Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Keys to 2011 Postseason Glory

Halloween in Philadelphia has historically fallen during the frigid portion of the Fall season.  But in 2008, millions of fans still felt the chills even as the sun washed over the crowded streets and sidewalks.  Their lovable band of hometown stars mixed with valuable role players finished a dream season by bringing the city its first title in a quarter-century.

While the memories of a remarkable postseason run are still present around the City of Brotherly love, recent success and promising acquisitions have left fans with a hunger for another World Series Championship.  The talent assembled by GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has given the Phillies an extended window to deliver the ultimate prize to its supporters, but the last two years have fallen just short of this lofty expectation.

2009 saw the Phillies tripped up by Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees in six games in the World Series.  Last season, Juan Uribe's Giants extinguished Philadelphia's hopes at Citizens Bank Park with a decisive home run late in Game 6.  With possibly the best team in franchise history, anything comparable to past failures would be nearly impossible to swallow.

Looking ahead to this edition of October's tournament, the Phillies will need to avoid some of the pitfalls that have plagued them over the past two tries at the title.  Recapturing the magic in October lies in these 10 keys to postseason victory for Philadelphia...

10. Team Defense

To this point in the 2011 regular season, the Phillies lead Major League Baseball with a .989 fielding percentage, committing only 62 errors in 144 games thus far.  Though the postseason in a much larger stage, the focus and execution in the field needs to remain consistent with the stellar effort given during this year's campaign.

When the defense has struggled in the playoffs, so have the Phillies.  Fans will point to Raul Ibanez's inability to make a catch in Game 1 of the 2010 NLCS on a Pat Burrell fly ball, as when the season began to turn for the worst.  Unable to come up with the ball, Ibanez then watched the game-winning runs score in the inning, breaking a tense 2-2 tie.

Philadelphia's defensive woes can be traced back to the 2009 NLCS, when Chase Utley's relay throw on an inning-ending double play clanked off of the visitor's dugout, allowing Juan Pierre to race home to tie a crucial game on the road.  The Dodgers followed with a single and a pair of walks to take the second game on their home turf.

Lack of awareness cost the team dearly in the World Series of that same year, with the entire infield caught napping on a two-out steal attempt in the ninth inning of a tied Game 4.  Pedro Feliz had just tied the game with a solo home run a half-inning before, but vacated third and allowed Johnny Damon to gain an extra base after stealing second.  Damon would later become the winning run in a heartbreaking defeat for the Phillies at home.

In 2008, plays like Chase Utley's fake throw to first before gunning down Jason Bartlett at the plate helped the Phillies hoist the trophy.  After completing a rally behind Jay Bruce's crushing postseason error last season, the team certainly understands how vital solid play in the field truly is to winning in October. 

All that's left to do is execute.

9. Capitalizing on Emotion

In October, any single play can dictate the direction in which a series is going.  With so much riding on the games, each pitch, at-bat, run and catch mean that much more toward a team's success.  It's because of the increased importance that emotions run higher than at any point during the season.  Reaction to the moments where tension boils over is a key when trying to move past an opponent.

At Dodger stadium in 2008, Game 3 of the NLCS saw Shane Victorino thrown at by Hiroki Kuroda in retaliation for pitches inside or behind Dodgers players.  The Phillies center fielder took exception to the ball tossed at his head, pleading for the LA starter to throw at his body instead.  Philadelphia went on to lose the game, but Victorino was clearly driven by the incident, playing stellar defense throughout the rest of the series and adding a game-tying home run in Game 4.

Compare Victorino's effort to the Phillies' unmotivated response after Jonathan Sanchez plunked Chase Utley in Game 6 of the 2010 NLCS, an at-bat that sparked an on-field standoff between the two teams.  Following the scrum, the Phillies went down in order with runners on first and second to hand off momentum to the eventual-champion Giants.

