needs to make strides defensively, I think one of their targets needs to be a regular right field option.
• The organization is still in desperate need of receivers.  I placed Knapp (more offensive minded) and Grullon (more of a defensive presence) here but neither really is expected to reach Philly before 2018.  Any significant blue-chip offensive weapons would be welcome, but it would be A LOT easier to buy into a sooner-rather-than-later turnaround if they could pick up a legit top prospect behind the dish.  I did get a chance to see Gabe Lino play at Lehigh Valley last week and he does showcase a strong arm.  Lino has thrown out 45 of 101 attempted base-stealers over the last year-and-a-half at single-A and double-A.
• Dominic Brown is not on this list.  There is no way the Phillies could convince me they don’t have serious reservations about his future with the ball club.  The organization has brought up Franco and transformed Asche into an outfielder before they’ve contemplated bringing Brown up to the Big Club…the fact he’s still in Triple-A despite an improved swing is further evidence of this.  Unless he makes a dramatic improvement in his overall game, I really don’t think he’ll be more than a role player on any Phillies team beyond this season.
• In addition to a number-three hole hitter, I’m not enamored with the idea of Asche or Ruf hitting behind the clean-up hitter.  On top of all the other position player-needs, they could probably use another RBI-type bat to come from…somewhere?
• People are clamoring for Nolan, Eflin, Lively, et al due to their success at Reading, and I, too, am anxious to see them perform in Philadelphia…at some point.  Remember, however, Nola is their number-one pitching prospect, yet still is projected as just a number-three/middle-of-the-rotation hurler.  Even if he continues his success at the higher levels, the Phillies will need at some point to add one, or two, stalwarts to their starting staff.  Oh, if they only had a player the caliber of Cole Hamels on board….

What do you think of this Phillies lineup of the future?  Am I missing an in-house prospect who could realistically crack the starting lineup in the next 12-18 months?  Is there a young player out there you think the Phillies need to make a real push to acquire?  Email me your thoughts to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and we might read/respond to your comments on an upcoming addition of “RCN SportsTalk” on RCN-TV.  Be sure to mark your calendars and set your TiVO schedules: on July 2^nd, our special guest will be Associated Press’s MLB writer Rob Maaddi to discuss the Phillies, Nationals and other sports issues.

Last week we took a look at the 76ers lottery “success”  and their outlook to the June 25th NBA Draft.  Today, we take a look at a Wizards team that finds itself looking to continue building on its already established core.

After a sweep over Toronto in the opening round of NBA Playoffs, the Wizards want to take the next step in going further than a six-game, round-two playoff loss to a Hawks team–that in turn was bounced in four-straight by Lebron James and the Cavaliers.  No matter what Washington does in the draft along, they still would not much up well–right now–in a seven game series against James, J.R. Smith and a steady and effective (but not spectacular) frontcourt.  However, I think they can still take a dramatic step “forward” (pardon the pun) by added a big man this off-season.

First of all, I don’t think Kris Humphries is, or will ever be, a starting power forward that can take you to the next level.  Nene did not look very impressive during the Atlanta series and will be entering the final year of his contract.  If  Paul Pierce returns, you’ll still need someone down the road that you can depend on to start at the four spot.  While a team should always select talent over need, the Wizards should have the benefit of doing both, with several quality power forwards available when their turn in the draft comes around.  Here’s a few of the players to consider:

BOBBY PORTIS, PF (Arkansas) — Nearly a double-double guy for his college career (18 ppg, 9 reb last year), who also shot well (just under 75%) from the free throw line this past season.

CHRISTIAN WOOD, PF (UNLV) — Wood is bouncing around the 20-ies in most national mock draft versions.  However, he could be the best available, and most polished, power forward on the board at #19.  I don’t think he’ll stay available for long if Washington doesn’t pick him.

KEVON LOONEY, F (UCLA) — He’s a little undersized right now (he’s only a freshman) if you need him to play the ‘four.’ I saw him play several times on TV and I liked the way he rebounded and seemed very athletic.  He would definitely need a year or two of development and would not make an immediate impact, which is a concern for a team that is looking to improve next year to get to the next level.  However, he might have the best upside of any forward still available at this point in the draft.

