Lidge Pulled in 9th

Brad Lidge came in in the 9th inning tonight, and wasn't able to get the save. In fact, he wasn't even able to make it through the inning. Lidge got 1 out in the inning, and then left the bases loaded, on a single, hit batter, wild pitch, and a walk. Luckily for Lidge, after he came out of the game, Ryan Madson struck out Ryan Zimmerman, and retired Adam Dunn on a groundout to preserve the 5-3 win for the Phillies.

I'm not really sure where this leaves the Phillies bullpen in terms of who the closer is. Brett Myers came in in the 7th inning, relieving Martinez, and got an out in the 7th, and then pitched a scoreless 8th. As previously mentioned, Madson came in and got the save with 2 outs, and held the Nationals to 0 runs when he came in with the bases loaded and no one out. It's obviously not good when you pull your closer in the 9th inning.

The Phillies really needed to win this game, as the Nationals are terrible, but yet always seem to battle against the Phillies. The Phillies scored 5 runs, on 5 solo home runs... classic Phillies. It's good that we hit a lot of homers, but the homers will always be there; we need to get better at generating runs. Rollins and Victorino need to get on base, and start stealing some bases. The 5 solo home runs were hit by Ibanez, Werth, Ibanez again, Ruiz, and Utley. Utley and Ibanez reached 30 home runs on the season, which gives the Phillies 4 players with 30 or more homers this year. Pedro Martinez moved to 4-0 on the year going 6.2 innings, and allowing 3 earned runs.

What To Do With Brad Lidge

Brad Lidge blew his 9th save of the season Tuesday night against the Pirates, in a game that the Phillies really should have won. With the Phillies large lead in the NL East, the actual loss doesn't hurt as much as it does to see Brad Lidge blow another save, and continue to not be able to get batters out. The Phillies went to the 9th down 1 run, and managed to get 2 across off of Pirates closer Matt Capps. For Capps, that was his 4th blown save, to go along with his now 3-7 record, and 6.38 ERA. Those numbers look horrible, but aren't even close to the horrible numbers of Brad Lidge - 9 blown saves, 0-6 record (record isn't really big deal for a closer), 7.33 ERA.

Lidge threw 6 pitches last night, allowed 2 singles, a home run, and threw a wild pitch. Lidge didn't record any outs, and gave up 3 earned runs. If Lidge had to continue pitching until he got 3 outs, he still might be pitching right now. Not only do I think that Brad Lidge had nothing on those pitches, he admitted this after the game, saying that he struggles when he goes out 4 games in a row. In a way, this in Manuel's fault for sending him out there, but Manuel probably wanted to send Lidge out to get some confidence against a crappy Pirates lineup that he should be able to mow down even if he threw 50 days in a row. But he couldn't. And this is officially getting to be ridiculous. Lidge has been the worst closer in baseball this season, and it isn't even close. Late August isn't the time when we can still continue to wait for Lidge to find his stuff, or figure it out in his head, or whatever is going on with him.

These games are going to matter in the playoffs. Again, we can get away with it now with such a big lead, but we won't be able to get away with it come playoff time. We actually have to win 1-run games in the playoffs, and since it is the playoffs, there probably will be many close games we are going to have to hold onto.

I will support whatever decision Manuel makes, but he has to at least do something. If you want to continue to run Lidge out there, then fine, but give him some 1 out saves. If a lefty is starting the inning, start the 9th with Eyre, or Romero when he comes back. Even if a righty is starting, send out Madson, or Park, or Myers when he comes back to start the inning. Manuel could also send Lidge to the 15 day DL if he thinks Lidge needs to re-focus and almost start over when he comes back. Madson or Park could close while Lidge is out, and even possibly Myers if he shows his stuff is nasty when he comes back. Or you could completely demote Lidge, and make Madson, Park, or Myers the closer. This is also risky since it is so close to the end of the season, and a lot of pressure filled games will be coming up. What Manuel will probably do, and what he says he is going to do is continue to ride Lidge out until the end, hoping to have another happy ending to the season like last year.

Let's just hope this doesn't turn into another Mitch Williams incident.

