Phillies Win 4th Series in a Row

The Phillies won a series 2-1 against the Mets for the 2nd time in a little over a week. It was good to bounce back from the first game of the series when Mets knuckle baller R.A. Dickey dominated the Phillies.

There isn't much to say about the first game of the series as R.A. Dickey threw a complete game shutout, outdueling Cole Hamels. Hamels continues his strong play this season, by also throwing a complete game, and only allowing 1 run. The problem was the Phillies offense; it was bad, and the Phillies couldn't even muster a run against Dickey. The Phillies lost the game 1-0.

The 2nd game of the series, and needing a win, Halladay took the mound. All he did was his usual work; threw 8 scoreless innings, and the Phillies won the game 4-0. Again the Phillies offense wasn't great, but was good enough to win... especially with Halladay on the mound.

The rubber match was the ESPN Sunday night game last night, and then Phillies really needed to win this series, and did just that. The Phillies got a quality start from Kyle Kendrick, who only allowed 1 run, and the Phillies played some small ball to take the game 3-1. The Phillies took the series 2-1.

There are some offensive concerns coming out of this series. The Phillies only scored 7 runs in the 3 games. They are just lucky that the Mets have an even worse offense right now. There is some good news, as Chase Utley will probably make his return from the disabled list tomorrow as the Phillies are back home against the Giants this week for a 3 game series. The Phillies are currently tied with the Giants for the wild card lead. The Phillies remain 2 games back of the Braves for first place in the NL East. Ryan Howard is also due off the disabled list tomorrow, but it looks like he will sit out at least another week.

The Phillies definitely need to step up the offensive game. The Phillies are winning games, but it isn't going to last very long if they continue to struggle offensively. The Phillies have not hit a home run in a week. Hopefully the return of Utley, and the soon return of Howard will fix the home run drought.

Phillies Win 8th Straight

The Phillies have been on a tear lately, and a lot has been going on down at Citizens Bank Park, as the Phillies try to catch up to the Atlanta Braves.

The Phillies gained another game on the Braves today with their 8th win in a row tonight. They did it in walk off style to sweep the Diamondbacks, on an 11th inning RBI single from Wilson Valdez. How many people when the season started would have thought the Phillies would be winning a big game in late July on a walk off hit by Wilson Valdez, scoring Cody Ransom. Well tonight, the 6-7-8 hitters were huge, as Ransom, Ruiz, and Valdez all had good games. Ruiz has been ripping the cover off the ball the past few games.

This all comes the day after yesterday's 7-1 win... also known as the debut of Domonic Brown. Brown had a huge debut, going 2-3 with a double, a single, 2 RBI's, and 2 runs scored. Brown took his first at bat and almost went deep, taking a pitch and going off the top of the fence in right field. Brown is a 5 tool player who looks like he is the real deal. Roy Halladay's starts rarely go unnoticed, but when Domonic Brown was doing what he was doing, not many people noticed Halladay quietly dominating, as he has basically done all year long.

This is all being done as the Phillies are still missing key players in the lineup. Chase Utley remains out of the lineup, and will probably be out for another 3 weeks or so. Jimmy Rollins fouled a ball off his foot, and missed the last 3 games, but hopefully will return to the lineup. Shane Victorino strained his oblique in Tuesday night's game, which is why Domonic Brown is in the lineup. As much as I rip of Victorino, I don't like both him and Rollins being out of the lineup, as they are our 2 fastest players on the team.

With all the injuries, Ryan Howard has been a rock in the lineup. I believe there should start being some Ryan Howard MVP talk. Howard has struggled the past 2 days, but is batting .295 currently, and has been above .300 a lot of the season. He has 23 home runs, and leads the NL in RBI's by a long shot. Howard is probably around 2nd or 3rd in the current NL MVP pecking order but if the Phillies make the playoffs, Ryan Howard has to be strongly considered to win the award. Guys like Joey Votto, Adrian Gonzalez, and Albert Pujols are probably also in the mix.

Not only has Howard put up solid numbers all year long, he has been the guy who has stayed healthy. I am not blaming the guys who have been injured, but at any point if we lost Howard along with a Rollins, or Victorino, or especially Utley, the lineup would struggle big time. Howard has been the rock in the lineup, and there is no replacing him as the clean up hitter. Placido Polanco has been the only other guy who has been healthy and not gone into any type of slump.

