One More to Go
The Phillies are one victory away from a World Series championship.
One More to Go
Todd Zolecki
Ryan Howard lets everybody know: One more to go.
Is this really happening?
This must feel like an out-of-body experience for fans, but the Phillies are one victory away from winning the World Series.
Talk about droughts? Almost gone.
Talk about parades? Could be on.
Bob Ford talks about the Phillies being on the brink of the city's first championship since 1983, and the Phillies' second championship in 126 years. He writes, "they can put an end to the drought nonsense tonight. They can break the curses of Billy Penn, Moses Malone, Von Hayes, Eric Lindros and Terrell Owens all at the same time. These Phillies can finally end the taproom time-waster of a question: Which local team has the best chance of winning the next championship? After last night's romping 10-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, the correct answer is definitely Phillies. They've got a real nice shot right now."
Real nice.
Just one more win.
Since 1903, when the World Series debuted, 40 other teams have had three-games-to-one advantages entering Game 5. Thirty-four of them went on to win, 20 in Game 5.
"We have to control our excitement," said Brett Myers, "and do the job we have to do. It's not over yet."
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Cole Hamels is on the mound. He already is one of just 12 pitchers in baseball history to have four wins in a single postseason: Randy Johnson (5-1) with Arizona in 2001, Francisco Rodriguez (5-1) with Anaheim in 2002, Josh Beckett (4-0) with Boston in 2007, Livan Hernandez (4-0) with Florida in 1997, Orel Hershiser (4-1) with Cleveland in 1995, Burt Hooton (4-1) with Los Angeles in 1981, Jack Morris (4-0) with Minnesota in 1991, Curt Schilling (4-0) with Arizona in 2001, John Smoltz (4-1) with Atlanta in 1996, Dave Stewart (4-0) with Oakland in 1989 and David Wells (4-0) with the New York Yankees in 1998 are the others.
But Hamels could become the first pitcher in history to have five wins in a single postseason with all five of them coming as a starter. Johnson went 5-1 with a 1.52 ERA in six appearances (five starts) for the Diamondbacks in 2001. Rodriguez went 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 11 appearances for the Angels in 2002.
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Phil Sheridan writes about Joe Freakin' Blanton. Who knew?
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Bill Lyon writes about Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins turning things on just in time.
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Jim Salisbury goes Inside the Game.
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John Gonzalez talks the Phillies and Cervantes, who I think played shortstop for the Phillies in the '60s. Gonzalez, Sheridan and Ford wonder if Hamels is the next Steve Carlton or next Schilling?
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A "Let's Go Phillies!" chant inside the Linc? I find this all kinds of funny because I've heard Eagles chants in every ballpark in America since I started covering the Phillies in 2003.
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Frank Fitzpatrick offers his take on yesterday's festivities.
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Ruben Amaro Jr. could be named the next Phillies GM any day now. ... Rays manager Joe Maddon wondered if Blanton had a foreign substances on his hat. No, it's just dirty. ... How good is the Phillies bullpen right now? It is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA (seven earned runs in 37 1/3 innings) and six saves this postseason. Only the '83 Phillies bullpen had a better ERA in the postseason. It went 0-0 with a 1.21 ERA (three earned runs in 22 1/3 innings) with two saves. ... Carlos Ruiz has come up big in the World Series. In fact, before last night, I was asking somebody if he could be series MVP if he kept it up.
