Time Is on Jayson Werth’s Side

Last week the lady behind the counter at Wawa told me people are always nice when the sun shines and the Phillies win.

 

Well, it’s a great time to work at Wawa.

 

And a perfect time to be a Phillies’ fan. I’ve only lived here a few years but I remember vividly the scorching summer day in 2007 when I walked into my sister’s house and announced, “I heard the Phils can sweep the Mets today and we have to be there.”

 

The eerie part was I don’t know where that came from. Sure I grew up in a household with a faith based strongly on sports, and my dad had a city league softball team for most of my youth, but something moved me that day. And when those words escaped from my mouth (without a few choice ones that come from the potty) I knew the Phillies had entered my soul.

 

Since then, my sister has supplied me with enough season tickets to make attending games a part-time job.

 

And she gave me my birthday present early. Yesterday I read my very own subscription of the Philadelphia Inquirer . How fitting that the front page was plastered with Jayson Werth, the man who earned a place in more of my posts than any other and was smeared across the blanket that wrapped around me in section 131 as the Phillies clinched the series.

 

And how fitting that, in my first very own Inquirer , I counted 12 pages of NLCS coverage. My only question is, is 12 pages enough?

 

The fact is it’s packed with so much team news and stats I’m going to change the name to The Phillie Inquirer .

 

As I read the pages, one thing became evident: Game Five proved that even if all we have left is the audacity to hope, it’s still hope.

 

For example, Cole Hamels squelched the life from the crowd by falling to 3-0 in the very first count but then earned a K. It was obvious the ace was in trouble when he’d thrown 75 pitches after only four innings, and I was about to kick his butt when he threw back-to-back changeups to Andre Ethier that stabbed me with déjà vu like that third consecutive changeup Manny Ramirez released into the seats in Game One.

But then he redeemed himself with a fastball followed by a strike three changeup. Sure he gave up three home runs on 94 pitches over only 4 1/3 innings, but all of it is such yesterday’s news that I can’t even find out what pitch he was throwing that didn’t work.  

 

Poor Chase Utley was 0 for 4 with two backwards K’s, one forward one, and a ground out. As a mom my first instinct was to take his temperature. But the walk he drew tied the record of 25 consecutive times on base in the postseason and made it all better.

 

Jayson Werth-it had a postseason average below .080 when he stepped to the plate for the first time in Game Five but then hit a three-run home run with two outs on a full count. And just to prove it wasn’t a performance issue, he hit one out in the seventh. But as if we’re all Zen masters, his previous postseason shortcomings were forgotten faster than it takes Cialis to work.

 

Rocking Ryan Howard settled for a tie with Lou Gehrig for eight consecutive postseason RBI by failing to earn one on Wednesday, but that MVP award makes everything else a slow news day.

 

And don’t even get me started on the bullpen. Okay, you did. When No. 37 ran in from the bullpen, we didn’t know if it’d be “Disturbin Durbin” or the “Durbinator” throwing pitches. But not only did he earn the win, he got another nickname. A guy behind us called him, “Chad Lidge.”

 

Of course we were hoping the Chan Ho Park that earned a spot as a great long reliever in the regular season would step to the mound with that same dynamic style. But my husband calls him CHP for a reason—not for his initials, for his inconsistency. Well, “Can He Pitch,” bailed himself out of the eighth after giving up only one.

 

But when Mad Dog Madson started missing the strike zone like a bad skeeball game, could we continue to consider a six run lead a safety zone? Well, I have a holiday plate that has a piece of mistletoe and a sleigh bell painted just about the word, “Believe.” And it’s not just talking about Santa Claus.

 

Lights Out ran in from the bullpen to a different song Wednesday night—one that still sounds like it was sung by Metallica. And we all know Metallica is its own band, just like Lidge is his own man. He accepted responsibility for his shortcomings all season as well as remained humble with his achievements, but I don’t think I was the only one holding my breath in the ninth.

 

Again hope prevailed.