Speaking of Mitch Williams, as if I wasn't mad enough after watching Lidge blow the game, I have to watch Phillies Post Game Live, and listen to Mitch Williams of all people let us all know what Lidge is doing wrong, and what he can do to correct that. Yeah, Mitch is exactly who I want to hear from in this situation... go back to the MLB Network.

What To Do With Brad Lidge

Brad Lidge has blown another save tonight, less than an hour ago. In fact, the Phillies game is still going on, but the outcome of the game has nothing to do with Brad Lidge, and his 7.29 ERA. I believe it is officially time to start seriously considering other options at the closer spot for the rest of the season. Lidge just flat out is not getting it done. He walks way too many batters, allows the first runner to get on way too many times, can't hold any runners on any base, and gives up too many bombs.

Look, we all love Brad Lidge. The same way we all love Jamie Moyer, and want to root for both of them. But, the same way we couldn't keep showing loyalty to Moyer, we might have to take Lidge out of the closer spot. The Phillies are officially in a playoff race right now, and we need to put the best lineup/pitching staff out there that gives us the best chance to win games. Moyer in the starting rotation was not giving us the best chance to win games, and let's be honest - keeping Brad Lidge as the closer is not giving the Phillies the best chance to win games right now. Also, come the end of the season, and into the playoffs, the Phillies are going to be in many close games, and they are going to need to win those close games in which they have small leads going into the 9th.

There are a few problems with this though. You can't move Brad Lidge anywhere, and he is a straight up closer, and would not really be effective too many other spots coming out of the bullpen. Also, even though you do have other pitchers who have closed before, none have done it consistently. Ryan Madson closed this year when Lidge went on the DL. A few times out, Madson looked unhittable, and then a few times out, he blew a couple saves. J.C. Romero has the stuff to do it, but does not throw enough strikes. Sadly, he still throws more strikes than Lidge does right now. The wild card option in all of this is Brett Myers. Myers is coming back to the bullpen for the end of the season, and into the playoffs. Myers closed for the Phillies two seasons ago, and closed very effectively. We all loved that fire that Myers brought to the closer spot.

After tonight, this is something that seriously needs to be considered if the Phillies want to stop being loyal, and start closing out games.

Bastardo Baffles Everyone

The injury to Brett Myers forced the Phillies to look into their farm system to find a replacement. With one start in the books, no one is missing Myers just yet. Thanks to the rocket left arm of Antonio Bastardo. The 23-year-old flame thrower surprised even the experts when his fastball tapped the radar gun at 95 mph. Bastardo, who with a name like that could certainly sell his share of jerseys, shut down the Padres offense to the tune of one run and four hits in six solid innings.

Bastardo’s start, if nothing else, has bought the Phillies a little more time to find a replacement for their number-2 starter. Had Bastardo laid an egg, the local club would have been stressing out to fill a hole. But instead, GM Ruben Amaro can breath easier for at least a week. Bastardo guaranteed himself at least one more start. But let’s not get too excited just yet. After all, Bastardo’s debut came against the worst hitting team in the National League. Not to mention Bastardo relied heavily on his fastball. The Phillies won’t be able to provide him with 10 runs every start. So we should enjoy what we saw on a Tuesday night in San Diego, but let’s wait until he has a few more starts under his belt before we decide that he is the answer.

Trading Theories

So the Phillies are in a bit of a bind right now. With Brett Myers’ impending surgery later this week, the starting rotation now has a hole that it needs to fill. Hard throwing left-hander Antonio Bastardo will take the ball on Tuesday night, but is he really the long term solution?

In baseball trade history, two contradicting ideals collide. There are those who say you “shouldn’t mortgage the future” in a trade. But the other notion of “you have to give something to get something” seems more realistic. But how much is too much and when is it okay to trade top youth?

In the case of the Phillies, they shouldn’t be afraid to unload the likes of Lou Marson or Carlos Carrasco if, and only if, they get a pitcher back who is under contract for more than just this year. The Brewers unloaded Matt LaPorta last year for a half season worth of CC Sabathia. It worked in the short term but now the Brew crew is without CC or its top outfield prospect.

