Should the Sixers be even better?

In all the Euphoria over the Sixers current playoff run, all the accolades tossed, and deservedly so, In Brett Brown’s direction, no one seems to be taking to task the man who has all but dismantled the process, Bryan Colangelo. He has squandered so many of the assets the process’ architect, Sam Hinkie, carefully acquired, it is not to be believed. I will be generous in my scoring: He traded Nerlens Noel, the sixth pick in the draft, the first piece in the process, for Justin Anderson, an energy player, one deep on the bench, but at least a contributor. Noel has played his way out of Dallas, overvaluing his skill, so let’s call this a win for Colangelo. He drafted Ben Simmons with the first pick in the draft. A big win, but one that anyone, and I mean anyone, who has the first pick in the draft would have gotten.  He traded Jerami Grant for Jump shooting power forward Ersan Ilyasova, filling a need for the Sixers, then inexplicably traded him away in the same season, for Tiago Splitter, who never contributed at all. He then, rather than taking whatever offer he had in place for the number three pick Jahlil Okafor last season, held on to him until this season, then traded for 30 year old bench player Trevor Booker, who Colangelo then released to pick up…Ersan Ilyasova.  Essentially giving away the number three pick in the draft for a player he already had given away for free.  (He does deserve credit for picking up Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli after buyouts, but those two practically begged to come here to join Brown (certainly not Colangelo)

Finally, and most damning, he traded an extra first-round pick to move up two spots to the number one pick in the draft and grab Markelle Fultz, who, it appears, is a wasted pick. If he had stayed at three, he could have drafted Jayson Tatum, last seen dropping 28 points on the Sixers in game one of their playoff series, to fill a position of need, or, as the Celtics insist, their target was Tatum all along, they could have remained at three, still drafted Fultz, and retained the first-round pick. As hated as Hinkie was around the rest of the league, and as difficult as future trades may have become I can’t imagine that he would have squandered the Sixers assets so wantonly.

Say It Ain't So

Rumor has it that the National League is considering adopting the abomination that is the DH. I know I'm tilting at windmills, but please, please don't let it happen. Having the DH removes a large part of the strategy from baseball. If your pitcher is throwing a great game, but trailing 1-0 and his spot comes up in the seventh inning, do you remove him for a pinch hitter to try to score some runs and risk turning the game over to your suspect bullpen? If the DH is in place, not even a choice.

I have heard that it makes a place for all those good hit, no field players (Ryan Howard, anyone?)...but again, baseball has always had that trade-off...do you squeeze Daniel Murphy into a position for which he is ill-suited (second base) to get that bat in your lineup? You may get homer runs in six straight postseason games, but you'll also get a key error in the World Series. It is part of the strategy of baseball, one of the components that can spark endless debate and second-guessing, and for me makes it the most interesting of sports.

The player's union will argue that it creates extra jobs for one-dimensional players. I have a suggestion. Eliminate the DH in both leagues, but add a 26^th roster spot. This will create extra jobs without removing a key strategic element from the game. Please don't let this plague spread to the National League.

What is Chip Kelly thinking?

Chip Kelly is certainly keeping things interesting with the Eagles. In a time when the Sixers are following “the process” leading them to the number one pick in the draft, the Flyers are throwing away whatever slim chance they had for a playoff spot as they too prepare for a rebuild, the Phillies are embarking on rebuilding season that at best, leaves them three years from contention, the Eagles are making headlines seemingly every other minute.

The release of the two longest tenured team members, Todd Herremans and Trent Cole, along with starting corner Cary Williams, plus the free agent departure of top receiver Jeremy Maclin and the expected departure of defensive backs Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen were just the prelude to the two most shocking moves. The trade of Eagles all-time leading rusher LeSean McCoy to Buffalo and quarterback Nick Foles to St. Louis. That leaves the Eagles with four new starters on both offense and defense minimum (more if linebacker Kiko Alonso replaces Demeco Ryans as expected), all from a team that won 10 games each of the last two years.

All the moves can be justified, some replacing aging talent (Cole, Herremans), some as salary cap savings (McCoy, Williams) where the price tag doesn’t justify the return, with the exception of the quarterback swap, Nick Foles for Sam Bradford.

