McNabb's Leadership Critical to Season

After last week's loss, the Eagles find themselves in a precarious situation. The team's record has dropped to 5-4 with a more challenging schedule over the balance of the season. A loss in San Diego to the AFC West co-leaders was certainly understandable considering that the Eagles were playing at far less than full strength, but they find themselves in this predicament because they let a couple other games get away.

Over the past couple days, Donovan McNabb has called Sunday night's game in Chicago a "must win." Some have questioned this logic and others have wondered whether placing so much emphasis on this game will ultimately back fire? McNabb has also highlighted the overall youth of this particular team and expressed his opinion that the team is lacking in veteran leadership.

It is good to see that McNabb recognizes this void and can see what outsiders looking in can observe about the 2009 edition of the Eagles. Some of the key veteran leaders such as Brian Dawkins, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas are no longer with the team, and injuries to Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis and Stewart Bradley have taken a few leader-by-example type players off the field.

McNabb has long been a de facto leader by virtue of his position, contract and tenure, but he has never been a fiery, vocal presence like some other high profile, veteran quarterbacks. His personality is easy going and fun loving, rather than demanding and intense. He is prone to be supportive, offering positive reinforcement with a pat on the back rather than get into someone's face for blowing an assignment or not executing.

The merits of each style can be debated, and might work better or worse depending on the personalities and the psyches of those around him. Some players are motivated by a demanding leader, while others become paralyzed or resentful. In general, the mentality of the Philadelphia fan base would definitely skew towards favoring a forceful, spirited leader.

Although its not his make-up, lets give McNabb credit for recognizing that he needs to break from past protocol and move towards being more outspoken, more overt. By declaring this a "must game", he has clearly challenged his teammates and ramped up the urgency. The latter has seemed to be absent throughout much of the season, painfully so in the Raiders game, but also against the Cowboys, Chiefs and Saints.

Part of this traces to youth and the loss of the aforementioned leaders. Some of it also comes from previous history whereby the Eagles have been able to overcome early season inconsistency by turning up the intensity in November and December to land in the playoffs. Coming off that exact scenario last season, and then coming within a play or two of making it to the Super Bowl, human nature can lead players to think that the same thing is repeatable.

McNabb knows, though, that this team is very different than past editions of the team that have been able to pull that off. He realizes that this team does not have the same veteran presence to rally teammates and maintain its poise when the stakes get higher. So, it makes great sense that he recognizes that the time is now for him to step up and be a different type of leader if the team wants to realize its promise.

The Eagles clearly have talent and the athletic capabilities to be a contender. But, they also clearly lack the guidance and motivation that needs to be ignited from within by players who have been around the block. It is a great move forward for McNabb to express the importance of the occasion and verbally challenge the team. It will be equally important for him to massage his demeanor and raise the bar of expectations of those around him.

This is not to suggest that McNabb should be something or someone that he is not by suddenly trying to be a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Dan Marino or Jeff Garcia type of personality. But, he can surely bring a more serious, demanding approach while remaining authentic. His teammates need to know that he expects them to execute and anything less than full focus and intense effort does not pass muster.

Lets give McNabb a great deal of credit for stepping out of his comfort zone and stepping up as a vocal leader. This is obviously a thoughtful action on his behalf and one that is critically important to the direction the team heads over the balance of the year. A 5-4 record is not where the Eagles hoped to be at this point, and there is still hope, but it is quickly approaching the eleventh hour to light the fire and set the team on a path to success.

Depleted Eagles Don't Have Enough to Overcome Chargers

Using a make shift line-up due to the unavailability of many players, the Eagles did not have quite enough to get by the San Diego Chargers, losing 31-23. They wasted opportunities on offense and could muster very little resistance on defense, letting what seemed to be yet another winnable game get away. Despite fielding a team with many key players missing parts or all of the game, the Eagles could have come away with a victory, but the same continuing weaknesses ultimately proved to be their undoing.

The Eagles made the trip to the west coast knowing that they would be less than full strength, especially on defense. This past week, Ellis Hobbs was lost for the season to a neck injury, Joselio Hanson was suspended for four games, and Akeem Jordan joined Omar Gaither and Stewart Bradley as injured linebackers. This situation was compounded further when tackle Jason Peters and Quintin Demps were unable to suit up, and then Brian Westbrook and Sheldon Brown came out after the first half due to injury. Westbrook suffered another concussion, making for a very serious situation that could be potentially season or career threatening. DeSean Jackson also sprained an ankle, but continued to play after being heavily taped.

