Ok, there's a reason that I haven't posted about the world series. I wanted to wait until they won or lost to put anything up about it. Let me start off by saying SHUT THE HELL UP TIM MCCARVER! McCarver you're the biggest idiot on television and i don't know why they let your biased ass on the air. To be quite honest, I don't know how a former Phillie could want the opposing team to win so bad.
Cole Hamels, you've been the man throughout this entire post season. You deserve the MVP of this World Series. Even with as little run support as you got, you just went out there start after start and blanked the other teams.
Pat Burrell, you had a tough world series. But when your team needed you the most, you came up with that huge double that, on mostly any other night, would have been a homerun. I sincerely hope that you and the Phillies come to terms with a new contract in this off-season.
Brad Lidge, you've been lights out all season long. 41 consecutive saves in the regular season, and seven consecutive saves in the post season. Without Lidge, none of this is possible. He was the addition that really put all of this together.
And finally, Carlos Ruiz. I couldn't stand him during the regular season. It was so frustrating to see him hit only just above .200 knowing that Coste was on the bench and that he was the superior hitter. But I have to give credit to Charlie Manuel for sticking with him through it all. It really paid off this post-season where Ruiz got red hot in the World Series. He also showed off his world class catching abilities. If anyone besides Cole Hamels deserved the MVP of the World Series, it would no doubt have been Ruiz.
What makes this feel so good is knowing that the Phillies won it the right way. They drafted good players, brought them up through the farm system and had them produce on the field. Chase Utley, Ryan Madson, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Brett Myers, Cole Hamels and Jimmy Rollins. These players are bonafide super stars in their own right, and the Phillies drafted them and brought them up through the system. Pat Gillick, and even Ed Wade, acquired some of the main pieces from other teams that made this possible as well. All in all, this win wasn't just a team win, it was a win for the entire organization. Management, coaching, scouting, all the way down to the bat-boys and ball-girls.
This victory was something that this city has needed for the longest time. Through all the heartache and pain that goes along with being a Phillies fan, this World Series title means everything to a city who only wants to win. Sure we can be a little rough at times, but that's only because we care so much about our teams and want them to win so badly.
I wasn't even alive back in 1980 when the Phillies won their last World Series, or even in 1983 when the Sixers won the last championship that this city has had. But tonight made my entire 19 years of watching Philadelphia sports worth living through. All the bad teams, the losing seasons, the championship losses, it all ended tonight, and the city reacted accordingly.
As I made my journey down Broad Street, the streets were electric. I ran, I walked, I sprinted, but most of all, I was there. That's the most important thing; I was there. Philly won a championship and I was there to experience the city's reaction first-hand. At this moment, I feel as if my life is complete. There is a void that has been left deep inside of me that is now filled. It was so beautiful. You didn't even have to be a baseball fan, you were a part of it. The city came together in those moments. There was no violence; no hatred. It didn't matter about the color of your skin, or where you came from. All we knew is that the Philadelphia Phillies were the World Champions, and no one could take that away from us. The title was ours and everyone in the city had a part to play in it.
Everything that I'm saying may not make sense, or it may come off as cheesy. But the emotions running through my head are nothing like anything I have ever felt before. Call me crazy, call me whatever you want, but this is so much more than a championship. This is a legacy. This is erasing 25 years of futility. This is absolute euphoria. Who needs drugs when you have a feeling like this? This is the most incredible high that anyone could ever experience.
Showing posts with label Phillies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phillies. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
C.C. Who?
Even with the announcers talking about how the Phillies better get anything they can and they need to hope that Brewers ace C.C. Sabathia will be too tired to pitch a good game. Well guess what Sabathia wasn't the best pitcher on the field on this night. That distinction belongs to Phillies second half ace Brett Myers. Despite a rough first where a run scored, Myers showed his resiliency by getting a 1-2-3 doubly play with the bases loaded.