Any way you look at it, the Phillies are playing great baseball right now, and hopefully will keep it up with Roy Oswalt joining the squad. The Phillies go on the road now, and start with a 3 game series in Washington. Roy Oswalt will be on the bump tomorrow night for the Phillies. The Phillies currently sit 2.5 games back of the first place Atlanta Braves, and it feels like they were about 7 games back a week ago.

Even though we were very frustrated as of recently, it is nice to have an enjoyable Phillies team to watch, and have a team to root for going into August and September, and then hopefully into the playoffs.

Phillies Need a Wake Up Call - Badly

The Phillies are in much need of a wake up call. The 2nd half of the season has gotten underway, and the Phillies have not yet started to play. They are a very easy Geovany Soto mishandled hop away from starting out the 2nd half 0-5.

The Phillies need someone on the team or on the coaching staff to get in the players faces, throw some chairs around, and start benching players. The Phillies are flat out a bad team right now, and since no one on the team is man enough to get in the other players faces, I will do my best to do it here.

Shane Victorino - You are playing like complete shit. In the top of the 7th tonight, with 2 on and 2 out, Shane Victorino came up and popped up the first pitch to the catcher. Sadly, we have seen Victorino and his stupid uppercut swing do this way too many times. Victorino is one of the dumbest baseball players I have ever seen, and actually had the audacity to sort of blame the fans for some of the Phillies struggles for not picking the Phillies up. You're right Shane, I forgot. It is our job as fans to pay money to come see you, and even though you make millions, it is our job to pick you up and cheer you on, and say go get 'em next time as you pop up first pitches. What is this, freakin little league? Should we have cheered, and said "nice try" as Shane jogged back to the dugout? Maybe Victorino should stay in St. Louis, where fans actually might do that. Just as an aside, Shane Victorino has 69 at bats this month, and has walked a grand total of 1 time. 1 time he took a walk.

This article was supposed to destroy a lot of players on the team, but I can't see to get past how bad Shane Victorino is. Let's try to move on. Jimmy Rollins is batting like .140 since he came back from the DL for good, which clearly isn't good from the leadoff spot. Since Rollins also never walks, the Phillies are getting from the leadoff spot. Jayson Werth is completely lost right now, and strikes out way too much. Werth actually has as many strikeouts as Ryan Howard does this year, and in about 50 fewer at bats. Not good.

Raul Ibanez is actually playing a little better the past month, but is well past his prime overall. I guess Ruben Amaro should be blamed for that more so than Ibanez, but he needs to step up his game also. I'm not going to blame Wilson Valdez, who shouldn't really be in a any position to be the man to try to jump start this pathetic offense.

Ryan Howard, Placido Polanco, and Carlos Ruiz have been solid all season. You can usually say that about Chase Utley, and even though he is on the injured list, he was not playing very well before he was on the injured list. If he continues to struggle down the stretch when he comes off the DL, Utley needs to be blamed as much as anyone for the Phillies season.

As for the pitching, the Phillies really only have 2 good starters, and everyone knew this coming into the season. Halladay has done everything he can do, and Cole Hamels has been better than most people actually thought he would be, including myself. Joe Blanton, Kyle Kendrick, and Jaime Moyer are jokes, and below average pitchers, and that is 60% of our starting staff. Cliff Lee would look real good right now, huh?

Also, Ruben Amaro deserves some of the blame as well. I don't need to re-hash the worst trade in Philadelphia sports that he pulled off, and the fact that Domonic Brown is still in the minors, destroying every level, as Raul Ibanez bats .250 in left field. You need to do everything you can to trade Ibanez. If not, I have been on record that you shouldn't trade Jayson Werth, but I wasn't expecting the Phillies to possibly be sellers at the deadline, and if the Phillies continue this free fall, they should try to trade Werth I think to get what they can, as he definitely will not be back next season.

Either way, the Phillies need some type of wake up call. I really hope one of the players steps up to the plate - not on the field - but instead in the locker room, to rustle a few feathers, and get in some players faces, to hopefully turn this season around.