Despite having to move players into unaccustomed positions as well as plug holes with reserves, waiver wire pick-ups and practice squad players, the Eagles made a gallant effort against a surging Chargers team that is now tied for first place in the AFC West. At the end of the day, they didn't have quite enough to pull the game out and fell victim to the same trouble spots that have plagued them throughout the year.

Clock management cost them all their timeouts in the second half and allowed the Chargers to run the clock down to preclude an Eagles comeback. A large number of penalties, including several ones wiping out big gains and undoing defensive stops, proved very costly. Once again, the defense was unable to make a stand late in the game when the Eagles needed to get the ball back and preserve time. Although used less, the Mildcat was its usual hindrance. And, the long-time tandem nemeses struck again as the Eagles could not convert on short yardage or in the red zone.

It was particularly painful when the Eagles had to settle for a 19-yard field goal in the second quarter after having first and goal at the 1. Two other trips to the red zone also resulted in short field goals, so the Eagles came away with only 9 of a possible 21 points on those opportunities, which they could not afford considering the state of the defense. One last nemesis also popped up when officials ruled that Eldra Buckley did not cross the plane of the goal line on a 3rd and 1 attempt that resulted in Akers first field goal, although it appeared that he had. Unfortunately, the Fox Sports crew was asleep along with the referees and failed to show a replay from a different angle. Also, after last week's experience with the officials not changing a spot despite visual evidence to the contrary, Andy Reid apparently figured it was a lost cause and elected not to challenge the play.

The Lighting Bolts moved the ball with relative ease the entire game against the Eagles patchwork defense. Philip Rivers completed 80% of his 25 passes, hitting a pretty much wide open Antonio Gates 7 times. With Ladainian Tomlinson struggling all year, the Chargers have been one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL, but he had his best game of the year, accumulating 96 yards and 2 TD's.

Falling behind early by a score of 14-0 and knowing that the defense was compromised, the Eagles elected to air it out in an attempt to match scores with the Chargers. It worked very well with Donovan McNabb posting his most productive game ever, throwing for 450 yards on 55 attempts. He spread the ball around to all his receivers, but Jason Avant had an extraordinary game. He went inside and out, high and low to grab 8 passes for 156 yards, looking a lot like Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin.

Unfortunately, the prolific passing game got derailed by the Eagles inability to put the ball in the end zone, both via the air and especially on the ground. McNabb did manage touchdown passes to Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek in the 4th quarter, but earlier red zone failures had helped put them in a big hole. The game ended with McNabb making a last ditch "Hail Mary" pass into the end zone that was picked off.

Yesterday, the Eagles were undermanned, so departing without a victory can be understood. Surely, some of the failures relate to players being out of position, back-ups being called into duty or even new players altogether. Fo many Eagles fans, though, the loss stung more as they witnessed some of the same key failings that let a couple other games slip away this season. Besides the passing game, the only other bright was on the scoreboard where it read "Dallas 7, Green Bay 17."

I'm just saying....

A weekly collection of random thoughts and observations for you to consider.

• Once again, the NFL seems to have its priorities mixed up and do not appear to be Eagles fans. While they forego suspensions on players testing positive for steroids, they decide to clamp down hard on the Eagles Joselio Hanson for taking a weight loss pill. And, last week they penalized the Eagles for a 1 second Captain Morgan pose after a touchdown. Perhaps the NFL front office are scotch drinkers and like players with a little bit of meat on them?
• Considering that the TV networks are continually looking to find new sources of revenue, Jorge Posada presented an excellent new opportunity in the World Series. In Game 2 of the World Series, Posada called 28 timeouts to visit the mound. Could the "Avodart or Directv Pitching Conference Moment" be in the not too distant future?
• Since things haven't seemed to take a turn for the better in Washington, maybe Sherman Lewis will become available for a consulting gig with Philadelphia? Last week's game against Dallas suggested that a "Time Management" consultant might be in order for the Eagles.
• Rumor has it that the Patriots are looking to add the Wildcat formation to their offense. If only they could have made that decision before the trade deadline....
• "LeBron" has spoken. He is calling for the league to retire #23 in honor of "Michael" rationalizing that if he is not going to wear the number, then surely nobody else should. Lets hope the NBA does not further inflate these two third person, first name-only egos by complying with LeBron's decree.
• Wade Phillips seems to over celebrate a little as if he knows he is on borrowed time. I was waiting for him to dump Gatorade on his players after the Eagles failed to convert a 4th and inches.
• And, speaking of 4th and inches, it sure would help if NFL referees actually spotted the ball in the appropriate place and then used the same video that was shown to all television viewers to get the call right after a challenge.

