Can We Get Manuel a Manual?

This article was adapted from The People's Phillies Blog.

Once again, Charlie Manuel opted to make needless defensive substitutions during yesterday's Phillies-Brewers game. Pedro Feliz and T.J. Bohn both entered the game in the later innings, replacing Greg Dobbs and Pat Burrell, respectively. The Feliz move is reasonable, as he is a capable hitter (arguably better than Dobbs even if this year's numbers don't reflect it) and there was a left-handed pitcher on the mound when he first came in, but the Bohn one makes no sense.

The logic, if you can call it that, is that when leading, you want a stronger outfield defense than is possible with Burrell in left. In theory that sounds good. In practice it only helps you if the ball happens to be hit somewhere within Bohn's range and beyond Burrell's. Most of the time the difference in range is negligible, as was the case tonight. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder both hit to right field and Fielder's bomb would have taken Michael Bourn with a jet-pack to reel it in. And even that wouldn't have been enough if Super Bourn had been in LEFT FIELD.

It might seem like I'm nitpicking here. As mentioned, the balls were hit to right field and Bohn didn't register an at-bat. While both are true, Bohn could have easily gotten up in a clutch situation. (Sure, he delivered the night before, but who would you rather have up with the game on the line: Bohn or Burrell?) Had Feliz gotten a base hit and tied the game in the ninth, the next three batters would have been Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and, you got it, Bohn.

With a right-handed pitcher on the mound and the hottest hitter on the planet up, what do you think the Brewers do? Probably walk Utley. Then comes Howard, who is giving the Mendoza line more of a fight than he is to most pitchers right now, but he's still a former MVP. If Burrell's in the game, they pitch to Howard and perhaps even Utley, knowing what looms on deck. But with Bohn, why not intentionally walk, or at least pitch around, both Utley and Howard to take on the right-handed hitter with 16 career at-bats? We've seen it before, both this year and last, but Manuel steadfastly refuses to let Burrell stay in any game where the Phillies have a lead, no matter how small.

To make a basketball analogy (it is playoff time after all), this is roughly the equivalent of the Suns removing Amare Stoudemire in favor of Brian Skinner with forty-five seconds left in a game in which the Suns lead by five points, except Stoudemire can't be subbed back in. In theory, that should work out fine. Skinner is a better defender, so his defense should keep the other team from coming back and Skinner's offensive deficiencies shouldn't matter because all the Suns have to do is keep the other team from scoring five points in forty-five seconds The only way this move makes any sense is if the opposing team is practically guaranteed to give the ball to whoever Skinner is guarding, putting his defense to the test.

But what if the opposition avoids Skinner altogether, whether by design or by chance? Then what was the point of the substitution? Now what if the opposing team cuts into the lead or even ties the game? Wouldn't it be better to have Stoudemire out there to possible score a bucket or two and provide some breathing room? Even worse, what if the game goes to overtime and Brian Skinner is your power forward for the duration? And what if this happened game after game after game to the point that some Suns blogger asked an entire paragraph of questions in frustration?

If Mike D'Antoni followed this course of action (provided that the NBA rules changed to make substitutions permanent) he would be run out of town in a hurry. Maybe the basketball comparison isn't perfect, but it helps to bring to light a ridiculous strategical maneuver. One which might not have cost the Phillies this game, but has and will cost them many others.

Rumors Around the NFL

Look Out, 8-Bit Dallas Ghosts
Rumor has it that the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans have agreed in principle on a trade that would send Adam "Pacman" Jones to Dallas. Apparently, Jerry Jones is trying to assemble the most unlikeable group of football players ever assembled. I guess that it's a pretty smart move, considering that Dallas' largest weakness by far last year was their porous secondary. Still, one has to wonder how effective and team-oriented the guy could be, especially after having missed a year.

Seattle Wants Shockey?
Shockey has expressed his discontent with the team lately, and there have been rumors about sending him to the Saints over the last few days. Today, it sounds like the Seahawks have interest in the 27-year-old tight end, with rumors of him being dealt by the end of day 1 of the draft. Kevin Boss, the Giants' starting TE while Shockey was injured, expressed that he would want Shockey to stay. As a Giants fan, I would want Shockey to stay on the team--after all, who else would sit in the luxury box drinking beer with yet another injury while the Giants play in the Super Bowl? To be honest, I've always been a big Shockey fan, but he gets hurt a lot, and I am a big Kevin Boss fan. I guess it entirely matters on what the Giants can get for Shockey.

