Mailbag: Reds Matchup/ Phillies MVP

In this post, I answered questions presented by Pat Gallen of Phillies Nation. Click the link to see answers from other bloggers. If you have a question, please e-mail me at amanda@swingandalongdrive.com.

The Phillies will face the Cincinnati Reds in the NLDS starting on Wednesday. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the most favorable to the Phillies, 1 being least favorable) how do you think the Phils match up with the Reds in the opening series?

6.5. I was really hoping that the Padres would win the Wild Card because I think that the Reds are the toughest road to the NLCS. I think the Phillies are the favorites, but I still think the Reds are a tough opponent.

Offensively, I think it's fairly even. As far as collective team stats go, the Reds gained the edge. However, the Phillies were without Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard at parts of the season. Now, they are all back. The Phillies win offensively now, but the Reds are no slouch. Joey Votto scares me.

Pitching-wise, the Phillies get the advantage. The Reds are going to face three aces. On the other hand, the Reds have Bronson Arroyo slated as number two. The Reds have some decent young arms, but they have yet to reach their peak.

Overall, I pick to win the Phillies, but it's not going to be an easy series. The Phillies may have took the season series, 5-2, including a 4-game sweep at home, but the Reds still played the Phillies tough. One of those 4 games featured a miracle late-inning comeback, and two were extra inning wins.

The Phillies wrapped up the regular season yesterday, finishing 97-65. Who was the Phils regular season MVP?

Roy Halladay. Every five days is win day. He gave the Phillies a solid 250 innings. Complete Games. Shutouts. Perfect game. How can he not be the team MVP?

Second: Jayson Werth; Third: Ryan Howard

Year In Review: NL Pennant

Swing and a Long Drive will be looking at some of 2009's top moments. We had a similar "Year in Review" last year, but instead of month-by-month, we'll look at some of the top games. They are also a part of Phillies Nation's Top 25 Moments of 2009.

It had never been done in franchise history. Following an epic win, there was no doubt that this team was going to do it. For the second year in a row, each member of the Philadelphia Phillies raised the Warren C. Giles trophy. National League Champions! Some things just don't get old.

The Phillies fell to an early one-run deficit, but one swing of the bat changed the momentum. After crushing a three-run home run, Jayson Werth trotted to right field, tipped his cap and fist pumped to an amped up crowd. The atmosphere and the attitude didn't change as the Phightin's cruised to a 10-4 victory, shattering the Los Angeles Dodgers' hopes for the second consecutive year.

In the process, the Phillies rocked Vicente Padilla, who shut them down in game two. Cole Hamels handed over the NLCS Most Valuable Player award to Ryan Howard. Howard batted .333 with two home runs and eight RBIs during the series.

The players sported their new t-shirts and caps. Champagne was sprayed throughout the clubhouse and the streets of Philadelphia emptied. It's starting to become a nice tradition.

Other Top Moments: Jimmy Rollins' walk off against Dodgers in game four of the NLCS. Ryan Howard "gets to the plate, boys" in game four of the NLDS.

Year In Review: NLCS Game One

Swing and a Long Drive will be looking at some of 2009's top moments. We had a similar "Year in Review" last year, but instead of month-by-month, we'll look at some of the top games. They are also a part of Phillies Nation's Top 25 Moments of 2009.

It didn't take long for the Phillies to get their first victory in the National League Championship Series. The pitching was shaky, but home runs from Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez proved to be the difference in the 8-6 victory.

Young Clayton Kershaw cruised through the first four innings, but it wouldn't last. Carlos Ruiz smacked a three-run home run to left field, giving the Phillies a 3-1 lead. "Choochtober" has a .303 batting average and a .905 OPS in his playoff career.

Ryan Howard started his NLCS MVP campaign with a two-run double. Not only did Howard's eighteenth RBI give the Phillies a 5-1 cushion, but Howard set a Phillies record for most RBIs in a postseason.

Hamels continued to struggle and the Dodgers took advantage. The first of Chase Utley's throwing errors led to Manny Ramirez's two-run home run. The lead was cut to one. Raul Ibanez changed that with a three-run blast, and some breathing room. Ibanez was the first left-handed hitter to homer off George Sherrill in over a year.

Chad Durbin, J.A Happ, and Chan Ho Park picked up Hamels’ pieces. Brad Lidge closed the doors to secure the Phillies first win in the National League Championship Series.

Other Top Moments:

May 2 vs the New York Yankees: For the second straight night, Brad Lidge blew a save. However, Carlos Ruiz came up big with a RBI double in the 11th. Phillies win, 4-3.

The Games That Got Us Here

As seen on Phillies Nation.

They’re back for seconds! The Philadelphia Phillies won the National League pennant, and are headed to the World Series for the second consecutive year. Their opponent will be the New York Yankees, the winningest team in sports history.

The Phillies finished their roller coaster season with 93 wins, but their never-say-die attitude in the playoffs has made for the most memorable postseason in franchise history.

The Phillies kicked off the postseason by beating the Colorado Rockies in four games during the National League Division Series. Cliff Lee’s nine superb innings set the tone for the playoffs. The Phillies took the first game, 5-1, but it was not the most exciting highlight of the series.

Colorado snow postponed the third game of the series, but at 2:14 a.m on a Monday morning, the Phillies took a 2-1 series lead in a game for the ages. Tied at five in the ninth inning, Ryan Howard hit a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 6-5 lead. It wasn’t Howard’s biggest moment of the series.

“Just get me to the plate, boys,” Howard said to his teammates, who were trailing 4-2 with two outs in the ninth. It appeared as if the Rockies tied the series, but two runners reached base to keep the Phillies’ hopes alive. Howard didn’t disappoint, smashing a game-tying double. Jayson Werth followed with a run batted in. Brad Lidge closed the doors to send the Phillies to the National League Championship Series.

