http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3811501

Wreckless, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he's leaving Philly.

Are you surprised, or did you think he'd leave?

Not surprised bro, but thanks for asking. I posted my response and feelings on this, when Solomon posted it, even though you posted it first in here. I will forever love this guy. He has a tremendous work ethic and will give the Rays a lot. I will miss Pat but I knew it was coming. I was hoping after we won the championship/world series, that he would take less money to come back for a few years, because his contract was up with us. But the nail shut was when we signed all-star left fielder Raul Ibanez in the off-season to replace Pat. I have to say, I'm extremely happy and glad he's going to the Rays. I wouldn't of wanted it any other way, besides him obviously staying in Philly. I didn't want him to go to another National League ball club, nor did I want him to go to the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays or many other teams in the AL. So this works out perfect. Best of luck to the Rays & Pat next year, and hopefully we'll meet up again in the WS next year. I will still follow Pat's stats and how he is doing, no matter what league he is in, in baseball.

Watching the Phillies Video Yearbook on Comcast got me emotional. I love Pat, but Pat Burrell or not, I'm taking over for J-Roll and predicting a Phillies NL East win next year. Look out MUTS, Marlins, Nats & Braves.

I'm taking over for J-Roll and predicting a Phillies NL East win next year.

BTW, speaking of the Phillies- how come the 2007 team wasn't able to make a World Series run like the 2008 team did?

They were virtually the same team both years- one team got swept, while the other went all the way.

I believe that the 2007 team was happy just to make the playoffs, whereas the 2008 team was thinking higher.

Of course, the 2007 team faced a red-hot Rockies team, but the 2008 team faced an equally hot team in Brewers.

Right. The 2008 team knew what they had to do. You said basically what I was thinking when you asked it, but I'll break it down.

2007- wanted to just win the division, besides running into a hot Colorado team who won 21 out of 22 games in the regular season/world series run, and didn't know how to want to win the world series

2008- after winning the division, and even before that, in the season throughout they knew what they had to do to win it. Jimmy Rollins had a load of confidence, we were a team, we were loose, confident, talented and knew what we had to get done. Sometimes having the first 3 elements to success and winning isn't enough, you have to pull it all together and know you can get it done, then go out and back it up game by game. We dismantled the Brewers and CC Sabathia, then the Dodgers with Manny Ramirez, then the Rays in the World Series. Another thing, fuel to the fire. Nobody believed in us, but ourselves, the local fans and players out doing it on the field. People said we would lose to Milwaukee, then those same reporters had us losing to the Dodgers in the NLCS, THEN those same reporters still had us losing in the WS, after we finally got their. I remember the people on yahoo sports- for each 4 major sport, they have reporters & journalists and other guys pick who will a round or series. 50-75% of these people I mention and talk about, didn't pick the Phillies, and I laugh in their face :rofl:.