PRC: Sergio Escalona

Player: Sergio Escalona
Number: 53
Position: RP
Bats/Throws: L/L

Consistency: Escalona only saw action in 14 games. He was mainly used as a fill-in when players like Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge went down with injuries. He also replaced Kyle Kendrick when he proved to be useless in the beginning of the season. In his short stints up, he was hit or miss. He would either pitch shutout ball or give up 2-3 runs an outing.

He did not make the post season roster but was a part of the late-season 40-man roster and got work.

Regular Season Stats: 1-0, 13.2 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 10 K, 4.61 ERA, 1.29 WHIP

Post Season Stats: none

Health: Rather than being on the DL, he replaced those who were bit by the injury bug. No injuries.

Intangibles: He was solid as a replacement for the Phillies. He’s young (only 25) and got plenty of valuable experience in relief. Though he will likely never start in a Phillies uniform, he may see some more brief action during the season as a reliever. He will be sitting behind Antonio Bastardo on the list of lefty relievers.

Overall Grade: C. He was okay. He didn’t pitch a lot and didn’t show anything worth getting excited about. He filled in on numerous occasions and did his job.

PRC: Chad Durbin

Player: Chad Durbin
Number: 37
Position: RP
Bats/Throws: R/R

Consistency: Durbin has not been that good all year. He started out rocky, settled down a bit in June and then saw his ERA sky-rocket until he pitched an effective September that was beneficial for the Phillies in closing out the season. His 59 appearances were the third highest on the team behind Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge and was second in innings pitched among pitchers that didn’t record a start behind Madson.

He was excellent in the NLDS and NLCS, throwing four perfect innings in five appearances but then fell apart in the World Series, namely game 6 when he allowed three runs in the 5th inning, putting the game out of reach.

Regular Season Stats: 2-2, 69.2 IP, 56 H, 38 R, 34 ER, 8 HR, 47 BB, 62 K, 4.39 ERA, 1.49 WHIP

Post Season Stats: 2-0, 7 G, 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 6.75 ERA, 0.98 WHIP

Health: He was on the DL in late July with a sore back. The 15-day stint helped his back out. He was called upon a lot prior to the injury and never saw the DL again after returning.

Intangibles: He was solid for the Phillies. Though he started out rough, he settled down and managed to be okay. He is up for arbitration and it will interesting to see if the Phillies hold onto him. He has stuff similar to Clay Condrey’s, but uses the slider rather than a sinker. He’s also streaky. He will either pitch hot or not be able to get anyone out. He was also the first Phillie on Twitter, like that really matters.

Overall Grade: C. He was below-average for the Phillies. The poor inning in the World Series definitely hurt his grade along with his overall performance this season. If he would have focused more on pitching than tweeting, maybe his grade could have been higher.

Win

That's all Phillies fans are asking for. Win. It's that easy. You are the Phightin' Phils. You are the Team to Beat. You are the Philadelphia Phillies! The Yankees are the best team in baseball and you are going to sit there and be ok with that? You are going to let Alex Rodriguez, a cheater in the game you love to play, walk away with YOUR World Series Ring? You are going to let the Evil Empire take away your season? Are you going to let the NY Post walk all over your team and sit in the news room laughing at your expense?

It's Cliff Lee, Pedro Martinez, and Cole Hamels versus a tired rotation. They are exhausted. They need the offense to help them win. Shut down their offense and your guys will support you. They will score. They will hit home runs. They will lead you to victory.

Raul Ibanez: You came to this team to be on a winner. Yea we know you are hurt with that abdomen tear and we know it is damn painful. You have THREE games left. Not one, not two, but three. It's time to earn that ring that has eluded you for your 14-year career.

Ryan Howard: What the hell happened? You were Mr. October. You took 30 pounds off your gut and put 30 points on your batting average and led the league in RBI's. You were clutch in the NLDS and NLCS. You can spank the Yankees. You can add a whole new level the legacy you are building in the City of Brotherly Love. Move the hell over, Mike Schmidt because Howard is going to take your spot! You can't do that by rolling over to the Yankees though.

Cole Hamels: I'm not giving up on you. Why? Because if it comes down to game 7, the ball is in your hands. Over? This season ain't close to being over. Take a hard look in the damn mirror and look into the eyes of the 2008 World Series MVP pitcher you once were. You are not a wuss. You are not over rated. You are still the ace of this staff in the eyes of many. Act like it.

Brad Lidge: We don't blame you for yesterday. This team has called on you time and time again and you never gave up. Who cares how many saves you blew. It matters only if you think about it. You learn from your mistakes only if you don't dwell on them. A loser is someone who is afraid to fail. I winner is someone who is afraid of nothing.

The Phillies: You got rattled but you got right back up. You're the under dog. You're the beaten but not forgotten. Your chin is bloodied and your face is battered but you aren't mailing it in. You are Rocky! You won't quit. You beat them once. They bleed! They are not a machine. They are human and are beatable.

Do you hear that? "Phillies, Phillies, Phillies." I hear it too. You still have one game left in the home venue. Leave an impression on the fans, on the Yankees, and on yourself. Leave this city with a win. Go to New York and beat the Yankees!

