Oswalt Wins in Home Debut

Roy Oswalt pitched in his first game in Citizens Bank Park tonight, and also won his first game in a Phillie uniform. Oswalt pitched seven strong innings, giving up five hits, and striking out five. Oswalt had great control of his pitches, throwing 109 pitches, 73 of them strikes. The Phillies won their 63rd game 2-0, shutting out the Dodgers.

The Phillies broke the scoreless tie in the 4th, when Placido Polanco scored on a grounder/fielder's choice by Domonic Brown. Not much offense for the Phillies tonight. Raul Ibanez knocked in Mike Sweeney in the 6th with a deep double to left-center field.

Injury News: Ross Gload was injured in tonight's game while running to second. It looks like a groin injury. He will have an MRI tomorrow.

Chase Utley was cleared to start hitting today for the first time since he hurt his thumb on June 28th. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said that the timetable for still the same as it was when Chase had his surgery. I would expect him back in two weeks.

Rollins Wins it For Phils

I was going to post about this game last night, but my internet went down immediately after the game for some reason. Jimmy Rollins came up big when it mattered most, when the Phillies were down a run in the 9th. With 2 runners on and 2 out, J-Roll stroked a 99 MPH fastball into the gap in right-center field. Both runs scored and the Phillies won the ballgame with one swing of the bat.

I have seen everything now. There's nothing you can't expect from this Phillies team. I mean I was packing it up! I was getting ready to go to bed! But then Jimmy Rollins stunned the city of Philadelphia (probably LA too) and got the game-winning hit. J-Roll had looked bad all night up until that point but, Boy did he ever deliver!

I'm not going to go through my usual game summary like I do when I post right after the game. Because, by now, you have seen the highlights and read other game summaries. I will be in attendance tomorrow for Game 5. Of course, they better clinch it at the Bank tomorrow.

Cole Hamels will be on the mound against the Dodgers Vicente Padilla. Padilla, a former Phillies, has been lights-out this postseason. He pitched in Game 2, the only game the Dpdgers have won in the series. Maybe the Phillies will hit him though, since they've already seen him in the series.

Cole Hamels needs to pick his game up big time. Simple as that. He has given up 4 runs in each of his 2 starts of the postseason. He has not finished the 6th inning in either of those starts, and he has a 6.97 ERA this postseason. Let's hope he can get it together tomorrow (PLEASE!)

Cliff Lee Wows in Game 3

It's official: Philadelphia has gone from a football town to a baseball town in one stunning Sunday. The Phillies won their Game 3 matchup 11-0 over the hapless Los Angeles Dodgers (who looked more like the LA Mets tonight), while the Eagles lost to the previously-winless Oakland Raiders.

Let's not get into the Eagles, all Phillies today. Cliff Lee took the mound tonight with a mission, and that mission was certainly accomplished. Clifton Phifer Lee went 8 innings without allowing a run, and giving up only 3 hits (two to ManRam). Cliff Lee is definitely a guy you can rely on in the clutch.

The Phillies offense exploded in the 1rst inning against Hiroki Kuroda. They scored 4 runs, with the highlights being a Howard 2-run triple and a Werth 2-run home run. Howard is really driving in runs this postseason.

Cliff Lee won this game by himself though. He got a single in the bottom of the 8th, and Shane Victorino knocked him in with a mammoth home run.... Cliff Lee 1, Dodgers 0. By the way, Cliff Lee's postseason ERA in 3 career games, 0.74.

Carlos Ruiz has become a breakout star this postseason. He is batting .429 with a homer and 7 RBIs in 7 games. He wasn't known for his hitting in the regular season but he is averaging a RBI a game in the playoffs. He also made a great ice cream cone catch over the Phils dugout to end the game.

Just 2 more wins for another World Series berth. Joe Blanton will be pitching against former-Phillie Randy Wolf tomorrow. I really hope they win (even more than usual) because I'll be at Game 5, and I hope they have a chance to clinch a berth right there.

Bring On the World Series!

The Phillies are National League Champions for the first time since 1993! I've been waiting all night to sat those exact words. The Phillies put the Dodgers down easily last night, with a final score of 5-1. Cole Hamels pitched beautifully, only giving up the homer to Man Ram. The Phillies will be facing either the Red Sox or the Rays on baseball's biggest stage.

