Five years can be longer than you think, and the Philadelphia Phillies had this brought to their attention last week. The organization welcomed back Brad Lidge, the delivery man of the final out that clinched the franchise’s most recent World Series in 2008, as he signed a one-day contract Aug. 1 to retire as a Phillie.

With Lidge in town to kick off the Phillies’ annual Alumni Weekend, the team briefly looked back on his perfect season, in which he saved 48 games in 48 opportunities. Everyone in the park was reminded of the season and the championship team when the final moments of Game 5 of the World Series were played on the scoreboard.

Lidge waited in the bullpen, watching Cole Hamels warm up for his start against the San Francisco Giants. The final call by Harry Kalas was played from Lidge’s Game 5 strikeout of Eric Hinske, a game started by Hamels against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Immediately after the replay ended, Dan Baker announced for the final time, “Now pitching for the Phillies, batting in the ninth position, No. 54, Brad Lidge!”

Lidge emerged for one last trot out of the bullpen. “On your feet, who’s with me? On your feet, let’s go!” blared through the speakers once again from his signature introductory song, “Soldiers” by Drowning Pool. He picked up the ball from the mound and threw it to Carlos Ruiz, who just like before, was awaiting him from behind the plate. The two embraced one more time, just as they so often did after each of Lidge’s 100 career saves with the team.

For a brief moment it was 2008 again, and the perfect Lidge was the icon of everything going right and well for the Phillies. So when he walked off the field, now as a retired ballplayer, reality resumed and returned the current scene of the 2013 Phillies season.

The game started, and Hamels was no longer pursuing postseason history with a record number of wins. Instead, his 4-13 record and four-plus ERA flashed on the board, as he is in the midst of trying to avoid a 20-loss season.

The team’s most important offensive player, Ryan Howard, was nowhere to be found on the lineup card as age and wear and tear caught up to him, forcing yet another stint on the disabled list. His complimentary power threats of Pat Burrell and Jayson Werth were replaced with Delmon Young and Laynce Nix in the corner outfield positions. Solid all-around contributors Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino were replaced with Cody Asche and John Mayberry Jr.

Suddenly, it seemed like a much longer distance between now and Lidge’s pitches, the nonceremonial ones.

Nothing confirmed that more than the ninth inning. With the Phillies taking a one-run lead into the final frame, Jonathan Papelbon blew his sixth save of the season. By comparison, in Lidge’s 41 regular-season save opportunities in 2008, he gave up runs in only five of those games, of course never blowing one.

Then, the Phillies fell behind and failed to come back. Nix — a far cry from the likes of Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs and Greg Dobbs from the 2008 bench — failed to get the clutch hit with the bases loaded and no outs. Even Ruiz failed to come through, as his many clutch hits in the 2008 postseason were now a distant memory.

Five years ago, the Phillies do not lose that game. Even in years since then, they at least tie it in the ninth after loading the bases with no outs in a one-run game at home. What a fall from the top.

The contrasting scenes and emotions from the pregame ceremony and the game itself highlighted just how important a bullpen and a complete team with solid depth in general are for success.

You will not find a deeper unit than the 2008 Phillies bullpen. Lidge credited the extraordinary depth, assembled by former general manager Pat Gillick, in his retirement press conference.

“A huge part of the success was the guys in front of me,” Lidge said. “[Ryan] Madson, J.C. [Romero], [Chad] Durbin, [Scott] Eyre, all those guys were amazing that year.”

That group, filled out by Rudy Seanez and Clay Condrey, had the lowest bullpen ERA in the National League that season at 3.22. It has been well documented that the Phillies since then have taken a step back each season. It should be viewed as no coincidence that their bullpen ERA has also slightly risen each year, with the exception of 2011. But that year, they used the bullpen the fewest games in the league, and their relievers pitched 27 fewer innings than the next closest team.

Now, back in the reality of 2013, their bullpen sports an ERA of 4.29. So the Phillies essentially have to score an extra run per game today compared to 2008 just to make up for the bullpen’s decline. Their top three relievers of Papelbon; Mike Adams, who has been as delicate as a China doll; and the now suspended Antonio Bastardo are a far cry from Lidge and the “Bridge to Lidge” created by Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson.

And the unit is not nearly as close or cohesive as the 2008 squad. That season, the bullpen got its own TV reality show, “The Pen,” because of how great of a collective unit it was. Lidge confirmed that this cohesion contributed to their success.

“We had such a tight group that year, but I think that went a long way with the success,” he said.

It is no secret that Papelbon is in his own world in the clubhouse. There are no imminent plans to profile the 2013 bullpen in a reality show, unless the title would be “Death of a Ballclub.”

It has become clear, not just with the Phillies but also with recent champions in San Francisco and Tony La Russa’s Cardinals, that a good bullpen gives a club a chance to lock down wins and overcome deficits. The Phillies were one of the grittiest come-from-behind teams in baseball until the demise of the bullpen. Players like Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins often talked about how the team would be sure to come back, just as long as the bullpen could give them a chance.

Lidge and his mates knew this.

“The guys in the clubhouse would always say, ‘Just give us a chance,’” he said. “‘As long as you give us a chance, keep the score there and we’re going to come back.’ And they would do it so often.”

Now a three-run deficit seems insurmountable, just because the mountain continues to grow when the likes of Raul Valdes and Justin De Fratus come in and fail to stop the bleeding.

Long gone are those characters from “The Pen.” Five years later, there is not one member from the bullpen on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, and only five total players from the 2008 postseason roster are still in red pinstripes.

And now, the 2013 team has no chance; they are constantly being robbed by their bullpen. Oh, how long ago five years seems.

