When the Tampa Bay Rays recorded the last out against the Boston Red Sox to claim the ALCS title one could argue it set up a “Home and Home” world series for the Phillies! The Phillies train in Clearwater, Florida in the spring which is only a short distance from St. Petersburg and the home of the Rays. If they want the Fightins can use thier own facilities to work out for the games hosted by the Rays.

Lets take a look at how I think this series breaks out and who has the ultimate edge. The Rays starting pitchers Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, James Shields and Andy Sonnnastine are all young as is most of their team. Kazmir is the only lefty amongst the group. I believe this plays into the strength of the Phillies from the perspective that they are heavy on left handed bats and are a very good fastball hitting team. Kazmir and Garza are primary fastball pitchers. The Rays bullpen has been worked alot in the playoffs, folks like Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell, Chad Bradford, Dan Wheeler and David Price have logged many innings. I think that the Phillies offense can do damage against that crew. Look for Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard to have big series, in fact I predict one of those two will emerge as series MVP.

The Phillies starters will be Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton. I think the inexperience of the young Ray hitters will play into the hands of both Hamels and Moyer. I also think that Myers is a big game guy and on the biggest baseball stage there is will excel. The Phillies bullpen has proven itself over the stretch run and the playoffs to be this years best. Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre, J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin have all excelled in setting up premier closer Brad Lidge. Any lead the offense turns over to that crew should be safe!

Defensively I think the Phillies are much better than the Rays, in fact the Rays defense has hurt them in the playoffs thus far. Offensively I think the Phillies are much more balanced but Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino must set the table for core sluggers Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Chase Utley and Pat Burrell. With the DH in play in Tampa look for Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs and perhaps Chris Coste to have impact as well.

The managers are equals in my opinion. Charlie Manuel provides the calm stablility that has enabled the Phillies to get this far while Joe Maddon has built into the young Rays the confidence they needed to excel.

This series matches two franchises that have had minimal success in thier history, the Fightins are the losingest team in history while the Rays first winning season ever was this year! Someone has to succeed in 2008!

When the Rays beat the Red Sox for the AL title I get a sense that they feel they have succeeded already and that anything beyond is gravy. I saw that in thier eyes as they celebrated thier victory. I do not think the Phillies have that same feeling, I think they are the hungrier crew and have more urgency to win it all! With that in mind I think that the Phillies will prevail in this series by winning in five games, six max. I think a parade is in the midst for Philadelphia and that the 2008 Fightins will join the ranks of the 1980 world series champs forever in Philly baseball lore! Just a feeling.

The Philadelphia Phillies are headed back to the World Series for the first time since 1993 as they clinched the National League pennant on Wednesday night! Cole Hamels led the Phillies past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 as the Phillies took four of the five games against the Dodgers.

Hamels picked up his second win of th series after tossing seven strong innings where he allowed just five hits and one run. The one run came in the sixth inning when Manny Ramirez hit a high fastball for a solo home run. When Hamels got into jams, he was able to get double plays turned without allowing any runs to score.

Jimmy Rollings got the game started off with a bang with a solo home run in the first inning off of Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley. Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell both added rbi singles in the third inning as the Phillies jumped out to a 3-0 lead. In the fourth, it was Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz both scoring on an errors by Rafael Furcal. That was enough offense for the Phillies as the pitching staff was great!

Now the Phillies will come back home to Philly and see who they will play in the World Series. The Tampa Bay Rays need one more win against the Boston Red Sox to seal their World Series bid and the two teams will be playing Thursday night.

So now the question is this. Who would you rather play? The Red Sox or the Rays?

Even from Shanghai China which is where I am at this week the news has spread, the Fightin Phils are NL champs!!!!!!

Cole Hamels pitched a gem and won the NLCS MVP award. I will let my buddy Cliff write the game recap but could not resist displaying my joy! In the class I am teaching here I was following the score via the internet, I clapped really loud on the last out as recorded by the super closer Brad Lidge!!!!!! My chinese audience thought I was nuts.

Can’t wait to get back to the states and see the series………great job Fightins!!!!! My book of the season also now has some real value! Now the boys just have to win four more and we are the WS champs!!!!!!!

What a great comeback by the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night! Trailing 5-3 heading into the eighth inning, things did not look good for the Phillies. However, Shane Victorino stepped up bigtime and hit a two-run home run to tie the game at 5-5. It was then pitch hitter Matt Stairs turn to go yard as he delivered the game winning moonshot off of Jonathan Broxton and the Phillies beat the Dodgers 7-5.

Besides the four runs in the eighth inning, the Phillies jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning with two runs. Chase Utley had a rbi double while Jason Werth scored on a rbi ground out by Ryan Howard. Howard would end up scoring the Phillies third run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch as well.

Starting pitcher Joe Blanton tossed five innings as he gave up three runs on seven hits. He did strike out four batters but also walked four batters. It would have nice to see him pitch a little deeper into the game but luckily for the Phillies their bullpen pitched well enough to get the victory.

