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Phillies 2009 Year In Review

2009-11-06T20:02:00Z

2009 was an outstanding season for the Philadelphia Phillies in many ways. Not only did they return to the World Series for the second consecutive year, but when you look at everything they had to endure to do so, the feat becomes that much more impressive. Here is a look at the obstacles the team overcame in 2009 and also some of the season highlights:

Obstacles Overcome

The loss of our beloved Harry Kalas
The 2008 World Series hangover
Injuries to every member of the bullpen
Losing the #2 starter (Brett Myers) at the beginning of the year
Watching the #1 starter, Cole Hamels, go through weird injuries, bad luck and a very bad season
JC Romero's unwarranted 50-game suspension
Lack of production from the bench players
The June Swoon (11-15 record)
The struggles and eventual season ending injury of Jamie Moyer
The injury to Raul Ibanez right before the All-Star break; Ibanez went from super hot to totally not afterwards.
Offensive slumps throughout the year
A down year and very slow start from the offensive engine, Jimmy Rollins
Brad Lidge going from first to worst among closers

Highlights

The Ring Ceremony
The White House visit
Eric Bruntlett's game-ending, unassisted triple play
Cliff Lee - a gift from Heaven (and Ruben Amaro Jr.)
Jayson Werth becomes a solid, productive everyday player
Pedro Feliz had off-season back surgery, recovered well and became a real contributor offensively
JA Happ emerged as rookie sensation with 12 wins and the lowest team ERA among starters (2.93)
Jamie Moyer wins career game #250
The Phillies visit with J-Roll Smurf (more of a personal highlight, but a highlight nonetheless)
Chase Utley - enough said
Ryan Howard becomes the fastest player ever to reach 200 career home runs
Ryan Howard knocks the most grand slams in Phillies history
A 3-game sweep of the Mets in July
The 10 game winning streak, July 8-21
The two Old Goats, Jamie Moyer & Pedro Martinez, combine to win 2 games in August that were split up by rain delays
5 Phillies players, plus all coaches, go to the All-Star game
Jayson Werth steals home against Dodgers
Franchise record set for attendance and sellout games; 3,600,693 fans and 73 sellouts in 81 home games, finishing 3rd in baseball for total and average attendance
Return to World Series

Congratulations to the 2009 National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies!

In other news:

The 2009 coaching staff have all been invited to return next year.
Cliff Lee's 8 million dollar club option was picked up (no surprise here) for 2010.
Raul Ibanez, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge will all be seen by team doctors this weekend to determine if surgeries will be needed. Eyre has loose bodies in his elbow and Lidge may have the same. Ibanez has a tear in his abdomen and a hip issue.
No word yet on Pedro Feliz's club option, but it will be decided by Monday.
Photos by Jenn, except White House

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Disappointment For Phillies; Exuberance For Yankees

2009-11-05T04:21:38Z

Disappointment: The feeling of dissatisfaction that follows the failure of expectations to manifest. It is a source of psychological stress. Synonyms: failure, defeat, frustration (courtesy of Wikipedia).

And disappointment is what Philadelphia is left with after their failure to repeat as World Champions. Instead, with a 3-7 Phillies loss tonight, the Yankees brought home their 27th World Series title. The Phillies are left with the consolation prize as National League Champs.

After winning Game 1, the Phillies looked poised for a repeat. Game 2 went to the Yankees in a relatively fair battle. Game 3 was the real turning point as Cole Hamels did not perform well and the offense could not bail him out. But things got much worse in Game 4 where Brad Lidge gave up 3 runs in the 9th after the Phillies had battled to tie up the game prior to that. The Hamels and Lidge killer combo made for two gut-wrenching losses and a serious turn in the tide.

Cliff Lee won his second game of the series in Game 5 and kept the Phillies alive for one more day, along with the bat of Chase Utley which appeared unstoppable. But back in New York for Game 6, Utley and the Phillies were stopped.

Pitching wins ball games and the Yankees had better pitching. Andy Pettitte was spectacular on only 3 days rest. Pedro Martinez, on the other hand, had a full 5 days rest and still gave up 4 runs in 4 innings. All 4 of those runs, plus 2 more later in the game, came off the bat of Hideki Matsui. After hitting a homer off Martinez in Game 2 and then again tonight in the 2nd inning, why Martinez was left in the game to pitch to Matsui again in the 3rd is a mystery. JA Happ was up and ready in the bullpen, but Charlie Manuel left Martinez in to pitch to a guy who clearly had his number. That mistake was the back-breaker as Matsui hit a 2-run single.

The bullpen gave up 3 more runs and the 7-1 deficit looked to be near impossible to erase for the Phillies. The offense attempted to battle back; Ryan Howard knocked a 2-run homer in the 6th but then Pedro Feliz left his 5th base runner of the night stranded as he grounded out to third base. In the 7th, the previously clutch Chase Utley struck out with 2 outs and 2 men on base. That put the nail in the coffin.

