IS GETTING ITS DRAFT BOARD READY
For the first time in a long time, the Phillies find themselves on the wrong side of history, battling not just the New York Yankees, but precedent.
They are down three games to one, staring elimination in the face, needing to win three straight games to preserve their dreams of a historic repeat.
"It's like the NCAA tournament," righthander Chad Durbin said last night, where many Phillies players bore the looks of men who, for the first time, caught a glimpse of their own mortality.
Except in many ways, it isn't. The Phillies must beat the same team three times in a row. They must beat a squad of hardened professionals, many of whom have been here before.
The Phillies entered this World Series confident bordering on cocksure. They spoke of destinies and dynasties and favorable mojo. But over the past week, they have been transformed from teacher to pupil, receiving a first-hand lesson in the difference between October greatness and one great October.
Is it a coincidence that the difference between the Yankees and the Phillies this World Series has been three players with a combined 18 Fall Classics under their belts?
Good luck deciding which one, in the event of a New York win, should be MVP -- because as clutch as Alex Rodrgiuez has been, it will be a crime of a member of the Yankees' core trio does not come away with the honor.
Catcher Jorge Posada is 4-for-13 with three RBI. His pinch-hit RBI single in Game 2 gave the Yankees a badly-needed insurance run. His two-run single last night put the ninth inning out of reach. And his handling of the Yankees pitching staff, his repeated trips to the mound to steady the team's stars, has been crucial.
Short stop Derek Jeter has hit safely in all four games. He has reached base eight times in 18 plate appearances. He has just one RBI, but it came in a big moment last night.
And what about Mariano Rivera, who turned Game 2 into a seven-inning game, and recorded two more saves in Games 3 and 4?
What does real postseason experience brings? It brings the ability to battle through the inability to command ones pitches, averting a big inning and gutting ones way through six innings. Andy Pettitte did this in Game 3, while last year's postseason ace, Cole Hamels, crumbled after four.
It brings the awareness Johnny Damon displayed in bolting from second to an uncovered third in the ninth inning of Game 4, drastically altering the make-up of a game the Phillies had just tied at 4-4 in the previous half inning.
The good news for the Phillies is that the comeback they will try to complete has been accomplished 11 times before. The bad news is that it has not occurred on 63 other occasions.
The last time a team overcame a 3-1 deficit in the World Series was 1985, when the Royals overtook the Cardinals. The last time a team overcame a 3-1 deficit while winning the last two on the road was in 1968, when the Tigers did it against the Cardainls.
Six teams have overcome 3-1 deficits in a seven-game series in the LCS -- The 2007 and 2004 Red Sox (over the Indians and the Yankees), the 2003 Marlins (over the Cubs), the 1996 Braves (over the Cardinals), the 1986 Red Sox (over the Angles) and the 1985 Royals (over the Blue Jays). The 2004 Red Sox, 2003 Marlins and the 1985 Royals all did it by winning the last two games on the road.
The 1979 Pirates, 1958 Yankees and the 1925 Pirates overcame 3-1 deficits in the World Series, with the Yankees doing it on the road.
Tonight, Cliff Lee gets the first shot at staving off elimination. If he succeeds, Pedro Martinez will try it against Andy Pettitte tomorrow, followed by Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton and Lee and anybody else who might realistically be expected to record an out in Game 7.
Win or go home.
It is all that remains.
Charlie Manuel curiously avoided using veteran righthander Chan Ho Park last night, despite a situation that seemed tailor made for his talents a multiple innings reliever. Today, Manuel explained why: Park was sick, one of several Phillies who have battled the flu bug over the past few days. Manuel said the team's training staff informed him that Park was under the weather just before the game. Thus, he decided to rely on J.A. Happ and righthander Chad Durbin, who combined to allow two runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Park is questionable for tonight's game.
Admit it. Your gut says the Yankees should be overwhelming favorites tonight.
But Las Vegas doesn't necessarily agree. The most recent money line has the Yankees at -170 -- a strong favorite, no doubt, but not as strong as I would have thought. In Game 1, Sabathia was a larger favorite to beat Cliff Lee (-173) than he is in Game 4 to beat Blanton. What does this mean? Maybe nothing. But it does suggest that Vegas is a tad more optimistic about the Phillies' chances than many of the experts. And Vegas tends to be a more accurate barometer than public sentiment.