Why do we keep calling it "Spygate"
The NFL and former Patriots employee Matt Walsh have agreed to meet on May 13th to discuss what he experienced with the team during his employment from 1997-2003. The Patriots are staying silent about the whole matter. To sum it up: the process is moving excruciatingly slowly, he probably doesn't have anything of importance, the media is milking it dry, and everybody continues not to care.

Matt Millen Enjoys a Nice Pancake Breakfast
He poured a little bit of syrup on it, and drank a glass of ice water. He is not entirely sure if the draft is this weekend or next.

People Falling Down is the Highest Form of Comedy

If you're feeling down about anything, take a few minutes to watch this clip: http://www.maniacworld.com/2008-Mascot-Bloopers.html. Also, if the Rockets are starting to feel desperate to get far in the playoffs, they might want to consider switching to football and making their mascot Clutch be the running back. That dude is friggin' untackleable.

Note: May haunt your dreams

Recent NFL Moves & Situations

Jared Allen to the Vikings- While on one hand I think the Chiefs are absolutely retarded for letting Allen- last year's NFL sacks leader with 15.5- get away, the trade benefits both the Vikings and the Chiefs in big ways.

After franchising Allen during the offseason, Allen made it clear that he would not sign a long-term deal with the Chiefs. The Chiefs, who have been been underachieving for several seasons now (don't let their playoff appearance against the Colts in 2006 fool you) are in rebuilding mode, and got a slew of draft picks for Allen. With the 5th and 17th picks in the first round, the Chiefs are now in a position to select an offensive lineman like Brandon Albert, a defensive lineman like Sedrick Ellis, Glenn Dorsey, or Chris Long (at least one of which should still be available), trade down and draft a cornerback, or use any of the other 11 draft picks they have to trade up to get the best available athlete in a position of need.

The Vikings struck gold. For the past several drafts they have struck out on bust defensive ends. Erasmus James is terrible. Udeze has a blood disease or something. With Allen, the Vikings defense acquires an elite pass rusher and at least on paper has one of the best defenses in the NFC. If James can turn his "career" around, the Vikings' defensive line of James, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Allen are going to wreak absolute havoc on the weak NFC North. With the Vikings' control-the-clock style offense on the shoulders of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, the shortcomings of Tarvaris Jackson are somewhat minimized. Jackson flashed signs of hope late in the season last year before regressing and missing the playoffs. The loss of their first round pick this year isn't a big loss as far as I'm concerned- there won't be a player that addresses a need available and whoever they would have picked probably would have been a bust anyways.

Dolphins sign Jake Long- Jake Long will be the 1st pick overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. I like the pick, for the simple reason that good offensive lineman are hard to find and improve your entire offense (like Joe Thomas did for Cleveland). The Dolphins signed probably the safest prospect in the draft- Long should be the bookend for Miami for the next decade if not more. Before he got injured Ronnie Brown was leading the league in rushing, and if he recovers and can stay healthy there's no reason that the Dolphins shouldn't have a respectable rushing attack. Pass protection (or lack of it) made John Beck look terrible last season, and with the addition of Long whoever is under center should get enough time to throw to Ted Ginn Jr. and let him gain yards after the catch.

Jason Taylor headed out?- Also from Miami, rumors are abound that future Hall of Famer Jason Taylor might be on his way out of Miami. As much as I like Bill Parcells for not drafting future bust Matt Ryan, getting rid of Taylor would be a stupid, stupid move. I am hard pressed to name anyone else on the Dolphins defense besides Taylor (and the only ones I can name I only know because Randy Moss outjumped both of them twice in one game last season) with the retirement of Zach Thomas. Since the Dolphins are not going to draft one of the marquee defensive linemen in this draft, getting rid of Taylor puts all of the pressure on the offense, which, even if upgraded, simply will not be able to compete with the other teams in the AFC East. The Patriots offense, while it won't be as formidable as last year, will still cut the Dolphins apart especially without a pass rush. The return to health of Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo will open up opportunities for Lee Evans and Trent Edwards. The Jets revamped offensive line should lead their starter to a 1,000 yard season. Without a defense, you can't win.