The series against the Los Angeles Dodgers was filled with Carlos Ruiz clutch hits, Chase Utley throwing errors, another stellar performance from Lee, poor outings from Cole Hamels, and an 11-0 blowout. In addition, Howard tied Lou Gehrig’s eight game postseason RBI record. However, Howard, the NLCS MVP, didn’t get the biggest hit.

Once again, the Phillies were down to their last out, with a familiar nemesis on the mound: Jonathan Broxton. In game four of the 2008 NLCS, Matt Stairs famously hit a game-winning home run off Broxton. This time around, Broxton didn’t want any part of Stairs, and walked him. It proved to be costly for L.A, because Jimmy Rollins delivered with the biggest hit of his career. The Phillies stunned the Dodgers by winning, 5-4. Rollins’ game four walk-off made for one of the most unbelievable endings in postseason history.

A day later, the Phillies clinched the pennant. For the first time in franchise history, the Phillies won back-to-back National League championships. They can make more history by giving us another parade.

Phillies Win the Pennant!

This doesn't get old! For the first time in franchise history, the Phillies win back-to-back National League pennants. The Phillies 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers sends them back to the World Series!

Andre Eithier's solo home run put the Dodgers on the board, but Jayson Werth's three-run shot changed the entire atmosphere. Werth, who smacked two home runs, tipped his cap and raised his arms to the fired up crowd. That was the attitude for the rest of the game. The Phillies took a 3-1 lead and didn't look back. Even when the Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth inning, there was never doubt that the Phillies would lose.

It wasn't a good homecoming for Vicente Padilla, who allowed six runs. The Phillies kept tacking on. Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino each homered. Raul Ibanez added a RBI double. Victorino waited for Ronnie Belliard's fly ball to reach his glove as Carlos Ruiz and Brad Lidge rejoiced on the pitcher's mound with the rest of the team joining them.

Cole Hamels, who looked shaky in his 4.1 innings, handed over his NLCS MVP to Ryan Howard. Howard deservedly earned honors, driving in a run in eight consecutive games (which ended on Wednesday). Howard batted .333 with two home runs and eight RBI during the Championship series.

This series was amazing. Cliff Lee's eight inning shutout and Jimmy Rollins' walk-off were two of the top highlights during one of the best postseason series in franchise history. Celebrate Philadelphia, but we still need four more wins!

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Dodgers Tie Ser-- Not So Fast!

Here is screen shot of MLB.com from last night, slightly before the Phillies rallied in the ninth inning. It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!

PHOTO COURTESY: The 700 Level

CNN will be featuring a special, Latino in America. Raul Ibanez sits down with Soledad O'Brien for CNN Latino in America. Ibanez talk about his family's passion for baseball and how his dream could only come true in America. Tune in to CNN on October 21 and October 22 at 9pm (EST) to watch his interview and more.

Link:

Call of the Day: The Phillies clinch the 2008 NL Pennant.

"The 3–2 pitch ... Swing, and a pop-up, this game is gonna be over ... Carlos
Ruiz squeezes it, and the Phillies are the National League champions! The Phils
move on to the World Series! Brad Lidge, fittingly gets the final out as the Phillies have won it 5 to 1."

Walk-off Win Stuns Dodgers

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Never doubt this team. The Phillies were down to their last out, but another clutch hit led to another stunning victory. The 5-4 win gives the Phillies a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

Ryan Howard continues to sizzle. He greeted his former teammate with a 2-run first inning home run. The Big Piece tied Lou Gehrig for most consecutive postseason games with a run batted in. Howard's streak is more impressive because he did it in one year; Gehrig's was over two years. After the homer, Randy Wolf settled in and retired 14 straight.

Joe Blanton had a similar streak, retiring the first ten batters he faced. He allowed a walk to Matt Kemp, and then the wheels fell off. Two RBI singles tied the game in the fourth inning. An inning later, Kemp homered to give the Dodgers the lead. Blanton's struggles questioned why Charlie Manuel did not lift Blanton for Happ.

Blanton's line was decent: he allowed four runs (three earned) in six innings. He gave up six hits, walked two and struck out two. He was dominant until his pitches started to become flat. But Blanton wasn't the story.

Besides Howard's homer, Wolf only gave up one more run (Chase Utley's RBI single). The Phillies had plenty of chances to score, but the Dodgers' bullpen wiggled through jams. The biggest opportunity came in the eighth inning. With two on and one out, Howard struck out. The Big Piece can't always be the hero.

With two outs, a familiar face appeared on the mound: Jonathan Broxton. Broxton was able to strand the runners by getting Jayson Werth to fly out. The ninth inning was a different story -- a story that would define this Phillies ball club. With one out, Matt Stairs was called upon to pinch hit for Pedro Feliz. With game four of the 2008 NLCS fresh in mind, Broxton did not give in to Stairs. Following Stairs' walk, Carlos Ruiz was plunked.

Greg Dobbs made the second out on a soft liner. The crowd that had been silent for most of the evening had all eyes on Jimmy Rollins. And boy did he deliver. Rollins smashed Broxton's 1-1 offering into the right center field gap. Eithier chased, but Eric Bruntlett scored easily. Ruiz scored from first, sliding into home safely without a play at the plate.

Rollins was deservedly mobbed by his teammates, but the bullpen deserves some credit too. The 'pen threw three scoreless innings. Brad Lidge earned the win, striking out two batters in 2/3 of an inning.

This game will go down as one of the most unbelievable endings in postseason history. Jonathan Broxton blew game four of the National League Championship Series, and Cole Hamels will be on the mound for game five. Sound familiar? This is what October is all about.

NLCS Game 3 Preview

For full gameday, visit Phillies Nation.

In game three of the NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) will play the Philadelphia Phillies (1-1) . Hiroki Kuroda, RHP starts vs. Cliff Lee, LHP .

The National League Championship Series moves to Philadelphia after the Phillies and Dodgers split the first two games. The first game featured home runs from Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez. Despite a stellar performance by Pedro Martinez, the Phillies blew a 1-0 lead thanks to a throwing error by Chase Utley. After an off day, the series returns with Hiroki Kuroda and Cliff Lee on the mound.

