ALL THINGS PHILLY SPORTS

Chris Coste released, claimed by Astros

2009-07-10T14:56:00.006-04:00

The writing was on the wall. Chris Coste had to know that the Phillies, who were keeping three catchers on their roster for some inexplicable reason, were eventually going to get rid of him. Coste hadn't started a game since June 27th and was relegated to pinch hitting duty, getting only two at-bats so far in July. He had to know that, sooner or later, he was going to be on his way out the door.

And that day has come. To make room for the return of Raul Ibanez, Coste was released by the Phillies and was subsequently claimed by the Houston Astros. Coste will now continue his unlikely career in Houston as a backup catcher.

Coste's story is well-known, how he spent many years in the minors before finally getting his shot as a 33 year old. He was a bit of a fan favorite in Philly because of all he had to overcome to get to the show, but as a player, it's hard to say he will be missed. Coste was having a mediocre season with the bat and clearly couldn't be relied upon behind the plate, hence the Phillies need to bring in Paul Bako. He's the kind of guy you could keep around on a decent team because of his great story, but, with the way he is playing this year, he wasn't going to be a useful player on a team with World Series aspirations.

Good luck in Houston, Coste. Hopefully they have some playing time for you so you can prove that you still belong in the big leagues. Oh, and thanks for helping us win the World Series last year!

The entire Phillies outfield is going to the All-Star Game

2009-07-10T14:21:00.005-04:00

With Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran ruled out of the upcoming All-Star Game due to injury, NL manager Charlie Manuel needed a replacement, and he didn't have to look far. Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth has been added to the All-Star roster, meaning the entire Phillies outfield is going to St. Louis. The last time a team sent all three outfielders to the All-Star Game was 1995, when the Indians sent their starting trio.

While some may wonder why Pablo Sandoval wasn't added to the roster after he barely lost to Shane Victorino in the Final Vote, Werth is certainly a deserving selection. Werth hit his 20th homer yesterday and is on pace for a ridiculous 40 homer, 117 runs, 107 RBI season.

The All-Star news just keeps getting better for the Phillies. There is also talk that Shane Victorino may even be a starter for the NL since the team doesn't have anyone else who is a natural center fielder. Ah, the perks of being World Champs.

Antero Niittymaki signs with Lightning, will not go to Russia

2009-07-10T12:11:00.002-04:00

Or not. Looks like Antero Niittymaki will be staying in the NHL after all. The former Flyers goaltender, who had reached a preliminary contract with a team in the KHL, changed his mind and instead signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, presumably to back up Mike Smith. The Lightning now have a very solid 1-2 punch in net.

Still nothing, not even a rumor, about where Martin Biron is going to play next year. There is a team in Russia that needs a goalie now, Marty!

Phillies sign Pedro Martinez. Maybe.

2009-07-09T18:54:00.004-04:00

While Phillies fans were buzzing about Shane Victorino making the All-Star Game, another story broke: Pedro Martinez has signed with the Phillies. Or, at least according to a report from the Domincan Republic, he has. Candela Deportiva is reporting that Martinez has signed with the Phillies for the remainder of the season, with a 4 million dollar contract that would prorate to about half that amount.

When asked about Pedro Martinez, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro initially said he had no comment, but later it has been confirmed that the Phillies are speaking with Martinez and his agent, and a deal could be in the works, pending a physical. The Phillies were apparently very pleased with how Martinez pitched for them during a recent workout and are trying to lure the 37 year old to Philadelphia.

My initial reaction to these reports was sheer horror. Did the Phillies watch Pedro try to pitch last season for the Mets? Did they not see his 5.61 ERA and 1.57 WHIP? Thinking more about it, however, the Phillies essentially are buying a lottery ticket. Pedro Martinez may have nothing left in the tank, but at 2 million bucks, why wouldn't you take a chance that he has something left to contribute? He would slot in as the Phillies 5th starter right now, replacing the revolving door of Rodrgio Lopez and Antonio Bastardo, so how could he not be an upgrade? A rotation of Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, J.A. Happ and Pedro Martinez isn't great, but it's not terrible, either.

