![\"utley\"](\"http:\/\/media.nj.com\/yankees_main\/photo\/chase-utley-world-series-game-5-2nd-homer-883248fa5a4085da_large.jpg\")
A big Game 5 win is behind the Phillies and they now have today to catch their breaths and prepare for what is still an uphill climb to another title.\u00a0 From the very start of this postseason, there have been two\u00a0big questions with the Phils: how will they use their starting pitchers?\u00a0 And, is the bullpen good enough?\u00a0 So, it’s fitting that, with a maximum of two games left, those are still the questions that need to be answered.<\/p>\n
The good news is that if they can pull this off, if they can go into Yankee Stadium and win Games 6 and 7 of the World Series, their legacy will be written in stone.\u00a0 They will go down as one of the most clutch teams in the history of the sport.\u00a0 And Charlie Manuel, given the magic act he’s had to perform with his pitching staff, will have done as much as any manager I’ve ever seen to earn a championship.\u00a0 This is the opportunity the team is faced with in the next couple of days and, knowing this team, I’m guessing they couldn’t be happier about it.\u00a0 Teams like this aren’t just “not afraid” of pressure-packed situations, they look forward to them and thrive in them.<\/p>\n
That being said, this sport comes down to getting people out, and it will be endlessly interesting to see how the Phillies go about getting the 54 outs that\u00a0they’ll need to win the next two games.\u00a0 The one thing we know for sure is that Pedro Martinez will get the ball to start Game 6.\u00a0 He’s looked great in his two postseason starts so far, and I don’t see any reason why we can’t expect another solid outing.\u00a0 Also, I don’t see any reason why we can’t expect the Phils to put up some runs on Andy Pettitte.\u00a0 He didn’t shut them down in Game 3 (6 innings, 4 runs) and he’ll be going on three days rest, for the first time in three years, at the age of 37 (and sans steroids, let’s just add).<\/p>\n
But what does Charlie do in the late-innings of a close game?\u00a0 Is it time, in Game 6 of the World Series, for a major ![\"madson\"](\"http:\/\/www.delawareonline.com\/blogs\/uploaded_images\/0b1b7a7e5641491a8524ddd64e5c8395-707292.jpg\")
overhaul of the bullpen?\u00a0 I have very little confidence right now in Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson.\u00a0 Chan Ho Park and Chad Durbin have looked better than them in the last few weeks, but do you decide to throw one of them out there in the 8th or 9th inning of a one-run game in Yankee Stadium? I really don’t know.\u00a0 One thing I do know, though, is that Charlie needs to go back to using Scott Eyre.\u00a0 Eyre definitely should have started the 9th inning last night (with Posada and Matsui coming up) and he definitely should have finished it (with Damon batting, after Madson had nearly imploded).\u00a0 The Yankees got two pretty big hits by left-handed hitters, while Eyre sat and watched in the pen.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Either way, Charlie will have some very tough decisions to make if the Phils have a small lead in the late-innings tomorrow night.<\/p>\n
Of course, the final big question surrounding Phillie pitching is who would get the Game 7 start.\u00a0 Now, I’m not going to jump in on the Cole Hamels psycho-analysis.\u00a0 Let’s just say that everything I said in the second paragraph about “teams like this”, simply don’t apply to Hamels.\u00a0 And so, yes, it’s pretty scary to imagine handing him the ball in Game 7 in Yankee Stadium.\u00a0 The only alternative, J.A. Happ, is a rookie, who would be making his first start in weeks, and would be doing it in the most pressure-packed situation possible.\u00a0\u00a0 But, Happ did pitch well in Yankee Stadium in May (6 innings, 2 runs) and, is he really that much bigger of a question mark than Hamels at this point?\u00a0 It would be a tough call, and I have to think Charlie would go with Hamels, but if the Phils can pull off a win on Wednesday, we’ll just have to wait and see what they do.<\/p>\n
The good news for Phillie fans: Chase Utley and Jayson Werth are red-hot.\u00a0 Jimmy Rollins is starting to get on-base.\u00a0 Shane Victorino should benefit from the day of rest today after the injury to his hand.\u00a0 And, oh yeah, you’re two wins away from a world championship!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A big Game 5 win is behind the Phillies and they now have today to catch their breaths and prepare for what is still an uphill climb to another title.\u00a0 From the very start of this postseason, there have been … Continue reading