 

Late in the game, Charlie Manuel came to the mound to the lyrics from, “Dance Like a Freak,” and looked like one when he broke into a jog back to the dugout (losing all that weight didn’t make him light on his feet). But he addressed the crowd after the win like his tongue was on steroids. Charlie will tell you, baseball is a game of 27 outs and he plays every one of them.

 

So, hope that Game Five would finish with a 4-1 series win was evident even from the start. A spirit of celebration filled the stands before the first pitch was ever thrown, and even persisted through the noxious gas someone continued to pass in row 24. I considered it just another way people in the City of Brotherly Love like to share.

 

And could the city be witnessing the best Phillies team ever? Is it too early to say that Ruben Amaro, Jr. successfully expanded on the consistently winning picks of Pat Gillick to put the frosting on the 2008 World Series cake to create a Philadelphia phenomenon? Could our kids be watching a team so dominant that a new era of Philadelphia baseball has emerged?

 

We all know winning two straight pennants, earning unprecedented back-to-back World Series appearances, and setting the record of winning 16 of 20 NL postseason games takes time. It takes patience and time. It’s a primordial soup of recruiting, scouting, practicing, discussing, planning, managing, and luck. But really, it all comes down to executing.

 

Now we have seven days to savor the execution of this one. And seven days to discuss, debate, plan, pray, prepare, and predict.

 

But for a city that loves its sports, is seven days enough time?

 

I’ll let you know on Wednesday.

 

Go Phils!

 

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As Phils Clinch Series Berth, TBS Presses Torre to Name Game Six Starter

Despite the Philadelphia Phillies seemingly ending the National League Championship Series in a brief and dominant five games, TBS is pushing Los Angeles Dodger manager Joe Torre to name a Game Six starting pitcher.  

“You really never know. The Dodgers are such a fantastic team and have come back so many times this year, ” TBS play-by-play man and legacy hire Chip Caray said, “it would make a lot of baseball sense to do it.” 

When reminded that in fact, the Phillies just won to go to their second straight World Series, Caray replied, “Yeah, but LA plays all 27 outs and you really have to respect that.” 

Caray was far from alone in his view, “(Dodger Manager) Joe (Torre) should really know better,” Caray’s partner Buck Martinez said with his grating metal scraping on concrete voice, “pitchers like to know when they’re pitching and this LA fight likes a bunch of hungry street kids.”  

Martinez even went one step further, “Hey when this series started I picked LA and I stand by my prediction. We’re talking about a team that was second in the National League in comeback wins. You just can’t count them out.”

Second to the Phillies, it might be added. 

When pressed at his somber post game press conference, Torre seemed incredulous, “Did you just ask me who I’m starting in Game Six?,” the cagey veteran manager replied with all the media savvy eleven years in New York can give you. 

TBS sideline reporter and habitual drunk dresser, Craig Sager caught up with Dodger starter Randy Wolf after the game and asked him if he wanted the ball for Game Six. Wolf replied with a terse, “Go f— yourself retard,” further complicating the LA pitching predicament and the TBS mindset.  

Even after Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard, who hit .333 with 2HRs and 8 RBIs for the series, was named NLCS MVP and handed the actual trophy, the intrepid TBS crew soldiered on. 

“Awards and trophies and all that are fine but winning in the post season is really what it’s all about,” Caray’s other partner Ron Darling said. “And right now it looks like the Phillies are too worried about making speeches and accepting trophies. I really think the Dodgers have them right where they want them.” 

Martinez could barely contain his agreement with Darling but continued to openly question the managing tactics of Torre, “He really did himself a disservice tonight by giving the quick hook to Padilla and running through that bullpen they way he did. He really acted like this was an elimination game or something.” 

“Great point Buck,” Darling added in agreement, “Torre definitely panicked tonight.” 

Incredibly, even as Chip Caray was getting blinded with champagne and pelted with empty 16-ounce cans of Bud Light by Phillies players and front office personnel, he kept at it. “I’m happy for Philly, I really am. But all this celebrating is bound to take it’s toll. All I know is that TBS will be in LA on Saturday, ready for baseball and ready for this explosive Dodger offense to take flight.” 