Phillies Re-Up Howard

The Phillies extended Ryan Howard's contract today, giving him 5 more years on top of his existing contract, and $125 million. The deal lasts from the years 2012 through 2016, with a club option for 2017.

When the deal kicks in, it will make Howard the highest paid player in Phillies history, and the 2nd highest paid player in baseball if you average out the years. Howard will make $20 million each in 2012 and 2013. He will then make $25 million in 2014, 2015, and 2016. There is a club option on Howard in 2017 at $23 million, and if they buy him out at that time, it will be for $10 million.

This is definitely the right move to do, if the Phillies let Ryan Howard play in the 2011 season and he even played above average, teams would be throwing a lot of money at him. This secures a guy who will bat in the middle of the lineup for years to come. Howard is also a good guy, and good team player, and a guy who seems like he will work hard after getting a big pay day, wanting to win for the fans and the city.

The bigger question is now what the Phillies plan on doing with Jayson Werth or Raul Ibanez. Amaro gave a terrible contract to Ibanez, who is off to a slow start this year. Not surprising, since Ruben Amaro made the worst trade Philadelphia has seen in quite some time. Anyways, this is probably Werth's last season as a Phillie, unless they did sign him to a long term deal, they would need to go way over payroll next season since Ibanez will still be getting paid. If the Phillies could keep Werth, and eventually let Dominic Brown replace Ibanez, that would be optimal.

The Phillies also could use Werth or Ibanez as a trading chip to acquire a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. Obviously the Phillies would rather unload Ibanez, but probably won't be able to get much for him, especially if he still keeps playing the way he is. The Phillies, unfortunately, due to not having God, I mean Cliff Lee on the team, are in need of starting pitching. Ever starter except for Halladay has gotten off to a bad start. You know its not a good thing when I am looking forward to Moyer's next start.

Philadelphia Phillies All-Decade Team

The Phillies all-decade team was not too hard to come up with to be honest, especially since the team has been solid most of the decade, especially recently, and has a team with great offensive players, and full of all-stars and MVP’s. Jim Thome deserves mention, but Howard still easily gets the nod at 1st base. Even though Scott Rolen is not much a Philly guy, we went with Rolen at 3rd base. The only other discussion we had was Victorino or University of Pennsylvania's own Doug Glanville in CF. We went with Victorino. Team MVP was a tough choice considered there are 2 actual league MVP’s on this team, and that doesn’t include Chase Utley. We went with Rollins for the MVP because he has been with the team since before we became one of the best in the league.

Here is our Philadelphia Phillies all-decade team--

1B- Ryan Howard
2B- Chase Utley
SS- Jimmy Rollins
3B- Scott Rolen

LF- Pat Burrell

CF- Shane Victorino

RF- Bobby Abreu

Catcher- Mike Lieberthal

Starter: Cole Hamels
Closer: Brad Lidge

Lineup

1. Rollins
2. Abreu
3. Utley
4. Howard
5. Rolen
6. Burrell
7. Victorino
8. Lieberthal
9. Hamels

Manager: Charlie Manuel

MVP: Jimmy Rollins

Close Calls: Jim Thome, Doug Glanville

Did Phils Win Battle With Howard?

Ryan Howard signed a 3 year, $54 million dollar deal over the weekend. The deal makes Howard the highest paid player in Philadelphia sports today. This contract also allows Howard and the Phils to avoid the dreaded arbitration hearings. Howard's deal averages $18 million a year for 3 years, which is what Howard was asking for in this years' arbitration hearing. This seems to be on the surface a terrific deal from the Phillies perspective. Also, only committing 3 years to Howard should also work to the Fightin's advantage, as Howard might be past his prime in 3 years. That way, when his contract has expired, we can allow the Yanks or Sox to overpay for him in 2012. This deal seems perfect for the Phils, and I am surprised that Howard took it as it was always reported that he was looking for a long, very high paying contract. Also, by signing a 3 year deal, this is not the last time that Ryan Howard is going to want a big pay day. If he continues to play great baseball, he will be rewarded with an even bigger contract in 2012. This will hopefully keep Howard motivated throughout the 3 years of his contract. I don't think Howard is the type of player who would start playing poorly even if he had a real long term deal, but it's good to know that he will continue to be motivated by his next big deal.