Eagles California Dreaming

Although the state has not been a good destination so far this season, the Eagles return to California dreaming of a win despite having a depleted defense. A few weeks ago the Eagles suffered an unlikely defeat at the hands of the Oakland Raiders, and now head to the more inviting San Diego area to face a much tougher Chargers team.

Both team's have identical 5-3 records at the season's mid-point. Both team's have also somewhat underperformed expectations and look to develop some momentum for the second half of the season. The Chargers feature a high powered passing game and have the good fortune of facing an Eagles team that is suddenly depleted in its secondary and linebacker corps. On the positive side of the injury ledger, the Eagles should see Brian Westbrook return to the line-up.

This is an important game for the Eagles now that they have dropped a game out of first place, especially after letting last week's game get away with uninspired play and some poor decision making. The national media was looking in on the Sunday Football Night in America game and directed a great deal of criticism towards the Eagles for wasting time outs and kicking a field goal rather than going for a first down late in the game. The latter pretty much gift wrapped the contest for a Dallas team that did not seem all that impressive.

In the Cowboys game, Ellis Hobbs and Akeem Jordan went down with injuries. On Tuesday, they learned that Hobbs will be out the rest of the season with a serious neck injury and Joradn does not appear ready to return. Adding insult to injury, the team also learned that cornerback Joselio Hanson was being suspended 4 weeks for taking a weight loss pill last January. Apparently the NFL allows steroids to slide, but is taking a very firm stance on players worried about their waist lines. As a result, Sean McDermott is finding it necessary to patch a team together with practice squad players and waiver wire additions.

Andy Reid and staff will need to make a strategic decision whether they try to control the ball and keep it out of the hands of the Chargers offense, or whether they tee it up and try to outscore them. Based on the Eagles dreadful ability to consistently execute and sustain drives thus far this year, a shoot out seems to be the far better option. They would also be wise to leave the Mildcat formation and Mike Vick on the sidelines.

Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson and Darren Sproles are likely to eat up yardage through the air and put points on the scoreboard. Running back Ladainian Tomlinson appears to be a shadow of his former self, but Sproles will likely make some big gains on draw plays and screen plays. The Chargers should also keep very busy hitting Gates in the seams and Jackson up high and down the field.

The Eagles will need Donovan McNabb to come out sharp and make good use of the weapons around him. Last week his throwing accuracy was a little off and the team could not get their speed receivers open for some quick strikes. They were forced to work underneath, where their lack of consistency proved to be their undoing. It will be critical for them to get DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin down the field for some big plays if they want any hope of keeping pace with the Lightning Bolts. McNabb will likely lean heavily on Brent Celek since the Chargers have not been particularly adept at covering tight ends and could very well find him a couple times in the end zone. If so, lets hope the Eagles lose the Captain Morgan routine that gives the opponent great field position afterwards.

Westbrook and LeSean McCoy should help to keep the Chargers defense respecting the run, but it remains to be seen whether the former will be at full strength or whether he can stay healthy for an entire game. The Bolts' defense continues to be vulnerable, so the Birds should be able put up points themselves if they execute.

Although the same was said last week, expect to see a high scoring contest that will go down to the wire. Unfortunately, the Chargers have been far more successful than the Eagles in these situations, which does not bode well for the Birds.

Chargers 34

Eagles 31

NFL Power Rankings Top 15 Week 10

The NFL's two remaining unbeaten teams both had to come from behind to win in Week 9. While the Colts will be severely tested this week as the Patriots roll into town, the Saints will need to find ways to limit themselves from rolling up a Barry Switzer coached Oklahoma style blowout. Based on the Colts most recent performances, it is likely that the Saints will stand alone after Week 10. The NFL is shaping up as a league of "have's" and "have not's" with the Saints/Rams game serving as a prime example.

