Nathan Ackerman

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Phillies Nation •

Connor Brogdon excited for ‘second top moment in my baseball career’

SAN FRANCISCO — Connor Brogdon’s favorite thing he’s done in his baseball career is somewhat easy to guess: pitching in the World Series last fall. His second favorite will take place on Monday night. Brogdon will be the Phillies’ opener in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants. It won’t be the first start of his career, but it’ll be the most special: He’ll make it at Oracle Park, where Brogdon regularly attended games while growing up in Clovis, Calif. “I think it’s probably the

For Mark Appel, ‘All of this is gravy’ – Phillies Nation

SAN DIEGO — Mark Appel wasn’t sure who was getting chewed out. His Lehigh Valley IronPigs had just lost to the Norfolk Tides, Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate, at Coca-Cola Park on Friday. Shortly after the last out, word got around the clubhouse that IronPigs manager Anthony Contreras wanted a team meeting. It was a hard-fought 10-7 game, but Contreras didn’t seem too pleased with the effort. He told his players that preparation was paramount, and that without it, they wouldn’t win many games o
Phillies Nation •

New Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs may prove to be an ideal fit in Philadelphia – Phillies Nation

Analyzing things strictly through a developmental lens, right now is a particularly good time to be Garrett Stubbs. A 2015 eighth-round draft pick out of the University of Southern California, Stubbs, 28, was traded from the Houston Astros to the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder and 2021 10th-round pick Logan Cerny earlier this offseason — and it seems like he’s walking into an optimal situation. Stubbs’ new manager, Joe Girardi, caught in the big leagues for 15 years. Stubbs’ new organiza
Annenberg Media •

The kicker masquerading as a linebacker: Inside Parker Lewis’ eventful — and successful — start to the 2021 season

Parker Lewis took his spot a few steps behind Colorado’s 40-yard line, preparing to attempt his third field goal of the game Saturday in Boulder. Let’s not overdramatize the stakes: It was a relatively low-pressure kick. USC already led by two scores, and the Buffaloes had been able to muster almost nothing on offense to that point. A second-half comeback felt exceedingly unlikely, regardless of the kick’s veracity. Lo and behold, USC ended up winning by 23 points.
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Annenberg Media •

Offensive firepower on display at USC football’s Spring Game

If USC is going to win any significant number of games this season, it’s going to do so largely on the strength of its offense. That theme — offense leading the Trojans to victory — is officially under way. USC held its Spring Game at the Coliseum Saturday afternoon, the culmination of its first spring camp under head coach Lincoln Riley. In an atypical offense vs. defense format — due to an insufficient number of available players to field two full teams — the Trojans’ offense “won” 34-30. St
Annenberg Media •

Defense ignites late separation as USC takes down San José State

USC has had its share of struggles in season openers under head coach Clay Helton. In 2020, the Trojans trailed Arizona State by 13 points with less than three minutes remaining before a miraculous comeback. In 2019, an end-zone interception sealed a mere eight-point win over Fresno State. In 2018, USC led UNLV by just five entering the fourth quarter, and it tied Western Michigan through three in 2017. In 2016, the Trojans were annihilated by Alabama 52-6.
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Angels spoil pair of memorable homers as Phillies miss sweep

The script was written too perfectly. Trea Turner, capping off the month in which he turned his season around with a three-run homer — the Phillies’ franchise-record-extending 58th long ball of the month. Giving the Phillies a one-run late-inning lead the day after a different three-run homer had done the exact same. Leading an apparent comeback win for a three-game home sweep over the Angels for the second consecutive season.
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Annenberg Media •

Opinion: Perpetual underperformance and underpreparation leaves USC with one option: a head coaching change

At the conclusion of the first quarter Saturday against Stanford, USC’s resume looked as such: Its kicker had been ejected for targeting. It had wasted a timeout on third-and-21. It had allowed an 87-yard touchdown. It had a pair of three-and-outs. It had a delay of game penalty. And it had a 7-0 deficit. It was only 15 minutes of play, but it told you all you needed to know about the rest of the evening. And the last three years. And, if you squint hard enough, the two before that.
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