Kelly must really think Bradford is that much better than Foles, or will be with his coaching. Bradford is making almost 20 time the salary of Foles, has missed 31 of a potential 80 games due to injury, and has not won anywhere near the percentage of the games he’s started when compared with Foles.  To call Bradford  a complete bust as the number one pick in the draft s a little harsh, his stats are decent for such a bad team, when he did play,  but I still don't see it. Is his arm that much stronger? Is he that much more accurate (his completion percentage is lower than Foles’)  or has that much quicker a release? Maybe that rumored swap of first picks is still in the mix somehow, pending some future transaction, and Kelly is trying to keep people from finding out what he's up to? 

If not, it’s quite a gamble, Kelly has paid a huge price, both in dollars and talent, in the hopes that Bradford will stay healthy and that Kelly will be able to bring to the fore the promise that made Bradford the number one pick in the draft.

Phil's Approach Pales in Comparison to Sixers

The Phillies have been trying to hang on to their glory years, keeping their well beyond their prime stars after having devastated their farm system in the attempt to stay on top after their 2008 World Series Victory.  Their recent signings have been older players such as A.J. Burnett and Marlon Byrd, players whose contacts will expire at approximately the same time as the core 4 of Utley, Rollins, Howard, and Ruiz (along with Lee and Papelbon). At that time, the cupboard will be bare. The farm system has failed to produce viable replacements, with such disappointments as Domonic Brown,  Freddy Galvis, and Cesar Hernandez, and utter failures such as Sebastian Valle, Tyson Gillies, and Tommy Joseph.  Only Cody Asche and a few of the bullpen arms (Justin DeFratus, Jake Diekman, Mario Hollands, and Ken Giles) show promise.  The farm system was also devastated by high risk/high reward draft picks the Phillies made when they were drafting low in the order thanks to all their first division finishes. Few of these panned out, others are years away, leaving the cupboard bare at the upper levels. Recent drafts have focused on more major league ready players, but no one ready to step in to help today, or even tomorrow.

Additionally, the training in the system has to be questioned, when so few prospects appear to be major league ready when they do arrive, some, such as Domonic Brown, display a shocking lack of knowledge of how to play the game, running poor routs in the outfield, swinging at the first pitch after the opposing pitcher has walked three in a row, etc.

The Phillies are in a bind.  Other teams are locking up young stars before they become free agents, and trades are difficult with nothing to send back except high contracts. The only real solution is the long route, draft well, focus on development, and perhaps step up international scouting and signing. Unlike the Sixers, the Phillies future is not so rosy, even for a few years down the road.

A Tale of Two Approaches

                In Philadelphia, two of the 4 “major” sports franchises are in rebuilding mode, the main difference is only one will admit to being in such a state. The Sixers are flat out admitting they are rebuilding, all their energies are focused on the future. The Phillies are in denial, insisting they are trying to win now with the aging remnants of their 2008 World Series champions.  Both are losing (or expect to lose once the season starts) games at a rapid pace. The difference? The Sixers have told the fans what they are attempting, and so far, their actions have been in support of their words.  Last season amounted to an extended tryout of young players, (not a tanking of the season as many in the media have called it) many of whom had been first round draft picks of other teams (usually draft picks of good teams that picked well after the lottery picks). These players had trouble cracking the starting lineup of their playoff contending teams, but they were first round picks for a reason. The Sixers may have found a few keepers amidst all the losing, players such a s Tony Wroten, Hollis Thompson, Henry Sims, and James Anderson, players who may never be stars but still be valuable role players.  Additionally, last year they  had two lottery picks in the draft, one of whom, Michael Carter-Williams was rookie of the year, and one, who most likely would have been the number one pick in the draft if he hadn’t been injured, Nerlens Noel. The Sixers provide Noel an entire season to heal and develop his game, without the pressure of having to win now.

Al the losing pushed them into the draft lottery again, of course, once again, with two picks. This time, they again selected the player expected to go number one but for an injury, Joel Embiid, and once again will likely give him an entire season to recover. Additionally, they shrewdly selected a point guard coveted by another team, then traded him for a more talented forward plus an additional future first round pick. This forward, Dario Saric. like Embiid, will likely not play for the team this year, preferring to hone his game in Turkey before joining the NBA. 

The Sixers, despite having Noel for this season, will likely continue losing without help from this year’s draft, landing them in the lottery once again.   Next year, they should have Carter-Williams, Noel, Embiid, their 2015 fist round pick, and perhaps holder Thaddeus Young in their lineup, with Saric due from Turkey the year after that, just as these high picks start to become veteran NBA players, and hopefully stars.   The pain of losing now is paving eh way to a bright future. Tomorrow, I’ll contrast that with the Phillies approach

Eagles Trade First Round pick for two Third Rounders

I'm not sure trading a first round pick for two third round picks was the best idea. Okay, Okay, I know technically Marcus Smith was a first rounder, but almost no one had him rated higher than a second rounder. I wanted Marqise Lee at 22, when he was still there at 26 I thought they were brilliant, then I, heard the commissioner say Marc...wait...what? Who?


