If you’re looking for a fitted 1979 Cooperstown Collection Phillies cap, don’t go to:

• Modell’s (Snyder Ave, Gallery)
• Foot Locker (Gallery)
• City Blue (any of them)
• Citizen’s Bank Park
• Prime Sports
• or any of the other number of places all over the city I went to.

Because after weeks of searching I’ve realized none of them have it. I must have gone to literally 20 stores.

Instead, go to City Sports. Definitely the best selection of Phillies caps I manage to find. And they had an XL to fit my big dome!

It’s the same reason we love the little guy and will NOT be renewing our season tickets if BK trades him.

I was far from pleased when I learned of the Phillies replacement for Ed Wade. Don’t get me wrong – ridding the organization of Wade was the best decision since trading Bobby Abreu to the Astros for Kevin Stocker. A close second has to be signing free-agent Danny Tartabull, who broke his foot on his 7th at bat of the season and retired the next season. But I digress…

Frustrated by the old-school mentality of this franchise, I prayed for a young, up-and-coming replacement. Why not pluck an assistant GM from a perennially successful organization such as the Braves, Twins or Indians? Instead, the Phillies went with Pat Gillick, an old-school GM with a proven track-record from his days in Toronto and Baltimore. And that was what I feared most – with very little to prove, Gillick appeared to be another Wade-like pawn, carrying out Dave Montgomery & Co.’s dirty work while taking the heat from the media and the fans.

Thus far I have (thankfully) been proven wrong. Gillick is off to a tremendous start. First, he didn’t overpay for 34 year-old Billy Wagner, who, although he remains a top-10 closer, is far from worth the 4 years and $43 million given to him by the Mets (think Tom Glavine!). More importantly, I really like the Jim Thome–Aaron Rowand trade. There is no doubt that if Thome is healthy, he will have a fantastic year, especially as the DH at homer-friendly Comerica Park. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit 40+ homeruns, especially with Paul Konerko alongside him in the lineup.

However, the Phillies had no place for him with the emergence of Ryan Howard. With this trade, the Phillies dumped half of Thome’s salary, provided Howard the reassurance of his role within the organization and received in return a young and very solid CF. Rowand plays tremendous defense, covering great ground in center field and sacrificing his body to make an out. Moreover, his offense is certainly above average; he is a career .283 hitter, including .310 with 24 HRs and 69 RBI in 2004. With the Rowand trade, our lineup should take on the following appearance:

Jimmy Rollins – SS
Chase Utley – 2B
Bobby Abreu – RF
Pat Burrell – LF
Ryan Howard – 1B
Aaron Rowand – CF
David Bell/Abraham Nunez – 3B
Mike Lieberthal – C
Pitcher

My other wish for the Phillies was for them to pursue Nomar. It made sense for them to offer him a one year, incentive-laden contract and play him at 3B. However, after the Nunez signing, I don’t think that will happen.

Fortunately, both Bell and Lieberthal only have a year left on their deals. Offensively and defensively they are the overwhelming weak links. I understand they are untradeable (no team in their right mind would take such bad players with such expensive contracts), but I would still like to see the Phillies go out and sign a replacement for one of them. Why not pursue catchers Ramon Hernandez or Bengie Molina? Both are fabulous defensive catchers and above-average offensive players. More importantly, they would both be drastic improvements over Lieberthal. I know that would mean swallowing Lieby’s $7.5 mil, but the Phillies have extra money with Wagner leaving via free agency along with the salary relief from Thome’s money coming off of the books.

Overall, I am pretty pleased with the lineup the Phillies will put on the field for opening day, 2006. The Phillies have a solid nucleus of young players (sans Bell/Lieby), an above-average offense (sans Bell/Lieby) and an excellent defense (sans Bell/Lieby).

What is certainly missing is pitching, which I will address in my next column.

Arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled today in favor of the punishment handed down to outspoken and maligned wide receiver Terrell Owens by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Let me just say that I am SHOCKED. I did not think there was any way that the suspension would be upheld. There was every indication from insiders and experts on the matter that the suspension would be reduced. Moreover, sources familiar with Eagles management believed that the front office didn’t have the stomach for another grievance. These folks indicated that if another grievance was brought by the NFLPA, this time in regards to Owens’ deactivation as a means of suspension, the Eagles would simply release T.O.

But for now all of those thoughts are for naught. Bloch not only upheld the suspension, but also the Eagles right to suspend T.O. “due to the nature of his conduct and its destructive and continuing threat to the team.”

I am THRILLED. T.O. got exactly what he deserved. He was relentless with his verbal attacks on the team, Coach Reid and Donovan. Pushing the limits with his words and his antics, T.O. dug his own grave. He will now pay for his poor judgment with the loss of his salary for four games, a portion of his signing bonus and the remaining 5 years and $35+ million on his contract. Moreover, he has tarnished his image, jeopardizing his chances of finding his way onto a Super Bowl-bound team. Moreover, he may have created a Michael Irvin-esque roadblock toward his bid for Canton.

T.O. approval ratings have actually dipped below that of Ricky Santorum. His actions were a disgrace to himself and the NFL. Now he can spend some time to think about the past six months while chilling on his couch watching the rest of the season on TV. Have fun bud…now you have plenty of time to hang with your boy Drew.

On another note, the Eagles finally rid themselves of the Jose Cortez and Reggie Hodges experiment….ummm, what took so long?

In other Philadelphia sports news, Jim Thome is on his way back to the Midwest, as the Phillies have dealt him to the reigning World Series Champions for center fielder Aaron Rowand….more on this trade later.

Rafael Palmeiro, the Baltimore Orioles’ first baseman and owner of a 3000 hit career, testified in front of this Congressional committee and angrily shook his finger at the chairman, saying he never took steroids in his career. At the time, most everyone was impressed and convinced by his forceful testimony. Well…Turns out that’s not true as he was suspended 10 games on Monday for violating MLB’s steroid policy.

But wait, it gets richer. Because you see, Raffy and our dear leader, George W. are actually old drinkin’ buddies from their time together with the Texas Rangers. Palmeiro played for the Rangers while Bush owned the team. Despite Palmeiro’s positive test and ensuing suspension by an organization that W. was once a part of, Bush said “He’s testified in public, and I believe him.”

As The Daily Show’s Rob Cordry paraphrased last night, the president just seems to be saying, “LALALALALALALA,” while he covers his ears and holds his breath. The pattern of lies continues.

..

Oh yeah, and the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, and the man that this nation has at least once voted into office, also believes that the “theory” of intelligent design should be taught in schools. BAH!