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 Win Game 3

The Phillies beat the Rays in Game 3 of the World Series, in a wild game that featured a little bit of everything. It rained throughout the day, and Phillies fans were checking the weather forecast as much as anything else. It had all the feelings of what would turn out to be a wild game, even before it started.

The Phillies got on the board early, which was important, as Jimmy Rollins finally got a hit, and led off with a single. An RBI groundout by Utley allowed Rollins to score. It would still be nice if the Phillies could get a hit with a runner in scoring position, but it was nice to see a run generated. The Rays answered in the top of the 2nd, with a sac fly, allowing Carl Crawford to score. Carlos Ruiz, who has been amazing in this World Series turned on a ball in the bottom of the 2nd, and hit it out to left field to make it 2-1. The Phillies then got back-to-back home runs in the 6th off Garza to make it 4-1. The Rays would answer. The Rays got two runs in the 7th, which was the result of a blown call at 1st base that went against the Phillies. Another run crossed the plate in the 8th for the Rays to tie the game at 4.

Then came the bottom of the 9th. Eric Bruntlett was leading off the bottom of the 9th, as he had come in as a defensive replacement for Burrell. Bruntlett got hit with a pitch to start off the inning. Victorino squared around to bunt as the next batter, and a wild pitch was thrown. Then, Navarro, the catcher threw the ball into the outfield trying to get Bruntlett going to 2nd. Bruntlett advance to 3rd. Victorino was walked, and so was Dobbs, setting up the bases loaded with 0 outs, and Ruiz at the plate. The Rays used five infielders on the play, and Ruiz hit a swinging bunt right down the 3rd base line to score Bruntlett, and allow the Phillies to take a 2-1 series lead.

Jamie Moyer was amazing in this game, and only allowed 3 runs and went 6.1 innings. In the 7th inning, Carl Crawford bunted down the first base line. Moyer flew off the mound, and was on the ball, making a diving, then flipping out of his glove play to Howard, all in one motion. Crawford was called safe, however, replays clearly showed that the play beat the runner, and to be honest, it wasn't even close. This opened the door for the Rays two runs in the 7th. Give credit to Moyer, who came out dealing, in a game where they said that he shouldn't even be pitching.

It made it all the more exciting that the game wasn't over until 1:47 a.m. Sunday morning. Kotite's Corner was down at the stadium complex for the game, and the atmosphere was amazing.

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-Rays Breakdown

The Phillies will begin play against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday. Let's break down how these two teams stack up in some key areas--

HITTING

Both of these teams feature very good offenses, which rely heavily on the home run ball to generate runs. The Rays have been smashing the ball this postseason, especially in their series against the Red Sox. The Rays hit 17 home runs in that series, an ALCS record. With guys like B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, and Phillie killer Cliff Floyd, the Rays are not going to be an easy offense to contend with. The Phillies also have speed at the top of the order, and power in the middle. We still have really yet to see Rollins, Utley, and Howard all play well offensively at the same time this postseason. We expect Shane Victorino to bat 2nd most of the series, and Greg Dobbs to be the extra man in the order. The Phillies will need to find a way to keep getting big hits in big moments to win this series.
Advantage: PUSH

STARTING PITCHING

The Rays come into the series with 4 good starting pitchers. The Phillies feature probably the best starting pitcher in the series in Cole Hamels, and then a lot of question marks. Brett Myers has been solid late in the season, but struggles on the road, where he will be the Game 2 starter. Jaime Moyer has looked awful in his 2 postseason starts, and while Joe Blanton has still yet to lose a game as a Phillie, he isn't anything more than a slightly above average pitcher. It looks like the Phillies will go with their 4-man rotation that they have used so far in the playoffs in both previous rounds. This means that Cole Hamels has to win both games he pitches, and Brett Myers needs to win at least one. It is very important for the Phillies to take the lead early in all of these games, as they are much better when playing from ahead.
Advantage: RAYS

BULLPEN

The Phillies bullpen is probably a little deeper, with guys such as Romero, Madson, Durbin, and Eyre, any of which can come into a critical situation and get a big out. Everyone knows the numbers on Lidge, and what you will get when he comes into the game, that goes without saying. The Rays, however, have three left-handers in their bullpen, which will help them in a series against a team that struggles against left-handed pitching. One of those left-handers the Rays have is David Price, the former #1 overall pick last season. The less we see of David Price, the better for the Phillies.
Advantage: PHILLIES

The matchups appear to be fairly even, and again it will come down to who makes the critical plays at the big moments.