The Phillies are finally reaping the benefits of all their hard work throughout the season. Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a homer, and the Philies never turned back after that. But let's not talk about the game. If you want to see a box score, you can go to ESPN.com or look in your local newspaper.

The Phillies have a great chance to break Philadelphia's sports' championship drought (or curse, if you prefer). Everybody is going nuts in Philly, and I can tell you that for a fact. I can't wait to hear the roar of Citizens Bank Park when the Phils host the World Series. I wish I had a ticket.

It looks like the Phillies will be facing off against the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. The Rays currently lead the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS 3-1.

The Phillies have taken this team by storm. I have to say that before the Phillies made the playoffs last season, Philly was a football town. If the Eagles were playing, nobody even thought about checking the Phillies score. But now, since that magical playoff birth last season, Philadelphia has turned Phillies Red. Now that the Phillies are in the World Series, Phillie fan support is at its peak. The Eagles? There not even playing this week. The Phillies will take center stage.

One More Win

With just hours left until the Phillies face off against the Dodgers in Game 5, I am excited for a World Series celebration later tonight. Cole Hamels' left pitching arm will decide whether the Phillies clinch tonight. The Phillies are up 3 games to 1 in the series, and they can wrap it up tonight. Hamels is by far the Phillies best pitcher, and he has shown it this postseason.

This is the Phillies best chance to make it to the World Series. Their ace is on the mound, and they are coming off an emotional late-inning win in Game 4. They have all the momentum coming into this game at Dodger Stadium tonight. The first pitch will be at 8:22 pm EST.

I think the Phillies will wrap up the Series tonight. As I've said, all factors point in their favor.

My Prediction for Game 5: Phillies 4, Dodgers 1
Cole Hamels will pitch a beauty, going eight solid innings and only giving up a lone run. Brad Lidge will come in to close the game in the ninth. The Phillies offense is somewhat quiet, but they do enough to get the win and earn spot in the 2008 World Series.

Can't Dodge Brett Myers

Throughout the game, you could hear the Phillie Phaithful chanting "Beat L-A" every chance they got. They Phillies complied, putting the Dodgers down 8-5. Brett Myers (above) was the star of this one. But it wasn't his pitching (which was mediocre) that won him cheers from the fans, and the win. It was the piece of lumber he carried around that won the game for the Phillies. Myers was a remarkable 3 for 3 in the ball game, knocking in three runs.

Brett Myers didn't pitch all that well, giving up five runs in five innings. Myers knocked in three very important runs at the beginning of the ballgame. The Phillies so called "big bats" were horrible in the game. Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell combined for nine strikeouts. The bottom of the order, especially Carlos Ruiz and Brett Myers, picked up the pace. Ruiz was 2 for 4 with one RBI.

The other hero of the game for the Phillies was Shane Victorino. Victorino was 2 for 5 with four runs batted in. Victorino has been the definition of clutch in this postseason. In the seventh inning, with two runners on, Victorino saved the game for the Phillies by making a remarkable catch against the wall in deep centerfield. Victorino leaped as high as he could and saved extra bases and at least two runs. Victorino is batting .318 with 9 RBIs in the postseason.

Ryan Howard looked atrocious at the plate in this game. He was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. Howard has been as impatient and undisciplined as two year old with a big bowl of chocolate ice cream. The Dodgers threw all curve balls to him tonight and he chased them low almost every single time. Here is a rule of thumb: If you see a curve ball before you have two strikes, don't swing! 90% of all the curve balls were low!

I know this may sound crazy, but if I was Charlie Manuel, I would strip Brad Lidge of the closer roll. I would implement Ryan Madson instead. I know Lidge hasn't blown a save all season, but he has been allowing too many hits and walking too many batters. I think his arm is a little tired from the regular season because his fastball is not as fast as it usually is. He also had no control tonight. He walked Manny Ramirez to lead off the ninth. He got an out, then walked another batter. He can't do that! The Dodgers could have tied the game with a simple swing of the bat. Madson has been masterful lately, and struck out the side in the eighth inning of tonight's game.

The Phillies should be very pleased with their two wins. They are now guaranteed to come back to Philly for at least one game (after three in LA.) Manny Ramirez did homer tonight, but it proved to be moot. I would be happy if the Phillies took one game of the three at the Coliseum. Of course, I'd be thrilled to wrap up the series there too!

