Cliff Lee was dominant in game one shutting down the most powerful offense in the American League as if it was something of ease, Pedro Martinez was impressive in game two but was outdueled by mega millionaire A. J. Burnett who made the National League’s most superlative offense look passive in nature.   So, here we are back in Philly town with the series knotted at one game a piece and the fall classic now narrowed in scope to a best of five with the Fightins holding the home field “advantage”.

In New York the fans really didn’t have much impact, some have written that ticket prices kept the regular attendees away and “corporate america” fans were in their place instead…….hell even I was offered Yankee game tickets in that regard!   “Impact” of fans is debatable however, the chants to Pedro of “Who’s your daddy” are admissable but in his case really have no impact as the man albeit hears the words does not let them effect his performance.  Remarks made towards his family, personal being or of off colored flavor are not admissable though and are true signs of ignorance!  Any “fan” who takes that route is not one of intelligence and honestly has no place in the stadium.

I am hopeful that tonights game reflects the class of Philly Phans like last year’s NLDS did when Brett Myers coaxed a walk from C.C. Sabbathia and with each pitch the phan noise got louder resulting in a standing ovation for Myers as he trotted down to first base, that was a true reflection of phan baseball prowess and I was proud of my fellow Phillie devotees in how they showed that and oh by the way influenced Mr. Sabathia to hang a high fastball to Shane Victorino that he belted for a salami!

Stupid phan behavior is wearing a Manny hat that says he is a cheater and teaching your nine year old child that this is proper to chide another human being in such manner.  Yes, I believe that A-Rod will hear his share of comments tonight about his shortcomings within the steroid stupidity era of baseball as well but the more influential impacts of our phans are ones that influence the game itself, remember the Burt Hooten meltdown in the 70’s when the noise was so loud in Veterans Stadium that he lost concentration and walked in a run?  That was impact!

So Philly Phans let’s not sit on our hands during the moments when things are not going the Philly way and have announcers say, “this crowd has been really quieted by the Yankees” but rather keep the decible levels high and in the spirit of game impact, show the baseball world that phan impact aligns with baseball acumen and that Philly is the home where “phan advantage” is the true home field edge!

Chatter

Tim McCarver commented in game two that he did not understand why Charlie Manuel did not start the runners in the bottom of the eighth when Chase Utley subsequently hit into a double play, for the novice fan McCarver’s words place doubt however if TMac had done his homework he would have known that Utley hits into minimal double plays and that the bigger risk was getting the runners thrown out on the steal and/or a line drive.  

Interesting article in today’s Daily News about tonight’s starter Cole Hamels, it reminds us about the first time he faced the Yankees in 2004 Spring training as a 20 year old phenom.  Hamels dominated in that performance and opened our eyes on what he could become.  I truly believe that he will pitch a very good game tonight and erase our doubts about this young star.  Hamels is only 24 and needs to become Kid Cole again rather than Kid Cool!  He has it in him and I think he will shine tonight!

Reggie Jackson was quoted as saying this matchup was like the Varsity vs the Jr. Varsity, child please! This is the same genius that for years said that Richie Ashburn did not belong in the hall of fame, Reggie retired years ago as a Yankee player, he now needs to retire his mouth so as to avoid silly remarks coming out of it!

I predicted the Phillies in five albeit I thought they would sweep in NYC, am sticking to my prediction and looking forward to another parade here in the best “home field advantage” in the game…..let’s prove it once again tonight as a collective 10th man!

As I have stated many times this season it sure is a great time to be a Phillies Phan!  With the team capturing thier second consecutive National League pennant and now set to participate in the MLB “World” Series against the most storied franchise agrueably in all of sports it is time to predict the outcome.

The Yankees have won 26 “world” series titles and the Phillies have won all of two!  Facts tell us that one of the 26 titles came at the hands of the Fightins in 1950 against a team led by Richie Ashburn. However, this Phillies team is far from the 1950 version, this crew is a dominant one and in fact many think they are on the verge of a dynasty of winning prowess.  Great time to be a Phillies Phan!