Just some food for thought.
The Phillies have played 26 postseason games over the last two season. In all 26, they entered with either a series lead or tie. Tonight, that changes.
In a pivotal Game 3 at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies jumped out to a 3-0 lead but couldn't hold on, as Cole Hamels and the Phillies bullpen allowed the Yankees to score eight runs in the fourth through eight innings en route to a 8-5 loss. Now, the Phillies face arguably their most pressure-packed postseason game since they took the field in Denver in 2007 trailing the Rockies two games-to-none in the NLDS.
Look at it one way, and they are very much alive. After all, one of these two teams was going to finish Halloween night trailing 2-1. In Game 4, they'll face Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia, whom they defeated 6-1 in Game 1.
Look at it another way, and their loss Saturday night gave the Yankees a victory whose importance far outweighs the one-game lead they now enjoy.
True, the Phillies have beaten Sabathia three times over the last two years, twice in the playoffs. But they didn't exactly dominate him in Game 2, scoring two runs in seven innings before the Yankees' bullpen allowed them to put the game out of reach. And they'll have to buck several trends if they are to beat him for the second time in five days.
Sabathia lost eight games during the regular season. He recorded back-to-back losses just once. In the eight starts that followed his eight losses, the big lefty went 7-1 with a 2.15 ERA. The Yankees lost back-to-back games in which Sabathia pitched just twice this season -- on April 27 and May 2 against the Tigers and the Angels, and on June 6 and 11 against the Rays and the Red Sox.
True, Sabathia will be pitching on three days rest. But he did so in the ALCS and held the Angels to one run on four hits and one walk over eight innings. In four career regular season starts on three days rest, Sabathia is 3-1 with a 1.01 ERA.
This time around, he won't have Phillies ace Cliff Lee to suck the life out of his teammates. Sabathia will be squaring off against Joe Blanton, who allowed four runs in six innings in a Game 4 start in the NLCS. Blanton pitched well in the World Series last year, allowing two runs in six innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
But unless Blanton holds his opponent scoreless, something he did three times during the regular season, the Phillies will have to hit. They did so at times in Game 3 -- Jayson Werth hit two solo home runs and Pedro Feliz doubled with one out in a three-run second inning -- but for the most part they were the beneficiaries of poor command on the part of Pettitte, who walked one run home, and shoddy defense on the part of the Yankees defense (the Yankees failed to field a sacrifice bunt attempt that would have represented the second out of the second inning, loading the bases to set-up Jimmy Rollins' bases loaded walk and Shane Victorino's sacrifice fly.
The Phillies' three lefty sluggers, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, combined to go 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts. Utley and Howard struck out with a man on second in the first inning. Utley struck out looking with men on first and second to end the second inning.
Had the Cole Hamels pitched his entire outing the way he pitched his first three-plus innings, the offense would have been enough. But after cruising through the early part of the game, retiring 10 of the first 11 batters he faced, Hamels ran into one of the walls that have so often plagued him during this disappointing season. After a borderline 3-2 fastball to Mark Teixiera was called a ball with one out in the fourth inning, he struggled. He threw a fastball down the middle that Alex Rodriguez hit to the opposite field for a two-run home run. Hamels got out of that inning, but imploded in the fifth against the bottom of the Yankees order. A curve ball that he threw just twice during the first four innings proved to be his undoing. Four of the first 10 pitches he threw in the fifth were curves, one of which Nick Swisher crushed for a leadoff double, and another of which Andy Pettitte hit into center field for an RBI single that set the stage for a big inning.
Manuel lifted Hamels after just 69 pitches -- after Pettitte's single, he allowed a single to Derek Jeter and a two-run single to Johnny Damon, then walked Teixeira.
A solid bullpen effort might have staunched the bleeding. But J.A. Happ and Brett Myers allowed solo home runs and Chad Durbin allowed one run in one inning of work.
For one of the few times this postseason, none of Manuel's moves seemed to work.
For the first time in this series, the Yankees were clearly the better team. As a result, the Phillies trail 2-1.We have heard countless times about the mental fortitude that exists in the home clubhouse. On Sunday night, it will face perhaps it's biggest test yet.
They were cruising.
