Cliff Lee is my Father

The Phillies took Game 1 against the Yankees 6-1 to take a 1-0 series lead in the World Series. Cliff Lee was amazing. Lee outdueled the person he calls his best friend in baseball, and got the victory. Lee kept the Yankees hitters off balance all night long. The only run was unearned and came in the 9th inning when Jimmy Rollins threw a potential double play ball into the Yankee dugout. The Phillies have been pretty good this postseason at air mailing double play balls, recording their 3rd of the postseason thus far. Lee's final line was 9 IP, 6 hits allowed, only 1 extra base hit, 0 ER, 10 K, 0 walks. 10 strikeouts and 0 walks is real solid. Lee's curveball was on point all game long and clearly had Yankee hitters off balance all night.

The offense consisted of 2 Utley solo home runs to take a 2-0 lead into the 8th inning, before putting the game away with 2 runs each in the 8th and 9th innings. Every Phillies player had a hit besides Pedro Feliz and Ben Francisco, who was playing in left field, with Raul Ibanez as the DH.

Obviously, it goes without saying to talk about how winning Game 1 is huge. The winner of Game 1 has won the World Series for the last 6 consecutive years, including last year when the Phillies took Game 1. Not only does winning Game 1 give the Phillies the 1-0 series lead, it allows them to take the home field advantage.

The Phillies have the opportunity to really take command of the series if they can win tomorrow night's game in New York. Pedro Martinez will take the mound for the Phillies and will oppose A.J. Burnett. It will be interesting to see how Pedro responds to this huge game. Obviously Pedro is no stranger to this situation or facing the Yankees in Yankee Stadium in big games.

Pictures from Last Night! Phillies Win!

Guest blogger Queen Aoleon was at the game last night. Here are some:

The Phils Win! Champs!!

The Phillies Win. I repeat the Phillies win!!!! Great series and season from our phils. All the writers at Kotite's are 30 or under, so we either do not remember or were not alive for the 83 Sixers Championship. We are so pumped. Let the party begin. More to come tomorrow!

Game 5 to Resume Tonight… Hopefully

The Phillies resume their bid for a World Series championship that was put on hold, and it looks like it will resume tonight at 8:37, in the bottom of the 6th inning, with technically Cole Hamels coming up. The weather in the Philadelphia area is sunny right now, and should be clear, but cold and windy at game time.

Let’s look at some of the scenarios that the Phillies have had to ponder for a couple days. With the pitcher spot due up, the Phillies will obviously use a pinch hitter to lead off the game. The Rays have their right-hander Balfour on the mound, who is a fastball pitcher who throws above 95 on the radar gun regularly. Because the Rays don’t have to make a pitching change until the Phillies announce their pinch hitter, the Phillies have to bring out a lefty, which would be Dobbs, Stairs, or Jenkins. In a tie game, which could go extras, you probably want to keep Dobbs on the bench, which leaves either Jenkins or Stairs as your options. Stairs hits fastball pitchers very well, and might do well against a fastball throwing right-hander. However, this is all assuming the Rays would leave Balfour in, and not bring out a lefty in Howell or Price. The Rays pitcher spot is due up 4th in the top of the 7th, so they probably would want Balfour to finish the bottom of the 6th, so they can use a pinch hitter if need be in the top of the 7th, if the pitcher’s spot in the order does indeed come up.

We also need to look at what the Phillies will do in the top of the 7th. The Phillies will face Navarro, Baldelli, and Bartlett. Navarro is a switch hitter, and then Badelli and Bartlett are right-handers. Normally, this is a role that Durbin would come into. However, Durbin has been shaky so far in the playoffs. You could also bring Madson in, and expect to get more than an inning out of him, but may not want to waste Madson in the 6th or 7th, especially since you may need him if the game is still tied later. The optimal situation is for Durbin to pitch the 7th, and then still have Madson, Romero, Eyre, and Lidge for the later innings. Also, if you go extras, you may need to go to Happ, since Happ can go multiple innings.