Comments (84)
I agree with Bobby. Our pitching has been outstanding. The Rays hit the Red Sox hard and pounded all those home runs in the ALCS. Our pitchers shut them down right from the start and have kept them down the whole series.— bski- AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One More WIN!!!!!— whiplash240
- Its so true...in football, defense wins championships and in baseball, pitching wins championships. GO PHILS...Go Eagles "D"— JamesJ
- I get ESPN international and they actually had good things to say about Phila this morning (my time). Between the Iggles, Flyers, Penn St. and Phillies it was one hell of a weekend. makes one proud to be boprn in the city of brotherly love— jeff gross
- I have to admit, I was one of those who thought the Phils gave up too much to get Blanton, esp. after he was so mediocre in his first two months with the club. But he's come through in the clutch time and again in Sept. and Oct., and for some reason he gets lots of run support. At this point, it's clear the trade was worth it. Howard was much-maligned through the early part of the playoffs and the early part of this series (scary to think how ugly it would have been in Phillies fandom if Howard had had Longoria's series), but last night is why he's worth every penny of the $10 million he's getting. The question is how much more it's going to cost the Phillies to keep him. Kudos to Eyre for getting another key out in the 7th (and Gillick for getting him for essentially nothing). And finally, what a strikeout by Madson on Upton, when the game was still close (I believe Madson got a hold). Down the stretch (Sept.-Oct.), he might have been the best set-up man in baseball.— Statman
- When Blanton hit that bomb, I thought this is really gonna happen. Blanton was spectacular last night. Our pitching throughout this series has been excellent. How about Moyer pitching after having an all-night stomach virus?? King Cole tonight and the draught just might be over! GO PHILS!— KarenA
- To all of you with tickets to tonights (last) game--ENjoy. Please think of us poor ticketless souls as you party after the final out and the Phillies are proclaimed the World Champions for 2008— jeff gross
- Pitching does win championships. You don't need great PITCHERS. You just need great PITCHING. We're blessed with a true ace, 3 other starters who can bunker down, a lights-out closer and a few solid setup men. All these guys converging at the same time can deliver a parade for us. I can't see a Paul Abbott or a Eude Brito or a JD Durbin on this World Series roster. Let's get this thing done!!— Sully
- I will be there tonight, this is playing out so perfectly.. Focusing on work today is not going to be easy. I actually don't think it has really sunk in yet. Cole cements himself as one of the best pitchers in the game tonight! Lets go Phils!!!— Gary Varsho
If there's anything that scares me, it's this feeling of an automatic win tonight. Can someone please hyponotize the team into believeing that they're down 3-2? Remember, it's Hamels vs. Kazmir. I don't recall Game 1 being a cakewalk. We all have visions of Hamels shutting the Rays down and our offense picking up where they left off last night. But since when do things go as expected? The Rays may well lay down- but don't count on it. 2 weeks ago I wrote that Cole Hamels had the chance to move up to a new level by clinching the NLCS. He did that and has has made the leap to greatness. Tonight he has the rare opportunity to achieve immortality in sports sense of the word. Games don't get much bigger than this. Let's Go Cole!!! and LET'S GO PHILLIES!!!— bobby- People in Phila are working today? You have got to be kidding. I've moved all my business calls in teh phila area back a week. I figure everyone has beeter things to do— jeff gross
- Joe Buck and McCarver annoy me..Joe said last night about ANOTHER call that went their way {tag of rolins at 3rd base}...what were the other calls..I thought the call at first base on Crawford was the cause of 2 runs for the Rays,,,where are these guys coming from?— COMMISH78
- Be there tonight with wife and 2 daughters. Thinking back to being in Clearwater, hoping this might be the year and now, finally on the cusp of a championship. WOWSERS! Hope they can bring it home tonight, the Bank will be rockin. Kudo's to Charlie, Pat, the advance scouting guys and the players, this has been a great ride. One more, just one more.— jimmymack
- To all you PHillies fans in Philly...thank your lucky stars that you can watch it! I'm an ex Philly gal living in France and we're 6 hours ahead...it's torture trying to stay awake...which I haven't been able to do, so I've missed the best...I'm going to give it a try tonight...Carolyn— logan63
- Logan, I know the problem. Games start here at 2:30AM, and that's after I've worked a full day. Oh well, it hasn't happened in 25 years— jeff gross