Cole Hamels, the Phillies -- everybody.
Then came a close 3-2 fastball down and in that home plate umpire Brian Gorman called a ball, putting Mark Teixeira on base with a walk. Up to that point, Hamels had been lights out. He'd retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced, allowed no hits, and been staked to a 3-0 lead by an offense that took advantage of Andy Pettitte's lack of control. One inning later, the Yankees led 5-3, Hamels was out of the game, and the sell-out crowd of 46,000-plus was attempting to digest what exactly it had just witnessed.
Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run home run -- initially called a double but ruled a home run after replays showed it striking a camera that was out of play -- on a fastball that Hamels threw right down the middle. Hamels retired the next two batters he faced, escaping the inning with a 3-2 lead. But in the fifth, things spiralled out of control. Nick Swisher hit a 2-2 curveball for a double. After striking out Melky Cabrera, Hamels then threw a first-pitch curveball to Pettitte, who singled into center field to tie the game. Derek Jeter hit a bloop single, then Johnny Damon doubled to drive two more runs home. After walking Teixeira, Hamels was done. Manager Charlie Manuel pulled him from the game after just 69 pitches and called on rookie lefthander J.A. Happ.
So what the heck happened?
Did Hamels allow the close pitch to Teixeira to get into his head? Did he lose composure, as has happened several times this season? Did his sudden insistence on throwing his curve ball lead to his down fall? Or did he just lose control?
It is impossible to crawl inside of his head, so I'll let the amateur psychologists out there determine if Hamels lost his composure. But Hamels' insistence on throwing his curve ball can be documented.
In the first four innings, he threw the pitch just twice. In the fifth, he threw it on four of his first 10 pitches, including on Swisher's double and Pettitte's single.
Hamels' first five pitches of the inning were off-speed pitches, despite the fact that he had displayed excellent command of his fastball through the first four frames.
Perhaps Hamels, catcher Carlos Ruiz, and pitching coach Rich Dubee decided that Hamels needed to start relying more on his off-speed stuff as the Yankees prepared for their third trip through the order. Perhaps they decided that the bottom of the order was a good place to start. Perhaps if Hamels hadn't started relying more on his curve, the Yankees would have feasted on his fastball.
I guess we'll never know. . .
The Yankees may have just ratcheted up the pressure on the Phillies tonight in Game 3. Manager Joe Girardi just told reporters that ace lefthander C.C. Sabathia will indeed start Game 4 on three days' rest. So instead of another Sabathia-Cliff Lee match-up, it will be Sabathia-Blanton. Meanwhile, A.J. Burnett could start Game 5 on short rest against Lee, while Pettitte could start Game 6 on short rest if necessary, although Girardi said he hasn't made any decisions yet.
Both Sabathia and Burnett have pitched well on short rest in their careers.
Burnett has started four games in his career on three days rest and is 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA, allowing 19 hits and two home runs while striking out 24 and walking 10 in 27 innings.
During the regular season, Sabathia is 3-1 with a 1.01 ERA in four starts on short rest. His most recent postseason start came on three days rest, when he allowed one run on five hits against the Angels in a 10-1 win in Game 4 of the ALCS on Oct. 20.
Cliff Lee will not come back to pitch Game 4 on three days' rest.
Instead, Joe Blanton will get the call on Sunday night against the Yankees at Citizens Bank Park.
Lee has never pitched on three days' rest in his career, but seemed confident he could. He threw 122 pitches in his masterful Game 1 victory on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Blanton started Game 4 of the NLCS against the Dodgers and gave up four runs in six innings. He had pitched out of the bullpen in the Division Series.
Blanton won Game 4 against Tampa Bay last year, allowing two runs over six innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. He also bashed a home run.
More to come.
Seeking to avoid a team-wide outbreak of the flu, the Phillies have sent utlity player Greg Dobbs back to Philadelphia, although the team is optimistic that he will be available to play on Saturday. Dobbs is the second member of the Phillies' traveling team to be stricken with the flu -- reliever Tyler Walker, who is not on the World Series roster but has traveled with the team throughout the playoffs, was previously sent home.
Dobbs obviously will not be able to play tonight. Veteran Matt Stairs, who has hit two home runs in his career off Blue Jays righthander A.J. Burnett, is in the starting line-up.