 

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Has the Phillies’ Cole Hamels Let Success Go to His Head?

It’s the clinching game for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 National League Championship Series, and their 2008 ace takes the mound.

With two outs in the first inning, Andre Ethier stands in.

Hamels gets the sign from catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Fastball, away.

Hamels shakes him off.

TBS’s cameras zoom in to show Ruiz again, dropping his index finger, pressed against his left leg.

Fastball, away.

Cut back to reveal Hamels, dropping his chin in disgust, sighing, and stepping off the mound.

Ruiz quickly visits the mound to quickly to diffuse this little temper tantrum. 

As a parent of a two-year-old boy, I’ve learned redirection is sometimes the easiest way to regain control of situation when the little one objects to daddy’s request.

So Ruiz retreats to his crouch behind the plate, and sets up outside.

Except Hamels misses his mark.

Mr. Ether did not.

And all of a sudden, it’s 1-0 Dodgers and Cole Hamels looks like he’s thinking, “OMG, whatever,” prompting my buddy Thom—also a die-hard Phillies fan—to text me, “Cole is such a bitch.”

In the bottom of the inning, while the Phillies are starting to mount their comeback, TBS cameras catch Hamels staring out on the field, just shaking his head.

Dude, grow up.

This isn’t the first time this season—or even this series—that Hamels has shown a lack of maturity on the mound.

In Game One against the Dodgers, Hamels threw his arms up in the air when Chase Utley was unable to turn a sure doubleplay ball.

Back in the NLDS against Colorado, Hamels slapped his glove at the ball when Ryan Howard threw the ball away after a good pickoff move from the pitcher should have had Phillie-killer Carolos Gonzalez picked off.

Manuel was quoted as saying he was going to have a word with the young lefthander.

“First of all, I think Cole is more professional than that, and I think that right there is kind of being in control of yourself, and I know he’s much better than that,” Manuel told Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia.

“You can’t show up a teammate and I did that,” Hamels said. “I walked back to the dugout and said, ‘Oops I hope nobody saw that.’”

Yeah, we saw it Cole.

And apparently, you didn’t learn your lesson yet.

What’s with this guy?

Last season, the Phillies rode their now-25-year-old left-handed wunderkind all the way to its first championship in 28 years.

Hamels was brilliant last postseason, evidenced by his NLCS and World Series MVP awards.

But 2009 has been anything but brilliant.

It certainly started good enough for the tall, dark and lanky left-hander. He signed a three-year, $20.5 million contract on January 17 of this year.

He’s been on Letterman. He has his own insurance commercial.

And, oh yeah, he’s married to the former Heidi Strobel. You know, the blonde bombshell Playboy pinup and Survivor castaway.

The two just welcomed their first child into the world, Caleb, on October 9. Heidi went into labor during Cole’s start against Colorado.

Of course, watching Hamels pitch lately has nearly sent me into labor.

And I’m a dude.

Hamels went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in this past regular season—a far cry from his 4-0 postseason last October.

Perhaps it’s frustration with his own performance that’s causing Hamels to act out?

Was it nerves about his impending fatherhood? I remember my head wasn’t so clear in the months leading up to the birth of my first child. The Eagles’ Donovan McNabb seemed to suffer from the same symptoms leading up to the birth of his twins at the end of last year.

Is it now sleep deprivation from a screaming kid at night?

Is it a lack of focus because he was able to reach the mountaintop so young, he just expects it will happen again without putting in the same amount of work?

That would surprise me, because the rest of his Phillies teammates seem to have realized what had to be done to return to the World Series for this second consecutive season.

Whatever the case, Cole is going to get the ball again this World Series. The odds of a Phillies repeat increase significantly if he can regain the magical form he displayed last year.

His nickname is “Hollywood” after all—he likes the bright lights.

But that name also offers a cautionary tale, for Hollywood has seen many a bright, rising star come crashing down into obscurity after getting caught up in the limelight.