So much for taking the best available player and not reaching for need (yes, a pass rusher was a need). It was just this kind of drafting, the we're smarter than everyone else mindset,  that ended the Andy Reid era.

Let's hope the Eagles are right and everyone else is wrong, but somehow, I don't think so.

This is how the season ends, not with a bang, but a whimper...

Well, perhaps not a whimper, but a horrible second period. the Flyers started game seven against the Rangers strong, flying around, forechecking like demons, finishing checks, so strong in fact, that it appeared to be only a matter of time before they pushed on past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundquist. Unfortunately, they were unable to do so, and this failure seemed to leave them dispirited. they came out so flat in the second period, were so sloppy and so disorganized that only the stellar play of goalie Steve Mason kept it from being 5 or 6 to 0 entering the third instead of the actual score of 2-0.
The Flyers came back in the third, carrying play for most of the period, but were only able to push one goal past Lundquist, and that was that, time for the season ending handshakes.

Every year, I root for the Flyers to win the Stanley Cup, and failing that, I root for whoever knocks out the Rangers (this year, I may be in the unhappy position of rooting for Sydney Crosby and the Penguins).
At least it appears the Flyers may have found their answer to their never ending goalie problems in Steve Mason. Let's hope so as they retool in the offseason once again.

Opening Day!

Opening Day, is here at last, after the winter that seemed as if it would never end. The joy that usually accompanies this annual rite of spring is somewhat tempered by the doom and gloom forecast for this 2014 edition of the Phillies. Most prognosticators are picking the Phillies to finish 4th, with some going so far as to pick them dead last, below even the lowly Marlins.  This forecast is likely going to be accurate, but, being of an optimistic nature, I’m going to go the other way. I think the Phillies, despite their age, are going to be healthy. And if they are healthy, they have the potential to be quite formidable. If the core four of Howard, Utley, Rollins, and Ruiz can play 130 games each, and can perform at 80% of their best, they form a strong lineup. Couple that with Marlon Byrd, who seemed to put it all together last year, an experienced Domonic Brown, who won’t be expected to carry the offense this year, and young players Ben Revere and Cody Asche and the offense could be much stronger than anyone anticipates. 

The rotation with Lee, Hamels, and Burnett , has three starters that match up with anyone, while Kendrick and Hernandez in the four and five spots are equivalent to most other teams fourth and fifth starters. They also have Jeff Manship and Jonathan Pettitbone waiting in the wings should anyone falter.

The bullpen could actually be a strength for the Phillies this year as some of the promising young arms that were baptized by fire the last couple of years seem to have benefited from the experience, having shown signs of putting it all together in spring training.

                The bench is still week, the rotation a little thin, and, if the injury bug strikes again the Phillies aren’t deep enough to replace their stars, but if they remain healthy, they could be stronger than anyone thinks, perhaps even strong enough to prop that fabled window of opportunity open one last time.

First Spring Game..at last!

The Phils lost their spring training opener to the Toronto Blue Jays...but it matters not. Baseball is here, an despite all appearances that winter will never end, it will. For the Phils, hope springs eternal, and, despite absolutely no love from the national press, the Phils have a chance, if everything goes right, that is. Unfortunately, when relying on a team full of aging players, chances of everything going right and everyone remaining healthy are slim.  Ruben Amaro had very little choice, however.  Essentially, the entire team (with a few exceptions for the younger players and Cole Hamels)  has contracts due to expire by the end of the 2015 season. Tied into the core 4 of Howard, Utley, Rollins and Ruiz, it made sense to sign aging but still productive players such as Marlon Byrd and A.J. Burnett to two year deals, by the end of which the core four will be all but gone, and, hopefully, Ruben will have young talent ready to step in plus dollars available to attract free agents to replace the expiring contracts. At least i hope that's the plan.   As always with baseball, the truth will out in the end.

Say it ain't so

Two outs, two on in bottom of the ninth, Phils trail by a run, Utley at the plate....

　

"He really wants to get a hit here..."

 

How will we live without insights like that? Bye, Sarge.