Brian Urlacher contract dispute- The Bears should win the award for "Most idiotic General Manager in league history." The question marks began last year, franchising Lance Briggs and not re-signing him until this offseason. The Bears lucked out in a big way- the market for Briggs was thin and Chicago's pedestrian offer of 6 years, $36 million turned out to be the best deal. Briggs is an elite weakside linebacker, a pro bowler, durable, and one of the most important elements in a Super Bowl-caliber defense. Why you don't resign him immediately is beyond me.

The next stupid move came in the 2008 offseason with the resigning of Rex Grossman. Granted it's only a one-year deal, but why? Why? WHY? Grossman was awful even when the Bears went to the Super Bowl. "God-awful with 8 exclamation points" was how Al Michaels described nearly half of Grossman's 2006 season. In 2007, he lost the starting job to Brian Griese, who in turn lost it to Kyle Orton. Griese is gone, and Orton vs Grossman is hardly Joe Montana vs Steve Young. If the Bears want to compete in the NFC North with the Packers and Vikings, they need to either draft a quarterback that can lead the offense or acquire one through free agency. Not that it's all Grossman's fault (Devin Hester is the #1 receiver in Chicago right now), but still.

And finally, the most perplexing situation of all- the Bears refuse to renegotiate the contract of Brian Urlacher. DPOY, DROY, multiple Pro Bowl selections, team tackles leader for I don't know how many years running. Urlacher is the reason that the Bears defense functions. He is unquestionably the best middle linebacker in the league, and is making a strong case for eventual Hall of Fame consideration. Urlacher has clearly earned the right to ask for more money, yet the Bears have offered a 1 year extension with $5 million guaranteed with an extra $1 million bonus if he plays 85% of the defensive snaps. Urlacher's rookie contract was for 9 years and $56 million, with $13 million guaranteed. A big contract, but for good players big contracts are justified. A holdout would be hilarious. What monotone phrase will Lovie Smith recite in front of the press when Adrian Peterson breaks his own single-game rushing record against them in Urlacher's absence?

Jerry Angelo, the Bears general manager, said this of the situation: "Are you saying Brian's special, and we should do something for Brian and the other 52 will understand?"

Absolutely, you moron. Figure it out. Urlacher is the Tom Brady of the Midway, if you don't resign him and the Bears tank (again), you won't have a job.

Chad Johnson demands a trade- As much as I like Chad Johnson, this time I think he's gone a little too far. Johnson has more than he could ask for in Cincinnati...well, besides a winning team I guess. But the offense isn't the problem. Carson Palmer loves throwing to him. TJ Houshmanzadeh would be a #1 receiver on 75% of the teams in the NFL, and is worthy of double coverage in his own right. Since the Bengals running game is lackluster, the offense is pass-happy. Johnson's numbers reflect this.

If he somehow manages to talk his way out of Cincinnati, why would any team even want to pick him up? Sure, he's a great receiver, but how long is he going to stay happy in his new environment? I see a repeat of TO/McNabb wherever he goes. It will be nice for a season or two, but then Johnson is going to alienate himself from his team with his big mouth. Teams don't want players who are unwilling to be a team player.

That being said, what teams are looking to pick him up? The Redskins have expressed interest, but I can't see him being a good fit there. Washington is not a vertical offense, and Chad Johnson is a vertical receiver. He will not be satisfied catching 5 yard slant passes and then watching Fumble Portis turn the ball over. The Eagles? Maybe. But when Donovan McNabb dares look elsewhere to throw the ball (Brian Westbrook), Johnson isn't going to like that either. The Patriots have Randy Moss. The Colts don't have the cap room. The Bears don't have a quarterback. But none of this even matters because the Bengals won't trade him. Johnson should be ready to sit out the 2008-2009 season if he is serious about not wanting to play for the Bengals.