Hamels would be wise to remember what got him to the summit in the first place.

 

Information gathered from Comcast SportsNet, ESPN.com, Rotoworld.com, Wikipedia and Philly.com contributed to this article

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Philadelphia Phillies: Subdued Celebration a By-Product of Expectations

I bet you can remember your first kiss. It’s likely that you can remember your first car. And I’m sure you can remember your first drink, right? …right?

How about that second kiss? What car did you drive after your first lemon? And after that first drink, well, it’s all down hill from there.

The point is familiarity begins to set in. That first kiss created a feeling unlike anything you had ever felt before. The first time you revved your engine etched a memory forever in your consciousness. And the first drink, actually, never mind.

And that’s where the Phillies find themselves today. The day after clinching their second World Series appearance in as many years, the team unquestionably feels different than they did at this time last year.

They are undoubtedly mindful at the opportunity before them, thankful for the success they’ve already achieved, and hopeful about finding similar successes for years to come.

But for the players, coaches, and fans of this Phillies team, this is not 2008. The jubilation of last year will be hard to match. Ever.  

To many, it was the first season in their lifetime that ever ended with their team walking off the field a champion.

To many, it was the culmination of decades of fan-ship without ever reaching the ultimate pinnacle.

It was the validation of their passion after thousands of hours watching, countless dollars spent, weeks of sleepless nights, and far too many of those drinks that make you forget about the hopeless futility of your team.

But last October it all seemed so worth it. The way you felt after Carlos Ruiz squeezed his glove for one final out, the emotions that ran through your veins when Brad Lidge fell to his knees as a champion, the thoughts that raced through your head as you realized the far-reaching implications of what had just transpired—all of it, every bit of it, was what you waited for.

That night, you were no longer a loser. You had climbed every seemingly insurmountable mountain right there with your team.

Your buddy from New York could no longer persecute you. Your cousin from Massachusetts would finally have to keep his mouth shut. Now it was your turn to brag. Finally.

So when Ronnie Belliard’s pop-fly landed softly into Shane Victorino’s glove last night, don’t fret if you didn’t quite get the same feeling as last year. It doesn’t mean you’re any less a fan, or even any less excited.

It is simply impossible to duplicate such a new, unique feeling. It was an emotional high many diehards have never, ever felt.

We may get to that emotional level again, but not this quickly, not this year.

This year we are all victims of expectations. Last year’s championship validated these Phillies. It reassured us of their place as a juggernaut in this league.

So what made last year so much different? Why did last year seem to occupy every waking thought we had for one, fast-paced month?

Because last year carried the element of surprise. Perhaps we all knew this team had the capability to achieve such success, but being a fan so long has trained all of us to temper expectations.

You see, we fans have gotten so used to having our hearts ripped out, that it was foolish to put your faith in any team that called Philadelphia home.

Volcanic explosions are so violent when they burst because of the years of pressure building up inside them. They simmer. They wait. And then finally, in one magnificent feat of Mother Nature, they burst.

Last year, Philadelphia burst.

And when that most glorious ring was finally presented to all the players and coaches this past April, it officially closed the book on one of the finest professional athletic achievements to ever grace The City of Brotherly Love.

We all felt like we owned a little piece of each ring. That our initials were also engraved in that fleeting piece of jewelry.

So now is the second time around. This feels like a second kiss. The second car, the next in a long line of drinks. We know how to react this time around. We know what to expect. We know how it felt.

This feeling of superiority is rare for the Philadelphia fan. So take solace in the fact that we are the first set of Phillies fans to ever witness this type of sustained success. Feel thankful that this organization is firing on all cylinders, and is set up perfectly to do so for a very long time.

But do not be disappointed if you don’t quite feel the same excitement as last year. It’s not possible. It’s not coming.

Rather, cheer on your beloved Phillies as they take another step towards becoming one of the most successful franchises in American sports this decade. Watch anxiously as this team comprised of pure grit and talent closes in on dynastic status.