What did Sabathia do? Well he pitched himself out of trouble in the first, but right into trouble in the second inning. With the bases already loaded, Brett Myers stepped up to the plate. He had a great 9 pitch at bat against Sabathia, who ended up walking Myers in the end. Personally, I have never seen a stadium cheer so loudly for a pitcher fouling off pitches during an at bat. And when Myers drew the walk, the fans absolutely erupted. There has never been anything like it. The stadium was in a state of pandemonium. And as they always say, walks kill. Shane Victorino made that statement come true when he stepped up to the plate and took Sabathia yard to the tune of a grand slam, the first of his career. Is there any more appropriate a time for that grand slam.
Now, back to Myers. This was his night. He went seven strong innings only giving up two runs on two hits while striking out four and walking three. These numbers weren't Hamels-like, but they were most definitely enough to get the win. And isn't that the most important stat? ERA, strikeouts, earned runt, hits and walks, all that means nothing if you don't get the win. Plain and simple, Myers out pitched Sabathia and got the win.
Sabathia pitched , yet again, on three days rest. But let me say this right now, that is no excuse for why the Phillies beat him tonight. He left pitches up in the zone and missed his spots, and when any pitcher does that, they are going to get beat. The Phillies lineup is just too good and too powerful for any pitcher to not be on top of their game. The rest, or lack their of, is in no way shape or form a reason to why the Brewers lost on this night. That last statement is not directed at the Brewers or Sabathia in any way, but at the reporters and so called experts who didn't give the Phillies much of a chance tonight. I say directly to all of you who thought that we had no chance just because of Sabathia being on the mound: who won their division and who got in because they are the wild card and the Mets collapsed?
Last night saw Phillies closer Brad Lidge throw 35 pitches, give up an earned run, and had the tying runs on second and third. Tonight was a completely different story. In the eighth inning, Ryan Madson two of the four Brewers that he faced. When Prince Fielder was due up, my presidential candidate Charlie Manuel brought in J.C. Romero. It took Romero one pitch to get the most dangerous hitter in the Brewers lineup to ground out to first. And finally, the ninth inning. I must admit, i was really nervous when Lidge entered the game. Not that I thought that he would blow the save, but he's been asking for it recently. He's been making it too close for comfort. Tonight, he made it look as easy as he had in the beginning of the season. It was a one-two-three inning with each of the outfielders getting to catch one of the fly outs. This time, it only took him 12 pitches. That's a far cry from the 35 from the night before.
Now the Phillies take the series back to Milwaukee, where the ageless wonder, Jamie Moyer will take the mound for one of the most important games of his career. The Phillies could possibly sweep the series and move on to the NLCS; somewhere we haven't been since 1993. Opposing Moyer will be right-hander Dave Bush. This match-up looks to be favored towards Moyer. Moyer was 16-3 with a 3.71 era, and he has already shown that he can beat the Brewers like he did on Sept. 11. Bush was 9-10 this year with a 4.18 era and earned a no decision in the last game that he pitched against the Phillies, a game in which they lost and gave the Phillies a huge lift in momentum in not only the wild card race, but their own division race.
Should the series go to a game four, the Phillies have already announced that Cole Hamels will not be pitching that game. They haven't declared a possible starter yet, but I'd be willing to bet that it'll be Joe Blanton. This isn't a bad strategy either. You can save Cole Hamels for game 5 of the series, if need be and have Myers start the first game of the next series, or you have Moyer close this series out and Hamels start game one of the next series. Either way the Phillies look like they have set up their pitching rotation beautifully for the rest of this series and for the rest of the National League portion of the playoffs.
GO PHILLS!
What did Sabathia do? Well he pitched himself out of trouble in the first, but right into trouble in the second inning. With the bases already loaded, Brett Myers stepped up to the plate. He had a great 9 pitch at bat against Sabathia, who ended up walking Myers in the end. Personally, I have never seen a stadium cheer so loudly for a pitcher fouling off pitches during an at bat. And when Myers drew the walk, the fans absolutely erupted. There has never been anything like it. The stadium was in a state of pandemonium. And as they always say, walks kill. Shane Victorino made that statement come true when he stepped up to the plate and took Sabathia yard to the tune of a grand slam, the first of his career. Is there any more appropriate a time for that grand slam.