Cardinals refuse to deal Anquan Boldin- I'm not sure which side I agree with in this case. When healthy, Boldin has been brilliant. The problem is he hasn't been healthy a lot. On the other side Arizona has Larry Fitzgerald, another #2 receiver that could be a #1, who also just happened to renegotiate a massive contract to give Arizona more cap room. Boldin wants a similar deal but again, I see no reason for the Cardinals to do so unless he can stay healthy.

Reportedly the Eagles and the Redskins are both interested. Boldin would be a good fit in either scheme- he's big and has deep-threat speed, and isn't a drama queen like Chad Johnson.

But nobody really cares about the Cardinals in the first place, so what does it matter.

Shaun Alexander released from the Seahawks- Only about 2 years too late. Nobody is really sure why Shaun Alexander suddenly refuses to play hard / get first downs anymore, but it was clear by the end of the 2007 season that he was on his way out of Seattle. The Seahawks acquired running backs Julius Jones and TJ Duckett- a scat back and a power back, respectively, to lead their rushing attack in 2008. While I can't pin the blame fully on Alexander for his poor numbers recently (T Walter Jones & FB Mack Strong retired, G Steve Hutchinson left for Minnesota- all three potential Hall of Famers), even just watching him during the games you could tell that he was definitely not the same player.

I do, however, question the Seahawks signings of the 2 running backs mentioned above. Julius Jones was unspectacular in Dallas behind a great offensive line. TJ Duckett played in Detroit (need I say more?). The Seahawks, if they were looking for a running back, might as well have either waited to see which of the several 1st-round caliber backs fell to them late in the first round or traded up to get one.

Can't Walk the Walk

For the third year in a row, the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers face each other this April in the first round of the NBA playoffs. This first round match up has become almost as traditional as the playoffs themselves; one would be hard-pressed to remember offhand the last time either team faced someone else in the first round (Washington faced Chicago in 2005, and, before that, Cleveland faced Indiana in 1998).

Of course, with this repeated battle comes a sense of animosity. One of the most memorable moments came in their first meeting in 2006, when, in between two late foul shots by Gilbert Arenas, LeBron casually whispered something into his ear. Gilbert clanked the second shot, and the Cavs went on to win the series 4-2—though they were hardly easy wins, with games 5 and 6 both requiring overtime.

In the years since, the teams have had mixed luck. The Cavs made the finals last year, only to be swept by the Spurs, while the Wizards struggled to stay in the middle of the Eastern pack, often marred by injuries. The bitterness between the two has grown lately, with the two teams also playing each other 26 times in the last 3 seasons, many of which were gritty, hard-fought games. The latest and most prominent fuel to the fire came just a few weeks ago, when DeShawn Stevenson claimed that LeBron James is “overrated,” pointing out that his team is barely .500 since the All-Star Break. In the two games played so far, tiffs have broken out, with shoving, taunting and some hard fouls made.

Now don’t get me wrong—I’m the first guy to admit that I love playoff rivalry. In fact, I think that this recent rivalry between the two is great for the league. One of the reasons the NBA of the late 90s was so great was because of the intense rivalries; Jazz/Rockets, Knicks/Heat, Bulls/everyone. The pushing, the hard fouls, the jawing, all of it gave the games a much higher intensity. Those guys knew what was on the line, and they were willing to fight each other for it. Lately, the NBA has seen much less of that, especially following the infamous 2004 brawl at the Palace in Detroit. The league has clamped down on this tough-style basketball, to my chagrin, and only this year have teams really started to look like they genuinely hated each other again, to my delight.

The difference, of course, and the point I’m trying to make, is that back when these rivalries were still in their prime, the teams were evenly matched. All of those teams—the Heat, the Pacers, the Jazz, the Bulls, all of them—they all went back and forth between each other every year. Even this year, with the intensity of game 1 between the Spurs and the Suns, you got the sense that you were seeing two evenly-matched goliaths going at it.

Take all of that into account, and then consider the Washington Wizards. Only a few questions come to mind: who the hell is DeShawn Stevenson? And who are the Wizards trying to fool?