Phils Fail at Comeback, Yanks Up 3-1

All Brad Lidge had to do was get Johnny Damon out. But he was resilient. Damon fought off every strike-two pitch by Lidge until he got the one he like. After his base hit and steal of second and third, Mark Teixeira walked and Alex Rodriguez drove in Damon to make it a 5-4 game. Jorge Posada tacked on two more with a double to make it 7-4, the final of game four as the Yankees take a commanding 3-1 lead in the World Series. For the record, this was not Brad Lidge's fault.

Joe Blanton pitched well, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks in six innings of work. He also struck out seven. His counterpart, C.C. Sabathia went 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, three walks, and striking out six. He was yanked after Chase Utley made it a 4-3 game with his solo homer in the 7th. Mariano Rivera pitched a quick 9th to earn his second save of the series.

The Phillies had to come back twice in the game. Down 2-0 in the first, the Phillies added a run in the bottom half. They then got another in the 4th off a Pedro Feliz double that scored Ryan Howard from second. Howard appeared to have never touched home plate but was ruled safe. In the top of the 5th, Blanton gave up two more runs to make it a 4-2 game.

After Utley made it 4-3 in the 7th, Pedro Feliz hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the 8th off Joba Chamberlain to tie it up. The the wheels fell off as Lidge had to face the top of a Yankees order that scored the most runs in the majors and 95 more than the Phillies, who were 4th.

Star of the Game:

Game 1: Cliff Lee

Game 2: AJ Burnett

Game 3: Nick Swisher

Game 4: Johnny Damon

Next Game: Monday in Philadelphia, 7:57 EST

Series: Yankees lead 3-1

Pitching Probables: AJ Burnett vs. Cliff Lee

Gameday Discussion: Liberty Bell Sports

This is for the Phillies. They are on the ropes. They need to win the next three versus the Yankees, two in New York. An easy task? Hell no. A doable task? Yes it is. Cliff Lee has been incredible this post season and will need to give the Phillies some momentum going into New York. The series isn't over and the Phillies don't give up. Not ever!

No matter the out come of this series, I'll still be writing this blog and I will still be loving the Phillies. This is a team that has been the basis of my sports-loving life since I was five and I have never given up on this team. No matter what happens tonight or Wednesday or Thursday, the real fans will still love this team. Go Phils!

The Phillies Are J-Roll-in'

This team is incredible. They keep you on the edge of your seat for 26 outs while you bite your nails all the way to your elbow. Then with one mighty swing, they win the game and rip the hearts out of their opponent, sending the Phillie Phaithful into a euphoria.

The Phillies overcame a rocky start by Joe Blanton and a good start by Randy Wolf to win game four in dramatic fashion and take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Jimmy Rollins' walk-off two-run double off of Jonathon Broxton tied and won the game. Brad Lidge pitched the 9th and earned the win. It was game four last NLCS when Matt Stairs hit the game winning two-run homer in the top of the 9th off Broxton.

Blanton came out firing, retiring the first ten batters but then hit a snag in the 4th inning. He finished six innings, allowing four runs, three earned on six hits, two walks, and two strike outs. He allowed a solo home run to Matt Kemp in the 5th inning to give the Dodgers the 3-2 lead. They then added another off Blanton in the 6th.

The Phillies quickly got a run back in the bottom of the 6th off of a Shane Victorino triple and a Chase Utley RBI single. The bull pen was rock solid from the 6th inning on, only allowing two hits, two walks, and striking out five.

In the bottom of the 9th, Raul Ibanez led off with a ground out. Matt Stairs then pinch hit and walked on four pitches. Eric Bruntlett came in to pinch run and Carlos Ruiz was hit by a pitch to put two on. Greg Dobbs then pinch hit and hit a weak line drive for out number two. With two men on and two outs, Rollins took Broxton's 99 MPH fastball to right-center for to score Bruntlett and Ruiz to win the game.

Ryan Howard got the game going in the first inning with his two-run homer. That homer tied him up with Lou Gherig for most consecutive games with an RBI in multiple post seasons with eight games.

Of course I saw some bad things but I really don't give a damn. This team never gives up and never will and that is the formula a World Series team has.

Next Game: Wednesday in Philadelphia, 8:07 EST

Series: Phillies lead 3-1

Pitching Probables: LAD: Padilla (1-0, 0.63), PHI: Hamels (1-1, 6.97)

Game Day Discussion: Liberty Bell Sports

The Phillies have the Dodgers where they want them. For LA, it's win or go home. The only thing the Dodgers have going for them is the day off on Tuesday to maybe shake off the heart breaking loss. The Phillies are 2-0 in game five's under Charlie Manuel.

Cole Hamels may not have been the same pitcher he was in the 2008 post season but he is still one of the best pitchers in the league and can close this series out. If the Phillies bats can rock Vicente Padilla early, this game and series will be in the bag. The faster the Phillies win this series, the more rest they will have going into the World Series so they can have a fully rested rotation ready for the Yankees/Angels.