TREY LYLES, F, (Kentucky) — I’m not a big fan of the Kentucky program overall, but the Wizards could benefit from a big man who can shoot from the outside.  If the Wizards want to at a big man with range–and don’t want to pursue a player like this in free agency–then they might want to take Lyles with their pick.  He might have the lowest ceiling of the four guys mentioned here, but he might just be the most reliable pick who, at worst, would give you some nice depth in your frontcourt in the very near future.

While there are also several free agent options available that can occupy the four spot, I think it would make sense for the team to take a long look at these four guys.  I think you can count on the Wizards’ front office to do due diligence over the next few weeks in working out these and other potential draftee.  If they feel one can develop into a steady, starting player, they’ll take a run at a college player, and look to add some depth elsewhere via the free agent market.

As far as trading, I don’t think Washington is in a position of strength in terms of trying to move up—or down—in the draft and think their best bet will be to make a selection right where they are at the #19 slot.  They already have a solid foundation of players to build around.  Plus, I was impressed by the continued growth of John Wall this past season.  Speaking with people who covered the team this past year on our “SportsTalk” program, they all remarked at the maturation of the fourth-year player, and his overall goal to make those around him better—something that I think will continue for future seasons.

With a solid first round selection, and a free agent pick-up or two (especially a bigger player who could stretch opposing team’s defenses), the Wizards should be able to upgrade and keep their momentum going for the 2015-16 season.

What are your thoughts on the Wizards’ potential draft picks?  What do you think are the team’s most pressing needs going into next season?  Email us your sports comments and opinions at any time to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and catch our next live show, this Thursday, June 4^th from 7-8pm on RCN-TV.

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll take a look at the two NBA teams in the RCN viewing area and how they’ll approach this year’s NBA Draft, which will commence on June 25.

Today, a look at your Philadelphia 76ers.

#1:  “The #3 Pick Wasn’t That Bad”
I know fans of “the tank” were hoping the franchise’s record losses would result in a mammoth takeover by the Sixers in this year’s draft.  (The “#OneSixEleven” movement was trending before the lottery got underway last week).  However, the main objective of the team doing so poorly over the last few years is to secure marquee names.  In my opinion, there are really only three of these available in this year’s draft class (sorry, I’m not buying into the whole Emmanel Mudiay frenzy).  It looks as though D’Angelo Russell will be the most probable player left over after the number-one (Timberwolves) and the number-two (Lakers, as of now) picks are selected.  Adding a second (not likely) or even a third (barely even conceivable) top 11 pick would have shifted the Sixers’ rebuild into overdrive.  However, it is far more important to the philosophy in place that they gather another major name now, and then fill in with several above-average players in future years, either through future picks and/or trades/free agency.  In fact, I think it was more beneficial for Philadelphia to have picked up one of the three best college players in the country, rather than get two picks  beyond the top three or four selections.  Ignoring the pie-in-the-sky options and given the odds and the criteria of the NBA lottery, I think Sixers fans should be very happy with their team’s outcome with a number-three selection.

#2 “The MCW Trade Worked Out After All”
Regardless of whether you prefer Russell or Mudiay, the 76ers should be getting a premiere guard who can play either the ‘one’ and ‘two’ spot on the floor.  While the trade of last year’s Rookie of the Year initially rattled the “#InHinkieWeTrust” fan base, dealing Michael Carter-Williams is now looking like a very smart deal.  The 76ers will get their front-line perimeter player to go along with their bigs (Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and eventually Dario Saric) inside.  Eventually, Philadelphia will also get an additional first round pick (a 1-3 protected pick in 2016 and 2017, unprotected in 2018), which can enhance the team’s roster.  They also unloaded a player who will probably never have as much trade value as he had this past season, without really losing out on a few months of MCW’s services in what was a meaningless season anyway.  The team can look to take its first significant step forward in this rebuilding process, as long as they abide by point #3.