It’s one thing to trash talk. It gets players excited, it gets fans excited, it heightens the urgency of the game. But if you’re the no-name DeShawn, and you’re shooting 0/4 on the day, don’t blow off the awesome blaze of the heat upon your immortal fingers after you hit your first bucket halfway into the third quarter. And when LeBron comes right back down the court on the very next play and drains a three over you and your double team (putting the Cavalier lead back at 19, might I add), don’t retaliate later with a needlessly dirty flagrant-2 foul. And sorry, Eddie Jordan, but when your player shoves a Cav in mid-air without making a play on the ball, it’s going to be an ejection for him. Don’t cry that it’s unfair. It’s the least of your worries after you just got blown out 116-86 and became down 2-0 in the series.

Like I said, I’m all for bitter rivalries and players hating each other. But when it’s just so damn clear that LeBron James is better than the entire Washington Wizards roster put together, it becomes entirely pathetic to whine to the media and pretend like you have a shot. After all, when you’re showing shades of Tim Thomas calling Kenyon Martin fugazy, you know you’re in trouble.

NBA Playoff Previews...

Below you will find previews for four of the eight first round playoff match-ups, while the other four can be found on the WBRS website.

Brian Raab and I, Ragin' Ravi, have collaborated on these previews and would welcome any comments.

Direct Links :

Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets

San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns

New Orleans Hornets vs. Dallas Mavericks

Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards

Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks

LA Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets

NBA Playoff Preview: Jazz vs Rockets

	Utah	Houston		Advantage
PG	Deron Williams	Rafer Alston	Alston will miss the first few games of the series, but it's inconsequential. Williams is unstoppable	Jazz
SG	Ronnie Brewer	Tracy McGrady	Brewer and Kirilenko will both see time covering McGrady, but he'll get his points one way or another	Rockets
SF	Andrei Kirilenko	Shane Battier	Both are defensive-minded players, but AK-47 is much more well-rounded and has shot better	Jazz
PF	Carlos Boozer	Luis Scola	Boozer should be good for 20-10 every night and he'll likely guard Mutombo, negating his suspect defense	Jazz
C	Mehmet Okur	Dikembe Mutombo	Okur will be a difficult cover with his shooting. Deke has a few finger wags left, but little else	Jazz
Bench	Kyle Korver	Bobby Jackson	The acquisition of Korver gave the Jazz a legitimate perimeter threat and turned the season around	Jazz
Coach	Jerry Sloan	Rick Adelman	Both coaches have performed admirably, but Adelman gets credit for coaching a 22-game winning streak	Rockets

Overview: Despite Utah's higher seed, the Rockets will have homecourt advantage due to a superior record. This could play a huge role, considering Utah's home-road splits. The Jazz went 37-4 at home, but were sub-.500 on the road with a 17-24 record. That said, it's still hard to see Houston winning this series. They are a better defensive team than the Jazz, but they don't match up well with Utah's top scoring threats. Boozer tore through Yao Ming last year and it's likely he'll do the same to whatever combination of Mutombo, Scola, and Chuck Hayes that he sees. Meanwhile, Houston has no one even remotely capable of containing Williams. The Rockets will be counting on McGrady to provide most of their offense, but with Brewer and Kirilenko defending, McGrady will have a very difficult time getting easy baskets. The Rockets have surprised us before, so you never know, but the smart money is on Utah.

Jazz in 6

NBA Playoff Preview: Spurs vs Suns

	San Antonio	Phoenix		Advantage
PG	Tony Parker	Steve Nash	Parker should exploit Nash's defense, but Nash will more than make up for it with his scoring and passing	Suns
SG	Michael Finley	Raja Bell	While both are mostly used as spot-up shooters on offense, Bell is also a lock-down defender	Suns
SF	Bruce Bowen	Grant Hill	Hill is much more dangerous on offense than Bowen and he gives the Suns another perimeter defender	Suns
PF	Fabricio Oberto	Amare Stoudemire	The Spurs will send a number of different players to attempt to slow down Stoudemire. Good luck	Suns
C	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O'Neal	O'Neal will make Duncan work a little harder on offense, but Duncan is the best player in this series	Spurs
Bench	Manu Ginobili	Leandro Barbosa	Ginobili and Barbosa each provide excellent scoring off the bench, but Ginobili's been significantly better	Spurs
Coach	Gregg Popovich	Mike D'Antoni	D'Antoni has done an excellent job of working O'Neal into the lineup,but Popovich has four rings	Spurs