Pen Can't Hold Lead

Pedro Martinez pitched his heart out and got nothing out of it as the Phillies lost 2-1. The were able to earn a split on Los Angeles and will come home to Philadelphia for three games. They still have momentum going into these next three games and have nothing to worry about.

Martinez went seven innings, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out three. Chan Ho Park came in to pitch the 8th and was charged for both of the Dodger's runs. Park earned the loss. Former Phillies pitcher Vicente Padilla got the start for LA and was dominant. He allowed a run in 7.1 innings of work on four hits and striking out six. The lone run he gave up was on Ryan Howard's homer in the 4th.

I wasn't able to watch any of the game so I can't make any fair assessments outside of the fact that the bull pen and poor defense blew another game for the Phillies. At least it wasn't Lidge this time but Ryan Madson really needs to pick his game back up. It's the NLCS for crying out loud.

Next Game: Sunday in Philadelphia, 8:07 EST

Series: Series tied 1-1

Probables: LAD: Kuroda (0-0, -.--), PHI: Lee, Cl (1-0, 1.10)

Game Day Discussion: Liberty Bell Sports

Cliff Lee was absolutely dominant in his two starts versus the Rockies in the NLDS. Hiroki Kuroda will be making his first start of the post season. Last time he pitched versus Philadelphia, Shane Victorino told him to throw out his back, not his head.

The series shifts in the Phillies favor despite losing game two. The next three games will be in a very loud Citizens Bank Park where the fans show up hours BEFORE the game starts. Dodgers fans strolled into games one and two around the 3rd inning. That's disgusting. It's going to be louder and more electric than Dodger Stadium in Philadelphia and that should impact the Phillies.

Phillies Bats Heat Up

What a marathon game. If you thought there wouldn't be anymore four-hour games (NLDS game 3) then you were in for a real shock. The Phillies were able to stay on top of the Dodgers with timely hitting, winning the first game, 8-6.

Cole Hamels was a little shaky but got the job done and Chan Ho Park and Brad Lidge were clutch in the late innings to seal the win. Hamels' line through 5.1 IP: four runs on eight hits and a walk, and four strike outs. He surrendered home runs to James Loney in the second and Manny Ramirez in the 5th.

Loney got the offense going with his solo shot in the third. The Phillies then answered in the top of the 5th, putting up five runs on a three-run homer by Carlos Ruiz and a two-run double by Ryan Howard. After Howard's double, Clayton Kershaw was yanked. Kershaw got knocked around for five runs on four hits and five walks in 4.2 IP. Kershaw also became the first pitcher to throw three wild pitches in one inning, doing so in the 5th.

The Dodgers immediately answered in the bottom half, getting a huge three runs back off a shot by Ramirez, who stared down the Phillies dug out after his shot. After a few scares on the mound, the Phillies came up in the top of the 8th. Howard and Jayson Werth absorbed back-to-back walks for Raul Ibanez, who took George Sherrill deep to make it an 8-4 game. Ibanez's shot was the first homer Sherrill allowed to a lefty since mid-2008.

Ryan Madson came in to pitch in the bottom of the 8th and the wheels fell of his bus again. He allowed a pair of runs on four hits but got out of the inning. Lidge came in to pitch the ninth. He allowed an early base runner, got a double play ball, walked Loney, and then got Ronnie Belliard to pop up to end the game.

It was a nail biter the whole way through. My only concerns are Madson's reliability. Hamels will be fine and the offense turned it on like usual. If they keep this up, my playoff beard will get even longer.

Next Game: Friday in Los Angeles, 4:07 EST

Series: Phillies lead 1-0

Probables: Pedro Martinez (0-0, -.--) vs. Vicente Padilla (1-0, 0.00)

Game day discussion: Liberty Bell Sports

Vicente Padilla threw seven shut out innings in game three of the NLDS versus St. Louis. Pedro Martinez hasn't pitched since Sept. 30 versus Houston. If the Phillies can get a 2004 effort from Martinez, they could very well go into Philly with a two-game lead. The Phillies bats can heat up at any time and so can the Dodgers'.

This game is important more so for LA than Philly. You want to win every game but if the Dodgers fall behind 2-0 like last year, they won't have a home field to fall back on. It's cold and loud in Philly and the Dodger's don't want to go there already in the hole.

9th Inning Heroics Send Phils to NLCS

Vengeance: as cold as the Rocky Mountains. The Phillies showed why they are the best come-from-behind team in the majors last night in their 5-4 win over the Rockies, lifting them into an NLCS rematch versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cliff Lee was once again stellar in his second start in the playoffs, going 7.1 innings and allowing three runs, one earned. After walking Deter Fowler, Todd Helton hit a soft grounder to Chase Utley, who attempted to place a tag on Fowler. Instead, Fowler jumped over Utley and was safe at second after Jimmy Rollins failed to hold onto Utley's flip. Ryan Madson came in to the game and this is when the wheels fell off.