The Vikings had a week off and face a "have not." After being out of the spot light, the Vikings QB will surely want to throw up some big numbers. Besides the Patriots/Colts game, the most interesting game of the weekend may be the Bengals visiting Pittsburgh with first place in the AFC North at stake. The Steelers are on a roll, but the Bengals could very well surprise them.

Another game that may demonstrate how much a factor each team will be over the course of the season will be in San Diego. The Eagles visit the Chargers with both teams sitting at 5-3, but each having underplayed expectations. Poor decision making and an uninspired performance cost the Eagles a win last week, and they now have to face the Chargers potent passing game with a depleted secondary.

The Cowboys have been winning, but still do not appear to be overly impressive. An upset loss against the rebounding Packers in Green Bay is not out of the question. The Giants continue to fall and will have an extra week to figure out what to do. Similar to last season, it is hard to tell which Cardinals team will show up any given week. The high powered offense, dominating team dressed for last week's game. They might show up again facing a Seahawks team with trouble defending the pass.

1. Saints (8-0)-May have to use third string to keep from 60 point win
2. Colts (8-0)-Could Pats leave the Saints as last undefeated team?
3. Vikings (7-1)-Ditto. Have all the ingredients to go to Super Bowl
4. Patriots (6-2)-Back on track, huge test this week
5. Steelers (6-2)-Big win in Denver has them thinking repeat
6. Broncos (6-2)- Coming back to earth after great start
7. Bengals (6-2)- Look like bona fide playoff team with sweep over Ravens
8. Cowboys(6-2)-Keep winning, but still not overly impressive
9. Eagles (5-3)-Never seemed to kick it in gear against Cowboys
10. Falcons (5-3)- Took care of business vs Redskins
11. Cardinals (5-3)-Up and down team that lacks motivation to excel
12. Chargers (5-3)- Boosted in rankings by Giants win after so so season
13. Giants (5-4)-Four losses and counting, bye gives time to regroup
14. Texans (5-4)- Played Colts tough, seem on the verge
15. Ravens (4-4)-Defense playing better, but offense disappears

Where Do the Eagles Go From Here?

At the 2009 season's mid-point, the Eagles find themselves sitting at 5-3 and one game out of first in the tough NFC East by virtue of their loss to the Cowboys Sunday night. For the casual observer, this seems like a good record that gives the team reason for hope over the balance of the year. A pragmatist, though, sees that the team probably underperformed, should likely have 1 or 2 more wins and has a more difficult schedule in the second half of the season.

To be fair, the Eagles had to weather the storm of some key injuries, but this is an aspect that most every team has to overcome in the NFL, where the overall size, speed and strength of players creates a figurative train wreck each week. The loss of Donovan McNabb to a broken rib may have cost the team a chance to be competitive against the Saints, but the biggest blows have been on the offensive line, at middle linebacker and the absence of Brian Westbrook. With Shawn Andrews never seeing the field, his brother Stacy playing in a limited back-up role, Todd Herremans just now seeing action and Jason Peters being banged up, the line play has been commendable, but erratic. The loss of Stewart Bradley in pre-season created a weakness until recently. And, losing a weapon the caliber of Westbook is always impactful.

Thus far, the Eagles have been a bi-polar bunch, with the high's very high and the low's very low. The highlight of the first half was the 40-17 demolition of the Giants a couple weeks ago. The low point was the dismal loss in Oakland against a Raiders team that has been inept and is in disarray. Sunday's loss to a 6-2 Cowboys team does not fall into the same category, but it surely was disappointing coming off the Giants game and because it appeared that a win was only a little bit of execution away.

The Eagles roster definitely has talent and the potential to do much better over the course of the season. The team has flashed its capabilities with big plays in all phases of the game. The offense has evolved into an explosive, quick strike unit, but in between big plays demonstrates very little consistency or ability to grind out drives. The defensive personality over the past decade has almost always been aggressive, and now has a knack for interceptions. And, the Eagles possess explosive returners on special teams, but have a difficult time avoiding penalties to make it worthwhile.

In order for the team to improve and make a successful post season run, here are some thoughts on what needs to happen:

Leadership must emerge.

Many of the Eagles better players are young or have never played a substantial leadership role. With the departure of key veterans such as Brian Dawkins, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, the team seems to be a little lacking in terms of leadership. There appears to be a particular void on the defense as Dawkins was such a strong presence and the team sadly lost one of the most influential coordinators in the league with the passing of Jim Johnson.

