Philadelphia Phillies

If you've not yet heard the speculation about the Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols trade, then you probably do not follow the Phillies or the Cardinals. 

Whether or not there is any validity to this rumor is anyone's guess, and most Phillies fans out there love the idea, but should they? 

Yes, Pujols is the premiere hitter in baseball. 

Yes, he is a right-handed bat; the right-handed bat the Phils, and pretty much every other team in baseball, so highly covets. 

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

February and March are ideal months to visit Clearwater, Florida.  It is not too hot, not too cold, and even better, the Phillies are there for spring training.

The list to follow is an excellent guide to both Phillies spring training and the Clearwater area in general.  Whether or not you have ever been to Clearwater before, you should find this information very useful, or at the very least, entertaining.

However, be forewarned: spring training in Clearwater can be addictive and may turn into a lifelong habit. 

Earlier in the offseason, rumors arose that the Philadelphia Phillies would sign free agent starting pitcher John Maine.

At age 29, Maine was non-tendered by the New York Mets after spending the last four seasons there; however, he pitched in only 24 games in the last two seasons due to shoulder surgeries and issues resulting from them.

Hope springs eternal for all 30 MLB teams this time of year. 

Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings.  At the first crack of the bat, anything is possible.

For the Phillies, 2011 could be all that and more.  The potential of this team is unlimited.  But potential does not guarantee success, as execution and a little bit of luck will play a major role in the outcome.

However, the Phillies do have plenty of reasons to be hopeful.  Here are five good omens for the Phillies as they begin spring training.

Now that the previews for the American League is complete, it's time to start breaking down the National League. We'll start off with the NL East, which on paper, looks over before it even begins.

It may be a silly statement to make, as there are other teams that can play well in the division, but who really thinks the team with four aces won't run away with things?

It'll be an interesting season for this division as it appears the team that's always been on the bottom is making some nice improvements.

For what it's worth, the Philadelphia Phillies made their fair share of noise this off-season. Even when lurking in the shadows, the Phillies would eventually come out on top, signing free agent left handed starter and prize of the 2011 off-season, Cliff Lee. Soon after the five year, $125 million deal became official, realizing that the Phillies had very little resources remaining was not exactly rocket science.

Roy Halladay was absolutely dominant last season.

He had a 21-10 record (which would have been higher had he received more run support), a 2.44 ERA, and 219 strikeouts. He pitched a perfect game on May 29 against the Florida Marlins. He pitched only the second postseason no-hitter ever on October 6 against the Cincinnati Reds.

Las Vegas has posted its odds for the World Series winner, and to nobody's surprise, the Philadelphia Phillies are 3-1 favorites to win it all. Next come the New York Yankees at 5-1, the Boston Red Sox at 6-1 and the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants at 10-1. 

Countdown 'Til Pitchers and Catchers Report: Two Days

For us red-blooded baseball lovers, it is no coincidence that the start of spring training and Valentine’s Day come together each year. I hope that my readers will greet both events with great excitement and a little extra hop in the step, although I prefer to write only about the first one.