I think that C.C. Sabbathia is the biggest obstacle, both figuratively and physically!, that the Fightins face in this series.  Sabbathia will throw three times if the series goes seven games and he has dominated our hottest hitter Ryan Howard in past matchups.  If the Fightins are to beat him then the right handed bats have to step up big time, we know that the can as Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Pedro Feliz, and Carlos Ruiz have been able to do so repeatedly.  I think the key to game one will be an unsung hero Ben Francisco who will start in left field with Raul Ibanez shifting to the DH role.   I think Francisco will have a big game and the Fightins will sneak a win behind Cliff Lee.

Pedro Martinez takes the hill in game two against A.J. Burnett.  Burnett has been hot and cold in his past endeavors against the Fightins but he has never faced a lineup of Phillies like the present one.  I think the Phillies smoke Burnett and surprise New York by also winning game two behind a ramped up Pedro.   Game three is Cole Hamels turn to step it up again as he goes against Andy Petite.  I am picking the Fightins to prevail in this one also and silence the New York faithful with a dominating 3 games to zero lead in the series.

Game four will force the return of Sabbathia to the hill and I think he will prevail with a win but in Game Five behind Cliff Lee again I think the Phillies bring home a second straight world series title!  It will set the stage for this team to be compared to those in history who have strung sustained success and titles……………… Great time indeed to be a Phillies Phan!

Chatter

I know it is far from time to be looking into next season but what if the Phillies somehow made another run at Doc Halladay in the offseason……….how sweet would this team be with Lee, Halladay, Hamels, Blanton and Martinez as a 2010 rotation!  Would we see a threepeat ?

NLCS

The Dodgers plan to use Vincenti Padilla and Randy Wolf in the playoff starting rotation, those guys used to pitch for the Fightin’s when they stunk!  Granted both are good pitchers but do we really think they can beat our team’s lineup ?  The Phillies will start with Cole Hamels in the first game and the young lefty needs to step up like he did last fall as he is positioned to pitch more than once in the series.  Pedro Martinez is the likely starter in game two with Cliff Lee getting the ball in game three, after that it is a wait and see who goes for game four.   The key to this series as I see it is the bullpen, if the Phillies pen can come thru and it looks like both Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ are going to be in the pen at least for the first three games then I see the Fightin’s going to thier second world series in a row.  I think that Chan Ho Park is a real possibility of being added to the post season roster and if healthy can indeed be a big plus to the back end of the pen.   My prediction is that the Phillies take the series in six games but I can actually see them winning in five as well!

ALCS

Don’t have any real logical reason to state so but I have a feeling that the L.A. Angels are going to win the American League pennant.   Even though the Yankees have the best team money can buy I think the Angels are more motivated and hungry and I see a coast to coast World Series!

Anyone who thinks that Charlie Manuel doesn’t know his team should have watched the last two games of the NLDS.   Manuel puts players in positions to succeed and believes in them that they can do so.   Brad Lidge was put in save situations in both games three and four of the series and came thru in both…….yes, it caused us Phillie Phans angina but in the end the Fightins came thru!

Sunday nights game lasted till 2:30 AM EDT and it was a tense game throughout played in below freezing tempatures!   I, like many other faithful Phillie Phans watched every pitch and once again was amazed at the resiliency of this crew as big Ryan Howard drove in Jimmy Rollins with the game winner in the top of the ninth and the Mr. Lidge did his thing to end the contest.

Game Four saw Cliff Lee throw again like an ace should as he held the Rockies at bay thru seven and one third innings.  The young Rockies showed thier moxie as they scored three times in the home eigth to take a 4-2 lead.  I would be lieing if I said I had faith the Fightins could come back but this team doesn’t understand how to give up and J-Roll got them started with a one out single off of Huston Street, his third hit off of Street in three at bats in the series!  After Shane VIctorino forced Rollins at second for the second out of the inning one had to wonder if the series was indeed going back to Philly.   Chase Utley worked a truly professional at bat and walked on a 3-2 count to set the stage for Mr. Howard.   The big man did not disapoint and belted a two run double to score both runners and tie the game.  Jayson Werth then hit a clutch single to score Howard with the go ahead.

Scott Eyre started the ninth to get the lefties out and recored two outs but did give up two hits and then Mr. Manuel went to Lidge.  Brad Lidge threw some nasty sliders to Troy Tuliwitzki and as Harry the K would say “struck him out!”.    Series over and on to L.A. for the second tier of the playoffs, don’t count these boys out……… the Fightins are for freakin real!