But most importantly, get used to this feeling of success, because the end is nowhere in sight.

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Statement: Phillies Confirm How to Play Like Champs

You practically can feel the loving wealth, spreading around the streets of Philly. At a point when Philly cheese steaks aren’t as tasty or lovable as the Philadelphia Phillies, the rabid town has again gone nuts, not over the Eagles or Michael Vick’s craze, not over the Sixers season-opener next week, and definitely not over the Flyers.

For now, a fervid and rambunctious crowd is crazy for the Phillies on a raucous Broad Street, where the uncontrollable fanatics are wilder than the Philly Phanatic, celebrating back-to-back appearances in the World Series.

No wonder there’s a crack in the Liberty Bell, when loud echoes are heard in an entire community that gives its heart to the luckiest franchise in Philly this century. No wonder why boos have turned into cheers the last few seasons.

So, on another frigid night at Citizens Bank Park, the large capacity crowd erupted on nearly each homer crushed out of the hitters-friendly park. Much of the night, fans erupted with spirit and sounded off with “Beat L.A.!” chants.  

That’s technically all you need to know, describing a well-experienced and mettlesome core predicating the factual character of champs. After all, entering the season, the Phillies knew what it took.

Despite struggling and overcoming adversity, Philadelphia never quit and raised intensity a notch when producing wins suddenly became meaningful. Similar to last year, the Phillies informed the entire world where the champion banners belong.

Similar to last year, they overmatched the Dodgers, having fun and precisely romping Los Angeles in five games to clinch the NLCS with a four-games-to-one differential.

Greater than clinching the National League Title, the Phillies are in good position to become the first back-to-back world champion from the NL in 33 years.

If the Phillies happen to fulfill that agenda and write a new chapter in the history books, they will be the first franchise to complete such an unforeseen achievement since the Cincinnati Reds defined tenacity, longevity, and unity in the 1970’s. 

The Phillies constitute greatly the same features, staying together as a unified core and illustrating the significance of having chemistry.

Meanwhile, Joe Torre’s squad is still growing. The Dodgers have good chemistry inside the clubhouse, but a feeble rotation was a vital factor in a horrid letdown.

Missing out at the non-waiver trade deadline badly blemished the Dodgers, like watching Rocky Balboa in a one-sided heavyweight fight, or similar to watching Vick single-handedly thrash defenders in the” Wildcat” formation and rush for all-purpose yards.

No need to take a guess. Our country was earnestly awaiting a Broadway vs. Hollywood, New York vs. Los Angeles, Steinbrenner vs. Torre, Yankees-Dodgers World Series. A newborn rivalry was waiting to produce fresh blood, but now it has the makings of an East Coast clash among two top-profile clubs with large influences on the market.

When it consists of two teams with dangerous sluggers, a pair of strikeout aces, an epic classic is bound to happen.

For instance, take Ryan Howard, a legitimate big man who beautifully makes contact with a hard-throwing pitch to crush a massive shot, which normally goes the distance.

He’s the high-profile hitter who emerged as a slugging machine, depositing nearly all baseballs into the stands. Believed to be one of the purest hitters in the game, $5 foot-longs at Subway are a factor, lifting his performance level. That’s one way to enhance your performance level, right?

Not much of a factor in Game Five, Howard was greatly appreciated at the end of the night. He was honored with the series Most Valuable Player award, and absorbed more chants and cheers, rather than boos. As the Phillies still believe with enough zest to win it all, Howard said excitedly, “We have one more step: then we got action.” 

The cleverest general manager, Ruben Amaro Jr., also stood before the crowd thanking all the loyal fans for their support, when credit goes to him for assembling and bringing in proper necessities to contend for back-to-back jubilance.

He was very successful in fortifying the rotation, realizing how shaky the bullpen was for much of the year. All his savvy arrangements paid off, and now Philadelphia advances to the World Series again.

The Dodgers were hammered for the second straight year against a franchise that made smarter decisions and aggressively pursued the acquisition of depth, improving in the second half of the season. 