The post What’s going on with the Phillies bullpen? appeared first on The Triangle.

[media-credit name=”Jerry Holt Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT Campus” align=”alignleft” width=”212″] Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels throws a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis June 11.

The 2013 Philadelphia Phillies’ roster, with an Opening Day payroll of $159 million, was built to compete and win now. With many of the core pieces in the final year of their contracts, it is perhaps the final year for these players to make a run together.

Among the impending free agents are Chase Utley, Roy Halladay and Carlos Ruiz. The three combined have appeared in 23 postseason series since joining the Phillies, with four of those 23 being World Series appearances. And to get there, more often than not, they needed to make a late charge just to reach the postseason.

Since 2008, the Phillies have posted a second-half record of 269-168. No other team in Major League Baseball has a higher post-All-Star Game record than Philadelphia the past five seasons.

So when staked with a challenge of overcoming an eight-game deficit (as of July 25) in the National League East, especially when chasing a team that has been very mediocre since mid-April, the Atlanta Braves, it should not be viewed as impossible. The Phillies have previously overcome much worse circumstances, such as larger deficits later in the season.

Historically, the first half is not confirmation of how a team will finish or what its postseason fate will be. Just last season, four of the six division leaders at the All-Star break failed to make the postseason. The Baltimore Orioles managed to erase a seven-game deficit from the New York Yankees and eventually tie them late in September. The Oakland Athletics overcame a nine-game deficit from third place to win the American League West.

The 2012 American League champion Detroit Tigers once stood in third place behind the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians. Finally, the World Series champion San Francisco Giants not only trailed in their divisional race but also stood in fifth place for the Wild Card at the time of the Midsummer Classic.

An eight-game deficit should not be viewed as impossible to overcome with roughly half a season to play, nor should it be viewed as grounds to blow up the team. This is especially the case for the Phillies, a team built to win now. Not later, not looking toward the future, but now.

Last season, General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. traded away Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino at the deadline. Still, the Phillies were able to make things interesting and get within three games of a postseason spot in late September. The seven-game deficit at season’s end was spent experimenting with Darin Ruf in left field and starting B.J. Rosenberg, due to Roy Halladay’s injury.

But if they had not quit too early, it is likely that Victorino’s defense could have made up for some games lost due to misplays by Laynce Nix, Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr. in the outfield. Perhaps Pence could have come through with a clutch hit in the spots in which Brown failed to do so. The Phillies were left wondering “what if” they had not packed it in so early. The last week of the regular season certainly would have been much more interesting.

Amaro should avoid giving up on this season for a few reasons. You do not want to have two straight seasons of nearly $330 million in salary spent just trying to go for it for only a portion of the season. When your team salary is over $150 million, you go for it for the entirety of the season, not for a few months and then become a retail outlet for teams of higher aspirations and lower payrolls.

What would be the purpose of spending all that money and not really trying to compete? If you sell off, the organization clinches its fate of being pretenders, wasting ticket buyers’ money on a deceiving product. That would make two straight years of spending money just to see how the team performs in half of a season and not in its entirety.

But would that be the way to end the run, two straight years of pretending to go for it but bailing out when it gets difficult? Maybe with another team that would make more sense, but with a team that annually rallies in the second half and has proven that it can overcome challenging deficits, it would be a total copout move by the organization.

What was the point of paying $159 million to players if Amaro was not serious about competing for the season? If he was not serious about competing the entire season, not to mention beyond, then why did he not let Cliff Lee go to the Los Angeles Dodgers and have them assume his massive contract? Why pick up Carlos Ruiz’s option for this season? Why did they trade young players for Michael Young in a contract year? It would be a rather insane series of decisions by Amaro if he were to fold once again.

The Phillies decided they were all-in for this particular season long before now. They should stick to the plan and not lose sight of it just because they were not the most perfect team through a portion of the schedule, especially when the stakes are not impossible.

Ryan Howard often gets ripped for not taking that bat off his shoulders on the nasty 3-2 cutter when Brian Wilson retired him and the Phillies at the end of the 2010 season. You should always swing the bat and go for it, especially when you have a more-than-legitimate shot. In the same vein, Amaro should not want to go down looking while Chase Utley’s, Roy Halladay’s and other Phillies’ careers come to an end because he did not lift that bat off his shoulder.

The post Amaro, Phillies should stay the course for 2013 appeared first on The Triangle.

[media-credit name=”Yong Kim Philadelphia Daily News/MCT Campus” align=”alignleft” width=”300″] The Philadelphia Phillies’ Ryan Howard, right, celebrates his first-inning run scored with teammate Domonic Brown against the Washington Nationals Sept. 27,
2012, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Ryan Howard could not proceed any further. His ailing leg — which has a weak arch of the foot, a recovering Achilles tendon and a torn meniscus — eventually became too problematic. On July 8 it was deemed necessary that he get the torn meniscus surgically repaired, a procedure that is estimated to require six to eight weeks of recovery time.

That timeframe puts his return for a significant portion of time this season in serious question. Eight weeks from now would take the slugger’s stint on the disabled list into September, limiting his availability for the most crucial portion of the Philadelphia Phillies season.

General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced there was “fraying” in Howard’s meniscus, according to an MRI taken in May. Just this past weekend, the team discovered it was torn. It raised the question: Why did the Phillies not take care of the injury when the problem was first discovered?

For Philadelphia, this is a question that has been raised far too often. Howard is just another example added to the long list of baffling injury risks and decisions made by the Phillies regarding their high-priced talent.