On a side note, Philly’s own, Jayson Stark is the man.

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.

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 NLCS Preview

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the NLCS. I'll say it again.... the Phillies are in the NLCS. It's hard to believe, because it hasn't happened since 1993. Anytime you are in the playoffs in baseball, it is exciting, because not many teams make it like the other professional sports. Now, the Phillies are in the NLCS, only 4 wins away from going to the World Series, and we are excited as hell for Game 1.

PITCHING

The Phillies should start out with the same four starters they used against the Brewers, going with Hamels, Myers, Moyer, and Blanton. I would assume Hamels would pitch game 5 if necessary, and Myers game 6, then who knows how they would work it for Game 7, probably Moyer. The Dodgers have some very good starters of their own, who have all been pitching well lately. Their first three starters will be Lowe, Billingsley, and Kuroda. The Phillies do not have much success off of that trio of right-handers. The pitching appears to be fairly even and will come down to which starting pitching staff is pitching well at the right time. Both starting pitching staffs were impressive in the teams' first round series. Both teams bring to the series a very good bullpen, and in a 7 game series matching two teams that appear to be fairly equal, the bullpen is sure to decide a game or two. The Dodgers have multiple lefties in their bullpen, who will no doubt be called upon to get Utley and Howard out at critical times in the series.

BATTING

The Phillies offense was the superior offense throughout most of the season. But with the Dodgers mid-season acquisition of Manny Ramirez, their offense has been hitting on all cylinders late in the season and into the playoffs. The Dodgers lineup features a few playoff-tested veterans, and some very young players, who have never been this far in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how the Dodgers young players look in a hostile playoff environment. It will also be interesting to see how the Phillies approach Manny Ramirez, who has two world series rings, and can get it done in the postseason. Andre Ethier batted behind Ramirez in their series against the Cubs, and is one of the aforementioned young players in the Dodgers lineup. The Phillies throw out a very inconsistent offense, which is usually very good from batters 1-6, and pretty bad from batters 7-9. Obviously, going six batters deep in any lineup is not too shabby, both all six of those players (Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Burrell, and Werth) need to produce if the Phillies want to win. Just as the Phillies have decisions to make on how to approach Ramirez at the plate, the Dodgers have to figure out how they are going to pitch to Utley, and Howard. The two lefties have not gotten off to a good start in the first series against the Brewers, both batting under .200. However, both of them faced more than half of their at-bats against left-handed pitching.

INTANGIBLES

The managing has to favor the Dodgers. It's not a coincidence that the Dodgers have gotten this far with Joe Torre as their manager, and the Yankees did not even make the playoffs for the first time in forever. Joe Torre has been here before, many times, and knows the right moves to make, and will approach this as just another game on his way to another world series. Charlie Manuel is mostly untested in the playoffs, especially as Phillies manager. I give Uncle Charlie a lot of credit for the way he has managed this season, and in the first round of the playoffs. Manuel may make questionable decisions on when/who he pinch hits, and who he brings out of the bullpen, but the team played very loose against the Brewers, and that is a credit to Manuel. Manuel has to do his best to try to match Joe Torre now, but Manuel should stick to what he does best - adjust his hitters when he sees something they are doing at the plate, and keep the players loose; do not let the players get wrapped up in the fact that they are four wins away from appearing in the World Series.

The home field I think is very important in baseball, and the Phillies will get 4 out of 7 games at home, which is a big deal. Our home crowd was unbelievable in the NLDS, and I feel like we really gave a boost to the players on the team. Players such as Rollins, Victorino, Myers, and Burrell seem to feed off the crowd's energy, and there are no better fans than here in Philadelphia, especially when the energy coming from the fans is positive. Most important in regard to the home field advantage, are Games 1 and 2. The Phillies have to use their knowledge of the park, and hopefully get some good umpiring, and some help from the fans to hold down our fort, Citizens Bank Park.