Chatter

Shane Victorino actually overran the bag when he scored on the double by Howard and had to come back to get it before proceeding to score!  I think he thought it might leave the yard and he was watching the ball instead of the basepath.    After the game Charlie had the best quote of the season…… “Don’t be scared” is what he tells his team when they are in the pressure spots, Charlie is the man! 

Beat L.A. !!!!

With the playoff pairings now set here are my predictions for the first round of the postseason.

1.  Phillies over Rockies in four games

I don’t think that Colorado has the team to match the Fightin’s and also believe the Philly Phan homefield advantage will work in the Phillies favor.  Cliff Lee has been tabbed as the game one starter followed by Cole Hamels in game two, I think the two lefties will throw very well and position the team with a quick 2-0 advantage in this short five game series.  That being said I think the Rockies will bounce back with a win in game three but look for the Phillies to win the series in game four on a big effort from Pedro Martinez and suprisingly Brad Lidge.  I think the hitting star of the series will be Shane Victorino and that Raul Ibanez and Ryan Howard will have multiple home runs.

2. Cardinals over the Dodgers in five games

I think that the combo of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are too much for the Dodgers to overcome and that Matt Holliday will have a big series offensively.   I don’t see the Dodgers starting pitching holding up against the Cardinal bats albeit they have been a bit silent late in the season, It is just a feeling that the midwesterners will win this series.

3. Angels over the Red Sox in four games

I think that the Angel team speed will exploit the Sox defense by stealing bases at will against the pitching staff of the Sox and not the catchers.  A pattern developed during the team series this season and I think that Mike Soscia will exploit the slow plate delivery of the Red Sox staff.   The Angels may be baseball’s best kept secret as they are a very good team.

4. Yankees over the Twins in three games

I think the Twins spent all thier energy qualifying for the post season and I don’t see them matching up very well against Sabbathia, Burnett and Petite.  I don’t like the Yankees so much but I think they are just a much better team than Minnesota.

With the Phillies winning over the visiting Houston Astros on the last day of September the team notched their third consecutive National League Eastern division title!  Pedro Martinez started the game and went four innings before yielding to Kyle Kendrick who pitched very effectively tossing three shutout innings and very possibly earning himself a post season roster spot.  The team had built up a seven run lead which set up the last inning and final out of celebration and also a tremendous touch of class by the skipper!

Scott Eyre got the first two outs in the final frame before skipper Charlie Manuel came out to waive in the closer  Brad Lidge to record the final out.  The symbolism was not missed by the sellout crowd as they loudly cheered Lidge as he trotted in from the centerfield bullpen.  Mr. Lidge has struggled mightingly this season with eleven blown saves but the skipper knows that the team success hinges on the big righthander regaining some form of his old self in the post season.  Lidge only needed one pitch to record the last out on a ground ball to first baseman Ryan Howard.  The stadium then erupted in recognition of yet another N.L. East title and the celebration began!

The champagne flowed in the clubhouse as team annoucer Chris Wheeler was doused in the bubbly as he interviewed the jubilant players.  In yet another class move the team returned to the field and in tribute to the legendary Harry Kalas went to the memorial marker in his honor on the left field wall and doused the sign with champagne as well, Harry along with Richie I am sure were very proud to see the Fightins win the title from their perch in the booth from heaven!

The work is not done yet as the players remarked, this is a very good baseball team which knows how to win, they now move on to the NLDS with a series victory in scope…..one game at a time, no highs or lows just like the even keeled skipper leads them!  A touch of class indeed.

Chatter

Jamie Moyer is done for the season as he injured his groin in the September 29th game, Moyer will have surgery in 7 to 10 days.  The veteran will be missed but indeed it was debatable whether he would have been put on the post season roster or not anyway.  J.C. Romero was activated and is available, I am sure that Charlie will get him some time in the next four games to see where he stands for post season.   It will be interesting to see who is placed on the playoff roster as the bullpen has been less than stellar this season.

Still the Fightin’s are in the playoffs yet again !  Great time to be a Phillies Phan folks!  Not so great time to be a Met eh!