So the Phillies came up short, which just plain sucks. But they put up a good fight and overall, the season was a great success. To have made it back to the World Series two years in a row is quite an accomplishment. And while that does not make us feel any better right now, remember you will not be suffering alone. It's me, you, a bottle of Vodka and a tiny dancing bear wearing a pink tutu...oh sorry, I digress... Just find your happy place, go there and do not come out until Spring Training. At least that is what the voices in my head keep telling me...

Congratulations to the Yankees and their fans, especially my Yankee friends here in the MLBlogs community. Enjoy the moment.

By the way, as luck would have it, there was an article printed about me in the local newspaper today about my Phillies-fandom. So, not only do the Phillies lose today, but the reporter totally spelt my name wrong. What does this mean? Tomorrow, total strangers who recognize me from the paper will either console or harass me over this loss. If you see me wandering about with that target on my back, please be kind ;O) Thank you in advance...

The Ut-Lee Show Keeps Phillies Alive

2009-11-03T20:21:25Z

If this were the circus, the Ut-Lee Show might replace Ringling Brothers as the Greatest Show On Earth. For the second time in this World Series against the Yankees, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley have joined forces to win a crucial game for the Phillies. Game 5 was a must win as a loss would have sent them home empty handed. The Phillies pulled off an 8-6 win and this series will head back to New York for Game 6.

Chase Utley set the tone in the first inning. Jimmy Rollins led off with a single and then Shane Victorino took a wicked hit to his hand with a pitch that got away from AJ Burnett. Utley made the Yankees pay by smacking a 3-run homer off Burnett on the first pitch he saw. Utley homered again in the 7th inning and ended with 4 RBI, 2 hits, a walk and 3 runs scored. And those 2 homers gave Utley 5 total for this World Series, a total previously matched only by Reggie Jackson in 1977 and Utley did it in one less game. Move over, Mr. October!

As for the non-Utley offense, Raul Ibanez woke from his slumber and hit a solo shot in the 7th. Ibanez had another RBI on a single earlier in the game too. But Ryan Howard is still slumping; he walked twice and did not have a hit in the game. Then there is Cliff Lee, who has the highest average on the team for this series; he had another hit last night and is batting .333.

On the mound, Lee became the first Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton in 1980 to win two games in the same World Series with his performance last night. Lee allowed only 2 runs over 7 innings, although he got into trouble in the 8th and 3 more runs scored. But Lee probably should not have been sent out for the 8th at all if the Phillies were considering using Lee on short rest for a possible Game 7. And in the post-game conference, Charlie Manuel and Lee indicated that the Game 7 scenario was a possibility.

The move to leave Lee in is telling; first, it shows confidence in Lee. But more importantly, it also shows that Manuel is still unsure about his bullpen, which is not surprising. Brad Lidge blew a tie in Game 4, which the Phillies then lost. Ryan Madson has been shaky and allowed 3 hits and 1 run before saving the game last night in a nail biter of an inning.

The rest of the starters have been inconsistent as well. No one is sure what to expect from Pedro Martinez tomorrow; Joe Blanton has not had a good post-season; and Cole Hamels will likely not pitch again after several disasters and his diarrhea-of-the-mouth episode in which he wished for the season to be over. Lee cannot pitch every game so Martinez will need to come up big if the Phillies are to have a shot at repeating.

The good news is, the Phillies have momentum with the win last night. The bad news is, the Yankees are not going to give in and will have their home town crowd to support them. Andy Pettitte will be on 3 days rest, but Pettitte is better on 3 days rest than many pitchers on full rest. And so the battle begins at 7:57pm on Wednesday night.

Here is the full Photo Album from Game 5; the last game of the year at Citizens Bank Park. Go Phillies!

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

The Nightmare Is Upon Us

2009-11-02T12:27:20Z

Last year, the Phillies won the World Series behind the strength of Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge. This year, they are likely going to lose the World Series because of the failure of those same two players. What was a dream World Series match-up for many has now turned into a nightmare for the Phillies.

The Yankees are up 3 games to 1 in the series and there is no tomorrow for the Phillies. Winning 3 games in a row is not impossible; the Phils did that many times this year. But against this Yankees team, it appears to be an insurmountable climb. But it is not over until it is over and Cliff Lee will pitch tonight.

As for last night's 7-4 loss, Joe Blanton had a Blah-anton-like performance, giving up 4 runs in 6 innings on 5 hits and 2 walks. Overall, he did not have a good post-season at all and ended with a 6.00 ERA, assuming he does not pitch again. Much like Cole Hamels the day before, Blanton looked good for about 3 innings after a horrible 2-run 1st inning. If he had held it to those 1st two runs, that would have been great. But, no such luck.

The offense scratched and clawed at CC Sabathia to get back into the game and did manage to score 3 runs off him, including Chase Utley's 3rd solo homer off CC this post-season. But two hottest hitters this week, went hitless: Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz. And Raul Ibanez continues to be worthless at the plate; he is batting .188. Pedro Feliz had suffered as well, but came up with a 3 hit night, including the game tying home run in the 8th inning.