#3  “Don’t You DARE Trade THIS Pick”
At a time when the Philadelphia sports fans’ patience is being stretched beyond its reasonable limits, the Sixers fans have tolerated, if not embraced, the “Together We Tank” theory.  Record-setting losing streaks have not jettisoned the fan base.  In fact, I’ve seen a resurgence in 76ers fans’ passion lately, seemingly (and strangely) invigorated by the losing.  After weathering some minor drama following the MCW deal, the fans have continued to support the team despite radical decisions and some insane comments by the 76ers’ front office (don’t even get me started on the multiple reports of Sixers CEO Scott O’Neil’s “Ferraris in the driveway” abomination).

However, if Philadelphia passes up this opportunity to get a major name, whether it be Russell, Mudiay, Jahlil Okafor or even Karl-Anthony Towns, this region will boil over with disgust.  The prospect of another full season of NBA D-League retreads occupying a majority of roster spots without a prominent name to join Noel and Embiid to start the season would destroy all the positive mojo that has been building over the last couple of seasons.  Public opinion (not to mention Head Coach Brett Brown) would rail against this regime if they trade away their highly placed pick this time around.  The 76ers made out well in the numbers game with the lottery, and have put themselves in a situation that would make it nearly impossible to NOT improve for the 2015-16 season.  A “trade down” would, at best, slow down the resurgence, and it could take years (and maybe millions of free agent dollars) to get a starting guard at the caliber available to them.  After several questionable, albeit seemingly positive moves, an incorrect decision leading up to June 25 could be disastrous for both the short-term and long-term goals of the organization.

Who do you think the 76ers should draft with their number three pick…and do you think, if Towns or Okafor become available, Philadelphia should pick up another ‘big’ and then swing a deal for a guard?  Email us your sports opinions anytime at RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and tune into our next live “SportsTalk” show, on Thursday, June 4^th at 7pm.

Last week we took a look at the Nationals’ first 30 games of the season, analyzing their first six weeks and previewing the road ahead.  Clearly, the Phillies have a different set of priorities and goals for this season.  There has  been some positive news…and the next few months still could be very interesting as we watch the franchise’s “future” unfold.

Here are three observations about the Phillies season:

• Despite the record, there is reason for optimism, among both young and older players!  First, the play of Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Odubel Herrera has given fans hope that examples of a future winning ball club is not years off in the distance in the prospects currently in the lower-to-middle minor league levels.  Galvis, Hernadez and Herrera all found themselves entering spring training in various “play-well-or-go-home” modes.  Galvis struggled mightily offensively last year—even struggling at the plate when he was sent down to Triple-A.  Yet he has not only proved he can hit at the Big League level (currently leading the team by far with a .816 OPS), he’s become one of the most productive shortstops in the league (his batting average and on-base percentage currently lead all National League shortstops).  Hernandez was out of options and was one of the last players assured a spot on the Opening Day roster.  So far, I’m been impressed with his working counts (his .390 OBP is second on the team) and he’s hitting a very respectable .270 despite not getting regular at-bats.  Herrera was a Rule 5 pick who had never played above Double-A and has to remain on the roster all season or be returned.  Even though he’s learning to play a new position at the toughest level, he has a great looking swing and has been able to handle Major League pitching so far.  All three players have made the most of their opportunities and should warrant more playing time for at least the rest of this season.

There’s also been quality performances on the mound by young Ken Giles, Luis Garcia, Justin DeFratus and Elvis Araujo.  All four look to be key pieces of the bullpen going forward and the first three have weathered pitching in higher-pressure situations.  While a slow start by southpaw Jake Diekman has been disappointing, the Phillies feel he can bounce back and strengthen an already strong—and young—core of relievers.

• The fireworks may not be far off.  The play of veterans Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere and even Ryan Howard have not only helped the Phillies win games this season, but more importantly has enhanced each player’s trade value, which potentially could fetch more young prospects as we move closer to the trade deadline.  We’ve already seen the Phillies make some minor moves, optioning Dom Brown, David Buchanan and Cody Asche (although Cody was sent down to learn a new position) to shake things up a bit.  If Asche transitions successfully to left field—as I believe he will—it will make for an ultra-crowded outfield, and the Phillies will have to start making some more significant decisions.

