Bleacher Report - Articles by Scott Eisenlohr

Michael Vick Lovefest Meant To Showcase Philadelphia Eagles QB

Scott Eisenlohr — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:12:18 -0500

"We want Vick...We Want Vick," pleaded the Atlanta Falcons crowd during the third quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles 34-7 thumping of the hometown Falcons on Sunday.

With the game well in hand, all the hometown crowd wanted to see was their former quarterback, Michael Vick, get in the game.

If it were a movie, Eagles coach Andy Reid would have taken off his headset, nodded to Vick on the bench, and sent No. 7 in to play quarterback in front of thousands of screaming fans.

Vick responded.

He displayed his cannon arm on a 43-yard strike, although somewhat underthrown, to Reggie Brown. On the same drive, he rolled left, threw a touch pass to the right to Brent Celek for a five-yard touchdown.

Earlier in the day, he ran for his first NFL touchdown since 2006, scoring a five-yard run.

Quite a day for the former Falcon, who spent the last two-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a dog-fighting scheme in his Atlanta home.

Rich Hoffman of the Daily News best summed up Vick's day:

Vick said he was touched. He said, "I'll never forget this day. I'll never forget coming back to the city of Atlanta. I'll never forget arriving [Saturday]. I'll never forget seeing a lot of the landmarks that I used to see when I lived in this city for 6 years. I'll never forget shedding a tear on the bus ride over here this morning...You don't have a lot of chances to experience things like this in your life. This is one moment that I'm going to [savor] forever."

The Eagles and head coach Andy Reid were smart to showcase Vick in his return to Atlanta. More importantly, Vick is getting back into everyday playing shape and the game against Atlanta was by far his most significant playing time of the season.

He ran for one touchdown, threw for another and completed two passes for 48 yards.

Enough for other teams, desperate for quarterbacks in this concussed-filled season, to consider their offense options.

Whether Vick plays this much again does not matter.

It was enough to see that this former-Falcon star is ready for full-time battle in the NFL again.

Vick signed a two-year deal, but the second year is an option year.

If the Eagles hold the option, they could get a draft choice for Vick in a trade.

The year is not over, however, as Vick could be a hit away from consideration to finishing this NFL season as the starting quarterback for the Eagles. He is third on the depth chart behind Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb.

For one day, however, nothing else mattered than for a changed man to please the fans he toiled for a few years ago.

Yeah, or woof?

You decide.

Tiger Woods' Steamy Affair Is the Real "Barely Sports"

Scott Eisenlohr — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:14:55 -0500

I decided recently that I am sick of seeing Facebook posts that say: "My Blackberry Died" or "My IPhone isn't working."

Would you post: "My 256 mg computer crapped out" or "My LG Chocolate *()&&(&)!broke". Nope, so u just B braggin'.

Which gets me to Tiger Woods.

Who cares? Is it really sports?

When will Tiger be back on the golf course? If he gets things straight with his family, that is all that matters. If he takes time off past the Masters to get things right with his family, that is the most positive fallout I could see happening.

I would respect him for that.

So while his wife, Elin Nordegren, gets to hear about the Jaimee Grubbs and Rachel Uchitels (who was apparently paid off not to speak) of the world, the real shame is with the Woods family.

I write this story as one who understands the media.

It has been more than a year that I got paid to write a story for a daily newspaper, so I understand the frenzy. I just don't like it.

A friend of mine, who is a cameraman for a Philadelphia major television news station, said when he worked for a Southern New Jersey television station, he did want to take video of sheet-covered dead people being put in an ambulance.

We all have our stopping points.

For me, it is Bleacher Reports' "Barely Sports." Fortunately, I hid it from my BR profile. I understand why BR does it. The rest of the sports web sites do it, too.

I don't have to like, though.

Sorry, I am trying to live the life that Tiger Woods wishes he had. My transgressions are nowhere near Woods, but I believe a sin is a sin, big or small.

So I will wait for the next news story to come along that squashes the Tiger story, which has tremendous "legs" in the media coverage.

But it has nothing to do with sports and is my choice of "Barely Sports."

Our priorities are way out of whack in this country and the Tiger mess is not nearly as injurious than watching 3/4 of your starting Major League baseball team lineup get put on the Disabled List. (Sorry Mets fans.)

The picture above was sent to me in an email by my relative titled "Tiger Woods Christmas Card."

I got a good chuckle out of Woods' misery.

I respect the way that Woods is handling it. He is asking for privacy while he sorts out his affairs.

I am not trying to be high and mighty, or Holier Than Thou.

I am just asking everyone to step back and appreciate your family.

Sports is a means of escape. Let us keep it that way, on the field.

** Information courtesy of ABC news web site.

Placido Polanco Returns to Philadelphia Phillies to Play Third Base

Scott Eisenlohr — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:28:38 -0500

As word starts to trickle in, it appears imminent that Placido Polanco will return to Philadelphia to play third base for the Phillies.

What has been reported for the past two days and was on the "verge" of happening, was verified when Philadelphia WCAU Channel 10 NBC sportscaster John Clark caught up with Polanco Thursday morning, as the former Detroit Tiger was in town to take a physical.

I first got word of the signing through a text from a friends of mine who works with Clark.

I looked at every Web site I could think of and turned on WIP, all of which had the "imminent" status on the signing.

It was not until early this afternoon that Jayson Stark of ESPN reported the signing and having Clark speaking with Polanco, reportedly at the airport.

The terms of the deal are not finalized. Reports say it is a three-year, $18 million deal. My buddy said it was a two year deal, but I think it is being reported that way, because the third year would be at the club's option.

Polanco is a Type-A free agent, so the decision by the Tigers not to offer him arbitration means the Phillies could sign him without losing their first-round draft pick.

Polanco is a career .303 hitter. Last year he hit .285 with the Tigers with 10 home runs and 72 RBI. He also does not strike out a lot: He had 46 strikeouts in 618 at-bats.

He also had a .997 fielding percentage with two errors in 731 chances.

Polanco played with the Phillies from 2002 to mid-season 2005. It is the familiarity with the two parties that helped seal the deal.

What does this mean for the Phillies?

They get a near .300 hitter who has a great glove. I remember him playing second and third for the Phillies.

Polanco played second for his time with the Tigers, but has experience at third.

All along I have wanted Angels' third baseman Chone Figgins, but he might cost too much in terms of years of contract in the free agent market.

Adrian Beltre of the Seattle Mariners was another option at third, but he can now be ruled out.

Polanco can also spell Utley at second base.

That would leave Greg Dobbs to play third.

That scenario might weaken the defending National League champions offense and defense.

Juan Castro also could fill in at third, but it might open the door to the Phillies getting Cardinal Mark DeRosa, if he could come at the right price.

With an infield of Howard, Polanco, Rollins, and DeRosa, on days when Utley is off, could be almost as solid as Howard, Utley, Rollins, and Polanco.

Either way, the Hot Stove has started in earnest.

Bring it on!

Chase Utley Stands Out Among Philadelphia Phillies Stars

Scott Eisenlohr — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:11:46 -0500

The off-season is a funny time for baseball fans, especially when your pro football team is not setting the world on fire.

Following last year's World Series win by the Philadelphia Phillies, one player stood out in my mind in the off-season: Chase Utley.

In their six-game loss to the New York Yankees this season, Utley again stood tall.

Crowd cheering, chest-pounding, fire-eating, kill your best starter, hide your momma, where's Obama, we ain't lying performance.

(Sorry, I recently interviewed Darryl Dawkins, the former 76ers nickname machine, for a B/R story).

The rest of the Phillies team simply did not respond as well in the clutch.

Utley hit five home runs against New York to tie Yankee great Reggie Jackson for the most in a single World Series

He hit two home runs off Yankee ace CC Sabathia in Game One of the Phillies 6-1 win.

Utley stands so close to the plate that he not only gets hit a lot, but he opens up on inside pitches and hits the ball a long way.

His 3/4 swing is text book.

Looking at stories, I saw David Murphy's Daily News blog titled: "Leftovers: Props for Utley's base-running; Looking at starters."

Let me say that great stories often are not written from scratch, but rewritten. The key is to give proper credit.

Murphy pointed out that Utley was ranked the second-best baserunner in baseball over the past five years.

It is a belief that I've had for a while, but one finally made in print.

According to John Dewan's report, Utley finished behind only Grady Sizemore among best baserunners.

Sizemore finished with a +104 Baserunning gain, while Utley was tops among infielders with a +96. To see the whole report, check out the link on Murphy's story or google John Dewan's baseball stat of the week.

Murphy, who covers the Phillies, pointed to this example of Utley basepath prowess in his "High Cheese" column:

"The moment that sticks in my mind occurred in early September, in a pivotal game against eventual Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. With two out in the sixth inning of a tie game, Utley stood on first base, having reached on a hit by pitch. The batter, Ryan Howard, sent a line drive screaming toward the gap in right-center field. There were two out, but Utley didn't just start running on contact, he hit full speed on contact. He didn't just score from first base. He scored easily."

The baserunning play I remember was in 2008, I believe when Utley, standing on second, scored on a groundout to second base.

I saw a replay of the moment and the hit ball was a high chopper just in front of the plate, but again, Utley, realizing the situation, never stopped running and scored.

Utley was not that hot in the NLCS or NLDS this season. But, perhaps with a few days rest, was a monster in the 2009 World Series.

He hit .286 in the series with a monster 1.048 slugging average.

Utley is a .295 lifetime hitter.

He won his fourth consecutive Silver Slugger Award recently.

Players, coaches, and managers selected Utley as the best hitting second baseman in the National League.

Utley finished the year with a .282 batting average, .397 on-base percentage, and .508 slugging percentage. Utley hit 31 home runs and drove in 93 runs.

If there is one kryptonite in Utley's awesome, all-around game, it is his health. He had hip surgery following the 2008 season.

The lingering pain from the injury, I believe, causes him prolonged slumps during the season.

If healthy for a full season, he could easily hit .300.

As Phillies' fans, we know we are in the last two years of a five-year baseball glory years for this town.

We have owned the Dodgers for the past two seasons. (That's another story for another day).

The core of Utley, Rollins, Howard, and Victorino, along with Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez will help the Phillies compete until at least 2011, when some of the big contracts come due.

Until then: Thank you, Chase Utley.

**Photo courtesy of New York Post

Phillies' Castro Signing Could Eliminate One Third Base Candidate

Scott Eisenlohr — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:52 -0500

The Philadelphia Phillies are set to open its free agent signing as soon as next week with the signing of free agent utility man Juan Castro, late of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The signing appears imminent, according to his agent, who added in a Philadelphia Inquirer report that Castro is out of the country and has to pass a physical to make the signing official.

Castro, 37, is a .230 hitter, with a .270 on-base percentage, in 15 major-league seasons. In 57 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, he batted .277 while playing shortstop, second base, third base, and left field.

While not threatening the starting position of any player, Castro fills the role of Eric Bruntlett, who hit .171 last year for the Phillies.

Seeing that the Phillies let incumbent third baseman Pedro Feliz walk instead of picking up a $5.5 million option next year, the Phillies have left third base open for a new player.