It is actually the second time that Howard has fallen victim to a baffling approach to an injury taken by Philadelphia. The first case dates back two seasons, when the first baseman initially injured his left foot and leg in 2010 and still experienced discomfort in it throughout 2011. So when the Phillies wrapped up the 2011 National League East crown a couple weeks early, the medical staff evidently thought it was a good idea to inject Howard’s Achilles tendon with cortisone despite many alarming accounts from other doctors. There were also possible dangerous side effects, one of which is the risk of skin and soft tissue thinning around the injection site, which could lead to tendon weakening or rupture.

Howard sat out the following week or so of games, during which Philadelphia experienced what it was like without him in their lineup with an eight-game losing streak. He played in a few games late in the season but had to exit the final regular-season game after having pain in the foot. He played in all five playoff games but got progressively worse and clearly was not himself at the plate.

Then, it happened: The side effects proved to be more than just “side effects,” and Howard ruptured his Achilles tendon in his final at-bat of the 2011 postseason. The slugger has since acknowledged the possible link between the injection and the rupture. It is not as if this was a new development in Achilles treatment, as former Major League stars Tony Gwynn and Barry Larkin each suffered partial Achilles tears after receiving cortisone injections in that site.

Another confusing aspect is how Howard, Amaro and manager Charlie Manuel seemed to have different views on Howard’s timetable and whether or not he suffered a setback in his rehabilitation. Manuel claimed that Howard should be back in May 2012, and Amaro said that there was no timetable. Because there “was no timetable,” the fact that Howard suffered an infection did not represent a setback by Amaro’s standard.

It was probably not a good idea to take a medical risk with the franchise’s highest-paid and most productive player, especially given that Dr. Michael Ciccotti, who is the director of sports medicine at Jefferson University’s Rothman Institute, is also the director of medical services for the Phillies.

The Rothman Institute points out that studies show an increase of Achilles tendon ruptures after they are injected with cortisone, so you have to figure that Ciccotti knew he was playing with fire. But that’s what Ciccotti and the Phillies do with injuries: They play with fire until it burns them.

Perhaps the next damaging example was ignoring and repressing Chase Utley’s knee condition. It was initially a surprise when the second baseman showed up in 2011 with knee pain, so that can be excused. But when he arrived at Spring Training with the same exact injury the next season, especially after the team traded its backup second baseman, Wilson Valdez, it left many people scratching their heads.

Why was the degenerate knee condition ignored? Why did they not follow up with Utley and ensure that he was ready to go?

Next on the list of $15 million-plus annual earners with injuries was starting pitcher Roy Halladay. There were reports coming out of Spring Training in 2012 suggesting that something may have been wrong with Halladay. Nationally renowned baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal noted that two scouts noticed Halladay using a different arm angle and that his velocity was down significantly. Right off the bat, it should have at least raised flags.

For the remainder of the season, Halladay’s velocity never returned to its normal level. He and the Phillies finally did admit to an injury in May 2012 when they placed him on the disabled list with what was identified as a shoulder injury. But then Halladay, pitching coach Rich Dubee and the rest of the team did not seem to be on the same page as to how long he had been injured.

There are too many issues and conflicting things being said, and it suggests that the medical staff was not on top of this one. But the bigger question is, if Halladay was apparently injured in March, why did they let him pitch for the next two months and risk further injury?

But in 2013, the same exact issue and same approach to that medical issue was repeated. Halladay had a brutal spring and clearly was not clicking, as he was shelled in his first two starts of the season. He struggled much of the first month of the regular season before finally informing the team that he was feeling discomfort in his shoulder.

The team had it checked it out, and there was a tear in his rotator cuff; they had been sending him out there injured, probably for the past season and a half. When he was struggling initially, using different arm slots, having uncharacteristically poor outings and a decreased velocity, why was he not checked out?

Former Phillies closer Brad Lidge had a similar case to Halladay’s. Lidge, who made $12 million annually, had perhaps the worst season as a closer in Major League Baseball history in 2009. It was finally revealed that he was pitching hurt and that the injury required surgery. He missed the beginning of the 2010 season and really was not himself again until August 2010.

What made the team think everything was all right when a guy went from being perfect in 2008 to blowing 11 saves the following year? Obvious questions like this make the decision-making process made by Philadelphia officials so confusing, especially when the answer has been consistent: The player was playing injured.

It is baffling to try and understand why the Phillies act on the assumption that an injury will simply go away over time if untreated.

Last year, the injuries to Utley, Howard and Halladay were simply too much to overcome. This year, with both Halladay and Howard playing below their usual levels and out for a significant amount of time, injuries may again be what separates this team from the playoffs.

The post Phillies doctors struggle to provide effective care appeared first on The Triangle.

The Philadelphia Phillies are about to enter the most uncertain stretch of the season in their most uncertain season since 2000. Unable to play .500 or better baseball consistently, the Phillies will have a few major decisions to make as they approach the trade deadline.

Four of their starting eight position players are unsigned beyond the 2013 season. Three of the five members of their Opening Day rotation do not have a guaranteed contract for 2014. And the manager and leader of the squad, Charlie Manuel, will see his contract expire once the current season ends.

Management, namely General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and Assistant GM Scott Proefrock,  have not completely dismissed the idea of selling and effectively, giving up on the season. If they were to sell, they would not only be giving up on the season, but in a bigger sense, they would be abandoning the era. Certainly, the Manuel regime would come to an end.

According to Bovada, Charlie Manuel is the Major League Baseball manager most likely to be fired this season. The online gambling site has set the odds at 4-1 that Manuel is the first to be relieved of his duties in-season.