From one extreme to another, weather will be a factor. The weather was beautiful in Los Angeles; 93 degrees and sunny. It’ll be the complete opposite in Philly: cold and rainy. The frigid temperatures didn’t seem to bother Lee in game four of the division series. “I think that affects the hitter more than the pitcher,” Lee said.

Lee has been streaky since joining the Phillies. He went a perfect 5-0 with an ERA under one in his first five starts, but scuffled towards the end of the year posting an ERA over six. Right now, he’s in a hot streak. In 16.1 innings during the NLDS, Lee allowed only two earned runs. Lee’s only start against the Dodgers came in his Cy Young year. He pitched seven shutout innings before exiting after allowing a one-run single.

Lee has benefited from the hometown crowd, posting a 2.52 ERA at Citizens Bank Park. However, Lee will have to watch out for Manny Ramirez. Ramirez is 6-for-14 (.429) with two home runs against the lefty.

Kuroda will make his second postseason start against the Phillies, with the last coming in 2008’s NLCS. Kuroda will forever be known as the pitcher who threw at Shane Victorino’s head, but also leading the Dodgers to their lone NLCS victory that year. He pitched six innings allowing two runs in 08’s NLCS, but that is only a small portion of his success against the Phillies. In three starts, Kuroda is 1-0 with a 0.95 ERA, 0.58 WHIP and .100 BAA against the Phillies in his career. He has struck out 17 Phillies in 19 innings.

Kuroda tossed six shutout innings against the Phillies earlier this year, but there is uncertainty surrounding this start. Kuroda will be pitching for the first time in over three weeks due to a herniated disk in his neck. Kuroda also suffered an oblique injury and was hit in the head with a line drive this season.

While Manny is always a threat for the Dodgers, Ruiz has been the biggest threat this postseason. Ruiz is 7-for-18 (.389) with a home run, six RBI, and a stolen base during the 2009 playoffs.

“I’ve got all the faith in the world in our team. It’s going to be a good series, guys. This series by no means is over. It’s going to be a tough series,” Charlie Manuel said.

Break out the rally towels. Home-field advantage starts now.

Tonight’s Lineup: Rollins (SS), Victorino (CF), Utley (2B), Howard (1B), Werth (RF), Ibanez (LF), Feliz (3B), Ruiz (C), Lee (P).

Phillies Survive Game One With 8-6 Win

As seen on Phillies Nation.

It’s never easy. The Phillies survived an 8-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, taking a 1-0 advantage in the National League Championship Series. The pitching was shaky, but home runs by Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez proved to be the difference.

There were hopes that Cole Hamels would return to form, especially against a team that he had so much success against. However, he is a completely different pitcher than the one who posted a sub-2 earned run average during the 2008 postseason. The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead on James Loney’s second inning home run. For awhile, it looked like that was all Clayton Kershaw would need. The 21-year old left-hander shut out the Phillies for four innings, but his 5.23 ERA against them this season showed that it wouldn’t last.

Carlos Ruiz showed why it’s ”Choochtober.” Ruiz is batting .348 with 10 RBI, five extra base hits, and eight walks in 18 postseason games. Ruiz’s three run home run gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead. In the same inning, Ryan Howard stroked a double down the right field line, similar to his hit during the final game of the division series. Howard’s 18 postseason runs batted in set a Phillies record. The Phillies took a 5-1 lead, but it didn’t take long for the Dodgers to strike back.

Hamels needed a “shut down inning.” He allowed a few base runners, but was close to escaping the jam. Andre Eithier grounded a dead double play ball, but Chase Utley airmailed the throw to first. The play was not fully Utley’s fault. Jimmy Rollins failed to get the ball out of his glove quickly. A run scored with Manny Ramirez due up. We all remember the troubles “Mannywood” gave the Phillies in last year’s NLCS. He had no trouble causing more problems. Manny smashed a deep fly ball to center field, stared at it for 15 minutes, then rounded the bases for a two-run home run. The lead was cut to one.

Hamels didn’t last much longer. He gave up four runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked one. He now has a 6.97 ERA this postseason.

George Sherill hadn’t allowed a home run to a left-handed batter since June 14, 2008 against Adam LaRoche. The Dodgers acquired Sherill from the Baltimore Orioles for a reason: to get out lefties. Raul Ibanez had a different plan. Ibanez’s two-run shot gave the Phillies an 8-5 lead, and a little more breathing room.

Together, Chad Durbin and J.A Happ picked up Hamels’ pieces. Happ worked through a bases loaded jam without allowing a run to cross. Chan Ho Park, who just returned from a hamstring injury, was excellent in his seventh inning relief appearance. Park retired the three batters he faced and clocked 96 mph on the radar gun. On the other hand, Ryan Madson was atrocious in the eighth inning. He was lucky he did not allow more than two runs.

The ninth inning brought on Brad Lidge. Matt Kemp greeted him with a single. When the lead-off runner reaches base against Lidge, it’s usually a bad sign. However, Casey Blake hit a sharp ground ball to Utley. Utley made a fantastic play on a short hop, and was able to turn the double play. Ronnie Belliard flied out to end the game.

Friday, Pedro Martinez will start against former Phillie Vicente Padilla. A 2-0 series lead would be nice to return to Philadelphia with. Since the League Championship Series was extended to seven games, game one winners are 28-18. 29 doesn’t sound too bad.

Part I: NLCS Preview: History

Originally featured on Phillies Nation.

When the term "rivarly" comes to mind, the Philadelphia Phillies think of the New York Mets while the Los Angeles Dodgers think of the San Francisco Giants. The truth is, the Phillies and Dodgers have bad blood between each other, and it goes beyond Tommy Lasorda beating up the Phillie Phanatic. Their historical meetings in the National League Championship Series are the roots of a Phillies/Dodgers rivalry.

In 1977, the Phillies and Dodgers first met during the League Championship Series. That year, the Phillies won 101 games, a franchise best. The Phillies took the first game of the series, 7-5, but the Dodgers answered with three consecutive wins. Dusty Baker was named the Most Valuable Player, but it was game three that stirred controversy.