Their potential outfield would then consist of Asche, Revere, Herrera, Brown, Grady Sizemore, Jeff Francoeur and Darin Ruf.  Clearly, not all of these players will be on the roster throughout the summer, and I’m not sure if more than two or three of these names have a future in the organization.  With one of the few outfield prospects doing well in Double-A (Roman Quinn) and a promotion to Triple-A probably looming before too long, it’s obvious that the team will look to move one of their outfielders before season’s end—if not sooner.  Revere is the most likely candidate to go, as he’ll command the most in return.  Between Revere, Hamels, Harang, Papelbon and perhaps one or two others, there could be some trades made over the coming weeks—and a chance for the team to pick up another young piece (or pieces, if you deal Hamels) of the puzzle for future seasons.

• The “Chase” may be coming to an end.  I truly am not saying this just in passing or to be in vogue with what others are now saying.  In fact, in all my years as a sports journalist, I probably got more angry messages over a minor criticism I made about Chase Utley several years ago, and I’m sure I’ll take a hit again this time.  But unless he starts swinging the bat with more success—and soon—it does NO ONE good to see him continue to play every day…and that includes Utley himself. 

The biggest issue for the current team is that he is blocking the road of young talent.  Is Hernandez the Phillies second basemen of the future? Probably not, but we have no way of knowing until he gets a chance to play at least 75% of the time, something they can’t do with Utley playing five nights a week.  The questions remain about Brown, Ruf and a few other players that right now look like role players but do you really want to give up an extended look at these players, and possibly lose them at season’s end, to have them go somewhere else and have success (and haven’t we seen too much of that over the last several years?).  Furthermore, continuing to play Utley every day with his batting average light-years below the Mendoza line is a disservice to Chase himself.  There is no way he’s going to take himself out of the lineup—he has too much pride.  Heck, he’d probably fight to stay on the roster even with a torn ACL.  But someone – Ryne Sandberg, Ruben Amaro Jr., Pat Gillick – anyone in charge of this franchise, is seriously going to have to take time very soon and have a chat with this greatest second baseman to ever wear a Phillies uniform.  Right now, his legacy is taking a beating, and if things don’t improve over the next few series, his mighty image might be weathered for a longer period than it should be.

Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule for Philadelphia, with a few additional important dates that are really more significant to the team’s future than who their opponents will be.

May 18-21       at Rockies
May 22-24       at Nationals
May 25-27       at Mets
May 29-31       vs. Rockies
June 2 – 4        vs. Reds
June 5-7           vs. Giants
June 8-10         MLB DRAFT*
July 2               International Free-Agent Signing Period Begins
July 31             Non-waiver Trade Deadline
Aug. 31            Final Trade Deadline

*Programming Note: We’ll have a preview of the MLB Draft on the June 4^th edition of “RCN SportsTalk” (Thursdays, live, 7-8 pm), which will include an ESPN analyst breaking down the top draftees, along with insights on what both the Phillies and Nationals will do in this year’s draft.

Which Phillies players have you been impressed with so far?  Which do you feel will be the first ones to be traded?  Email you sports opinions to us at rcnsportstalk@rcn.com at any time.  We’ll continue to provide updates on both the Washington and Philadelphia franchises throughout the summer here at the “SportsTalk Shop” and on our weekly “SportsTalk” program.
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A quick reminder, be sure to come out to see “RCN SportsTalk” as we broadcast live from Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall, PA, this Thursday from 7-8pm.  This will be the first of several live shows we’ll broadcast from Buffalo Wild Wings this summer.   Keep checking the RCN-TV website for updates on these special programs as SportsTalk “goes wild” this summer!

We are right at the 1/5-th mark of the Major League Baseball season.  While that might not seem like an impressive number, it is a key time in a team’s season.  Once you pass the“30-games” mark, the excuse “well, it’s still early” starts to wear thin and teams start having to take some long looks at players’ abilities.  It’s also the time that teams have to start realizing that early season surprises, whether positive or negative, may just be for real.

This week, we’ll take a look at the Nationals season to date (we’ll next look at the Phillies’ issues and question marks in an upcoming blog entry).

To help us break down Washington’s first 30-games, I had a chance to speak with Nationals Play-by-Play Voice Charlie Slowes about their outstanding starting rotation, an extremely wild game against the Braves and their upcoming schedule.  A few weeks back marked six years since the passing of the late, great broadcaster Harry Kalas, and Charlie gave us some unique perspectives on the legendary announcer.

