Phillies Closer Experiment #2: Success

What Charlie Manuel did tonight with the Phillies bullpen is probably going to be the best solution to the closer crisis.

It is a term that scares many people but the Phillies might have a closer by committee. I am not sure on how many teams won the world series with such a strategy and I know how reassuring a feeling it can be as a fan to know that the 9th inning is taken care of (Brad Lidge last season), but this looks like a good move.

Brett Myers, Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson all pitched late in the game today to help Pedro Martinez improve to 4-0 (3.64 ERA and a WHIP just over 1). Pedro has way too much value as starter so I would argue strongly with moving him to the closer role and reinserting Jamie Moyer, although the 46 year old lefty has done well with his new role.

Fun Fact: With Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez reaching the 30 hr plateau today, the Phillies are the only team in baseball to have 4 guys over that mark.

Eagles

My quick little blurb about the Birds...I would not touch any Eagles wide receiver in your upcoming fantasy drafts. Like the Phillies closers right now, the Eagles WR's work as a collective unit. No one guy is going to break out and have double digit TD's or over 1,000 yards (DeSean was close last year with an injured Kevin Curtis and Brian Westbrook).

Westbrook is going to fall in a lot of leagues but if he is there in the late 2nd round take a shot.

Donovan McNabb has lots of toys to work with but from what I've seen in the preseason and knowing how unproductive the team has been in the red zone the last few years...I think inside the 20 will be Michael Vick time.

I would also be the happiest fan on the planet if we gave our FB's and RB's more touches near the goal line but that might be asking too much. Leonard Weaver had 2 TD's last year...2 more than all of our FB's combined, however both of his TD's were receptions. So much for smash mouth football and so much for the fantasy value of a LeSean "Shady" McCoy. The Eagles are a great team in reality...not so much in fantasy.