The Phillies had a comfortable 5-3 lead headed into 9th inning before a huge turn of events. Davy Lopes hit a ground ball that deflected off Mike Schmidt. Larry Bowa bare handed the ball in mid-air. In the same motion, he fired to first. Lopes was ruled safe, although the replay clearly showed that Lopes was out. Instead of ending the game, the tying run scored. Bill Russell's RBI single scored Lopes. The Dodgers won the game and eventually the series. October 7, 1977 will forever be known as "Black Friday."

1978's NLCS featured a rematch. Once again, the Dodgers won the series, 3-1. Steve Carlton was unavailable until game three because he pitched the National League East clinching game a few days before the NLCS. Game three was the only game that the Phillies won. For the second year in a row, Russell drove in the game winning run.

In 1983, the Dodgers dominated the Phillies in the regular season, winning 11 of 12 against their cross-country rivals. However, the Phillies won the games that mattered most, winning the NLCS in four games. Carlton shutout the Dodgers to open the series. The lone run came on Mike Schmidt's home run. After losing the second game of the series, the Phillies rebounded and won the final two games. Gary Matthews crushed three home runs during the series, earning the NLCS MVP.

In each of these series, the team that won the NLCS lost the World Series. That changed in 2008.

In game one, Chase Utley and Pat Burrell's sixth inning home runs off Derek Lowe led to a victory. Brett Myers drove in three runs during game two. In game four, Shane Victorino, still furious about a fastball that almost nailed him in the head, homered in the eighth inning to tie the game at five. Matt Stairs had no problem sending Jonathan Broxton's fastball "deep into the night." Stairs' game winning homer gave the Phillies a 7-5 win. Cole Hamels, the NLCS MVP, shut down the Dodgers en route to a 5-1, clinching victory.

This series will feature many familiar faces. Former Dodgers Davy Lopes, Chan Ho Park and Jayson Werth are against their former team, much like Larry Bowa, Mariano Duncan, Jim Thome, Vicente Padilla, and Randy Wolf.

As the saying goes, history repeats itself. Will Matt Stairs be the new Bill Russell? Will Cliff Lee's unavailablility until game three prove to be costly like Steve Carlton in 1978? The umpires have missed several calls throughout the postseason; will there be another missed call as big as "Black Friday?" These two teams can't look at the past. They are looking to build their own legacy, and the Phillies hope it's the same as 2008. As Jimmy Rollins said: "it's going to be one of those epic series."

Stairs Does Best NLCS Impression

Matt Stairs was the hero in the 2008 National League Championship when he crushed a 2 run home run off Dodger's closer Jonathan Broxton in the eighth inning, giving the Phillies a 7-5 lead in game four.

Stairs heroics were familiar in the Phillies 7-5 win over the Colorado Rockies for their third win of the season, almost exactly six month after his butt was hammered in the visitors dugout at Dodger Stadium.

In his first start of the season, Chan Ho Park struggled and surrendered four earned runs in the first inning. Park lasted just 3.1 innings, allowed 5 earned runs on seven hits and three walks. He allowed a home run to Dexter Fowler.

Like game four of the NLCS, the Phillies were trailing, but kept chipping away. Jayson Werth's 2 RBI put the Phillies within reach. Similar to the NLCS, the eighth inning was key to keeping the Phillies alive. Shane Victorino tied the NLCS with a two run home run, but Chase Utley would take over his role in Sunday's game, tying the game at 5 with his first home run of the season.

In the ninth inning, Pedro Feliz lead off the inning by blooping a double down the left field line. Chris Coste bunted him over to third, and all Matt Stairs, the pinch hitter, needed to was get the ball in the air to the outfield. He did more than just that. In his best NLCS impression, he got a hold of a fastball and crushed a two run home run off the Rockies closer Huston Street.

Like game four, Ryan Madson earned the win, and Brad Lidge recorded the save in the Phillies all too familiar win.

Year In Review: NLCS

The Phillies moved on to the second round of postseason play, the National League Championship series, seeking a pennant for the first time since 1993. To win it, they would have to beat Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

During the 2008 regular season, the Dodgers and Phillies split the season series 4 games a piece, each sweeping on their home turf. The Phillies came into the NLCS with a home field advantage.

In game one, Cole Hamels and Derek Lowe were controlled the game. But all it took was one error.

Shane Victorino reached on a throwing error by Rafael Furcal. Although Lowe later said it didn't effect him, he gave up a 2 run home run to Chase Utley to tie the game. Pat Burrell hit a go ahead solo home run to capture a Phillies win.

Emotions varied the day of game 2. Charlie Manuel had lost his mother prior to the game, and Victorino found out his grandmother passed away after the game.

Brett Myers, the self proclaimed terrible hitter who batted just .067 during the regular season, went 3-3 in game 2. Victorino chipped in with 4 RBI and a game saving catch as the Phillies went on to beat the Dodgers 8-5.

On their way to L.A, the Phillies had a 2-0 series lead. The Dodgers took game 3, and tempers flared. Hiroki Kuroda threw at Victorino's head, and Shane made it be known where not to throw. Benches cleared, but the series continued.

The home team had their ways with these two teams. It looked like it would continue through game 4 with Phillies sloppy play and a Ryan Howard error, and a 5-3 Dodger lead. However, Victorino continued to hurt his former team. A 2 run home run tied the game, and it was time for the hero to evolve. Kirk Gibson? Not quite. Matthew Wade Stairs.

Everybody knows Stairs has one thing on his mind: home run. Everybody, but maybe Jonathan Broxton, who couldn't get the fastball by him. Stairs smoked a home run, that still has not landed yet. The away team finally managed a win on the opponent's field. A 7-5 dramatic, Phillies come from behind win.

One more win, and the Phillies were in. There was deja vu as Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a home run, much like he did in the NLDS. With the help of 2 more errors by Furcal, the Phillies cruised to a 5-1 win behind ace, and series MVP, Cole Hamels.

