Last spring, during their long and unexpected run in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flyers had t-shirts made up that recounted a conversation general manager Paul Holmgren had with the team in the middle of the season.
The gist of the talk was three words:
Why not us?
That is what it said on the shirts. That is what Phillies fans now have a legitimate reason to ask. Because after they beat the Milwaukee Brewers in thunder-stick crazed Miller Park to take the National League Division Series in four games, the final demon has been slayed. The hurdle that was the NLDS has now been surmounted. The persistent silence of their bats through all of last year's playoffs, and the first three games in this year's, was forgotten on a day when they hit four home runs, including two by Pat Burrell (who had been 0-for-8 in the series going into Game 4).
And now, you wonder:
Why not?
Their starting pitching, really excellent -- all the way down to and including Game 4 starter Joe Blanton -- will be rested and arranged in any way that Phils manager Charlie Manuel wants to arrange it. The same thing is true for the bullpen, which might actually be too rested at this point, if that is possible. You get pitching like the Phillies have gotten and anything is possible in October. You look around at what the Dodgers will be throwing at them in the next round and you have to give the Phillies the overall advantage.
Watching them celebrate this one, alone in a red and gray clump in the middle of the diamond -- surrounded by a full house of Brewers fans doing their best to acknowledge their own team's playoff season -- it really did kind of hit you. Watching Brad Lidge get the final out and then all of the leaping and hugging, and you do have to think.
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Posted 4:55 PM, 10/05/2008
Why not? The Phils have home advantage and prayerfully , will not blow that in the first two outings. Lowe, Billin. pitch and we have Hamels and Meyers. Should be a hot first two games. BTW, keep Blanton for next year. Then go get CC or another winner like the guy at Houston or with the guy at the Angels who is a FA.
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Posted 5:09 PM, 10/05/2008
I bet none of the clowns over at ESPN or Sports Illustrated give our Phils a chance against the Dodgers. Fortunately, I believe in our boys and hope the offense is here to stay! World Series or bust!
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Posted 5:27 PM, 10/05/2008
If Howard and Utley get hot, no one will stop the Fightin' Phils. I love this team. I'm with them win or lose. They have a winning spirit. That's much more than I can say for the Eagles and Andy Reid.
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Posted 5:55 PM, 10/05/2008
Pitch around Manny with runners in scoring position the say the Brewers did Howard and their offense doesn't amount to much. I think that would give the Fightins a BIG advantage.
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Posted 6:03 PM, 10/05/2008
This is the 1st time in 15 years Ive been more into the Phillies than the Eagles. We have a legitimate shot here folks, well, in baseball anyway. Andy Reid is terrible.
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Posted 6:36 PM, 10/05/2008
The reasons you want Sabathia, no matter the price, for a couple years, anyway, are: (1) he's amazing, even if just for what he does in the regular season, and (2) if he hadn't been ridden so hard and so long by the Brewers at the end, he kills us that game. But his weight worries me. When are those knees and back (let alone all the regular parts that break down on pitchers) going to give out?
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Posted 6:36 PM, 10/05/2008
Hey some of you, why don't you enjoy this season, stop worrying about free agents. Blanton is already under team control next season, he's arbitration eligible. And for the record dont be ridiculous, there is absolutely zero chance the Phils are going to spend that type of money on CC. He's going to get 150 million dollars. Enough said.
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Posted 6:45 PM, 10/05/2008
Doubtful alludes to our other advantage. Our top players are better than theirs. Cole-JROLL-Howard-Utley is better the Billingsly-Manny-Kent-?? (Kemp, Loney or someone else depending on the day). So when things like pitching can be argued as even or close, the lineups right now similar and chemistry close, your best guys win you the series.
Manny and what he does to the offense I think is the only reason why they have chance of winning.
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Posted 7:00 PM, 10/05/2008
I'll tell you why not us. If it's cold, like in the very beginning of April, the Phils bats don't hit too good. Don't be surprised if there are some 1-0 or 2-1 games. But their bats can get cold, too.
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Posted 7:02 PM, 10/05/2008
I, too, was having some serious doubts about Joe Blanton, and right now I am glad that he is proving me wrong. Hold the talk on CC for now- "duffers" has it right about his postseason numbers.
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About Rich Hofmann
Rich Hofmann arrived at the Daily News in 1980 for a job whose status was officially designated as "full-time, temporary." A senior at Penn at the time, he was hired to fill in on the copy desk during a staff illness. The notion of him covering the Eagles or being a columnist did not exist in anyone's imagination. It was supposed to be six weeks and out, but he never left. It is only one of the reasons why so many people have concerns about him as a potential house guest. Rich has blogged the postseasons of the Flyers and Eagles. E-mail Rich at hofmanr@phillynews.com
SCORES TWICE AFTER A PUCK TO THE FACE
