Who is that ace pitching for the National League champions’
Washington Nationals?   Is his name, Gio
Gonzales, the same Gonzales that the Phillies traded to the White Sox a few
years ago?  The same Gonzales the
Phillies thought he was too emotional on the mound to be a successful pitcher?   What an
irony.  Don’t make me laugh; the Phillies
have proved time and again that they are incapable of recognizing talent.  Maybe, it is because they are not interested
in winning as much as they are interested in filling the seats at Citizens
Park.

Because, why would they trade a proven pitcher in the name
of Cliff Lee to acquire a marquee pitcher in the name of Roy Halladay.  I do not care much for labels, what I do care
is for substance, ability and on-the-field performance.  These are the qualities that allow a lowly
team as the Oakland Athletics to be in the American league championships while the
Phillies are spectators like the rest of us.

The Phillies would rather spend money to get people in the
seat rather than recognizing talent and keeping that talent where it belongs,
in the Phillies’ organization.   The Phillies
are masters in this endeavor because now that the 2012 season is over, they are
at it again when they are trying to sell us the same lame story as before by
bringing back Ryne Sandberg, the future hall-of-famer whom the Phillies let go
many years when they did not even receive proper compensation when they sent
him to the Chicago Cubs as a throw-in.

What a joke!!!!  Of course,
we all know what Sandberg did in Chicago. 
He went out and play as the champion that he was and probably will be in
Cooperstown as a Cub when he should have been a member of the Phillies.  But, this is the lame story of the Phillies
year after year.  I have seen it and
witnessed it for more than 40 years and it is a very sad commentary because I
love the Phillies. They are my team no matter what the organization does.  I remember Dave Cash, Mike Schmidt, Greg
Luzinski, Dick Allen, Garry Maddox and many others.   I even remember that playoff game against
the Dodgers in the 1970’s when they played in a soaking rain for more than 3
hours only to lose a heartbreaking game and the chance to advance.   I remember Danny Ozark’s agony about losing
that critical game.  

Do I hope a return to the World Series in 2013 for the Phillies?  I do not know what changes the Phillies will make
in the off-season. But one thing I will say, Mr. Amaro’s job should be to
recruit the best players who can play the game and stop worrying about marquis
players.  Because when you win, people do
not care about labels or that you have a marquee player in the lineup.

Gio Gonzales has proved that.  Who ever thought that a kid in the Phillies had
under their control, would wind up in the 2012 World Series with the Washington
Nationals.

And yes, the Washington nationals with Gonzales and Werth will
win the World Series in 2012.  Make no
mistake about it.