Jimmy Rollins Lead Phillies in Historical Walk-Off Win Over LA Dodgers

 

With swagger in his step, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins made the on-field interview rounds following his walk-off double in Game Four of the NLCS. That familiar confidence seems to never leave the 2007 NL MVP—the pivotal hit that plated two runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers explains why.

With that hit, the Phillies defeated the Dodgers 5-4 and lead the NLCS three games to one.

Rollins and the Phillies became the third team in history that won a game with an extra-base hit when they were one out away from the loss—for once, it was the Dodgers on the losing end of the game.

The only other two teams to do it were the 1988 Dodgers (Kirk Gibson hit a home run off of Oakland A’s Dennis Eckersley in Game One of the World Series) and the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers (Cookie Lavagetto hit a double and broke up Bill Bevens no-hitter in Game Four of the World Series).

On Monday night, with Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton on the mound, Rollins was the last hope. As he stood at the plate, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel looked at Dodger Jim Thome and pointed to the outfield, indicating the longest-tenured Phillie was about to hit it that direction. Manuel may have called it, but it was Rollins who had a plan.

“Really it was funny, right before he threw it, I’d say hit a ball in the right center field gap,” Rollins said during the post-game press conference. “Kemp was playing me slightly to left center. Ethier was squeezing, I was like, ‘hit the ball in the gap right over Broxton’s head, that’s at least one run.’ And it went all the way to the fence, so we were able to get two and a victory.”

The team punctuated the victory with the obligatory dogpile with the Alameda, Calif. native Rollins curled up at bottom of the group, celebrating and protecting himself at the same time.

“Only thing I didn’t want to do was get crushed, so I just kind of went in fetal position and started throwing punches, and whoever got hit, got hit,” explained Rollins. “Ben Francisco did a pretty good job of throwing his arm around my neck and restraining me, so I think I caught the worst of it. So it’s a lot of fun, but that’s what we do.”

As the stadium erupted with cheers for the defending Champs, fans in bars, homes, and across various forms of social media rejoiced in unison with the Phillies.

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Philadelphia Phillies Ready For The Real Cole Hamels To Start NLCS

The postseason is the time of year when true fans endure ninth-inning heart palpitations and fair-weather fans pay closer attention and invest in playoff merchandise. More importantly, it’s when MLB teams’ reveal their true grit. It’s the season when the players either flourish or flounder.

Tonight, as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of the NLCS, the Phillies send Cole Hamels to the mound.

A year ago today, Cole Hamels sealed his 2008 NLCS MVP campaign by winning the deciding game against the Dodgers. In that series, Hamels went 2-0 and posted a 1.93 ERA.

Times have changed. Postseason Hamels of 2009 is not a sparkling as postseason Hamels of 2008.

The Phillies pitcher made his last start on Oct. 8 in Game Two of the NLDS against the Colorado Rockies. In that appearance, he pitched five innings, giving up four runs on four hits—including a two-run home run to the Rockies Yorvit Torrealba. Hamels earned the loss in that game—the only game that the Phillies gave up to the Rockies as they won the series 3-1.

It is, however, never too late to change things around.

Hamels has the ability to dominate. It is hard to ignore that this is the man that was named NLCS and World Series MVP in 2008 as went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA (7 ER, 35.0 IP) in his five starts. He is the man who has the lowest postseason ERA (2.70) in Phillies history; the team needs that man to start tonight.

The offense has been performing well this postseason, batting a combined .296 in the NLDS, which was their highest team batting average in franchise history for a playoff round. The bats must remain hot in this series as they face the competitive offense that the Dodgers send to the plate.

Tonight’s matchup between Hamels and the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw is a repeat of Hamels’ last start against Los Angeles. In that game, Hamels gave up only five hits as he pitched a complete game and his third career shutout—leading the Phillies to a 3-0 win.

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Philadelphia Phillies Must Focus on 2009 Title Defense, Forget 2008 Title

Welcome to the 2009 MLB Postseason, Philadelphia Phillies and fans.

It’s time to suppress the thoughts of revenge for 2007 and set aside the swagger that comes with the winning the 2008 World Series. The Phillies are playing October baseball for the third year and row, but every year is different.

