Sweet Lou wins NL Manager of the Year, His Catcher wins the Rookie.

Though Charlie Manuel piloted the Philadelphia Phillies to a world series title, he is not any stage besides the flatbed truck back on haloween. Manuel was favored to win the NL Manager of the Year Award, but...

"Sweet" Lou Pinella, the Chicago Cubs skipper, won his third, manager of the year award.

On the other hand, Joe Maddon, won his first AL manager of the year award for winning the American League Pennant. The Rays finished with 97 wins.

Geovany Soto won the NL Rookie of the Year, with Maddon's 3rd Baseman, Evan Longoria, taking the AL honors.

L8er,
Cramer

If Burrell leaves...

With the focus on improving the rotation in this free agent frenzied MLB, who will play left field if Pat the Bat doesn't come back. Here are my picks:

1. Raul Ibanez:
Current Team- Free Agent
Last Played for- Mariners, 2008
Career Stats- .286 AVG, 182 HR, 794 RBI, 12 years.
Bats Left, Throws Right
Achievements- #330 on all time HR list
Chance of Signing: 55%

2. Matt Holiday
Current Team- A's (got traded on 11/10/08)
Last Played for- Rockies, 2008
Career Stats- .319 AVG, 128 HR, 483 RBI, 4 years.
Bats Right, Throws Right
Achievements:

• 3-time All-Star (2006–2008)
• 2-time Silver Slugger (2006–2007)
• 2007 National League Championship Series MVP
• National League Player of the Month (September 2007)
• National League Batting Champion (2007)
• National League RBI leader (2007)
• National League Doubles leader (2007)
• National League Hits leader (2007)
• National League Total Bases leader (2007)
• National League Extra Base Hits leader (2007)
  
• The Sporting News All-Star team (2007)
• Baseball America All-Rookie team (2004)
• Topps All-Star Rookie team (2004)

Chance of Trading for: less than 1%

If you have any ideas on who should play Left for the Phillies, let me know!

L8er,
Cramer

2008 Awards

Its that time of year. When the trees turn colors and the players head home, the big moment arrives. Filled with comments and controversy, the awards are what the deserving players get for their hard work. now, in 2008, its time.  Time for something new:

You can pick the president (OBAMA). You can pick your friends. You can pick your nose. Now, YOU can pick the winners. Yes, thats right, YOU pick the 2008 winners! To vote, just go to phillies.com . Don't forget to vote for the 2008 World Champion Phillies! 

L8er,

Cramer

PS: For the biggest Oddity, vote for Chase Utley's "Vocabulary Slipups"!!!!

WE DID IT! 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS!

Brad Lidge Steps onto the rubber. Top of the ninth; two outs. Runner on second. Three balls, two strikes. The windup and the pitch.

Eric Hinske chopped up at 96 mph fastball right down the heart of the plate. Inning over. Game over. Series over. Season over. Wait over.

Brad Lidge threw his glove up in the air. Carlos Ruiz rushed to the mound, a grin from ear to ear. Ryan Howard leaped on to the battery as the flyin' hawiian ran in from the outfield. Scott Eyre and Clay Condrey ran to the field from the bullpen.

The Phillies won the 104th World Series of Baseball, ending with a triumph and champagne.

Though there will be no more games, I will be covering trades, awards and wintermeetings as well as requests for other topics.

Until February (or sooner),
Cramer

Wild Wild Weather

Philadelphia--  Game 3 may be pushed up. Why? There is a thunderstorm currently rolling through the eastern seaboard. These are the conditions:

Raining with a chance of Hail

Winds about 20 mph

Cancelation Chance: 55%

More l8er,

Cramer

Cole Hamels catches fire, Phillies lead 1-0!

Tropicana Field- Cole Hamels went seven strong innings and cruised to a game 1 win last night in Tampa Bay. The Rays starter, Scott Kazmir, racked up a loss last night as the Phightin Phils won, 3-2. Chase Utley connected for two run shot in the opening inning of the series which ultimately decided the game.

