The Phillies are 3-8 since they got Cliff Lee, and Lee is 2-0 since he got here. Perhaps the explanation is that the Fightins can’t get over their shock and awe over the Lee deal.
We could be seeing the beginning of the end of Jamie Moyer’s remarkable career, although Orel Hersheiser says a six-man rotation, including Moyer, is the way to go.
Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals have won eight straight, and 14 of 25 since firing Manny Acta. Jim Riggleman is an underappreciated genius, apparently. Despite Raul Ibanez having the best two months of his career early this season, Adam Dunn, whom the Phillies could have had to play leftfield, now has a higher OPS than Ibanez, and is on a 44-HR, 122-RBI pace in a pitcher’s park.
The USA Today/coaches’ preseason college football poll, announced last week has gotten some criticism over the fact that coaches vote, or the unprofessional way they vote, but not much over the actual results of the vote.
It’s pretty rote stuff, really. The top three (Florida, Texas, Oklahoma) are superpowers with returning Heisman-level QBs.
The next three are USC (obligatory), Alabama (a mild surprise but, you know, it’s the SEC) and Ohio State (A perennial, and considered the Big Ten’s best program). Then there’s Va. Tech, co-starring in the “they have everybody back”, rols popularized by Clemson and others.
Then comes JoePa and his troops.
The SEC has five of the top 13, and frankly I thought they’d do better. No. 10 Mississippi has 50 of 69 lettermen back, including perhaps the best QB (Jevan Snead) who hasn’t been invited to NYC for a Heisman ceremony.
Last year the Rebels beat Florida, outscored their last five opponents 199-54, including a 31-13 dressdown of LSU (now ranked ninth) and a two-touchdown defeat of then No. 8 Texas Tech in Texas (in the Cotton Bowl).