Ben Francisco also entered because it was a double switch and played left field in place of Raul Ibanez. Troy Tulowitzki hit a shot to left but Francisco made the incredible diving catch. With two outs now, Jason Giambi hit an RBI base hit to tie the game and Yorvit Torrealba hit a two-run double to right center that put the Rockies up 4-2.

Everyone was writing this game off and Cole Hamels was probably mentally preparing for game 5 but the Phillies offense told Cole to start doing his home work on the Dodgers. After Greg Dobbs pinch-hit for Francisco and struck out, Rollins redeemed his error with a base hit. Shane Victorino then hit a ground ball that got Rollins out but Victorino's hustle kept the Phillies alive. Victorino then stole second and Utley drew the walk.

Up to the plate came Ryan Howard, aka Mr. Red October. He sent a shot well over the head of right fielder Carlos Gonzonlez that scored both Victorino and Utley to knot the game up at 4. The Jayson Werth continued his hot bat with an RBI base hit that scored Howard to put the Phillies on top 5-4.

Scott Eyre started the 9th and got into a bit of a jam. With two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, Brad Lidge entered the game with a one run lead. While listening to "Soldier" by Drowning Pool, Lidge's entrance song of 2008, I watched as he struck out Tulowitzki on his patinent slider to end the game.

I will post a series preview of the Phillies vs Dodgers series either tonight or tomorrow. They first play on Thursday at 4:07 EST. Hamels will be the game 1 starter.

Timely Hitting Sparks Phils

Nothing like some manufactured runs and solid pitching. Now if the Phillies can get that every game, who knows how far it will take them. I saw some things last night that worried me but at the same time saw some things that worked and I liked.

JA Happ and Joe Blanton combined for 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks with Happ striking out four in the Phillies 6-5 win over Colorado to take the 2-1 series lead. Chad Durbin got the win as he pitched a flawless 8th and Brad Lidge came on in the 9th after the Phillies go ahead run to close out the game.

Chase Utley had a solo home run in the first but the Phillies saw that lead quickly diminish with a pair of Rockies runs in the bottom. Colorado tacked on another runs in the third inning and the Phillies exploded in the 4th for three runs to take the 4-3 lead. That lead was quickly vanished after Carlos Gonzalez's solo homer in the fourth.

With the game tied at five in the top of the ninth, Jimmy Rollins got on with a single and Shane Victorino bumped him to second on a sacrifice bunt. Utley then reached base on a check-swing infield single. With runners on 1st and 3rd and Ryan Howard at the plate, the league leader in RBI's could do only 1 thing: hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Rollins for the go ahead and game winning score.

Some of the bad things I saw included Happ's performance. He was bad all night, struggling to find the strike zone, getting worked into deep counts, and then getting hit hard by the Rockies. The other bad thing I saw was pinch hitting. Matt Stairs and Greg Dobbs have not been getting the job done. Use Miguel Cairo or if you want you use Ben Francisco, work out a double switch so he can play the field.

Eyre injured his ankle in the 7th inning but appeared to be fine. "I'll be fine, but I sure would love Cliff Lee to throw a seven or eight innings in Game 4 to give me a couple days to rest it." - Eyre. Ruben Amaro Jr. would have to hold me down and tie me up and that's not going to happen because I'm bigger than he is." - Courtesy of Macho Row's Twitter

Some of the good things I saw included Blanton's pitching out of the bull pen. Durbin also looked real nice and Lidge got a huge confidence booster by being given the opportunity to close out a 1-run playoff game.

Next Game: Today at 6:07 EST in Colorado

Weather: 51 degrees at game time

Probables: PHI: Lee, Cl (1-0, 1.00), COL: Jimenez, U (0-1, 9.00)

The Phillies will want to close out this series so they can rest up and get prepared for the NLCS. The Rockies can't afford to lose or else they will have to book their ski trips at Vail. The pitching match ups are going to be the repeat of game 1.

The Phillies offense was consistent throughout the game, getting support from all parts of the line up. The can definitely do that again tonight facing Ubaldo Jimenez, who got beat up in game 1. Lee will look to have a performance similar to his in game 1. If those two things happen, bring on the Dodgers.

It's Playoff Time

Bring on the Colorado Rockies. The Phillies finished the season with a 93-69 record, one more win than last year's World Championship team. To make everyone feel better, Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson blew 17 saves combined. That probably could have given the Phillies at least 10 more wins but it's not something to dwell on.

The post season is where it really matters. Sure the Yankees flew into October with 103 wins but that won't amount to anything if they don't win the World Series. The same goes for the Phillies third straight division title. It's safe to say that the Phillies don't want to have another blue or white flag flying on their flag polls in center field as red is the color of victory here in Philadelphia.