For three years now, the growing expectation has been that when Manuel goes, Ryne Sandberg will be promoted to the helm. Sandberg has been in the organization for three years, serving as Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley’s manager for two seasons before being added to the 2013 major league coaching staff. Now, he stands roughly 100 feet away from Manuel in the third-base coaching box, seemingly staring into his next spot.

Many writers and insiders believe that Sandberg will indeed replace Manuel. That is at least the perception around the organization, and the Bovada odds suggest that it will just be a formality once it happens. For all we know, the decision may already have been made.

It goes without saying that you only fire a manager because you are confident that the replacement will do a significantly better job. So, what makes people confident that Sandberg would be the man to turn to in such a critical period for the franchise?

Frankly, there is no evidence. The only thing he has going for him is his skill at playing the game, but even that is a hollow reason and does not indicate his ability to manage and strategize throughout a season. In fact, only one Hall of Famer has ever become a skipper after being elected to Cooperstown: Ted Williams. For what it’s worth, Teddy Ballgame managed his teams to an abysmal 273-364 record in four seasons with the Texas Rangers franchise.

Moving past that, the evidence that he would be a good hire becomes barren. Not helping the pro-Sandberg argument is that he has a certain stink attached to him, having been skipped over twice by two different Chicago Cubs GMs for the team’s managerial position. Even more telling is that he was a Minor League manager in the Cubs organization in a period when the club was rebuilding. One would think that he would know the young talent whom he coached in the minors better than anyone, and yet he still was not a good enough candidate.

The organization for which he became a legend chose Mike Quade and Dale Sveum over him. Quade and Sveum aren’t exactly Tony La Russa and Joe Torre. Before they were hired, the two combined to manage only 12 big-league games — including zero from Quade — so lack of experience at the helm clearly was not the reason for Sandberg not being chosen. Furthermore, he was passed over by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, as well as the Boston Red Sox, who opted for Bobby Valentine.

Is it possible that everyone is missing something? Or, more likely, is there not much to look at in terms of Sandberg’s managerial prospects?

Being promoted to third-base coach and infield instructor after the 2012 season is the closest Sandberg has ever been to being a major league manager. Even with those two responsibilities, he’s done a poor job and has shown absolutely no reason why he should lead a ballclub.

As third-base coach, he has struggled with his decision-making, which has cast doubt as to whether he can make good in-game decisions, approach certain plays correctly, and evaluate the abilities of players.

The Phillies have been thrown out on plays at the plate, not including force-outs, 10 times this season, one behind the major league high of 11. In recent weeks, Sandberg has been especially brutal in the third-base box, making five mistakes in a two-week period.

Among the many miscalculations was sending Delmon Young, one of the slowest players in the league, home on a hard-hit ball to the outfield with the top of the order coming up. Two other times, he sent the third out of an inning to be called out at the plate in the midst of Domonic Brown’s hot two-week stretch; the slugger stood on-deck while his teammates were thrown out at home.

It is such decisions that demonstrate not just poor judgment but also a lack of awareness, flawed logic, and poor anticipation. Do you want a manager who has demonstrated those traits?

And for his other duty as infield instructor, it arguably cost them a big game June 19 against the Washington Nationals. Going for the sweep against the 2012 National League East champs, first baseman Ryan Howard being positioned too close to the bag keyed a Nationals comeback. Speedy center fielder Denard Span was able to reach on an infield hit as a result.

Closer Jonathan Papelbon said after the game that he was surprised with where Howard was positioned.

“I was thinking on a 3-1 count our infield would be back, and I was expecting to turn around and run to first base and catch an underhand throw,” Papelbon said.

He has a point. The two possible explanations why Sandberg had Howard positioned there would be either that he was expecting a bunt despite a 3-1 hitter’s count or that he simply was not paying attention. Either reason is not particularly promising for a future manager. Span, by the way, has bunted for a hit only twice this season, once on an 0-1 count and the other time on an 0-0 count. Papelbon would go on to emphasize how crucial the little things, like poor judgment in decisions such as positioning, can be.

“There’s 150 pitches thrown by our pitchers, and before every one of those we have to make sure we’re putting ourselves in a position to be the best we can before each pitch,” Papelbon said.

There is an overwhelming pile of evidence as to why Sandberg would struggle as manager, much more than reasons to expect him to be a good candidate. Whether Manuel deserves to be fired or not is a different argument, but whether his replacement would do a better job should be considered a priority in the thought process. And right now, we have absolutely no reason to be convinced that Sandberg would do a significantly better job with decisions.

So if the Phillies want Manuel gone, they will have to go outside the organization to find a better candidate. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of hiring someone you have no confidence in as a decision-maker and leader? That should be the focus in discussions for a new manager for the remainder of 2013 and beyond.

Phillies fans can only hope that management has enough sense to put the stop sign up and not wave Sandberg into the skipper’s position as liberally as he waves Delmon Young home into an out. Because as the throw is coming to the plate, we have no reason to believe that Sandberg is going be a safe hire.

The post Manuel might be on his way out appeared first on The Triangle.

The Drexel men’s crew team travelled to Sacramento, Calif., for the IRA National Championships. The varsity eight boat finished second in the fourth final with a time of 6:00.

The Drexel crew team completed its 2012-13 season by sending the men’s team to the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships May 31 through June 2. The Dragons finished 19th overall in the team standings with 21 total points.

In the varsity eight race, Drexel finished second in the fourth final with a time of 6:00, just behind Dartmouth University’s time of 5:59. Coxswain Marc Smith, strokes Kurt Linton, Vanja Busic, Aleksandar Radovic, Lorenzo Albala, Sebastian Ryan, John Pieper Michael Faust, and bow Casimir Czworkowski led the Lois Krall shell just ahead of the College of the Holy Cross, Gonzaga University and the University of California, San Diego.