Bill Giles presented the Warren Giles trophy to himself. The Phillies were headed to the World Series, to take on the Rays of Tampa Bay.

NL Pennant!

It's finally starting to sink in, but I just can't describe it. Unbelievable, amazing, awesome, exciting. Those words fit well.

The Phillies finally won the National League Pennant for the first time since 1993. Boy, that feels good to say: National League Champs.

Cole Hamels earned the NLCS MVP. He went 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in the NLCS. In 14 innings, he allowed just 3 earned runs, walked just 3 batters, and struck out 13 batters.

Despite not having some of his best stuff at times, Hamels still dominated, and is possibly now considered "a big game pitcher."

Hamels was known as "tough luck" during the season due to lack of run support from his teammates. Hamels got plenty of support in the NLCS.

The Phillies flashed back to the NLDS in the first inning of game 5 of the NLCS. Jimmy Rollins led off the first inning with a leadoff homerun. Despite not having a good series, JRoll once again set the tone in a big game to get the Phillies started.

The defense stepped up big time, especially Shane Victorino and Chase Utley. Not only did they step it up for Hamels, but for the entire series. Utley made several outstanding, game saving plays, including a double play that ended a Dodger threat in game 4. Victorino made several great running catches, and not to mention his amazing leaping play against the wall in game 2.

The defense in the opposing dugout wasn't as good. In the final game of the series, Rafeal Furcal made 3 errors in one inning which led to 2 Phillies runs.

It wasn't just the glove of Victorino that made things roll for the Phils. He helped with the bat too. Victorino's game tying homerun in game 4 shifted the momentum from the Dodgers to the Phillies. Let us not forget his grand slam off CC Sabathia in the NLDS.

Charlie Manuel, still heavy hearted, had many big decisions to make throughout the series. To his credit, its been working for him. Whether it was putting in Matt Stairs to pinch hit, or deciding to keep Hamels in the game in the 7th inning of game 5, it all worked out. Hamels escaped a jam after he struck out Jeff Kent.

Ryan Madson has been throwing flames during the postseason. In 9 innings, Madson has struck out 6 batters, and only allowed 1 earned run. Madson has been clocking 96-97 on the radar gun.

Brad Lidge remained perfect. Although it got a little nerve wrecking at times, he got the job done. He struck out 6 batters in 4.1 scoreless innings.

Everybody contributed this postseason. Brett Myer's amazing at bat and his 3 hits in one game shocked all. Pat Burrell's 2 homer game in the Division Series. Carlos Ruiz batted .313 in the NLCS. His hits lead to big innings for the Phillies, especially with 2 outs. Even the struggling Ryan Howard contributed in the last 2 games of the NLCS.

Once Ruiz made the final out on the pop up, and Harry Kalas made the last call of the series, Philadelphia went nuts. The streets flooded with Phillies fans decked out in red. It was awesome. The whole city comes together.

The Phillies Clubhouse went pretty wild too. It was raining champagne and beer.

It can't be scripted. Anything can happen. It's exciting. It's crazy. 15 years is well worth the wait.

The Phillies are going to the World Series! National League Champs! Saying that never gets old.

Photo Courtesy of Philly.com

National League Champs!

The Philadelphia Phillies Win the National League Pennant over the Los Angeles Dodgers!!!

Phillies win series 4-1.
NLCS MVP: Cole Hamels

Photo Courtesy: Philly.com

One Win Away

A National League Pennant is just one win away for the Phightin' Phils. Just one win away. That's it.

The Phillies will have a chance to clinch tomorrow with their 24 year old ace, Cole Hamels.

Hamels dazzled the Dodgers in game one of the series. He allowed just 2 earned runs in 7 innings of work. He struck out 8 and walked 2.

Hamels will face off against Chad Billingsley. The Phillies rocked Chad in game 2 of the NLCS. Billingsley gave up 8 runs, 7 earned, in 2.1 innings. Billingsley will try to redeem himself, and he will sure be happy that he won't have to pitch against Brett Myers.

So far, the Phillies are 2-0 at home, and 1-1 at Dodger Stadium in the NLCS. Their loss at Dodger Stadium included some drama, and their win included some fireworks.

In game 3, the Phillies lost 7-2, but it was the incident involving Shane Victorino and Hiroki Kuroda that took the spot light.

Flash backing to game 2, Brett Myers threw a pitch that "slipped" behind Manny Ramirez. Ramirez was clearly upset. He was upset that Billingsley didn't retaliate.

Russell Martin was plunked twice in game 2. Martin, Ramirez or the Dodger's bench, must have told Kuroda to throw at somebody, and he did.

A fastball sailed over the ducking Victorino's head. Victorino was mad, saying "You can throw at my chest, but not at my head." After a few words with Martin, the game went on, Victorino grounded to first, but it still wasn't over. Victorino repeated what he said to Kuroda, and the benches cleared.

Manny Ramirez wanted some action, but he was restrained by his teammates. Romero, a close friend of Manny, was also restrained as well as other players. 7 players and coaches in uniform were fined for their actions. Warnings were issued, and no other problems to this point occurred.

The Phillies ended game 4 in dramatic fashion which let everybody know why they are called the Phightin Phils.

The Phillies and Dodgers' lead went back and forth. With a Dodger's 5-3 lead in the 8th inning, the Joe Torre decided to go with Corey Wade instead of a 2 inning save for Jonathan Broxton. And boy did the Dodgers ever pay.

Shae Victorino hit a 2 run homerun to tie the game. Matt Stairs followed with a 2 run homerun of his own that gave the Phillies a 2 run lead. Stair's homerun was a moonshot, measured at 360 feet into the Pavillion bleachers.

"I swing for the fences," he said. "That's how I've been my whole career. I
think of home runs. It carries over from batting practice. I try to hit every
ball out of the ballpark. I'm not going to lie, it's fun when you're there and
you're hitting balls out of the ballpark. The biggest thing is to see how far
you're going to hit the ball."