2009 Regular Season Team Stats:

Runs scored: 840 (4th)

Total bases: 2493 (4th)

HR's: 224 (t2nd)

Batting average: .258 (24th)

ERA: 4.16 (8th)

Strikeouts: 1153 (11th)

Saves: 44 (9th)

Fielding %: .987 (5th)

Phillies leaders (league standings):

Runs scored: Utley - 112 (t4th)
Hits: Victorino 181 (21st)

RBI's: Howard - 141 (1st)
HR's: Howard - 45 (2nd)
Batting average: Victorino - .292

Stolen Bases: Rollins 31 (10th)
ERA (SP): Happ - 2.85 (9th)

ERA (RP): Condrey - 3.02

*Innings pitched: Blanton 193.1
*Strikeouts: Hamels - 168
Saves: Lidge - 31 (15th)

*Lee had more when combing his AL stats

Here is my 25-man roster that I feel should make the post season:

Starters: Ruiz, Howard, Utley, Feliz, Rollins, Ibanez, Victorino, Werth

Bench: Bako, Dobbs, Bruntlett, Cairo, Francisco, Stairs

Rotation: Lee, Blanton, Hamels, Martinez

Bull Pen: Lidge, Madson, Condrey, Durbin, Myers, Eyre, Happ

*Out for season*: Park, Romero, Moyer, Ennis

I will do a playoff preview tomorrow with the NLDS schedule and probables versus the Rockies. I will also post the final playoff roster when it's announced and compare both teams. I will also do a recap after every game.

I will fo a full season recap after the World Series. Whether the Phillies are in it or not, I will keep updated with the rest of the playoffs.

Phillies Clinch 3rd Straight Division

I decided to take a break from typing my paper due tomorrow. With the Phillies win over the Houston Astros, they clinched their third straight division title. This is the most consecutive division titles since the teams managed by the late Danny Ozark in 1976-78.

The Phillies offense exploded for 10 runs and Pedro Martinez, Kyle Kendrick, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, and Brad Lidge combined for the winning effort at pitcher. In the top of the 9th, Eyre retired the first two batters and then in a very classy and symbolic move by Charlie Manuel, Lidge was brought in and retired Lance Berkman to lock up the division.

Raul Ibanez hit his 34th home run of the season and Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Pedro Feliz had a pair of hits each.

The Phillies magic number to clinch at least second place is at three versus the Cardinals and currently sit two game behind the Dodgers, who are playing now, for the top seed in the NL.

It was a night Harry Kalas would again been proud of. I bet he smiled down on Citizen's Bank Park tonight as the crowd sang "High Hopes," Chase Utley and Jayson Werth smoked cigars, and the team paid tribute to the "HK" banner in left field.

Let's win it for Harry and the City of Brotherly Love!


*I will post some video and pictures collected from the media and Youtube from the clinching game some time tomorrow or Friday.

Bad Time For Blown Saves

*photo from "We Should Be GM's"

Brad Lidge was back to his usual self once again. While everyone is counting down the Phillies magic number (5 for Atlanta and 4 for Florida), I'm counting up for Lidge's blown save total. He is currently sitting at 11. That is absolute garbage. Some consider this the best Phillies team ever and he is holding them back.

He held them back again in their series loss to the Marlins. After crushing Florida in the first game and being shut out the second game on Tuesday, the offense provided them with enough runs to win the game and move one game closer to clinching the division but Ryan Madson and Lidge combined for three earned runs to give the Marlins the 7-6 win.

I have asked this question throughout the season and I will ask it again: what the hell are we going to do about Lidge and the closer role for the playoffs? Brett Myers is nursing a back injury and will be out another week. Scott Eyre, Chan Ho Park, and JC Romero are all looking at returns to the pen around the same time as Myers but like Brett, won't even be close to taking a role like closer.

Of the healthy choices, Madson sucks as a closer and that is all there is to it. Jamie Moyer does not have the stuff to be a closer, especially with an 82 MPH fastball and a 76-78 MPH change-up. Pedro Martinez could most likely be the fourth starter in the playoffs. JA Happ may actually be a great choice but he is also battling Martinez for the fourth rotation spot and will likely serve as a primary reliever if he is placed in the pen.

The term "Closer by committee" has been thrown around a lot after Lidge's poor display last night and I totally agree. Tyler Walker has earned a crack at the closer role and Clay Condrey could take a stab as well. Those two along with Martinez/Happ/Moyer, Park, and maybe Madson/Lidge could work together to take turns and finish this out.

It's all in the hands of Charlie Manuel who said this:

"Him and Madson, that's what we've got in the back of our bull pen. He was our closer last year and he'll be our closer now... You're supposed to win a majority of those games/ Exactly what percent I don't know but it's God damn high... "Those are our guys. That's what we've got. We'll stick with them... (Lidge) has to do it. Between him and Madson, they've got to do it, I should say. They've got to get it done."

Is Manuel tired of this crap? Certainly but he's relying on keeping Lidge in until he fixes his stuff. We remember the last time Manuel stood by Lidge: he yanked him with the bases loaded and let Lidge watch Madson get out of the jam. Manuel knows what he's doing (we hope) so it's all in his hands.

Phillies Sweep Nationals; Magic Number at 10

It's time to start the countdown. The Phillies magic number is now 10 after their sweeping of the worst team in baseball, Washington. The starting pitching all series was ridiculous, going 23 innings, and allowing only one run on 16 hits, 8 walks, and 26 strikeouts. The bull pen was just as good, only needing to pitch four innings, and surrendering only two runs. Brad Lidge even notched a save in Thursday's game.