The Phillies are certainly no strangers toward scrapping with the opposing side or riding an emotional wave to victory.  With the rival Braves in the mix as potential NLCS opponents this season, the tension will rise, forcing the team to find extra drive on the field that will make the difference.

8. Winning the Chess Match

En route to becoming Philadelphia's winningest manager, Charlie Manuel has won over the hearts of Phillies fans who were once calling for his firing.  Knowing how to pull the right strings from the dugout can make all the difference in October, something that the old-fashioned skipper has seen from both sides in his tenure.

When Game 5 of the 2008 World Series was suspended for two days due to inclement weather, the media had plenty of time to scrutinize the possible moves each manager could make.  When play finally resumed, it was Manuel who got the best of Rays manager Joe Maddon, utilizing Geoff Jenkins, Eric Bruntlett, Pat Burrell and the back end of the bullpen to earn the World Series title.

The Phillies skipper also knows how it feels to make the wrong move in a pressure-filled situation, arguably costing the Phillies Game 2 of the 2009 NLCS by over-managing the bullpen.  Just after Utley's error in the seventh inning, Manuel summoned four different pitchers from the 'pen who combined to allow a rally by the Dodgers, ending with starter J.A. Happ coming in to walk the winning run home in a 2-1 defeat.  The media jumped all over Manuel, criticizing his willingness to go with the matchup over the flow of the game.

While the Phillies must do everything they can on the field, a portion of the team's success or failure will be decided in the dugout by their soft-spoken manager.  History shows that when Manuel is it his best in October, so are the Phillies' chances of winning the title.  

7. Bench Production

Looking back through postseason history, some of the greatest moments have occurred when the world witnesses success from a player who was never penciled into the starting lineup that particular night.  In recent years, the Phillies have made deep runs into October with a strong core that is lifted by a solid supporting cast.  If 2008 was any indication, Philadelphia will once again look for a lift from role players as it streaks toward another crown.

Their last World Series title came with its fair share of magical moments that stand out as turning points in their Fall tear.  Coming off of the bench in a tied NLCS Game 4, Matt Stairs sent a blast into the night, into the stands, and right into Phillies lore.  His crushing blow propelled the Phillies to a 3-1 series lead and sunk the spirits of Dodgers fans everywhere.

Not to be outdone, Geoff Jenkins pinch hit and led off a resumed World Series Game 5 with a double, charging up the crowd and eventually scoring the go-ahead run on a Jayson Werth single.  The '08 Champs featured a number of reliable pinch-hitters including Jenkins, Stairs, Greg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett and Chris Coste.  Without their timely contributions in limited at-bats, the team may never have reached the level it did.

Looking at the 2011 Phillies, there is a great deal of potential to strike pinch-hit gold.  Ross Gload, playing through a torn labrum, leads the league with 17 pinch hits despite slumping for much of the summer.  He is joined by Ben Francisco, John Mayberry Jr., Pete Orr, Michael Martinez, Wilson Valdes and Domonic Brown, as players who could bring back memories of substitute heroics. 

6. Back End of the Bullpen

Postseason games are filled with pressure-packed moments and situations that seem built to test players' nerves.  Coming into a close game on the big stage is no easy task when your warm-up consists of only a handful of practice throws.  Relievers play a crucial role in the success of a team set to make a run at a title, and when you follow a starting staff as talented as the one assembled in Philadelphia, your job is that much more important.

The Phillies bullpen was their backbone during their journey through October in 2008, providing unquestioned reliability.  The team finished 89-0 when leading after eight innings, an astounding effort that left its mark on both the standings and in the mentality of Philadelphia's opponents.  Knowing that they won't score late in the game, the opposing offense presses against the starter in the early part of the game.

Throughout this season, the bullpen has been an unexpected strength for the ballclub.  Trying to push the Phillies to victory in the late innings will be emerging relievers Antonio Bastardo and Mike Stutes, veteran and 2008 hero Brad Lidge, and now-proven closer Ryan Madson.  As a group, the 'pen will try to keep from replicating the disaster in Game 4 of the World Series in 2009 that saw the Yankees rally against Lidge with two outs in the ninth.