But the heroics by Feliz, which at the time felt like a real positive, were quickly squashed by another Brad Lidge disaster. Lidge came into the 9th with a 4-4 tie and got the first two outs in the blink of an eye. But that 3rd out still eludes Lidge, as it has all year long. He gave up a hit to Johnny Damon who then blew the game wide open.

The Phillies put the shift on for Mark Teixiera, so Feliz was covering 2nd base. Now, we all know that every base runner steals on Lidge, right? Well, we all know that except maybe Lidge, who appeared confused by what has become routine for him. The problem here is that no one was covering 3rd base and Damon kept right on going. After the game, Lidge was asked who should have covered 3rd and he said, "I don't know." News flash: it was you, Brad! Ugh.

Then with the runner on 3rd, he proceeded to hit Teixiera with a pitch. This is where I believe it really went to hell; Teixiera had ONE hit all series long. This was not the guy to screw up with. If he was going to get out of the inning, Teixiera was the guy to go after. BIG mistake. After that, the rest is history; an A-Rod single scored Damon and Jorge Posada knocked in two more. And Lidge walks off with an ERA of 27.00. Yikes!

I am going to the game tonight and hopefully, I will not have to witness the Phillies going down in flames. But it does not look good right now, except for the fact that Cliff Lee will pitch. Lee has been the only bright light thus far in the World Series for the Phillies pitchers, but he cannot do this alone. I wish him (and me) luck tonight!

Photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

A Frightening Performance

2009-11-01T17:42:03Z

Last year on Halloween Day, the Phillies were celebrating by parading down Broad Street. This year on Halloween Day, they took a spanking from the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series with an 8-5 loss after a 1 hour and 20 minute rain delay. Cole Hamels did not follow my instructions and wear his "Hamels: Version 2008" costume for the occasion. Instead, Hamels 2009 took the mound and gave up 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings on 5 hits and 2 walks. A scary Halloween, indeed, complete with cloudy skies, rain and a 1-2 game deficit in the series.

This has been the story for Cole all year long; he simply cannot be counted on. He pitched well for 3 innings and then lost composure on a walk to Mark Teixeira that he felt should have been a strikeout in the 4th. A-Rod batted next and launched a controversial home run; the ball hit a FOX TV camera which was sticking out over the field. Instant Replay showed the hit and by rule, the interference made it a home run. This brings up another point: why is a TV camera sticking out over the field? They cannot back up a few inches? That simply should not be allowed. Way to go FOX.

It all fell apart after that. Once again, even though Cole showed signs of impending disaster, manager Charlie Manuel sent him out for the 5th and again, left him in way too long. He even allowed an RBI single to the pitcher, Andy Pettitte, who almost never picks up a bat. 3 runs later and this game was going downhill fast. The bullpen could not hold the Yanks to those 5 either. The next 3 relievers allowed one run a piece in each of the next 3 innings.

Add to that the horrible offensive display and Phillies fans are having flashbacks to slumps from earlier in the season. The Yankees who had not been hitting in this series, like A-Rod and Nick Swisher, found Hamels to be the cure. And the Phillies who were performing all post-season long, like NLCS MVP Ryan Howard, have seemingly lost their bats and cannot find them anywhere.

Jayson Werth looked to be the only Phillie interested in hitting; he knocked two solo home runs in the game. Carlos Ruiz also hit a solo homer and walked twice. The other 2 runs came off a walk to Jimmy Rollins with the bases loaded and a Shane Victorino sac fly. And that was basically the sum total of the offense.

Another item that irks me here: Eric Bruntlett was put in as a pinch hitter with a man on base in a situation where a home run was really what they needed. Why not Matt Stairs? Bruntlett should never be used as a pinch hitter unless they are looking to bunt. He had a terrible season and looks like he could not hit the side of a barn. Not to mention, he almost never hits homers.

As for Hamels, he is lined up to pitch Game 7, if it goes that far. In my opinion, this should not even be a consideration. Hamels has proven all year that he cannot get the job done, especially under pressure. He should be done. Come up with a mystery injury, replace him on the roster with another bullpen arm or bench player and send in Cliff Lee on short rest with JA Happ as his back-up. If I was in charge, that is what would happen. But since I am not in charge, hang on Phillies fans, it is going to be a bumpy ride if this goes 7 games.

The Phillies can try to tie up the series tonight with a win, but it will be Joe Blanton against CC Sabathia. Blanton has not done very well this post-season and is sporting a 4.66 ERA. Sabathia is the better pitcher, but does have awful memories of last post-season to overcome, including his lost battles with Brett Myers at the plate, a Grand Slam by Victorino and the banter of the home crowd. Plus he is on 3 days rest, same as that game last year where the Phillies beat up on him when he was with the Brewers.

