Kershaw & Blanton Meet in Rubbermatch

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Los Angeles Dodgers (59-55) at Philadelphia Phillies (63-50)
Clayton Kerhsaw (10-7, 3.19 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.65 ERA)

Clayton Kershaw and Joe Blanton meet in the rubber-match. The Dodgers were all over the Phillies in the first game of the series, but they did not save any runs for the second game. The only question for tonight is whether or not the game will be played with pending storms in the forecast.

Looking at the starting matchup, the edge appears to go to the Dodgers. Kershaw has a respectable 3.19 ERA, while Blanton has an extremely high 5.65 ERA. However, Kershaw is facing a team that he has struggled against, and Blanton is facing a team that he has had success against. Kershaw is 0-3 with a 6.64 ERA against the Phillies; Blanton is 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA against the Dodgers. In addition, Blanton has been much improved during the second half of the season.

Shane Victorino will return off the disabled list, but Ben Francisco will play because Charlie Manuel promised that he'd start today. Antonio Bastardo was sent to Triple-A. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley both took batting practice today, but the Phillies are still without them. Even with missing studs in the lineup, the Phillies have still managed to go 15-4 in their last 19 games.

2010 Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers

This is a preview of the 2010 season. We will look at the different divisions, teams, and players. This is also featured on Phillies Nation, as part of their 2010 preview.

In 2009, the Los Angeles Dodgers finished 95-67, 1st place in NL West.

For the second consecutive year, the Phillies ended the Dodgers' season by winning the National League pennant. The series was highlighted by Jimmy Rollins' walk-off against Jonathan Broxton, one of the league's premier closers. The Dodgers may not have advanced to the World Series, but they had strong combination of offense and pitching to build a very good team.

Manny Ramirez received a 50-game suspension, leading many to think that the Dodgers' season would be in jeopardy. However, players like Matt Kemp and Andre Eithier stepped up and led the Dodgers to the postseason.

Chad Billinsgley was not the ace he was in previous years, but the Dodgers still had one of the league's top pitching staffs. At just 21 years of age, Clayton Kershaw proved that he can be a dominant Major League pitcher. In addition, the Dodgers had one of the best bullpens in all of baseball.

During the off-season, the Dodgers did not make any significant moves to improve their team. After a 95-win season, did they really need to?

The Dodgers' lineup will look exactly the same. Ramirez, Kemp, and Eithier make up a star-studded outfield, and will provide much of the offense. The Dodgers are hoping catcher Russell Martin can rebound from 2009, when he batted .250 with a .680 on-base plus slugging percentage.

At this time, the fifth spot in the rotation is undecided. Kershaw and Billingsley will be the Dodger's one-two punch. If Hiroki Kuroda remains healthy for the 2010 campaign, the Dodgers could have one of the strongest rotations in baseball.

George Sherill, a former closer, will be the set-up man for Broxton. While Sherill and Broxton are the biggest names in the 'pen, relievers like Ramon Troncoso, Ronal Belisario, and James McDonald are ones to keep an eye on.

The Dodgers have the talent to reach the postseason once again, but can they avoid the heartbreak ending?

Prediction: 93-69

Blog of Note: Please go to The Phield and vote for Phillies Nation!

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.

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 II: NLCS Preview: Managers

Also featured on Phillies Nation.

For the second consecutive year, the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in the National League Championship Series. Both managers' decisions will heavily depend on the outcome of the series, along with the dependence of their coaching staffs.

Joe Torre’s success as a manager is well documented. The two-time manager of the year led the Yankees to 12 consecutive playoff appearances, six American League pennants, and four World Series titles. His 2,246 wins rank 5th on the all time leader board. This year, Torre’s Dodgers finished with a record of 95-67, the best record in the National League. The NL West champions swept the St. Louis Cardinals to advance to the NLCS.

"I'll celebrate when we get to the big one," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said when asked about hiding in his office during the NLDS celebration. Last year, Manuel celebrated the “big one” leading the team to a World Championship. This year, his team will try to repeat after they finished the season with a 93-69 record.

The Dodgers won the season series, 4-3. If not for two blown saves by Brad Lidge, the Phillies would have won the series. Manuel has shown respect by putting Lidge in for the final out of a clinching situation, but it is still unsure who will close games. Manuel "stuck to his closer" all year, which questioned how he managed the bullpen. Some moves this postseason have been controversial, such as bringing in Joe Blanton and J.A Happ from the bullpen in game two of the NLDS.

Manuel has made it known that he goes with his "gut-feeling." He closely studies matchups between a hitter and pitcher. Most of the time, his "gut-feeling" works; ask Matt Stairs. Manuel's benching of Jimmy Rollins in late June proved to be genius since Rollins turned around his struggles.

At times, Torre mismanaged his bullpen, however the Dodgers' 3.14 relief ERA ranks first in the National League. Overall, their staff collected a 3.41 ERA, and a lot of credit can go to pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. The Phillies had a 4.16 ERA this season. Rich Dubee's many trips to the mound proved to settle down pitchers, helping them work through jams.