Jake Peavy has been rumored to be available. He’s 28 years old, a Cy Young award winner and under contract for several more years. So it makes perfect sense that the Phillies would have to give up some top minor league talent for a co-ace. People who think the Phils could get him for Kyle Kendrick, Eric Bruntlett and a bag of sunflower seeds are crazy. If the Phillies are serious about bringing in a real deal starter—and they should be—they’ll have to come to grips with the fact that some of the guys in the system that they cherish will have to made available. The Padres (or the Reds for Aaron Harang or the Mariners for Erik Bedard) are going to demand top prospects in return. Its how the baseball trading heirachy works.

So the Phillies should pony-up with Lou Marson, Jason Donald or Carlos Carrasco and try and get a deal done. This club is capable of a return trip to the World Series, but Antonio Bastardo or Kyle Kendrick aren’t the answer. They need to acquire an arm from the outside. There’s no reason to “mortgage the future” for a rent-a-player, but if you really want to win then you’ll certainly need to “give something to get something” of value in return.

Pitching in a Pitch

The Phillies have regained their spot perched atop the NL East thanks the multiple come from behind victories and always adhering to that never give up attitude. The Phillies—and the fans for that matter—never feel like they’re ever out of a game. They’ve proven that several times this year including a late rally walk-fest against Atlanta in the season’s opening series and a seven run fury against the Marlins weeks later. But relying too heavily on the comeback could be a recipe for disaster.

At its core, a come from behind win is exciting. Watching Ryan Howard or Shane Victorino hit a grand slam to win a game is the kind of thing that makes the Phils fun to watch. But it also means something else. It means that the team was losing. And that is directly attributed to the lackluster starting staff.

Sure the potent line-up—Jimmy Rollins excluded—has provided enough dramatics to keep us fans smiling. And scheduled off days and unscheduled rain outs have kept the bullpen fairly fresh. But over the course of a long summer, sub par pitching won’t hold up. It won’t win a World Series. It won’t win the National League. And it may not even win the Division.

Cole Hamels has an excuse. It may not be a good one, but its an excuse. You can’t blame Hamels for Prince Fielder’s line drive, although he should be able to field a bunt without having to miss a start. We’re now in May, and the rust better start coming off of Hamels fast.

Brett Myers has been nothing short of a disappointment out of the gate. The hefty righty is playing for a contract but you wouldn’t know that by glancing at his bloated ERA. After watching Myers yield long ball after long ball, I sometimes feel like I could take him yard.

Jaimie Moyer is what he is. He’ll give you six innings of 3 or 4 run ball, take it or leave it. Joe Blanton has been like Jekyl and Hyde. He’s has throw three quality starts (ironically the Phils only won one of those games) to go along with several horrendous outings. Heavy B needs to find some consistency and keep us in games.

And Chan Ho may have used up all his good stuff in spring training. He wanted to be a starter so fans back in Korea could watch him pitch. I’m betting he’s wishing they weren’t.

It’s hard to complain when a team is in first place. But if things don’t start coming together, the stay at the top could be short lived. Ibanez, Utley, Howard and Victorino have grabbed all the headlines so far this season. It would be nice to see Myers or Hamels take the spotlight.

Phillies Open Season... With a Loss

Opening night came and went... and the Phillies are off to an 0-1 start to the 2009 season. The offense could never get on track against Derek Lowe, and the Phillies ended up losing the game 4-1. There was an exciting atmosphere leading up to the game, however the excitement quickly dissipated into the night sky in the form of 4 home run balls hit by the Braves off of Brett Myers.

Luckily, baseball is not football, and losing the first game of the season is essentially meaningless in the grand scheme of the entire baseball season. However, there are some things to look at in the opening day loss--

First, there is no reason that Derek Lowe should not have been the #1 target all off-season. I understand it is easy to say that not, but here at Kotite's Corner, we were claiming that at the start of the offseason. Lowe dominated the Phillies, and it was frustrating watching ground ball after ground ball against this guy. Lowe is built to pitch in the Phillies stadium, and there is no good reason he should not be a Phillie right now.