Lidge recorded his first 4 out save of the season as the Phillies are taking a stairway to the World Series.

Picture Courtesy of Philly.com

Quote Courtesy of Phillies.com

Mixed Emotions

Every single emotion possible was expressed today at Citizen's Bank Park. Whether it was excitement before the game, the laughter during the game, the nerves in the 9th inning, the happiness of a win, or the tears of sadness in the Phillies clubhouse, every emotion was felt at The Bank.

Charlie Manuel managed the game heavy hearted after he found out about the loss of his 85 year old mother. Manuel was the oldest of 11 children. His father committed suicide when Charlie was just 19 years old. Manuel, who is known to get emotional after the Phillies clinched, was tough today as he managed the game. He did not address the media, and its unsure whether Manuel will join the team in Los Angeles.

The players wanted to win this one for their manager. Charlie has been there for them all year, and this would be a way the players could give back to him. The Phillies would need some help from Brett Myers, Friday's starter for the Phillies. Myers would have to limit Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers in order to have a good game, as the Phillies faced Dodgers ace, Chad Billingsley.

Myers' curveball to start the game was excellent. As the game went on, he lost some of his command.

The Dodgers were the first to score as Blake Dewitt grounded out after Andre Eithier singled, and James Loney doubled off the right field wall. The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead, but it did not last very long.

In the bottom of the second, Greg Dobbs reached with a 2 out singled under the glove of shortstop Rafeal Furcal. Carlos Ruiz followed with a double in the gap that scored Dobbs to tie the game.

Brett Myers, who had an amazing at bat that against CC Sabathia in game 2 of the NLDS which led to Shane Victorion's homerun, was at it again. This time on the first pitch, Brett slapped a single into right center field which scored Carlos Ruiz.

The hit parade started, and the Phillies batted around on a 2 out rally. Rollins and Victorino each singled, and the Phillies took a 4-1 lead. In the process, Myers even went first to third, despite almost tripping over his own feet.

The Dodgers would get a run back on a James Loney RBI single.

The Phillies answered back in the bottom half of the third. Myers wasn't done. With one out, Myers hit a single past the drawn in, diving James Loney which scored 2 runs. Shane Victorino followed with a triple, and the Phillies had a comfortable 8-2 lead.

Once again, the Dodgers responded in some way. Myers looked as if he got through an easy 4th inning, until Furcal reached first on a drop third strike. 2 batters later, Manny Ramirez hit a 3 run homerun just over the fence, and just like that, it was a ball game again.

In the first inning, Myers threw behind Manny. Manny wasn't a happy camper, but Brett insisted he was trying to throw hard and pitch inside, and the ball simply slipped. Either way, Manny got a little revenge.

Myers lasted just 5 innings, as he gave up 5 earned runs. He may have been gassed after running the bases. After the game, he also said he sprained his ankle a bit after he went from first to third. Myers gave up 5 hits and 4 walks. He struck out 6.

The highlight of Brett's night was not on the mound. It came at the plate. Myers had only 4 hits in the entire season this year. He matched that total in 5 postseason at bats. Myers is 4/5 with 4 RBI this postseason. He has more hits in the NLCS than Ryan Howard does.

Watching Myers hit was hilarious, and he knew it. His reactions were priceless. He shrugged his shoulders after he reached first base implying that he had no idea how he hit the ball. In the dugout, he put his hands over his eyes as he made a swinging motion showing how he hit.

The Phillies bullpen did their job holding the Dodgers to just 1 hit. The Dodgers had a chance to do some damage with 2 on and 2 out for Casey Blake. Blake hit a deep fly ball to center field, however Victorino made an outstanding catch as he leaped up against the wall.

Like the Phillies bullpen, the Dodgers bullpen was lights out as well. The Phillies did not manage any runs off their bullpen.

Brad Lidge made it interesting in the 9th inning. He walked 2 batters, and with one out, the tying run was at the plate. Luckily, he escaped the jam as he struck out the side to earn the save to give the Phillies the victory, and a 2-0 National League Championship Series victory.

The game lasted 3 hours and 33 minutes, although the 2nd and 3rd inning took up a good portion of that time.

The Phillies were excited that he got the win for their heavy hearted manager, but moments after the game, the Phillies learned that one of their players would be down. Shane Victorino learned that his grandmother had passed away during the day.

The Phillies teammates are there for Manuel, Victorino, and their families. The Phillies are a close knit group, and they feel as if they lost someone to their own family. Our condolences to Manuel and Victorino.

Obviously upset after the game from the passing, Victorino said maybe his grandmother or Charlie's mom helped him make his catch.

Emotions flew high all around Philadelphia. Excitement, happiness, laughter, nerves, sadness. Every emotion, you name name it, occurred in South Philly. A roller coaster of emotions indeed.

Part III: Series Keys & Preview

In Part II, we focused on the Dodgers and Phillies head to head matchups from the 2008 season. In this edition, we'll focus on the matchups, lineups, and keys to a series win and everything in between.

The Phillies and Dodgers will open their series tonight, 8:22 at Citizen's Bank Park. Pitching will be key in the National League Champion series. The Dodgers had the best team ERA in the National League with a 3.68 ERA. The Phillies finished 4th with a 3.88 ERA.

Game 1 Matchup: Derek Lowe vs. Cole Hamels

Lowe has plenty of playoff experience. In 11 games, his postseason ERA is 3.12. In his game against the Dodgers, he pitched 6 innings, allowing 2 earned runs.

The Phillies lineup collectively hit .240 against Lowe managing just 2 runs.

Cole Hamels is coming off a gem, and with 7 days of rest, he'll go at it again. He dazzled the Brewers in 8 shutout innings of work as he fanned 9. He did not allow a baserunner to get past second base. Cole is the type of pitcher who benefits from extra rest.

In 2 games against Hamels this year, the Dodgers are hitting .192 against Hamels as a lineup managing 4 runs.