Normally, these pinch hitting decisions, and bullpen decisions are made within minutes on the bench in the course of the game, but we have had two days to ponder, analyze, and break down what decisions the Phillies will make. Let’s hope they make the correct ones.

This layoff has been tough on the Philadelphia fans, who have been waiting forever for this game, and hopefully a win to happen. It feels like this type of stuff only happens in Philadelphia. This article from Jayson Stark sums up perfectly the psyche of Philadelphia fans these past couple days.

Rain, Rain Go Away

The citizens of Philadelphia were pumped last night. There was something in the air... we all thought our 25 year championship winless streak was going to come to an end. Every bar in the Greater Delaware Valley was packed full of red shirts. Then the rain came and suspended the game in the bottom of the 6th. So, lets say we play tonight, what happens? Who leads off the game in the bottom of the 6th, as the pitcher's spot is up? The Rays have not announced who will be pitching yet, but I am guessing it will be a left-hander, possibly David Price. If this is the case, we need to use So Taguchi as a pinch hitter against the left hander, as you have to keep Bruntlett to replace Burrell in the field, and Coste, in case of an injury to Ruiz. As for pitching, the Phils should act like Hamels left in the 6th Inning and just like this is another game going into the 7th inning with the pitcher lasting 6 innings. They still have good options with Durbin, Eyre, Madson, and Romero pitching. We may see J.A. Happ in extra innings if needed.

Unfortunately, we do not know if Mother Nature is going to cooperate. Today's forecast calls for rain all day, then stopping around game time, but for the temperature to be in the 30's, and windy. Tomorrow isn't supposed to be much better, so it will be interesting to see how MLB approaches this.

Although this is not a must win for the Phillies, the last thing we want to do it give some momentum to the Rays and have to travel back to the dump of a city that is Tampa.

Go Phils!

Ace in the Cole

Well we’ve waiting a long time to say these words, so here goes. The Phillies can win the World Series with a win tonight in Game 5 of the World Series. Our Philadelphia Phillies have a chance to be the last team standing in baseball, and win the first championship this city has seen since 1983. There is some business to be taken care of however before we win anything, and as a Philadelphia fan, we have seen worse things happen to our sports teams. So everyone get your rally towels out and get ready to help our boys win Game 5.

The Phillies will send their ace, Cole Hamels to the mound tonight for Game 5 at Citizens Bank Park. Hamels will be opposed by the Rays Game 1 starter, Scott Kazmir. Hamels is undefeated this postseason, and hopefully that will continue tonight. The Rays batters have been kept off-balance all series with tremendous pitching from everyone on our staff. Hamels has to continue to keep runners off base, so if he does give up a long ball, it is only a solo shot, just like Blanton was able to do Sunday night. The key to this game is just staying out of trouble, as the offense appears as if it may have turned the corner in the Game 4 win.

Speaking of the offense, it was a great sign to see the Phillies put up double digits in Game 4, as Howard, Rollins, and Werth were getting great at-bats and seeing the ball well. The Phillies definitely feel more comfortable in our ballpark. This is the last game of the series in Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies really want to continue the offensive explosion from last night. Hitting is contagious, especially with this Phillies team. The Phillies went through stretches during the regular season where they didn’t hit, and everyone slumped at once. They also went through stretches where almost everybody hit, and they would put up a lot of runs every game. Let’s hope the offensive momentum in Game 4 will carry over to this Game 5.

We can’t ask for a better scenario. A game to win the World Series, at home, with our ace on the mound. The time to win is now. You don’t want to go back to Tampa Bay, even with a lead in the series, because anything can happen, and the Rays are a very good team, especially at home. We need to close the Rays out tonight, and have the biggest celebration ever afterwards.

Even the players know how big this is. Ryan Howard said after the game if the Phillies win Game 5, "It will be absolute bedlam. It will be one of the craziest places on earth. It’s kind of scary to imagine." Jimmy Rollins agreed, "A championship is the only way to fully reverse that thought of how the Phillies are portrayed. If we get that game, I believe we will be happy, the city will be happy, there will be a big parade."