Tuesday - Phillies won 5-0: Cliff Lee came in dealing as he notched a complete game shut out, striking out 10 and allowing six hits and a walk. The Phillies got all five of their runs in the first two innings. Carlos Ruiz had two doubles and three RBI's and Jayson Werth had three hits.

Wednesday - Phillies won 6-1: It was a low scoring, tight pitcher's duel until Washington decided to yank Livan Hernandez. Versus the third pitcher of the sixth inning and with the bases loaded, Jayson Werth blew the game wide open with a grand slam.

Thursday - Phillies won 4-2: Cole Hamels kept the trend of great pitching going with his eight-inning, one run effort and striking out ten. Hamels even had an RBI single in the sixth inning. Brad Lidge came on for his 30th save, allowing a run.

Series MVP's:

Cliff Lee: CG, SHO, 6 H, 1 BB, 10 K

Jayson Werth: 6-11, run, homer, 4 RBI's,

Cole Hamels: 8 IP, 1 R/ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 10 K

Next Series: Philadelphia Phillies (85-60, 43-28 on road) @ Atlanta Braves (78-68, 38-33 at home)

Pitching Probables:

Friday: PHI: Happ (10-4, 2.77), ATL: Hudson, T (1-0, 3.63)

Saturday: PHI: Martinez, P (5-0, 2.87), ATL: Vazquez, J (13-9, 3.01)

Sunday: PHI: Lee, Cl (14-11, 3.00), ATL: Hanson (10-3, 2.65)

Key Game: Friday's game will be pivitol for both teams. For the Braves, it will be a way to end the Phillies win streak and gain an early advantage in the series. For the Phillies, JA Happ is making his first start since September 2.

Braves lead the season series 9-6 but the Phillies have taken two of the last three. The Phillies are also red hot, winners of five straight and six of their last seven. The Braves are going to want to use the advantage they had on the Phillies all season to gain some ground in the division. This is their last series against the Phillies this year and they want to make it count.

The Braves will be putting up three of their better pitchers on the mound but so will the Phillies. Every game is expected to be low scoring and a pitcher's duel even though the Phillies do have one of the scariest offenses in the league and that is supported with them being first in runs scored in the NL and tenth in average. The Braves are sixth and fourth in those respective categories. The pitching has drastically improved for the Phillies as they are sixth in ERA while the Braves are third.

This is a huge series for both teams. This is a different Phillies team though. This is a team who knows what it's like to be the best and they won't let it up to the Braves. The Braves have nothing to lose so expect a very tough series for them. Phillies win two.

Phils Take Three In Final Mets Series

This was the last series the Phillies would play versus the Mets and they made the most of it, winning three of four. Ryan Madson blew Saturday's game to prevent the sweep. Overall, the Phillies taking three from a poor team allowed them to keep pace in the NL East as the Marlins and Braves have not given up their fight. The magic number sits at 14.

Friday - Phillies won 4-2: Cole Hamels continued his dominant run as he went 6.2 innings, allowing a run on seven hits and a walk, striking out six. Shane Victorino had three doubles.

Saturday - Mets won 10-9: The Mets jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead but the Phillies scored big, being up 9-5 up to the eighth inning. Brett Myers surrendered three runs in that inning and then Madson gave up a two-out single and then a two-run homer to David Wright to blow the lead and eventually the game.

Sunday #1 - Phillies won 5-4: Ben Francisco and Victorino had home runs each and Kyle Kendrick pitched excellent in his first start since last year, going 7.1 innings and allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three. Brad Lidge came in with a three run lead and allowed two, barely getting his 29th save.

Sunday #2 - Phillies won 1-0: Pedro Martinez pitched his finest outing as a Phillie, going eight innings for the first time in about three years. He allowed no runs, six hits, two walks, and struck out seven. The Phillies got the only run in the first when Jimmy Rollins scored off a Chase Utley single. Madson got the save.

Series MVP's:

Shane Victorino: 6-15, 2 runs, 3 doubles, HR, 2 RBI

Chase Utley: 5-13, 3 runs, 2 doubles, HR, 3 RBI

Pedro Martinez: 8 IP, 0 ER/R, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 K

Next Series: Washington Nationals (50-93, 21-50 on road) @ Philadelphia Phillies (82-60, 39-32 at home)

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday: WSH: Mock (3-7, 5.75), PHI: Lee, Cl (13-11, 3.13)

Wednesday: WSH: Hernandez, L (8-10, 5.30), PHI: Blanton (9-7, 4.11)
Thursday: WSH: Martin, J (4-4, 4.29), PHI: Hamels (9-9, 4.21)

Phillies lead the series 12-3 and this is the final match up between the two teams. The Nationals are the worst team in baseball and the Phillies have to use this series to pull away further in the division. There really is no key game to this series. Just beat the Nationals is all they need to focus on.

Washington has actually had a higher team batting average than the Phillies, sitting in 4th place in the NL while the Phillies are 10th. In the runs scored department, the Phillies have climbed to being only two runs shy of retaking their NL lead and the Nats are 7th. The Phillies pitching has been much better, resting at 7th in ERA while the Nats are last in the NL in ERA .

