Chase Utley Photo of the Week (11-30-11)

Hi everybody,

It's time for the last Chase Utley Photo of the Week in November and this one is really great.  Another excellent Utley action shot.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Thanksgiving Weekend

Hi everybody,

Pumpkin cheesecake...yummy!!!

Hope you all have had a good holiday weekend!  I spent Thanksgiving at friends eating lots of turkey with all the fixins.  It was great!  I wish I still had some more turkey left to eat.  I will have to make a turkey sometime before Christmas.  At least I still have some leftover pumpkin cheesecake to eat.  It is so good.  I will have to get the recipe for it....or just buy one at the store.  I will have to make sure I also get a regular pumpkin pie.  I'm craving one of them as well.

Also started my Christmas shopping.  I didn't go out on Black Friday because of the crowds plus I was too sleepy from the turkey but I did manage to hit the stores on Saturday.  Unfortunately, I had a little trouble with my bags when I got home....

I got a lot of shopping done but I still have much to do.  I am planning on setting up the Christmas tree next week and I have a lot of Christmas themed stuff planned for the blog so please keep checking in.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Chase Utley Photo of the Week (11-23-11)

Hi everybody,

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time again for the Chase Utley Photo of the Week!  If this was a 3D picture his bat would be coming right at you!!  Hope you all enjoy it!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Talkin' Phils with Little Chase (11-22-11)

Hi everybody,

Backing up Chooch again

Just wanted to post a quick update on some of the happenings with the Phillies.  First off, the Phils resigned back-up catcher Brian Schneider to a one-year deal worth $800,000.  It will be good to see Schneider back with the team again next season.  Even though he isn't a great offensive weapon, he is a good defensive catcher who was helpful to Vance Worley & Kyle Kendrick last season. He is also a great clubhouse presence and will be able to give Carlos Ruiz (or if you prefer Chooch) some days off.

Ty Wigginton

The other move the Phils made was a trade with the Colorado Rockies for Ty Wigginton for a player to be named later.  Wigginton can play 1st base, 3rd base, left field & right field.  I envision him seeing time at all four positions especially with Ryan Howard's injury as well as the uncertain status of oft-injured Placido Polanco.  Wigginton can give Polanco more time off which should lessen the wear and tear on his body.

Wigginton's salary for this upcoming season is only $2 million dollars so the Phils still have some money to obtain either Jimmy Rollins or another shortstop as well as another bench player.  Perhaps a left handed bat that can play left field?  I would still consider Raul Ibanez as that player if the cost is not too high.  He could platoon the position with John Mayberry, Jr....who I imagine will also be playing some 1st base while Howard is out.   I guess we will find out.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

My New Business Card

Hi everybody,

Hope you all had a fun weekend!  Just wanted to show you all my new business card that I designed.  I feel like a banker or a lawyer now.  All I need is a secretary and an office.  Then I will be set.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Chase Utley Photo of the Week (11-16-11)

Hi everybody,

I picked another great Chase Utley picture this week!  Hope you all enjoy it!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Talkin' Phils with Little Chase (11-14-11)

Hi everybody,

Jonathan Papelbon

This will be a short post but I did want to comment on the Phillies free agent signing of closer Jonathan Papelbon.  The deal is for four years, 50 million dollors and signifies the end of Ryan Madson's tenure with the Phils.  I don't know much about Papelbon other than he is considered one of the best closers in baseball.  While I am glad that we have acquired another shutdown closer, I will miss Madson.  Madson has been with the Phils during this entire run of 5 NL East Titles, two National League Championships and the 2008 World Series Title.   There are only seven Phillies left (Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels & Kyle Kendrick) who were here since the start of this run and Rollins may soon leave as well in free agency.  I wish Madson the best wherever he ends up...except for games against the Phillies.  As for Papelbon, welcome to the Fightins' and I look forward to seeing you get many saves next season.

Thanks for the memories

I'm still curious about what the next move of GM Rubin Amaro Jr. will be.  Will Rollins be re-signed?  Will Hamels & Pence get long-term contracts?  Will the Phils sign Michael Cuddyer or Grady Sizemore?  Any chance that Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt or Raul Ibanez come back?  Will the Phils upgrade at 3rd Base?  A lot of questions about this lineup still need to be answered.  Hopefully some of those answers will come in the next few weeks.  Until next time....Go Phils in 2012!!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Twitter & Facebook

Hi everybody,

Just wanted to remind everyone that you can also follow me on Twitter.  Just click on the link at the bottom of the page to get to my Twitter stuff.  I have not been verified yet but I am the real Little Chase.  See...

I am also on Facebook as well.  My Facebook link is in My Links at the bottom of the page.  Check them both out when you have some time.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

LC's Root Beer Review (11-9-11): Abita Root Beer

Hi everybody,

Welcome to the first LC's Root Beer Review.  LC stands for me....Little Chase!  I am rating root beers with grades A through F under four categories:

1) Style of the bottle & cap
2) Smell
3) Smoothness
4) Taste


The first root beer that I am going to review is Abita.  Abita comes from Louisiana (a little north of New Orleans) and is made with pure Louisiana cane sugar and other neat ingredients.