Among the candidates are Chone Figgins of the Angels, Adrian Beltre of the Mariners, Mark DeRosa of the Cardinals, Placido Polanco of the Tigers, and wild card Garrett Atkins of the Colorado Rockies, who avoided arbitration by signing a one-year $7.05 million contract for 2010.

Atkins has been rumored to traded, according to a Rockies' website.

Out of all the candidates, DeRosa should now be least likely to sign with the Phillies.

Could you imagine two multiple position utility men on the team? The Phillies would have to sell DeRosa as an every day player. I, for one, can't buy it.

Recently, I and the Phillies wanted DeRosa. That was this past summer, when Feliz was still on the team.

Both DeRosa and Castro bat right.

And, Castro comes cheaper.

Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News today lobbied for Figgins, who would replace Jimmy Rollins at the top of the lineup in the story: "Figgins would fit nicely atop Phillies batting order."

Figgins stole 42 bases last year and had a near .400 on-base percentage.

Some reports, however, said that the Phillies would not be able to pay the money and years that Figgins' agent wants.

Beltre, in limited time due to an injury, hit .265 with eight home runs. He hit 25 dingers with the Mariners in 2008 and 48 in 2004 with the Dodgers.

Figgins, Atkins, or Beltre would be the only guys I would consider an upgrade on the position.

The best we can hope, as Donnellon suggested, is that Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. is playing it coy and signs Figgins.

If money were an issue, however, a reasonable option would be to sign Beltre.

What the Doug Glanville Are the Phillies Up To?

Scott Eisenlohr — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:27:07 -0500

The latest out of the Philadelphia Phillies camp is that they want to feel out the market before they move in free agency.

That is better than the story the day before, where a source said that Mark DeRosa could land on the Phillies to fill the shoes of Pedro Feliz.

According to MLB.com, DeRosa hit .250 with 23 home runs and 78 RBIs last season with the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals. He hit .285 with 21 homers and 87 RBIs in 2008 with the Chicago Cubs. He had wrist surgery on Oct. 26, but his representatives said Tuesday that DeRosa should resume baseball activities before Spring Training.

According to the story by Todd Zolecki, there are reasons why DeRosa would make sense.

He is from the Northeast. He grew up in New Jersey and attended Penn. He has a reputation as a hard worker and good teammate, which the Phillies consider important attributes.

Ryan Howard is from St. Louis, Mo. Chase Utley and Cole Hamels are from California.

Former Phillie Doug Glanville, shown above, went to the University of Pennsylvania, too. He had a nice career for some pretty bad Phillies teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Hard work is an attribute that Phillies fans love. That much is true.

And guess what else? DeRosa made $5.5 million last year. That is the same money the Phillies would have paid Pedro Feliz if they picked up his option.

DeRosa is a nice player, but is he that much better than Feliz?

Their fielding abilities are about even. DeRosa has a better average than Feliz in the last two years.

But DeRosa is not an impact player. There are doubts whether he is an every day player.

So while the Phillies backed off from signing anyone Friday, they left the door open for future signings in the next few weeks or months.

They are probably waiting to see what the Angels offer Chone Figgins.

Figgins could well be off the board by Friday. The Phillies are willing to take that chance.

Or are they just posturing?

If they don't sign Figgins on Friday, then look for them to go after Adrian Beltre or DeRosa.

But don't cry poor.

While the Phillies paid $106.75 million for 12 players, which included arbitration-eligible players like Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, and Carlos Ruiz, they need help at third base, in the bullpen, and on the bench.

The Yankees? The 2009 World Champions? Their payroll is $192.35 million.

I don't mind if the Phillies wait, even if it mean they miss out on Figgins.

Just step up to the plate financially when the time comes, Phillies.

I don't care what region of the country the player comes from.

For Philadelphia Phillies, Friday Looms As Fast Break from Past

Scott Eisenlohr — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:22 -0500

SI writer Jon Heyman stated that the Phillies are still the main suitors for the services of speedy third baseman Chone Figgins.

A growing number of people I have talked to favor a more traditional third baseman with power, such as Garrett Atkins of Colorado or Adrian Beltre of Seattle.

Figgins, with 101 walks, 42 stolen bases, and a near .400 on base percentage would make him a natural lead off hitter.

I know the Phillies had trouble leaving men on base, but conversely, hitters like Ryan Howard hit better with ducks on the pond.

I remember the Florida Marlins in 2003, with Luis Castillo and Juan Pierre at the top of the lineup. It drove other teams crazy.

And with Davey Lopes as the Phillies' first base coach, Figgins could return to his 62 steal season of 2005.

My mouth is drooling.

Why else would the Phillies let a great defensive third baseman Pedro Feliz walk for a relatively measly $5.5 million?

"That's what we've come to? Pedro Feliz is a $4 million player?" asked one agent incredulously, according to Heyman.

In other Phillies news, the team let five players off the 40-man roster, most notably Eric Bruntlett. Bruntlett was not great, but a good utility player.

This could open the door for the Phillies to sign the Cardinals Mark DeRosa. It could mean a platoon between Greg Dobbs and DeRosa. Also, DeRosa could spell Howard, Utley, and the outfielders from time to time.

But the Phillies might be more in love with Dobbs than I am. His .247 average was a significant drop from his .301 average in 2008. And he has done virtually nothing in the last two post season playoffs.

According to Heyman, DeRosa, Placido Polanco, and Adrian Beltre, along with a return of Feliz are the Phillies other options at third base.

Chances of bring back Feliz? 0.5 in my mind.

You know who understands the Phillies getting Figgins?

Yankees fans I meet in local Wawas, as I wear my Phillies gear.

In years past, Phillies fans waited months to hear of free agent signings.

Not now.

Something's gonna happen Friday.

I gotta believe that something is named Chone Figgins.

Get Off the Bleachers: Darryl Dawkins Courts Players in Game of Life

Scott Eisenlohr — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:11:34 -0500

At 6'11" and 260 pounds, Darryl Dawkins was an imposing figure on the basketball court as the center for the Philadelphia 76ers in the mid-1970s.

He had a 14-year career, but perhaps was best known for taking down two basketball backboards in one season, 1979-80.

So what was this former NBA player doing at the Best Buy store in Philadelphia on Sunday, Nov. 15? An old-time player helping to launch a new computer operating system, Windows 7?

Thanks to a partnership between the NBA, HP, and Microsoft; fans and bloggers, such as myself and Enrico Campitelli from 700 Level, had a 15-minute meet and greet with this NBA legend.

We found him to be gracious and charming, just as he was during his playing days in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Utah, and Detroit. Today, he lives in the area and is the head coach of the Lehigh Carbon Community College.

Keeping in theme with of the launch of Windows 7 at the Philadelphia store, here are seven questions posed by myself, Scott Eisenlohr (shown right), and Enrico (left) to Dawkins.

1. What are some of your favorite dunks names? How did you come up with them?

"I’ve had a wild imagination since I was seven years old. I used to draw in my house, including on my pillow. My mother would yell at me. So it stems from a long time ago. 'Yo Momma' was for anybody who hangs on or puts in on them. 'Cause it is for all of them; 'Turbo Sexophonic Delight; Spine Chiller Supreme,' 'The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robizine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass Breaking, Rump Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam-I-Am Jam,' and 'The Heart Stopper.' The Heart Stopper was for the guys underneath the basket when I came in and froze. They could not move: It was like their heart stopped."

2. Did you plan to break the second backboard? The first? Describe the play and how it felt?

"The first was an accident. I guess it started when I was growing up. We had wooden backboards. My dad put in number 6 nails and I would break the wood all the time. He replaced them with number 8 nails. I was still breaking them. That night [the first break in Kansas City], I felt I could have ran the Olympic 4X100. It was the fastest I ran in my life. It started breaking and we all got out of the way. The guy underneath the basket was Bill Robizine. I said, ‘Bill, you don’t block shots.’ He said that was my rotation more than anybody else's."

3. Who was the best dunker? (700 Level)

"Jim McDaniels from Buffalo. He dunked the ball and the rim was still shaking when we went down the court. Darnell Hillman of Denver was a stylish dunker with long arms. And Dr. J, he always did fantastic stuff."

4. How did you feel being the first NBA player drafted out of high school, along with Bill Willoughby? Moses Malone was before you guys, but he started in the ABA. Would you suggest players to do it today?

"The question kills people in trivia. They guess Moses and he started in the old ABA. To be honest with you, I always teach that everything don’t happen that did for Darryl Dawkins. I can’t justify not going to college. I was young and felt bulletproof."

5. People in Philadelphia remember your time here. You reached the finals with the 76ers in 1980. And you played in three NBA finals. You played with some great players. Who do your remember?

"World B. Free my brother, Bobby Jones, Doug Collins, Fred “Mad Dog” Carter, George McGinnis, and Clyde Lee."

6. What do you think of Andre Iguodala's nickname, Iggy? (700 Level)

"It is not fair for me to say. Iggy: He might not like the nickname, but I just can’t say. When I was a kid, nicknames were from what you did. 'Scold cap,' he got the nickname ‘cause he got caught by a girl's window and her mother poured hot water on him. Another guy we called humpback."

7. How is your team at Lehigh Carbon Community College doing? Your first game was Nov. 2.

"We are 3-0 in the conference and we lost two out of conference games to bigger, stronger teams. Besides being a basketball coach, I am teaching them life lessons. How to treat ladies. And everybody wants to be a rapper. I take them to shelters, soup kitchens, to see underprivileged children. Life is much longer than basketball."

Phillies: Why Toss Feliz If You Don't Go Big at Third?

Scott Eisenlohr — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:12:56 -0500

When Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro declined the $5.5 million contract renewal of incumbent third baseman Pedro Feliz, he suggested the Phillies could upgrade the position.

I heard Randy Miller of the Bucks Country Currier Times on WIP today and he said Chone Figgins, with more than 40 stolen bases and near .400 on-base percentage, would probably be too much money for the Phillies to pay.

A story on SI.com suggested teams were perhaps going to have lean winters, free-agent wise.

Perhaps the truth, but perhaps posturing to see what top player would break the market. To date, only Ken Griffey Jr. signed with his original team, the Seattle Mariners, for $2 million and incentives.

Miller also suggested that Phillies might go after Colorado's Garrett Atkins, shown above. In just over a half season in 2009, he hit .225 with nine home runs and 48 RBI.

In 2008, however, he hit 21 home runs and 99 RBI. In 2006, he finished 14 in the MVP voting with a .329 batting average, 29 home runs and 120 RBI. And he was Phillies second baseman Chase Utley's roommate at UCLA.

According to a report in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phillies were looking at Placido Polanco, Mark DeRosa, or Adrian Beltre for third base.

In my mind, only Beltre would be an upgrade from Feliz.

We could agree on this: The Phillies probably will not sign Blue Jays' pitcher Roy Halladay. Nor will Johnny Damon come to the team.

But again, I ask: Why get rid of Pedro Feliz and bring in a Mark DeRosa?

An upgrade? With all respect to DeRosa, he is a better utility player at this point in his career. Polanco is more comfortable at second, where he played for the Tigers.

Although they were not ruling out a return of Feliz, it is not likely.

I don't blame Amaro for letting Feliz become a free agent and holding off on finding a replacement until the free agency period begins Nov. 20. If you're gonna let a great defensive third baseman go, why not go big? Huh? Come on, now!