Game 1 of the NLCS is Thursday night at 8:00 EDT, on Fox. The starting pitching matchup is Hamels vs. Lowe.

Phillies Travel to Milwaukee for Game 3

The Fightin’ Phillies look to sweep the Brewers in Game 3 of the NLDS, coming into the game with a 2-0 series lead. Jaime Moyer will take the mound game 3 for the Phillies, opposed by Dave Bush, a Philadelphia area native. Shane Victorino had the big hit in Game 2, but look for Chase Utley and Ryan Howard to have big games against the right-handed Bush. Both players are due for a big game. Shane Victorino will probably stay in the 2-hole in the lineup and Werth, who also had a very good Game 2, will continue to bat 6th.

The series is far from over, as the Brewers are very good in their home park, so look for them to come out and play a good game 3. It won’t be easy to keep the Brewers bats quiet for a 3rd game. If anybody is up to the task, it is definitely Moyer, who is the ultimate wily veteran, and doesn’t get rattled easily. Not to mention, he has been amazing all year, especially down the stretch in big games. Even if Moyer doesn’t have his usual great stuff, the Phillies offense should be able to get runs off of Bush. The Phillies have also had the luxury of not needing to score off the bad Brewers bullpen. If this game is close late, the Phillies have a great chance to win, with the superior ‘pen. Another key will be doing what the Phillies have done in Games 1, and 2; make the Brewers throw pitches. The Phillies have gotten the Brewers starting pitchers, Gallardo, and Sabathia both out of the game early, due to large pitch counts. The Phillies hitters need to stay patient, and stick to their game plan.

The Phillies have a 2-0 series lead, Game 3 is Saturday, 6:30 p.m. EDT.

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.

Phillies Postseason Preview: Better Than Last Year?

When the Phillies clinched the NL East on the final day of the season last year, pandemonium was unleashed. The champagne flowed like Niagara Falls on a warm summer day. And deservedly so. It had been 14 years since Philly fans could cheer for October baseball. But the celebration was short lived. Four days after the postseason began, the Phils returned from Colorado the victims of a sweep.

But this year will be different. This team is better and more prepared to play in the fall chill. Let me explain:

Last year, the team—and the city for that matter—was just happy with getting to the postseason. A playoff berth was a win unto itself. So let’s chalk up last year as a learning experience. They got their first nibble, liked what they tasted, and now they’re back for a full meal.

The Phillies had the luxury of not playing catch-up the entire month of September this year. Coming back from 7 ½ games with 17 games to play took its toll on the 2007 club. No such hole this year. They even took a rest on the season’s last game. It gave them a chance to realize what they accomplished, celebrate and then get back to work.

The starting pitching is much better than it was a season ago. Cole Hamels’ durability issues were put to rest when the lanky lefty led the league in innings pitched. The Phils ace will start game 1 with a full week’s rest. Brett Myers, we hope, has gotten his bad starts behind him. And Jamie Moyer is the epitome of consistent.

The bullpen is experienced and ready to go. Brad Lidge anchors a bullpen who has been the anchor of this team all year. Even Ryan Madson seems ready to pitch in the postseason. JC Romero, Chad Durbin and Scott Eyre are all reliable arms with playoff experience.

And then there’s Ryan Howard. The big first baseman is hitting the ball better than he ever has in his short career. His 11 bombs and 32 RBI earned him player of the month honors, and put the slugger in the perfect mindset.

The keys to this series will be winning game 1, especially since Sabathia lined up to pitch game 2. Basically with Sabathia scheduled to probably pitch games 2 and 5, the Phillies need to at least win every game in which Sabathia does not pitch. Brett Myers will be a key, and hopefully can pitch well enough to steal a game away from Sabathia in Game 2. Rollins, Utley, and Howard will obviously need to hit, unlike last postseason, and the bullpen will need to continue to be strong and keep the Phillies in games.

Position for position (CC Sabathia notwithstanding) the Phillies have the edge in every match-up. From starting rotation to the bench, the advantage goes to Philly. This isn’t the Rockies who came into the postseason on a miracle run a year ago. This is the Brewers. They’re the Phillies of last year. They’re just happy to be there. And hopefully, like the Phillies, they’ll be swept.