Game 2: Friday, 4:35 PM at Citizen's Bank Park

Matchup: Chad Billingsley vs. Brett Myers

Billingsley, the Dodger's ace had an ERA of 3.14 with 201 strikeouts this season.

Billingsley gave up 3 runs against the Phillies in one start against them this year. However, the Phillies batted .304 against him. Billingsley allowed 1 run in 6.2 innings against the Cubs in the NLDS.

The Phillies will have to see if the good or bad Brett Myers will show up. Myers struggled before the All Star Break. He was sent to the minor leagues to work on a few things. He came back up and dominated. His final 2 starts of the season were extremely shaky as he allowed hit after hit. Myers rebounded in his start against the Brewers. He started off shaky, but escaped a bases loaded, one out jam, giving up just one run. He didn't have his best stuff, but allowed just 2 runs in 7 innings of work. To go along with it, he had an amazing at bat.

The Dodgers are batting .259 off Myers this season in 2 games. Matt Kemp has hit a homerun off him.

Game 3: Sunday, 8:22 PM, at Dodger Stadium

Matchup: Horoki Kuroda vs. Jamie Moyer

Kuroda's ERA was 3.73 this year. Kuroda has pitching tremendous against the Phillies this year. The Phillies are hitting .095 as a team, managing 2 runs off him.

Moyer has not faced the Dodgers in 2008. The 45 year old had an ERA of 3.71 this year. He did not pitch well in his last postseason start against the Brewers. He gave up 2 runs, but lasted only 4 innings. In order for Moyer to do well, he might need some help from the umpires. Moyer is going to need to get the corners called.

Game 4: Monday, 8:22 PM at Dodger Stadium

Macthup: Blanton vs. TBA

The Dodgers could possibly go with Greg Maddux, Clayton Kershaw, or back to Derek Lowe. Maddux pitched twice against the Phillies, allowing 1 run in the first game, and getting rocked in his next game.

Kershaw has struggled against the Phillies this year in 2 games. He gave up 9 runs and batters are hitting .310 off him.

Blanton pitched his best game in a Phillies uniform in his first postseason game. He pitched 6 innings, gave up a run, and struck out 7. He did not walk a batter, and gave up just 5 hits.

In 2 games, Blanton gave up 5 runs to the Dodgers. 4 of those runs came at Dodger Stadium, the other at Citizen's Bank Park. The Dodgers hit .326 off Blanton.

Game 5*: Wednesday, 8:22 at Dodger Stadium

Game 6* will be Friday, Game 7 will be Saturday, both at Citizen's Bank Park at 8:22 PM. Game 5, 6, and 7 matchups have not been announced. Games will only be played if necessary.

The bullpens are going to be key for this series. Both teams bullpens have blown leads against each other. Brad Lidge will try to close the door for the Phillies as Jonathan Broxton or Takashi Saito will attempt to shut the door for the Dodgers.

Offense is also going to be key for this series. The Phillies tied for second in the National League with 799 runs scored. The Dodgers were 13th with 700. The Phillies also were first in the NL in homeruns with 214, while the Dodgers were 13th with 137.

A reason for the Dodger's lack of offense could be because they only had Manny Ramirez for a few months. With him, their offensive production went way up. In order for the Phillies to succed, they will have to silent the bat of Manny Ramirez.

Manny is 7/33 this year against the Phillies with just 1 homerun.

The Phillies will have to continue their offense. The slumping Chase Utley and Ryan Howard will need to pick it up. They should be able to with 3 right handed pitchers in a row.

Just hours away, the first pitch will be thrown, and the NLCS will be underway. It's going to be an exciting series!

Part II: The Brooms

In Part I, we looked at the history bewteen the Phillies and Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. In this post, we will focus on this years meets between the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Phillies and Dodgers each split their season series, 4-4. The Dodgers swept the Phillies at Dodger Stadium, and the Phillies swept the Dodgers at Citizen's Bank Park. Playing on their home field will help the home team.

In mid August, the Phillies made a trip to the West Coast. Manny Ramirez was just recently acquired by the Dodgers at the time.

At the time, the Phillies led the National League East by 2 games, and the Dodgers trailed the Arizona Diamondbacks by 1 game in a weak NL West. The Dodgers were at .500, with a record of 59-59. On the other hand, the Phillies were 10 games over .500.

In game 1, Kyle Kendrick, who was left off the postseason roster, was rocked. He lasted just 3.1 innings, allowing 7 earned runs. Casey Blake homered off Kendrick.

The Phillies managed just 3 runs off Derek Lowe in 6.1 innings. The Phillies will face Lowe in game one of the NLCS.

In the game, Ryan Howard got his 100th RBI of the season. Manny Ramirez, James Loney, Casey Blake, and Jeff Kent each had RBI for the Dodgers.

The Phillies would rally late, but still fell short in the Dodgers 8-6 victory.

In game 2, the Phillies looked to get a win with their ace, Cole Hamels, on the hill. Hamels dominated allowing just 2 runs in 7 innings of work. To go along with that, he struck out 7, and walked 2. He left the game with a 3-2 lead, with the help of Chase Utley's 30th homerun off Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw pitched 6 innings, struck out 8 and gave up 3 earned runs.

However, the bullpen got into trouble. Chad Durbin allowed a sacrafice fly to Casey Blake which tied the game. In the 9th, J.C Romero gave up a walk off single to Andre Either as the Dodgers won 4-3.

In game 3, Joe Blanton got the ball for the Phils against Brad Penny. The Phillies jumped to an early 6-1 lead. Howard, Greg Dobbs, and former Dodger Jayson Werth each homered. However, Blanton gave the runs right back. He gave up 4 runs in 5 innings, including a homerun a Manny Ramirez and an Andre Eithier homerun.

Although the Phillies had a 6-4 lead in the 8th inning, the bullpen blew it for the second straight game. Durbin became the victim again giving up 2 runs. Nomar Garciaparra ended the game with a walk off homerun off Clay Condrey.