This should be a sweep and it will be a sweep. This is the time where the Phillies should not be worrying about their closer problems and just put teams away.

9th Inning Woes

It seems that no matter who pitches in the ninth inning, the Phillies cannot close out baseball games. Brad Lidge has blown 10 saves this year and his supposed replacement, Ryan Madson, just blew his sixth save Saturday night versus the Mets.

With two outs and nobody on in the top of the ninth, Madson gave up a single to Fernando Tatis and then a two-run go ahead home run to David Wright, giving the Mets the 10-9 lead and victory. Madson is 1-3 with a 7.82 ERA and 7 saves in 13 save opportunities this season. Opponents have hit .352 against him.

My argument for Brett Myers came to a screeching hault as he put the Mets back in the game. He came in the eigth and only last a third of the inning, giving up a two-run bomb to Wright and another run that Chan Ho Park inherited.

So who does this leave us with? We're still waiting for JC Romero to get back so he could be a set up man and no one else in the pen has any good closer experience. The Phillies don't want to turn to a young arm in Andrew Carpenter to close. Lidge is a headcase, Madson and Park suck, and Myers isn't ready yet.

People, I am officially stumped. The only solution is for the offense to score a lot of runs and the starting pitching to go seven innings a game and not give up five runs a start. Cliff Lee needs to pitch better, JA Happ needs to get healthy, Joe Blanton needs to recover from that bad start the other day and Cole Hamels needs to maintain his dominance he's shown his past few starts.

Losing Streak Finally Over

The Phillies used their version of small ball, five solo homers, to beat the Nationals 5-3. Raul Ibanez had two homers, and Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, and Carlos Ruiz had one. Even more interestingly is that with Ibanez's two and Utley's one, they gave the Phillies four 30-home run hitters, the 12th time in MLB history it has been done and the first time since the 2006 White Sox.

Also, Brad Lidge loaded the bases with one out with the 5-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth. Charlie Manuel, who stated the other day that "Lidge is out closer," walked out and yanked Lidge, putting in Ryan Madson. Mad Dog struck out Ryan Zimmerman and got Adam Dunn to ground out to end the game. I wonder if Madson or Brett Myers will close in the future or if Lidge will remain the closer.

Ass-tro Kicking

This was one of the saddest displays I have ever seen by the Phillies, not including 1997-2002 only because expectations weren't that high. The Phillies are the road warriors! They killed teams on the road. The Astros are pitiful and can't win a stretch of games. So how does one of the best teams in baseball get swept by one of the worst?

The Phillies still can't do a thing with runners in scoring position and the bull pen doesn't know how to hold leads, especially blown save specialist Brad Lidge. I already wrote my rant on Brad Lidge so I don't feel like beating a dead horse.

The only bright spots in this series have been starting pitchers, Ryan Howard, and Brett Myers. The things to worry about include Cliff Lee's second bad start, RISP problems, and Brad Lidge.

Friday - Astros won 7-0: This was such a pathetic display. Lee got shelled for the second straight game and the offense just went blank. Carlos Ruiz managed to get three hits in the game.

Saturday - Astros won 5-4: Ryan Howard continues to play hard for this team as we had a triple and an RBI. Joe Blanton pitched well enough for the win but Brad Lidge thought that game would be a good time to blow his 10th save. With the bases loaded, Kaz Matsui hit a two run single in the bottom of the ninth to win.

Sunday - Astros won 4-3: Oh Cole Hamels, you were pitching so well until the 5th inning. Hamels got whacked around in the 5th and the Phillies couldn't recover. They got runs on three solo homers by Jimmy Rollins, Ben Francisco, and Jayson Werth.

Monday - Astros won 4-3: Another lead given up by the bull pen as Chan Ho Park was the next culprit. JA Happ was scratched with an oblique strain so Jamie Moyer got the start. Moyer pitched well in his first start in about a month but Park lost the lead in the 7th. Howard and Raul Ibanez went back-to-back in the fourth to originally give the Phillies the 3-2 lead.

Series MVP's: despite the sweep, only two Phillies deserved recognition for their good play.

Ryan Howard - 5-15, 2 R, triple, homer, 3 RBI

Jamie Moyer - 2 appearances, one start, 9 IP, 4 H, 3 R/ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Next Series: Philadelphia Phillies (77-58, 41-27 on road) @ Washington Nationals (47-90, 28-41 at home)

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday - PHI: Martinez, P (3-0, 3.52), WSH: Lannan (8-10, 4.09)

Wednesday - PHI: Lee, Cl (12-11, 3.06), WSH: Mock (3-7, 5.63)

Thursday - PHI: Blanton (9-6, 3.80), WSH: Hernandez (7-10, 5.44)

Phillies lead the series 10-2. The Nationals are the worst team in baseball and anything similar to what happened in Houston would be absolutely pathetic. There really is no key game to this series as they are all key. The Phillies need to get out of this four-game skid, especially versus the lowly Nats.

