Archive: October, 2008
Todd Zolecki
The Phillies boarded a flight to Philadelphia on Wednesday night after they clinched the National League pennant. But Charlie Manuel took a different plane home. He flew to Roanoke, so he could attend his mother's viewing Thursday and funeral yesterday in Buena Vista, Va.
Manuel is expected to be back today for the team's workout at Citizens Bank Park.
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Todd Zolecki
Jamie Moyer has been in baseball since 1986, but it took him until 2008 to finally reach the World Series.
"I really believe that, going into this postseason, we had a club that really had that sour taste in its mouth from last year," Moyer said. "It was more than just getting to the playoffs. It was getting deep into the playoffs, and we've been fortunate enough to get that far this year. We still have work to do, but I'm really proud of this group of guys."
Todd Zolecki
I've watched quite a few videos on YouTube about last night's celebration in Philly. Great, great stuff. It's very cool to see people so excited.
I was telling a few people last night in Los Angeles that it's almost a little weird to be in L.A., where nobody is really celebrating, when everybody is celebrating back home. You almost didn't have a sense of how big a deal it was. Anyway, here's one of the better videos I found that I thought captured last night's excitement in Philly. I found another great one that I would love to post, but there were a few f-bombs in it, so, you know, I don't want to lose my job by posting it.
Todd Zolecki
The photo speaks for itself.
The headline? I've been covering the Phillies for six seasons, and I've been joking for years about putting the phrase "World Serious" into one of my stories. You know, something like, "The Phillies are World Serious." Of course, it's way too cheesy to put in the paper. But the good news is that it's too cheesy to use as a headline for this blog.
World Serious.
Todd Zolecki
This could be it, folks. Here are the lineups for Game 5 of the NLCS tonight at Dodger Stadium:
Phillies
- Jimmy Rollins, SS
- Jayson Werth, RF
- Chase Utley, 2B
- Ryan Howard, 1B
- Pat Burrell, LF
- Shane Victorino, CF
- Pedro Feliz, 3B
- Carlos Ruiz, C
- Cole Hamels, P
Dodgers
- Rafael Furcal, SS
- Andre Ethier, RF
- Manny Ramirez, LF
- Russell Martin, C
- James Loney, 1B
- Casey Blake, 3B
- Matt Kemp, CF
- Blake DeWitt, 2B
- Chad Billingsley, P
Todd Zolecki
It's amazing how much Phillies stuff is out there.
Got this e-mailed to me today from a loyal Phillies Zone reader. It's a song called "The Fightin' Phils" from Bickley Reichner and Elliot Lawrence and the Delaware County String Band. That's right, folks, the Delaware County String Band. Here are the lyrics:
The Fight, Fight, Fight-in' Phils! It's a tough, tough, team to beat.
They're out to win, win ev-'ry day. Every victory is sweet.
Watch 'em hit that ball a mile; play a game that's packed with thrills.
Get Pa to bring your Mother, Sister and your Brother
Come out to see the Fight-in' Phils. The fight, fight, fight-'in Phils.
Todd Zolecki
No offense, but the Phillies don't want to clinch the NLCS on Friday or Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.
They want to clinch it tonight at Dodger Stadium.
"You can't try to manipulate the situation," Chase Utley said. "Our goal is to come out (tonight) prepared to win."
Todd Zolecki
Never a doubt, right?
The Phillies came back in memorable fashion last night in a 7-5 victory over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. Shane Victorino hit a game-tying two-run home run to right field in the eighth inning. Matt Stairs stepped up three batters later and hit a mammoth pinch-hit, two-run homer to right field to win it. Brad Lidge picked up his first four-out save of the season. They helped turn what would have been an ugly loss into a memorable win.
One more to go.
Todd Zolecki
Here is the Phillies lineup for Game 4 of the NLCS:
- Jimmy Rollins, SS
- Jayson Werth, RF
- Chase Utley, 2B
- Ryan Howard, 1B
- Pat Burrell, LF
- Shane Victorino, CF
- Greg Dobbs, 3B
- Carlos Ruiz, C
- Joe Blanton, P
Here is the Dodgers lineup:
- Rafael Furcal, SS
- Andre Ethier, RF
- Manny Ramirez, LF
- Russell Martin, C
- James Loney, 1B
- Blake DeWitt, 2B
- Casey Blake, 3B
- Juan Pierre, CF
- Derek Lowe, P
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Todd Zolecki
You just knew that was coming.
Brett Myers threw high and tight to Russell Martin and behind Manny Ramirez's back in the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. Clay Condrey then brushed back Russell in Game 3. And because Dodgers righthander Chad Billingsley didn't buzz anybody in Game 2, you knew the Dodgers would do something last night in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium. Sure enough, they did. Dodgers righthander Hiroki Kuroda threw over Shane Victorino's head with two outs and nobody on in the third inning of their 7-2 victory. The victory did the one thing the Phillies didn't want, according to Phil Sheridan: they made this series interesting.
Victorino angrily pointed at his head and then his ribs.