You brought in more than three million people into the gates last year. You were the best team in the National League.

Show some faith. Bring in a third baseman that will improve the team offensively and bring the same defense provided by Feliz.

Atkins, Polanco, Beltre, or DeRosa might fit.

Anything else would be egg on Amaro's face. Think of it: The day the Phillies sign DeRosa, Feliz signs with the Braves for $7 million along with former Angels' pitcher John Lackey.

Figgins would be a big upgrade.

Make it happen.

Hot Rumors Follow Hot Stove as Phillies and Others Try To Improve

Scott Eisenlohr — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:48:46 -0500

Less than a week after the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win their 27th World Championship, the Hot Stove League has begun in earnest.

Even before the general managers meeting in Chicago on Nov. 10-11, trades have been made in the fresh offseason.

The Pirates and the Rays made a deal on Nov. 3, with Tampa Bay sending second baseman Akinori Iwamura to Pittsburgh for reliever Jesse Chavez. Two days later, the Marlins traded outfielder Jeremy Hermida to Boston for left-hander Hunter Jones.

The next day, the Royals sent infielder-outfielder Mark Teahen to the White Sox for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman Josh Fields.

The Phillies, among other teams, did some internal housekeeping in the past week. They exercised the option of pitcher Cliff Lee for $9 million, declined the option on third baseman Pedro Feliz, and told pitcher Brett Myers that they would not re-sign him.

Again, as it was during the trade deadline over the summer, rumors have started about Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay. A rumor heard on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia teased of a possible deal involving Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels and Halladay.

Rumors are usually just that, but let's take a look at this deal:

Hamels was 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA. Halladay was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA.

Hamels will be 26 two days after Christmas, and Halladay will be 33 in May.

Me? I would not do it but would accept it if the deal happened. Hamels is a head case but too good a pitcher to give up on.

As with most rumors, it probably will die in the rumor mill.

When the Phillies did not exercise the $5.5 million option on Feliz, I thought they would have a replacement on hand Monday. There was none, likely because free agent signings cannot happen until Nov. 19.

The Phillies kept their options open with Feliz, who after Sunday's decision by the club filed for free agency.

The Phillies are looking at the Angels' Chone Figgins, Seattle's Adrian Beltre, and the Cardinals' Mark DeRosa to replace Feliz.

Figgins remains one of the key free agents this year.

Some interesting names could help the Phillies infield as a starter or in backup roles in some cases: Placido Polanco and Miguel Tejada, who both could play third base; Mark Loretta, Craig Counsell, and Fernando Tatis.

White Sox pitcher Octavio Dotel, a right-hander, could shore up the Phillies bullpen but is a Type A free agent and would cost a draft choice.

Pitching, both starters and relievers, is a concern to the Phillies, along with the bench and third base.

With the exception of third base, however, slight adjustments are needed for the National League champions.

What would I do? I'd sign Figgins of the Angels as a free agent third baseman, pick up some free agents for the bench and as infield backups, such as Loretta or Tatis, to replace Eric Bruntlett, and a left-handed bat to replace Matt Stairs, if possible.

I'd also add an arm to shore up the bullpen.

The closer spot remains an issue, but knowing Phillies manager Charlie Manuel's loyalty, Brad Lidge will remain the closer in 2010.

But could you imagine if Lidge blows up and midseason the Phillies need to find a closer?

Teams would and should hold the Phillies for ransom.

You have to let this situation ride. If it is not right by May, consider Ryan Madson for the job and go out and get another bullpen guy.

One publication or web site called Lidge's three-year deal signed in 2008 "silly."

Funny, it seemed like a pretty good deal to me considering Lidge was in the midst of a 41-for-41 save season in 2008.

As much as the club says it is keeping the lines of communications open with Feliz and his agent, general manager Ruben Amaro's comments have made it clear that the club will make a change at the hot corner.

I'd be happy with the Phillies signing Figgins or Beltre.

Figgins would probably become the leadoff hitter, and Jimmy Rollins would move down in the order. Figgins would thrive in Philadelphia as a base stealer, as he had 42 stolen bases last year for the Angels.

Beltre, if healthy, is a productive hitter with more pop than speed and has an excellent glove.

One thing is clear: With the departures of Myers and Feliz, the Phillies will have a different look next year.

** Information gathered from MLB.com

For Philadelphia Phillies, It Is Time To Chase Away Winter Blues

Scott Eisenlohr — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:25:11 -0500

If in a loss everything would have a Phillies hue, perhaps if Chase Utley would have hit a two-run home run in the late innings of Game Six, and his Reggie Jackson breaking performance could have earned him the World Series MVP in a losing cause.

If the dinger was off Mariano Rivera and pulled the Phillies within a run or two of what was in reality was a 7-3 World Series clinching-victory for the Yankees...

But sadly it is merely a dream not based in any reality and certainly not to take away from the monster-like performance of Hideki Matsui, hitting a home run and driving in six out of the seven Yankees runs in the Yankee clincher.

I just had to justify my headline and get back into reality.

The first order of offseason business is whether to renew the option on third baseman Pedro Feliz. While an excellent defensive third baseman, Feliz does not provide the optimal offensive production out of the position, especially since the team's catcher does not also.

The club option is Feliz is $5 million in 2010 with a $500,000 buyout if the Phillies don't exercise the option.

Here what I would do and I will accept, as a fan, whether they keep Feliz or not.

If you sign Feliz, make an effort to sign Cardinals utility man Mark DeRosa, shown above, who will be 35 when the baseball season starts. He can play six positions and has a .272 lifetime average.

If you don't sign Feliz, you could go after Chone Figgins of the Angels, a 2009 All Star who hit .298 with 42 stolen bases.

The other option would be Adrian Beltre, who battled injury last year with the Mariners and filed for free agency in 2010. He hit .265 in limited time and has two Gold Gloves at third base.

All three want big money; however, ultimately, DeRosa might be the most likely guy to play part time, due to his age.

The pitching staff, especially the starters, are the next biggest question mark for the Phillies.

Cliff Lee, who was lights out in the playoffs and World Series, is due for a $9 million in 2010. A steal in today's market.

However, any long term talk might involved CC Sabathia money and his seven-year, $161 million contract. The Phillies don't usually go more than three years, but I would go four for a pitcher like Lee. Even if he will be in his mid-30s nearing the end of the contract.

I'd say bye bye to Brett Myers, first of all, and secondly to Jamie Moyer.

However, Myers may be kept as an option to Lidge in the bullpen, while Moyer has a year left on his contract.

It also will be interesting to see what the Phillies will do with Pedro Martinez. The 38-year-old is entertaining and engaging. But in his performance in Game Six of the World Series, his fastball lacked giddy up through the first three innings, when the Yankees took control of the game in the third inning.

On the strikeout of Alex Rodriguez in the third inning, I saw on television that the fastball hit 90 MPH.

Just like it took time for Martinez to warm up, the Phillies can take time to make a decision on Martinez, unless another team steps up and offers the future Hall of Famer more money and years.

I also would improve the bench. Ben Francisco was the Phillies best right-handed bat off the bench and he did a nice job.

Matt Stairs wants to play one more year, but personally, I think he will be hard pressed to come up with a home run again like he did in Game Four of the 2008 NLCS. I would say thanks, Matt, see you, and good luck.

Do you think it is too early to think about improving?

Nope. Apparently the Yankees are beginning thoughts of obtaining Cardinal's outfield Matt Holliday and pitcher John Lackey.

And while Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui performed very well in the World Series and are free agents, Damon is 36 and Matsui is 35.

As I have stated many times, since midseason, I wanted to play the Yankees in the World Series.

I am not disappointed.

Without a salary cap in baseball, the Yankees have the money to spend on top talent.

Should the Phillies follow suit? No.

There is only one team that has the huge television contract in the largest market in the country.

It is not wrong. There is no salary cap.

The Phillies took the Yankees to six games. After the Game Four loss, I lost my fear and was confident of the Phillies winning it all by taking Game Six and Seven.

It didn't happen, but despite losing, it was a great Phillies' season.

The Phillies have to answer to themselves and find a way to stay competitive, with a great nucleus of talent, and make the offseason and midseason moves to stay as a the team that is hard to beat.

** Information obtained from Philly.com

For Yankees, John, Paul, and George Enough: Who Needs Ringo?

Scott Eisenlohr — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:37:40 -0500

As I sift through the rubble that was the New York Yankees 27th World Series title, being a Phillies fan, I feel not shame, but respect for our conquerors.

A 7-3 victory in Game Six gave the Yankees a 4-2 victory Wednesday night in the Bronx.

As I have stated several times in this format, and to friends, I thought the series was over after Game Four, a 7-4 Yankees victory. The Yankees at that point, had a 3-1 series lead.

But in Game Five, for fans of both teams, the pendulum swung, as the Phillies lit up A.J. Burnett for six runs in two innings and with an 8-6 win, closed the series gap to 3-2.

Burnett left the game in the third inning without recording an out.

I jumped on the opportunity to write a pro-Phillies story that stated my team would take the next two games, largely due to the Yankees' use of a three-man rotation. Obviously, it didn't happen.

But Monday's Yankee loss was enough for New York fans to question Joe Girardi's decision to use a rotation of C.C. Sabathia, Burnett, and Andy Pettitte, pictured above exiting Wednesday's game in the sixth.

While writing the headline, I thought of other great, four-men groups.

None better than the Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison were the orginal members, along with drummer Pete Best. Best was dropped and Ringo Starr added.

Their song, P.S., I love you by the Beatles is running through my head ("As I write this letter (story) .."), but the song should be Blue Oyster Cult's Godzilla .

"Stupid DH rule," I texted my buddy after Hideki Matsui hit a two-run home run off Pedro Martinez.

Matsui, the Yankees designated hitter who went 3-4 with a home run and six RBI, accounted for most of the Yankees offense on Wednesday.

His .615 series average and monster Game Six, earned Matsui the Series' MVP award.

Pettitte won two games in the series, and the Phillies could not take advantage of his five walks in the deciding game. Sabathia pitched well, and although Burnett imploded in Game Five, he got the win in Game Two.

So, while Phillies fans gloated following Game Five, and Yankees fans shivered in fear, Tuesday's off day gave me pause, and some clearer thinking.

Going into Wednesday's game, I realized that from the Yankees' point of view, they absolutely needed to win Game Six, and not allow a Game 7.

I heard on the FAN, WFAN, 66-AM on Wednesday, that Mariano Rivera would pitch three innings if necessary.

It wasn't. Joba Chamberlain and Damaso Marte got the job done.

Too bad. Because in Game Five, one thing was true for Phillies fans:

Things go better with Coke.

Congrats, Yankees.

Looks Like Somebody Forgot To Tell Phillies To Start Spreading the News

Scott Eisenlohr — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:07:07 -0500

Following the Yankees 7-4 defeat of the Phillies on Sunday night, I had all but conceded in my mind that the 2009 World Series was over.

The Yankees had erased a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning to score three runs off Phillies closer Brad Lidge. The win gave the Yankees a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

But with Cliff Lee going in Game 5 in Philadelphia, I thought there was a more than better chance of getting the series to at least a Game 6 in New York on Wednesday.