Like Honeycutt, Don Mattingly deserves to be praised. The Dodgers offense improved from last year, despite losing Manny Ramirez to a 50-game suspension. The team's .270 average, 145 home runs, and 780 runs are up from 2008's .264 average, 137 home runs, and 700 runs. Andre Eithier and Matt Kemp had career years, but the Dodgers' offense doesn't quite compare to the one behind Milt Thompson and Manuel. The Phillies strike out a lot and haven't done well with runners in scoring position, but improved during the Division Series. The Phillies batted .361 with RISP and struck out only eight times in the four NLDS games.

There are familiar faces at the corners: Mariano Duncan coaching first and the firey Larry Bowa at third. The Dodgers ranked third in stolen bases, and fourth in runs scored, which can somewhat be credited to those two men. However, the jobs done by Davy Lopes and Sam Perlozzo do not compare. The Phillies stole 119 bases (2nd) and scored 820 runs (1st). Lopes has done a tremendous job improving the players' baserunning abilities. Lopes' simple formula calculates the times of runners, pitchers and catchers, knowing the perfect time to run. The results showed; Chase Utley was not caught at all this season. Heck, even Ryan Howard stealing 8 bases shows what kind of job Lopes has done. Perlozzo knows when to send a runner. He is agressive, but has not made bad decisions like Steve Smith last season. Perlozzo also improved Howard's defense substantially.

Both Torre and Manuel have an old school style of managing, but they know how to win. Torre has made sure that there are no distractions with "Mannywood." Manuel, a player's manager, has kept this team close-knit, but will also put a fire under their belts when they needed it. One move can change the outcome of the game. Although they aren't the ones on the field, these two managers have a lot of work ahead of them.

Blog of Note: More Hardball made a photoshopped collection of some noun/literal Phillies players baseball cards. Cards includes Antonio Bastardo, Clay Condrey, Andrew Carpenter, Scott Eyre,Chan Ho Park, Paul Hoover, Drew Naylor, Matt Stairs, Tyler Walker, Ben Francisco, Miguel Cairo, and Jayson Werth.

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."

Dodgers Acquire Thome, Garland

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a couple late night moves prior to the waiver deadline. They acquired Jim Thome from the Chicago White Sox and Jon Garland from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The White Sox will receive Justin Fuller. The Diamondbacks will likely receive Tony Abreu.

The Dodgers fell to the D'backs last night in 10 innings. Garland did not need any travel arrangements. All Garland had to do was walk across the hallway to get to the other side of the clubhouse. Adding Garland was a good addition for the Dodgers. He'll fill in as a fifth starter. He was 8-11 with a 4.29 ERA.

The Thome trade is a little strange. With James Loney manning first base, Thome will serve nothing more than a bat off the bench. Thome is batting .252 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI this season as a designated hitter. The Dodgers are not going to take out one of the best defensive first baseman for Thome, who hasn't played first base since his days as a Phillie.

Blanton and Kuroda Head To Head

The Phillies will have to shake off Friday's tough 4-3 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite Moyer's strong pitching performance and 3-2 lead going into the ninth, Brad Lidge blew the save with the help of a key error by Pedro Feliz.

After ending their 7 game win streak, the Phils look to start a new one and rebound with Joe Blanton on the mound.

Blanton will be faced by Hiroki Kuroda, who the Phillies last saw in the National League Championship series, throwing at Shane Victorino's head.

Kuroda got the win in the NLCS as the Phillies had a tough time hitting him. This season, he is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA after returning from an injury.

Even though his ERA is over 5, Blanton has won in three straight starts and is 3-1 on the road this season.

Complete Game Shut Out

The last time the Phillies played at Dodger Stadium, Nomar Garciappara popped up to Carlos Ruiz sending the Phillies to World Series. During that National League Championship Series, Cole Hamels was the MVP winning games one and five.

On Thursday, "Hollywood" Hamels pitched like it was the NLCS all over again.

He threw just 97 pitches, but good enough for a complete game shut out against the Manny-less Dodgers.

By the sixth inning, he threw only 62 pitches. He allowed just five hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out five.

He kept the ball low in the strike zone resulting in 13 of 27 ground ball outs.

Clayton Kershaw gave a solid outing for the Dodgers. The Phillies scored just 3 runs on RBI by Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth.

This is the first Phillies shutout of the season and first since September 5, 2008 when Brett Myers and Brad Lidge combined for a shutout against the New York Mets. Myers also pitched a shutout in his previous August 20th start.

The Phillies seventh win in a row is Hamels' third shutout of his career, and first since June 5, 2008 against the Cincinatti Reds.

Rally in 9th Not Enough

Down by two, the Phillies rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning. However, it wasn't enough for the Phillies who lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-3.

Cole Hamels dominated in the 7 innings he pitched. He allowed 2 runs, just 1 earned. He struck out nine, walked one, and allowed 7 hits.

Chad Billigsley was just as dominating. In 7 innings, he allowed just one run on three hits and four walks.

Brad Lidge continued his struggles, surrendering an earned run in the ninth inning.

Jonathan Broxton came out to close the game for the Dodgers, but with two strikes, two outs and two on, Carlos Ruiz smoked a double to right field. Greg Dobbs scored tying the game at three.