The relief arm to watch this postseason will be Bastardo, who has been a revelation for the team in 2011.  The left-hander has becoming the set up man for Madson in the eighth, but can also pitch for multiple innings.  With an ERA hovering between 1.00 and 2.00 throughout the year, and a stretch where he kept 39 consecutive batters without a hit, the Phillies are resting Bastardo in hopes that he can help anchor such a vital unit heading into the playoffs. 

5. Road Warriors

Heading into enemy territory is inevitable in every round the Phillies are able to battle through.  Sell-out crowds are expected no matter the venue, and the energy throughout the stadium is absolutely electric.  For the 2011 Phillies to parade down Broad Street once again, the team simply needs to continue the success, away from Citizens Bank Park, that they have experienced during the regular season.

Philadelphia boasted an MLB-best 49-22 record on the road when they clinched a playoff spot in Houston, appropriately driven to victory by a Roy Halladay complete-game shutout.  It is that same pitching dominance that the Phillies will need when they look for consistency as they take a foreign field in Games 3, 4 and 5 this Fall.

Handing the ball to Hamels in Game 3 seems to be a certainty as the playoffs approach, and his season line should give fans confidence should the coaching staff call his number.  Hamels is a solid 7-3 with the seventh-best ERA in the majors at 2.95 when starting away from home.  His WHIP of 1.00 is good for third best in the league and indicates that Hamels often keeps the bases empty, preventing the home team from gaining momentum.

In 2008, the Phillies were an unstoppable force because of their important wins on the road, including taking two of three from the Dodgers in Los Angeles, and capturing Game 1 of the World Series in Tampa Bay behind Hamels.  This year's edition will need to have the same type of fight to scrap out wins in the middle of each series.

4. Thinking Small

The long, arduous regular season that Major League Baseball constructs each year is designed to leave the best teams standing when the postseason rolls around.  All ballclubs will hit their share of home runs or fall back behind quality efforts from starting pitching.  True champions are crowned after they have overcome all offensive obstacles and found ways to grind out runs when they are most needed.

With the offensive display the Phillies have shown over the past two seasons, there should be no mystery as to why they failed to meet expectations.  In short, when you are facing top-tier starting pitching in the form of Lincecum, Sabathia, Beckett, Jurrjens, Kennedy and Gallardo, the big hit may never come.  Using small ball to back a strong effort from a starter can chip away at the scoreboard as well as the confidence of the opposing pitcher on the mound.

Previous years have seen Chase Utley take over a series with the home run ball or Jayson Werth keeping the team in the game with a blast to the opposite field.  But when you are desperately in need of a run against quality pitching, it's the sacrifice bunts, RBI ground outs and stolen bases together that will provide the lift, sometimes leading to larger opportunities.

Fans watched as well-placed ground outs moved runners to third in the decisive half of Game 5 of the 2008 World Series.  The same group also saw Roy Oswalt take a loss in extra innings against the Giants in 2010 off of a sacrifice fly in a crucial Game 4.  Winning in the playoffs is all about taking advantage of opportunities to score on a consistent basis, even if those opportunities are created by less-than-glamorous contact.

3. Ride the Workhorses

From the start of the season, expectations for the Phillies starting rotation were incredibly lofty and seemed nearly impossible to meet.  Sure enough, fighting through injuries and plugging in a surprising newcomer, the pitching staff has been as good as advertised.  When the Phillies take the field in hopes of winning their second title in four seasons, they will do so behind their aces on the mound.

Charlie Manuel will have his choice of three aces come Game 1 of any series, but it seems that he will lead with the most prolific workhorse over the past 10 seasons in Roy Halladay.  Doc has already thrown nearly 220 innings, but the Cy Young candidate is no stranger to carrying the load.  Behind him will undoubtedly be Cliff Lee, another Phillies starter who could conceivably win the award for NL's best pitcher.  Finally, Cole Hamels rounds out the trio and seems to have regained his 2008 form where he took home the World Series MVP. 

