All Part of the Plan

Zack Wheeler missed out on the Cy Young award Wednesday night. The healthiest version of the Sixers that we may see this season lost to a banged-up Memphis team. The Flyers lost as well.

We, as a Philly fandom, clearly made a deal with the devil: another Eagles Super Bowl in exchange for… well, everything.

Now we just need the devil to come through on his end of the bargain. He’s a trustworthy guy, right? Go Birds.

In the email today:

• 🏆 Chris Sale Wins NL Cy Young Over Zack Wheeler

• 🐻 Embiid Breaks Out While George Hobbles Off in Bad Loss to Undermanned Grizzlies

• 🌀 Overmatched Flyers Fall to Hurricanes

  • 📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

  • 📊 Poll

  • 🔗 Links

  • 📺 Coming Up

Zack Wheeler had a Cy Young-caliber season. But he is not the 2024 NL Cy Young.

Atlanta’s Chris Sale won the award, Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday, with Wheels finishing second. Sale was certainly deserving: 18-3, 177.2 IP, 2.38 ERA, 2.09 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 225 K, 39 BB, 6.2 bWAR.

Wheeler had a very strong case, throwing significantly more innings while maintaining a lower WHIP: 16-7, 200 IP, 2.57 ERA, 3.13 FIP, 0.96 WHIP, 224 K, 52 BB, 6.1 bWAR.

But the pitching triple crown is still the pitching triple crown. The vote wasn’t close:

Hmm, ok, everything seems to be in line here, nothing to trigger outrage… Congrats to rookie Paul Skenes finishing third… Nobody put Wheeler third, that’s good… WAIT WTF IS THAT IN THE FOURTH PLACE COLUMN?!

Apparently it’s the work of a writer in Arizona. We’re all interested in a less toxic internet, sure. But how are we supposed to accomplish that in a world where this man exists:

Regardless of whether Wheeler ever wins a Cy Young, his greatness isn’t lost on fans or teammates.

Damn right, Bryce Harper.

Tarik Skubal won the AL Cy Young in a unanimous vote.

The Sixers went into last night’s game with the Memphis Grizzlies with a 2-11 record and on a four-game slide. But things were poised to change.

While the Sixers would have Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in the lineup, the homestanding Grizz were seriously shorthanded.

So the Sixers had everything they could fairly ask for last night. They were healthy (as healthy as this team ever is), and the Grizzlies had key players missing after losing Tuesday night to Denver.

Playing against an injured team on its second night of a back-to-back is the dream situation for any NBA team. It was a perfect opportunity.

It was…just another L.

Had you told most Sixers fans that Embiid would go for 35 and 11, the prevailing response would be “how many did the Sixers win by?”

The problems that some projected regarding a starting backcourt of Maxey and Jared McCain came to pass. McCain had 20, but Maxey only managed eight points on 3-13 shooting.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies got 21 points just from Desmond Bane, who knocked down five three-pointers over the Sixers’ undersized guards.

Anyone worried about how coach Nick Nurse will find a way to make Embiid, George, Maxey and McCain share one basketball effectively might not need to worry about that for awhile.

We cannot project that George will necessarily miss more time after this setback. We also definitely cannot project that he’ll be fine.

The Brooklyn Nets and old friend Ben Simmons come to the Wells Fargo Center Friday night. We all want this following X post to be wrong. But is it?

The Flyers’ climb back to .500 after Saturday’s surprisingly easy win over the Buffalo Sabres gave their fans hope that maybe this season could be different.

And maybe it can. It’s worth noting, though, that the three wins that pulled the Flyers back to .500 came against two other average teams (Sabers, Ottawa Senators) and a very bad one (San Jose Sharks).

The competition has stiffened in the Flyers’ last two games. They lost close to a very talented Colorado Avalanche team Tuesday night. Last night, against the Carolina Hurricanes, it wasn’t close.

Yes, the Flyers were tied 1-1 after two periods. But you can’t get outshot 37-19 at home against one of the leading teams in your own division and hope to survive.

Ryan Poehling had the Flyers’ lone goal. Matvei MIchkov was quiet, with two shots in 17:20 of ice time.

Some nights are going to be like this for the Flyers this season. They’re going to battle, but their talent deficit will preclude them from taking many points out of encounters with demonstrably better teams.

Maybe this is the appropriate sentiment on nights like last night.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

Rocky was released on this date in 1976. To celebrate, remember Joe Frazier today.

We love our fictional Philly boxing champ as much as anyone. But Smokin’ Joe, the real-life legend, never received the recognition he deserved from his adopted hometown.

“Rocky was good in the movies, but he wasn’t real,” said a Frazier relative in a Wednesday Inquirer piece ($). “You’ve got a real champion, who did things that you saw in the movies, but you don’t give him his props?”

The lack of respect continues to this day:

📊 Poll

Results from Wednesday:

🔗 Links

• ✈️ The Jets’ owner reportedly wanted Aaron Rodgers benched almost two months ago.

• 🏥 Former Sixer De’Anthony Melton’s season is over.

• 🗽Like many of us, Drew Lock would like an explanation on how Tommy DeVito is starting over him.

• 🏈 Eagles greats Eric Allen and Ricky Watters are NFL Hall of Fame semifinalists.

• ♀️Caitlin Clark is taking a pass on Unrivaled.

📺 Coming Up

No games for the locals tonight.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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