Carlos Ruiz is getting called a lot of things these days. Unlike in the regular season, they're all positive.

Former Phillies pitcher turned Dodgers hurler Randy Wolf has dubbed him "the Dodger Killer." There's a grassroots movement afoot - online and through word of mouth - to label him "Señor Octubre." Someone else sent me an e-mail with effusive language about his stellar postseason play and more than once referred to Chooch as "El Magnifico." For those of you who don't remember your beginner's Spanish, that translates as "The Magnifico." You're welcome.

That's what happens when you morph from a good defensive catcher with inconsistent offensive skills into a playoff monster who scares the life out of your opponents. (Choochenstein? Count Choochula?) People can't wait to give you a cutesy nickname - even if you already have one.

He deserves all of the adulation. For the second straight year, he's having a fantastic playoff run. In the 2008 NL Championship Series and World Series, he hit .344 with three doubles, a homer, and four RBIs.

Last night, he continued his endless postseason tear, cracking a double and a single and scoring a run to help the Phils crush the Dodgers and take a lead of two games to one in the NLCS. He's reached base safely in 12 straight playoff games now, which is about 13 more than many of the pundits thought possible.

During the regular season, some people loved to dog Ruiz for the lack of pop in his bat or patience at the plate. Now those same people are bending over backward to pat him on the back - which is the sort of hypocritical flexibility we've gotten really good at around here.

"He's been getting ahead in the count a lot, and he's been more aggressive at swinging the bat, and he's taking a better swing at the ball," Charlie Manuel said. "He's got better balance at the plate, and his swing is better."

If only everyone else knew that the secret to postseason success is a better swing. Sounds so simple.

"I try to basically enjoy the game," Ruiz said, attempting to explain why he's played better in the playoffs than he has in the regular season. "I relax so well, and I basically want to get the team my portion of the whole pie."

It's been a great ride for Ruiz so far, which reminds me: I got an e-mail from a Fightin's fan who predicted the Phils will "take the Chooch, Chooch train" all the way to World Series. Ruiz has played so well that I didn't even make fun of the guy.

Fun with Manny

When Manny Ramirez came to the plate in the seventh inning, the crowd chanted "You took steroids" in remarkable unison.

Wonder if TBS noticed

Chase Utley was cheered when he stepped to the plate. It's just like the national media always says - Philly fans are forgiving people.

Line of the night

Toward the end of the game, a fight broke out behind the stands just behind the Dodgers' dugout. One of the amateur pugilists was wearing a No. 54 Phillies jersey, prompting a press-box comedian to quip: "That's got to concern Charlie - they're hitting Brad Lidge again."

Angry young men

Walking through the Hall of Fame Club, I ran into a group of 20-somethings that had just finished watching the Birds-Raiders debacle. Lots of cursing and drinking in their crew. Nothing like raising your blood pressure before an NLCS game. Good thing the Phils got out to an early lead.

What is that, velvet?

TBS reporter Craig Sager was wearing a plush chartreuse jacket that looked a lot like a velour track suit with lapels. Liberace couldn't pull that off.

Darren Daulton threw out the first pitch. Looked like a good effort. Dutch definitely brought his arm to the park, but I was a little disappointed that he left his tinfoil hat at home. . . . Former Dodgers pitcher turned Spanish-language announcer Fernando Valenzuela sat next to me in the dining room last night. I looked close, but I don't think he was eating through his eyelids. . . . Got lots of potential postseason slogan suggestions from readers looking to follow up on last year's classic "Why Can't Us?" Multiple people came up with "Us Two" and "Why Not Too?" Another reader must have been listening to Cyndi Lauper and submitted "Time After Time." I think we should probably pass on that one. Keep thinking. . . . Tonight, Joe Blanton will start his first postseason game since smashing that unlikely home run in last year's World Series. The bat he used ended up in the Hall of Fame. Someone asked if he ever dreamed of being in Cooperstown and if he thought he'd be represented by a bat. "Maybe when I was 12," he deadpanned. "I think that would be the last thing I'd ever think would be there."

Contact columnist John Gonzalez at 215-854-2813 or gonzalez@phillynews.com.