The 5 Things the Phillies Need To Do To Beat LA

1. Take Manny out of the game

Ramirez is arguably the best postseason hitter of all time. Here's something that's not debatable: Manny has 26 postseason home runs, the most by any player in the playoff history. Charlie Manuel knows Manny's tendencies, so maybe the Phils might not have to walk him as much. The Phillies pitching staff must make sure that no runners are in scoring position when Manny is due up. He is their only player with real good power and you can't let him be the one to knock in their runs.

2. Utley needs to hit

For the Phillies to be successful, Chase Utley (above) needs to fill that hole in his bat. Utley is batted .133 against the Brewers with four strikeouts. He is a big part of the reason why the Phillies haven't been producing with runners on. When Rollins or Werth gets on for him, he needs to be able to provide a base knock.

3. Be patient, Ryan

Ryan Howard must not get frustrated. He will not get many pitches to hit. That does not mean he should chase balls out of the zone. I know you're a good hitter Ryan, but for the good of the team, take the walk. We all saw what happened the other night, when the Brewers walked you to get to Burrell. A walk is as good as a single.

4. Don't be intimidated by Dodger pitching

Everyone is raving about how good the Dodger pitching is. Well, I ain't buyin' it. You have to remember that they pitch in the spacious LA Coliseum. Some of those deep flies at the Coliseum will turn into four-baggers in the Bank. I'm surprised more people aren't bringing this up.

5. Take the home games

I know the Phils have home field advantage, but I'm not so sure it works in their favor. They play two games here, then three in California, then finish the final two games at the Bank. If the Phillies loss both games (or even go 1-1) the Dodgers will have a chance to wrap it up at home. So their is a big emphasis on winning these home games.

Baseball's Final Four

The League Championship Series will start tomorrow, with the Dodgers taking the on the Phillies. In the American League, the Boston Red Sox will be taking on division rival Tampa Bay. Here is a preview of both series:

Red Sox vs. Rays

Boston Red Sox

This is a very intriguing series between two very good teams from the AL East. Boston pitching depth is probably unmatched in the majors, but Tampa's is a close second. Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester are two of the most dominating pitchers in the game. Josh Beckett isn't 100% but he will start at least one game in this series.

Boston's lineup has a great mix of veteran players and blossoming stars. Everyone knows Big Papi (above) is their power hitter, but he is suffering from a wrist injury. He hasn't been hitting all that well. Jason Bay has been a great run producer since coming from Pittsburgh. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia batted .326 with 17 homers and 83 RBIs. That .326 average was good for second in the American League. He should be the AL MVP. The rest of the lineup is stacked.

One major loss for the Red Sox is veteran third basemen Mike Lowell. Lowell was last year's World Series MVP, and a real leader. Lowell is certain that he will not play in any remaining playoff games.

Tampa Bay Rays

I have to confess that I thought the Rays would crumble in the second half. They sure showed me. The Rays young pitchers have really pitched well in big games this season (and in the playoffs). James Shields pitched well during the season, and had a nice outing against the White Sox last week. Scott Kazmir didn't have his best season this year, but he still a feared lefty.

The Rays seem to have great teamwork in a sport that significantly lacks real teamwork. Their young (and loaded-with-talent) players score runs with ease. Evan Longoria is a all-around player at third base. He homered in his first two postseason at-bats. Not bad for a rookie. Carlos Pena is the only player on the Rays with 100+ RBIs. He also knocked 31 balls over the fence during the season.

My Prediction: Rays in 7

Phillies vs. Dodgers

Philadelphia Phillies

Everyone knows about the Phillies prolific offense. I don't think I need to give you the stats of guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Pat Burrell. But a lot of the Phils' role players have been stepping up in the postseason. Shane Victorino has been terrific in October, knocking in five runs in four games. Jayson Werth has been a player that has created opportunities. His speed and timely hitting helped carry the Phils to the playoffs.