While playoff baseball delivers a clean slate for all the participants, it’s hard to ignore performances during the regular season. Based on the 162 games that led to this point, there are things the Phillies need to get past the tenacious Colorado Rockies that wasn’t an issue in 2008.

Jimmy Rollins needs to continue his hot offensive performance. He was uncharacteristically cool in the entire first half of the season, but once he returned to form in the second half, the team followed.

Since July 1, the longest tenured Phillies player put up strong numbers—.285 BA, 28 doubles, 15 home runs, and 50 RBI. In that span, the team’s .696 winning percentage was the highest in the National League and second highest in the Majors behind the New York Yankees (.783 percent).

In addition to a strong leader, the Phillies also need their 2008 World Series MVP to return to that level that brought about the prestigious award. In the championship year, ace Cole Hamels went 4-0 in five games. He pitched 35 innings, giving up seven runs, and striking out 30.

During the 2009 regular season, Hamels went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA. Clearly, the Phillies need 2008 postseason Hamels to show up. The team cannot consistently put up 10+ runs to support the starting pitchers who struggle.

If it were possible for the Phillies to defeat each opponent in a blow out, that would be one way to relieve stress caused by the 2009 bullpen. This year’s bullpen is definitely not the dependable ‘pen of 2008.

Last year Brad “Lights Out” Lidge led the dominant bullpen with his perfect season. This year, however, the closer has blown 11 saves and the confidence many have in his abilities. In 2008, the bullpen had a 3.22 ERA, while this year they have earned a 3.91 ERA.

The inconsistency of the bullpen is what may hurt them the most—especially against the wily Rockies who are skilled in come-from-behind wins.

It’s possible, however. The Philadelphia Phillies have experience. They have skill. They have confidence. If the team can harness all the elements and have them work in unison, they may be first to 11 wins.

Welcome to 2009 MLB Postseason play. May the games begin, although they will begin at the most horrible time (11:35 a.m. PT/2:35 p.m. ET).

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Philadelphia Phillies: Lidge Needs to Be Closer to Not Being The Closer

The Philadelphia Phillies have been a focal point for many reasons—they are the reigning World Series champions, they are on pace to win the NL East, and they have a menacing lineup, just to name a few.

Within that jovial clubhouse, one would find an assorted cast of characters. There are jokers, superstars, leaders, and perfectionists.

Phillies manager Charlie Manual has that country charm, that candid disposition, and boy is he fiercely loyal. His unwavering loyalty has been on display all season as he has continued to keep a struggling Brad Lidge in as closer while he leads the Major Leagues in blown saves with 11.

It’s understandable that Manual, a player’s manager, would want to show his closer trust that Lidge will pull out of the funk. “Lights Out” Lidge is in there, and good ol’ Chollie has been holding steadfast to the belief that the perfect closer from the 2008 season will resurface.

But when does one say, “enough is enough”?

While the Phillies flaunt a potent offense, it is not feasible to depend on the bats erupting against every opponent they face. Fans can wish, hope, and pray for Philadelphia to score 15 runs on a nightly basis, but it’s just not going to happen.

What has been happening is the once-untouchable Lidge has been unreliable. With every appearance, memories of his impact on the 2008 championship season becomes diminished—instead fans’ groans amplified by rattled nerves take their place.

The Phillies can’t afford to wait any longer. Patience is one thing, foolishness is another. Lidge may be psychologically affected if he loses his job, but what have all these blown saves done for the entire team’s psyche?

The 2009 playoffs is not the stage to watch it play out. The star’s spotlight has burned out: It’s time to bring in the understudy.

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Philadelphia Phillies: What Goes Up Must Come Down

Why does one study history? One reason to review the past is to know the possibilities of the future.

In the past two years, the Philadelphia Phillies have been successful in the second half of the season—especially in September. With most of the core players from the 2008 World Championship team returning, it is safe to feel confident that the Phillies will advance to the post-season despite the struggles from key pitchers Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge.