Russell Martin and James Loney each had RBI doubles off Chad Durbin with two outs in the tenth and the Dodgers retook the lead.

The Phillies couldn't rally back in the tenth. Instead, they took the series loss to the Dodgers.

Call of the day: In 2008, the Phillies rallied in the ninth and Pedro Feliz hit a walk off double.

"Smoked down the left field line, going ALL the way down to the
corner! Here comes Jenkins, being waved around. The throw to the
plate.. he's safe at home plate! Phillies win 4-3, with a four run 9th
inning! Pedro Feliz with a big game winning double. Jenkins was
flying around third, scored the winning run. What a comeback by the
Phils. The led the majors in comeback from behind wins next year, and they
have several this year and they come back 3-0 in the ninth inning to win it
4-3. Wow."

Manny Suspended 50 Games

Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been suspended for 50 games for the use of performance enhancing drugs.

The suspension is similar to J.C Romero's. Manny was unaware the substance was banned. The substance that caused him to test positive was likely from a medication he received from a personal doctor for a medical problem.

Depending on rain outs, Manny will likely be back on the field on July 3.

Ramirez has been a key player for the first place Dodgers who set a modern day record for their 13-0 start at home. In 27 games, Manny is batting .348 with 6 HR and 20 RBI.

Manny will lose $7.7 million in salary for suspension.

Xavier Paul fill be called up from Triple-A to replace Manny on the Dodgers roster.

UPDATE (5:34 PM): The steroid Manny reportedly took was HCG, or human chorionic gonadatropin, a women's fertility drug. The drug is normally taken when a steroid user comes off a steroid cycle in order to restart testosterone production.

Manny Signs With Dodgers?

Manny Ramirez is close to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal is reportedly 2 years, worth $45 million.

Negotiations between the two parties have been on and off with several disagreements. Now, have the two have finally agreed to terms? Perhaps Manny was avoiding spring training?

Ramirez was dealt to L.A in part of a three way deal with the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

With the Dodgers last season, Manny batted .396 with 17 home runs in 53 games. He finished fourth in the MVP voting.

UPDATE: MLB Trade Rumors is reporting the deal is done. The deal includes an opt out for the final year and a no trade clause. Reports continue to say the deal is on or off, but this could finally be final.

Phillies Nation Debut

For a while now, I've been doing some "side jobs" for Phillies Nation. I've been updating their MySpace page and more recently, the Facebook group. Today, I made my posting debut on their site in an article about Kyle Kendrick.

To read the article click here.

Recent news: Former Phillie Randy Wolf signed a 1 year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wolf, who turned down a 3 year deal worth over $20 million with the Houston Astros, settled with $5 million with incentives.

Breaking news: A-Rod tested positive for steroids in 2003 while he was with the Texas Ranges. In that year, there were no penalties for steroids.

MLB Notes

Spring Training is less than a month away, and the free agent market is shrinking. It's all quiet on the Manny front, and other free agents like Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn are still available.

It is being reported that Ryan Madson turned down a 3 year, $12 million offer. Madson is eligible for arbitration, along with Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels and others. Madson has spent time as a starter and reliever in his career. Most of his success has been as a reliever, and in 2008 was known as "the bridge to Lidge" in his time as a setup man.

Madson was 4-2 in 2008 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 67 SO in 82.2 IP.

In my opinion, the offer by the Phillies was reasonable. Any more than $4 million for a reliever who has had his struggles is ridiculous. However, with Scott Boras his agent, $4 million a year is an insult. Madson a Phillie beyond 2009 could be a question mark.

The Phillies also avoided arbitration with Greg Dobbs, signing him to a 2 year, $2.5 million deal. Last year, Dobbs set a Phillies record for most pinch hits (22) in a season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers officially cut ties with Andruw Jones, releasing him. A disappointing Jones was the franchises' highest paid player in their history. Jones batted just .158 in 75 games before having knee surgery in 2008.

The Cubs have signed former Phillie So Taguchi to a minor league deal. The Cubs also signed Ronny Cedeno to a one year, $822,000 contract.

The San Diego Padres signed David Eckstein to a one year, $850,000 contract. The hard nosed Eckstein batted .265 with 2 HR with the Toronto Blue Jays and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008.

Also, MLB changed their ruling so that all postseason games will be played in its entirety. Also, one game playoffs will not be based on coin flips, but head to head matchups.

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.

Angels Sign Fuentes; Other Updates

The Los Angeles Angels agreed to a 2 year, $17.5 million deal with reliever Brian Fuentes. In 67 games, the lefty had an ERA of 2.73.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Chicago Cubs traded infielder Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for 3 Minor Leaguers. The Cubs also acquired infielder Aaron Miles. DeRosa batted .285 with the Cubs in 2008.

The Cubs could also deal Jason Marquis in exchange for reliever Luis Vizcaino. The Cubs could also be close to getting Milton Bradley.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed right hander Claudio Vargas to a one year deal. Manny Ramirez agent has contacted the Dodgers

The New York Mets have extended their offer to 3 years with Derek Lowe worth a total of $36 million. In his career, Lowe has a career ERA of 3.75.