Now, back to Myers. This was his night. He went seven strong innings only giving up two runs on two hits while striking out four and walking three. These numbers weren't Hamels-like, but they were most definitely enough to get the win. And isn't that the most important stat? ERA, strikeouts, earned runt, hits and walks, all that means nothing if you don't get the win. Plain and simple, Myers out pitched Sabathia and got the win.
Sabathia pitched , yet again, on three days rest. But let me say this right now, that is no excuse for why the Phillies beat him tonight. He left pitches up in the zone and missed his spots, and when any pitcher does that, they are going to get beat. The Phillies lineup is just too good and too powerful for any pitcher to not be on top of their game. The rest, or lack their of, is in no way shape or form a reason to why the Brewers lost on this night. That last statement is not directed at the Brewers or Sabathia in any way, but at the reporters and so called experts who didn't give the Phillies much of a chance tonight. I say directly to all of you who thought that we had no chance just because of Sabathia being on the mound: who won their division and who got in because they are the wild card and the Mets collapsed?
Last night saw Phillies closer Brad Lidge throw 35 pitches, give up an earned run, and had the tying runs on second and third. Tonight was a completely different story. In the eighth inning, Ryan Madson two of the four Brewers that he faced. When Prince Fielder was due up, my presidential candidate Charlie Manuel brought in J.C. Romero. It took Romero one pitch to get the most dangerous hitter in the Brewers lineup to ground out to first. And finally, the ninth inning. I must admit, i was really nervous when Lidge entered the game. Not that I thought that he would blow the save, but he's been asking for it recently. He's been making it too close for comfort. Tonight, he made it look as easy as he had in the beginning of the season. It was a one-two-three inning with each of the outfielders getting to catch one of the fly outs. This time, it only took him 12 pitches. That's a far cry from the 35 from the night before.
Now the Phillies take the series back to Milwaukee, where the ageless wonder, Jamie Moyer will take the mound for one of the most important games of his career. The Phillies could possibly sweep the series and move on to the NLCS; somewhere we haven't been since 1993. Opposing Moyer will be right-hander Dave Bush. This match-up looks to be favored towards Moyer. Moyer was 16-3 with a 3.71 era, and he has already shown that he can beat the Brewers like he did on Sept. 11. Bush was 9-10 this year with a 4.18 era and earned a no decision in the last game that he pitched against the Phillies, a game in which they lost and gave the Phillies a huge lift in momentum in not only the wild card race, but their own division race.
Should the series go to a game four, the Phillies have already announced that Cole Hamels will not be pitching that game. They haven't declared a possible starter yet, but I'd be willing to bet that it'll be Joe Blanton. This isn't a bad strategy either. You can save Cole Hamels for game 5 of the series, if need be and have Myers start the first game of the next series, or you have Moyer close this series out and Hamels start game one of the next series. Either way the Phillies look like they have set up their pitching rotation beautifully for the rest of this series and for the rest of the National League portion of the playoffs.
GO PHILLS!
Finally a win when it counts!
15 years. The fans of
Hamels went eight strong innings and struck out nine without giving up a run and only giving up two hits and one walk. The start of the game just had the feeling of something special. Hamels set down batter after batter. He didn't give up a base runner until Corey Hart singled with two outs in the fifth. He even got the job done on offense (which comes as no surprise considering his solid performance at the plate the entire season). Sure he reached on an error by Rickie Weeks, but how many times have you seen a pitcher not be able to execute the most simplest of plays, the sacrifice bunt. Not only was his bunt a huge play, but when Utley hit that double (which I don't know how that could even be considered a hit, Cameron clearly committed an error on that play) Hamels scored all the way from first. He's a young guy and everything, but unless the next batter hits a homerun, you rarely see a pitcher score all the way from first.