Heavily, the front L.A. office put too much effort in retaining Manny Ramirez. In the offseason Ned Colletti overacted, centered on continuous negotiations with baseball agent and manipulator Scott Boras, just to hold on to the Mannywood marketing product that has abruptly deteriorated.

There’s not much left to see from a so-called slugging wannabe who damn near contaminated an entire era as the masses never considered the Great Manny a bust. 

But his numbers have plunged since the league banned the most despised hitter in the game for a 50-game suspension. In just 32 at-bats the wannabe or Manny Being a Dope Idiot had disappointing results, finishing with a homer, four RBI and six strikeouts. Just from staring at the stat sheet, I noticed he had more strikeouts than RBI.

If you ask me, I just can’t see a player who falsified the game returning in a blue uniform.

Hopeful days are approaching for the Dodgers. In a 10-4 rout, Los Angeles lost swagger, but refused to leave without a fight. Despite losing, positive signs were presented when outfielder Andre Ethier and first baseman James Loney each belted solo shots.

The youth of the Dodgers are developing an identity, but they have yet risen to a premier level, needing to consolidate the pitching rotation.

In a series summarized by dominant pitching, despite a substandard bullpen, the Phillies relied on the brilliant heroics of Cliff Lee, a left-handed ace who throws, by far, the greatest breaking ball in the game.

Pedro Martinez was a stud and kept the Dodgers’ bats quiet. Martinez was a midseason acquisition that was very productive in timely situations.

After all, the Phillies aren’t a fluke. Other players shined in critical roles, burning the Dodger Dogs, mostly on hits soaring through the chilled skies of Philly. There was outfielder Jayson Werth, collecting five homers this postseason, and likely the biggest one of his career in the seventh inning when he lofted a solo shot.

There was center fielder Shane Victorino, the Flyin’ Hawaiian and pest in center, rarely dropping shots traveling his direction. But offensively, he came up big, nailing a two-run homer off the sensational Clayton Kershaw in the sixth inning to give the Phillies a commanding 8-3 lead.

That led to a Philly-tastic celebration, when players jived on the mound like big children. When Victorino caught a fly ball to record the final out, fireworks brightened the skies, just as the Phillies energized the crowd, igniting a towel-swinging party.

The champagne was chilled, and when they made their way to the clubhouse the party started as teammates were drenched.  

But on the other side, in the dugout, sat the helpless Dodgers upset at how it all ended somberly and stared at the celebration reflecting from a disappointing letdown.

Overcoming the heartbreaking defeat when the young Jonathan Broxton blew the save in Game Four, they came into the game with a ready mindset, but they were no match for the Phillies, who had all the weapons to overpower faith.

Theory is, the Phillies weren’t only smarter, but overlooked and overmatched, confirming to the world that they still are the experts to beat.  

In the City of Brotherly Love, champs reside and believe.    

 

 

 

 

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World Series: Still Your Daddy

The fighting Philadelphia Phillies eliminated the Dodgers in the NLCS 4 Games to 1 and await the winner of the Yankees and Angels in the ALCS.

The Yankees currently lead the Angels 3-1 and could wrap it up tonight. Let’s not count the Angels out just yet, but with some some heartbreaking extra inning defeats to the Yankees early in the series, I think the Angels can not recover.

So that leaves us with the heavyweight showdown between the Yankees and the Phillies in the World Series. Let’s look at some of the points of interest for the possible upcoming World Series.  

 

Star Power

The Yankees vs. Phillies World Series would give the sports world lots to talk about just with star power alone.  Rodriguez, Howard, Jeter, Lee, Sabathia, Hammels, Rivera, Victorino, Utley, and Posada, just to name a few. This matchup is almost like watching an October All Star Game and has all the makings of a classic.

Stars are made in the World Series with the whole world watching, and we are bound to see the stars collide.

 

Pedro Martinez

This series is more than just baseball. It’s about energy, entertainment, personality, and emotion. 