Plus, the signing of Martinez in no way hinders the Phillies from acquiring Roy Halladay. In fact, it might actually help bring Doc to town. If Pedro pitches well, then the Phillies would be willing to part with J.A. Happ, someone Toronto is believed to covet, to get Halladay. With Pedro in the rotation, losing Happ isn't as big of a deal and the Phillies can have a rotation of Hamels, Halladay, Moyer, Blanton and Martinez. That's a World Series rotation.

Of course, all of this talk is just talk if the Phillies don't actually sign Pedro. The speculation right now is that that Martinez is going to come to Philly and have a physical and then decide if he wants to play for the Phillies. While I initially won't like the sight of Martinez in a Phillies uniform, this is really a no-lose situation. If Pedro pitches well, the Phillies have made a hell of a deal. If he struggles, the Phillies simply wasted 2 million bucks. Of course, if this signing somehow leads to Roy Halladay being a Phillie, then this is a brilliant move.

POLL: Do you want Pedro in a Phillies uniform? Vote to the left!

How they were built: Flyers

2009-07-09T18:52:00.001-04:00

Since I haven't been able to find this information all in one place before, I whipped up this chart showing the Flyers current roster, their contracts and how they were acquired by the team. I will update it from time to time as the Flyers make moves and create a direct link to it on the right side of the ATPS homepage.
Flyers acquired via:
Draft: 5
Free Agency: 9
Trade: 7

Notes:
All salaries are dollars against the cap, and are found on Hockeybuzz.com.

This list includes the 21 players I think are most likely to make the team next year. James van Riemsdyk is another possible candidate to make the team, although he will need to have a great camp.

Pronger's contract remains at 6.25 million for the coming season, but for the 7 seasons after that, he will be making 4.9 million.

It is interesting that the Flyers have acquired their forwards mostly through the draft and free agency, their defense mostly through trades and their goalies all through free agency. It really shows you how they utilize all possible ways of building a team, and it also shows their failings in developing defensemen and goalies in their farm system.

Thanks to us, Victorino is an All-Star!

2009-07-09T17:18:00.000-04:00

The Vote for Victorino campaign worked! Shane Victorino, who was fighting down the stretch with San Francisco Giant Pablo Sandoval, has won the Final Vote and has been added to the NL All-Star team. The effort of all those thousands of Philadelphians constantly voting and refreshing their browsers paid off, nice work!

Now that he is made it, will we all be satisfied with the one at-bat he is going to get? Better make it count, Shane!

Antero Niittymaki is going to Russia

2009-07-09T12:59:00.004-04:00

Unable to stay with the Flyers and unable to sign anywhere else in the NHL, goaltender Antero Niittymaki has decided to go play in Russia. The former Flyer, who played five seasons in net, signed with Ray Emery's old team in the KHL, Atlant Moscow Oblast. Think of it as an international trade, Emery for Niittymaki.

Niittymaki's career with the Flyers was filled with promise, starting with his strong run with the Phantoms in the AHL, but finished with a whimper as he battled injuries and inconsistency. At age 29, his career in the NHL is by no means over, if he can have a solid season in the KHL, there is no reason he couldn't come back.

In related news, Martin Biron remains unsigned. Most teams already have their starting goaltender in place, so Biron now appears to be searching for a backup role somewhere in the league. He will likely have to take a big cut in pay over what he was initially looking for.

As if you needed another reason to Vote for Victorino

2009-07-08T22:51:00.003-04:00

(AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr.)

Shane Victorino just keeps giving us reasons to vote for him to be on the All-Star team. After going 4 for 5 the other day with 5 runs scored and 4 RBI, Victorino topped himself tonight by being the hero for the Phillies, getting the game winning hit in the bottom of the 9th inning.

It's time, people. Shane Victorino needs to be in the All-Star Game. He is currently in second place behind Pablo Sandoval, who, according to several reliable sources on Twitter, does many salacious things and doesn't deserve your vote. Click here and go vote for Victorino. Time is running out, voting ends tomorrow!