Combined, Philadelphia's "Big Three" are 48-20 with an ERA that sits just below 2.50 over the course of the regular season, also piling up 16 complete games and an impressive WHIP of 1.02.  These numbers are without the impressive rookie season of Vance Worley or a healthy Roy Oswalt.

When the Phillies assembled this modern-day dream team of pitchers, they envisioned postseason zeros on the scoreboard and the steadying hand of seasoned playoff veterans.  Who starts Game 4 of each series for Philadelphia is an important question that must be answered by Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee.

If the Phillies ride the horses that got them into the playoffs, the answer may not matter by the time the fourth game rolls around.

2. Health Up the Middle

Advancing through the playoffs and knocking off the league's top contenders almost always requires big-time plays from your big-time players.  Simply put, you need to your best players to produce when it counts the most.  For this season's Phillies, getting the band back together on the same stage seems to be the only barrier remaining both at the plate and in the field.

Health issues are as unpredictable as it gets in professional sports, and it just so happens that Philadelphia is watching its stars battle though injuries deep into the season.  Ryan Howard has settled down to produce through heel bursitis and Placido Polanco is contributing despite a sports hernia, leaving the largest concerns in the middle of the infield.  The return of Jimmy Rollins at shortstop will be carefully watched as he returns from a nagging groin injury.  His double-play partner Chase Utley will be facing uncertainty after coming back to the lineup following a concussion in a recent series against the Braves.

Phillies fans know what these two players mean to the lineup.  It was Rollins who provided the spark in 2007 when he backed up his bold preseason predictions with an MVP award—a performance that carried well into the 2008 World Series run.  Utley has demonstrated his ability to take over the postseason, putting on a legendary performance in the 2009 World Series with a record-tying five home runs.

With any luck in Philadelphia, these two stars will be back as regulars in time to find their strokes before October kicks off.  And though Pete Orr, Michael Martinez and Wilson Valdez have done a serviceable job filling in with franchise cornerstones on the mend, there is no substitution for star power when the season is on the line. 

1. Situational Hitting

As mentioned before, the MLB postseason is about making the most of the rare opportunities that are created in a variety of ways.  Cashing in with runners in scoring position or putting together a clutch at-bat to win a ball game are two of the best paths to a World Series crown.  For the Phillies, this means improving on a lackluster 2010 and channelling the memories from the year they won it all.

In such a small sample of games, winning comes down to situational success—Matt Stairs hitting a tie-breaking bomb toward Chavez Ravine, Carlos Ruiz making contact on a bouncer to beat the Rays, Pedro Feliz's shot up the middle to send the go-ahead run home in Game 5 of the World Series.  If the team can find their stroke with runners in scoring position, the starters will get some room to breathe, making each game that much more relaxed.

The offense sunk Philadelphia's playoff hopes a year ago, as the club hit .216 with 56 strikeouts in the NLCS against the scoring-challenged Giants.  Limping to a .176 clip with runners in scoring position (8-for-45) will not get the job done, no matter which ace the Phillies have up their sleeve on a given night.

The addition of Hunter Pence, who averages well under a strikeout per night, should add the contact and consistency that Jayson Werth was never able to provide after winning the World Series in 2008.  At the center of it all is Ryan Howard, who is sure to face a lefty with a good slider sometime during the stretch run.  Whether "The Big Piece" can get the big hit in the clutch could make the difference between a celebration down Broad Street or another early exit.

When the chance to plate a teammate is presented, anyone on the roster must be ready to bring him home.  There will be defining moments this October that could either result in playoff magic or an entire team falling flat.  The biggest key for this year's Phillies ballclub is answering the call when opportunity presents itself at the plate.

Making the most of each situation will bring the trophy back to Philly.  Anything less will see another season fall short of expectations, left in scoring position.