Also among Dragon performances was the Vince Vidas boat. That group consisted of coxswain Christopher Henderson; strokes Daniel Dollin, Mikulas Sum, Nicholas Capaldi, Michael DiLucca, Dave Hanrahan, Daniel Palombo Daniel Pyle, and bow Lawrence Lindawan. They finished sixth in the petite final, a few seconds behind the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s first-place finish time of 6:06. Also finishing ahead of Drexel were the United States Naval Academy, Princeton University, George Washington University and Dartmouth College.

Entering the IRA Championships, the men’s freshman eight had been undefeated throughout the spring season.

Finally, the men’s varsity four finished fourth in the third-level final with a time of 6:56. Drexel sent the LeBow College of Business boat, guided by coxswain Victoria Kenion and powered by strokes Marko Durica, Cameron Staines and Ian Luetzow along with bow Ryan Mallgrave. Jacksonville University won the race with a time of 6:49.

The IRAs wrapped up what was a tremendous season for the Dragons and head coach Paul Savell. In addition to competing at the IRA Championships, Drexel won the Kerr Cup and swept the all-Philadelphia Bergen and Kelly cups. The highlight of the Dragons’ season was winning the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta.

“This has been the most successful season we have ever seen,” Savell said. “It was fulfilling to see all the hard work from the program pay off.”

He attributed much of his team’s success to leadership. Although the roster was filled with several freshmen who joined coming into the season, the team still featured many veterans; the Dragons had a total of 13 upperclassmen on the team. Many of them were major contributors all season, including Smith, Radovic and Linton.

Another key was Drexel’s drive, work ethic and preparation leading up to regattas. Savell praised the hard work of his team all season, not just going into the final week. It was simple; Leadership and hard work were the two ingredients that led to their tremendous season.

“We had great leadership and commitment this year, which translated to boat speed,” Savell said.

If they want to match or exceed their great season next year, the preparation and work cannot let up. Though the season does not begin until September, the time to build toward a championship begins now. Savell is sharing that attitude and approach with his returning team members to motivate them for even greater things next season.

“They say champions are made during the offseason,” he said.

Savell said the Dragons will not practice as a full team during the summer. Instead, he is relying on his players to train and prepare on their own. He is sure that the returning members will be motivated for next year.

Look for the Dragons to show off the improvements they make during the offseason when they return to the water in the fall.

The post Drexel rowing earns 19th place at IRA Regatta appeared first on The Triangle.

[media-credit name=”Bobbie McKenna” align=”alignleft” width=”200″] The Drexel women’s swimming and diving team will add ten swimmers to its 2013 recruiting class. Head coach Shawn Markey was not able to disclose the names of the incoming freshmen but is excited for their arrival in the fall.

The 2012-13 season for Drexel’s swimming and diving teams had its ups and downs, to say the least. As the Dragons turn the page for next season, they will aim for more consistency throughout the program.

The women finished with a disappointing record of 2-8. Their season ended with a seventh-place finish at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships, hosted by George Mason University.

The men’s team tipped the overall scale to a more balanced position for the program last season. They finished the season with a 6-2 record. Their season ultimately ended in George Mason’s pool as well, with a fifth-place finish at the CAA Championships.

Fast-forward to the offseason, as they prepare for the 2013-14 season with a new class of freshmen to add into the fold.

On the men’s roster, head coach Shawn Markey will welcome six swimmers and one diver to the team. Included among the six swimmers are two middle-distance swimmers and four who will provide depth in the fly, backstroke and breaststroke.

The two middle-distance swimmers are also very good at shorter distances, according to Markey. He described them as “very strong and versatile.” He already has very high expectations for one future Dragon.

“One of them will be one of our best sprinters next year,” he declared.

He is also looking forward to adding the diver to his roster, and he claimed the newcomer will be among the top competitors next season.

Ten new faces will appear in the pool for the women, as they too look to add to their roster with a strong freshman class. Markey said he envisions all of them being major contributors, as they are strong in every event. They come with strong pedigrees, as a handful of them were senior national qualifiers, one of whom he said will immediately be a top-three performer in the breaststroke for Drexel.

In adding the 17 total members of the recruiting class, Markey accomplished adding depth. Drexel has lost six seniors from last season to graduation, three from each team. It’s also nice to have depth at each event, which promotes competition and pushes everyone.

“What we have done is added the depth we needed in each event for both teams to improve our strength and talent to put us in a better position next year for both dual meets and at championships,” Markey said.

Drexel’s incoming freshman class will complement the current core of Dragons well. The emerging face of the diving program, rising sophomore David Sanchez, leads a strong foundation of returning divers.

Sanchez, who took home the gold medal at the CAA Championships for the three-meter, returns for what will be only his second season. He is coming off a rookie season in which he swept away the CAA competition. Not only was he the league’s top rookie, but he was also named the overall CAA Diver of the Year. It was only the second time a CAA diver claimed both the league’s top rookie and top diver awards.

The women will also return backstroke swimmer Gizem Yali, backstroke and freestyle swimmer Katie Duggan, and freestyle swimmer Kelly Trussell, among others, for what will be their junior years. Each of the three flashed potential and thrived in particular moments and events last season.

Trussell was among the top performers of the team in a number of events last season, regardless of class, and saved her best performance for the CAAs, when she swam a 17:47.80 in the mile.

Markey said he already likes the way the incoming class mixes with the current team, a group he identifies as a solid core.

“The returning team members are a strong base already, and they are anxiously waiting to get things started,” he said.

Current swimming and diving team members have already begun workouts in preparation for the next season. They have been spending much of their time in the weight room, getting stronger and stronger.