Nothing excites Yankee fans like the sight of Pedro Martinez, it’s like waving a red blanket in front of a Bull or putting chum in the water for a great white shark.

Nothing excites Philly fans like Pedro Martinez, as he has been nothing short of amazing ever since he was signed. 

Pedro pitched very well in the season and pitched seven scoreless, lights-out innings against the Dodgers in the postseason. Will Pedro show the world he still can do it on the grandest stage of them all and against the hated Yankees?  Will the Yankees show Pedro that they are “Still Your Daddy”?

 

Matchups

Who will perform better in the World Series Howard or Rodriguez? Both have been locked in and stroking.

Who’s pitching will rise up and smother the other team’s lineup or will we have the makings of a shootout.  Is it CC, AJ, and Andy or will it be Lee, Hammels, Pedro?

Will Teixeira show up to the postseason and start hitting? He only has one RBI in the division series and LCS combined. What group of all-stars will make the least mistakes to enable their team to be the 2009 World Series Champs?

 

Fans  

With the showdown of two of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports it should be an entertaining series to watch.

The Philly fans who once booed good old Santa Clause will bring the A game as they have to help the Phillies defend the title.

On the other hand, the Bronx faithful have to give the new Yankee Stadium a proper house warming and end the World Series drought. I think the fans are just a part of this particular showdown as any player on any team.

Mr. Rodgriguez needs to make sure sweet little Kate Hudson is in a private booth when she is in Philly.

 

Recap

I am making a premature assumption that the Yankees will beat the Angels in one of the next three games to advance to the World Series. The Yankees are favored to win the World Series but the Phillies are still the champs and until they are defeated they have to be considered a serious threat.

The Phillies have experience after winning last year and seem to be getting hot at the right time. Brad Lidge picked a good time to get his mojo back and earn some saves, and the offense is providing lots of runs.

The Yankees have two of the greatest postseason players of all time in Jeter and Rivera and seem to have hit the free agency lotto with CC, Teixeira, and Burnett. All in all, this has the makings of a hard-fought entertaining World Series.

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Phillies-Dodgers: Philly Destroys L.A., 10-4, Heads Back to World Series

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Examining Boog Powell’s Longtime Record Philly Chase Utley Just Reached

Chase Utley tied Boog Powell’s record on Wednesday for most consecutive postseason games reaching base. Utley walked in the first inning of the Phillies‘ NLCS clinching 10-4 victory over the Dodgers to reach base for the 25th consecutive playoff game, equaling the record Powell held alone for 38 years.

Boog established the original mark before there was even a League Championship Series much less a Division Series.

The streak began on Oct. 5, 1966. Powell recorded hits in each of the four games of the World Series including a 2-for-3 effort with a run scored and an RBI in Game Two. The starter that day was Sandy Koufax, the first pitcher to record four no-hitters, one of which was a perfect game in 1965.

Powell continued reaching base through three games of the 1969 American League Championship Series (the first-ever LCS after the American League split into East and West divisions), five games of the 1969 World Series, three games of the 1970 ALCS, five games of the 1970 World Series, three games of the 1971 ALCS, and two games of the 1971 World Series.

The streak ended on Oct. 12, 1971, when he went 0-for-5 with a strikeout in a 5-1 loss to the Pirates in Game Three of the World Series. Pittsburgh starter Steve Blass held almost the entire Orioles lineup in check with a complete-game, three-hit effort during which he struck out eight, walked two, and allowed one earned run. Frank Robinson accounted for two of the O’s three hits on the day, including a solo homer leading off the seventh inning.

Given Powell’s accomplishment it’s ironic that he compiled a career .324 postseason on-base percentage, well below his career .361 mark. Utley’s postseason OBP currently stands at .398; his career mark is .371.

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For Phillies, It’s Deja Vu All Over Again

In the end, it was a lot like 2008, when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in five games.

Once again, Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton stared down Matt Stairs in Game Four and blinked. He walked Stairs on four pitches.