Game 5 is Monday night at 8:00 EDT. Hamels vs. Kazmir. Phillies lead series 3-1.

Phillies Win Game 4

The Phillies won Game 4 of the World Series to come within one game of winning the World Series. The Phillies offense finally came alive, and allowed the Phillies to cruise to a 10-2 victory Sunday night. The Phillies are officially one win shy of a World Series championship, and bringing the first championship to Philadelphia since 1983.

Joe Blanton pitched another solid game as the Phillies starter in Game 4. Blanton ended up going 6 innings, and only allowing 2 earned runs, both on solo homers. Blanton did a good job keeping the Rays runners off base the whole game, and continued the trend of great pitching that the Phillies have brought to this World Series. The bullpen did their business as usual, with Durbin, Eyre, Madson, and Romero shutting down the Rays to close out the game.

The offense was the main story of this game, however. We have been saying it this whole series, just waiting for the Phillies bats to come alive, and win a game with a large run total. The Phillies did not disappoint tonight. Jimmy Rollins got the Phillies on track to start the game off for the 2nd straight game, with a double down the line. Rollins would end up scoring on a bases loaded walk by Pat Burrell. The Phillies were up 2-1 in the bottom of the 4th when Ryan Howard did what he does best.... he took what the pitcher gave him and went the other way and hit a 3-run home run. The Rays made it 5-2 in the 5th inning, however Joe Blanton would answer. Not on the mound as he was doing all night, but at the plate. Joe Blanton, who had two hits his entire career, hit a solo home run to left field. The Phillies still weren't done, and in the 8th inning, Werth and Howard both hit 2-run homers to get to the 10 run total.

The fans knew it, the coaches knew it, the players knew it. This Phillies team is too good offensively to struggle for an entire series. Game 4 was the game the Phillies broke out, putting up a double digit run total. The Phillies have been getting good pitching all series, and frankly, all playoffs, but the offense did their part tonight. We all know that hitting is contagious, and the offense needs to continue to hit well to win this series.

World Series Game 4 Preview

It seems like earlier this morning we were all celebrating a Phillies Game 3 victory. Ohh that's right, we were. The Phillies Game 3 victory did not end until 1:47 a.m., and they will have to come back 18 short hours later for Game 4.

Game 4 will feature a pitching matchup of Joe Blanton vs. Andy Sonnanstine. Sonnanstine, like the other Rays pitchers, has a good ERA and good record. Blanton never amazes with the stuff he had, but he just gets the job done, and still has 0 losses as a member of the Phillies. The Phillies have also won both of the games he has pitched in the postseason thus far. Blanton is the key to this game, as a good performance by him, and the Phillies could be looking at a chance to clinch the World Series on Monday. I can barely even type those words without getting excited for what could come.

First things first however, the Phillies need to come out strong Game 4, and put their emotional Game 3 victory behind them. The Phillies still didn't really hit with runners in scoring position, but they did generate a run, and finally saw some power from Ryan Howard. The Rays bats have been quiet this whole World Series. The Rays came into the World Series setting records for home runs in the ALCS. The Rays only have one home run thus far in the World Series, and it came in Game 1. You can't expect to keep shutting down the Rays the way we have so far, so the offense has to step it up. It is nice to win low scoring games, but at some point, the Phillies offense needs to take the pressure off of the pitching, and put up a large number.

Jimmy Rollins finally got the Phillies started in this game, and went 2-4 with a run scored. Utley and Howard hit homers. All of those things are good signs for the offense who needs to score some runs. The bottom of the lineup has done a good job most of the postseason, and continued to last night, mostly thanks to Carlos Ruiz, who had been great this World Series.

As fans, we need to do our parts again, and I think that the fans are a huge advantage in a close game, and there is no reason to suggest that every game this series will not be close.