My other thought, was as well as the Yankees played and came from behind, the Phillies were due for an offensive breakout. This lineup top to bottom, especially the bottom, is better than the Yankees.

Chase Utley hit a three-run home run in the first inning and the Phillies continued to pound the ball all game long.

Yankee starter A.J. Burnett was lifted in the third inning with the Phillies holding a 6-1 lead.

Burnett's line? Two-plus innings pitched, four hits, six runs, four walks, and two strikeouts.

Burnett was working on three days rest and by his own admission, location was a problem all night.

When Burnett got knocked out in three innings, I was confident that the Phils could get to the Yankees’ bullpen. Burnett was 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA on three days' rest and won Game Two of the series.

Not a problem. Especially for Chase Utley, who is now batting .333 in the World Series, with five home runs, tying a record set by Reggie Jackson in 1977. He also has eight RBI in the five games.

A nail-biting 8-6 Phillies win moved the series back to New York and put the defending World Champs in a 2-3 hole.

Yeah, but the Yankees have two games at home to close the series with Andy Pettitte and C.C. Sabathia, both on three days’ rest.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi was lauded by many baseball experts for his success with a three-man rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettitte through the playoffs. But Pettitte has a 4-6 record with a 4.15 ERA on three days' rest heading into Game Six. He will be faced by Pedro Martinez, who has a 0-1 record in the World Series with a 4.50 ERA.

So I can see the Phillies offense continuing to stay hot and the sooner they get Pettitte out of the game, the better.

I also heard on 660 AM WFAN that Rivera could pitch three innings if needed in Game Six. That is assuming that Pettitte goes six innings.

Martinez is working on full rest.

So I can see my way out of Game Six and the Phillies forcing a Game Seven.

It would be Sabathia, likely facing Cole Hamels. But Hamels will be on a short leash and could be followed by Lee and J.A. Happ.

Will the Yankees just roll over and die? Nope. They have not done so all season.

But it is my theory that the three days' rest experiment will fall flat on Girardi’s face. Blow up, explode, New York sports stations' radio lines burning up with criticism.

Starters will not go past five innings in either game and the Phillies will feast on the rest of the Yankee bullpen. The Phillies bullpen will assuredly have to patch together to preserve consecutive wins.

The Phillies? Why did they pitch Joe Blanton Lee in Game Four and not Lee?

Blanton would then pitch Game Five, Martinez in Game Six, and Hamels in Game Seven.

“I’ve see it work, and I’ve seen it not work …” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel in today’s Philadelphia Daily News.

So let the baseball experts criticize Manuel and laud Girardi.

Who was considered the smart manager in last year’s World Series? Manuel, the country bumpkin or Tampa Bay manager Joe Madden, who spoke eloquently and lost the series in five games?

It is an unmovable force in the Yankees against a Phillies team that believes it can win every night. The Yankees climb back from huge leads, but as the series rolls on I am sure the Phillies bullpen is better than the Yankees, save Rivera.

It is the first World Series to go more than five games in six years.

The Phillies are trying to become the first team since the Kansas City Royals came back from a 1-3 deficit against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

In my mind I can more easily envision a Yankees’ series win and the players running out onto the field while “New York, New York” plays on the loud speaker.

I cannot envision the Phillies rolling out onto Yankee Stadium in victory.

That’s OK.

The Phillies can see it.

It's Up to You, New York, New York...Yankees

Scott Eisenlohr — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:11:00 -0500

I am not going to blast Brad Lidge, but he is not on the same planet as Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera.

Then again, no one else is.

The key moment of this game is shown above.

With two outs in the ninth inning, Johnny Damon hit a bloop single to left field.

With Mark Teixeira batting, Damon took off for second. After beating the throw, he realized no one was on third (due to the Phillies using a heavy shift for Teixeira). He judged that he could beat Pedro Feliz, who's momentum was carrying him toward first, to the bag.

Damon took off and easily took third, beating Feliz and Lidge, who seemed to be trotting over.

Now with a man on third and two outs, Lidge no longer could throw the slider for a strike, slider-in-the-dirt combo. If the ball got away, Damon scores the go-ahead run.

Lidge, limited to his fastball and change-up, hits Teixeira.

Now, here is my knock on Brad Lidge: Too bad Lidge didn't hit A-Rod, because he would have been thrown out of the game.

Alex Rodriguez followed with a go-ahead double and Jorge Posada singled in two more runs. The score was 7-4 at that point.

Ball game. Series. Game recap.

The game had not been won yet, but in the Yankees' mind, it was won when Rodriguez stepped up to the plate.

Before Rodriguez was introduced as the next batter and Damon was on third, Yankee closer Phil Coke sat down and Rivera got up.

The game was tied at that moment, but the Yankees knew, even with two outs, that Rodriguez would get a knock against a shaken Lidge, or that Lidge would throw a wild pitch to put the Yankees ahead.

The Phillies will get a reprieve with Cliff Lee on the hill Monday in Game Five.

The Phillies may, and should, believe that they can come all the way back. Only a few teams have come back from a 3-1 hole in the World Series. Only one against the Yankees in 14 tries.

They did a good job to tie Sunday's game, as Pedro Feliz hit a clutch game-tying home run against Joba Chamberlain.

The Phils even got C.C. Sabathia out of the game with two outs in the seventh inning following C.C.-killer Chase Utley's solo shot. Utley is 4 for 6 with 3 HRs against Sabathia this World Series.

Many good things can be taken from this, but here are a few things to consider:

* Brad Lidge is no longer the guy who can win you a World Series. Not this year.

* The Phillies place in history is not set unless they come back and win this World Series.

* If Cliff Lee pitches a complete-game shutout again Monday in Game 5, he could be only the third player in history to win a series MVP on a losing squad.

* Derek Jeter is the likely series MVP, he is hitting .412.

* While the Phillies have 43 come-from-behind win this season, the Yankees have 51. It is not just luck, these guys are good.

* The Phillies are not the Yankees or the Big Red Machine. They have to make their own history.

New York Yankees Half Way to 27th World Series Title

Scott Eisenlohr — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:40:45 -0500

I'll admit, as a longtime Phillies fan, I am more familiar with failure than I am with success.

I even predicted a 6-3 Yankees win Saturday afternoon, because as much as I hoped not, I knew Andy Pettitte would pitch better than Cole Hamels.

Hamels was staked to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a Jayson Werth homer that Werth almost one-handed the ball over the left field fence and a base loaded walk and sacrifice fly.

I still think Cole Hamels has to mature and put bad plays behind him. Following a two-run home run by Alex Rodriguez that hit the TV camera in right, Hamels fell apart in the fifth.

Above, Rodriguez pleads with umpires to over turn what was initially ruled a double.

Hamels hung a curve ball to pitcher Andy Pettitte for a one-out RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.

The pitcher? Hamels' third best pitch? What was he thinking?

The Yankees expanded the lead to 5-3 before the fifth inning and Hamels' night was done. The 8-5 win gave the Yankees a 2-1 series lead.

As the clock moved closer to midnight in the rain-delayed start, it appeared the Phillies would not win.

The clock moved back after midnight, due to the end of daylight savings.

For Phillies' fans, the wish was that the clock would be moved back for Cole Hamels.

The 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP has been anything but consistent.

As I stated before, I expected Pettitte to pitch better than Hamels and predicted a Yankees win.

My quandary is that the Yankees' best pitchers are making Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and now Chase Utley, look bad.

The model for a Phillies series win, by most experts, was for Hamels to follow up Cliff Lee's dominant Game One victory.

My only hope is that Joe Blanton gives us a Lee/2008 Hamels performance in Game Four, or this series could be over real quick.

The Yankees bullpen leading up to Rivera is not special at all. They could be had.

But when the Yankees starters go six or seven innings, the bridge to Rivera is filled with less crocodiles than in the Phillies rickety bridge to Lidge.

World Series Often Decided By Relievers, Not High-Paid Starters

Scott Eisenlohr — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:27:14 -0400

Want to make money in Major League baseball and have longtime job security?

Become a world-class starter in the Major Leagues.

Guys like Cubs outfield Alfonso Soriano may get $136 for eight years, but you want more bang for the buck?

How about CC Sabathia and his six-year, $140 million contract he signed for the Yankees. Or the Yanks' A.J. Burnett, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract in the 2008-09 offseason.

Phillies' ace Cliff Lee is due to make $8 in 2010 before he collects a big playday in 2011. Expect the Phillies to offer him a contract extension in the offseason. They would be stupid not to.

Let me ask you: Do you think Sabathia or Burnett would have to take a cab and subway to get to Yankee Stadium like Lee did before pitching Game One of the World Series?

Please.

But let me get to my point: While the starters are the high-priced superstars, pitching to many highly paid hitters, the players who often decide the World Series and playoffs often make less than Major League pinch hitters.

How did the 1993 World Series end? I'll never forget.

Toronto Blue Jays' Joe Carter hit a walk-off, series-winning home run off Phillies closer Mitch Williams.

Who among baseball fans will forget the tragic case of Angels' pitcher Donny Moore?

In 1986, the Angels held a 3-2 lead going into Game Six of the ALCS.

With two outs and the Angels holding a slim 5-4 lead, Moore gave up the go-ahead home run to Boston's Dave Henderson in the top of the ninth.

The Angels came back to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, 6-6, but a sacrifice fly by Henderson off Moore in the 11th gave Boston a 7-6 win.

(The Red Sox went on to win the next two games in Boston and advance to the World Series.)

On July 18, 1989, after being cut by the Kansas City Royals, Moore got in an argument with his wife and fatally shot himself.

Let history show that Moore did not shoot himself because of the Henderson home run, but suffice to say that relieving is a tough job in baseball.

So despite Sabathia, Burnett, and Lee, I have a nagging feeling that the bullpens will play a big role in this 2009 World Series.

Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre, and Chan Ho Park pitched in Game Two for the Phillies, while the Yankees have use Phil Cake, Brian Bruney, David Robertson, Phil Hughes, and Mariano Rivera.

Rivera already made his impact on the series.

The All-World closer pitched two shutout innings on Thursday night to preserve the Yankees' 3-1 win in Game Two and tie the series for the Yankees.

I don't know much about the Yankees' bullpen performance this year, other than Rivera. Phil Hughes is the set up man for the Yankees.

While Rivera has a 0.71 ERA in 12.2 innings in the 2009 postseason, Hughes sports 0-1, 9.64 ERA in 4.2 innings in the postseason.

It was no accident that Yankees manager Joe Girardi put Rivera in to pitch the eighth and ninth innings in Game Two, so the Yanks would not face an 0-2 hole going back to Philly.

However, Girardi can't pitch Rivera for two innings three out of four games, can he?

Both bullpens will have to be used as the series progresses to three games in Philadelphia.

Brad Lidge has been perfect in the 2009 postseason after a shaky regular season, where he blew 11 saves.

Lidge is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in four innings pitched.

Phillies set up man Ryan Madson has pitched reasonably well in the postseason with a 1-0 record, 3.86 ERA in seven innings.

Both team's trouble spots in the bullpen?

Top left-hander J.A. Happ, a starter during the regular season, has a 7.36 ERA in 3.2 innings.