Halladay to Phillies rumors are heating up but don't buy your "Doc" jersey just yet

2009-07-08T15:39:00.006-04:00

The Phillies need help with their pitching staff. Ever since Brett Myers (remember him?) went down for the season, the team has basically had four starters and has been throwing out whatever they can find on the 5th day. And, while Antonio Bastardo, Rodrigo Lopez and Drew Carpenter have been adequate fill-ins, they are not the answer for a Phillies team with World Series aspirations. What the Phillies need is someone to step into the #2 spot in the rotation to replace Myers.

Enter Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays ace and former Cy Young winner would fit the bill of a top starter, one that would make the Phillies rotation one of the best in the NL. And, he is apparently available in the right deal: Toronto has made it known that Halladay could be acquired if they are blown away by an offer. Which means a team would have to give up a big package of top prospects and major league ready players to get Halladay.

Should the Phillies bite? Of course, if the price is right. Rumors are circulating that the Phillies are the early front-runners to get Halladay, given that they have a ton of prospects and the only other teams that are believed to have serious interest, the Yankees and Red Sox, reside in the same division as the Blue Jays. The Phillies are the perfect match for the Jays because they are desperate for pitching (they were scouting Pedro Martinez) and they have the kind of players Toronto wants, like a shortstop in Jason Donald.

Of course, the deal would require the Phillies to give up a lot more than just Donald, you would expect Carlos Carrasco, Kyle Drabek and Lou Marson's names to be thrown around, plus some major league talent like J.A. Happ and John Mayberry. I would be all for the Phillies offering most, if not all of these players up, if they can get a pitcher like Halladay back, although I would be wary of them giving up Happ. Trading Happ to get Halladay significantly improves the Phillies rotation, but it still leaves them with a hole at the #5 spot, one that will have to continue to be filled by guys like Bastardo and Lopez. My preference would be to keep Happ and then have a rock solid rotation of Cole Hamels, Halladay, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton and Happ.

Don't go out and by your Halladay jersey just yet, Phillies fans. The Blue Jays have made it very clear that they don't have to trade Roy Halladay. Halladay has another year on his contract, and the Jays would be smart to just hold on to him until next season and then try to pawn him off. The only way the Phillies would be able pull this deal off is if they overspend. If you thought the Flyers had to overpay to get Chris Pronger, just wait and see what the Phillies are going to have to unload to get Halladay.

That said, I am sure the Phillies will do whatever it takes to try to get Halladay to Philadelphia. As long as the Phillies don't completely mortgage away their future, I hope it gets done. Having a Hamels/Halladay one-two punch in the playoffs would be a thing of beauty.

Flyers sign Pronger to 7 year contract extension

2009-07-07T16:29:00.008-04:00

Get used to that image of seeing Chris Pronger in a Flyers uniform, because he is here to stay. According to several sources, the Flyers have extended Pronger's contract, which would have ended after next season, seven more years in a deal believed to be worth 5 million per season. Pronger is 34, so this contract will have him playing out the rest of his career as a Flyer.

The details of the contract have yet to be released, but if the Flyers actually got him signed at 5 million per season, that's excellent value. Pronger is still an elite defenseman, and he will be for the next two or three years, so they are getting a great deal now on a star player. A few years down the road this deal might not look as good, especially if Pronger is turning 40 and starting to break down, but the Flyers likely had to get him to agree to a few extra years to get him a 5 million a year. This makes the trade for Pronger, where the Flyers severely mortgaged their future, look that much better. Having Pronger patrolling the back end in Philly for the next several years is going to be fun to watch.

Update: It looks like the contract is 7 years, just under 35 million. We now have the details of the contract, via ESPN.com. The contract starts out huge and then tapers down to practically nothing at the end. The NHL salary cap system works out such that the cap hit each year is just the average of the total deal, so Pronger will be about a 5 million dollar cap hit for the life of the contract.

Previous contract:
2009/2010: 6.25 million
Extension:
2010/2011: 7.6 million
2011/2012: 7.6 million
2012/2013: 7.2 million
2013/2014: 7 million
2014/2015: 4 million
2015/2016: 525,000
2016/2017: 525,000

Vote for Victorino!