Some of the schizophrenic play of the team most likely can be attributed to the gap in leadership. McNabb needs to recognize that he must assert himself as the unquestioned leader on offense, demonstrating a high level of intensity and control while demanding more from his players. On defense, someone needs to emerge as the motivational leader who keeps the pressure on to perform at a high level. Could recently acquired Will Witherspoon be that person?

Attain stability on the offensive line.

It will be difficult for the Eagles to have any real success this season as long as their offensive line is in a constant state of flux. To a certain degree, changing this will require some good fortune, but it will also require Herremans and Andrews to round into shape in order to perform to their potential. Until this happens, breakdowns in protection and the inability to create running lanes will continue to stall the Eagles offense, which is a segue to the next two needs.

Develop ability to execute on methodical drives.

The Eagles need to cultivate their base offense, and develop the ability to grind out methodical drives to complement their big play capabilities. So far this season it has mostly been all or nothing, which typically leads to unfulfilled promise when the playoffs roll around.

Clearly DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin give the team a new found explosiveness, but the Eagles also have the tools to move the chains. Brent Celek is emerging as an excellent tight end, who gets open, makes tough catches and is hard to bring down. Jason Avant continues to impress with his ability to catch the ball in traffic and serve as a complementary possession receiver. Even if Brian Westbrook is out of the line-up, both LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver have demonstrated that they can run and catch very effectively.

Make Vick the emergency QB.

The team needs to bite the bullet and admit that the Michael Vick experiment is a bust. They need to make a clean break by taking him out of the offense altogether and slide him into the emergency back-up role. Vick not only does not add anything to the offense, he clearly detracts from it. Wasting a valuable timeout to shuffle him in and out for yet another nothing play on Sunday night added insult to injury. Although it surely is not the sole reason, it is not sheer coincidence that the offense still has not been able to find any level of continuity this season. Heck, you can even see the frustration and lack of confidence on the face of players every time Vick shuffles onto the field to run some exotic dive or sandlot formation.

Hire a "Time Management" coach

A long-time nemesis of the team has been its inability to manage the clock and make "in game" snap decisions. Squandering all three second half timeouts the other night, although one can be attributed to poor vision or pure stubbornness of the officials, was further compounded by an almost nonsensical late game decision to kick a field goal. The Eagles needed a touchdown to avoid defeat, with or without the field goal, so they essentially doubled their chances of losing simply by attempting a field goal. By not trying to get a first down, the entire game now rode on them being able to get a quick 3 and out, plus they would have to drive much further to score.

Is it out of the realm of possibility to have an assistant who's job it is to study probabilities, and most importantly, who possesses stellar skills in logical reasoning? This coach could help prepare thinking in order to make the right decisions in the moment, and be standing ready for quick consult. It sounds crazy, but is at least worth consideration as time management surely has not been a forte.

In the NFC, the Saints and Vikings are both playing with a level of consistency and skill at a higher level than the Eagles. In the AFC, the Colts, Patriots and Steelers all appear to be a cut above. But, as the Eagles stand at the mid-point looking back at their first half body of work and peer ahead to what might lie ahead, there is a great deal of reason for optimism. As the many previous flashes of brilliance have signaled, the potential is there; however, it is going to require adjustments and an evolution. The next five games, four of which are against winning teams on the road, will likely reveal whether the Eagles are a true contender.

A Few Thoughts for the Phillies Suggestion Box

With New York City celebrating the Yankee's World Series Championship, the runners-up have already begun to address the mission to re-capture the trophy. The sting of tantalizingly just falling short of achieving the Phillies year long quest has not even begun to fade, but Ruben Amaro and his aids have already moved forward on setting their course of strategy for next year and beyond. Overall, the team is in great position to realize ongoing success, but organizational philosophy and some key decisions will certainly influence the course of events.

Some have been surprised by Amaro's ability to step in and quickly make a big impact, displaying decisiveness and a well thought out plan. He has exhibited a bias towards action, but at the same time maintained an important balance. The mid-season decisions to decline meeting the Blue Jay's trade demands and then completing a better deal for Cliff Lee serve as perfect examples.

Amaro's presence alone is an important factor in projecting a bright future for the team. Additionally, he has other solid baseball people around him and ownership that allows them to be the experts. Early indications are that the Amaro regime advocates maintaining an organization that fields a perennial contender, but within bounds, will make the moves necessary to win it all. In other words, they are both sound business tacticians and fans who long for a champion.

