Remain Calm, All Is Well
The Phillies watched their lead shrink to 1 1/2 games in the NL East after last night's 3-2 loss to the Braves.
Remain Calm, All Is Well
Todd Zolecki
So, yeah, maybe the Phillies can't win every game down the stretch.
They lost last night to the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, 3-2. The Phillies are 10-2 since Sept. 10, which remains the best record in baseball, but lost because they were sloppy in the field and sloppy on the bases. It cut their lead over the New York Mets in the National League East to 1 1/2 games with four to play. It cut their lead against the Milwaukee Brewers, who are chasing the Mets for the wild card, to 2 1/2 games. Both the Mets and Brewers have five games remaining.
The Phillies remained calm in the clubhouse afterward, which is a good thing. But that doesn't mean they can relax. Brett Myers pitches the series finale tonight. He wants to come back from his pounding Friday in Florida. The Phillies are hoping Carlos Zambrano can outpitch Oliver Perez tonight at Shea and give the Phillies a little help heading into tomorrow's day off.
"We lost a game," Ryan Howard said. "I don't think there's any reason to go into a frenzy. It happens. The good thing is we get to come back tomorrow. Everybody else looks at four games or whatever. We play each game, then deal with tomorrow when we get to it."
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Phil Sheridan takes a look at a team that refuses to panic, which could serve them well in their final four games.
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In the Phillies Notebook: every player except Tadahito Iguchi is eligible for the postseason roster, which means Greg Golson could find hmself in the playoffs for his pinch-running capabilities. The Phillies also could skip Cole Hamels' spot in the rotation Sunday, if the Phillies clinch before then. That would set up Hamels to pitch Game 1 of the NLDS with Brett Myers starting Game 2.
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In the Baseball Prospectus Postseason Odds Report:
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The Phillies have an 87.42 percent chance to win the NL East, an 11.08 percent chance to win the wild card and a 98.51 percent chance to make the playoffs overall.
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The Mets have a 12.58 percent chance to win the East, a 59.57 percent chance to win the wild card and a 72.14 percent chance to make the playoffs overall.
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The Brewers have a 29.30 percent chance to win the wild card.
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Bob Ford, John Gonzalez and Sheridan banter about the Phillies' chances.
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The Mets caught a helluva break in last night's victory over the Cubs. ... The Brewers won a thriller. ... They also are pitching CC Sabathia tonight against the Pirates. It's his second consecutive start on three days rest.
Jimmy: that's for this year, doesn't realy help for next year. Truth: first of all, after and entire season, you can call me Jeff, no last name needed. Now lets get real. Howard is getting 10 million this year, he'll get a 3-5 million raise. Cole gets 500K this year, next year he'll get 1 million, Werth gets 1.7, and should get about 2 million (he deserves a raise, though he';s not worth that ammount) Vic gets 480K and could be looking at 600-700KFigure the other 5 players (so ain't coming back) get 1 million between them, that's around 5 million. Moyer will probably get the same as a FA, and Pat, or his replacement is at least 15 million. add in raises etc and they've upped the payrole to your 120 million. Where is the additional pitcher or bat we keep saying they need?— jeff gross- Ok, two things... One, why was the ballpark so dead last night? It sounded like a Tuesday night game in Mid-May... Not a final week game with the division crown staring us right in the face! Are we so confident in or comfortable with this team that we are taking stuff for granted now???? WAKE UP< PEOPLE!!!! And two, I heard a rumor that the Phillies are looking into the feasibility of personal seat licenses at CBP. I don't know what to make of that. On the one hand, I hate PSL's (in fact, I believe they are illegal, no matter what spin NFL franchises put on them... when you buy a ticket, and the ticket has the event name, date and time printed on it, as well as your section row and seat number, have you not purchased the right to enter the ballpark and view that event, on that date, at that time, from that specific seat/vantage point? Charging anything more for "the right to sit in that seat" is called 'price gouging'. I am still waiting for someone to have the guts to get a lawyer and take this issue to court). On the other hand, the Phillies will need more money if they wish to continue competing with the Mets, whose payroll is likely to skyrocket over the next few years. What to do, what to do?— RollinsWasRight
- If Pat wants 15 mil, no way he is gettin it here. I was thinking 3 years maybe 8-10 a year the Phillies offer him.— Beef69
- Beef, he makes 14 million ths year. The purpose of FA is to make more money. A million raise is less then he can get on th eopen market. I'm assuming he'll settle for less to stay in Phila which he loves, but even if he goes, to sign a 30-85 man is going to cost at least that (manny is looking for 20 milion for example)— jeff gross
- I know he will get more in the AL. But the Phils will not offer that. I like Pat but I rather see him walk then give him 15mil (or more) per year. Same thing happened with Rowand. Loved the guy but have to agree with the Phils for letting him walk.— Beef69
- The difference is that Rowland isn't worth what he was paid by SF but Pat is worth the 15. who will we replace him with, and at what price??— jeff gross
Beef, you're right. Pat is not the prototypical free agent. He's in a place he likes, playing the game he loves and has already made more money than he's ever dreamed of. I'd say a 3yr/30mil contract suits him just fine. Can he get more elsewhere? Absolutely. Especially if he goes the AL route as a DH. But I don't see it. I think it all comes down to how the Phillies organization handles it.— bobby- Who's this 'Rowland' guy?— bobby
- rowand (duh) you know I can't type by now....— jeff gross
- I just don't see Pat as a 15 mil man. You really think he is worth that? I don't think Pat lived up to the contract the Phillies first gave him.— Beef69
- Bobby, if we can get pat for 3/30 it'll be a steal. But realistically you have to figure 15 per year. I think the argument will be on number of years. Any ideas who they bring in if pat walks and at how much??— jeff gross
- Honestly, I'm not into debating what happens in the off-season on a day when we have a magic number of 4 with 4 games remaining. To me that adds up to... must win tonight. It will be so clutch for Myers to rebound from his last outing. Kind of ironic that the Phils have lost just 2 games of their last 12, and those losses came when Myers and Hamels started. Need to turn that around and put the pressure back on the Mutts. RWR, I wasn't at the park last night (will be tonight) but I suspect the crowd took their cue from the team, which seemed to be in a "wait and see" mode. Everyone seemed to be looking to someone else to get the big hit. By all rights, Howard's triple and Burrell's double should have kick-started the turnaround inning, but it fell apart. Better play like it's an elimination game tonight. Go Phils!— bobby
- Tonight's game is not quite a must win, but it is close. It would be a real downer to loose two in a row after having such a great month so far. Thankfully we have hit Reyes pretty well this year, and Myers has a 2.77 era this year at home— jeff gross
- Anyone know if Chipper is in the line up tonight? Heard him saying he will be ready for Weds but not sure.— Beef69
- bobby: It was dead from the start. I mean, first inning, no juice. Usually the place is rockin at the start of the game, and in the top of the first the fans kind of settle in, and then the third out gets people excited to see the Phils come to bat for the first time. But last night was weird... even before the game started, there were cheers, but no "electricity"... it was bland... there was no life... it was almost as if the fans all thought the Phillies had clinched and the game was meaningless (which is what worried me, and is why I brought it up)... and then Hamels gives up a run in the top of the first, and "playoff excitement" went on vacation. That can't happen tonight.— RollinsWasRight