The first practice takes place Sept. 19, and Markey said they will get right into it, going over technique and endurance. He and the team are excited to get started and looking forward to the prospects of success for next season.

Markey, who has served as head coach since July 2009 and has been on the staff since 2005, said he views his projected roster to be one of the best in recent memory.

“The team overall will be the strongest team we have had in the past several years, and we are really excited to get things started next year,” he said.

Look for Drexel to release the official list of names for its freshman class over the summer.

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For the first time in the 75-year history of the decorated Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, the host program took home the title. The Drexel Dragons, defending their home Schuylkill River, captured their first overall team title in the long history of the prestigious regatta.

The grand event, held May 10-11, pitted Drexel against some of the nation’s best crew teams. The Dragons, led by Director of Rowing Paul Savell, sent 12 boats to the semifinals, a new record for the program, and sent six out of nine shells to the grand finals.

Drexel’s chances coming into the regatta were heightened because of the team’s previous victories April 27 in the Bergen and Kelly Cup regattas.

“We set goals, train hard and prepare to win,” Savell said. “I felt confident that our team had a shot, and [I am] proud of our work ethic and dedication this season.”

The Dragons were able to secure the title with 30 overall points. The University of Michigan and the University of Virginia finished second and third with 26 and 21 points, respectively.

The men’s varsity eight keyed the victory with a gold-medal finish in the Lois Krall Boat. They finished with a time of 5:42.605, earning the program’s first-ever men’s varsity eight Dad Vail gold. That shell was coxed by Marc Smith, along with strokes Kurt Linton, Vanja Busic, Aleksandar Radovic, Lorenzo Albala, Sebastian Ryan, John Pieper, Michael Faust and bow Casimir Czworkowski to earn the Richard O’Brien Trophy.

“Winning the men’s varsity eight title means we had the fastest boat on the river, period,” Savell pointed out.

Drexel was considered a big underdog to the perennial powerhouse Florida Institute of Technology for the heat, but the Lois Krall Boat jumped out to a big lead and was able to hold off the field.

Another major group of contributors to Drexel’s first-place finish was the novice eight. They won their first gold medal since 1997, winning as a No. 1 seed in the Vince Vidas Boat. Their effort included contributions from Christopher Henderson, strokes Daniel Dollin, Mikulas Sum, Nicholas Capaldi, Michael DiLucca, Dave Hanrahan, Daniel Palombo, Daniel Pyleand bow Lawrence Lindawan. With the victory, they earned the Lev Brett Bowl, capping off an undefeated spring season.

Finally, it was Drexel’s men’s pair that secured the men’s points trophy for the overall regatta. Although the Dragons had already secured the overall team title, the pair of stroke Timothy Drake and bow Cameron Staines clinched the men’s title.

Their time of 7:03.697 in the Julia Grace Boat was good enough for the Bob Negaard Cup. Savell was impressed with the come-from-behind fashion in which the pair won.

On the women’s side, Drexel’s second varsity eight defended their first-place title from last year. In the Maria Papadakis Boat, Catherine Hamilton coxed along with strokes Elizabeth Campanella, Emily Gartland, Olivia Babiec, Sierra Baca, Amanda Kleuser, Elizabeth Daugherty, Tori King and bow Elise Levito. They finished in 6:50.013, good enough to be awarded the Coleman D. Boylan trophy. Savell described this victorious heat with one word: “Awesome.”

Not far from awesome were the performances of a few other Drexel boats. Among them were the men’s second varsity eight, who finished in 5:59.140, two seconds behind Michigan, to settle for a silver medal. The women’s varsity four won a bronze medal in their heat, medaling for the first time in that particular event in the program’s history, which impressed Savell very much.

“The women’s varsity four winning a bronze was also great,” Savell said. “It is a very tough category, and this is the first year we have had the depth to medal in the eights and the fours.”

In Savell’s opinion, the weekend cemented Drexel on the nation’s crew map. In addition to Drexel’s performance in the river, Alexandra Paulin, a former Dragons coxswain on the women’s varsity team, covered the regatta for 6ABC. The presence and success provided by the Dragons, most importantly their overall victory on the nation’s largest stage, confirmed Drexel’s place among the elites.

“Dad Vails is the largest collegiate regatta in the country,” Savell said. “It has really put Drexel [crew] on the national rowing map.”

The coach was glad to see his players gain recognition for their work all year. He was thrilled to see the hard work by his team realize a goal.

“It was such a great feeling to be able to see our athletes achieve their goals, especially knowing how hard everyone worked for it,” Savell said.

Drexel is under consideration for being named Rowing Team of the Week, which will be determined in an online poll at www.row2k.com. Savell is calling for support and for fans of the team to vote for his squad.

Savell was already very appreciative of the support his team received thus far. All along the river were Dragon fans dressed in their school colors, supporting their alma mater, classmates and favorite Philadelphia program.

“There were so many Blue and Gold fans out there cheering us on, and [we] appreciated all of the support,” he said.

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For the second consecutive May, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay has landed on the disabled list. And for the second consecutive May, many questions surround the right-hander, his future and the future of the organization.

The tipping point for Halladay’s struggles came May 5 when he surrendered nine runs and recorded only seven outs. It was the second outing of the week in which he gave up eight or more runs. This came after a string of three consecutive quality starts.

Halladay met with the revered Dr. Lewis Yocum, who specializes in pitchers’ shoulder and arm troubles. The doctor informed Halladay that he is suffering from bone spurs, a torn rotator cuff and a frayed labrum.