Hamels has had a rough season, but his pitching hasn't been the problem. Up until the end of the season, he was brilliant as usual, but the Phillies just could not win during his starts. And if they did, it was a late inning comeback where Cole absolutely pitched his heart out and left without a lead but the offense was able to pick up the slack in the last few innings. He should absolutely be close to a 20 win season this year, but despite all the offense we have, they just were not able to get it done for him.
Going into the ninth inning, Charlie Manuel had a decision to make. Should he let Cole go out there with only 101 pitches under his belt, or should he go to the bullpen and call upon the only perfect Phillie of the season, Brad Lidge. As is well known, Lidge was 41-41 in save opportunities this season, but these past few weeks have been a little shaky. He has somewhat lost the pinpoint control that has been the perfect compliment to his electric stuff. But in a save situation, Manuel made the right call. He went with Lidge and saved Cole's arm for a possible game 4 or 5 appearance.
With as smooth as the rest of the game had moved, that was how shaky the ninth was with Lidge in the game. With one runner on, Lidge was staring down the barrel of the tying run at the plate in person of Prince Fielder, and absolutely enormous gun. Keep in mind that Ryan Braun had just doubled to score Ray Durham the previous play. Lidge had been having trouble with the slider during the inning, and the Brewers weren't swinging. Daring as it was, Lidge pumped two fastballs by Fielder. Then he proceeded to go back to the slider on four consecutive pitches, two balls and two fouls. Lidge got the strikeout and was on his way to cleaning up his mess. He now had two outs on strikeouts. A walk to J.J. Hardy and a wild pitch made it second and third with two outs, and Phillies fans blood pressure starting to rise. Lidge promptly struck out the afore mentioned Corey Hart to end the game, and
No, they didn't win the series, just game one. But this win was much more than a win. It was their first in 15 years. Their win was exactly what they needed with the Brewers ace C.C. Sabathia looming for the next day.
Sabathia will be no easy task for the Phillies, but the one thing no one is talking about, which could be a great thing for the Phillies, is that the Brewers aren't going to have a walk in the park either. Sabathia has been great since coming over from the Indians, and his last three performances on only three days rest were spectacular, but let's not overlook Brett Myers. Let me remind you that Myers has been absolutely crucial to the success of the team up to this point. In the second half he has been as close to perfect as he could've been. He did something that I didn't think was possible: he made us forget about his absolutely horrendous in the first half which prompted the Phillies to send him to pitch for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, the Phillies triple A affiliate.
This game looks to be another pitchers’ dual. These are two of the best in the NL, when Myers is on his game. If the Phillies can take this game, they have a great chance to do what they did to the Brewers late in the season this year, sweep the series (something that the Phillies were on the wrong side of last year in the playoffs). A key match up will most definitely be Ryan Howard against one of the toughest lefties in the game in Sabathia (did you really think I wasn't gonna mention Howard).
Oh, and by the way, right here right now, I'm jumping on the Ryan Howard for MVP bandwagon. Seriously, I understand that Manny has been en fuego (on fire for those of you who aren't as fluent in Spanish as I am) since being traded to the Dodgers from the Red Sox, but I just can't fathom that someone who played the majority of his games in the American League winning the MVP for the National League. He didn't even play half of the season for the Dodgers. Plus, Carlos Delgado was worse for Howard for longer than Howard at the beginning of the season. So this is to all you sports writers out there (as if they are actually gonna read this), Ryan Howard deserves the MVP for the NL. Lets be real, he leads the majors in homeruns and RBI's. How can you not win the MVP if you lead all of baseball in those two categories? He has even improved his average to over .250 at the seasons end. It wasn't much over .250, but it was higher. He's the most productive player in the MLB without a shadow of a doubt and he basically single-handedly led the Phillies to the playoffs. Right now Delgado is at home sitting on his ass because he wasn't able to lead his team to the post season. THEY HAD THE LEAD A FEW WEEKS AGO! They managed t choke again. That alone should exclude him. Moral of the story, Ryan Howard = MVP of the NL.
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