1) Style of the bottle & cap:

I really like the bottle & cap style of this brew.  The bottle is very dark and the label has an interesting color palette.  As for the cap, it is also really nice and informative.  Besides the name of the root beer, it also lets me know that it is brewed with spring water.  That is very important information, especially if you like spring water.  I would give the bottle & cap an:    A-


2) Smell:


Abita smells really good.  You get this rich vanilla smell and it just makes you want to grab the bottle and drink it right up.  I would give the smell an:   A

3) Smoothness:


Abita goes down smooth with only a slight carbonated feel to it.  I would give the Smoothness an:   A-


4) Taste:


Abita tastes great.  I love how the Louisiana cane sugar complements the vanilla and helps to make a delicious root beer.  It really goes great with a Tony Luke's Roast Pork Sammich and I imagine that it would also be good with pizza.  I think it would also be a winner as part of a root beer float.  I would give the Taste an:   A+

Final Grade:   A


If you can find Abita at the store, I would highly recommend it.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.  Thanks for reading the first LC's Root Beer Review!  There will be more reviews in the coming weeks and months so keep looking for them.


Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Chase Utley Photo of the Week (11-9-11)

Hi everybody,

Can you believe that we are already at the 3rd "Chase Utley Photo of the Week" day?  Me neither!  Today's picture was from Sports Illustrated's list of Meanest MLB Players.  Chase Utley was number 2.  I can't believe it!  I hope if I ever get to meet my hero that he is nice to me!  Hope you enjoy the pic!!!

Doesn't look mean to me!!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Final Halloween Candy Update

Hi everybody,

Just finishing off what's left of my Halloween candy.

Now I can start thinking about Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixins'!!!  Yay!!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Halloween Candy Update

Hi everybody,

I'm a little bummed out because I am running out of Halloween candy.  At least I will be able to eat lots of Christmas cookies soon!!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

My Jersey Adventure

Hi everybody,

How was your weekend?  I traveled to southern New Jersey on Saturday to go to SONIC.

I did try the Pumpkin Pie Milkshake and it was really good.  If you get a chance to visit a SONIC....get one.  I'm not sure how much longer they will have them so I would go soon.

After filling up at SONIC, we drove around South Jersey some more.  New Jersey is a very interesting place.  I think I want to go on an all day road trip next spring or summer.  Maybe I can even make my way down to the Jersey Shore.  Before we headed home, we stopped at a Krispy Kreme and picked up some donuts.  I even got this great hat.

Then I ate a few of those bad boys and they are delicious.  I cannot believe that I never had Krispy Kreme donuts before.  I am going to get lots more in the future!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Talkin' Phils with Little Chase (11-5-11)

Hi everybody,

Back in the red pinstripes again

Wasn't expecting to start this new segment so soon but I wanted to welcome Jim Thome back to the Phillies.  He was one player that I was hoping the Phils would sign and they did. He will be a valuable power bat off the bench as well as seeing some time at 1st Base while Ryan Howard recovers from his Achilles tendon injury. I don't think Thome will play 1st Base too much but you never know.

I am working on my Phillies dream roster for 2012 (which I will post soon) and Jim Thome was one of the players that I put on this roster.  Hopefully some more of my dream players will sign in upcoming weeks.  Until next time....Go Phils in 2012!!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

It will be nice to see Chase and Jim Thome on the same team again 

A Couple of Announcements

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to let everyone know of two new features that will soon be appearing on my blog.  The first is Talkin' Phils with Little Chase.  I will be discussing lots of Phillies stuff because I am a huge fan.  It's going to be so much fun talking about the Fightins' with all the fans.  Yay!!!

On my web surfing adventures, I have come across sites that do different beer reviews.  These reviews were interesting but I don't drink.  The one time that I did imbibe, it didn't end well.....

So I decided to do ratings and reviews of something that I really love......Root Beer!!!  So coming soon will be LC's Root Beer Review.  I will sample different brews and rate them according to the style of the bottle & cap, smell, smoothness and taste.  It's going to be great!!!

So keep checking in to see these great new features as well as everything else I have to say.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Chase Utley Photo of the Week (11-2-11)

Hi everybody,

It's time for the 2nd installment of the Chase Utley Photo of the Week!!  Yay!!!  I picked an action shot for this week's picture.  I hope you all enjoy it!!!

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase

Halloween Post-Game Show

Hi everybody,

Not feeling too well today.  I ate a lot of candy for breakfast and now my tummy hurts.  I hope I feel better later because I want to eat more candy!!

I did watch Sleepy Hollow last night.....

I really do like that movie but it does spook me out so I decided to watch Disney's Legend of Sleepy Hollow before I went to bed.  It was a good way to end my Halloween adventure.

Talk to you soon,
Little Chase