- jeff gross: I will be there tonight, and will make sure and reserve a kind thought for all the great fans who will not be able to be in the park. We know that it doesn't matter if you are physcially in the building or not, all Phillies fans will actually "be there". I am really counting on Cole to come through. When I bought my postseason ticket package (2 tix per game / 1 game in each series), of course everyone wanted one. I had to really fight to keep the World Series ticket for my father, and tonight might just turn out to be a dream come true... the opportunity to take my father to see the Phillies win the World Series, an opportunity he missed in '80 when they won it in 6 (he had tickets to Game 7). He has never been to a post season game before. And I don't care what the score is... if the Phillies have a lead in the 9th, I want to see Lights Out on the hill. "On your feet; WHO'S WITH ME?!?!?!?!?!"— RollinsWasRight
- RWR: You are very lucky ("blessed" is more the word) to be able to be at the game with your Dad. My Dad passed away a little more than 2 years ago. My older brother and I have been texting each other incessantly throughout these playoffs and the unspoken, but very clear, theme between us is how much our Dad would have enjoyed all this. It reminds me of the scene in the movie City Slickers, where the guys talk about how sports was always the one way they could always communicate with their fathers. It's definitely true, and that communication seems to linger, even with him gone. Old habits. My brother will be at the game with his 2 boys. Enjoy it for all of us! We'll be with you in spirit!!— bobby
- I agree that Lidge pitches the 9th, unless Cole has a NH going. If he has a sutout I would debate it, but otherwise, turn out the lights by all means. RWR: I had tickets for game 6 in '80 and it is a great memmory. Hope you and your dad enjoy this bonding momment together. GO PHILS— jeff gross
- You know how they put out a video yearbook after every season, chronicling the year? And they give it a clever little title, like last year's "Goosebumps" (which I thought was actually a pretty cool marketing campaign the whole year)... well, if they win tonight, or even win it in 6 or 7, can they call the 2008 Phillies video yearbook "No More Cowbell"?— RollinsWasRight
- I hate to say the "P" word...but if there were to be a "gathering" on Broad Street, any word on when that may be?— alaver
- I will be bringing the entire "Phillies Zone" with me to the ballpark tonight... yes, even Truth has played a role in this roller coaster ride (every great story needs a villain, doesn't it? :)), and should we win tonight, I will be as grateful for him as I will for every other Phillie fan there is. ONE MORE WIN! ONE MORE WIN! The baseball gods smiled on Jamie Moyer Saturday night; it would be really really something to have them smile on us one more time, and allow Pat to have a big game tonight (as was already mentioned here, I believe)... all the years of losing, all the abuse from the fans, all the times we doubted him, and all the tremendous hard work he has put in, it just wouldn't be right to win it without him being able to contribute a big hit in the Series.— RollinsWasRight
- alaver: I have not heard yet. They may not announce it until after they finish the win. My gut says that it would not be tomorrow; I think they would want to take some time to plan, and to allow the Police Dept. time to regroup after what may very well be a VERY long night tonight for them...— RollinsWasRight
- SHUT UP!!!! you'll jinx it......God hates us.......keep that smile off your face....eyes down.....act depressed......good good...just about 12 more hours...— Warhound
- I agree, Bobby. I've even heard a few hints of certainty from the normally one-game-at-a-time-still-need-to-play-well-and-win players. I hope they rein in their emotions and don't get over-confident! Cole while brilliant is still capable of losing, regularly gives up 2 runs, and Ryan won't see anything to hit tonight. Kazmir's good and the Rays will be determined. All they have to do is put the ball in play and their speed will do the rest quite often. I'm not saying it doesn't look good for the Phils - It does - but they can't get ahead of themselves. They have to remain relaxed and focused. As Shane said in the LCS, there's still a way to go and now is the time to keep on the gas pedal. Let's do it tonight! 'cause it will get a lot harder if it goes back to the Trop. Sure is exciting! Go Phils!— gbrettfan
- I agree that it won't be easy but I think the Rays would rather have gotten out of town last night they are done. The phils have worked the body enough offense and Cole deliver knock out tonight.— mmac
- I called this and told all I could before it started. If the economy did not have me poor I would have bet on it also. Phils pitching was better, fielding better and hitting obviously better. Rays are a good team but when this lineup and pitchers get in this kinda groove they win 3 out of 4 close games and mix in one or two blowouts also. Just to tough for Rays young team and pitchers to handle. One game in the next three game set does the deal.— mmac