Game time is 8:00 EDT, Blanton vs. Sonnanstine. Phillies lead the series 2-1.

Phillies Come Home for Game 3

The Phillies will try to get some home cookin’ for Game 3 of the World Series, as they come back to the great city of Philadelphia for three straight games. The Phillies are three straight home wins shy of a World Series championship. Hopefully the Phillies will feel comfortable at home, and start smacking the ball around. We, as fans, need to be loud and into these games as well and provide our boys with some Brotherly Love…. all at the same time making the Rays very uncomfortable in Philly.

Three wins in a row might be asking too much, especially against a very good Rays team, but the Phillies need to win 2 out of 3 at home, which starts with a win in Game 3. Jamie Moyer takes the mound for the Phillies against Matt Garza for the Rays. It’s no secret Moyer has struggled in two starts this postseason, but he still is a wily veteran who has won big games as a member of the Phillies. It will be interesting to see what the umpire’s strike zone is for Moyer, as Moyer can hit the corners, which he doesn’t always get the calls on. The Phillies pitchers have been able to keep the power hitters on the Rays off-balance all series, and Moyer needs to continue to do just that.

I think the Phillies will benefit with coming home, and guys like Rollins, and Howard will feel more comfortable in their own ballpark with Phillies fans going crazy waving rally towels. The Phillies are getting runners on base. It isn’t as if the Phillies are not hitting in this series, they are getting many runners on base, and at some point, they will start knocking those runners in. This offense is too good to continue to struggle the way they have in the first two games.

The Phillies are used to winning games with their offense, however, the pitching has carried the Phillies through the first two games. Coming into this series, the Rays probably had a better starting pitching staff that went four deep, while the Phillies probably have the better offensive team. Well it is time for the Phillies to start proving that they are the better offensive team in their own ballpark.

The goal as the road team in a best of seven playoff series where the format is 2-3-2 is to win one of the first two games. The Phillies did that. The next goal is to win two out of three games at home, and then one out of the last two. The Phillies need to win Game 3 in order to put pressure on the Rays to win Game 4. The Rays are a good team, and the Phillies need to keep the lead in this series. That starts with a good performance by every player in Game 3.

Game 3 is Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. EDT, weather permitting. Moyer vs. Garza. Series tied 1-1.

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 DH Situation for Game 2

The Phillies should play Pat Burrell at DH for tonight’s game in Tampa Bay…… not because he is a defensive liability in left field, because I don’t believe he is, but because we need his bat in the late stages of these important games.

Let’s look back at Game 1. The Phillies have a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning, trying to get some insurance runs. Jayson Werth in on 2nd base, and Chase Utley is on 1st. They pull off a double steal to put them each at 3rd and 2nd base. Unfortunately, Eric Bruntlett is at the plate in this big situation, as he came in the game in the 7th inning for Pat Burrell, for defensive purposes. The whole point of the DH is to have an offensive lineup with minimal defensive liabilities. If the Phillies feel as if Burrell is a defensive liability in the latter stages of a game, then put him at DH. This will allow him to stay in the entire game, focus on hitting, and we don’t have to worry about having Bruntlett at the plate in a big situation, like Game 1. We need all the Burrell at-bat’s we can get in this series, and we don’t want a close game, or an extra inning game where Burrell is on the bench because he was taken out. If anybody deserves to be in the game the entire game, it is Burrell, who has come up big this season, and is the longest tenured Phillie.

Greg Dobbs is an able left-fielder, and has started games in left field, so he is no more a liability than Eric Bruntlett out there. Let's be honest here, if you can run and throw, you can play left field. I'm not trying to say it is easy to play the position, but Dobbs can do the job. Dobbs should be in left field, with Burrell as the DH in Game 2 if the Phillies want to maximize their offensive lineup the entire game.