My tummy hurts just thinking about this. Plus, I have an awful hangover from last night's game, and I did not drink anything but water. Yet somehow, the nausea and headache still persist. Hmmmmm....wonder why? ;o)

Here is the full Photo Album from Game 3. I took a lot of photos of both teams, something I normally do not do. I also got some great pre-games shots which include Hall of Famers and old-timers, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski and Garry Maddox. Some are a tad blurry as it rained most of the game and I had water on my lens :O( But I still did pretty well. At least this will be more enjoyable than the game was :O)

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Halloween Makes A Scary Game 3

2009-10-31T17:56:47Z

As I mentioned yesterday, we all hope that Cole Hamels comes in costume to World Series Game 3 against the Yankees dressed as "Hamels: Version 2008." He is facing one of the best pitchers in post-season history, Andy Pettitte. Hamels has his work cut out for him. If he cannot channel the 2008 Hamels, it is going to be a long and scary night.

In the spirit of Halloween fun, I have made some costumes for a few of the other players. We already know that Cliff Lee is a Magician but J-Roll Smurf wanted to see his idol, Jimmy Rollins, dressed properly as well:

And with JC Romero out due to injury, Scott Eyre has assumed the role of "Cleaner" in the bullpen. Jayson Werth, on the other hand, represents the speed, grace and extreme tallness of the Giraffe:

Everyone knows Shane Victorino is the Flyin' Hawaiian and JA Happ is a Rookie who has garnered all kinds of awards already this season, including the Sporting News Rookie of the Year and the Players Choice National League Outstanding Rookie for 2009. So young and yet, so talented:

Nice legs too. ;O)

And my personal favorite, Ryan Howard as The Incredible Hulk!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I am getting ready to head out to the stadium...I did finally get a ticket at the last minute, although it looks like rain is in the forecast. Hopefully it will hold off enough to get the game in and for me to get a few photos. Wish me luck!

Go Phillies!!!

Photoshopping by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Series Tied Up

2009-10-30T11:24:27Z

The World Series is now tied at 1 game each as the Yankees came up with a 3-1 win over the Phillies last night. Starting pitchers Pedro Martinez and AJ Burnett both pitched well, but Burnett did a bit better. Burnett was trying to do his best Cliff Lee impersonation and except for 2 hits and a run in the 2nd inning, he did just that.

Martinez allowed 3 runs over 6 innings, but the 3rd run probably should not have happened. Martinez looked like he was done after 6 innings, but Charlie Manuel sent him out for the 7th where he allowed 2 hits with no outs and then had be to taken out. With a bullpen full of fresh arms that had not pitched in 8 days, plus the fact that Martinez has been sick for several days, he never should have started that inning. A one run lead may have been possible to overcome against the Yanks closer, Mariano Rivera, but two runs were insurmountable. Chan Ho Park allowed that 3rd run to score when he came in to relieve Martinez.

Several Phillies have been taken ill these last few weeks. Greg Dobbs was sent back to Philly early as he has the flu; Scott Eyre and Shane Victorino have both been battling illnesses as well. Eyre was in the hospital Thursday night with the flu. So with Martinez catching the bug as well, why push him?

The Phillies did get to Rivera, who was sent in for a two inning save. They managed 2 hits and a walk, proving that Mo is not untouchable. But the decision to not send the runners with two on and two strikes on Utley, who usually makes contact, cost them. The Yankees turned a double play to end the inning, although the replay showed Utley was safe at first.

Prior to that, Matt Stairs had the only RBI for the Phillies after a Raul Ibanez double. The Phillies never figured out Burnett and Ryan Howard even struck out 4 times. 3 of the top 4 hitters did not get a hit and as a team, the Phillies had 6 hits total.

So the good news is, we do not have to see Burnett again for a while and hopefully, not at all. The other good news is the Phillies are headed home where they have played extremely well this post-season. Cole Hamels will pitch on Saturday, which is Halloween. I think Cole should dress up for Halloween as "Hamels: Version 2008." Hopefully, he can scare the Yanks right out of that game.

Go Phillies!

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Phils Take Game 1 With Lee's Complete Game

2009-10-29T11:38:22Z

The Phillies got off to a great start with a 6-1 win in game 1 of the World Series against the Yankees. Cliff Lee was a magician on the mound, going the distance and not allowing any earned runs. The 1 Yankees run came on a Jimmy Rollins error. Lee dominated; he struck out 10 batters and looked like a giddy kid tossing a little league game, running in and out of the dugout and fielding balls with youthful nonchalance. A few waves of the Lee magic wand, and the Yanks were sunk.

A few waves of Chase Utley's bat worked a little magic as well. Utley hit 2 home runs off CC Sabathia, putting the Phillies up 2-0 in the 6th inning, with the first homer coming in the 1st inning. The pitching duel continued until Raul Ibanez knock 2 runs in with a single in the 8th to pad the lead. The Phillies added 2 more runs in the 9th on singles by Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard. Victorino was thrown out at the plate right after Rollins scored, but the score was 6-0 at that point so the aggressive move to send Victorino made sense.