Washington has actually had a higher team batting average than the Phillies, sitting in 6th place in the NL while the Phillies are 11th. As far as runs scored, the Phillies terrible display of offense has dropped them well behind Colorado in the NL as the Nats sit in 8th.

The Phillies are the better team but with their recent skid of losing five of their last six and only scoring 23 runs in their last 11 games. I hope they sweep the Nationals to get them out of this offensive funk. We shall see.

Bad Lidge

Brad Lidge has been awful and we all know this. I've called about a month ago that Lidge should be replaced by not only a healthy Brett Myers but in the middle to late September, a few weeks after Myers was scheduled to return.

Well with no set backs in his rehab where Myers actually impressed and looked sharp, he returned with the Phillies, joining them in Houston on Friday. He pitched his first inning in relief since 2007 on Saturday and made his first appearance since May.

Myers walked his first batter, got the next to fly out, got help from Carlos Ruiz as he threw out a base stealer, and then got another fly out. His fastball hit 94 MPH and his breaking ball was starting to find it's place. He earned a hold as Lidge came in the ninth to blow the game and lose.

After a few more appearances, Myers should be fully capable to take Lidge's spot as closer if he blows a couple more saves or struggles in relief. This will both help the Phillies win games, send a message to Lidge to straighten up, and also give Myers the opportunity to petition to be re-signed in the offseason.

I am in no way hoping Lidge to struggle so Myers gets a chance. I just Myers to be given a chance with the big lead they still have so they aren't screwing up what they have in a tight race. I say give Lidge another week or a few appearances and go from there. He's on a very short leash in my eyes and needs to either figure himself out or let someone else help this team. Jamie Moyer swallowed his pride so Lidge should too.

Myers Is Back!

Great news brought to us by Todd Zolecki via Twitter:

Brett Myers will be activated tomorrow in Houston. Expected to start pitching in the 6th and 7th innings.

This is great for the Phillies bull pen who get a huge boost from a good pitcher. Myers has pitched in relief in 2007 while going 5-5 with a 2.87 ERA and saving 21/24 games.

In six appearances and eight innings of minor league work, Myers has a 1.12 ERA and 14 strike outs, allowing a run on four hits and two walks.

Pending on how well Myers pitches well and if Brad Lidge continues to belly flop will determine who the play off closer will be. Whoever it is, he sure as hell better not blow a game.

Phillies Gain Ground

The Phightin's came up with a huge series win on Atlanta tonight, expanding their division lead to eight games on both the Braves and Fish. This series showed how human Cliff Lee can be and how effective Pedro Martinez and Jamie Moyer are in the same game. This gives the Phillies more depth in the bull pen as the "two old goats" could see time there in the playoffs.

Friday - Phillies won 4-2: Ryan Howard had two homers and drove in all four runs. It was another rain delayed game so the Pedro-Moyer connections pitched 6.1 innings allowing a run on five hits and striking out six. Moyer earned the win and Brad Lidge notched his 26th save.

Saturday - Braves won 9-1: Lee came back down to earth as he got rocked by Atlanta for six runs on three long balls. He lasted five innings, striking out five. Chase Utley hit a homer in the first and that was it for the scoring.

Sunday - Phillies won 3-2: Big Joe Blanton got some run support in the seventh off of Carlos Ruiz's two run double. Blanton tossed seven innings, allowing a run on three hits and four walks, striking out seven. Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3- ninth for his 27th save.

Series MVP's:

Ryan Howard: 6-11, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI

Chase Utley: 5-12, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Brad Lidge: 2 IP, 2 K, 2 Saves (this is impressive the way he's played all year)

Next Series: San Francisco Giants (72-59, 28-38) @ Philadelphia Phillies (75-53, 34-30 at home)

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday: SF: Sanchez, J (6-10, 4.27), PHI: Hamels (7-8, 4.52)

Wednesday: SF: Lincecum (13-4, 2.33), PHI: Happ (10-3, 2.63)

Thursday: SF: Zito (9-11, 3.94), PHI: Martinez, P (2-0, 4.50)

Key Game: Wednesday's game is going to feature NL Rookie of the Year candidate JA Happ versus last year's NL Cy Young winner and candidate for this year, Tim Lincecum. Both pitchers have been tops on their teams and are in the top five in ERA in the NL. Lincecum pitched eight scoreless as the Giants shut out the Phillies on August 1. Happ hasn't face San Fran this year.

The Giants lead the series 3-1 after dominance in their own park. Well the Giants aren't that hot on the road and the Phillies have been good in their own park as of late. This should be a very interesting series as the Giants are in a heated Wild Card race with the Rockies.

The Giants are not an offensive powerhouse like the Phillies. They're ninth in the NL in average and 13th in runs scored. They are also 16th in homers. The Phillies are first in runs scored and homers and 11th in average. Pitching is the other way around as the Giants are second in ERA while the Phillies are eighth.

The Phillies are very capable of winning this series as they only have to face Lincecum and not Matt Cain as well. If the bats can wake up a bit, they should be able to win this series to keep pace in the NL east. Phillies will take two this series.