2009-07-07T12:14:00.000-04:00

We are in the final stretch! Be sure to vote as much as you can for the Flyin' Hawaiian!

How they were built: Phillies

2009-07-07T10:47:00.000-04:00

After looking at how the Sixers and Flyers were built, it's time to take a closer look at the World Champs. This chart shows every player that has played for the Phillies this season, with their salaries and how they were acquired by the team. Contracts in baseball are much harder to find information about and are confusing to understand, what with arbitration and teams owning players rights, so I did the best I could to gather this information. If you see any errors in the info here, please let me know.

Like the others, this chart will be updated from time to time and will always be found at the link on the right side of the ATPS homepage. Look for How they were built: Eagles, coming soon!
Phillies acquired via:
Draft: 10
Free Agency: 15
Trade: 8
Rule 5/Waivers: 2

Notes:
Salary and contract information taken from Baseball Reference and Cot's Baseball Contracts

Players listed with "arb" after their contract end date will be arbitration eligible at that time. Players listed with an asterisk (*) after their contract end date will still have their rights owned by the Phillies, so they won't be free agents.

I was unable to find salary information for Bastardo or Escalona. Needless to say, I am sure they are making less than half a million dollars.

There are also a number of players no longer on the roster who are still getting paid by the Phillies, like Jim Thome and Adam Eaton, but listing their salaries here would just be depressing.

The Phillies have built their team through a variety of ways, getting most of their best players through the draft and putting pieces around them that they get through free agency and trades. Drafting is an obvious strong suit by the club, especially for starting pitchers and their infield. It would be nice if one of the many so-called outfield prospects ever pans out to be a contributing member of the team.

Phillies show Reds real Big Red Machine in 22-1 rout

2009-07-06T22:11:00.003-04:00

Wow, now that was an annihilation. The Phillies destroyed the Reds on Monday night, scoring 10 runs in the first inning en route to a 22-1 drubbing. Anytime you have a game like this, there are always crazy stats and records being broken. Here are just some interesting tidbits from the game:

-This win was the first time the Phillies won a game by more than 20 runs since 1894

-The 10 runs in the first inning tied a team record

-The Phillies scored 8 of their runs in the first inning with two outs

-The 22 runs were the most by a Phillies team since they beat the Mets 26-7 in 1985

-The 22 runs set a new stadium record for Citizens Bank Park. The previous high was 20, by the Phillies, against the Rockies last season

-The Phillies run differential before the game was +19. After the game, it more than doubled to +40

-Every Phillies starter had at least one hit, including Cole Hamels, who had two

-Every Phillies starter had at least one run or one RBI

I am sure there are many other interesting stats and records that came out of the game, but I'll stop there. By the way, Shane Victorino, who is currently in second place in the vote for the final spot in the All Star Game, went 4 for 5 with two doubles and a homer, 4 RBI, 5 runs scored and a walk. He needs to be in the All Star Game after putting up that line, vote now!

All is right in the world: the Phillies sweep the Mets

2009-07-05T19:05:00.005-04:00

(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

And just like that, things are starting to look up for our local baseball team. The Phillies, who were slowly losing their grip on first place in the NL East after a recent nosedive where they lost 14 of their last 18 games, seemed to turn everything around as they swept their rival, the Mets, in three straight games. Yeah, so the Mets, dealing with numerous injuries, aren't exactly a top club right now, but the Phillies turned them aside with ease, outscoring them 13-3 in the series.

The hero of the series? Dare I say Jimmy Rollins? Rollins, who was barely hitting over .200 entering the series, went 5 for 11 against the Mets and drove in 5 runs. He rose his average all the way up to .217, and even took a few walks in the process. Looks like the Jimmy of old to me.

The pitching was the real story against the Mets, however. Rodrigo Lopez, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton all had great starts, pitching deep into the games and allowing only a handful of hits each. The bullpen also closed the door, finishing out each game without giving up a single run. The slumping Brad Lidge even managed two perfect 9th innings to get a pair of saves against the Mets.