The diagnosis provided answers that everyone surrounding the team has been searching for, especially Halladay. The past calendar year has had everyone searching for answers, trying to pinpoint what exactly was wrong with the longtime ace.

Halladay did not know what to expect, as there were any number of diagnoses he could have received. To him, it is good news just to have some sort of answers and direction.

“I thought that was very good news,” Halladay told reporters before the Phillies game in San Francisco May 8. “Obviously I don’t want to miss time, but I think as far as scenarios go, I feel like it’s a lot better than some of the things I anticipated.”

The diagnosis may provide some answers as to what was wrong with him over the past year.

It began last year with a poor start May 1, when Halladay was visibly laboring and appeared ill — his face was as red as his Phillies cap. He struggled through the rest of the month and displayed horrible body language, appearing to be searching for something that was not there. This came after scouts noticed a significant decrease in velocity throughout Spring Training a few months earlier.

Halladay would come back, convincing the team he could come back with less rehabilitation starts than they advised, but he was inconsistent down the stretch. He recorded quality starts in only seven of his final 14 games. His start Sept. 22 was the nail in the Phillies’ coffin, as the 7-0 loss he suffered all but sealed their elimination from the postseason.

In 2013 a string of three consecutive quality starts was sandwiched between two pairs of awful outings. Halladay and the Phillies at least now have some insight as to why he was struggling.

In his press conference, the pitcher mentioned that his struggle to locate his pitches was what most frustrated him. Yocum confirmed to him that such troubles are expected given his shoulder’s condition.

“He said the biggest thing you’re going to notice is lack of location first and foremost and then velocity,” Halladay explained. “If it gets to a certain point, you may start feeling a little bit of pain.”

He mentioned the drop of velocity, which has been documented over the course of the past two seasons. Halladay mentioned that he very well could have been struggling with the injury for years, which would be consistent with the doctor’s diagnosis.

The right-hander will now go under the knife sometime in the very near future to have a scope clean up the problematic area in his pitching shoulder. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel expressed great confidence that his hurler will be back this season.

“He’s going to be fine,” Manuel told MLB Radio in an interview May 8. “I think he’s going to be okay, and he stands a great chance of pitching this year.”

There is no official or set timetable as of now, but Halladay gave every indication he would come back this season, even being open to pitching out of the bullpen. But as for a recovery time, Halladay himself estimated three months as a reasonable recovery period.

Factoring in the amount of time it would take to rebuild arm strength following that amount of time, it begins to push against the end of the season. Three months plus a few weeks of strengthening would possibly push his return into September, raising some doubt.

While some questions were answered, new questions emerge, such as if he has thrown his last pitch as a Phillie because the soon-to-be 36-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season.

Halladay was then asked whether he would be open to taking a “cut-rate” deal from General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. to return next season.

“Like I told Ruben … and Charlie, I’m not going to make any decisions right now about down the road,” he said. “I really want to get through this, come back and see how strong I can be and see how effective I can be and see if I can help us.”

The Phillies, meanwhile, have decisions to make and questions to answer about their own future. There has been speculation that this season might be the team’s last chance at a title run, as the roster continues to age.

For now, the Phillies will have to focus on getting back to the .500 mark and making their move for a playoff position. If they do neither of these things, whether or not Halladay pitches later in the year would be meaningless.

They will have to go about their own games and focus, one series at a time. Meanwhile, Halladay will do the same. If all goes well, he could give them a boost near the end of the season. Again, the team must be in position for him to give them one. Halladay also recognizes that it would be no good for him to come back too soon or not healed 100 percent.

“I’m going to focus on the here and now and this process. I’ve always told you guys I love Philadelphia, love playing here, it’s a great place to be,” he admitted. “But there’s a lot to be determined. I want to be effective, and I want to be a part of the team. I don’t want to be a hindrance.”

While a few questions were answered, a few more questions emerged. One thing is for sure: The next four and a half months will dictate a lot about the future of Roy Halladay and the future of the Philadelphia Phillies.

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The Drexel men’s crew team won the Bergen Cup title for the third consecutive year. The Dragons outlasted five other Philadelphia schools April 27 on the Schuylkill River.

The Drexel crew teams had another successful weekend on the Schuylkill River, as the men’s and women’s teams won the Bergen Cup and Kelly Cup, respectively, April 27.

It marked the second straight season that the Dragons won both regattas, which pit Philadelphia programs against each other. Joining Drexel on the river were La Salle University, Villanova University, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia University and Temple University.

The men’s varsity eight, second varsity eight, freshman eight and varsity four boats all finished in first place. The varsity eight’s impressive time of 5:51.3, more than 13 seconds better than runner-up Temple, easily won the Bergen Cup gold.

The freshman four, lightweight four and pair all took second place. The lightweight four came just a second away from capturing the men’s fifth first-place finish.

Head coach Paul Savell was very pleased with the men’s team’s performance as a whole and was especially thrilled to see them become city champions once again. It marked a three-peat, as the Dragons have now won the Bergen Cup each year since 2011.

He would have even more reason to be happy after the women won four more races themselves. The headlining race was the varsity eight defending their Kelly Cup title, finishing five seconds ahead of Temple with a time of 6:36.6. It is the fourth time in five seasons that the Drexel women have won the all-Philadelphia regatta.

Also victorious on the women’s side were the second varsity eight, varsity four and pair.

Before the race, Savell identified it as a big one for the women. Assistant coach Denise Julian echoed those expectations and was pleased with the team meeting them. According to her, the Dragons executed the game plan perfectly.

“The women eight focused over the past two weeks on retaining the Kelly Cup and executing a specific race plan,” Julian said. ”We are very pleased with how the whole women’s team performed this weekend.”