Park, the seventh inning reliever who missed the first round of the playoffs, has pitched well at times in the post season, but has a 7.36 ERA in 3.2 innings.

For the Yankees, reliever Brian Bruney has a 54.00 ERA in 0.10 innings, and Alfredo Aceves has a 7.71 ERA in 2.1 innings pitched.

Putting stats aside, what is my feeling?

The Phillies in at least one or two games upcoming, will explode for four or five runs against the Yankees bullpen.

However, Girardi might realize this too and consider coming back with Sabathia in Game Four.

The Phillies bullpen has gotten progressively stronger as the playoffs have moved along.

However, I am not feeling secure with the Phillies holding a one-run lead going into the late innings in a game.

What I can't get out of my head is a vision of Alex Rodriguez coming up to the plate with a runner on second, two outs, a one-run Phillies lead in the bottom of the ninth.

And Brad Lidge is on the mound.

Bam.

I wake up in a cold sweat.

I can only hope that Girardi's plan to pitch his aces with three days rest blows up in his face.

And the vision of Ryan Howard at the plate against Mariano Rivera with the game on the line does not give me the same sweats as Lidge/Rodriguez.

Still, bullpen advantage Yankees, due to Rivera.

Yankees will win tonight behind Andy Pettitte, while the Phillies take the next two games to go back to New York with a 3-2 series lead.

If that happens, I won't get much sleep.

Bam.

A.J. Burnett, Hideki Matsui Beat Phillies in World Series Game Two

Scott Eisenlohr — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:26:05 -0400

All the bright spots and the warts have been exposed after two games in the 2009 World Series.

Mariano Rivera, perhaps the brightest of all stars, pitched a two-inning save to preserve a 3-1 Yankees victory over the Phillies on Thursday night in New York.

The World Series is now tied, at one win a piece.

Hideki Matsui hit the go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Yankees their first lead of the series, 2-1.

A.J. Burnett was masterful, giving up one run (should have been unearned) on four hits, nine strikeouts, and two walks in seven innings.

The series resumes Friday in Philadelphia, with evening games on three straight days in the City of Brotherly Love.

Either team could close the series out with a sweep in the next three games, but that is not likely to happen. However, the balance of power will be decided in the next three games.

Cole Hamels (10-11) faces Andy Pettitte (14-8) in an important Game Three battle. Pettitte has been terrific in the postseason, going 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA.

Hamels, meanwhile, has been a bit of an enigma during these playoffs. Last year's NLCS and World Series MVP has been ordinary in the postseason.

Hamels is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA. His strikeout/walk ratio is good, giving up two walks and notching 12 strikeouts. The most alarming stat is the 11 earned runs he has allowed in 14.2 innings.

The first game against the Rockies, Hamels must have had the birth of his first child on his mind.

Hamels was trailing 4-0, when after being told he would not bat in the bottom of the fifth, he then walked briskly to the dugout.

He was on the way to the hospital to see his son being born.

The Rockies won the game, 5-4, and Hamels took the loss.

Hamels won Game One of the NLCS but gave up four runs in eight hits and gave up two home runs. The Phillies won the game, 8-6.

Some say Hamels' fastball is flat, but I think he lets errors and mistakes affect his pitching.

I think he needs to shut everything out and just pitch. It was no accident that Phillies manager Charlie Manuel chose Pedro Martinez to pitch in New York.

Martinez did not pitch badly, but Burnett was better.

On the Yankees' side of the ball, the concern has to be for Alex Rodriguez.

After getting an RBI in eight straight playoff games, Rodriguez has yet to get a hit in the World Series.

He struck out three times in Game Two.

Out of the two, who is more likely to break out of his slump: Rodriguez or Hamels?

Rodriguez has to get a hit sooner or later, and Manuel will continue to pitch to him until he hits one out.

I think the Phillies will win two out of three at home.

That would give them a 3-2 lead heading into New York.

Not an easy task.

Especially if Rodriguez starts hitting.

Pettitte appears strong for Game Three. I'll take the Yankees to win, 6-3, on Friday night.

The Phillies Don't Really Expect To Win The World Series, Do They?

Scott Eisenlohr — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:13:13 -0400

Shane Victorino in a cheerleader skirt graced the front page of Tuesday's New York Post with the headline, "Gotham Trembles."

The paper called the Phillies "The Frillies."

The town's other publication (save the New York Times), even picked on the Philly Phanatic, shown above.

New York Daily News writer Joanna Malloy called the Phillies top mascot a “green, pig-nosed monster” in a column today that trashed all things Philadelphia.

“Believe it or not, people down here in Silly-delphia actually think the Phillies will beat the Yankees in the World Series, which starts tomorrow,” Malloy writes. “Mass delusion may be a better term for the phenomenon.”

The casual Yankees fan thinks it is a mere formality that the Yankees claim their 27th World Series title. Wikianswers said that the Yankees have played in 39 World Series and have won 26. That means they have lost 13 times in the World Series.

In baseball, it is not even close. The St. Louis Cardinals, with 10 World Series victories, have the second most World Series victories.

"Who'se your daddy?" a catchy Yankee chant for future Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez chanted in 2003 may catch on in the new Yankee Stadium. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel doesn't mind: Martinez is slated to pitch Game Two in New York.

Martinez pitched seven shutout innings in his no-decision start against the Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS.

Martinez is 11-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 career starts against the Yankees in the regular season and was 8-4 with a 2.95 ERA in 16 career starts at the old Yankee Stadium.

Martinez is 1-2 with a 4.72 ERA in six postseason appearances against the Yankees and is 0-2 with a 5.93 ERA in his past five.

New Yorkers, to a man I imagine, expect fully to be knee deep in cheesesteaks (the official government bet) well before Game Seven, slated for Nov. 5.

But the Phillies led the National League with 43 come-from-behind wins. The Yankees led the American League and the Major Leagues with 51 winning rallies.

The Phillies led the National League with 224 home runs. The Yankees have 244, again tops in the majors.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels is married to former Playmate and "Survivor" Heidi Strobel. Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez currently goes out with actress Kate Hudson.

Whew! I guess I should give up. I should be happy with the Phillies' two World Championships.

"Christ, they all stick in a lick," said Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts on Monday at a Philadelphia Press conference when asked about the Phillies offense.

What does he know? As a member of the 1950 Whiz Kids, his team lost four straight to the Yankees. Roberts pitched Game Two and gave up the winning run on a Joe DiMaggio home run in the 10th inning for a 2-1 Yankees victory.

Philadelphia was the birth place of America, home of the Liberty Bell and where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

According to the web site, the Straight Dope: In 1626 Peter Minuit bought Manhattan island from the local Indians for a load of cloth, beads, hatchets, and other odds and ends then worth 60 Dutch guilders. Otherwise $24 in trinkets.

Ouch.

I guess I will settle to my couch and watch my Phillies take a beating by the Yankees.

What was I thinking when I said I wanted to play the Yankees in the World Series?

I must have been delusional.

Phillies Fans' World Series Dream Finally Realized

Scott Eisenlohr — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:04:58 -0400

It was midway through the season when I said on Bleacher Report that I wanted a Phillies-Yankees World Series. At that point, I stated that the Yankees would win in six games.

Now that I am here, I want it all.

Sabathia, Pettitte, Rivera, Rodriguez, Jeter, Damon, and Posada.

Lee, Hamels, Martinez, Howard, Utley, Ibanez, and Werth.

There is more name power in the Yankees lineup. But let’s look at some numbers.

Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, and Jose Posada’s combined average is .299, buoyed by Jeter’s .344 regular season batting average.

Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth’s combined average is .275.

Advantage, Yankees.

Power numbers? The four Yankees have 94 home runs and 329 RBI. Phillies' four have 146 home runs and 426 RBI.

Not even close. The power numbers favor the Phillies.

C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee are consecutive AL Cy Young Award winners with the Indians. Sabathia was traded late last season to the Millwaukee Brewers and then signed a huge contract to come to the Yankees. Lee, the 2008 Cy Young Award winner, was traded to the Phillies for four prospects in the middle of the 2009 season.

Andy Pettitte came up huge in Game Six of the ALCS, while Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout innings for the Phillies against the Dodgers and got a no-decision in the Dodgers' only NLCS victory, 2-1.

New York won 31 of its last 39 regular season home games and finished with the best home record in the majors at 57-24.

Philadelphia was 48-33 on the road this season, tied for the best mark in the majors.

New York fans must believe that the tough ALCS was the real World Series for the Yankees and, if necessary, Sabathia will pitch in Game One, and on three days' rest for Games Four and Seven.

They must also believe they have dominion over Pedro Martinez, as they are still his "daddy." Um, 2004, Yankees fans?

The Los Angeles Dodgers improved their bullpen and shored up their starting rotation in 2009, and the Phillies hit all they threw at them, save Game One of the NLCS. The Phillies are 18-5 in playoff games in the past two postseasons.

Numbers, stats, home and away records, can all be juggled to favor either side. The Yankees have history on their side, with 26 World Series championships, while the Phillies are trying to become the first National League team since the Cincinnati Reds to win back-to-back World Series titles (1975-76).

So to be fair, the only way I can predict this World Series is to go game by game.

Game One: C.C. Sabathia pitches seven shutout innings, while Phil Hughes and Mariano Riveria close things out for a 3-0 Yankees victory. Series: 1-0 Yankees.

Game Two: Pedro Martinez gives up one run in seven innings as the game breaks open late for the Phillies with home runs from Howard and Werth in an 8-4 Phillies victory. Series: tied 1-1.

Game Three: Joe Blanton gives up four runs in a 7-3 Yankees victory. Series: 2-1 Yankees.

Game Four: The Phillies finally get to Sabathia, and Cliff Lee picks up the victory, 5-1 Phillies. Series: tied 2-2.

Game Five: The Phillies' offense explodes again as Pedro Feliz’s three-run home run leads the attack in a 10-8 Phillies victory. Series: Phillies 3-2.

Game Six: Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez spark a 3-1 Yankees victory. Series: tied 3-3.

Game Seven: Rodriguez hits a walk-off home run to give the Yankees a 5-4 win and their 27th World Championship.

I was going to put a question mark in Game Seven, but Rodriguez can’t be held down forever, and I had to make a pick.

Who will be the hero? Will one team find the momentum and produce a sweep or five-game victory?

I think it will be a great series and hopefully no games are influenced by an absolute bar of soap like the one Angels pitcher Scott Kazmir threw in Game Six of the ALCS in the 5-2 Yankees win Sunday night.

These Philadelphia Phillies Just Know How To Win in Baseball Playoffs

Scott Eisenlohr — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:40:49 -0400

As I watch the New York Yankees fight the Los Angeles Angels and Mother Nature for the chance to win the American League pennant and advance to the World Series, I realize something, albeit elementary.

This Phillies team knows how to win. More succinctly, the find another gear when playing in postseason baseball.

During the past two years, the Phillies have gone 18-5 in postseason play.

Carlos Ruiz, a .255 regular season eight-hole hitter for the Phillies, is batting .385 in the postseason with one home run and 4 RBI.

