Philadelphia Phillies' National League 'Magic Number' Is Two

Now that the Phillies (93-63) have made the playoff's it's important they finish first in the National League.

If the Atlanta Braves (87-69) win their remaining games, they can finish with no more than 93 wins.

The San Diego Padres (87-68) and San Francisco Giants (88-68) are competing for the NL West championship with the Giants holding a slim half-game lead.

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com points out that the Giants and Padres play each other in a three-game series this weekend at AT&T Park. He goes on to note that if both teams win every game leading up to that series, they would both be 91-68. One of those teams obviously will win at least two of those games, pushing one team to 93 wins while the other team finishes with no more than 92.

Two wins should clinch the best record in the National League for Phillies, and they have three games coming up against the Washington Nationals in which to do so.

If the Phils complete the feat for the first time since 1977, they'd have the option to choose when they want to start their playoff play.

This is significant because if they choose to start on October sixth, look at what the pitching rotation coulld be:

NLDS

1. Oct. 6 - Game 1 - Halladay
2. Oct. 7 - Off
3. Oct. 8 - Game 2 - Hamels
4. Oct. 9 - Off
5. Oct. 10 - Game 3 - Oswalt
6. Oct. 11 - Game 4 - Halladay (Normal Rest)
7. Oct. 12 - Off
8. Oct. 13 - Game 5 - Hamels (Normal Rest)

NLCS

1. Oct. 16 - Game 1 - Halladay
2. Oct. 17 - Game 2 - Hamels
3. Oct. 18 - Off
4. Oct. 19 - Game 3 - Oswalt
5. Oct. 20 - Game 4 - Blanton
6. Oct. 21 - Game 5 - Halladay
7. Oct. 22 - Off
8. Oct. 23 - Game 6 - Hamels
9. Oct. 24 - Game 7 - Oswalt

World Series

1. Oct. 27 - Game 1 - Halladay
2. Oct. 28 - Game 2 - Hamels
3. Oct. 29 - Off
4. Oct. 30 - Game 3 - Oswalt
5. Oct. 31 - Game 4 - Blanton
6. Nov. 1 - Game 5 - Halladay
7. Nov. 2 - Off
8. Nov. 3 - Game 6 - Hamels
9. Nov. 4 - Game 7 - Oswalt

That would mean in 17 out of 19 games the Philadelphia Phillies aces would be pitching.

That is a killer rotation to enter into the postseason with. The three pitchers(Oswalt, Hamels, and Halladay) have a combined record of 12-1 in September.

Their being lined up in the recent series against the Braves made a talented lineup seem completely inferior.

If the Phillies don't go to the World Series this year, it's a lock that the team that beats them absolutely does.

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