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The Sunday School series is pre-empted due to #6 news. Ryan Howard has officially avoided arbitration and signed a 3-year contract with our Phillies, sources confirmed. General Manager Ruben Amaro said, Sunday, “We're very pleased to have avoided the arbitration process, not just for this year, but also for the next two. Ryan is clearly one of the top power hitters and run producers in the major leagues and is a very important part of our championship club.” Ryan's contract breaks down this way...$15 million in 2009, $19 million in 2010 and $20 million in 2011. It is also packed with incentive bonuses, including one of the most ridiculous we could have expected to see- $50,000 for winning the Gold Glove Award. Seriously? Ryan Howard has a GOLD GLOVE incentive in his contract? Is this a joke? With that never reachable incentive listed, the Phils should have included some of the following bonuses for Howard. $50,000 for winning the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss $51,000 for winnin...

This week, Shore Sports Network's Kevin Williams took some time out of his busy professional radio duties to answer some questions about baseball and his lengthy career. Thanks to Kevin, who is quick and to the point, for the most part. Kevin is a Metropolitans fan, by the way. 1. Kevin, Cole Hamels speaks the truth. He gave an interview where he confirmed that he thinks the Mets are choke artists. As a Mets fan, can I get your rebuttal to such a statement? (He's an) immature jerk who will regret the comment. The simple difference in the teams this year was the Mets lost Billy Wagner and the Phillies had Brad Lidge healthy for the season. 2. You suspended your Fox Sports 1310 AM blog once the Mets fell short at the end of the 2008 season. Do you have any intentions to start it back up, or will someone else be taking your spot? If you are discontinuing your page...who can take the most credit- the Brewers, the Phillies or the Mets? I really don't like blogging....it's fo...

The latest issue, dated February 2nd, of the Sporting News features a cover story on Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. In the issue, Ken Bradley asked Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt who would hit more homers, Howard or Schmidt, in Schmidt's choice of an era. Old #20 had this to say about choosing himself... This era and the stadiums they play in today- and it's not a chip-on-the-shoulder thing or sour grapes by me- it's probably about a 10-a-year difference. Slicing the ball to the opposite field and having it go out of the ballpark didn't happen very often when I played. I flew out to the opposite-field warning track maybe 50 times a year, and 10 of those would go out of the park now. (But) we'd be very similar. In terms of being able to go 50-plus, 60-plus, he might have a little bit more of that kind of ability, but our numbers would probably average somewhere in the 40's on a regular basis. Please chime in with your thoughts on this matter in the commen...