- Cole Hamels always says he expects to pitch a No Hitter at some point. Well, tonight is a great time to do it. Imagine winning the WS with a No-No. GO PHILS— jeff gross
- that would be nice Jeff. I am so glad that phils showed that they have better offense, better fielding and better pitching than the Rays.— mmac
- I just have one thing to say---Ryan Howard for series MVP. He's one bomb away.....I think were looking in the 16 to 18 mil category!!!— Truth
- Truth, unless Ryan hits a huge HR tonight which includes teh GWRBI, I think COle gets it (assuming he pitches 7 and gets teh win). He is fast becoming the media darling he wants to be. Also, Ruiz has a very good shot if he has a good game including a hit or two and a clutch RBI (he is batting 500 or something for the series) as for the payout, your numbers sound about right. I figure 14-16 million— jeff gross
- Jeff, of course a no-hitter would be unbelievably great. A shut-out would also be quite a feather for Cole's cap! Just keep on keeping them off-balance.— gbrettfan
- Truth - can we avoid discussing(arguing about) Howard's $$ until at least November? Next year is not of any concern at the moment. There will be plenty of time for contract talks and free agency talks in another week or so. At this point, just enjoy the bleeping game!— Gary Varsho
- It would be a tough call btwn Hamels, Howard or Ruiz for series MVP. I thought it was such poetic justice that Ruiz who had the throwing error in game 3 was the one who got the winning run across. Thank goodness, Howard seems to have found his September groove. Let's hope Hamels can keep the Pena & Longoria was a goose egg for hits. GO PHILS!— KarenA
- that's WITH a goose egg for hits (sorry for the typo)— KarenA
- Apologies to Joe Blanton. Didn't think getting him would help much but I was wrong. He's been amazingly consistent. Apologies to Ryan Howard as well who along with Lidge is the Phillies MVP. One more win! It would be a lot easier if the Phils do it tonight. Going back to St. Petersburg would be a lot tougher. GO PHILS!!!!!!!!!— James TL
- They censored me again. I was saying how I hope after the season he had and the grief we gave him that Ruiz wins the MVP. Would serve us all right if the guy we demanded be benched, traded, sent down etc, came back to lead the team in the series. Just goes to show that he may have had a bad year, but he is still a good player and an important part of the team— jeff gross
- Good pts-Ruiz would really be a feel good good story. I could go for that. Its a tribute to Cholly's feel for the gm that he stuck with him when he tanking in the middle of the season. Ruiz has really impressed me withhis steady play and enthusiasm for the gm. Surprised no one said if Chase hits a big shot tonight it would be him. Well i guess ppl are becoming more grounded in reality on this board!! The team definitely played as if the rubber ducky was outta there butts last night!!— Truth
- Howard would have to have a huge game-winning performance tonight to get series MVP, in my opinion. The odds-on favorite is obviously Hamels. If he pitches strong and gets the win, there's no question. Unbelievably, Carlos Ruiz is still in the hunt for MVP. If Hamels is not the hero tonight, and Ruiz comes through big, I think he'd have to be the guy. As of last night, Howard is hitting .353 with 6 RBI and 2 walks in the Series. Ruiz is hitting .417 with 3 RBI and 4 walks. Amazingly, that's pretty close.— bobby
- Bobby, don't forget that the MVP is about image and not really about being valuable. Howards 3 HRs are much more "Valuable" in this case, then Ruiz's walk off single or his defence. I agree that Hammels gets it if he has a good game. But if Howard hits another HR and has 2-3 rbis including the game winner, it will be real close— jeff gross
Comment removed.- If your a true Philadelphia sports fan, you will relate to this ... I scared to death, I don't know how to feel. I'm trying to stay positive. What are we gonna do if they blow it ? When we won in '80 , we were expected to win it all. This '08 team has shocked us all..Negativity is in us all.. What are we to do ? What we always do, continue to be the best fans in the country, sorry I meant the world.. I would ask that everyone, before the first pitch, take a moment and remember all the great fans that have passed on, and are with us all and the Phillies in spirit.. I know I'm acting out of character, but it's how I'm feeling.. Go Phillies..............— pat h
- If Hamels pitches well and gets the win, he's the MVP without question. But if not, and as you describe, "Howard hits another HR and has 2-3 rbis including the game winner", he's the MVP for sure. That was exactly my point. But on the other hand, if Howard is quiet tonight and Carlos is the offensive hero, I can't see how he doesn't get it. Of course, we're assuming that they win tonight, but if that's the case, it's really all about tonight's performance. In fact, to touch on an earlier point, if Chase Utley were to have a huge game and hit a game-winning RBI, he could very well win the MVP, again only if Hamels does not get it.— bobby