The Phillies have now taken the Home Field advantage away from the Yankees and silenced doubters who thought the Yanks would walk all over this team. Clearly, the Yankees have some trouble in their bullpen which will be an advantage for the Phillies who did a great job working Sabathia's pitch count up to get to their pen.

In addition, I personally cannot wait to see what the New York media decides to post after this loss. Before the series began, the NY media took shots at the Phillies and their players that resembled high school bullying. This cover of Shane Victorino is just one example of how New York is taking this team way too lightly. Shane thought it was funny but ultimately, it is irresponsible journalism, if you can even call it journalism. But that is fine; the Phillies showed them what this team is made of. They should be afraid....very afraid.

Game 2 is tonight with Pedro Martinez on the mound! Another media spectacle, for sure, but it will be a very entertaining game. Go Phillies!!! And for the Cliff Lee fans....Go PhilLEEs!!!!!

Lee photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

World Series Game 1 Break Down

2009-10-27T18:35:18Z

The Phillies - Yankees World Series is just a day away. Wednesday night at 7:57pm in New York, the fun begins! Let us examine the position by position match-up based on 2009 post-season results:

Starting Pitchers: Cliff Lee vs. CC Sabathia

The match-up of two former Cy Young winners who played together in Cleveland is a dream pitching duel. Statistically, this is a close one to call. Lee led all team in ERA with a 0.74 this post-season and Sabathia pitched at a 1.19 ERA. Lee has been lights out in the post-season, but did have a few struggles in September. However, this appears to be a non-issue for him in big games. Sabathia, on the other hand, has been just as good, but the Phillies have an advantage; they beat up on Sabathia last post-season and therefore have at least a mental edge in the situation. It is a new year and a new team for Sabathia though, so how much this will factor in remains to be seen. I am calling this one a draw.

Closers: Brad Lidge vs. Mariano Rivera

This one goes easily to Rivera, who is possibly the best closer ever in baseball. Lidge appears to be past his struggles, but there is still a shadow of doubt hanging over him.

Catchers: Carlos Ruiz vs. Jorge Posada

As far as ability to call a game, these two are evenly matched. At the plate, Ruiz has been hot, hot, hot this October. Add his youth to the equation and he has the advantage. Ruiz batted .346 this post-season with 7 RBI vs. Posada's .258 average and 3 RBI. Winner: Ruiz

First Base: Ryan Howard vs. Mark Teixeira

While Tex has the advantage defensively, in terms of sheer wrecking power, Howard wins it hands down. Howard batted .355 with 14 RBI compared to Tex's .205 and 5 RBI. While the low numbers are not typical of Tex, Howard is clearly in the zone.

Second Base: Chase Utley vs. Robinson Cano

Utley had a few brain farts in the NLCS on defense and his bat seemed to be up and down, but with the week off, Utley should be back to top form. Cano batted .229 and had a few more RBI and extra base hits than Utley; but Utley still batted .303 despite the struggles and continues to find ways to get on base. Utley is one of the best overall hitter in all of baseball; this one goes to him.

Short Stop: Jimmy Rollins vs. Derek Jeter

Last year and even in Spring Training this year, Rollins had a clear advantage over Jeter. He got more playing time and performed better in the World Baseball Classic and had a better 2008 season overall. But J-Roll has been in and out of a funk all year long in 2009. Jeter has been solid and continually finds ways to makes plays. Both are stellar on defense, but Jeter's bat has been a lot hotter than Rollins lately. Winner: Jeter

Third Base: Pedro Feliz vs. Alex Rodriguez

Ok, duh. Just hand this one over to A-Rod and be done with it. 12 RBI vs. 2 and .438 average vs. .161 - no brainer. Feliz is looking sluggish; and while he has a slight edge defensively, this is no competition. A-rod all the way.

Right Field: Jayson Werth vs. Nick Swisher

Another no-brainer, but this one favors the Phillies. Werth can be streaky, but his .281 average, 5 home runs and 10 RBI blows away Swishers .125 and 1 RBI. Winner: Werth

Center Field: Shane Victorino vs. Melky Cabrera

The Flyin' Hawaiian vs. The Melk Man: Shane wins on the cooler nickname alone. Ok, seriously, this one is a little closer than some. The batting averages are both good; .361 for Victorino and .314 for Cabrera. But Victorino's 26 total bases and 7 RBI beats Cabrera who had 13 bases and 4 RBI in the post-season. Victorino's speed is also a huge plus; Shane takes this competition.

Left Field: Ben Francisco vs. Johnny Damon

Francisco is a bench player who will take left field in game 1 while Raul Ibanez serves as the DH. His lack of experience in the field this year and few at-bats may be a detriment, although he does have more speed in the outfield than Ibanez. Damon is a solid veteran who should do well under the pressure of the familiar World Series lights; he got his ring in 2004 with the Red Sox. The winner here is Damon, based on experience and a solid 2009 season.