Tonights Game
Who: Brett Myers (Regular Season (10-13) Postseason (2-0)) vs James Shields (Regular Season (14-8) Postseason (1-2))

What: World Series, Game 2

When: 8:00pm ET

Where: Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay FL

Why: The Lights-Out Bullpen

Cramer's Predictions:

(L)Myers: 6.2IP, 6H, 3ER, 4BB, 5K
(W)Shields: 7IP, 5H, 1ER, 2BB, 4K

Good Day and Go Phils,
Cramer

Game 1 WORLD SERIES: Hamels @ Kazmir

The dream has come true. We are finally at a waypoint at which we have not approached in 15 years, and have never approached with such confidence. Back in the 1870s, the Philadelphia Quakers were the team to beat. 100 years ad 10,000 losses later, the thought process was not quite the same. But as the fall classic comes to a close, we are being watched by almost 85 million people. As the sports shops in small towns are making handsome profits from phillies gear, we prepare for what we have spent 28 years waiting for: the championship. The most coveted prize in all of sports, the world series trophy has been won by 27 out of the 30 present day teams (the only teams not to win one are the Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, The Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, The Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres). The chance is here; take it!

I will make my predictions in a little bit.

GO PHILLIES!

Cramer

Contact me

If you have any questions or suggestions for about the blog, you can reach me at scramer@chestnuthillacademy.org

08 in a "nutshell"

2008- the miracle season

The phillies are beast. Thats final if you dont belive me fine, ill just blab about this for no reason at all. Here goes...

After an 0-2 start to the season, the phillies, equipped with brad lidge, j-roll, the big man, climb the stairs and jayson werth, find themselves ONE win away from a trip to the world series. Seems like a fantasy, doesn't? Ahh, the smell of nachos, the big lineup of baseball cards in the left field gate, the phanatic shooting hot dogs (section 322 is a HUGE hotspot), the citizens 7, it all seems like a dream. A franchise that seemed doomed after 10,000 losses. But we, the fans, never threw the towel in. Not even when we were 7 runs behind against the mets and won on a coste single in the 13th. Not even when we won last year on the final day. That image of number 39, throwing his mizuno  will linger in my 12-year old mind forever. The picture of pedro feliz climbing on top of ryan howard and brad lidge hangs on my wall. This team is a team with heart. a team with passion. A team that bring pride to the color red.  A true team with true determination. When they were 5.5 games out in august, they didn't give up. they couldn't. they are the my team. They are your team.

They are the team to beat!

Now lets get out there and kick some dodger ass!

More l8er,

cramer

Big Men Do it Again

Pat Burrell and Chase Utley each hit a bomb and helped the phillies to a comeback Game 1 W.

More L8er,

Cramer

NLCS

THE PHILLIES ARE NLDS CHAMPIONS!!!!!

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VICtory is lost; Victorino blunder in the 9th cost us the game

Shane Victorino knocked over Craig Counsell and cost us what would have been an RBI on the double play in the 9th. The call was that Victorino had interfered with the throw and the play was called an automatic DP. The Phillies lost 4-1. Now for todays game...

Who: Blanton (9-12) vs Suppan (10-10)

What: Phillies @ Brewers, Game 4 NLDS

When: 105 ET

Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI

Why: Shane "The Flyin Hawaiian" Victorino

Quick Stat: The Cubs were just swept by the L.A. Dodgers, who have advanced to the NLCS for the first time since 1988.

More L8er,

Cramer

Vic comes up big, Phils on track to 2nd win

THIS JUST IN:

Shane Victorino hit a grand slam tonight at the bank off of CC Sabathia!

L8ER,

Cramer

Operation Playoff; Phase 1 Complete

Who: CC Sabathia (17-10) vs Brett Myers (10-13
What: Game 2 NLDS
When: 6:00 pm
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Why: The Phantastic Phillies Phans

I'm All Ears: The game will be on TBS, 1210AM(WPHT) and ESPN Radio.

Cramer's Pitching Predictions:
Sabathia: 6.1IP, 1ER, 5H,6K,2BB
Brewers Bullpen: 1.2IP, 1ER, 2H, 1K, BB
Myers: 7IP, 1ER, 3H, 10K, 2BB
Phillies Bullpen: 1IP, ER, 1H, 3K, 1BB

More L8er,
Cramer