[clwalcott]

Originally Posted by moneyball

I'm going to take on the challenge of the Phillies, mostly because of Grant Brisbee's must-read "Baseball Teams and the Windows that Define Them". His article is a great guideline for this discussion.

Phillies actually are getting a bit hard done by I think. Any team with Lee, Hamels and Burnett (was seriously great last year!) has to be some kind of chance. I think the Nats will be tough but do not trust the Braves at all. Is it THAT ridiculous to think a Howard/Ruf platoon might actually be kind of great? Utley is still a very good second baseman when he plays and it's not ridiculous to expect the next step from Brown.

Contracts are just a bridge too far for me to take the wheel but I absolutely do think they fit into my general frame of teams I like to try.