Paul Hagen

Paul Hagen covers baseball for the Daily News.

Email Paul at hagenp@phillynews.com

Video: Nashville Remembers Slain Ex-NFL QB McNair
Gallery: Steve McNair killed in Tennessee
Thousands turn out to pay last respects to McNair

Gallery: Roy Halladay
Victorino wins final NL All-Star spot
High Cheese: Halladay and a peek at 2011

Paul Hagen: As Hamels goes, so go the Phillies - 07/07/2009: EVERYBODY KNOWS that Phillies starting pitchers have a 5.04 earned run average, second worst in the National League. See, that's how rumors get started.
Paul Hagen: It's still early: Mets-Phillies interesting, but not critical - 07/03/2009: by Paul Hagen

IT SEEMS to have become an article of faith at the upper end of the New Jersey Turnpike that the sky is falling. And that as a result, the Mets' next three games, against the Phillies starting tonight at The Bank, will be a make-or-break series for the team many picked to topple the defending world champions this summer.
Paul Hagen: Phillies manager Manuel still believes in Rollins - 06/26/2009: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - When you stop and think about it, to borrow one of Charlie Manuel's favorite phrases, there are only a handful of tricks a manager has at his disposal to try to coax a hitter out of a prolonged slump.
Paul Hagen: Burrell unbelievably good in Rays' win over Phils - 06/25/2009: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In the movies, or professional wrestling, Pat Burrell would have looked straight into the blinding television lights, sneered and said something like this:
Paul Hagen: As Rollins slumps, so slump the Phillies - 06/22/2009: A SINGLE BASEBALL game has hundreds of interrelated parts, all of which influence which team ultimately tumbles onto the field to celebrate after the final out and which trudges disconsolately back to its clubhouse.
In major leagues, changing manager not always the answer - 06/19/2009: by Paul Hagen

The Rockies were going nowhere fast when Jim Tracy was hired to replace Clint Hurdle last month. Maybe the Rockies were due to turn it around. Maybe Tracy made the difference.
Paul Hagen: Phillies pass road-trip test, but there is more to come - 06/12/2009: NEW YORK - Before they departed, suitcases bulging, for a trip that would consume 11 days, require them to cross the continent twice and check in and out of hotels three times, the Phillies mixed bravado with just a whiff of trepidation.
Paul Hagen: Werth's instincts, then Phillies take over to beat Mets in 11 innings - 06/11/2009: NEW YORK - Rule No. 1 for the outfielder, in this case, is simple: Don't let the ball get by. Keep it in front of you.
Paul Hagen: With Lidge out, Phillies hope Madson is saving ace - 06/10/2009: NEW YORK - It's still a simple matter of trying to record three outs without allowing a runner to cross home plate. Still 60 feet, 6 inches from the mound to the plate. Everything about pitching in the ninth inning is exactly the same as pitching in the eighth.
Paul Hagen: Atlanta GM did a Brave thing by releasing Glavine - 06/05/2009: by Paul Hagen

CUE THE outrage. Instead of promoting franchise icon Tom Glavine at the end of his rehab assignment, which everyone expected, the Braves chopped him instead. The winning pitcher from the clinching game of their only world championship was dumped after pitching six shutout innings for Class A Rome.