- Ok, I'm going to share with you all something I haven't told anyone else...ever. For years now I have watched those Sports Illustrated commericals after championship games, (you know the ones where they go "Name your team fans! Your team just won the BLANK, remember them forever with this commemorative books and video with your subscription to SI) and thought "when will that be a Philly team"? I have wanted my SI moment for a long time. To be able to pick up the phone and order it, even though I could care less about SI, so I could have the stuff to cherish and remember a great time by. And now, finally...I am so close to it. So tonight I will do the same thing I have done this post season...stay home with my dogs and not watch the game. I'll wait til around 10pm or so to finally peak at the score. If they have a comfortable lead, I will watch. If not, back to my TiVo or reading or something. And should that moment come, then the first two calls I make will be 1) to my Mom, and 2) to SI.— Deb in Dixie
- By the way, "the MVP is about image and not really about being valuable"? Since when? A series MVP has to have the numbers to back up the choice. That's why you often see guys come out of nowhere to get hot and walk away with the MVP. Pitchers with multi-wins in a series often get the award. Or it's the guy with the most RBI's or highest batting average. Game-winning hits is huge, especially if it's in the clincher. But I don't buy the "image" bit when it comes to series MVP. The numbers have to be there.— bobby
- Bobby, I agree with your views on Cole, Howard and Ruiz. I don't thik that utley has a chance to be MVP unless he has teh best game ever, and COle doesn't win tonght. As for not being valuable--hasn't madson been valuable? He's apeared in how many games and been lights out? but Cole is more "image". Ruiz over Howard? Without a doubt, but Howard is more Image. If there are two people who have teh stats, then teh image player (the one with teh HR, RBI, etc) wins over teh fielding, baserunning, average, and small ball guy,. This is image— jeff gross
- jimmy, Gary, RWR.....Have fun tonight! I am soooo jealous! I agree ost Cole being named MVP if he pitches well tonight. I'd rather see an offensive player get it, but it would be really hard to choose. Almost everybody came up big at some point during this series. Ryan, Chase, J.Roll, Jayson, Vic, Chooch. Heck, even Joe Blanton! Maybe tonight will be Pat's night!— Norma
- Norma, you aren't going tonight? Pity. As for Pat, i agree it would be nice to see him be tonight's hero. I'd also love to see Victorino get back into teh spotlight a bit again. he's been quiet lately..— jeff gross
- It is no coincidence that our offense started hitting the ball hard and scoring runs once we got back home. (What a difference seeing the ball makes, huh?). I understand what Bobby was talking about when he expressed concern over facing Kazmir and the fact that game 1 was not a cakewalk. Game 5 will be much different though. Kazmir is pitching on the road this time. This is the second time we will be facing him. Our hitters can actually see the ball now. Unless Hamels just has one of those nights and is off, I can't see our first loss at home this postseason coming tonight. I'm actually hoping for a complete game shutout (a la Schilling in game 5 in Philly in 93---a game I attended, btw)combined with some offensive fireworks to close out the Rays tonight and bring the title home.— bski
- For Madson (or any reliever) to even be considered for series MVP, he'd have to have appeared in and essentially saved several games in the series. It's possible for a closer to do that, but very unlikely a setup guy can get the numbers to warrant MVP. Sure, we all feel that Madson is valuable, but the reality is he's pitched 3 innings and has an ERA of 3.0. 5 K's are the big number, but again, there's no way he can compete with the numbers other guys will have. It's not about image at all. It's about numbers. To compare Madson to Hamels and say that Hamels will get it due to image is just ridiculous. Hamels will get the MVP if his numbers dictate it. Sometimes it;s a close call in terms of offense. But HR and RBI are the numbers that win MVP. Not because of 'image', but because they are more valuable than straight batting average. Just for kicks, my odds on series MVP: Hamels Even Odds, Howard 3-1, Ruiz 4-1, Utley 5-1, Rollins 7-1, Werth 15-1. Of course, this is all based on them winning tonight...— bobby
- I will cherish the photo of me and Joe Blanton, taken at Phillies Photo Day, forever! Joe had literally just joined the Phillies a few days earlier. Everybody was saying, "Joe who?" Guess they know him now! LOL! Think I'll have the pic enlarged and framed!— Norma