All Drexel boats finished in either first or second place in their respective events, and eight of the 12 boats won first place.

Although the team has been very successful recently with this particular regatta, Savell said the pride level remains the same. He also pointed out that each year the team is different in some way, and because of that, there is always a new sense of thrill and joy in winning.

“Each year is unique because we have new leadership and new competition as every team [graduates] their seniors,” Savell said. “So each year we have the same focus: to win back the cups and take pride in our accomplishments.”

He did point out that the continued success is a reflection of the improved program. Not only is it growing, but the members of the two teams have also consistently been able to translate their training into success and victories.

“The depth of the whole rowing program is growing each year,” Savell said. “With both teams winning as well as all boats getting either first or second, we can see how our training is translating into boat speed.”

The weekend also showed Savell that his team is steadily getting set for the legendary Dad Vail Regatta, which will take place May 10-11. The 75th annual event will be the third straight regatta the Dragons will host on Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River.

“This past weekend has helped show how our work has paid off and given confidence going into Dad Vails,” Savell said.

In the past three years, Drexel has sent five boats to the grand finals of the prestigious regatta. However, the team has ultimately come up short against some of the best competition it faces all year. The University of Michigan has won the past two years, which is something Savell and the Dragons will look to change. He likes the way the teams are arching upward and thinks the teams have built a great deal of momentum leading up to the regatta.

“Both the men’s and women’s teams have built speed nicely over the past two months and have been preparing to have top speed by Dad Vails,” he said.

For more information about the Dad Vail Regatta, visit dadvail.org.

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It was a big weekend on the Schuylkill River, as the Drexel crew teams defended their local river well. The Dragons captured seven gold medals April 20 at the Kerr Cup Regatta.

The men’s varsity eight headlined the long list of Drexel winners. It marked the third consecutive year that the varsity eight won the gold medal, as their time of 5:42.6 put them on top for the Kerr Cup.

The women’s second varsity eight boat featuring coxswain Catherine Hamilton, stroke Elizabeth Campanella, Emily Gartland, Olivia Babiec, Sierra Baca, Amanda Kleuser, Elizabeth Daugherty, Tori King and bow Elise Levito won a gold medal at the Kerr Cup Regatta.

“I just thought it was good we separated ourselves as much as we did,” captain Kurt Linton said.

Another contender from the men’s side was the second varsity eight boat, which finished on top with a time of 5:58.6. Additionally, the freshman eight finished first with a time of 5:38.6, and the men’s lightweight four recorded a winning time of 6:50.1.

With a time of 6:31.6, the women’s varsity eight came less than three seconds away from topping first-place Washington College and joining their male counterparts as cup-winning Dragons. Their second-place finish would be supported, however, with three gold medals from three other women’s boats.

In the women’s second varsity eight race, Drexel won rather easily with a time of 6:46.2. The freshman eight’s boat captured first place by the narrowest of margins, holding off La Salle University by just fractions of a second, clocking in at 6:11.8. The varsity four’s finish at 7:14.3 allowed them to grab the seventh and final medal of the day for Drexel.

Overall it was a very successful day for the Dragons, and head coach Paul Savell was especially pleased to win his third Kerr Cup.

“We were real pleased with the race,” Savell said. “The cup has been growing each year, and I feel like the team is on track. The bottom line is we were pleased with our progress.”

He was also glad to preserve and honor Drexel’s history and the traditional regatta. The Kerr Cup is named after the founder of Drexel’s crew program, Thomas Kerr Jr.

“It’s big in the way that the history of our team is on the line,” Savell said.

Kerr established the program in 1957 and served as the team’s first head coach. His family, including his grandchildren, was on hand for the regatta. Naturally, there is extra pride obtained when winning as the host of an event named in honor of the program’s founder.

“It’s nice to win when you’re the host,” Savell said.

The Kerr Cup was one of three regattas in Drexel’s current homestand for both the men and women. The two teams now turn their attention to a pair of big races April 27. The men are set to compete in the Bergen Cup regatta, which pits the Philadelphia schools against one another. Savell looks to ride the momentum from the big win on Saturday, saying that the Dragons are in a “good position,” as that they have already competed against some of the schools, including a few last weekend.

“The guys are going into this race in a good situation,” Savell said. “We’ve seen all the other Philly schools, and we’ve beaten them this year.”

They will enter the regatta with confidence but are aware that nothing is certain.

“That’s no guarantee of what happens, but we do have confidence from that,” Savell reiterated.

It may be an even bigger regatta for the women, who get set to compete on the Schuylkill, just as the men are, but in the Kelly Cup, where they will look to defend their title as reigning champions.

“This is a very big race for the women’s varsity eight, so we’re really looking for them to step it up and have a big race here,” Savell said.

The home-river advantage should benefit Drexel, according to Savell. “It’s nice knowing the specific landmarks, as well as when and where to maneuver. However, it also is beneficial because there are [fewer] things to worry about,” he said. “It’s a nice home-field advantage to go to your own boathouse, carry your boat and put it on the water. It’s easier than having to worry about catching the bus and logistics like that.”

Including last weekend, this upcoming weekend and the legendary Dad Vail Regatta May 11-12, this is a big homestand for the Dragons. Savell is using it to get the teams clicking and have them rested. Last weekend set the tone and set them on their course.

“These three races are going to be home races, getting guys rested and back on the home course,” he said. “So it was the first of the three that we wanted to start into our temper phase.”

It is progressively preparing both his teams to win the Dad Vail, the current goal for the crew teams, and last weekend was a good start.

“I thought that was a good sign coming into this weekend and heading toward Dad [Vail] next week,” he concluded.

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