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Last year, the Phillies\u00a0won an emotional pennant race with the Mets and it almost seemed as if they had accomplished their goal.\u00a0 This year, they are hungry.<\/p>\nThis year is going to be different.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last year, the Phillies\u00a0won an emotional pennant race with the Mets and it almost seemed as if they had accomplished their goal.\u00a0 This year, they are hungry.<\/p>\n
Last year, they ran into the hottest team to enter the playoffs in baseball history.\u00a0 This year, they face a team that really stumbled down the stretch and would have missed the playoffs if they were being chased by any normal<\/em> team.<\/p>\n Last year, the Phillies were the team that was “just happy to be there.”\u00a0 This year the Phillies play the team that is “just happy to be there.”<\/p>\n Last year, the Phillies trotted out a young pitcher with no postseason experience in Game 1.\u00a0 This year, the Phillies face a young pitcher with no postseason experience in Game 1.<\/p>\n Last year, the biggest question on the team was the bullpen.\u00a0 This year, the biggest strength on the team is the bullpen.<\/p>\n Last year’s playoffs ended in the blink of Kaz Matsui grand slam.\u00a0 This year is going to be different.<\/p>\n [For the record, I intentionally left out of the discussion the pitcher who I feel\u00a0should CLEARLY be NL Cy Young winner this year–Johan Santana–but we are not mentioning him out of respect for the deceased.\u00a0 But, really, check out these numbers<\/a>.]<\/p>\n I have yet to see the official Phillies’ postseason roster, but we already know that it will not include Kyle Kendrick.\u00a0 But, in a very intelligent roster move, probably orchestrated by either Pat Gillick or Jimy Williams, Kendrick is heading to the Florida Instructional League to stay fresh, in case he is needed in an upcoming series.\u00a0 Apparently, it did not sit too well <\/a>with Mr. Kendrick, but that is probably simply because he wants to be with the team in their playoff run.\u00a0 And, who can blame him?<\/p>\n So, I agree with Doogan that the Phillies should earn a split at home and then go to Milwaukee and take both Games 3 and 4, so as to avoid CC in Game 5.\u00a0 But, I am envisioning a loss to Gallardo in Game 1, followed by a win over Sabathia in Game 2, a shellacking of Suppan or fellow Central Leaguer Dave Bush in Game 3, and a figuring-out of Gallardo in Game 4.\u00a0 Phillies win 3 games to 1, and move on to host Game 1 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/p>\n This year is going to be different.\u00a0 Last year, the Phillies\u00a0won an emotional pennant race with the Mets and it almost seemed as if they had accomplished their goal.\u00a0 This year, they are hungry. Last year, they ran into the … Continue reading ![](\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/baseball\/2008\/02\/17\/gallardo_yovani_getty_400.jpg\")
All that being said, I am terrified by Yovani Gallardo.\u00a0 Yes, there have only been three pitchers in the history of baseball to start a playoff game with fewer\u00a0regular season\u00a0starts<\/a> than Gallardo, but if you have ever seen him pitch (and, I have seen one of those four starts this year), you will know that he has great stuff.\u00a0 The question, aside from his 22-year old nerves,\u00a0will be stamina.\u00a0 He has only pitched once since May 1, and he only threw 67 pitches in four innings.\u00a0 But, there is something about him that terrifies me.\u00a0 And, Game 1 is absolutely gigantic for the Phillies because otherwise, they are staring at having to beat CC Sabathia to salvage one game at home.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/theburiedlead.com\/wp-content\/images\/hamels.jpg\")
The reason the Phillies will win Game 1 is because of Cole Hamels<\/a>.\u00a0 Hamels has, somewhat quietly, had maybe the best season of any Phillies pitcher in my lifetime.\u00a0\u00a0He is second in the league in innings pitched (227) and LEADS THE LEAGUE in fewest baserunners allowed per inning (1.09 WHIP).\u00a0 Plus, he is 6th in both strikeouts (196) and ERA (3.09).\u00a0 Yes, he is only 14-10, but he has (if you can believe it) not gotten much support from this otherwise potent Phillies’ lineup and the otherwise fantastic Phillies’ bullpen.\u00a0 Take all these numbers and put them in the context of having to pitch half of his games in the band-box that we call Citizens’ Bank Park, and you have yourself one hell of a season by the young lefty.\u00a0 Throw in the fact that Brandon Webb struggled down the stretch while his team choked away the playoffs and the fact that the aforemetioned CC only pitched 17 games in the NL, and you can make a serious and legitimate case that Cole Hamels was the best pitcher in the National League this year.\u00a0 Unfortunately, they do not have an award for such a thing…oh wait, they do?\u00a0 So, he has got to be the favorite, right?\u00a0 No, no one is even talking about him as a contender for the award?!?\u00a0 Inconceivable.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/d.yimg.com\/us.yimg.com\/p\/ap\/20080906\/capt.a6542552524b45f7b6a47525ed7c74a2.phillies_mets_baseball_nys113.jpg\")