What a holiday weekend for the Phillies, they actually played like the World Champions that they are. Now we need to see if this series was just the team getting up to play against the Mets or if they have truly turned the ship around. They aren't out of the woods yet, because despite how well they played, the Marlins are still 1 game behind them in the standings. The Phillies have a pulse again, let's see how long it lasts.

How they were built: Sixers

2009-07-05T16:38:00.004-04:00

After looking at how the Flyers were built the other day, it's time to take a look at the Sixers. This is the Sixers roster before free agency, the team figures to sign a player or two to round out their roster in the coming days. This chart will be updated from time to time and will always be found at the link on the right side of the ATPS homepage. Look for the How they were built: Phillies and Eagles, coming soon!
Sixers acquired via:
Draft: 6
Free Agency: 1
Trade: 3

Notes:
Salaries taken from Hoopshype.com

The Sixers will need to sign at least two more players to round out their roster. Look for them to target guards.

The Sixers are mostly built through the draft, with 6 players selected by the team and two others acquired in draft day trades before they played for any other team.

Three Phillies named to the 2009 All Star team, Victorino needs our help

2009-07-05T13:52:00.003-04:00

The World Champs will be well represented at the 2009 All Star Game. Two Phillies, Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez, were voted in as starters to the game, while Ryan Howard was added as a reserve by NL All Star manager Charlie Manuel.

Utley and Ibanez are certainly more than deserving, but Howard's selection came as a bit of a surprise. The National League will have four first basemen at the game, which is definitely more than enough, but I guess Manuel wanted to make sure he got one of his players in there.

It is unknown as of now whether Raul Ibanez will be healthy enough to play in the All Star Game.

Shane Victorino also has a shot of making the All Star team, but he needs our help! He is in the Final Vote, where the fans get to pick the final player to make the All Star team. Click here to vote and get Victorino to the All Star game!

Phillies DFA Taschner, call up Lopez

2009-07-03T16:31:00.004-04:00

So long, Jack Taschner, it was nice getting to know you on "The Pen". The Phillies designated the lefty for assignment today, making room for Rodrigo Lopez, who will start tonight's game against the Mets. Taschner, who was originally acquired from the Giants back in March, departs the team sporting an ERA of 5.20 and a WHIP of 1.95. He has been particularly atrocious lately, so this move comes as no surprise.

Here is the updated list of Phillies bullpen roles:

Long relief:
Chan Ho Park
Chad Durbin

Situational Lefty:
Sergio Escalona

6th inning:
Tyler Walker

7th inning:
Chad Durbin

8th inning:
J.C. Romero
Ryan Madson

Closer:
Brad Lidge

Braves sweep Phillies into tie for first

2009-07-02T23:46:00.003-04:00

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)

If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. I've got nothing to say about how the Phillies are playing right now. They can't hit, can't pitch and can barely field.

The sweep by the Braves drops the Phillies into a first place tie with the Marlins. The Phils upcoming three game series against the hobbled Mets looms large right now, and it should be huge, just like every Mets/Phillies series. How the Phils do this weekend could tell us a lot about whether this team is any good this year. If they don't take two out of three from a seriously banged up Mets team, this Phillies team is likely doomed.

At least they were World Series Champs last year!

Ian Laperriere signs 3 year deal with Flyers

2009-07-01T16:55:00.004-04:00

And the Flyers 12th forward is..... 35 year old Ian Laperriere, who signed a 3 year, 3.5 million dollar deal with the Flyers. Laperriere, a right wing, is an NHL journeyman, having played for 4 teams in his 15 year NHL career. He most recently played for the Avalanche, putting up 19 points in 74 games last season in Colorado. Laperriere is your typical 3rd or 4th line player who will muck and grind along the boards, and he is also known to get in a few scraps, having dropped the gloves 17 times last season, including once against Scott Hartnell:

Overall, I'm not that impressed with this signing. Laperriere plays with a lot of heart, but the Flyers didn't really need another checker with a tendency to drop the gloves, they already have Arrron Asham, Daniel Carcillo and Riley Cote. Of course, if this signing means the end of Cote on the Flyers, I would understand it more. The Flyers had greater needs at forward, like a center who could win some faceoffs, rather than yet another guy who is tough to play against.