Second, Brett Myers being extremely inconsistent looks like it will continue, at least for the near future. We know Myers is very hit-or-miss, and he served up 4 home run balls in the first 3 innings of the opener. He settled down after that, and it is only one game, but we need Brett Myers to be a solid #2 pitcher behind Hamels all season, especially since we didn't get a pitcher in the offseason.

Third, having three lefties in a row in the heart of the order is concerning, especially when the other team gets to the bullpen. This showed last night in the ninth inning, when Braves closer Gonzalez (a lefty) faced Utley, Howard, and Ibanez in a row. Utley walked, and Howard and Ibanez struck out to the end the game. Ibanez hit the same average against lefties as righties last season, so we know he can hit lefties, but at some point, the Phillies may need to put Werth or Victorino in the 5-hole, and drop Ibanez to 6th if this gets to be a problem.

None of these issues are too serious, especially after one game, but these are just some areas to look at as the season goes on. It is great to have baseball back, the Phillies should provide for a lot of excitement this season.

Phillies Drop Game 2

Well no one said it would be easy. The Phillies dropped Game 2 of the World Series, as the Rays evened up the series at one game a piece. Even though we would have liked to be up 2-0, we took care of business, took back home field, and won 1 out of 2 in a building that is tough on the road teams.

The Phillies again were very inconsistent offensively, getting runners on base, and into scoring position, but not being able to get anybody home. The Phillies left runners on 2nd and 3rd with less than two outs multiple times in Game 2, just as they had in Game 1.

Jimmy Rollins cannot get going at the plate, and unfortunately, this team goes as Rollins goes. Rollins went 0-5 for the 2nd straight game, making him 0-10 in the series. Utley, Burrell, and Feliz were also hitless in Game 2. Just as the Phillies took an early lead in Game 1, the Rays converted on a Jayson Werth error to record two RBI groundouts in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. The Rays would also record an RBI bunt groundout, and an RBI single in the game. Brett Myers pitched well, going 7 innings, allowing 4 runs, 3 of them earned.

The Phillies finally got on the board in the top of the 8th inning on an Eric Bruntlett solo home run. We had runners on base all game, and couldn’t get the big hit, and when Bruntlett comes in and provides a big hit, no one was on base. The Phillies got another in the 9th to make it 4-2 on a sharp hit by Werth, scoring Ruiz from 2nd. This put the tying runner at the plate with Utley and Howard coming up. Utley struck out on three pitches, and Howard grounded out.

Bottom line, the Phillies goal in the first two games of this World Series was to go into Tampa Bay and win 1 of 2. The Phillies have done just that, so there is a reason to be confident going into game 3 in Philadelphia.

Looking Ahead to Game 2

Brett Myers takes the mound in Game 2 for the Phillies tonight, and will face the Rays James Shields. I am very interested in seeing which Brett Myers comes out to pitch this game. Myers has looked good most of the 2nd half of the season, and can hopefully continue that tonight. Myers should feed off of a good start from Cole Hamels in Game 1. Unfortunately, Myers does not have great numbers on the road this season, and will be facing a pitcher in Shields, who is a very good pitcher at home.

The Phillies pitching staff won Game 1, and the offense will need to pick it up the rest of the series, starting with Game 2. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for reigning MVP Jimmy Rollins to get on base tonight. Facing a right-handed pitcher, Shane Victorino will probably be batting in the 2-hole tonight, with Werth batting 6th. It will be interesting to see who the Phillies use as their DH, and who they use as their extra man tonight. Pat Burrell could be the DH, which would allow him to play the whole game without having to come out as a defensive replacement. Manuel could also go with Dobbs or Stairs as the DH, as Stairs has a lot of DH experience, and would still allow Dobbs to still come into the game late as a pinch hitter. Dobbs, however, gives you the best offensive lineup, and giving Dobbs as many at-bats as possible is what the Phillies need to do, especially when they struggled offensively in Game 1.

This is another big game for the Phillies. By winning Game 1, it basically makes Game 2 a must-win for the Rays, and you know the Phillies will be seeing the Rays at their best tonight. If Myers has a strong start, and we get more offensive production in Game 2, the Phillies could be leaving Tampa Bay with a 2-0 series lead. We would all feel a lot more comfortable with Moyer pitching in Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead.