September has been the best month for the team in 2007 and 2008—years when the Phillies advanced to the playoffs. In their 2007 NL Wild Card-winning year, they had a .607 winning percentage in the last month of the regular season. In the following year, their September winning percentage improved to .680 and the team ended up winning the World Series.

When one reminisces about the Phillies playoff run of last season, the 2008 World Series MVP Hamels and then-undefeated closer Lidge are two names that cannot be ignored. With those two arms in the Phillies arsenal, the team was unstoppable.

This year, when those celebrated pitchers make their way to the mound, a cloud of uncertainty hovers above them.

Like the Law of Gravity taught us: what goes up must come down.

Two key players of 2008 may be struggling, but their inconsistencies won’t cause Philadelphia to struggle. Yes, Hamels and Lidge were the losing pitchers in half of the team’s losses in August, but since Aug. 11, the Phillies have posted a 2.79 ERA (50 ER, 161.1 IP)—second in the Majors.

The Phillies lead the Majors in number of home runs allowed in the ninth inning (19), number of losses after leading in the eighth innings (seven), and rank second with 60 runs allowed in the ninth.

Conversely, the Phillies lead the NL in runs (662), HR (184), RBI (637), and SLG% (.451) as they sit comfortably in first place in the NL East.

The Philadelphia Phillies are a strong team that has enough talent that when one aspect of the team is dragging, another will pick them up and carry the team to a win. The unpredictable performances from Hamels and Lidge are not enough to cause the potent Phillies to flounder.

What goes up must come down, but the Phillies aren’t showing signs of returning to sub-World Champion form as of yet.

Next up for the Phillies…Coming to town as their first challenge of September will be the NL Wild Card-leading San Francisco Giants. Philadelphia will be facing a San Francisco team that has been playing well—going 5-1 in the last seven days—and need to continue their September domination in order to cool the visitors in the three-game series.

Earlier in the season, the Giants won three games in the four-game series versus the Phillies in San Francisco. Even with their success, the Giants are aware that Philadelphia is still a dangerous team.

“They’re solid. They’re the World Champions,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said following their win over the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 30. “We’re going to have to go there and play our best ball—we know it.”

The next three games may possibly serve as an appetizer for a possible playoff matchup come October as long as both teams continue to ride the wave of success that they have been on in the second half of the season.

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Philadelphia Phillies Need to Get Back on Track Before It’s Too Late

For any team to be a success, when one part of the group struggles, the rest must have the ability to pick up the slack.

Currently, the Philadelphia Phillies have a nice cushion in the NL East, but with their struggles of late, the team needs to revert back to their dominant ways.

In today’s game against the Florida Marlins, the Phillies tried to avoid being swept, but lost 12-3. Their offensive woes continued today as the Phils managed to go 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position, and only accrue six hits.

Aside from their hitting woes, the Phillies lackluster pitching staff allowed those 12 runs on 19 hits.

This season, no one has been able to figure out whether the Phillies pitching will improve. Even with the addition of Cliff Lee, one can’t help but look at the surrounding cast of starters and still not feel completely confident.

Which Cole Hamels will show up? Will the trickster Jamie Moyer appear? Will Joe Blanton still receive no run support?

To add to the pitching worries, relief pitchers JC Romero, Chad Durbin, and Clay Condrey are still on the disabled list. Starters Brett Myers, Antonio Bastardo, and Pedro Martinez join them in the infirmary.

On the offensive end, although shortstop Jimmy Rollins has been on fire lately, the winds surrounding him may fuel his fire, but they are cooling off some of his fellow infielders.

Second baseman Chase Utley is hitting .242 in the last month. In the few games the Phillies have played in August, the All-Star is 3-for-24 (.125).

The other All-Star infielder on the team, Ryan Howard, has had struggles of his own. He hasn’t hit a home run since Jul. 27 and in August he’s gone 7-for-28 (.250).

If there was one thing the Phillies have been consistently good at, it’s their defense.

However, in the past 30 days, that, too, has suffered with the Phils committing 14 errors. Their porous .985 fielding percentage is ahead of only the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, and Washington Nationals.

The Philadelphia Phillies have the talent. They have the experience. They have the title of 2008 World Series Champions.

