Phillies to open playoffs Wednesday; day-after lineup
UPDATE: By virtue of having the best record, the Phillies can select whether to begin the Division Series on Wednesday or Thursday next week.
Phillies to open playoffs Wednesday; day-after lineup
David Murphy
UPDATE: By virtue of having the best record, the Phillies can select whether to begin the Division Series on Wednesday or Thursday next week.
The Phillies, as expected, have selected Wednesday, manager Charlie Manuel said.
Wednesday was the better option for the Phillies because it means they don't need a fourth starter and can bring back expected Game 1 starter Roy Hallday for Game 4.
The series would begin Wednesday and Friday in Philadelphia, travel day Saturday, Game 3 on the road Sunday, Game 4 on the road Monday, if necessary. Game 5 would be back in Philadelphia on Wedneday, if necessary.
The other NLDS begins Thursday and Friday with an off day Saturday, Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday. Game 5 would be Wednesday.
With the best record, they'll have the opportunity to send either Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels or Roy Oswalt to the mound for 17 of their 19 potential playoff games.
Manager Charlie Manuel said that he had decided on a Game 1 starter but that he was not ready to announce it. But he and pitching coach Rich Dubee all but said it would be Halladay.
Here's a projected playoff rotation, although the Phillies could very well decide to make Oswalt the Game 2 starter.
NLDS
Oct. 6 - Game 1 - Halladay
Oct. 7 - Off
Oct. 8 - Game 2 - Hamels
Oct. 9 - Off
Oct. 10 - Game 3 - Oswalt
Oct. 11 - Game 4 - Halladay (Normal Rest)
Oct. 12 - Off
Oct. 13 - Game 5 - Hamels (Normal Rest)
NLCS
Oct. 16 - Game 1 - Halladay
Oct. 17 - Game 2 - Hamels
Oct. 18 - Off
Oct. 19 - Game 3 - Oswalt
Oct. 20 - Game 4 - Blanton
Oct. 21 - Game 5 - Halladay
Oct. 22 - Off
Oct. 23 - Game 6 - Hamels
Oct. 24 - Game 7 - Oswalt
World Series
Oct. 27 - Game 1 - Halladay
Oct. 28 - Game 2 - Hamels
Oct. 29 - Off
Oct. 30 - Game 3 - Oswalt
Oct. 31 - Game 4 - Blanton
Nov. 1 - Game 5 - Halladay
Nov. 2 - Off
Nov. 3 - Game 6 - Hamels
Nov. 4 - Game 7 - Oswalt
**
Pitching coach Rich Dubee said there is a "real good chance" that Roy Halladay has pitched for the last time in the regular season.
Halladay earned his 21st win of the season last night in the NL East clincher and has logged 250.2 innings, the most he has thrown since 266 innings in 2003.
**
Having clinched the NL East title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Phillies essentially have five games to get themselves ready for the postseason. That should mean carefully monitored work for the pitching staff, and plenty of at-bats for players who have not seen much action during the stretch run.
Tonight, Jimmy Rollins is back in the lineup for the first time since straining his hamstring on Sept. 8. He's leading off tonight (Shane Victorino has the day off).
Ben Francisco gets the start in right field, his first start since Sept. 5. Brian Schneider, who has played in just five of the last 28 games, is behind the plate.
Domonic Brown is in the starting line-up for the first time since Sept. 6. The rookie outfielder has had just one at-bat since his last start.
The complete line-up:
- Jimmy Rollins SS
- Raul Ibanez LF
- Chase Utley 2B
- Ryan Howard 1B
- Ben Francisco CF
- Domonic Brown RF
- Greg Dobbs 3B
- Brian Schneider C
- Roy Oswalt RHP
Buy Phillies playoff tickets 
Now I know when to book off work. Wednesday. Hopefully it is a night game. Beast of the East for 3 straight years, we deserve this.
Cholly should throw Roy2 in the 2nd game....he's undefeated at the Bank and Cole would be great on the road.— jimyd0315- Is it just me who feels uneasy (threw up a little in mouth) when this rag is telling us the probable starters through the world series???— podunko
- Looks like a solid lineup. J Roll needs to start playing plain and simple. The Phillies need him this post season and Utley and Howard need the ABs.— Frankie Knuckles
- surprised sweeney didn't get the start— Ed3
- I don't mind letting Jimmy bat lead off for the rest of the regular season just so he can get as many swings as he can, get his timing back, and hopefully come back strong. But I think Vic has given the team enough proof at this point that the offense needs his spark at the top of the lineup.— Bleue
- If the NLDS goes five games, why not flip-flop Hamels and Oswalt for the NCLCS so Hamels doesn't have to start Game 2 on three days' rest?— Muckrakers
- Hamels would be pitching on the 4th day, which is the normal period for pitchers.— Philalawyer
- There is a potential that Game 3 will go up against the Sunday Night Eagles game at San Francisco. Charlie should have forgotten about the pitching rotation and looked at the Eagles schedule to make sure that there were no conflicts. He is as dumb as George W. Bush, which I never thought could be possible.— eldiablodelsol2009
Comment removed.- We should face whatever team has to scratch & claw up to the end of the season, so they are spent, and can't set up their pitching rotation. This eliminates Cincinnati.— jman
- Why would you want a day off between games one and two? If you win game one, you lose your momentum by having a day off. Why would you pitch Hamels in game two and not Oswalt? Hamels got rocked in his last start, while Oswalt has pitched better than Halladay down the stretch. The Phillies have now lost three out of their last four games - and they aren't hitting - not good signs headed into the playoffs versus the red-hot Giants and Braves.— Gnip Gnop
- pretty obvious he left howard in there for stats reasons, bonus's?? i mean why would you not start sweeney last night, almost a slap in the face.— deatheater
- Why would you want a day off between games 1 and 2? So you can go to a 3 man rotation and have all of your starters pitching on regular rest. Phillies will be in the best position heading into the playoffs of all NL Teams. Giants and Padres will be slugging it out into the weekend so they probably won't have their best pitcher available for NLDS game 1. Phils have won 20 games in September, clinched the best record in the NL and you're complaining Ping Pong?— the4kns