Broxton then hit Carlos Ruiz with a pitch, got the second out, then on a 1-1 fastball, let Jimmy Rollins take out the heart of this Dodgers’ team and give the Phillies an improbable 5-4 victory and a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Dodgers were two pitches away from a 2-2 series tie, before Rollins’ walk off double. Same series deficit, same result for the Dodgers. Two years in a row.

On the deciding Game Five in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Dodgers’ Andre Ethier woke up from his series long slump and hit a solo home run off Phillies’ starter Cole Hamels, who by the way has looked quite ordinary. The Dodgers took an early 1-0 lead.

With one man on in the bottom of the first, Dodgers’ pitcher Vicente Padilla pitched around slugger Ryan Howard. It was apparent that Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre, like he did with Albert Pujols in the NLDS, was not going to let Howard beat him with the series on the line.

That’s when Jason Werth stepped up to take the role of the Phillies’ major run producer. On a 3-2 pitch from Padilla, he smacked a three-run home run to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead.

Werth added a long center field solo shot to give the right fielder four RBI on the night. Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino added home runs. Neither Howard nor Utley had any RBI and this team still scored 10 runs on eight hits.

Amazing.

Ryan Howard, shown above, was named the NLCS MVP. He had a .333 average in the Championship series with two home runs and eight RBI. In the playoffs overall, he is hitting .355 with two home runs and 14 RBI.

So now the Phillies await the winner of the Yankees–Angels series. They will not play for a week and if the World Series goes seven games, baseball will be over Nov. 5.

The opponent will likely be the Yankees, and they are not called the Bronx Bomber for nothing.

Alex Rodriguez has had RBI in eight straight playoff games. Along with Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, the Yankees have a potent offense. Add to that a multi-million dollar rotation, led by C.C. Sabathia and all World closer Mariano Rivera.

They can score at will any time, any instance, and with amazing production in a short period of time. While the Phillies led the National League with 43 come-from-behind wins, the Yankees led all of baseball with 50 come-from-behind wins.

(Grasshopper, to become a man, you must first grab this pebble from my hand).

The Angels, who many consider a roadblock to the Yankees, have a balanced offense, led by Vladimir Guerrero, Erick Aybar, and Maicer Izturis.

Yankees fans who I have approached wearing my Phillies gear look at me like I am crazy when I say I want a Phillies-Yankees World Series. They have a blank look on their face and must think “The Phillies are the minor leagues. We have 103 wins.”

The Angels fans would respect the Phillies more.

The Yankees and Phillies are similar type teams. Their histories are not the same, however.

The Phillies look for their third World Championship and to become the first National League team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the Reds did in 1975-76.

The Yankees have 26 World Series Championships. They last won in 2000, their third straight World Championship.

They are the standard in baseball, to say the least.

But to be considered the best, you have to beat the best.

Bring it, I say.

The Phillies await their opponent in the 2009 World Series.

 

 

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Top 10 Dodgers-Phillies Game Five Questions

10) Was the TBS crew contractually unable to mention that the fans were chanting “You Took Steroids” and “Hit the Showers” at Manny Ramirez?

9) Is it really worth a tongue-lashing from the people inside your television if you are lacking avocado, or should we just move straight to capital punishment?

8) Will the Phillies throw at the Dodgers in their first game against them in 2010 for all of the hit batsmen in Wednesday’s clinching game?

7) After 1,500 regular season games, how long will it take for Raul Ibanez to calm down enough to actually play in a World Series game?

6) Why is Ryan Madson only able to bear down after a run scores and people are starting to lose their fudge?

5) Did Brad Lidge find another soul to sell for the 2009 postseason, or is his 2009 to date just part of the same deal?

4) Can someone please use the 30+ years of media library to have Harry Kalas call the ninth?

3) Will the Phillies vote for a partial share to ex-teammates and welcome sights Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla?

2) Do the Dodgers take some comfort in finally holding Ryan Howard without an RBI?

1) If they finish the job in the World Series and become the first repeat winner in the NL in 30 years, will that be enough to make Philadelphia a baseball town?

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