Designated Hitter: Raul Ibanez vs. Hideki Matsui

Both hitters have had a similar down post-season; Ibanez is batting .226 and Matsui is at .233. Each has 1 homer and 7 hits. Ibanez has driven in 4 more runs than Matsui, but has also been playing hurt. Sports Illistrated reported last week that Ibanez has been playing since June with a torn abdominal muscle, which does explain his second half slump. But Ibanez, a 14-year veteran, is excited for his first World Series and will not let the injury slow him down. For his determination alone, I am giving a slight edge in this battle to Ibanez.

The tally then is Phillies, 6 and Yankees 4, not counting the starting pitchers, which appears to be a tie. So it looks good for the Phillies on paper, but the game is played on the field. We shall see how it goes!

Comment Corner

I asked all my readers to let me know what their dream World Series would be and here is what we know:

Peter of Outside the Phillies Looking In prefers a Phillies - Cleveland series for geographical reasons. He lives near the home of the Tribe.

Buz of Yesterday's Hitter agrees that the Phillies - Yankees are the dream match-up because of all the talent on both sides!

And a few other interesting comments:

Jeff of Red State Blue State is rooting for the Phillies for the first time ever! Congrats Jeff...you have finally come to your senses ;o)

Jane of Confessions of a She-Fan already has a tummy ache just thinking about the Lee-Sabathia match-up; don't we all!

Go Phillies!

Bring On The Yankees

2009-10-26T11:35:36Z

During Spring Training this year, I predicted a Phillies - Yankees World Series. It was more of a wish than a realistic thought at the time, but nonetheless, I have gotten my wish :O) Apparently, Jimmy Rollins made the very same prediction; what can I tell you? Great minds think alike.

Not only will this be an epic battle of David and Goliath - the Yanks with 26 World Championships and the Phillies with only 2 - but it has been my lifelong dream to witness these two teams do battle on the grandest stage in baseball. You see, I have two favorite teams in every sport - one NL and one AL. These are my two teams! This about sums up how I feel right now:

The Phillies are my #1 of course, and you can read why on the About Me page. But I grew up in central NJ and the Yanks were always on TV. If I asked for a Phillies hat for Christmas, I got a Yankees hat. So while it was forced upon me at first, I grew to enjoy watching Reggie Jackson whack balls out of the park. And the crazy facial hair of Goose Gossage made me giggle. Lou Piniella, Thurman Munson, the 1977-78 World Series...classic stuff. And then in the 90's, it was all about Derek Jeter...

This is also why I love Spring Training...I get to see moments like Jeter & Utley sharing a man-hug. And Jeter & Rollins joining forces on Team USA:

I am SO excited!! How about everyone else out there? What is YOUR dream World Series and why? Feel free to share in the comments and you may be in my next blog!

In the meantime, Go Phillies! (and a slightly less enthusiastic, Go Yanks :O)

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Umpires Live Up To Their Reputations

2009-10-24T21:30:06Z

The umpiring this entire post-season so far has been horrific. So bad in fact, that the sports league known well for its lack of interest in getting anything right the first time, has finally made a change. No, there are still no consequences for bad umpiring. That change may be another 3 or 4 decades down the road. But in breaking a tradition that has been in place for 24 of the last 25 World Series, the umpiring crew will not include a first-timer for the 2009 Series.

Each year, the league has rewarded at least one umpire who never called a World Series before. In the last two years, there were 3 new umpires involved in each. But after a string of blatantly awful calls this post-season, only veteran umpires with World Series experience will be put on the field. Those umpires are Joe West, Dana DeMuth, Gerry Davis, Brian Gorman, Jeff Nelson and Mike Everitt. The first 3 have at least 25 years MLB experience and all have worked at least one World Series.

But the question still remains, why all the bad calls? I have a few theories:

- Revenge: After years of being harassed and demeaned by angry fans, coaches and players who claim that they are terrible, these umpires decided to show us all the true meaning of "You suck, ump!"

- Manny has his own t-shirt; the umpires felt left out.

- Constantly asked, "Are you blind?", these umps finally realized that being blind = free government disability benefits. Awesome.

- If players can get away with using steroids, cheating on and beating on their wives and setting bad examples for children everywhere, why shouldn't the umpires able to blow a few calls? No biggie.

- Sheer entertainment value: Who doesn't LOVE a good argument? And watching two 60-something year-old men go at it like hormonally enraged teenagers just adds to the appeal and the TV ratings.

- More instant replay = same pay, less work. May as well have a robot call the balls and strikes. The ump can just supervise.

- Chicks dig bad boys.