Phillies Going to the World Series

picture by: Yong Kim (philly.com)


The Philadelphia Phillies are going to the World Series.

I will repeat since it sounds so surreal….. THE PHILLIES ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!! The Phillies beat the Dodgers 4 games to 1 in the NLCS to advance to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993.

Kotite’s Corner would like to extend a congratulations to all the players,and managers of the 2008 Phillies, and to us, the fans, for helping this team all year, and being the best fans of any city in the world.

The Phillies are a true team, and are getting contributions from everyone on the team. The players really seem to like each other, and are excited to see someone come through and get the big hit, no matter who it is.

Jimmy Rollins got the team going with a lead-off home run in Game 5, the same way he hit a lead-off home run in Game 4 of the Milwaukee series. He really is a great catalyst when he is playing well. Shane Victorino has been great in this postseason, making every play in the outfield, and coming up with clutch hits. Victorino already has the Phillies record for RBI’s in a postseason, and he still has more games to play. Chase Utley has been solid all-around, especially against the Dodgers. A lot of questions surrounded Utley, as he struggled in the playoffs last season,and against the Brewers. However, he has come through against the Dodgers,and made two unbelievable diving plays in the field in Games 4 and 5. Ryan Howard, who really struggled in the first three games against the Dodgers,came on big in Games 4 and 5, and had five hits in those two games, and drive in a couple big runs. Pat Burrell has also been solid, with three home runs this postseason, and a very good batting average in both series’thus far. Jayson Werth has played well, and had a big homer in the clinching game against Milwaukee. He is a threat whether he is batting 2nd or 6th. Pedro Feliz has been solid at 3rd base, and made a big play to retire Manny Ramirez in Game 5. Carlos Ruiz is always solid behind the plate, but really picked up his offense against the Dodgers. Ruiz calls great game, and Lidge loves pitching to him in the 9th.

The pitching staff has been amazing and really gotten the Phils here. NLCS MVP Cole Hamels is 3-0 this postseason and has looked like a true ace.Brett Myers is 2-0 and has done a great job in the 2nd spot in the rotation this postseason. He has even shown the ability at the plate. Jamie Moyer has struggled, but most certainly will be counted on in the World Series,and being the veteran that he is, I am confident he will be able to bounce back and contribute however he is asked. Joe Blanton has been solid as the#4 starter, and has still yet to lose as a Phillie, in the regular season,or playoffs.

Just like the starting pitching, the bullpen has been great. Ryan Madson has looked better than he ever has in this postseason, hitting 97 MPH on the radar gun. J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, and Scott Eyre have also done a good job proving a “bridge to Lidge.” Once Brad Lidge enters the game in the 9th (or 8th) it has been Lights Out. Lidge has yet to blow a save all season, and has continued that in the postseason. He even got his first 4out save of the season in Game 4 against the Dodgers.

The bench has been a solid part of this team, and will need to come up in the World Series if asked upon. Greg Dobbs, who gets a lot of starts at3rd, is the best pinch hitter in the game. He is a great asset to have offensively whether he starts at 3rd, or comes off the bench. We all know what Matt Stairs did in Game 4 against the Dodgers, a huge home run, the first postseason home run of his career could not have come at a bettertime. Eric Bruntlett has come in to replace Pat Burrell defensively, and always does well in left field when asked. Geoff Jenkins is a true teammate, always one of the first to congratulate everybody else, and is a veteran who deserves every moment of this. He will be asked to come through in the World Series with some pinch hits.

The managing has been solid. Charlie Manuel continues to keep the players loose, and the players seem to love playing for Manuel. You may argue that it doesn’t take too much to manage a baseball team, but give credit where credit is due. Manuel has made all the right moves in this postseason whether it be pinch hitting, or relief pitching or double switching.

Lots of credit again goes to the Phillies players, managers, and the fans.We are all in this together, enjoying every moment of it. We, as fans,want a championship so badly, and the fans around my age, who have never seen one, are championship starved. This Phillies team is a very likeable team, and extremely fun to watch. The World Series should be exciting.

Congratulations to the 2008 NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies!!!!!