(I think I'm the only guy who liked Wheels, he gave a lot of details that I appreciated, real inside the game stuff...though it took me over 30 years to like him)

Save the anger and say Thanks

As a Penn State grad I was initially angry when I heard Bill O’Brien was considering leaving Happy Valley for The NFL’s Houston Texans. How could he abandon all those kids who stuck with the program through all the sanctions, especially now that those sanctions were being lifted?  On further reflection, that’s exactly why he can leave.  He guided the team through the most difficult period, kept the players together though overwhelming negativity, made the team relevant and a destination for recruits.  Certainly, in so doing, he polished his own resume, going from a relatively obscure offensive coordinator on the New England Patriots, a person known in coaching circles but not considered to be a prime head coaching candidate, to someone who became the frontrunner for the best available NFL coaching vacancy. The Texans are a team most people consider likely to rebound into the playoff contender they were expected to be during this injury ravaged season, where everything that could go wrong did, with the first pick in the draft in their back pocket to boot.

            Meanwhile, Penn State is considered a prime job again, the scandal receding, the available scholarships increasing, the character of the players impressive. The list of potential coaching candidates contains the cream of the crop, something that would have been unthinkable two years ago when O’Brien arrived.  Penn State’s football program is on solid ground and should remain so in the future and we have Bill O’Brien to thank, so instead of being angry, be thankful and optimistic, both Penn State and Bill O’Brien have brighter futures thanks to their pairing over the last two years.

Quite the Turnaround

            The Eagles turnaround from worst to first was impressive for several reasons, the fact that so many of the key players on the current roster were the same players who came in last in 2012, the fact that an entirely new defensive scheme was introduced, a bend-but-don’t break 3-4  that was almost 180 degrees opposite from the previous regime’s blitz-heavy 4-3, the fact that a new head coach with no NFL experience was bringing all sorts of new philosophies (quick tempo, different practice schedule, a reliance on sports science) to a team full of jaded NFL veterans who were likely to rebel against this college coaches ideas, and, perhaps most impressively, the team’s ability to gel despite the potentially fractious nature of the Riley Cooper fiasco makes this division title all the more remarkable. 

            After losing their first four home games of the season the Eagles now have a home playoff game, against the offensively prolific Saints, a tough matchup, but one that should be easier for the Eagles to play in the cold of Philadelphia rather than the Superdome in New Orleans where the Saints are almost unstoppable.  Win or lose, it has been an incredible season for Chip Kelly and the Eagles. The game Saturday night should continue this incredibly entertaining season , one made even more so in comparison with the desultory 2012.

The “Blizzard Game’ shows difference between Kelly & Reid

I love snow gams in the NFL , but for a while it looked like it was really going to kill the Eagles in their game against the Lions. The Eagles did nothing in the first half offensively. The passing game was non-existent and it looked like Shady McCoy wouldn’t be able to employ his patented jump cuts and direction changes with the footing so uncertain.  I even wanted them to play Polk with his power running style instead of LeSean (good thing I'm not coaching).  Kelly made adjustments at halftime, however, changing to a running McCoy between the tackles and even taking advice from a defensive back who suggested long post patterns, assuming correctly, that if he couldn’t turn and run with a receiver their defenders wouldn’t be able to do so either. Reid, for all his strengths, and his greatest was meticulous planning, was unable to adjust quickly. Convinced his detailed gameplan was the right way to attack a team, he stubbornly refused to adjust when the opponent provided evidence to the contrary. Kelly,  on the other hand, really seems to understand how to use his offensive personnel, and it appears he lets the defensive coaches run the defense...imagine that!  He's improving on his game management as well (his early troubles seem to be from inexperience with the pro-game (understandable) and because he was focusing on teaching his schemes to the players (also understandable). Things bode well for the future, and they should be able to concentrate on the defense in the draft (they are not terrible by any means, but some more athletic secondary players would be nice). Of course, if Johnny Manziel is there (he won't be), you still grab him. As good as Foles has been playing, Manziel looks perfect for Kelly’s offense. I'd plan on keeping Foles the starter going into 2014. If he falters next year, Oregon QB Marcus Mariota should be coming out in 2015 and the Eagles we can try for him.

Chooch!

Can Pedro Feliz be far behind? How 'bout Burrell? (Shane is stuck winning championships in Boston, poor guy).

