Second Hands News

There is a long tradition of players coming to Philadelphia with high or at least respectable expectations, stinking up the joint, then recovering somewhat, following their leaving town for rosier pastures. In fact, it has happened so much that there should be an award for the player who, each year, personifies this when-in-Rome, burn-it-down, see-you-when-I-come-back-to-town epidemic. Let's call this the Lance Parrish Award for the time being, in honor of his 1990 in Anaheim after the misery of '87-'88 in Philadelphia. Most prevalent on the mound in recent years, past winners of this award could include:

2002: Andy Ashby
2003: Johnny Estrada
2004: Jose Mesa
2005: Co winners Roberto Hernandez and Todd Jones

Could be that throughout the season, the Lance Parrish Award Watch will take effect if there are a mulitude of candidates. Right now, Tim Worrell and his constant belly-aching are front runners (yes, they count as a tandem) for the award if he can piece together a 2006 resembling the second half of his 2005, post-Philly. However, early projections should not ignore non-roster invitees Brandon Duckworth and Terry Adams, who are attempting to comeback (...again...) from beyond nowhere on the barren fields of the Pittsburgh Pirates major league club. Adams so far this spring has thrown 3 innings and yielded nothing but a walk, a very un-Adams like statline. Duckworth has pitched five innings this spring, allowing only one run while fanning seven, earning serious consideration for starting job. In the majors.

While it's still too early to call, we'll be monitoring this situation into the regular season. Duckworth and Adams, consider yourself "on notice."