Chad Durbin was the only relief pitcher to give up any runs as he allowed two in the sixth inning and was quickly pulled. Ryan Madson threw 1 2/3 innings to get the victory in the game. Brad Lidge threw 1 1/3 innings to get the save. Scott Eyre also got into the game as he recorded one out.

Now the Phillies are up 3-1 in the series and will be looking to close things out in L.A. on Wednesday. They will be sending Cole Hamels to the mound and he will be facing off against Chad Billingsley of the Dodgers. I like the Phillies chances of closing out the series with Hamels on the mound that is for sure!

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Hey everyone, I’m filling in for Spotter as he is 12 hours ahead of us over in China for the week. Hopefully he is able to catch the games over there. He sure didn’t miss much in game three however as the Phillies were blown out 7-2.

Jamie Moyer only lasted one and a third innings as the Dodgers scored five runs in the first inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Old man Moyer simply didn’t have his pitches working for him and he was hit hard. He was taken out of the game in the second inning after he gave up his sixth run of the game on a Rafael Furcal solo home run.

The only offense for the Phillies was two rbi singles. Pedro Feliz scored Ryan Howard in the second inning on a single to shallow left field and then in the seventh inning, Pat Burrell singled in Chase Utley.

The Phils will now send Joe Blanton to the mound in game four of the series. If the Phillies can pull out a win, I like their chances of winning the series and moving onto the World Series. The Dodgers will be countering back with their ace as Derek Lowe will get the start.

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Brett Myers led the charge in game two for the Phillies but once again he did it in a extraordinary way, with his bat!  Myers had three hits in the game and cleared a bases loaded spot with a double down the right field line in one at bat.  Shane Victorino also had a big day for the Phillies.  Brad Lidge and his bullpen mates Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero pitched scoreless relief behind Myers to earn holds and a save.   Off to tinseltown hopefully to close this series out!

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Condolences to skipper Charlie Manuel who found out before the game that his mother had passed away, Manuel managed the game despite the heavy heart.  Shane Victorino also found out some bad news after the game as he was told his grandfather had passed away back in Hawaii.   Am in Shanghai for the week so apologize for the brevity, only able to rehash what I read for the rest of the series.

Game three is Sunday, the “older ace” Jamie Moyer takes the hill for the Fightins trying to earn win # three of the best of seven series.

Cole Hamels pitched like an ace in game one of the NLCS going seven strong innings and holding the Dodgers to only two runs. With the exception of Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez the Dodgers could have been blanked. Chase Utley came thru with a two run home run in the sixth off Dodger starter Derrick Lowe and Pat Burrell blasted a solo home run in the same inning to end Lowe’s day and put the Fightins ahead.

Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge closed the game out without incident and the Phillies earned a big win. Philly fans were loud and strong in this one and indeed had an impact.

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Charlie Manuel pinch hit for Hamels in the seventh frame with So Taguchi hoping that Taguchi could get a sacrifice bunt down to advance Carlos Ruiz who had reached on a single. Taguchi popped the bunt up and heard the wrath of the Philly fans! Manuel had Gregg Dobbs available but chose to go for the sacrifice. I think Charlie outfoxed himself on that move, it did not cost the game but not so sure Dobbs wasn’t the better move as Greg Maddux was on the hill for the Dodgers. The Phillies have not been a small ball team all year and I see no reason to start now.
Manuel did make a very good mound visit in the top of the eighth when he came out to see Ryan Madson and reinforce to not give Manny nothing to hit in his at bat….. Manny swung at the first pitch, an outside change up that he pulled as a soft line drive to third baseman Pedro Feliz to record the out.

Sitting in LAX right now preparing to board for trip to China, Fightins will begin game two soon with Brett Myers on the hill. Hope that Brett controls the adrenalin and he should do fine.

The NLCS kicks off tommorrow with Cole Hamels taking the hill for the Fightins against the Dodgers Derek Lowe. The NLCS is a seven game series and the format is 2-3-2 in regards to home field advantage. If the series goes seven games the Phillies will have four games in their home ball park. The way the schedule lays out it would appear that Hamels would only be enabled to pitch two games since doing otherwise would require pitching on three days rest and he has never done that before. That being the case the depth of the Phillies staff will come into play.

The two teams split this season in the eight games played but Dodger shortstop and leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal did not play in any of the games. Furcal brings added punch to the Dodger offense as he is the ignitor much in the manner Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are for the Phillies. I doubt that either team will allow either Manny Ramirez or Ryan Howard to beat them, that is, it is highly doubtful either slugger will be given any pitches within the zone therefore both must be very patient and hit the mistakes!