Keys to the Title Car

The Phillies have won a combined 99 games this season. But without 4 more, the season will feel incomplete. Four more wins will bring joy and pandemonium to the greater Philadelphia region (and probably some rioting, but I digress). If the Phillies want to take a celebration drive down Broad Street, they’ll need to use these keys:


Cole Hamels in Game 1: The fully rested Phillies have set up their rotation exactly how they like it. Their ace--and NLCS MVP--will get the ball in the opener. The first game of any series is always important, but that gets cranked up a notch for the Phils in game 1 because it’s the only game in which the Phillies will have the pitching advantage. Myers, Moyer, and Blanton don’t measure up to the like of James Shields, Andy Sonnanstine and ALCS MVP Matt Garza. A loss in game one will create a massive hole in Philly’s title hopes.

Greg Dobbs: As has already been mentioned on this site, Greg Dobbs will play a big role. He is, by far, the best bat the Phillies have on their bench. And with an extra hitter in the line-up thanks to the DH, Dobbs should have his name written into the starting line-up a few times in this series. Dobbs hits .311 against right-handers this year, and deserves every opportunity to play, whether it’s as the DH or starting at third.

Shaking the Lay-Off: The Phillies needed only 5 games to get past the Dodgers. It saved us fans from getting too stressed out. But was it too easy? It will be a full week off when the Phils take the field on Wednesday night. History doesn’t favor such a long lay off. The last two World Series losers each had at least 6 days off. The Phils need to get off to a good start and prove that the rest isn’t rust.

Keeping the Rays in the Yard: The Phillies hit more home runs than any other team in the National League. But it’s the Rays who have used the long ball to get here. Tampa has pounded out 22 home runs this postseason compared to only 10 for Philly. Add in the Citizens Bank Park effect, and this series could turn into a slugfest. The Phils can play homer ball with the best of ‘em, but it’s probably a better idea to try and keep the Rays on this side of the wall.

Ryan Howard: Through 9 postseason games, Ryan Howard is hitting only .258 with 3 RBI. Even though Howard did go 6 for 12 with 4 runs scored in the final three games against the Dodgers, the MVP candidate will need to increase his productivity if he wants to hoist hardware. The Phils got this far without a whole lot of help from their first baseman, but the World Series is a whole different ball game.

A World Series title is within reach. A few hits here. A few runs there. It’s a simple formula: Win four games before you lose four games. Philly’s 25 years without a title could change if the Phils follow the keys to victory.

The DH should be.....

The Tampa Bay Rays are our opponent in the World Series. Now that Charlie has picked our 4-man rotation, he will keep it the same as the Dodgers series. The one thing left to decide is the DH, as 4 games out of 7, we will need to use a DH. The Rays only have one left-handed starter, in Scott Kazmir. He will definitely pitch Game 1 or 2. How this hurts the Phils, is that we really do not have a solid right-handed bat off the bench. Chris Coste is the best player at the plate, however, needs to stay on the bench in case of injury to Ruiz. Due to this fact, we believe that Charlie should make Pat Burrell the DH for all games in Tampa, and play Dobbs out in left. Greg Dobbs has started in left field 3 times this season, and 4 times in right field, so he has the outfield experience. Dobbs has to be a defensive upgrade, not a huge upgrade, but we will no longer have to put Bruntlett out there in the bottom of the 7th/8th inning and possibly lose Burrell's bat in extra inning. Also, with Dobbs pinch hitting every day, it allows for Bruntlett to pinch hit when you need a right handed bat, and you would still have Jenkins and Stairs from the left side. There are a couple other scenarios the Phillies could choose to go with, such as Ryan Howard at DH, and Dobbs playing 1st base. However, we fell as if Dobbs playing left field, with Pat Burrell at DH gives the Phillies the optimal offensive and defensive lineup. The Phils lineup would look like this:

1. Rollins- SS
2. Victorino- CF
3. Utley- 2B
4. Howard- 1B
5. Burrell- DH
6. Werth- RF
7. Dobbs- LF
8. Feliz- 3B
9. Ruiz- C

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.