Yesterday, in the Grapefruit League against the Blue Jays on the road, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber were among the starting players. In the fifth inning, Harper got hit in the right arm on a bad pitch from a struggling rookie left hander. The good thing is Bryce was able to just walk to the visiting clubhouse and didn't seem seriously hurt. The Phillies’ offense scored nine runs in the game, but it’s a good thing the games don’t count yet because their relief pitching is struggling so far.
The regular season actually starts in Tokyo, Japan, this year on March 18, when the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Chicago Cubs in two games. I wonder if this is a trend, and if so, how many consecutive years Major League Baseball will have the Dodgers do this because they have multiple Japanese players on their team.
The Eagles’ front office won't have much of an off-season. The NFL Combine starts this week as a showcase for all draft-eligible prospects. Only two weeks later, free agency starts. Ten of the 11 starters on offense are under contract for next year. They need to sign some free agents that are key to the defense and keep the team young if at all possible.
All the owners’ management teams are at the Combine and they vote on rule changes while there. There is a proposal by the Green Bay Packers to eliminate the Brotherly Shove, which is a significant play for the Eagles. I don’t think the change is going to pass because they have to get 24 out of 32 team owners to approve it. I know this is strange coming from Eagles fan, but I would actually vote to eliminate the play because it is more like a rugby play than a football play. I don’t think it's a good look for the NFL. We will see.
I will not be talking about the 76ers for a while because they’re sooo terrible. They’ve lost nine straight games. The Flyers even have a better chance to make the playoffs this year. The Flyers haven't been there since 2020.
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A 2002 Cape grad and 2007 UD grad, Lewes resident Sumner Spence is one of the Cape area's biggest sports fans. Although he’s used a wheelchair his entire life, he has lived vicariously through his sports-playing father, brother, and friends, who gave him his love of sports. He hopes to provide new and interesting perspectives on the sports stories and issues of the day. Email Sumner at sumspence@gmail.com.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and building pages, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