Jimmy Rollins, who was cold in the opening round against the Rockies, hit .250 during the season. Recent hits have brought his postseason average up to .244. But his two-out, two-run walk off double to win Game Four of the NLCS was stuff made up in legends.

Pitting big Dodgers flame thrower Jonathan Broxton against the smaller Rollins, was a David slaying Goliath moment for Phillies fans.

And to a man, they all believe the job is not done.

They held their first post-pennant workout Friday at Citizens Bank Park. My friend, who is a cameraman for a Philadelphia television station, sent me the picture above, along with several others.

I believe it is Shane Victorino taking swings, Jimmy Rollins closest to the cage and Ryan Howard leaning on the bat.

While the Phillies avoided the rain drops for their workout, Major League baseball will do its best to get these American League games done this weekend.

With the Yankees holding a 3-2 series lead over the Angels, one game could finalize the Phillies' World Series opponent.

The Yankees, who came back from a 4-0 first inning lead to take a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh, could not hold on to the victory. The Angels took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh and held on for a 7-6 victory.

The Phillies meanwhile, in their NLCS, split victories in Los Angeles, then won three straight in Philadelphia to close the series out.

This Phillies team, under Charlie Manuel, truly has an attitude of focusing on one game at a time. Ironically, they are a big picture team.

I was very confident that the Phillies would win Game Five and not have to go back to Los Angeles.

While Yankees fans stick out their chest and say they are confident that CC Sabathia will win a Game Seven if it comes to that, the Phillies simply took care of business in five games, not six or seven.

Their offense hammered a good Dodgers bullpen, while the Phillies bullpen sharpened up when they had to.

This Phillies team is like no other in history.

The have a solid lineup top to bottom and a better starting pitching staff than last year's champions. And they win much more than they lose.

The only question mark is if the bullpen stays hot.

Their 93 regular season wins was the fourth best in Phillies history.

Sound like a winning formula to me.

Go Phillies.

For Phillies, It's Deja Vu All Over Again

Scott Eisenlohr — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:23:53 -0400

In the end, it was a lot like 2008, when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in five games.

Once again, Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton stared down Matt Stairs in Game Four and blinked. He walked Stairs on four pitches.

Broxton then hit Carlos Ruiz with a pitch, got the second out, then on a 1-1 fastball, let Jimmy Rollins take out the heart of this Dodgers’ team and give the Phillies an improbable 5-4 victory and a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Dodgers were two pitches away from a 2-2 series tie, before Rollins' walk off double. Same series deficit, same result for the Dodgers. Two years in a row.

On the deciding Game Five in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Dodgers’ Andre Ethier woke up from his series long slump and hit a solo home run off Phillies’ starter Cole Hamels, who by the way has looked quite ordinary. The Dodgers took an early 1-0 lead.

With one man on in the bottom of the first, Dodgers’ pitcher Vicente Padilla pitched around slugger Ryan Howard. It was apparent that Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre, like he did with Albert Pujols in the NLDS, was not going to let Howard beat him with the series on the line.

That’s when Jason Werth stepped up to take the role of the Phillies’ major run producer. On a 3-2 pitch from Padilla, he smacked a three-run home run to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead.

Werth added a long center field solo shot to give the right fielder four RBI on the night. Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino added home runs. Neither Howard nor Utley had any RBI and this team still scored 10 runs on eight hits.

Amazing.

Ryan Howard, shown above, was named the NLCS MVP. He had a .333 average in the Championship series with two home runs and eight RBI. In the playoffs overall, he is hitting .355 with two home runs and 14 RBI.

So now the Phillies await the winner of the Yankees-Angels series. They will not play for a week and if the World Series goes seven games, baseball will be over Nov. 5.

The opponent will likely be the Yankees, and they are not called the Bronx Bomber for nothing.

Alex Rodriguez has had RBI in eight straight playoff games. Along with Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, the Yankees have a potent offense. Add to that a multi-million dollar rotation, led by C.C. Sabathia and all World closer Mariano Rivera.

They can score at will any time, any instance, and with amazing production in a short period of time. While the Phillies led the National League with 43 come-from-behind wins, the Yankees led all of baseball with 50 come-from-behind wins.

(Grasshopper, to become a man, you must first grab this pebble from my hand).

The Angels, who many consider a roadblock to the Yankees, have a balanced offense, led by Vladimir Guerrero, Erick Aybar, and Maicer Izturis.

Yankees fans who I have approached wearing my Phillies gear look at me like I am crazy when I say I want a Phillies-Yankees World Series. They have a blank look on their face and must think “The Phillies are the minor leagues. We have 103 wins.”

The Angels fans would respect the Phillies more.

The Yankees and Phillies are similar type teams. Their histories are not the same, however.

The Phillies look for their third World Championship and to become the first National League team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the Reds did in 1975-76.

The Yankees have 26 World Series Championships. They last won in 2000, their third straight World Championship.

They are the standard in baseball, to say the least.

But to be considered the best, you have to beat the best.

Bring it, I say.

The Phillies await their opponent in the 2009 World Series.

Phillies Look To Raise Curtain On World Series, Avoid Tinseltown

Scott Eisenlohr — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:19:13 -0400

Just when you thought the Phillies could not make things any more exciting, drama struck again Monday night in Game Four of the 2009 NLCS.

It has been a parade of "Can you top this?": The unlikely 5-4 NLDS Game Four victory this year against the Rockies highlighted by Ryan Howard's two-run, two-out ninth inning double or last year's dramatic Game Four NLCS 7-5 win featuring Matt Stairs' two-run eighth-inning home run in 2008.

Dodgers' closer Jonathan Broxton entered the game in the eighth inning of Game Four Monday to record the last out, then got the Phillies' Raul Ibanez to ground out for the first out in the ninth inning.

Innocent enough.

He was throwing heat, 99 to 100 MPH and the Dodgers held a 4-3 lead.

Then something magical happened for the Phillies.

Enter Stairs, who is not nearly the slugger he was last season, to face Broxton. Sure enough, I knew TBS would show the dagger, a bomb of a home run Stairs launched against Broxton last postseason in Los Angeles.

Stairs must have been inside Broxton's head, because he walked Stairs, who hit .194 this season with five home runs and 17 RBI.

What happened next, prompted my one friend to text me: "Wow."

Broxton hit catcher Carlos Ruiz on the leg, putting runners on first and second. Eric Brunlett was on second as he pinch ran for Stairs.

After pinch hitter Greg Dobbs, lined out softly to third for the second out, the top of the order was up for the Phillies.

The stage was set and up came Jimmy Rollins.

One of the MLB Network commentators said after the game that Jimmy loves Jimmy. Hey, if you can perform, so what?

Perform Jimmy did. With two outs.

Rollins stroked a 1-1 Broxton pitch into right center. The ball skipped quickly to the wall and you knew, just knew, both runs would score. Game over.

Phillies win 5-4 and now hold a 3-1 series lead.

"You knew it was getting in the gap," said Dodgers' reliever George Sherill of Rollin's game-winning double, in an LA Times Sports story.

How desperate is it for the Dodgers, facing a 1-3 hole?

As Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times wrote:

"Reporting from Philadelphia - Win - or else. Or else the Dodgers will end their season on Wednesday. Or else they won't play another game at Dodger Stadium until April. Or else Jonathan Broxton will head into the winter with another October meltdown to ponder."

Wow. Remember how heavyweight fighter Mike Tyson could not beat Evander Hollyfield in the ring? This has a similar feel to it. The Phillies might have just gotten into Broxton's head.

"Just throw the cheese," an exuberant Ricky Botalicco said on Comcastsportsnet Philadelphia after the game about Broxton facing Stairs.

Looking ahead, Cole Hamels (1-0 6.75 ERA in NLCS) faces Vincente Padilla (0-0 1.23 ERA) in Game Five in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

The Phillies must get to Padilla, knock him out to get as many of the Dodgers bullpen pitchers in the game. Because as good as the Dodgers bullpen is, Padilla may be better.

However, this is Philly and we have been known to rattle pitchers in the past. As is the case with Padilla, rattling pitchers can be even easier when the pitcher has pitched in Philly before in his career.

If the Phillies win Wednesday and the Yankees advance, C.C. Sabathia could come back into town. Remember last year's playoff with the Brewers and Shane Victorino's grand slam against Sabathia?

But I am getting ahead of myself.

The Phillies have three games to win one. They most definitely would like to repeat last year's five-game series win over the Dodgers and not have to go back to Los Angeles.

But this is baseball and anything can happen.

Ryan Howard has been red hot and he became the first player in Major League history to record an RBI in seven consecutive playoff games in the same year.

The Phillies have not only wrestled away home-field advantage from the Dodgers, they have shortened their National League season to having to win one game in the last three.

Sound familar? The end of the regular season in the National League East this year?

What happened there?

As always has usually been the case for this team in the past two seasons, the Phillies took care of business.

Expect no less with a chance to go to their second straight World Series.

Dodgers-Phillies: NLCS Blowout Win Shouldn't Lull Philly to World Series Dreams

Scott Eisenlohr — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:17:39 -0400

First off let me give kudos to Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee—who pitched an eight-inning shutout in an 11-0 whitewash of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday during Game 3 of the National League Championship Series in Philadelphia.

Lee allowed three hits, struck out 10, and walked none. His 10 strikeouts tied a Phillies playoff record, joining Curt Schlling and Steve Carlton.

He was ahead of hitters and kept play moving, using an array of pitches with such a fast-pace not seen since Carlton.

Last night was heady stuff for Phillies fans. Highlighted by a Ryan Howard triple and Jayson Werth home run, the Phillies posted four runs in the first. They put Dodgers' starter Hiroki Kuroda out of the game with two more runs in the second.

Shane Victorino's three run blast in the eighth was icing on the cake.

Chad Durbin finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth.

With the win, the Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Tonight's game at 8:07 EST pits former Phillies pitcher Randy Wolf (11-7, 3.23 ERA) against Joe Blanton (12-8, 4.05 ERA).

Wolf—who was the starting pitcher for the Phillies when the team opened Citizen's Bank Park in 2004—won't let emotion get the best of him, as reported on the Dodger's team Web site:

"I have a lot of memories here, a lot of good memories here," Wolf said. "I always enjoyed pitching here. The fans were always really great to me. But I think it's a lot of fun just being in a playoff game, an NLCS game against my former team. The fact that it's a rematch from last year makes it exciting. But the main thing is when the game starts, it's a game, and it all starts over. I've got to pitch my game and all that stuff that's a memory, you've got to block that out."

Wolf has a lot going for him. His soft stuff could thwart the Phillies left handed bats. Ryan Howard lifetime against Wolf is 1-9 with four strike outs.

I tried to remember a team that responded from a championship series beat down as my mind immediately went to the 1993 NLDS pitting the Atlanta Braves against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies won the first game 4-3, then lost big 14-3 (I remember Fred McGriff hitting an upper deck homer at the old Veterans Stadium in that game), and Atlanta took a 2-1 series lead with a 9-4 win in Game Three.

The Phillies came back to win Games Five and Six, by scores of 4-3 and 6-3, respectively.

While watching last night's broadcast on TBS, the cameras panned Ryan Howard in the dugout with his head on his bat, eyes closed and deep in thought.