The World Series will start Wednesday, October 22, against either the Rays or the Red Sox.

Phillies Win, Up 2-0 in Series

Game 2 Recap

The Phillies won Game 2 of the NLDS to take a 2-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Phillies pulled out an 8-5 victory, in a game that featured some strange, and interesting storylines.

The Dodgers scored first for the 2nd straight game, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd. The Phillies offense then busted out in bottom of the 2nd inning, with a two-out rally. With two outs and nobody on base, Greg Dobbs, obviously in there for his offensive ability, singled up the middle. Carlos Ruiz then doubled to the gap scoring Dobbs. Brett Myers, who would go on to be the offensive MVP this game, then singled to center scoring Ruiz. Rollins then singled to center, and on an error advanced to 2nd, as Myers advanced to 3rd. Shane Victorino, who has been the catalyst throughout the playoffs so far this year singled in Myers and Rollins to take a 4-1 lead. The Dodgers got a run across in the top of the 3rd, but the Phillies would answer again in the bottom of the inning.

Pat Burrell led off with a single in the bottom of the 3rd, followed by a Jayson Werth double. Dobbs was intentionally walked, loading the bases with 0 out. Ruiz grounded into a fielder's choice and Burrell was retired at home. It was up to Myers to get the job done. Myers was up to the task, and hit a 2-RBI single down the right field line. Two batters later, Victorino tripled scoring two more runs. This is all the run support that the pitching would need. Myers gave up a home run to Ramirez in the 4th inning, making the score 8-5, and it would stay there the rest of the game, as the Phillies bullpen came in and did what it has done all year long; shut down the opposing team. Shane Victorino made the defensive play of the game in the top of the 7th, with two outs. The Dodgers had two men on base, and Casey Blake ripped a ball to the deepest part of the park. Victorino trailed back, felt for the wall, and made a jumping catch right against the wall, to preserve the lead, and the game.

Brett Myers ended the game 3-3 at the plate with 3 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Myers said that he told Charlie Manuel before the game that he was going to go out and win one for Manuel's mother, who passed away earlier in the day. Shane Victorino also lost someone close to him, as he found out after the game that his grandmother had passed away also.

Game 3 Preview

The Phillies march on, 2 games away from advancing to the World Series. It seems like whatever this team does, they find a way to win. The Phillies are hot right now, and are doing almost everything right. The offense is doing enough to win, even without Ryan Howard hitting the ball hard. Guys like Shane Victorino are really coming up large in this postseason. Also, the bottom of the lineup, which got ridiculed most season long as they struggled, has really started playing well, and generating runs. When is the last time you can remember the Phillies putting up 8 runs on the board without a single home run. The Phillies led the league in home runs this season during the regular season, and usually live or die by the home run.

The starting pitching has really been another key, and has been really solid. Both Cole Hamels and Brett Myers have gotten the Phillies a 2-0 lead in both series' so far. Hamels has shown what a true ace of the staff is supposed to do. The bullpen has been amazing, and has an ERA of roughly 2.30 so far in the playoffs. The guys who did it all season are still going strong, in Durbin, Madson, and Romero. They have been able to keep the lead to get to "Lights Out" Lidge, who has kept his amazing saves streak alive.

I am looking forward to Rollins, and Howard just taking over this series at some point. I do feel like Howard will start hitting shortly. Right now, it doesn't matter, as long as the Phillies continue to find ways to win games.

Game 3 is Sunday night, 8:22 EDT. Moyers vs. Kuroda. Phillies lead series 2-0.

Phillies Up 1-0, Ready For Game 2

Game 1 Recap

The Phillies are now only three wins shy of getting to the World Series, as they won Game 1 against the Dodgers 3-2. You never want to lose home field in Game 1 of the series, especially with Hamels on the mound, and the Phillies took care of business.

