One more step
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One more step
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Is it just me, or did this feel almost anti-climactic? Not in a bad way, for sure. But with the way the Phillies pounded the Dodgers into submission to advance to the World Series for the second straight year, and fresh off a dramatic walk-off win in Game 4, Wednesday night's clincher felt, well, different.
Onne year and five days ago, the story was the newness of it all, the aforementioned split second of realization -- Holy hell, we're going to the World Series -- carrying well into the next morning. Last night? Last night was something different. Last night was a prize fighter that had already withstood the best his opponent had to offer, had already endured the 35 degree chill of Denver and the 90 degree heat of Los Angeles and the three-run rally by the Rockies in Game 4 of the NLDS and the flame-throwing closer protecting a two-out lead in Game 4 of the NLCS.
Want to know what Wednesday night felt like? It felt like an encore, a victory lap, one last exhibition of brutish strength in the form of a 10-4 victory over a team that looked as if it knew it was beaten. Yes, the Phillies are going to their second straight World Series, the first time a National League team can make that claim since 1996, when the World Champion Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS. Yes, they are the first team in franchise history to achive such a feat, leaving little doubt that the finest era in Phillies baseball exists in the present. Yes, the champagne still smelled sweet, and the party still rocked, as did the thousands of red-clad fans who lingered into the night.
Yet as the players streamed out of the dugout after Shane Victorino settled under a lazy fly ball off the bat Ronnie Belliard to cap off the five-game series win, it was somehow different..
"We've got one more step," Ryan Howard said as he accepted his NLCS MVP Trophy, the spoils of a series in which he hit .333 with two home runs and eight RBI.
But last year, those words were touched with more than a hint of exuberance, of hopefullness, more bravado than confidence.
This year, the tone was that of a businessman addressing his colleagues, puntuated with a period and not an exclamation point.
"It's something I've been saying," Howard said later, a pair of plastic goggles protecting him from random drive-by sprayings. "We take it all in stride. The first step is making the playoffs. The second step is trying to get the National League Championship Series. And the third step is trying to get to the World Series. We achieved our third step, and then the next step is just going out there and trying to win."
For one night, they played like a team that had Howard's checklist hanging on the dugout wall.
You goofed!! It was the Cardinals, not the Reds, who won the NL Central in '96. Anyone notice that Channel 10 didn't break from Conan and Jimmy Fallon to show the Phillies celebration? I'm suspecting NBC-Universal Chairman Jeff Zucker or others directly under him at NBC-Universal ordered Channel 10 to stay with Conan and Fallon or face reprecussions if they broke for Phillies coverage.— Wallyhorse2- Well put, David. I'd summarize the mood as "happy but not finished." Final thoughts on this game and this series: (1) That's the Padilla that we were all hoping would make an appearance! (2) Nice for Werth, Feliz, and Ibanez to join the fray. How good is this lineup when everyone is hitting? (3) The vaunted Dodger pitching staff really proved no match for the Phillies' offense, disproving the old adage that good pitching always beats good hitting. (4) Remember during the season when everyone was so concerned about the Phils' lack of production with RISP? (5) I've never been a Durbin fan, but he contributed 4 perfect innings in the series and got the most important 4 outs of Game 5. Never hurts to have a hot reliever. (6) Lidge looks better with each outing, a miraculous turnaround if ever there was one. (7) Howard was much-maligned during the year for his strikeouts, but I've said it before and I'll say it again: when he's locked in [as he's been for 2.5 months now], NO ONE in baseball is better. How hot is he? His three key hits in the series were against three pitchers [Kershaw, Kuroda, Wolf] against whom he had been 2-25 previously. (8) Actually, if you think about it, this series parallels last year's NLCS: dramatic Game 4 followed by anticlimactic Game 5. Let's hope the World Series is just as "parallel" to last year's!— Statman
- Everyone except for the disillusioned knew the series was over after Rollins' hit. And after last season's 25-year-drought-breaking title for Philly, the only thing that can top that is to be an underdog as defending champions, endure a week long media hard-on for the Yankees and then rip out their front-running fans' hearts.— jgizow44
- Only oone note. High Cheese is a worthless read.— phils_phan
- Yeah, there wasn't as much celebrating this year. That's good. It means they are focused on winning the World Series again and not just getting back there.— JimG
- WAY TO GO YOU FIGHTING PHILLIES I AM PRUD OF YOU ALL THE HOLE TEAM AND COACHES WELL JOB DONE BACK TO BACK RIGHT ON I KNEW YOU GOOD DO IT— dotty215
- Just like clubbing baby seals. Who's next?— drbob456
Comment removed.- flynny, it's an injury from when he got plunked on the top of the foot by Kershaw.— danielswolf
- Felt the exact same way David. Nice work.— pfeif34
Avenge the Whiz Kids! Beat the Yankees! And use Pedro, along with Cliff Lee of course, to help do it. This is his time of year.- Yes, I agree somewhat anti-climatic. The goal all year has been to win the Series again, not just get back. It's nice to see the past 3 clinching celebrations, but hard for me to get overly excited until we thump the American League victim. Bring on the Yanks! I wish it started tomorrow.— tiger4366
- Rollins is gimpy because of getting hit twice last night. He and Utley have a week to get healthy, so I'm not worried.— jamiller30
- Comment removed.
- Hey everybody! I believe it was only a case of "pile tired-outness" if you know what I mean.. All is well, O'happy day Phillies!! Bring another title back to us.— carld