This signing likely marks the end of the Flyers free agent moves. They have very little money left, so they would likely have to move a player or two if they wanted to sign anyone else. Here is the roster as of now, updated from the other day:

Forwards (12): Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell, Daniel Carcillo, Andreas Nodl, Claude Giroux, Arron Asham, Riley Cote, Darroll Powe, Ian Laperriere Possible 13th forward: Jared Ross, James van Riemsdyk, Jonathon Kalinski

Defensemen (6): Chris Pronger, Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen, Randy Jones, Ryan Parent, Matt Carle Possible 7th defenseman: Danny Syvret

Goalies (2): Ray Emery, Brian Boucher

With the recent loss of Mike Knuble, James van Riemsdyk might be counted on to jump onto one of the top three lines. He wouldn't be the 13th forward if he actually made the team.

Flyers bring back Brian Boucher as backup

2009-07-01T15:47:00.003-04:00

Brian Boucher is back! The goaltender, who played for the Flyers from 1999 to 2002, signed a 2 year contract with the Flyers worth 1.85 million dollars. Boucher, who has also played for the Coyotes, Flames, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets and Sharks, will backup Ray Emery in net. He played for the Sharks last season, posting a 2.18 goals against average and a .917 save percentage in 22 games.

Boucher is best known in Philly for the being the goaltender when the Flyers made a deep run in the playoffs back in 2000. He should excel as a back-up, although I would be worried if he has to play more than 25 games or so. Should something happen to Emery, like an injury or a mental breakdown, Boucher isn't the answer for the Flyers in net.

The Flyers have now completely overhauled their goaltending situation, replacing Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki with Emery and Boucher. It's hard to say that the new goalies are actually better than Biron and Niitty, but they certainly come at the right price. The Flyers really need to figure out their long-term situation in net, going year-to-year with cheap veterans isn't a plan that wins Stanley Cups.

Mike Knuble signs with the Capitals

2009-07-01T14:49:00.004-04:00

With the acquisition of Chris Pronger adding money to their payroll, we knew some Flyers where going to have to go to make room. Mike Knuble is the first, signing a 2 year deal with the Washington Capitals for 2.8 million per year. Knuble was an unrestricted free agent who could talk with any team, but he made it clear that he wanted to stay with the Flyers if they were willing to match any offer given to him. The Flyers smartly chose not to match, since signing Knuble at that price wouldn't leave them with enough money to sign a backup goalie and another forward.

So long, Mike Knuble. He spent 4 years with the Flyers, putting up nearly 30 goals a season. He is about to turn 37, so his best years are clearly behind him, but he will still be a tough player to replace. Knuble has a strong presence on the power play, so they will miss him battling it out in front of the net.

The Flyers once again lose a useful player due to salary cap constrictions. Let's see what they do with the little money they have to work with now.

Bastardo to the DL, Phillies acquire Mazone

2009-06-30T17:36:00.004-04:00

The Phillies have made a series of minor moves in the last 24 hours.

First, as expected, the Phillies placed Antonio Bastardo on the 15 day disabled list. To take his place on the roster, but not in the rotation, the Phils called up Sergio Escalona. Escalona figures to be with the team until they need to call up another starter to take Bastardo's turn in the rotation.

That day will be Friday, when the Phillies play the Mets. The Phils moved J.A. Happ from Friday's start to Thursday, meaning they have an open spot for Friday's game. Possible candidates include Drew Carpenter, Carlos Carrasco and Rodrigo Lopez, all of whom pitch for Lehigh Valley. There is also an outside chance the Phillies could make a trade by Friday and plug the new pitcher into the rotation. Let's hope it isn't Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees, like some of the rumors I've heard.

The Phillies also made a move today that will allow them to replace whoever they call up from Lehigh: they acquired Brian Mazone from the Dodgers. Mazone is a former Phillie farmhand who is strictly a minor league pitcher, there is no chance he will be called up to pitch for the Big Club.

I would expect the Phillies to keep tinkering with their roster over the next few days. Stay tuned!