I'm seriously very glad to have Ruiz back, he made the most sense for the Phils, and he can mentor whichever young catcher they bring along. He may not be able to catch 135 games any longer, but if he can catch 90 and , say Tommy Joseph can handle the other 72 while learning from the master the Phillies will be in fine shape. Ruiz' workload should diminish over the life of his 3 year deal, but he's well worth the cost in clubhouse leadership, fan support, and loyalty alone.

Glad to have you here, Chooch.

World Series great baseball despite the absence of the Phillies

The World Series, despite the absence of the Phillies, and in spite of the presence of my least favorite team , the St. Louis Cardinals, whom I consider to be the Dallas Cowboys of MLB, (I'll never forgive them for J.D. Drew, among other transgressions), has been wonderful baseball. Two games ended on strange plays you almost never see, well, at least not as game-ending plays, let alone game-ending plays in the World Series, a walk –off fielder interference play in game three, and a pinch runner, Kolten Wong, someone only getting the opportunity to play in the World Series because they supposedly were a better option the lame Allen Craig, instead getting picked off first base for a walk-off pick-off in game four. The look on Carlos Beltran’s face as he stood at home plate, the bat suddenly taken out of his hands, was priceless.
 
Otherwise, great pitching, great defense, David Ortiz so hot you are amazed when he doesn’t get a hit…and, the one thing that to my mind, makes baseball better than any other sport, you never run out of time. No matter how far you get behind, you don’t lose until you make that third out in the ninth inning. Therefore, especially in the playoffs, you never see anyone give up, there’s always a chance.  To me, it’s what makes baseball the best, by far. It’s almost over for the year. Catch it while you can.

 

Philadelphia Fallows?

Are Philadelphia sports entering one of their all too frequent fallow periods? The Phillies missed the playoffs for the second straight year, finishing with a losing record for the first time since 2002, the Eagles are 1 and 3, just gave up 52 points in a single game, and are struggling trying to implement a college system in the NFL, and are attempting to play a type of defense their personnel are unsuited for. The Flyers also missed the playoffs and start the season with an untested goalie, and the Sixers, well, they are playing for the number one draft pick in the NBA draft with a roster so bereft of talent that more fans may show up to boo the owner for buying the Flyers hated rival the Jersey Devils than to actually watch the team play. However, unlike previous periods, there actually is some hope. The Phillies have the funds to remake their roster, the Eagles, despite their numerous mistakes, are entraining and play in a division that I so bad, a 1-3 record leaves them a mere one game out of first place. The Flyers have a lot of young talent, one that could put it all together the way the Phillies did in 2007, and the Sixers , instead of patching a mediocre roster, have at least acknowledged the need to start over, and have acquired the draft picks to do so. It may be a fallow period, but it is not one bereft of hope as so many seasons in Philadelphia sports history have been.

With Charlie fired, what is the plan for next year?

First of all, forget the interim tag on Sandberg. He will be back. The young guys on the roster (and maybe some of the vets too!) should consider this a tryout for 2014.

2014 is not lost. The Phillies have potentially good pitching, though with a lot of ifs (if Halladay comes back improved, and if anyone can, he can), plus Hamels, Lee, Gonzalez, the Cuban defector, (if they actually finalize the signing, and Kendrick back to #5 (He's a pretty good 5, not so good a 3). Additionally, I'd resign Lannan as the swingman/sixth starter. As for their Achilles heel, the bullpen, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. There are jobs available, and young, strong arms to fill them, it depends who wants to take them (Diekman and DeFratus seem to be making their moves right now).
 

If the Phils can work in the young guys with the high priced vets, giving the older players some rest and developing the younger guys for full time roles down the road it could be a return to the good times. Rollins is still a good shortstop (with Galvis), especially if Sandberg can keep him playing hard.  Utley and more Hernandez at 2nd, Asche and Maybe Franco at 3rd, and Howard/Ruf at 1st, plus Chooch as a part time starter while mentoring the winner of the Joseph/Rupp/Valle competition next spring.  In other words I think the best bet is to hope at least some of the stars can still play, but start working in the youth, maybe add in an outfielder if possible via free agency, plus a bullpen piece or two and they could be right back in the mix.

The outlook is workable, if still peppered with ifs, but definitely workable.