- Well, at least one of my comments made it on here. Maybe the other one will show up eventually. Anyway, the thing about Hamels is that everything he has done so far in this postseason has prepared him for this opportunity. He clinched for us in game 5 of the NLCS on the road. With this one at home where your team is relaxed and confident, where your offense has awakened, and against a team that is pretty wobbly and ripe to be closed out, I don’t see the Rays faring any better off him than they did in game 1. Hamels has not been overly amped, rattled, or overcome by nerves in any of his four previous postseason starts, so there’s no reason to think that today will be any different. I think he locks it down tonight. GO PHILS!— bski
- I think the Phils will win tonight with no problem. If they jump out erly to a 1-2 run lead we can start planning the "P". The young Rays will simply fold and go away, never to be seen or heard of again. So much for the AL being the domminanat league. Must be easy playing b-ball when teh pitcher doesn't have to hit and the manager doesn't have to think— jeff gross
- It's ironic. Hamels was busted by some for not being passionate enough. And yet I think it is his California, laid back, surfer dude cool that makes him the perfect person to pitch tonight.— Deb in Dixie
This game is not going to play out the way we hope it will. The Rays will play with desperation tonight. Unfortuanately, Longoria and Pena will not go hitless in the WS. Neither will Pat the Bat. Here's the prediction: in a game rife with anxiety and stress similar to but worse than game one in Tampa, Pat Burrell, in his last at bat as aPhillie, will hit a 3-run bomb in the eighth inning to win it for the Phils, 4-3.— RAS- RAS: From your mouth to G-d's ears to the Bank's field. I'll take that prediction with no problem— jeff gross
- Time for a little whining....I wasn't able to buy postseason tickets out-right, since I'm not a season ticket holder. And I can't afford StubHub prices. I guess the *lottery* was the fairest way to distribute the rest of the tickets. The problem I have with the lottery is, that I know several people who were picked, who never went to a Phillies game. Not that they're not fans! My friends and I went to 24 games, attended the Phillies Fest and Baseball 101, plus we were at Spring Training. NONE of us were picked in the lottery. Just doesn't seem fair somehow! Let me grab one of my rally towels and mop up my tears. LOL!— Norma
- I think Madson should get mvp if they win because he has been the put out the fires in the whole series and when the Rays all year have come up with timely hits and come backs is right where Madson has been giving them not even a sniff of any comebacks. I am sure he won't but I feel bad that until I saw the blog I did not even consider it. Shame on me.— mmac
- Norma, I agree with you. My question is, however, if you went to 24 games, wouldn't it have been easier/cheaper to buy a season ticket package? While not familiar with the different plans, it is just a thought to avoid this problem next year— jeff gross
- norma let's all hope that you have this problem next year and I know it is premature but what can this team do in the next few years? I know all Pat's teams seem to fall on there faces the next couple years but this one looks built for the long haul and even with no other additions pitching looks much better to start the year than it was this year. Happ will be nice addition and I feel he is for real and Jenkins will be replaced and Werth can replace Burrells bat if we lose that. and the kicker is free agents will want to come here because we will be legit.— mmac
- MMAC: let's let next year wait until after this year is over. Let's worry about how we party after tonight's win first. Ticket deals are legit, player movements aren't— jeff gross
- IMHO, this whole MVP thread is premature. This is not a done deal. Tampa is here for a reason. They absolutely just smoked both Sox in the ALCS. Let's win the game first.— RAS
- If we can't win one game out of teh next three we have serrious porblems. I honestly believe we win tonight and the party begins. Besides, it's no more premature then talking about the regular season MVP in september— jeff gross
- I really think someone at the game should bring in a banner saying "re-sign 'Pat the bat' NOW"!!!— Truth
- Regular season MVP is determined before the playoffs begin. Playoff MVP goes to a player on the WINNING TEAM with maybe one exception as long as I can remember (which is pretty long :)— RAS
- Truth that's a great idea! I thought it was terrific when they did the All-star voting campaign for him (even though he lost)I would love for him to return. I know he has some drawbacks, but I think the pluses outweigh the minuses. Should also include Moyer in that sign :-)— KarenA
- Burrell has acquitted himself well in his tenure here n Philly. I really think he will wind up as a DH though, since his wheels are pretty much shot. I would think that his agent would advise him to seek a DH contract, since that probably would be longer (more years) than one with the Phils or any other NL team.— RAS
- I agree that this is not a done deal by any means, as I noted earier, but I think it's perfectly valid to debate who the MVP might be. It's all 'what ifs' anyway. Gotta kill time somehow...— bobby
