The Phillies are playoff tested as they head into a second straight National League Championship series with the Dodgers beginning Thursday.
To get there they had to endure a heavyweight brawl with the Colorado Rockies. After a knockdown blow by the Rockies in last night’s eight inning, it looking grim for the Fightins. I had visions of Cole Hamels pitching in a chilly Citizens Bank Park tonight. Admit it, even when Jimmy Rollins got a one-out hit and Shane Victorino hustled to keep from turning his grounder into a double play, you thought it was over. However, in the Phillies dugout, the mindset was different. Ryan Howard told his teammates, “Get me to the plate boys.”
When Chase Utley worked a walk and brought the big fella to the plate, he made good on those words, smacking a majestic double that tied the score at 4-4. Then, when Jayson Werth fought off a couple of pitches to gently flair the ball into right center, Ryan rumbled around the bases to score the eventual winning run.
To make the comeback complete and show the world that the Phils are serious about being the defending World F#@%$&% Champions, Brad Lidge struck out Troy Tulowitzki with two men on to preserve the victory and the series win.
If last year’s version of Lidge is really back, and the Phillies keep hitting like this, the Dodgers will have their hands full.
Red October is back baby and if the Phillies keep it up it will be Red November as well.

Brad Lidge earned the save.

Watching Brad Lidge run out to the mound last night to save game three of the divisional series gave me a chill down by spine that had nothing to do with the frigid temperatures in the Mile High City. It was 1993 all over again. I was feeling like I felt when Mitch Williams would enter the game. He was a great closer, but his hair-on-fire style would drive the Phillies faithful nuts. You never knew what you would get, except that it would probably be bad before it got good. He would walk the bases loaded and then strike out the side.
Last night Brad Lidge was not exactly “Lights Out,” but when his back was to the wall with a runner is scoring position, he got the final out against Troy Tulowitzki to preserve the tense 6-5 victory that ended at 2:15am EST.
The Phillies fought back several times in what was a total team effort. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard had key hits, playoff newcomer Raul Ibanez showed great patience with his bases-loaded walk that tied the game, and Carlos Ruiz has picked up where he left off last post-season as a clutch hitter.
(more…)

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or my on-going battle to lose weight in our fast food world. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly

I refuse to worry about the Phillies, despite all the pitching upheaval. This time last year we were clinging to first place, with a very competitive Mets squad ready to strike and pass us. Which they did, but the final results in October were what counted.
Summer is still here and the living is easy and we still have the lead in the NL East. The Mets are in shambles, the Fish are tough right now but will wilt eventually, and the Braves might wind up being the last competition standing in the division.

Pedro Martinez

So what if Brad Lidge is no longer “Light-Out” Lidge? So what if his nickname should be “All-the-lights-are-on” Lidge? All right, I’m concerned after another blown save last night, but I refuse to go crazy. It is not as if Lidge has become the reincarnation of Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams. Boy, did we have some fun with him in 1993. Yes, Lidge seems to have lost his confidence and his control. It is an issue and a solution does not seem to be available at the moment. Ryan Madsen flunked when he had the job, and right now he is pitching better in his more comfortable set up role. Brett Myers will be back in the pen by season’s end, but can he take that closer spot, coming back from hip surgery? It’s a big question mark.

Cliff Lee is 2-0 with the Phils.

GM Ruben Amaro Jr. addressed the starting pitching problem with Cliff Lee. Has he been fun to watch or what? Tonight we begin the great Pedro experiment. I wasn’t enthusiastic about the signing, but the way Jamie “I was misled” Moyer is pitching, it can’t hurt to take a look. J.A. Happ pitched great last night after a shaky couple of innings. He was impressive when he limited the damage after loading the bases with none out.
It would be nice if Cole Hamels would find his mojo again, and Joe Blanton has been the quiet, steady righty arm all year long.
(more…)

Ryan Howard had a key hit last night.

The Phillies ability to win on the road and not at home is one of those wacky baseball statistics that a roomful of shrinks couldn’t figure out no matter how many sessions they had with J-Roll, Chase and the big fella. After hearing Ryan Howard complain that he is tired of hearing about it (losing at home), let me tell you Ryan, the fans are tired of watching it. Stop losing and you’ll stop hearing about it.
Seeing the Phils go out and pummel Tampa Bay, their World Series foes last year, 10-1 last night on the road, got me to thinking. Phillies fans have got to go out to the home games and make the players feel like they are on the road. Let’s boo J-Roll like he is in New York and wear Mets jerseys. Let’s do the Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop when the opposing team is mounting a rally. Let’s groan when Brad Lidge comes out to nail down a win (assuming the team can get to the ninth inning with a lead). Let’s boo when our pitchers throw to first to hold a runner on.
(more…)