The announcers said that after talking to Howard, he said he was trying to forget his last at-bat. It could have been a three-run home run, a strikeout, or pop up with men on base.

I think all baseball players are like that, as well as managers, in terms of forgetting the last game.

A Phillies win tonight would put a chokehold on the series for the Fightin' Phils.

But, two well pitched Dodger wins against a suspect Phillies bullpen would give the boys in blue a 3-2 lead heading back to Los Angeles.

Even if that happens, I am not concerned.

In Game Seven, a rested Cliff Lee will emerge from the visitors' dugout and take control of the deciding game.

It ain't gonna be easy.

This series is far from over.

Philadelphia Phillies' Bullpen Offensive Enough To Tie NLCS Series

Scott Eisenlohr — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:39:28 -0400

For Phillies fans, the joy of Game One of the NLCS was gone, when the Dodgers walked away with a 2-1 victory Friday.

The series is now tied 1-1 with Game Three in Philadelphia on Sunday night.

Wasted was a two-hit, three-strikeout, no walk performance by veteran Pedro Martinez, who hadn't pitched in 17 days. Martinez's day was over when Greg Dobbs pinch hit for him in the top of the eighth inning.

The Phillies used five relief pitchers in the bottom of the eighth and singles, walks and Chase Utley's second error in as many days gave the Dodgers their first lead of the day. J.A. Happ allowed a bases-loaded walk to Andre Ethier to put the Dodgers up 2-1.

Even in Game One, with the Phillies holding an 8-4 lead in the bottom of eighth, Madson gave up two runs before getting Manny Ramirez to ground out to end the inning.

A Philly.com article on Saturday deemed the first four pitchers in the eighth as "The Faulty Four" and the results as a disaster. True. But really, though, the Phillies bullpen has not been bad.

But the deeper you go in the playoffs, not bad is not good enough.

The Dodgers meanwhile—save Game One goat George Sherill, whom Ibanez made look like he still pitched in the Independent League—shut down the Phillies after Vincente Padilla's fine one-run, 7 1/3 inning performance.

In fact, Hong-Chih Kuo and Jonathan Broxton allowed no hits, no runs, and no walks in their combined inning and a half work.

Perfect. Where have you heard that term used in relation to bullpen pitcher(s)?

Brad Lidge, 2008: 48-for-48 save opportunities, including the playoffs.

Before you panic, Phillies fans, I still believe that the Phillies' offense is better than the Dodgers pitching.

But how often in the past month have you seen the Phillies go cold, save Ryan Howard's powerful bat?

The Phillies will lose in seven games if they alternately produce great and timely hitting/average pitching, followed in the next game by cold offense, great starting pitching and suspect bullpen.

The further you go in the playoffs, the less room for error.

A trip home should bode well for the Phillies. They are in good shape with three straight home games and three wins needed to return to the World Series.

But they have to get skinny on pitching (Pedro Martinez did his job) and fat on offense.

As Jimmy Rollins said in the locker room after the Rockies series, "Defending the World Championship is not that easy."

Note: As an FC, I wrote my third story of the week Friday. The photo for my story would not post all morning long, making it impossible to post my story. It happens: When I worked for a newspaper laying out pages, occasionally I would lose a whole page. It seemed easier to put the page back, remembering what it looked like. In this case, I wrote a second-game story. A first-game story posted today would be outdated.

These 2009 Dodgers Are Not What Phillies Experienced In 2008

Scott Eisenlohr — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:27:55 -0400

Every baseball fan knows the history: The Philadelphia Phillies, on their way to an eventual World Series title, in the 2008 NLDS series, beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games of the best-of-seven series.

That was last year. The two teams meet again in the 2009 NLCS.

The Dodgers' top hitter, Manny Ramirez (.290, 19 homers, 63 RBI), was not the same player he was a year ago, but Andre Ethier led the Dodgers in home runs (31) and RBI (106). Add Matt Kemp, who had 26 home runs and 101 RBI, and you have some impressive power in the middle of the lineup.

The Rockies, who the Phillies beat in the NLDS, meanwhile, had no player with 100 RBI. Troy Tulowitzki led the Rockies with 92 RBI.

The Phillies had one player with more than 100 RBI, Ryan Howard (141). But three Phillies had 90 RBI or more: Jayson Werth (99), Chase Utley (93) and Raul Ibanez (93). The same four players all had 30 home runs or more, with Howard leading the way with 45 homers.

Player by player, these teams are even.

Howard/Ramirez, Werth/Eithier, Kemp/Ibanez, Utley/Rafeal Furcal are similar in ability and production numbers.

The Dodgers swept the Cardinals in part by not letting Albert Pujos beat them. The Phillies are too deep offensively to make that an effective move by Dodgers manager Joe Torre.

I think the Phillies starters are better than the Dodgers.

The Dodgers' staff is Clayton "Chinstrap" Kershaw, Randy Wolf, Vincente Padilla, Chad Billingsley and Jon Garland.

The Phillies counter with Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ or Pedro Martinez.

The Dodgers have the edge in the bullpen. Closer Jonathan Broxton (36 saves) anchors a bullpen that had a 3.14 ERA.

For the Phillies, Brad Lidge collected two saves in the divisional series, but had a horrible regular season with 11 blown saves. The Phillies bullpen may get a boost with the possibility of Chan Ho Park's return.

The Dodgers' pitching staff held the high-powered St. Louis offense to six runs in its three-game NLDS sweep. Kershaw is the stud of the staff with an 8-8 record and a 2.79 ERA.

The Phillies chances lay on the postseason dominance of Cole Hamels (pictured.)

Along with Cliff Lee, who had an outstanding NLDS, Hamels return could spell another Phillies trip to the World Series. A shutdown of the Dodgers offense would spell a Phillies win.

That is a lot of ifs by the Phillies, starting with the bullpen and Hamels, who recently became a first-time father. Hamels had an average season, going 10-11 in the regular season.

Anything is possible and the Phillies showed their comeback ability in the regular season and the last two games of the NLDS.

The Dodgers won the regular season head-to-to head, four games to three, highlighted by two Ethier walk-off home runs against the Phillies, June 5 and 6.

The Phillies led the majors with 43 comeback wins, while the Dodgers had had 42.

Two high powered offenses should make for an impressive show.

But this isn't 2008.

The Phillies return as defending World Series champions, while the Dodgers can draw from their 2008 championship round experience.

As much as it hurts me, as a Phillies fan, the facts point to a Dodgers' series win.

I think even Matt Stairs' bat is a bit slower. It seems to me that Jim Thome is more likely to hit a go-ahead home run than Stairs.

But then again, I am not Charlie Manuel.

Thank goodness.

'Cuse Me: Um, Yankees, TBS, Can the Phillies Play Now?

Scott Eisenlohr — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:09 -0400

I saw and heard the strangest thing early Monday morning.

At about 2 a.m. EDT Monday, I saw a stadium full of about 50,000 people strangely quiet. No, I did not wake out of a sound sleep. It was not a religious function and the preacher was giving a sermon.

Nope.

It was a freakin' baseball game.

Much of the East coast was asleep, my wife was asleep, my daughter, who didn't have school the next day, went to bed in the fifth innning and my cat was asleep.

The quiet on TV? It was dismayed Rockies fans who watched Houston Street give up the go-head run in the top of the ninth inning.

Ryan Howard's sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning, at nearly 2 a.m. EST Monday, gave the Phillies a 6-5 win over the Colorado Rockies to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-three NLDS series.

"Big sigh" my buddy texted me at 2:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12 after the last out of the game.

To say the least, he is not a big Brad Lidge fan anymore. Lidge followed the Phillies go-ahead run in the top of the ninth by allowing the tying and go-ahead runs to reach base before finally closing out the game.

But more disturbing than Lidge's struggles is TBS's coverage of this game and this series on the whole.

When I turned on TBS at 10:07 p.m. Sunday, I saw the Yankees-Twins game was not over. The crawl said to go over to TNT network.

About the third inning, the an announcer came on TNT and said that coverage would continue on TBS. Well done, nice transition.

Bud Selig and network officials did get their nose out of New York and Boston's, em, rear posterior on Saturday afternoon to call Game Three in Colorado because of snow.

Only one inch fell, but the call was clearly about the cold, with wind chills in the upper teens.

It warmed up to the upper 20s or lower 30s and little wind on Sunday, so game on.

Now wouldn't it make sense to put the weekend games in the afternoon, when the sun was shining and temperatures would be higher? Nope. College and NFL football are the TV kings, respectively during the weekend.

Selig's guidance in the postseason this year is not so mind-boggling on its own. However, for Phillies' fans, it feels a lot like when Selig suspended a rain-plagued Game Five in the 2008 World Series.

To go back briefly, he could have postponed the game when the Phillies led by a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Nope, he had to wait until the Rays tied the game in the sixth to call the game.

So this year, Game One and Two of Phillies-Rockies were played Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, when most fans are at work, and then again Sunday night, starting when children and adults normally go to bed for the next day's work.

Let me ask you: Who is the defending World Series champion?

I thought you knew.

What are the bigger television markets? New York, Los Angeles, and Boston.

Well, (blank) me.

I remember as a youth, running home to catch the Mets and Orioles playing in the 1969 World Series.

Baseball was pure then. Bowie Kuhn was the baseball commissioner and the game, not the television advertising dollar, was king.

If you are falling asleep reading this, so was my buddy mid-game early Monday morning.

"Happy Monday," I wrote another buddy at 12:04 a.m. Monday.

"I fell asleep. Talk to u tomorrow night. Go Phils!" he wrote back.

I turned my texting to my other buddy, who works in the media and probably picked up the game after work.

In the top of the sixth, Carlos Ruiz hit an RBI single to put the Phillies up 5-4.

"Chooch," I texted my buddy, recounting Ruiz's nickname.

"He's your boy!" received at 12:22 a.m.

Troy Tulowitzki's sacrifice fly tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Since Ryan Madson pitched in the seventh inning, he was not available to save the game.

Charlie Manuel only had Lidge to close in the bottom of the ninth with the Phillies holding a 6-5 lead.

Lidge got Brad Hawpe to ground out on a 1-0 pitch for the first out.

Lidge walked Carlos Gonzalez on six pitches. With Jason Giambi at the plate, Gonzalez stole second.

Giambi popped out to third for the second out.

Manuel visited Lidge and apparently a pitch around was suggested, as Lidge walked Todd Helton on five pitches.

The strategy must have worked as Lidge got Troy Tulowitki to fly out to left field.

Ball game.

"Hell, yes," I wrote to my friend at 2:15 a.m. Monday.

Game Four in Colorado is at 6:07 p.m. EDT. Cliff Lee faces Ubaldo Jimenez in a Game One rematch with the Phillies winning, 5-1.

The Phillies can close out the series with a win, while the Rockies have to win in Colorado and come back and win in Philadelphia.

For one time, the next two games can be played at "normal" times, because it is the final games of the division series. No one else is playing in this round.

And if the Phillies win the World Series again this year and in 2010, and the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels are in the playoffs, who gets the prime time television spots?

I thought so.

Project 99: Jerry Rice Was Greatest, Most Graceful Wearer Of No. 80

Scott Eisenlohr — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:58:28 -0400

No one who ever wore the number 80 did it with as much style and grace than former San Francisco 49er wide receiver Jerry Rice.