- Pat will not be a DH as he has repeatedly said he doesn't like it. he hits better (acording to him) when he is involved in teh game by playing the fiels as well. As for the MVP, yes, it's based on regular season which ends end of sept, not beginning of the month which is when we all started discussing it this year— jeff gross
- Pat will get what the market will bear for his services. He's not going to play here for peanuts. If Phillie or any other team doesn't want to entertain the risk of him breaking down, then the only legitimate money available will be DH money.— RAS
- i just looked a the weather forcast and now they are calling for rain tonight all the way until tomorrow night. i hope they don't start this game and then go to delay an inning or two later. we would lose hamels then.— timm2
- I'd love to see Burrell stay, but it's a long shot. He can say whatever he wants about DH, that's where he fits best and where the most money will be. I think it is possible, but not likely, that the Phils sign him to a shorter term deal (2 yrs, with 3rd yr opt) at a lower salary ($8-10 mil), and then he goes to the AL as a DH if he still has some pop. Again, I don't think that's likely, but I'd be up for it.— bobby
- I just looked at the Doppler and there is a green band from the western suburbs to Happy Valley. Where did all this come from?? Rain forecast all night. Timm brings up a valid point about losing Hamels to a long dealy. Should they start Myers instead of Hamels tonight? If I were Charlie, I'd warm up both guys.— RAS
- Weather Channel forecast: "Cloudy with occasional showers. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%." Hey, you can't 2nd guess the weather. Cole starts as planned. If there's a delay, they deal with it. They are not calling for heavy rain, so I doubt they will delay the game once they start.— bobby
- this is probably the weather we had blow thru chicago the last two days. hope not b/c it was heavy at times and really didnt stop much. definetly more reason to try to jump to quick lead (not that much more was needed).— timm2
- you start Cole. If there is a delay that is why you have happ on the roster, to handle log relief jobs. Under no circumstances do you pitch Myers as he may need to start game 6. If this was game 7 it would be different, but we do have 3 chances to win this one game— jeff gross
- you start Cole. If there is a delay that is why you have happ on the roster, to handle log relief jobs. Under no circumstances do you pitch Myers as he may need to start game 6. If this was game 7 it would be different, but we do have 3 chances to win this one game— jeff gross
- sorry for double post— jeff gross
- Bring on the Rays... bring on the rain... bring on whatever else you got... Tonight is our night!— RollinsWasRight
- i agree you start cole and use the bullpen if need be. you don't sacrifice the rotation for one game. tampa has to do that b/c they dont have a next game if they don't try everything they have to.— timm2
- Given the options of Myers-Happ tonight and Hamels for ALL OF GAME 6, vice Hamels (two or three inings?)-Happ tonight and Myers for game 6, I would give the former option some serious consideration. It all depends on what kind of weather they are looking at. There doesn't appear to be any major build-ups on the Doppler, so I'd probably start Hamels as it stands right now.— RAS
- Given Hammels past experiences with too many days' off (first game after All Star break) I wouldn't mess with the rotation. Who knows, it may not rain, there may not be a delay, etc. Best to go with Cole and get this over with already. DOnt want to go back to Fl and have to deal with those anoying bells— jeff gross
- jeff....The main reason I've never bought a season ticket package is, the friends I usually go with can't usually do weekday games, and the season ticket packages are mostly weekday games. Another reason, is we like to sit in different parts of the ballpark, choose our own seats and choose our games. There are several different *plans*, but the games are pre-determined. The last couple of years, the Phillies have offered "six packs". With those, you can pick and choose just about any game and seat you want. You just have to order all six at the same time. We bought four "six packs" this season. We've already decided to buy the Sunday season ticket plan for next year. Plus a couple of "six packs". So next season won't be an issue.— Norma
- Do you mean to tel me that people who bought 6 packs weren't elegible for Post season tickets befor the general public? What a farce. You are right, they should have been given teh option of buying tickets after season holders were. Oh, well, this management doesn't have very much experience with the Post season yet. They will learn I hope— jeff gross
- Ras-Don't be foolish. Warm up both guys?— Truth
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
Matt Gelb
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Bob Brookover
Inquirer Baseball Columnist
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