The Phillies tried to avoid the sweep with Brett Myers on the mound. Myers, who struggled prior to being sent down to the minor leagues, was on a hot streak. He pitched 7 innings allowing just 3 runs and struck out 8. Matt Kemp homered off him.

However, Hideki Kuroda, who the Phillies will see again in the NLCS, was better. He allowed just 1 run in 7 innings. He gave up only 2 hits, and did not walk a batter. He struck out 7 as the Dodgers went onto win 3-1 as they swept the series.

The Phillies lost their NL East lead by one game, and the Dodgers became tied for the NL West lead.

The Phillies looked to redeem themselves in a week later when the Dodgers came to their home park. The Phillies weren't messing around. In fact, only one game was close.

The Dodgers just acquired Greg Maddux from the Padres. The Phillies saw Maddux a week earlier when they faced the Padres. The Phillies beat Maddux and the Padres 1-0 in an old fashion duel: Moyer vs. Maddux, the two oldest players in baseball.

Game on would be Maddux's first start with the Dodgers in 2008. After getting just one run off Maddux a week earlier, the Phillies rocked the future hall of famer. Maddux lasted 5.2 innings and gave up 7 runs. Howard, Chris Coste, and Utley each hit homeruns.

Kyle Kendrick and the bullpen held the Dodgers as the Phillies won, 8-1.

Cole Hamels faced Clayton Kershaw in game 2. A week after pitching very well against the Phils, Kershaw lasted just 4 innings and gave up 6 earned runs. Burrell hit a homerun off Kershaw. On the otherhand, Cole Hamels once again pitched 7 innings giving up 2 earned runs to the Dodgers. Russell Martin homered off Hamels.

Game 3 was a wild game. Kuroda dominated the Phillies once again. He allowed just 1 run on 2 hits in 6 innings of work. Joe Blanton also gave up just 1 run in 6 innings.

The Dodgers had a 2-1 lead in the 9th inning. Pedro Feliz, who did not start the game, came off the bench to pinch hit, which tied the game. In extra innings, Feliz won the game hitting a 3 run walkoff homerun. Feliz finished the night with 4 RBI. Not bad for not even starting.

In the final game, Brett Myers faced Chad Billingsley. Myers gave up 9 hits and 3 walks, but got out of the jams and did not allow a run.

Billingsley pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 earned runs. Jimmy Rollins, Werth, and Coste, each had RBI in the final game.

The Phils redeemed themselves as the swept the Dodgers at home. The Phils and Dodgers split the season series at 4 games a piece. The Phillies found themselves a half game ahead in the east, and the Dodgers fell to 3 games out.

Eventually, the Dodgers and Phillies won the East, their NLDS series, and meet again in the NLCS.

Be sure to check in for Part III: Series Keys & Preview where we preview the matchups and tell you the Phillies keys for a successful series.

Part I: The History

With the National League Championship Series on its way, Swing and a Long Drive will take you on a 3 part blog preview building up to the NLCS. We start with the Phillies and Dodgers head to head postseason history.

Old. Young. Age doesn't matter. Whether you're like me, witnessing you're first Phillies NLCS (I was barely 2 in 1993), or its your 7th, the postseason is always an exciting time. The Phillies and Dodgers go way back. Although I wasn't around to witness it, it doesn't mean I don't know about it. Like Babe Ruth for most of us.

One. The number of World Series the Philadelphia Phillies have. Six. The number of World Series the Dodgers have. When you think of these two teams and rivalries, you normally think Phillies and Mets, or Giants and Dodgers. The truth is, these two teams, the Phillies and Dodgers, have some bad blood between each other.

Former Dodger manager, Tommy Lasorda, and the Phillie Phanatic even have a rivalry. Dancing with a dummy of Lasorda on the field, Lasorda attacked the Phanatic and started punching him as the Phanatic fell to the ground, nearly taking his head off. That wouldn't effect the Phanatic as he later fed the dummy pizza on top of the dugout. To this day, Lasorda hates mascots, especially the Phanatic. I know, hating the Phanatic is almost impossible.

The Phillies and Dodgers first met in the NLCS back in 1977, the year the Phillies won 101 games, a franchise best.

The Phillies took the first game winning 7-5, but the Dodgers responded winning 3 in a row. Dusty Baker was named the NLCS MVP.

The key game in that series was game 3, also know as "Black Friday." With a 5-3 lead going into 9th, things looked good for the Phightin' Phils.

Davy Lopes hit a ground ball that hit Mike Schmidt. Larry Bowa bare handed the ball in mid air, and in the same motion threw to first. The replay clearly showed the Lopes was out, however he was called safe. Instead of it being the final out, the tying run scored, and the Dodgers went on to win the game, and later the series. Lopes still insist he was safe, while Bowa disagrees.

The Phillies and Dodgers rematched a year later in 1978. The Dodgers won the series 3 games to 1. The only Phillies win came from ace, and Hall of Famer, Steve Carlton. Steve Garvey was named series MVP.

In 1983, it was almost deja vu. Everything was set up just like Black Friday. Series tied 1-1. Game at Veterans Stadium. The game started at same time and was broad casted on the same network. This time, Phillies finally beat the Dodgers in the NLCS. Once again, the series was decided 3 games to 1.

Steve Carlton started the series off shutting out the Dodgers in a 1-0 win. The lone run came of a Michael Jack Schmidt homer.

After losing game 2, the Phillies came back winning the final 2 games. Gary Matthews earned the NLCS MVP, as he hit 3 homeruns in the series.

In each of the three series, the team that won the NLCS went on to lose the World Series.

Larry Bowa and Davy Lopes will also be apart of the series much like they were back then. Only this time, Lopes is the Phillies first base coach, and Bowa is the Dodger's third base coach.

This time, the winner will have to win at least 4 games. There will be 7 games if necessary, unlike then when there were 5.

History is history, and nothing can change that. These two teams are looking to build their own legacy.

Be sure to check in for Part II: The Brooms, as we look back at the Phillies and Dodgers series against each other in 2008.

Photo Courtesy: Baseball- Reference