A couple additional notes about the Nats.

All things considered, the team’s slow start (the Nats lost 15 of their first 23 games) hasn’t really hurt the team.  Considering the injuries to hit the bullpen and to their lineups, they’ve survived most of those “bumps” and have bounced back strong.  Both Jayson Werth and Denard Span—two keys on offense and defensively in the outfield—came back earlier than some had expected.  Span has not missed a beat since his return, flirting with an impressive slash line (.305/.354/.525 heading into this past weekend).  While Anthony Rendon’s oblique injury continues to linger, Bryce Harper, with (finally) an injury-free season to date, has blossomed into the star the team expected him to be.

The bullpen, led by closer Drew Storen and his nine saves, is beginning to flesh out its respective roles following the loss of Craig Stammen to a season-ending injury.  Tanner Roark has made a successful transition back to a reliever’s role, with three holds heading into the Atlanta series.  Aaron Barrett has been solid from the right side, holding opponent’s batting averages under .200 (and a WHIP under 1), and southpaw Matt Thornton having success so far against both right and left-handed hitters.  Sammy Solis also looked impressive holding the eighth-inning lead in the series finale against the Braves.

Also, despite an incredibly hot start by the Mets, Washington is still playing in an incredibly weak division this year, and they should be able to beat up on their divisional opponents quite a bit, even if Rendon continues on the disabled list.  When the Nats’ offense—which has shown a propensity to be streaky—goes through another lull, they should be able to avoid any long losing stretches thanks to their starting pitching depth as they look to move up in the standings over the next few weeks.  Here is a look at their upcoming series:

May 11-13 :         at Arizona
May 14 – 17:       at San Diego
May 19-20:          vs. Yankees
May 22-24:          vs. Philadelphia
May 25-27:          at Chicago
May 29-31:         at Cincinnati

The Nationals still have many more games coming up against NL East teams, and I can’t imagine Washington not compiling a better-than-500 record against them going forward.

As the 2011 Phillies found out, it’s not how many you win during the regular season.  The big key is for Washington to continue to play well, stay near or at the top of the division, and try to keep everyone healthy through the summer.  Hopefully Rendon comes back with enough time to find his stroke and the lethargic start to the season becomes a distant, if not forgotten, memory.

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Special programming note.  Mark your calendars and be sure to come out to see “RCN SportsTalk” as we broadcast live from Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall, PA.  This will be the first of several shows we’ll be broadcasting on location this summer.   Keep checking back to the RCN-TV website for updates on these special programs as SportsTalk “goes wild” this summer!

I don’t believe there has been more excitement, angst, anticipation—and anxiety—for an NFL Draft than this year’s selection process for both the Redskins and Eagles communities.  Birds fans wanted new Eagles Czar Chip Kelly to move up and pick Marcus Mariota, and many Skins supporters wanted a move backwards to secure more picks.  While many dyed-in-the-wool football experts really thought the odds were against both of those things happening, it seemed that many, including the entire Delaware Valley, had convinced themselves—emotionally—that a major move would be made…one that would never occur.  After several days of mental withdraw, it’s time to take a step back and take a more pragmatic view of what transpired.

Day One…the first pick

REDSKINS PICK:                B+
EAGLES PICK:                    A-  (However…)

All things considered, I believe both Washington and Philadelphia made the “safe” move.  The Redskins were not able to get the number of quality picks to trade out of the number-five spot overall, and Brandon Scherff is a good choice for a team that needed a major boost on the offensive line.  While it’s normally startling to hear a top-five pick is slated for right tackle (the #5 pick is an awfully high pick for that position), it is an area that had to be addressed, and if he can also play guard, that versatility certainly is a plus.  I had Scherff several spots lower on my draft board, but I don’t think it was a major leap for the Redskins to make to enhance their O-line.