Your 2009/2010 Flyers, as of now

2009-06-29T18:15:00.007-04:00

It's time to move on, whether you thought they gave up too much or not, Chris Pronger is a Flyer. So, what's the next move for the Orange and Black? NHL free agency starts on July 1st, but don't expect the Flyers to be too active. According to GM Paul Holmgren, the Flyers have about 5 million dollars under the cap, and they will have to stretch that money to fill the remaining holes on their roster. The Flyers currently have 11 forwards, 6 defensemen and 1 goaltender under contract for next year, so they essentially need at least one player from each position.

So, what players might fill those remaining spots? The Flyers are talking with free agent Mike Knuble about the possibility of bringing him back for next year, but it would likely need to be for a hometown discount because the Flyers still have to bring in a backup goaltender and possibly a 7th defenseman. There have also been rumors that the Flyers will seek a new 4th line center, someone to remove Darroll Powe from that role. James van Riemsdyk also figures to be in the mix to make the roster, although the Flyers have yet to make it clear if they think he will need more seasoning in the AHL.

Here is the Flyers roster as of now. Listed for each position are the possible players that would fill out the roster if the season started today. You can see that there is still some tinkering to be done.

Forwards (11): Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell, Daniel Carcillo, Andreas Nodl, Claude Giroux, Arron Asham, Riley Cote, Darroll Powe Possible 12th forward: James van Riemsdyk, Jonathon Kalinski

Defensemen (6): Chris Pronger, Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen, Randy Jones, Ryan Parent, Matt Carle Possible 7th defenseman: Danny Syvret

Goalies (1): Ray Emery Possible back-up: Johan Backlund

By the way, Robert Esche, who the Flyers reportedly were interested in bringing back to Philly, has decided to remain in Russia for another season. Scratch him off the list of possible backup goaltenders.

J.C. Romero involved in fan altercation

2009-06-27T16:44:00.004-04:00

J.C. Romero, fresh off a 50 game suspension for using a banned substance, has found himself in some more hot water. Romero allegedly got into an altercation with a fan on Thursday night when the Phillies where in Tampa Bay playing the Rays. Apparently the fan, Robert Eaton, made some comments to Romero about using steroids that J.C. did not appreciate. Romero allegedly grabbed Eaton by the neck and pushed him. Eaton later filed a police report, so Romero could be dealing with more than just some discipline from the MLB.

While we here at ATPS do not condone the use of violence, it's hard to be too angry with Romero for attacking the fan. Let's hope this situation resolves itself quickly, whether it's just a short suspension or a fine, and Romero can just get back to playing baseball.

For more on the story, click here for the Philly.com write-up.

Flyers acquire defenseman Chris Pronger

2009-06-26T19:07:00.006-04:00

It was pretty well known that the Flyers wanted to bring in a defenseman this offseason to shore up their blueline, and it looks like they have succeeded in doing just that. The Flyers, who were thought to be heavy on the trail of Jay Bouwmeester of the Florida Panthers, changed gears and instead have traded for Chris Pronger of the Anaheim Ducks, getting him for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and two first round draft picks ('09 and '10).

Pronger, 34, is a 15 year NHL veteran and an elite-level defenseman. Pronger, a former MVP and Norris Trophy winner, is getting up there in years, but he huge and is an extremely good checker who still produced last season for the Ducks. He is under contract for one more season, set to make 6.25 million dollars. Given what it took to get him, the Flyers will likely try to re-sign Pronger for a few more years.

The Flyers paid a big price to get Pronger, possibly too much. Losing Lupul isn't a huge blow, although he is only 25 and his best years are ahead of him. Lupul was also going to make 4.25 million dollars for the next 4 seasons, a pretty big price for a guy who will get about 25 goals for you. Trading Luca Sbisa is a big gamble, since he is only 19 and showed some definite promise last season. Sbisa still has a long way to go, but if he develops into a star NHL player, this deal will not look good down the road. Losing the first round picks also hurt, but they will both likely be late in the first and the NHL Draft can be such a crapshoot, anyway.

Welcome to the Flyers, Chris Pronger. He will instantly become a fan favorite by the way he plays. He is a big hitter who drop the gloves when needed. Let's hope he is worth the big price the Flyers had to pay to get him.