But as long as we remember that predictions are based on how a team looks on paper and personal hunches about teams getting lucky, then we can also note that predictions, while fun, are also completely worthless.

Larry Bowa, however, expects ‘big things’ from the Phillies this season; a dark secret he revealed during an interview on NBC 10.

Larry likes:

• Ben Revere leading off
• Jimmy Rollins hitting second
• Michael Young hitting fifth
• After Young, Domonic Brown
• Ben Revere’s “different look”

As a former Phillies manager and hater of Jimmy Rollins, Bowa has come around on J-Roll, having ranked him third on his list of top 10 shortstops on MLB Network.  Calling him a “run producer,” Bowa has clearly somehow not seen every time Jimmy takes one of his classic first-pitch Jimmy-swings when the ball goes high, high in the air and then no runs are scored.

Some further highlights:

• “This team is going to be in it all the way.”
• “To me, the sixth inning is the hardest inning to get out of.”
• “Doc, and Cole, and Lee… they can’t go on the disabled list. And Utley and Howard have to play 140+ ballgames.”
• “I like the Phillies, if they’re healthy, better than the Braves.”

As long as Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, and Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard, don’t get hurt, at all, then we should be fine.  Nobody touch them.  Just leave them alone.  HEY!  Over there, with the dangle hat, about to ask Ryan Howard for an autograph with that childlike sense of awe in your eyes.

BACK THE HELL OFF.

So, if we need uplifted spirits today, we turn to historically cheerful Phillies advocate, Larry Bowa.

by Mitchell Nathanson

McFarland

We spend a lot of time attacking Mets fans with words, rotten vegetables, and the occasional car part.  But for a long time, this seemed what many referred to as “pointless,” “unnecessary,” or “despicable.”  ”Pretty dangerous” was a popular term.  In 2007, we won the NL East for the first time since 1993, but what’s extra fun to remember is that for us to win it, the Mets had to crumble into one of the most crushing episodes of month-long defeat ever witnessed.  After that, our assaults had some backing–an epic collapse is an indefensible action in any argument, whether you’re shouting at a guy who just wants his kids to see David Wright play, or trying to figure out which car is David Wright’s for tire-slashing purposes.

An oft forgotten notion in these times of 21-9, four-ace baseball is that 95% of Phillies history is epic collapses.

This isn’t a baseball retrospective.

Its a ghost story. (more…)

A man who seems like his faith in the Giants is a bit stronger is the continuously jilted Larry Bowa, who will be making himself available for autographs in Citizens Bank Park this Saturday from noon to 1pm.  If you can put aside an hour to be possibly shrieked at by one of your heroes, by all means, head the hell on over.

Yet to be determined is whether Larry was asked to make an appearance or if he will merely be crashing through one of the windows and grabbing people by the shirt collar like normal.  No, no; to his fans, he’s nothing but charitable and kind.

Why, I once found this having crashed through my living room window after "applauding wrong" at a Phillies game in 2001.