In 1999, he was ranked No. 2 on “The Sporting News” list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, behind only Jim Brown.

Early next year, prior to the Super Bowl, Rice will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Fame recipient.

When he retired, his 1,549 receptions lead the NFL, as well as his 22,895 receiving yards and 197 touchdowns were among the tops in the league.

Former NFL coach Dennis Green called him “the best route runner I’ve ever seen.”

Rice won three Super Bowl titles with San Francisco in 1988, 1989, and 1994, and when he caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XXXV11 (in a losing effort 48–21 as Tampa Bay beat Oakland), he became the first player to ever catch a touchdown pass in four different Super Bowls.

In his second season, he caught 86 passes and led the league in reception yardage (1,570) and touchdown receptions (15).

Rice thrived in San Francisco head coach Bill Walsh’s “West Coast” offense, which relied on a large number of short, quick passes by the quarterback and precise route running by the receivers.

He set a single-season record for touchdown receptions (22) in 1987, even though a players’ strike limited the season to 12 games, and was named NFL Player of the Year.

Probably his best game against Atlanta was a Week 6 match-up in 1990, where he had five touchdown catches in one game.

He also performed on the big stage. In Super Bowl XXIV, Rice caught seven passes for 148 yards and three touchdown catches. The 49ers beat the Broncos, 55-10.

In a late 1992 game against the Miami Dolphins, Rice ran his most famous pass pattern (slant) and scored a 12-yard touchdown to break the former Seahawks receiver Steve Largent touchdown record. It took Largent 14 seasons to get to 100 touchdown catches, yet Rice only needed seven season.

For much of his career, he was paired with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. It was a lofty time for the 49ers with San Francisco winning five Super Bowls in the 1980s and 1990s.

Rice was named to the annual Pro Bowl from 1986 through 1998.

The San Francisco 49ers traded Rice to the Oakland Raiders before the 2001 season.

In 2003 he made his 13th Pro Bowl appearance. Midway through the 2004 season, Rice was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, but he was released by the team at the end of the season.

After an unsuccessful attempt to become a starting receiver for the Denver Broncos the following year, he signed a ceremonial one-day contract with San Francisco and retired as a 49er.

**Information obtained from Winklepedia and Fanbase.com

Phils' Pedro Martinez No Stranger to Pressure in Game Three NLDS

Scott Eisenlohr — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:53:12 -0400

AUTHOR'S NOTE: MARTINEZ'S SCHEDULE START ON SATURDAY WAS POSTPONED DUE TO SNOW. J.A. HAPP IS DUE TO START SUNDAY. MARTINEZ MAY OR MAY NOT START IN THE BALANCE OF THIS SERIES OR BE MOVED TO THE BULLPEN.

The year is 1999 and in the deciding game of the ALDS, Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez enters an 8-8 game in the fourth inning in the contest against the Cleveland Indians.

As baseball fans know, Martinez pitched six no-hit innings, as the Red Sox won the game 12-8.

In the American League Championship Series, he pitched seven shutout innings to give the Red Sox their only win in the championship series against the Yankees.

The Yankees beat the Red Sox, four games to one, then swept the Atlanta Braves to win their 25th World Series title.

Martinez won the Cy Young Award that year, one of three such honors for the sure-fire Hall of Fame right-hander.

Fast forward 10 years later and in August, Martinez, after almost a year away from baseball, joins the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

The highlight of his body of work in the regular season was a 1-0 eight-inning win on Sept. 13 against the Mets.

He has started only two games since, throwing 140 pitches in seven innings. He allowed six runs on 13 hits, two of them home runs in the division-clinching game against Houston on Sept. 30.

He is set to be the Game Three starter for Manager Charlie Manuel in a frigid Colorado night, with the Phillies and the Rockies knotted up at one game a piece.

It’s 10 years later, and it would be foolish to expect the same production out of Martinez.

But here is my assessment. He is a big-game pitcher and loves the big stage. For as much as he smiles and jokes around with teammates and the media, he is all business on the mound.

Expect six to seven good innings from Martinez. The over/under line, in my mind, on runs allowed should be two. I hope for better than that and also hope for no more than that.

It is quite possible that the Phillies could lose the game 2-0. But I believe the Phils will follow Martinez’s lead and manufacture a few runs.

I believe in Charlie Manuel and am not worried going into this game.

It sure is not 2008 for the Phillies. But it also is not 2007 for the Phillies, when they got swept by the Rockies, three games to none.

What If Baseball Players Were Assigned by Names?

Scott Eisenlohr — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:20:29 -0400

What’s in a name? What the heck does it have to do with baseball? And why I am writing this story?

According to a genealogical website, in about the 12th Century in Europe, it was decided that there was a need to distinguish people from one another.

For example, in one town there could be many men named William. To distinguish, people began referring to different Williams as William the son of Andrew (leading to Anderson), William the cook (leading to Cook) and William from the river (Rivers). Comprende vouz? (Sorry, I took French in high school and college).

What does it have to do with baseball? There are many interesting names in baseball, such as Coc

o Crisp, shown above. Some names have character, like Jonathan Papelbon.

Why I am writing this? It is my 100th story for Bleacher Report, and I thought a whimsical one should do.

You can stop reading here, but you would tickle my fancy to read on, so be my guest.

Also in this day and age players don’t even play on the same team for their whole career. Wade Boggs was never one of my Philadelphia Phillies but reliever Doug Jones (1994) was.

Boggs played for the Red Sox most of his career and finished off with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who are now known as the Tampa Bay Rays.

It is my contention, first off, that players with names of character and unusual names often end up playing in Boston: Daniel Bard, Jonathan Papelbon, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury, all are on the current roster. Former Red Sox include Carl Yastrzemski, Denny Doyle, Wade Boggs and Carlton Fisk.

In Washington, D.C., home of the Nationals, they could have political names or French names, considering they used to be the Montreal Expos.

Players like Paul Byrd and Marlin Byrd could play for the Toronto Blue Jays or Baltimore Orioles.

In Miami, home of the Marlins, players with fish names could play there. The same thing could be said for the Rays.

However, all fish and Bay names go to Tampa Bay, in my world. To honor the large Hispanic population in Miami, some of the great and not so great Hispanic players go to the Marlins. My story, my rules.

I tried to look at all the teams, but the search got tiring for this venue (and salary). So here goes, surname team by surname team (obviously, some teams get loaded up, like Boston, but hey, the Nationals get better immediately):

Boston Red Sox: Chipper Jones, Nate McLouth, Paul Konerko, Mark Kotsay, Brent Lillibridge, Gordon Beckham, Tyler Clippard, Garrett Mock, Ryan Zimmerman, Elijah Dukes, Colby Rasmus, Humberto Quintero, Edwin Maysonet, Mark Rzepcynski, Edwin Encarnacion, Dustin Nippert, Maicer Izturis, Vladimir Guerrero, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Will Venable, Ken Takahashi, Damaso Martle, Justin Masterson, Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Cuddyer, Kyle Farnsworth, Geovany Soto, Ryan Theriot, and Cesar Izturis.

Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos): Matt LaPorta, Jason LaRue, Matt Holliday, Brandon Lyon, Curtis Granderson, Adam LaRoche, Andy LaRoche, Wade LaBlanc, and Michah Hoffpauir.

Detroit Tigers (by virtue of its proximity to Kellog, Michigan): Coco Crisp.

Philadelphia Phillies (a working man’s town): Sal Fasano and Johnny Damon.

Sharing time at the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays: Marlin Byrd and Paul Byrd.

Florida Marlins: Francisco Liriano, Jose Contreras, Ramon Santiago, and Yorvit Torrealba.

Los Angeles Angels in the outfield: Angel Guzman and Angel Pagan.

By virtue of their names: Lance Broadway (Mets and Yankees); Huston Street (Astros); Mark Redman (Reds); Hunter Pence (Texas Rangers); Dusty Ryan (Texas Rangers); Dexter Fowler (San Diego Padres, home of the San Diego Chicken); Robert Ray, Chris Ray, and Lyle Overbay (Tampa Bay Rays).

Any other submissions, past or present? Great names appreciated.

Also, I hope to be kept around for my 101st story. Thanks.

Phillies Fans Celebrate Team's Successful Return to Baseball Playoffs

Scott Eisenlohr — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:59:22 -0400

The early morning rain had faded, but a strong wind remained as I prepared to go to my first Phillies game since Jul. 9, 2008.

A veteran of Opening Day in Philadelphia, my good buddy was meeting me to go to see the opening round game of the Phillies vs. the Colorado Rockies today, Oct. 7 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

I arrived first and attended a pre-game rally, shown above. The Phillie Phanatic was on stage, as well as the band and several young ladies in Phillies gear. The Phanatic shot Phillies gear out of a long-nose funnel gun into the crowd.

The sun was shining and the mood was good. I was ready for some baseball.

My cell phone went off as I got away from the din of the music and cheering and it was my friend. He said to meet me at the Mike Schmidt statue.

When he arrived, he went through the tickets; he said: "I can't believe I did this."

He split season tickets with another coworker at a Philadelphia television news station and had pairs of tickets for the NLDS Game Three in Philadelphia (which would be Game Five of the NLDS) and Game One of the NLCS. No tickets for NLDS Game One, which was Wednesday.

Most of the scalpers were looking for tickets and the ones that had them wanted too much money.

For this purpose, we were not interested in buying from scalpers.

"Let me tell you something," said one scalper. "If a dude sells you two tickets, take one and ask him to walk you to the gate. The other fellow stays back with the money."

Anyway, the game: We went to a local sports bar located three blocks away, Chickies and Petes. Never made it inside CBP.

Crab Fries, crab legs, and muscles on the table and we hunkered down for the game amid other Phillie faithful.

"Bo," I said to my friend. "When Cliff Lee is on, he is like Carlton."

Steve Carlton that is; the Hall of Famer who went 27-10 for a bad 1972 Philadelphia Phillies team. Both Lee and Carlton work fast.

Sure enough, before we finished our meal, it was the fifth inning. Lee got ahead of hitters, spotted his fastball, mixed speeds.

The Phillies broke through in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Raul Ibanez and RBI single by catcher Carlos Ruiz. 2-0 Phillies.

Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth continued the barrage in the sixth, with an RBI double and RBI triple, respectively.

Both probably would have gone out, but were knocked down by the wind. Werth, in particular, hit off the top of the wall in left center, to almost the deepest part of the park. The ball was crushed.

4-0 Phillies.

The key was in the fifth, when the Phillies ran deep counts against starter Ubaldo Jimenez. Ibanez went 3-1 before doubling, and Ruiz ran 3-2 before his RBI single.

Cliff Lee did not get into trouble until the ninth.

Carlos Ganzalez singled with one out; then with two outs, Lee ran a full count and served up a fastball that Troy Tulowitzki hit for an RBI double.

In all Lee was masterful. He gave up six hits, no walks, and struck out five.

Again, Charlie Manuel made the right move, going with Lee instead of Cole Hamels.

If everything goes to plan, I may attend Game One of the Championship series.

Game Two goes off at 2:47 p.m. Thursday. It is Cole Hamels vs. the Rockies' Aaron Cook.