For the Eagles, I’ll first go back to the final game of the regular season.  They had NOTHING to play for, so why didn’t they give Matt Barkley the start at quarterback?  Kelly clearly doesn’t like him (is there another team in the country with more quarterbacks—all of them ahead of Barkley?)  Playing him in the season finale would have benefitted the team no matter what happened.  If Barkley played well, it would have served as a showcase for other teams so that you could have used him as a trade chip.  If he fell flat on his face and lost, the Eagles would have moved up several spots in the draft—perhaps enough to get Marcus Mariota, their prized quarterback.  Clearly Sam Bradford was not enough to enable the Eagles to get Mariota without also surrendering other major talent, but if Bradford is your guy, why haven’t they signed him to a long-term deal—like, yesterday?  If Bradford plays well, he’s going to ask for the farm—and get it.  If he fails (or gets hurt for the third year in a row), you’re starting year-four under Kelly with no definitive quarterback.

So after dropping the ball at several steps, Kelly saved face in the first round by filling one of the three major holes they needed to address.  Of course, if they signed Jeremy Maclin last summer as I had suggested they do, they wouldn’t have had that vacancy in the first place.

Day Two…Rounds 2 & 3

REDSKINS PICK:        C+       
EAGLES PICK:            A-

While I really like the selection of Preston Smith in the second round and think he has great potential, I was not a fan of the third round trade and their subsequent picks.  The Redskins picked up a running back (Matt Jones) that I had questions about and really don’t think will make a major impact with this team.  With the other acquired selections, Washington’s first-year General Manager Scot McCloughan clearly favored selecting players in spots of need over the best available talents, and there were enough players at their initial third-round selection position with more upside that could have made a bigger impact that the collective efforts of the players gained through the trade.  However, whether he’s right or wrong, I’ll give McCloughan credit for adding bodies in the draft (see below).

The Eagles made their best decision of the draft in the second round–trading up to obtain Defensive Back Eric Rowe out of Utah.  He can be an instant starter (that’s something new for a Kelly draftee) and could be a star at either cornerback or safety going forward.  While I question selecting an inside linebacker with their third pick (unless Kelly is planning on trading Mychal Kendricks or is looking ahead to the future), Jordan Hicks is a nice pickup with the 84th overall pick and can help right away on special teams.

Day Three…Rounds 4-7

REDSKINS PICK:   B-        
EAGLES PICK:  C        

With very few big names escaping past the first three rounds (which is why I did not like the decision to trade down), I think Washington did make some good talent additions to their squad overall.  Probably the one most likely to exceed their respective numbered-round expectations is Kyshoen Jarrett, a defensive back out of Virginia Tech.  Despite being undersized (5’10”), I think he can help Washington right away on special teams, and could carve out a nice career as a nickel back or an occasional number-two corner.

In the later stage of the draft, the Eagles added much-needed secondary depth in their back-half of the draft.  However,  I’m still shocked that they didn’t select ANY offensive linemen in the draft–which was one of the three major needs to the team going in. They also didn’t get a “pure” strong safety, so that could be a more minor issue to watch as training camp unfolds.

Final Evaluations/Overall Grades

Despite failing to solidify the quarterback position–which could be a major setback to the future success of the organization–the Eagles’ picks themselves make a lot of sense.  Keep an eye on non-drafted lineman Mike Coccia.  I announced several of his games and visited his workouts at Freedom High School.  He’s an outstanding young blocker who works hard and has always had good technique.  I think Kelly would be foolish not to hold onto him as he can add some much-needed depth along the Birds’ offensive line.  Still, Philadelphia needs a lot to go right to protect an already fragile Bradford under center.

Overall, the Eagles moved forward with this draft, with a couple question marks remaining.  They may have done just enough this past weekend (and, taking advantage of one of the weaker NFL schedules this fall) to propel themselves to a playoff appearance.  How far they’ll go remains a mystery, led by the quarterback combination of Bradford (when/if healthy), Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow et al, and the team certainly didn’t do anything to help protect their signal callers with their draft choices.