The Phillies came out sluggish on offense, struggling with Derek Lowe’s sinker. The Dodgers got an RBI double from Manny Ramirez in the 1st inning, in what had to be the longest hit ball that wasn’t a home run in Citizens Bank Park history. A sac fly gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead, and the Dodgers were in control, as Lowe was dealing. Then came the play of the game in the bottom of the 6th inning. Shane Victorino was leading off, and hit a routine grounder to short. Due to Victorino’s speed, Rafael Furcal hurried the throw, and threw wide of the base, allowing Victorino to end up on 2nd, and an error charged to Furcal. The very next pitch, Chase Utley put into the ball into the seats in right field, tying the game at two. After Ryan Howard grounded out, Pat The Bat crushed a line drive home run to left field. Burrell has three home runs in his last two games now, all of which have been clutch. The three runs would be all the Phillies pitchers would need.

Hamels pitched another gem, and ended up with 7 innings pitched, only allowing 2 runs, striking out 8. Hamels got more and more comfortable as the game went on. He cruised through the 6th and 7th innings, which was important as the Phillies had just taken the lead. Madson got out of the 8th, retiring Manny on a line drive to 3rd. Lidge came in to record the save, and got it done with a 1-2-3 inning on only 13 pitches to give the Phillies the 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 Preview

Game 2 will feature a matchup between the Dodgers strikeout machine, Chad Billingsley, and the Phillies Brett Myers. We all know about Brett Myers up-and-down season. Myers pitched well in his start against the Brewers in the NLDS, but will be facing a tougher lineup this time. The Phillies need to get off to a good start this game, take the lead, and force the Dodgers to come from behind to win this game. The Dodgers have a lot of young players on their team, and if you get them into a situation where they start pressing, they are likely to struggle. Just as Game 1 was, this is another important game to win for the Phillies, as the next three games are in Los Angeles.

On offense, Chase Utley was called out coming into this series, and really delivered in Game 1. We need to get our big man, Ryan Howard going now. The Phillies were fortunate as Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Ryan Howard all went 0-4 in Game 1, and the Phillies still won the game. The Phillies will need those guys to hit if they want to win this series. Rollins, and Victorino really need to set the table for Utley, Howard, and Burrell to drive them in. When Jimmy Rollins is hitting, this team is very hard to beat.

Game 2 is Friday, 4:30 EDT, Myers vs. Billingsley. Series: 1-0 Phillies

In breaking news, Kotite's Corner has learned that Charlie Manuel's mother has passed away. The Kotite's Corner family sends our condolences to the whole Manuel family. No word yet on what Manuel's managing status will be for Game 2. Either way, let's come together as fans, and hope the team comes together to win this whole thing for Charlie.

Phillies Take 2-0 Series Lead

The Phillies took a 2-0 series lead against the Brewers with a 5-2 victory Thursday night. Kotite's Corner threw back some beers, watched the game, and enjoyed every minute of it. The Flyin' Hawaiian, Shane Victorino, and Brett Myers get the players of the game in Game 2. Victorino, back in the 2-hole in the order, went 3-4 with 2 doubles, and the game winning grand slam in the bottom of the 2nd off of C.C. Sabathia.

The game started off a little shaky as Myers walked in a run in the top of the first. He settled down with a double play on the next batter. Sabathia looked dominant in the 1st, especially against lefties Utley and Howard. However, the 2nd inning was a different story. With one out, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz hit back to back doubles, scoring a run and tying the game at 1 a piece. After Carlos Ruiz grounded out advancing the runner to 3rd, Brett Myers had the at-bat of the game, and maybe the season. Brett Myers, one of the worst hitting pitchers in the league, worked a full count against the best pitcher in the league. He fouled off good pitches, and stayed alive at the plate. The crowd was fantastic, and showed why Philadelphia fans are the most knowledgeable and passionate in the world, knowing how important the at-bat was, and cheering Myers like it was the biggest moment of the season (which is basically was). Myers finally drew a walk, and Rollins walked right after him loading the bases. Shane Victorino then came up, and jacked a grand slam off of Sabathia. Game over. Without Myers 9-pitch at bat, the grand slam never would have happened.

The Brewers added a meaningless run in the 7th, and the Phillies ended up with a 5-2 win, and more importantly, a 2-0 series lead. Brett Myers followed up Cole Hamels great pitching performance with one of his own, going 7 innings, and allowing 2 earned runs. Brad Lidge got another save, and this time actually made it look easy with a 1-2-3 inning, only throwing 12 pitches.