With the season flying by, will the Phillies refocus and get all their pieces functioning correctly before those pesky Marlins take full advantage of the underperforming Phillies?

Cliff Lee Dazzling in Philadelphia Phillies Debut

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO—Cliff Lee, the Philadelphia Phillies’ newest starter, sure does know how to make an entrance.

In his first appearance in a Phillies uniform, Lee held on to a no-hitter until the sixth inning, when San Francisco Giants second baseman Juan Uribe hit a double into right field.

The Phillies went on to win the game 5-1.

The Lee acquisition was followed a failed attempt at getting Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay, but no one on the Phillies’ side is complaining. Pitching a complete game, Lee held the Giants to four hits and one run in his fourth complete game of the season.

“I knew I didn’t give up any hits yet, but whatever. I’m kind of glad I didn’t throw a no-hitter,” Lee said following the game. “If I did that in the first time, I would be having to live up to some high expectations.”

Lee didn’t just contribute with his arm, he also worked some magic with his bat.  The reigning Cy Young award winner went 2-for-4 and scored a run.

“When I got the first hit, I was pretty pumped about that,” Lee said. “When I got that double off the wall, I was still gassed. I totally never expected that.”

The dimensions in AT&T held the double in the park, but many believe that if Lee hit that ball in Citizens Bank Park, it would have been a home run.

“That’s what they were saying,” said Lee. “But it wasn’t here.”

Lee’s performance is exactly the type of outings the Phillies need to win another World Series Championship. The 30-year-old is sees the playoffs within reach.

“Obviously the ultimate goal is to get to the playoffs, but the way to do that is take it one day at a time,” Lee explained. “If everybody does their job and does what they need to do, then it should happen with talent we got in here.”

The Phillies needed a boost in their starting pitching and with Lee they got what they’ve been looking for. The Phils may hold the top spot in the NL East, but anything can happen from here to October. No matter what happens, Lee knows what he needs to do.

“Obviously this team has been winning a lot of games and I’m new to it,” Lee said. “My job is to come in and give the team a chance.”

If Mr. Clifton Phifer Lee continues dealing like he did today, he doesn’t just give him a chance, he provides them with a path to October baseball.

Philadelphia Phillies Look Beyond Loss to San Francisco Giants

SAN FRANCISCO—The World Champion Philadelphia Phillies are in San Francisco, but by the looks of the empty seats around the stadium, one wouldn’t know. Now, 36,603 for tonight is greater than a usual Thursday night, but the Giants’ Tim Lincecum drew more crowds than the defending champs did (The Freak drew 40,008 on July 27, his last start).

The atmosphere was playoff-ish, but the performance by the Phillies was not playoff-worthy. The team’s defense was uncharacteristically sloppy. Pair that with a bad outing from Phillies starter Rodrigo Lopez and we get a one-sided game as the Phils lose 7-2.

Lopez went four innings, allowing seven runs (three earned) on eight hits. Behind him, the defense committed three errors—so unexpected from a team that has the third best fielding percentage (tied with the LA Dodgers) in the Majors.

“Usually he [Lopez] is in command of his pitches—that hurt him,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “Our defense put him in situations tonight that were tough for him.”

Despite the losing streak, Manuel remains confident.

“We got beat tonight, but tomorrow, when we come out, this game is behind us,” Manuel said. “When we leave the ballpark here, this game’s behind us. Tomorrow when we come out, we come out tomorrow to win a game.”

The Phillies’ skipper knows his team and knows what’s best for them.

“We adopted that about three years ago and it’s worked for us and it’s a good way for us to play. I give all the credit to our players and the fact of how much they like to play,” Manuel explained. “Tonight, we didn’t have a good game, but there’s a good chance we’ll come back tomorrow and play good.”

They definitely need to step it up and play well. They may be the team with the best road record, but as they face the Giants, the team with the highest winning percentage at home, it seems the home team has the advantage. Tomorrow, they look to turn things around as they send their newest starting pitcher, Cliff Lee, to the mound.

Phillies fans are eagerly awaiting the performance of the reigning 2008 AL Cy Young award winner. Manuel seems quite confident in Lee, as he faces Giants rookie Ryan Sadowski in the second game of the four-game series.