EAGLES OVERALL DRAFT GRADE:  B+

I also think the Redskins made some nice decisions in this year’s draft…but “nice” won’t result in a major improvement in the win total for this season.  Their draft selections should move the team in the right direction, and, with some luck, they could win at least six to seven games this season.  The team made a few weaker selections at some spots in trying to fill needs.  Skins fans hoping for some major moves are left disappointed, as they still look to be AT LEAST one year away from any possible playoff contention, and a subpar year from Robert Griffin III (whose option for 2016 was picked up last week) might just set that plan back even further.  I’ll take into account that it was McCloughan’s first draft with the Skins, and I do believe in him going forward.  But again, we’re analyzing with our head and not with our heart, which results in a…

REDSKINS OVERALL DRAFT GRADE:  B

What are your thoughts on this year’s NFL Draft?  Which picks did you like/hate and what grades would you give the Eagles and the Redskins?  We’ll have plenty of football talk on this Thursday’s “RCN SportsTalk” so email your opinions to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and tune in as we respond to your comments live on air.  Don’t forget our show is now on at a new time, live on Thursdays from 7-8pm.  We’ll also have a phone interview with Washington Nationals broadcaster Charlie Slows to talk about the first month of the baseball season on this week’s program.

NFL Draft week is finally here!

After months of speculation (and seeing the name “Marcus Mariota” trending more than just about any other athlete over the last several weeks), it is time for the NFL Draft.  Redskins and Eagles fans know this Thursday is a critical time for both franchises and this week’s draft could determine the future level of success of their favorite team.

I had a chance to speak with NFL Network Analyst and former Pro Offensive Lineman Brian Baldinger and “Footballstories” writers Al Thompson and Rock Hoffman about the latest developments and got their insights and predictions on this year’s draft and other football related topics (the entire “SportsTalk” show is available to watch on RCN On-Demand).

A few more insights ahead of Thursday’s draft:

• • Safety is an area of concern for both the Eagles and the Redskins.  I think there are a number of defensive backs who might be available that would help both teams:

Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest
Alex Carter, Stanford
Eric Rowe, Utah
Josh Shaw, USC
Quinten Rollins, Miami
Trae Waynes, Michigan State
Landon Collins, Alabama
Marcus Peters, Washington
Byron Jones, UConn
Damarious Randall, Arizona St.
Jalen Collins, LSU
Adrian Amos, Penn State

• Since the first night of last year’s draft, I’ve continued to be very vocal with my displeasure of the Eagles’ selection of Marcus Smith as their number one pick.  I’m hoping I’m wrong and Smith can rebound, making some contributions this fall.  However, this year’s draft class features a number of impressive outside linebackers.  Don’t be surprised if Philadelphia is able to pick up a solid OLB in the middle rounds of the draft.  FYI:  here is a look at all the draft pick selections for both teams:

Eagles 2015 Draft Picks
1^st Round  –  No. 20 Overall
2^nd Round  –  No. 52 Overall
3^rd Round  –  No. 84 Overall
4^th Round  –  No. 113 Overall
5^th Round  — No. 145 & No. 156 Overall
6^th Round  –  No. 196 Overall
7^th Round  –  No. 237 Overall

Redskins 2015 Draft Picks
1^st Round  –  No. 5 Overall
2^nd Round  –  No. 38 Overall
3^rd Round  –  No. 69 Overall
4^th Round  –  No. 105 Overall
5^th Round  — No. 141 Overall
6^th Round  –  No. 182 Overall
7^th Round  –  No. 222 Overall

• Thompson also shared an interesting story with us.  He got word that Penn State offensive tackle Donovan Smith is heading to Chicago—the site of this year’s draft.  Players normally only attend the NFL Selection Gala if they suspect they’ll be selected in the first round (it certainly doesn’t look good if you are there and you DON’T get picked in the first round.) However, in most publications, Smith is ranked no higher than 52^nd overall, and much further down the list in most other mock draft lists.  Could Smith’s alleged trip to the Windy City be a tip that a “mystery team” is going to jump and take Smith earlier than expected…and would that team be in close proximately to Happy Valley?
• Hoffman indicated that there could be a number of future, high-quality NFL players available later in this year’s draft, and the 5^th and 6^th round selections may be especially interesting to watch.  Both Thompson and Hoffman hinted that Delaware Valley College’s Rasheed Bailey has been receiving interest from a number of teams, and could be selected during the middle rounds of the draft.

The draft itself should be another fun event.  The NFL has molded this selection process into a gigantic party, with the anticipation starting shortly after the Super Bowl and building to this week.  It’s true that pro football teams don’t lose games in April or May, but they can certainly put future success on hold for years if things don’t go well this week in Chicago.