The Phillies travel to Milwaukee to play Game 3 of the series on Saturday. Projected starters for that game are the ageless Jaime Moyer, and Dave Bush for the Brewers.

Phillies Win Game 1 - Game 2 Looming

The Phillies won Game 1 of their NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1, in what basically amounted to a must-win game. It is always important to get off to a 1-0 series lead in a best-of-five series. It was the Phillies first postseason win since Game 5 of the World Series in 1993. I believe we had the lead in Game 6 in that series, until the chump Mitch Williams came into the game..... but I digress.

Cole Hamels came up large in Game 1...

Cole Hamels was clearly the story of this game. Hamels showed why he is the ace of this staff, and looked extremely comfortable all game. Hamels pitched 8 innings, allowing only 2 hits, 0 runs, while striking out 9, and only walking 1. Hamels had to be on the top of his game, because the offense came out fairly flat. The Phillies scored 3 runs in the 3rd inning, and those would be their only runs of the game. In the bottom of the 3rd, Carlos Ruiz led off with a single. Cole Hamels came up to bunt him over, but a Brewers error put Ruiz at 2nd, and Hamels at 1st with no outs. After Rollins and Werth both were retired, it looked like the Brewers may get out of the inning unscathed. However, Chase Utley ripped a lined shot to center, which Mike Cameron mis-played. The ball went off of Cameron's glove, and allowed 2 runs to score, and put Utley at 2nd with a 2-RBI double. Howard proceeded to be intentially walked, Burrell followed with a walk, and Victorino followed with another walk to score the 3rd run. Hamels didn't need much help, as he was dominant all game long. All of his pitches were working, and the Brewers didn't hit a ball hard all day. With the threat of rain looming, Hamels was retiring the Brewers batters handily and quickly. Hamels' performance is what you expect out of your ace, and he did not disappoint.

The game never seems to be easy for the Phillies though, and Brad Lidge was shaky coming on to close out the game in the 9th. Lidge allowed an unearned run on a error by Chase Utley when he fell down taking the relay throw from Jayson Werth after a Ryan Braun double down the line. The big at-bat in the inning came with 1 out, and Prince Fielder coming to bat representing the tying run. After working a full count, and fouling off a pitch, Lidge got him with a fast ball off the outside corner of the plate. Lidge then walked J.J. Hardy, however, struck out Corey Hart to end the game. Lidge threw 35 pitches in the 9th inning to earn the save. Let's hope he is not needed in Game 2.

The Phillies ended the game with 3 runs on 4 hits. Utley had the only extra base hit, and had 2 RBI's. Ryan Howard went 0-1 with 3 walks, including 1 intentional.

LOOKING AHEAD TO GAME 2

...Brett Myers must do the same in Game 2

The reason this game seemed like a must-win for the Phillies is because C.C. Sabathia takes the bump for the Brewers in tomorrow's Game 2. Sabathia, who has been the hottest pitcher in the 2nd half of the season will be opposed by the up-and-down Brett Myers. Game 2 becomes a must-win for the Brewers with their ace on the mound. The Brewers can't go down 0-2, and lose a game in which Sabathia pitches. The Phillies hitters should be able to come out loose with a 1-0 series lead, and nobody expecting them to be able to hit off of Sabathia. Brett Myers will need to match Sabathia inning for inning, which he has shown the ability to do. Unfortunately, we don't know which Brett Myers will show up this game. Brett Myers knows how big a game this is, and will be making his first postseason start of his career. He is a very intense pitcher, which he often uses to his advantage, we just have to hope he keeps his emotions in check. The right-handers in the lineup, namely Werth, Burrell, and Feliz have to come up big and get some hits off of the left-hander Sabathia. The Phillies must take the same approach that they did in Game 1. Even though the Phillies didn't hit, they were patient, and made Gallardo throw pitches. If they can work a couple walks, and foul off some Sabathia pitches, they should be able to get his pitch count up there, and hopefully get to the Brewers bullpen with a chance to win the game.

Phillies have a 1-0 series lead, Game 2, Thursday 6:00 p.m. EDT.