Okay, I admit, I have not had much time recently for\u00a0blogging my daily opinions because\u00a0of planning my wedding in two weeks, but that has not stopped me from forming\u00a0some.\u00a0\u00a0About a month ago, I wanted to write about how\u00a0clear it was that the Phillies’ MVP this season was not Chase Utley or either of the two reigning NL MVPs, Howard or Rollins.\u00a0 It is clear to me that, all season long, Brad Lidge has been, without a doubt, the Phillies most valuable <\/em>player.\u00a0 Well, as of last week, it seems like the team agrees with me, as Lidge was named the Phillies team MVP<\/a>.\u00a0 The other post that I have been wanting to write was going to be on how this year might be the worst year I can ever remember for MVP races–in both leagues.\u00a0 The fact that Ryan Howard and his .250 batting average is one of the two favorites to win the award is case in point (though, I very much agree with Doogan that Pujols really ought to win it<\/a>–and easily).\u00a0 And, the NL race is even better than the AL race.\u00a0 Who is going to win it there?\u00a0 You know it is bad when Carlos Quentin is in the running\u00a0for the league’s MVP, but you know it is really\u00a0bad when Carlos Quentin is in the running for a league’s MVP after MISSING THE LAST MONTH OF THE SEASON.\u00a0 Anyway, because of all this, shouldn’t Brad Lidge get serious consideration for the award.\u00a0 The Phillies were in a chase for the division through 161 games, and Lidge converted every save opportunity all year long.\u00a0 He should at least be in the conversation.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/www.profantasysports.com\/userimgs\/Shane%20Victorino%20mini.jpg\")
Yes, Lidge is the most valuable Phillie.\u00a0 Hamels is, quite possibly, the best starting pitcher in the National League.\u00a0\u00a0This offense is fueled by the three superstars in Rollins, Utley, and Howard.\u00a0 And, there is no doubt that the Phillies would not be in this position without all of these key pieces,\u00a0 but they also could not have done it alone, and I strongly believe that, over 162 games, the best teams are those with the most productive complementary players.\u00a0 This is what wins championships, and this is why the Phillies have a real shot at winning a championship this year.\u00a0 Look back at the great teams of the recent past.\u00a0 The Yankees of the late-90’s were led by Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera, but they won with guys like Scott Brosius, Jim Leyritz, and Aaron Boone.\u00a0 The recent Red Sox had Manny, Ortiz and Beckett, but probably would not have won titles without the likes of a Dave Roberts, an Orlando Cabrera, or a Jason Varitek.\u00a0 And, we, as Phillie fans, have been treated all year long to incredible production from just these types of players.\u00a0 Guys like Jayson Werth, Greg Dobbs, and Shane Victorino do not have jump-off-the-page numbers, but they, as a collective group, have been just as valuable, if not more, than any of the big-name superstars.\u00a0 So, I would not be surprised at all if the big playoff hit came from Eric Bruntlett or Carlos Ruiz because this Phillies team really is a TEAM.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/images\/2006\/04\/23\/yBDldlpD.jpg\")
On a personal and\u00a0interesting note:\u00a0\u00a0there are only three players in Major League baseball that I know personally and two of them are on the Brewers.\u00a0 One is\u00a0the aforementioned\u00a0Bush, with whom I played a couple times and against whom I played many <\/em>times (he was the best throwing catcher I have ever seen), and the other is Brewers relief pitcher Mark DiFelice (who may not be on the postseason roster, I am not sure), a fellow Haverford High grad, who I watched pitch many times in high school and actually faced several times in summer ball.\u00a0 He was very, very <\/em>good.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"