So forget about those missed hit by pitches, the double play that wound up being only one out or that guy who called a runner out for leaving base too soon when he never even looked at the runner; these umpires are clearly on a mission. And everyone loves a good controversy. So umps, you go on with your bad selves! We all cannot wait to see what you pull out of your back sides next. I just hope it is not a yellow penalty flag, because that is totally the wrong sport. Best of luck to ya!

Manuel photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

The Joys Of The Post-Season Media

2009-10-23T01:22:46Z

So, did we all thoroughly enjoy the Phillies TBS TV coverage this post-season? No? Oh, come on now, they were mildly entertaining, right? Let us examine some of the broadcasting highlights:

- These guys are brilliant; just check out this quote about Raul Ibanez: "He's not 37 because he started his career late." Really? Wow...the true fountain of youth; late bloomers.

- On a 2-base hit: "It's an inside-the-park double." You know, as opposed to the out-of-the-park double.

- During Game 1 of the NLDS, 2nd inning: "There has been great defense in this ballgame and in this series." Yes, all 2 innings of it.

- About the catcher: "All the game calling is to make the pitcher comfortable." The catcher calls pitches to make the pitcher comfy? Not to get outs? Ok then. Genius. Sheer genius.

- During a bunt to the pitcher with a runner on first: "He is thinking about second base because it is right behind the mound." Is it? I never would have noticed...thanks, TBS! Baseball geography lesson 101.

- On Clayton Kershaw after he gave up a 3-run homer, allowed to 2 more runners on base and was then pitching to Ryan Howard: "This is a grow-up moment (for Kershaw)." No more little league for you buddy!

But wait, there's more! Did you see the main sponsor for TBS during commercial breaks? Avocados. Yes, the disgusting, slimy, green fruit is THE big money maker for this station. Awesome.

And how about the commercials for the new TBS series "Men of a Certain Age." It is October - this series is set to begin in December. Not only will we have forgotten about it by December, but with the thousands of previews shown, we have already seen the series in its entirety. No need to tune in then in December....we already know that Ray Romano plays a moron with a dirty mind; Scott Bakula is a man-sl*ut; and Andre Braugher is sad because he cannot live up to his daddy's high expectations. Think that about covers it.

So how about some media video highlights! Here ya go; let us begin with Buck Martinez, who has NO idea which team he is watching...he mentions the Yanks and the Red Sox before he figures out it is the Phillies:

Chase Utley is also annoyed with the media coverage...watch his reaction as a media member pulls a Kanye West:

And my favorite clip of the Comcast Sportsnet coverage...Ricky Botallico flips out during the Jimmy Rollins 9th inning game winning hit in Game 4 of the NLCS:

Classic.

Hope you all enjoyed these broadcasts as much as I did :O)

By the way, if anyone is looking to sell a ticket (1) to Game 3 of the World Series (the Saturday game, home opener), please email me. I cannot afford the Stub Hub prices so I am looking for anyone to take pity on me and sell me a ticket at face value or just above it. I cannot do standing room, but am open to other seating arrangements. Thank you and Go Phillies! :O)

Phillies Return To The World Series

2009-10-22T03:16:06Z

Phillies win!!! And for the second consecutive year, they will return to the World Series!

The chance to pull off the most amazing feat in baseball is upon us: The repeat! Can the Phillies become the new Big Red Machine? We will see.

The 10-4 win over the Dodgers tonight had a multitude of highlights. Here are just a few:

- Jayson Werth smashed not one, but two home runs! Those homers accounted for 4 RBI. Oh, and he hit a single too, just for good measure.

- Shane Victorino, who has been sick with a nasty cold all week, had 3 RBI in the game including a 2-run homer and a double.

- The Phillies bullpen which has been through the ringer this year, came through again this post-season with 4 2/3 innings of 1-run ball. Chad Durbin was spectacular! Chan Ho Park had 1 good inning but got into trouble in the next inning; Ryan Madson bailed him out. And Brad Lidge pitched the 9th; it was a non-save situation but he got the job done.

- The Phillies batters finally figured out Vincente Padilla; 6 runs were charged to Padilla on 4 hits and 2 walks.

- With this win, the Phillies have scored 55 runs in 9 post-season games. Nice.

- Even better, the Phillies are now the first National League team ever to record 16 wins in 20 post-season games. The only AL team to do it is the Yankees and it is likely that the Phils will face the Yankees in the World Series; they are up 3 games to 1 over the Angels so far.

The not so great news from this clinching game was Cole Hamels, who still cannot seem to remember how to pitch. Hamels lasted only 4 1/3 innings, allowing 3 solo home runs to the Dodgers. Two of those homers came after Hamels had 2 strikes on the batter which is the really disturbing part. With 2 strikes, why is tossing cookies right down the middle of the plate? Hamels clearly cannot be counted on this year; it will be very interesting to see what Charlie Manuel does with the rotation for the World Series.

But I do not feel like thinking about that right now...it is time to celebrate! Put on your party hat and have a drink! The Phillies are going back to the World Series!!!