“He’s a big-time pitcher and we’ll put him in a jersey and see how he does,” Manuel said. “We break him in as a Phillie tomorrow, so we’ll let him go. I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

July 31 is the day for Lee to show what he has to offer the Phillies. First step is to halt the losing streak and add to the best road record in baseball.

Philadelphia Phillies’ J.A. Happ Making His Presence Known

With the All-Star Break behind them, the Philadelphia Phillies are back to work and ready for the last half of the season.

Noticeably successful is rookie pitcher J.A. Happ. Initially, he lost the starting job to Chan Ho Park in the beginning of the season, having to settle with a spot in the bullpen. As Park floundered, the two swapped spots and began to flourish.

This season, the 26-year-old Happ has been a star in the starting rotation. In 11 starts, he has pitched 72 1/3 innings, earning a 2.74 ERA—much better than the team’s ace Cole Hamels, who started 18 games earning a 4.72 ERA and a 5-5 record.

In Happ’s last five starts he has gone seven innings with a 1.46 ERA, either clearly securing his spot on the team or his trade value—something he is aware of.

“I’m going to tell you that it doesn’t bother me,” Happ said to reporters following his July 12 start, “but it gets into your head. I love being here. I love being on this team. I think I fit in well. But I’m also trying to prove I’m a big-league pitcher. I’m not in control of what’s going on.”

True, Happ has no control over the decision to trade or not to trade, but what he has shown is control over his performance.

In his July 19 start against the Florida Marlins, Happ pitched seven innings, giving up only five hits and no runs while striking out four. He worked his way out of a major jam—loading the bases with no outs and not allowing the Marlins to score.

With this strong outing, does Happ get to dig his heels a little deeper and stay with the Phillies? Or does this mean the Phils have a stronger chance of picking up Roy Halladay, who pitched a complete game against the Boston Red Sox, allowing only one run, striking out seven, and earning the win?

Regardless of the whispers surrounding him, Happ remains focused.

“It’s a long road,” Happ said on July 12, “and you can never predict what’s going to happen, but I’m feeling more comfortable with each start.”

It showed as Happ earned his seventh win in the Phillies 5-0 win over the Marlins on July 19.

With the win, the Phillies swept the Marlins, and now lead the division by seven games—the largest lead this late in the season since July 29, 1993.

Philadelphia Phillies Woes: Once Pitching Improves, Success Will Follow

As the Philadelphia Phillies enter tonight’s game with the threat of being swept by the Atlanta Braves, the grumblings about the team’s losing ways has been growing with every popup, error, and run allowed.

Fingers have been pointed various directions—namely World Championship hangover, slumping bats, and injured players.

Many look at shortstop Jimmy Rollins’ struggles as a key reason the Phils have been sliding downhill. Following Wednesday’s game, he extended his hitless streak and now is 0-for-27. True, it’s hard to ignore the team’s leadoff hitter in the worst slump of his career, but the 2007 NL MVP is not the sole reason for the team’s recent failures.

Philadelphia is second the National League in runs scored (392) and lead in slugging percentage (.446). It’s the pitching that hurts.

Their bullpen, featured on MLB Network’s “The Pen,” is not the flawless bullpen of last year. The bullpen’s cumulative ERA stands at 4.08—19th in the Majors. With injuries sidelining Brad Lidge earlier and now Clay Condrey and Scott Eyre, the relief pitchers’ health is something not easily overlooked.

The bullpen woes aren’t what are doing the most harm, however. The starting pitching is ranked 28th in the Majors with a 5.31 ERA—ahead of only the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles, both last place in their respective divisions.

As a reflection of how deep the starting pitching problems go, in Wednesday’s game, Phillies ace Cole Hamels lasted only four innings, giving up nine runs in that short outing. It wasn’t too long ago that Hamels was being paraded around the city and on the small screen as he was the widely celebrated World Series MVP.

With all of this in mind, things are not where many hoped they would be, but the Phillies are still in first place in the NL East. With a little more than half a season left, it’s not time for people to give up on the reigning Champs.

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