Deadline Day

Today is the non-waiver trade deadline in MLB, and the Phillies are a mess. Their offense is almost non-existent, their bullpen is atrocious, and they are hampered by players with declining production and huge, untradeable contracts. Does this mean the Phillies are finished, that their fabled "window" of opportunity has slammed shut, dooming them to years of mediocrity at best?  Not necessarily. Two year ago, the Red Sox were in the same position, and now they are once again leading the American League East.  It took some creativity, but it can be done. The Phillies , like the Red Sox, are a large market team, with resources. It will take an overhaul, but, with some shrewd moves, keeping the right players, integrating the right rookies with their youthful enthusiasm into the lineup, and perhaps getting lucky and finding a trade partner to take some of the bad contracts (as the Red Sox did with the Dodgers), plus free agent signings and a change in their international signing policy (as recently exhibited with their lavish signing of Cuban defector Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez), the Phillies may turn it around quickly, perhaps as soon as next year.  What happens today may be the start of this retooling.

Who from the “Pig Pen” will make It?

For the past month the Phillies have been holding an open audition in their bullpen, running one arm after the other from their Triple A Farm team, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.  The jobs are there for the taking, someone from the “Pig Pen” will step up and claim them.   The Phillies bullpen, expected to be a strength this year, with Papelbon anchoring in the closer role, big money free agent Mike Adams signed to lock down the eighth inning, and sage veteran and World Series component Chad Durbin returning to the fold to join holdover lefthanded specialists Antonio Bastardo and Jeremy Horst, there were expected to be just a few spots for the young arms being groomed in the minor leagues. 

Well,” the best laid plans…” as they say.  Durbin was frankly awful, and has since been released. Horst wasn’t much better and is currently injured, Adams never really was effective and is likely gone for the year, and the original best minor league arm belonging to Phillipe Aumont  was wild and ineffective. Since then, we’ve seen Aumont sent down, and Justin Defratus, B.J. Rosenberg, Jake Diekman,  Joe Savery and in the most recent surprise, J.C Ramirez be given opportunities to varying degrees of effectiveness.  Rosenberg was sent back, Savery has been up and down three times, and Aumont has returned (meaning two of the three players received from Seattle for Cliff Lee (Aumont and Ramirez) are currently in the big leagues).  The arms are strong, there will be growing pains, and not all will succeed, but it will be fascinating which of these young players becomes the real “piggy” and keeps a spot in the big leagues all for himself.

What should the Phillies do?

 

The season has gone pretty much as expected for  the Phillies, who entered the 2013 season with a lot of questions, questions that almost all needed to be answered in a positive manner for them to contend.

 

Yes, they needed to have everything go right, and, as expected, everything has not gone right. Still, no one has really pulled away , and if things go well from here on, they could still contend,  especially if Carlos Zambrano has something left in the tank. He's got to be better than Tyler Cloyd.

Should the Phillies blow up them team and start over? Okay...how?  Trade Cliff Lee (with apologies to Kyle Kendrick and Jonathan Pettitbone, two things that have gone right) he has been their best pitcher. sure, if they were offered Giancarlo Stanton I'd do it, but Miami doesn't want an expensive player, so that won’t happen. Other than that or some similar outlandish offer, I’d keep him.

Trade Howard?  Not likely unless you pay almost all of his salary, and even then you still won't get anyone. Might as well keep him. Especially as he's a leader, good teammate, someone who can show the new young guys the way.

Trade Rollins?  I'd do it if the right offer came...and it may. They seem to have a capable replacement in Galvis, they can play Frandsen at second when Utley can't...intriguing, and worth exploring , wait for a contender who needs a shortstop and is willing to overpay. 

Trade Utley? There's the rub. He's the leader, the kind of player you wish everyone to emulate...but, he's older, brittle, and about to be a free agent.  You'd get something for him from a contender...but Ii think getting rid of iconic players who are the face of the team is a mistake, even though their production declines (Brian Dawkins anyone?) Keep him to show the new wave of Phillies how it should be done.

Trade Kendrick?   Maybe...his value is at an all-time high.  I've always been a supporter, thinking he was a valuable piece even as he was being pilloried by the fanbase, but I still think he's a fourth starter at best, and if you can get good value....I'd send him away, replace him with John Lannan when he comes back from injury ...and begin building for the future with new guys surrounding the old vets.

The Youngs? If you can get anything for either of them, do it and work their replacements in from the minors.  (Darren Ruf for Delmon, with Domonic Brown moving to rightfield, and Cody Asche at third for Michael). These guys might help contenders, especially as they are on one year deals so the buyer won't be stuck for long. 

Bottom line, I'd make some moves, and try to work more youth in around the core, so not a complete blow-up. The Yankees and Red Sox never seem to completely go with the youth movement, the try new pieces until they get it right and they always seem to be contending. The Phillies could do the same.