Fireworks photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Unbelievable 9th Inning Comeback

2009-10-20T18:53:20Z

Down 4-5 in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, the Phillies were down to their last out and their last 2 strikes when Jimmy Rollins stepped to the plate with 2 runners on. Win, and the Phillies would have a huge 3-1 games advantage. Lose, and the series would be tied 2-2. What took place next was not only improbable, but it absolutely stunned the Dodgers.

Things looked good when the game started and Ryan Howard nailed a 2-run shot in the 1st inning. But the bats went quiet as ex-Phillies Randy Wolf bore down and kept the Dodgers in the game. Joe Blanton started for the Phillies and got roughed up a bit in the middle innings. By the end of the 6th, Blanton had allowed the 2-run lead slip away into a 2-4 deficit.

The bullpen took over in the 7th and held the Dodgers to those four runs. Chan Ho Park, Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge got the job done. However, the offense still seemed sleepy after that 11-0 rout the previous day, so a comeback was looking unlikely.

But then Matt Stairs stepped the plate with one out in the 9th and everyone began hoping for the same miracle that occurred in Game 4 of the 2008 NLCS: Stairs nailed a 2-run homer in the 8th inning of that 2008 game to give the Phillies the lead. Could this be a repeat performance?

Well, not quite. Facing the very same pitcher he got that hit off in 2008, Jonathan Broxton, Stairs felt confident. Broxton may not have felt quite as confident as he threw Stairs four straight balls. Eric Bruntlett was put in as a pinch runner. Broxton then proceeded to hit Carlos Ruiz with a pitch.

But Greg Dobbs lined out for the 2nd out and things were looking good for the Dodgers. J-Roll stepped to the plate with one final out remaining and 2 runners on base. With a 1-1 count, Rollins whacked a line drive into the hole in right-center field. Bruntlett and Ruiz tore up the base path, scoring 2 runs to win the game for the Phillies. Phillies fans screamed in celebration while Dodgers fans squirmed in agony.

As amazing and uplifting as this win was for the Phillies, on the other side of the spectrum it was equally as painful and gut-wrenching for the Dodgers. This was a killer blow, putting the Phillies at a 3-1 advantage; they now need only one more win in 3 possible tries to lock up a second consecutive trip to the World Series with a chance to repeat.

This win also shows why the Phillies are the defending World Champions. They believe they will win, they support one another and they never give up until the final out is recorded. To be able to witness this is the greatest joy of any fans life. Repeat or no repeat, Phillies fans should be proud of their team! What a year this has been...and it is not over yet.

Here is the Photo Album from the game...Go Phillies!!!

PS: Thank you to all my readers for making Phillies Phollowers the#1 Phillies fan blog on the MLB site for the entire 2009 season! And I am #8 overall for ALL fan blogs! Your support is greatly appreciated; it is an honor to bring you the Phillies through my eyes...Thank you!

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Dodgers Freeze In Chilly Philly

2009-10-19T02:25:46Z

The Phillies bats came alive tonight early in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Dodgers in an 11-0 win. In the first inning, it appeared the Phils were taking batting practice off a rusty Hiroki Kuroda, who had not pitched in a while due to injury. Ryan Howard drove in 2 runs with a triple and Jayson Werth followed with a 2-run homer to center. That hit by Howard broke yet another record for the slugger; Howard became the 1st player ever to drive in runs in 7 straight post-season games within the same year.

The Phils tacked on 2 more runs in the 2nd with doubles from Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins plus an RBI ground out from Howard. Ruiz has been the unsung hero this post-season. Hitting in the 8-hole, Ruiz has come up with clutch hits in nearly every game. Ruiz is 9 for 21 so far with 7 RBI; 2 of those hits and 1 RBI came in tonight's game. This team has been riding the Chooch Train all October.

The overall offensive highlights included 2 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs. 11 hits and 7 walks combined for 11 runs. Every Phillie in the line-up except Raul Ibanez, who was struggling a bit, had at least one hit. It was a total team effort.

Chase Utley bounced back after a shaky defensive performance in the first 2 games. He appeared to be back to normal in the field and continued to produce at the plate. Utley's 1st inning single helped kick off a big inning for the team; he had another hit and a walk as well.

The impressive offensive output tonight was matched by superb pitching from Cliff Lee. Lee tossed an 8 inning, 3 hit shut-out and even had a single at the plate. This man could do no wrong and the excited crowd cheered him on all night long. Hate to repeat myself but, thank-you Cleveland! Chad Durbin pitched the 9th despite the opportunity for a Lee complete game as it was more important to preserve Lee's arm for future games. Durbin sent the Dodgers down in order.

With the 11-0 win tonight, the Phillies go up 2 games to 1 in the series. Joe Blanton will pitch tomorrow at 8:07pm in chilly Philly against a familiar face, Randy Wolf. I will be there in full winter gear and, assuming my hands do not freeze and fall off, I should be back with photos! Go Phillies!

Ruiz photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*