The starting pitching for the Phillies has been rather inconsistent. Cole Hamels is the team's ace. And he pitched a gem in the Game 1 of the NLCS, throwing eight shutout innings. Brett Myers looked very good in Game 2, but he has a tendency to blow up. Jamie Moyer pitched poorly in Game 3, but he usually is money. The Phillies bullpen is shaky if the starters don't go at least six innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Manny Ramirez is absolutely dominant in the playoffs. The Phils cannot pitch to him. He hit two homers in the Cub debacle. He has 26 dingers in the playoffs in his career. The Dodgers power ends with Manny. Andre Eithier is second on the team in homers with a parsley 20 (Note: Eithier would be fifth on the Phillies). Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Russell Martin are the fuel that drives the Dodger offense.

The Dodger pitching isn't all that great either. Manager Joe Torre will start Dereck Lowe, who was 14-11 with a 3.24 ERA during the regular season. Chad Billingsley is the team's best starter, going 16-10 with a 3.12 earned run average.

My Prediction: Phillies in 6

Comment on your predictions

LA, Here We Come!

Pat "The Bat" Burrell powered the Phillies to a 6-2 win in today's game. The Phillies will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Burrell smacked two homers in the game, including a three-run bomb in the third inning, which gave the Phillies a fairly comfortable lead early in the game. Starter Joe Blanton looked like C.C. Sabathia, pitching six innings and only allowing a solo shot from Prince Fielder.

Jimmy Rollins got things started early for the Phillies, homering on the sixth pitch of the game from Jeff Suppan. Rollins pulled a nice line drive over the right field fence to silence the crowd in the first inning. Jayson Werth also homered for the Phils.

Going into this game, I thought the Phillies would lose. Joe Blanton isn't exactly the definition of a solid starter, and the Phillies offense has been asleep through the first three games. I thought it would come down to a game five showdown between Cole Hamels and C.C. But Joe Blanton brought his "A" game and the Phillies offense finally unloaded on the Brew Crew.

The Phillies will be playing the Dodgers in the NLCS, which starts on Thursday. The Phils will have home field advantage because they finished with a better record that the Dodgers. Truly, I don't think the Dodgers are a very talented team. The Cubs killed themselves in that series. The Dodgers just got lucky that they were playing the cursed Cubs.

The Phillies really need to unload on the Dodger starters early because their bullpen is pretty good. Derek Lowe and Chad Billingsley are their best starters. Lowe is old but clutch in the playoffs, and Billingsley is young and inexperienced. Jonothan Broxton and Takashi Saito form a good one-two pitch in the 'pen. The Phillies swept these guys in Citizens Bank Park the last time they met.

The Phillies better not pitch to Manny Ramirez. He is by far the most dangerous hitter LA has, and is very good in the playoffs. He hit two home runs in three games against good Cubs' pitching.

I like the Phillies to win this series in six games. That's my prediction.

Manny to Dodgers

So the blockbuster happened in the waning minutes before the 4pm trade deadline. The three way deal included the Red Sox, Pirates and Dodgers. The Dodgers got Manny Ramirez, and the Red Sox got outfielder Jason Bay. The Pirates received four minor leaguers. It was thought that the deal was going to include the Marlins instead of the Dodgers. But the Dodgers came out of nowhere to nab Manny.

Manny has voiced his displeasure with the Red Sox over the last week. "I love the Boston fans, but the Red Sox don't deserve me. I'm not talking about money. Mental peace has no price, and I don't have peace here." That was what Manny thought of the Red Sox.

Ramirez was threatening to not play for the Red Sox. He was tired of the Red Sox and the Red Sox were tired of him. Ramirez is batting .299 with 20 homers along with 68 RBIs.

Let's talk about what the Red Sox got in return. They traded a guy who didn't want to play for them, and they got a elite left fielder who is probably thrilled to play for them. Why is Jason Bay thrilled to play for the Red Sox? He moves from a last place team (the Pirates) who have gave away everything except PNC Park, to a team that is a playoff contender. No, Bay is not as good as Ramirez, but he is batting .282 with 22 homers and 64 RBIs.

The Dodgers have no pop in their bat. They will certainly get pop now that they have Ramirez. They are one game back in the horrendous NL West. Arizona is leading the division currently. By comparison, if the Dodgers (or the Diamondbacks, for that matter) were in the NL West, they would be in fourth place and out of the playoffs. The Dodgers will win the weak NL West now that they have Manny.

The Pirates are in complete rebuilding mode. Now that they've traded away Nady (for next to nothing) and Bay, they have no hope of having a playoff contender in the next two years (at least). I don't know why they would trade away their best players in their prime. But that's how the cookie crumbled.