I like the auxiliary bats to the core slugger in the Phillies lineup more than those of the Dodger blue. Rollins, Victorino, Greg Dobbs, and Chase Utley all will swing left handed against a predominantly right handed Dodger staff, L.A. has only two lefties in the bullpen so left on left matchups against Howard and the like will be very limited by Joe Torre. Right handed hitters Pat Burrell and Jayson Werth have had big roles this season and must also come thru. Offense from Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz is a bonus as they provide most impact by defensive play. Geoff Jenkins and Matt Stairs could have big impacts as left handed pinch hitters since the Dodgers are limited from the southpaw side on the mound.

 The Dodgers counter with Casey Blake, Matt Kemp, Jeff Kent, Furcal, Russell Martin and Nomar all swinging right handed and are lighter on lefthanded hitters with first baseman James Loney and Andre Ethier being the lone core starters swinging from the left side. Juan Pierre is available as well.
like the depth of the Phillies starting pitching when compared to the Dodgers. Brett Myers is a key to the series as he needs to pitch late into games for the team to succeed. Joe Blanton will get a start in the series and must pitch like he did in the NLDS. Jamie Moyer and Hamels will need to continue to excel. The bullpen is an advantage to the Phillies, the Dodgers have a good pen but the Phils have a closer who is perfect thus far in Brad Lidge and he shows no account of not continuing that streak.

 Dodger Manager Joe Torre has many rings to his credit and is an advantage to the Dodgers but Phils skipper Charlie Manuel knows his personnel very well and was very good in strategic moves against the Brewers in the NLDS.

 Overall my heart tells me Phillies in Four! My baseball mind tells me a slightly different story with the key to the series not being any player on the field. I truly feel that Phillie fans in the home park can sway ballgames with their perception and reactions to the game. That being said I see this series going at least six games, more likely seven but a win for the Fightins on the home turf and the fans having an impact on the deciding game.

Unfortunately I will not be able to see most of the series as I have a work assignment in China for the week! I will check as much as I can on the internet and be pulling for the Fightins from afar, sure hope my prediction comes true and we advance to the big show, the 2008 World Series!

Big games require players to step up into the limelight and shine.  Joe Blanton did just that as he gave the Phillies six and 1/3 innings of great pitching limiting the Brewers to just a solo home run by Prince Fielder.  Jimmy Rollins shined by leading off the game with a solo home run to give the Phillies the early lead.  Pat Burrell shined by belting a three run home run in the third inning to put the Fightins up by four, he stepped up again in the eighth and belted another home run, this one a solo blast.  Jayson Werth shined as he also belted a solo home run.   The Phillies led the majors in home runs and displayed that skill predominantly in this one! 

On defense the big man Ryan Howard made a spectacular stop on a ground ball to record a 3-1 out in the eighth inning.  Howard did not hit the ball in this one but found another way to contribute.  Brad Lidge pitched the ninth to end the game and make the Fightins a perfect 80 and 0 when leading after eight innings.

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“Beat L.A., Beat L.A.”  will be the chant beginning thursday in the NLCS.  Cole Hamels will get the ball and will have had seven days rest so lets hope our young ace performs as well as he did in the first game of the NLDS.  The Phillies hold home field advantage for the series so Philly fans can and will have an impact on the series, positive approach on and off the field can take us to the Series……….time to shine folks, lets get it done ! 

The Milwaukee Brewers came out with the perfect approach against Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer as they were very patient and made Moyer throw strikes.  The Brewers plated two runs in the first inning as Prince Fielder hit a sacrifice fly to score Mike Cameron and J.J. Hardy singled to plate Bill Hall.  Both Cameron and Hall had reached on walks.   Those were the only runs scored thru four innings as Brewer starter Dave Bush was getting the Phillies out on “at ‘em” balls.  The Phillies hit the ball hard on many occassions but right at Brewer fielders whom to thier credit made every play.

Moyer was pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth.  He threw only four innings but amassed 90 pitches as the Brewer hitters worked many 3-2 counts.   Milwaukee scored one more in the bottom of the fifth off reliever Clay Condrey.    The Phillies scored in the sixth as Jayson Werth tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a groundout by Ryan Howard.  The Brewers scored again in the seventh off of Scott Eyre as Jason Kendall plated J.J. Hardy who had led off the inning with his third hit of the game. 

The Brewer bullpen was once again dominant as they did not give up a run in four and 2/3 innings of work.  Solomon Torres closed the game out for Milwaukee to earn the save.

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The Milwaukee fans mostly stood thru the entire game, they showed alot of heart and were very loud in their support of the home team.  The Brewers threw big time leather in this game, specifically Craig Counsel at second and Bill Hall at third.     I think that game four is as much of a must win for the Phillies as it is for the Brewers, if Milwaukee can win they gotta like thier chances with C.C. Sabbathia coming back a second time, the Phillies would counter with Cole Hamels which would be a great matchup but not one I want to sit on the edge of my seat for !  Big game tommorrow with Joe Blanton scheduled to take the ball for the Fightins and Jeff Suppan for Milwaukee.