Six To Go
The Phillies have a 1 1/2 game lead in the NL East with six games to play.
Six To Go
Todd Zolecki
I'm not going to predict what is going to happen in these final six games, but after some interesting events in yesterday's 5-2 victory over the Marlins, you have to wonder:
- Greg Dobbs gets a cramp in his right calf with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh.
- Charlie Manuel debates whether to have Pedro Feliz take Dobbs' spot in the lineup, or have him hit ninth for the pitcher. He has him hit in Dobbs' spot as Feliz takes the field.
- Clay Condrey, replacing J.C. Romero, who replaced Chad Durbin, get Cody Ross to hit a ground ball to Feliz, who throws to second for the force to end the inning and preserve a one-run lead.
- Shane Victorino leads off the eighth with a single.
- Manuel puts the bunt on for Feliz.
- Feliz takes the first pitch for a ball.
- Manuel takes off the bunt.
- Feliz goes yard to kill the Marlins' momentum and win the game.
I'm not sayin' that means anything, but I'm just sayin' ... ifyouknowwhatimsayin'. The Phillies have a 1 1/2 game lead over the Mets with six to play.
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Jim Salisbury talks about how the difference in the NL East could be a tale of two bullpens: a pretty good one in Philly and a wretched one in New York.
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In the Phillies Notebook: Jamie Moyer is one win from making more history, Brad Lidge's historic run and more.
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Gotta hop on the flight back to Philly.
This is still a team with a lot of holes...but they are playing lucky/well right now.......it is maybe conceivable we can beat the Dodgers/Mets, I'm not sure about the Cubbies...isn't the league slanted toward them and it being their year? Doubt that it matters anyway as any AL team can mop up the NL contenders, and I'm including the Rays here......which is quite a testament to their organization and a knock on ours......— Mark1npt- Even though they had a 3 run lead going into the bottom of the 9th, I was still holding my breath until the final out. Must give some props to Ruiz who this month has quietly become the player he was last yr. Turning the line-up over a couple of times yesterday was priceless especially when Moyer got his bloop single! Moyer is just simply amazing!!— KarenA
- I have never seen a manager that makes decisions by hunch more than Charlie, and it works most of the time. Like taking the bunt off Felix, and then Felix rewarding him with a dinger. The situation called for a bunt right there. If Felix hits into a DP, will be cursing Charlie right now. How many times he starts a player, like Dobbs instead of Felix, against conventional wisdom and works? One theory could be that the players react well to his decisions. They are very grateful to him. I guess that’s why they call him a player’s manager… or maybe he has a crystal ball. I’ll take either one.— EL Zorro
- The Mets are facing a couple of tough pitching matchups this week in Chicago, while we have a couple of favorable ones against the Braves (Hamels and Myers). Hopefully we can take advantage and have this thing all but wrapped up by the weekend.— Gary Varsho
- Yeah Gary, and maybe we'll have a chance to see that kid Marson play during the weekend. And Golson too.— EL Zorro
- Mark: I agree with your point, but I think you may be overstating a bit. I believe the Phillies can, and probably should, beat the Dodgers, if that is their first round match-up. I also think they can play with the Cubs. They held their own against the Cubbies this year, and, IMO, outplayed them in the 4-game set in Wrigley last month... but for a tired bullpen (courtesy that 13 inning marathon against the Mets two days prior), they should've won 3 of 4, and you can say that they were in position to win all 4 (although I won't make assumptions on the Blanton-Harden game... a one-run lead after six against the best team in the NL is far from a sure thing, as evidenced by the way the game ended). I do agree with you that any NL team is likely to get hammered in the Series, unless somehow the White Sox or Twins sneak through the AL playoffs. I like the Phils chances of making some noise this postseason, barring an offensive snooze like we saw last October against the Rockies. I think their success this postseason really depends on the bullpen reverting to its first-half form, and for that I think they need to wrap up the division as quickly as possible and get those guys some extra rest.— RollinsWasRight
- Magic # - 6 for the division, 4 for a playoff spot.— RollinsWasRight
As another poster stated, Ruiz has really stepped it up. His batting average has gone up and has anyone else noticed that he has been involved in a LOT of RBI situations? It's good to see him get back to form and even though everyone here gave him sh$t I always liked Ruiz and definitely think he's a great catcher. His hitting is coming along too.- Mark, I realize that it is just your character to expect the worse so that you won't be disappointed with the worse possible outcome. I do the same thing to an extent. I agree that the Phillies have holes but the good teams acknowledge those holes and play around them and overcome them.— roque32
- A lot of holes? Where? They're 20 games above .500 and have the 5th best record in baseball.— doorspj24
This isn't over yet, and as a Philadelphia sports fan, I have to resist the temptation to assume the Phils are in the playoffs. But I wil say that the Phils are playing very well at just the right time. Pretty much everyone on the team seems to have their act togther and is contributing in some way. Ruiz has come on, Madson seems to have found his groove, Chase went long for the first time in ages, and even Burrell, mired in a horrible slump, can pop a game-winning homer. A key sign will be Myers' next start, on Wednesday night. If he can bounce back and shrug off Friday night's bad outing, that's a huge indicator that the Phils are in good shape.— bobby- The biggest hole the Phillies have is consistancy. The pitching has been fairly consistant but the offense has been hot and cold. But it now looks like it has mostly rightened itself, so I think we have a shot.— Deb in Dixie
- Second best record in the National League. But they have a lot of holes. Ok........
The league is slanted toward the Cubs? Then why bother even playing the games!
Tell us, Mark - what was wrong with the 1980 team?
Go sell doom and gloom somewhere else.
— Mike H. 
Comment removed.- Mark just wants to come back if/when they end up losing and saying "See, I told you so..." He's been doing it all season. Telling us how they can't beat any good starting pitchers, only bad bullpens, etc.— Gary Varsho