Overview: The Spurs-Suns series was the best of last year's playoffs, though it was marred by the Game 6 suspensions. It should be another incredible showdown this year and it will be the ultimate test for the Shaq trade. O'Neal was brought in to help the Suns handle the Spurs, more than any other opponent and he should give them an edge. His defense on Duncan will be critical, but the mere fact that Stoudemire won't have to guard Duncan will leave Amare with a lot more energy to take over on offense. Gregg Popovich will have some difficult decisions to make regarding how he covers Stoudemire, but the bigger issue will be San Antonio's offense. O'Neal should slow down Duncan, at least a little, and Grant Hill and Raja Bell should combine to make Manu Ginobili work extremely hard for every shot. It's hard to see the Spurs scoring enough to keep pace.

Suns in 6

NBA Playoff Preview: Hornets vs Mavs

	New Orleans	Dallas		Advantage
PG	Chris Paul	Jason Kidd	Kidd averaged a double-double in point and assists, but Paul is a deserving MVP candidate	Hornets
SG	Morris Peterson	Jerry Stackhouse	Neither Peterson nor Stackhouse has had a strong season, but Peterson's defense gives him the edge	Mavs
SF	Peja Stojakavic	Josh Howard	While Peja has played well, Howard is a better defender and has carried the offense at times	Mavs
PF	David West	Dirk Nowitski	West has emerged as an All-Star, but few can match Nowitski's ability to take over a game with his scoring	Mavs
C	Tyson Chandler	Erik Dampier	Both are there for defense and rebounding, but Chandler is far more consistent, averaging 12 RPG	Hornets
Bench	Bonzi Wells	Jason Terry	Terry could start for most teams and is a tremendous shooter, while Wells has always been erratic	Mavs
Coach	Byron Scott	Avery Johnson	Both have reached the Finals and lost, but Johnson gets more credit for doing it in the West	Mavs

Overview: Dallas won the last meeting by a healthy margin, but Jason Kidd knocked down five threes in that game. What are the odds he does that again? In addition, Dallas was playing for a higher seed, while the Hornets were already locked in. Experience certainly favors Dallas, though the Hornets have a couple key players (Stojakavic, for one) who have been through the playoff battles before. The key match-up has to be the point guard battle between Kidd and Chris Paul, which heavily favors the quicker Paul. Of course, one can't forget Nowitski. He and Paul are both capable of winning series by themselves, but Nowitski is going to have a harder time with David West than Paul will with Kidd.

Hornets in 7

NBA Playoff Preview: Pistons vs Sixers

	Detroit	Philadelphia		Advantage
PG	Chauncey Billups	Andre Miller	Both players averaged about 17 PPG and 7 APG, but Billups is a much better shooter and defender	Pistons
SG	Richard Hamilton	Willie Green	Green will spend most of his energy chasing Hamilton around screens, but might provide a little scoring	Pistons
SF	Tayshaun Prince	Andre Iguodala	Iguodala carried the Sixers' offense on most nights. He is strong enough to muscle his way past Prince	Sixers
PF	Rasheed Wallace	Reggie Evans	Wallace can score from anywhere and play great interior defense. Evans rebounds and that's it	Pistons
C	Antonio McDyess	Samuel Dalembert	McDyess' talent is waning, while Dalembert is enjoying a career year. Expect to see a lot of Jason Maxiell	Sixers
Bench	Rodney Stuckey	Thaddeus Young	Young had a great rookie season once he got consistent playing time, but Detroit has excellent depth	Pistons
Coach	Flip Saunders	Maurice Cheeks	Saunders has had regular season success, but has yet to reach the Finals. Cheeks is a COY candidate	Sixers

Overview: The Pistons and Sixers split their regular season meetings 2-2, with the Sixers winning the last two match-ups. Rasheed Wallace is the key to this series. If he stays in the low post, the Sixers have no one who can handle him, but if he strays to the perimeter, Cheeks can play Thaddeus Young at power forward and try to outrun the Pistons. The Sixers match up reasonably well with the Pistons, but Detroit's massive edge in experience and their homecourt advantage makes a Philadelphia upset unlikely. The Sixers still have enough to give Detroit trouble and make them work to advance to the second round.

Pistons in 6