A World Series ring and a couple National League Championship trophies over the past couple years make a compelling case that the Phillies are doing just fine on their own; however, I have a few thoughts that I would like to put into the franchise suggestion box. These fall far short of the total body of work necessary to run and sustain a highly successful major league baseball team, but surely will have import in 2010 and beyond.

Extend Cliff Lee's contract.

Cliff Lee is the type of pitching ace and personality that is ideal for this team. After displaying his capabilities throughout the post season, he clearly will not come cheap, but he is perfect for this team and worth the money. It is reasonable to assume that the team's talent, a taste of the post season, the personality of the players, the chemistry of the team and the Citizen's Bank Park environment all currently serve as a strong enticement for Lee to extend his commitment to the Phillies.

The team has long shied away from inking pitchers to long-term deals, but if ever there was a situation that called for a variance, it is this one. Lee is in his prime at 31, has an intense competitive demeanor, provides a tremendous role model for other young pitchers (Hamels, Happ, Blanton, Drabek, etc), has been injury free, possesses a live arm with strong mechanics and simply knows how to pitch. Last year's 22-3 Cy Young season and this year's post season are a harbinger of what to expect over the next 4-5 seasons.

Lee is the perfect anchor for the pitching staff for years to come. And, importantly, he adds to the marvelous team chemistry. Sign him to a long-term deal now while many factors are favorable and before the Evil Empire has a chance to overwhelm him with a financial package in a different stratosphere from the rest of baseball.

Stick to your guns and don't mortgage the future.

The mid-year decision to hold onto J.A. Happ and the team's top prospects by trading for Lee at a much more reasonable price will prove to be a terrific move. Public sentiment at the time leaned heavily towards giving up whatever was necessary to land Roy Halladay. This pot has been stirred up by a Philadelphia sports writer once again advocating this move.

The Phillies surely have a great nucleus that could be intact for easily another 4-6 years, but resist the temptation to go all in without regard for the future. In the moment it seems good to fans who thirst for another taste of a championship, but those same fans would loathe a future team that is an "also ran." Many criticize the Eagles model for running a franchise that has maintained them as a consistent contender because they have been unable to secure the Lombardi Trophy. Perhaps they have failed to make a bold move or two to put them over the top, but your actions this year show that you are willing to strike a balance.

Every Phillies fan and organizational member would agree that another World Series Championship next season would be awesome, but the after glow would fade quickly if it meant mortgaging the future of the team's ongoing competitiveness. Stick to your guns to maintain an exciting, contending team for years to come. This era is too much fun and this team is too much a part of the Philadelphia cortex to relapse into a mediocre team.

Lock up Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth with a multi-year deals.

Shane Victorino is a catalyst on offense and a superb anchor in center field.

He has led the team in hitting over the past two seasons, registering remarkably consistent numbers. He provides disruptive speed, gets on base and has surprising power. Besides possessing great range, his arm often limits opposing teams to station to station base running and stops rallies with outfield assists. His best years are ahead of him and he is a competitor with a personality that is a perfect fit for the team.

Jayson Werth is a rare five tool player who is just now blossoming in his career. Over the past two seasons, his development continues to occur before our eyes, so there is every reason to believe he will only get better. Like Victorino, he is a gamer, covers a great deal of ground in the outfield and possesses an even stronger, more accurate arm. Werth also is smart on the base paths and has the speed to steal bases. And, very importantly, he provides prodigious power from the right side to provide some balance amongst the left-handed sluggers. Lastly, he shows plate discipline making pitchers throw and working walks, and with the visible adjustments that he has made, should continue to hit for a higher average.

Signing these players now before the price goes up would ensure that they are fixtures for years to come and create a great deal of goodwill. Both possess an inner drive to play hard and contribute to the winning chemistry.

Overspend to keep the nucleus of everyday players.

Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Werth, Victorino and, now, possibly Carlos Ruiz are worth spending to make them career Phillies. They are all in the 28-31 age range, and contrary to some opinion, there is every reason to believe that they will continue to be top players for at least another 5, 6 or 7 years. The competitive spirit that burns within each of them, along with the training regimen of modern players, will allow them to maintain their skills into their mid or late 30's.

