The Philadelphia Phillies will win the NLCS

Here's an early prediction for ya, the Phillies will win the National League and make a World Series appearance in 2008.

The Philadelphia Phillies definitely have the make up of a championship contender and I see them coming out on top of the NL.

The Phils have one of the most potent offenses in the Big's. Their offense can produce runs throughout the lineup and they have one of the best top of the orders in the MLB.

Jimmy Rollins is one of the best leadoff hitters out there and even one of the best hitters in the game. Shane Victorino is a solid two hitter, he can move Rollins and runners over whenever and also can hit for power, that combo is rare with most two spot hitters. Then there's Chase Utley. Utley is leading the MLB in HR and is third in RBI. Ryan Howard is one of the best young power hitters in the league, he is definitely capable of leading the Phillies to the top. Plus, you add a good fifth hitter in Pat Burrell and it is just plain scary for any opposing pitcher. They are solid all throughout the lineup.

The bullpen is what sets Philadelphia apart. They have the lowest ERA of any bullpen in the MLB and they know how to close out games. Brad Lidge is just as good as any closer with his 0.93 ERA, 18 saves, and 37 K. Chad Durbin (1.63 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) and J.C. Romero (1.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) have also been solid out of the pen. Their pitching is what can get them far and as far as the rotation goes, Cole Hamels is a very capable ace, being one of the top hurlers in the NL.

The Phils have shown they can win any type of game. They can beat you with their bats, their batting order is one of the best in the leagues, especially the top. Their defense is solid as well, they make the plays when needed and they have some of the best pitching out there. The bullpen is stellar and the starting rotation is just good enough to get them to the big game.

I think the Phillies should be the favorite right now, they are the most balanced team out there. The Cubs rotation has been pretty shaky and they need one more solid starter if they want to make the World Series. Also, it doesn't help that Alfonso Soriano is out again. And I think the D-Backs are just too young, they make some mental mistakes at times and they are a year or two away from playing in the WS. The Phillies are on a mission and watch out come October.

Who's Hot, Who's Not

TSF hasn't done it's 'Who's Hot, Who's Not' post for quite sometime so I thought this would be a great time to do so...

Who's Hot

Chase Utley
The Phillies 2nd basemen is 15 for 34 his last 9 games with 7 HR, 20 RBI, and 10 R. He become only the 4th player ever to have two five-game home run streaks in one season.

Jay Bruce
Bruce is 18 for 29 in his first 8 games as a major leaguer with 3 HR, 7 RBI, and 12 runs scored. Said Bruce to the AP, "It's been a lot of fun."

Chicago Cubs
Could this be the year? The Cubs have currently won 8 straight games through June 3rd, winning their first road series since the beginning of the season.

Road to Omaha
With super regionals starting this week, college baseball is heating up. The top search of the month on ESPN was College Baseball. We will have a new champion as Oregon St. is out. All baseball fans love watching games with aluminum bats, the fun has just begun.

Who's Not

Alex Rios
Currently his 27-for-115 (.234 BA) is on a nosedive. Rios has dropped 52 points off his batting average since May 1. His sluggish power (9 HR, 69 RBI) and strikeout rate ('07 K%: 16.0, '08: 23.5) have raised some flags about his patience at the plate.

Paul Konerko
His current stat line is: .206 BA, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 18 R, 1 SB, and a 33/27 K:BB ratio. Can you say slump?

Seattle Mariners
The M's are now 21-38 and are 14.5 games behind the Angels and 8.5 behind the mediocre Rangers. Pitching has been a huge problem for them. Seattle starters are now 15-28 with an ERA of 5.23.

Miami, FLA- Kimbo Slice primetime fight
Yawn. Miami was home to the debut of mixed martial arts fight and Kimbo Slice on primetime television, which aired on CBS last Saturday evening. The night was full of horrible referring and boring fights. Slice didn't live up to the hype as he was embarrassed and knocked out by James Thompson.