Amaro said the Phillies' training staff is optimistic that Dobbs will be available for action in Game 3.
Phillies line-up:
Change speeds, change locations, throw strikes. It sounds simple, and Cliff Lee made it look that way last night. Already, some in the media are calling it one of the best starting pitching performances in World Series history: Nine innings, six hits, no walks, 10 strikeouts, one unearned run. He struck out previously untouchable Alex Rodriguez three times. He held both A-Rod and Mark Teixeira without a hit.
What makes Lee so effective?
1) A cutter/slider he commands like his fastball. In many ways, Lee's fastball/slider combo is like Cole Hamels' fastball/change-up. The slider isn't a secondary pitch. It is more a matter of No. 1 and No. 1A. Last night, he threw 34 of them, using it to record 10 outs, five of them strikeouts. He threw 23 out of 34 of them for strikes. He allowed just one hit. He threw it in every imaginable count: 10 times on the first pitch (compared with 19 fastballs), six times while ahead 0-1 (compared with six fastballs), and nine times when trailing in the count 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 or 3-1 (compared with 10 fastballs).
2) His other off-speed pitches. Like Cole Hamels' change-up, Lee's cutter seems to be a 1A pitch. Unlike Hamels, he has similar confidence in his third and fourth pitches. Pitching coach Rich Dubee raved about Lee's change-up last night. Of the 14 he threw, 11 went for strikes and six resulted in outs, two of them strikeouts. Combined with his curve ball (nine strikes, four outs, two strikeouts, 14 pitches), Lee had full command of four pitches, each of them arriving to the plate with drastically different movement.
3) Fastball counts aren't fastball counts: Lee trailed 2-0, 3-0 or 3-1 in 10 different counts. He threw fastballs in just four of them.
4) Command: It is no good having four pitches if you don't have control of them. Lee threw 80 of his 122 pitches for strikes, consistently giving himself the upper hand against the Yankees' hitters. Just three of the 122 pitches he threw came in a three-ball count. Conversely, 32 of them came in two-strike counts.
5) Location: While opposing starter C.C. Sabathia spent most of the night attacking the outer half of the plate, struggling with his command when attempting to go inside, Lee owned both sides of the plate.
"He threw everything for stirkes," center fielder Shane Victorino said. "That was what was so impressive about him tonight, is that he had every single pitch working. He would come in and then go away, come in, come in, and then go away. Change-up, curveball, he did everything right tonight, and that's what he's been doing throughout the postseason, and what he did when he came here."
When hitters have no idea what pitch is coming, or where it is coming, and when a pitcher is hitting the spots he wants, it's pretty tough to put the ball in play. The Yankees found that out first hand last night.
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Cliff Lee's Pitch Breakdown (Unofficial)
Fastball
Slider/Cutter
Change-up
Curveball
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We're still seven-and-a-half hours away from Game 2. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Pedro Martinez does in his return to Yankee Stadium. Pretty amazing that the Phillies were in first place at the All-Star Break -- and that neither their Game 1 or Game 2 starter was on the roster at the time. . .
After the Phillies' 6-1 victory over the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series tonight, manager Charlie Manuel talked about Chase Utley, who hit two home runs, and the second baseman's ability to hit with two strikes.
"He takes a lot of pitches," Manuel said. "He has nice balance and rhythm. His weight shift creates a lot of bat speed. He has good hands. He’s very simple [at the plate]. His bat is in a nice, comfortable position. He's had good coaching."
Manuel also talked about the Phillies' 1-0 margin in the World Series. "We won a game tonight. We got one win," Manuel said. "When we get back to the hotel, or on the bus, we’ll think about tomorrow. We’ll come to the ballpark tomorrow, we’re coming to win."
About Cliff Lee, who pitched a complete game, Manuel said: "He had them all going. He struck out 10, didn’t walk anybody, and that’s against a good lineup."
“Winning Game 1 is huge,” Lee said. “You want to get off to a good start. At worst, we can split here in New York and go home and have homefield advantage. Now we have an opportunity to take both of them here and really have an advantage.”
"About me being cool, I’ve been that way all my life. I’ve been playing this game all my life. I’ve put the work in. No sense in being nervous. No reason for me to be nervous ... Gametime is the time to go out and have fun and have your skills take over."