The Yankees return to glory this season was built around the core players that led them to success 10-13 years earlier, so folding in young talent around the Phillies core could also lead to an unprecedented run of prosperity. And, lets not lose sight of the fact that the Phillies great chemistry did not happen by accident, but rather because of these influential players.

Build around your current pitching staff.

Lee, Cole Hamels, Happ and Joe Blanton form a solid rotation that probably has its best work ahead of it. If the price is right and he would be committed to prepare himself for a long season, I would like to see the team bring Pedro Martinez back for next season. He appeared to be a positive influence and seemed to enjoy the players and setting, but most importantly, with greater endurance, he proved that he can still be very effective. He is Jamie Moyer, but with more movement and 6-8 mph greater velocity on his fastball.

Hamels experienced what many others have after realizing a great deal of success at a young age. After being the toast of the town and the media darling following his shining 2008 post season performance, a ripple effect turned into a downward spiral from which he could not escape. A short off season was further disrupted by public appearances, media requests and other demands on his time. This disturbed recovery and preparation for 2009 after the most grueling season he had ever experienced, which led to diminished conditioning, reduced arm strength and physical breakdown. All of it took its psychic toll on a 25 year old player, bubbling up as shaken confidence and visible frustration.

Although many were troubled by his comments during the World Series about needing to get a fresh start, that will go a long way towards getting him back on track. Absence the full context, the sound bite made it seem like Hamels was quitting in the middle of the series. That is unfortunate, but the bottom line is that decompressing and recharging after a frustrating season is the right medicine. The organization's belief in his return to prominence is well founded.

The Phillies should make it a priority to re-sign Chan Ho Park, who pitched very well in a relief role. Although he was never mentioned as a possibility, Park possesses closer stuff with his 95 mph velocity, hard breaking curve and tailing fastball that allows him to jam righties and paint the outside corner. He throws strikes and gets strikeouts, and importantly, demonstrates poise under pressure.

It was good to hear Charlie Manuel acknowledge that Brad Lidge needs to work in the offseason to improve his ability to hold runners. This was a major factor in his struggles this year as most every bloop hit, infield single or walk turned into a double or triple and a run waiting to happen. Lidge also needs to get healthy and a fresh start, and as he has proven in the past, he can rebound from an off year. Lidge's knee and elbow may also have contributed to "over throwing", which in turn, led to lack of command. Repeatable, fluid mechanics would also seem to be an area of concentration before next season's opener.

Assuming Lidge can regain his previous form, a bullpen of Ryan Madson, JC Romero, Scott Eyre, Park and Lidge is a strong foundation. Of course, that may seem to be a big "if", so the team needs to have a back-up plan. I would have preferred to see Brett Myers back in 2010 as a contingency plan for a 5th starter, middle reliever or closer, but Amaro acted decisively and opted to sever the cord. Myers has a great competitive spirit and good stuff when healthy, but has yet to realize his projected potential, so a change of scenery can sometimes be best for both sides.

If Martinez does not return, Park would seem to be a viable option as a fifth starter. He looked great in spring training in that role, but then hit a rough patch when the regular season began. If offering a starting spot is the only means to retain him, I would do it rather than lose him all together. It is hard to envision obtaining someone better without committing substantial dollars. If an impressive rookie named Happ was not waiting in the wings, Park probably would have gotten himself righted and been effective over the balance of 2009.

Keep Feliz and sign a top middle infielder.

The clock is ticking to make a decision on whether to pick up the option on Pedro Feliz or go another direction. Feliz played excellent defense, and although he lacked plate discipline and has not posted the expected power numbers, he drove in runs. Since he could come relatively cheap, rather than replace him, why not spend the money for a "super utility player" who could split time with him, but also spell Utley and Rollins more frequently? This would keep them fresher throughout the season and eliminate the huge drop off in offensive and defensive capability when they are out of the line-up. Free agents Marco Scutaro and Mark DeRosa come to mind as ideal additions who could get 400 AB playing a variety of positions along with third base.

The Phillies have done a marvelous job getting the organization into its current position. Although the Yankees won this year's championship, I believe the Phillies have the best overall talent, especially when you consider future potential. The organization also has some future impact players in the farm system pipeline who can be folded into the major league team over the next few years. With the recent body of work along with continuing to preserve some organizational tenets, the Phillies are on the cusp of being recognized as role model for the rest of baseball. It has been a great run, and the potential is there for it to continue for the foreseeable future.