Ecclesiastes

I’ve felt like I’m stuck between wanting to cry and wanting to throw up for the past 24 hours. I was physically ill during Game 4. There’s no reason the Phillies aren’t ahead in this series right now. Depending on who your favorite player is, you’re alternatively blaming Cole Hamels, Brad Lidge, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, etc., etc.

The truth is, I can name only a handful of truly blameless Phillies: Cliff Lee, Carlos Ruiz, Chan Ho Park, Paul Bako…blame whomever you want. There’s no shortage of potential scapegoats.

Cole Hamels Just Got a Little Cooler

Obviously taking note that he had started down the path toward de-manification, Cole Hamels took up arms in a fake PSA against grenades in what looks like a Modern Warfare 2 video game mock-up.

It’s hilarious. It came from nowhere. But it exists, and that’s all that matters.

If this comes down from YouTube, let me know and I’ll throw a backup up. Up.

Things to Put in Your Pipe and Smoke

Well, I don’t know why I’m ever shocked by anything this team does anymore. I was privately telling people I expected the Yankees to win in 5, even going so far as to get into a hopeless argument with Blockie, Friend of the Blog and Sometime Fantasy Sports Antagonist, while we were watching the game last night. Blockie, Friend of the Blog and Sometime Fantasy Sports Antagonist, seemed to think that Carlos Ruiz is a better player at this point in his career than Jorge Posada, and that the gap between Derek Jeter and Jimmy Rollins is anything less than precipitous.

But let’s be completely honest here, the Phillies deserved  every bit of that win last night.

World Series Game 1 in Stereo

Some links to downloadable versions of Scott Franzke and Tom McCarthy’s calls on WPHT, courtesy – once again – of Mr. @Phylan of Fire/Thanks Ruben Amaro.

Utley HR #1 – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/zwiv
Utley HR #2 – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/lujy
Ibanez 2-RBI single – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/mvfi
Victorino RBI single – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/eaxn
Howard RBI double – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/ijdm
A-Rod K in 9th – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/mrmx
Posada K in 9th to end game – http://www.tindeck.com/listen/udms

Enjoy!

Your Move, New York

One down, three to go.

I Can Drive. I’m an Excellent Driver.

So I’m pretty excited that we’re getting enough readership that people have actually bothered me about not posting anything in the past 11 days. And by “people” I mean Mike Block, Friend of the Blog and Sometime Fantasy Sports Antagonist. But contrary to popular opinion, I do occasionally have busy weeks at work (2 of them in a row), and I actually might be in danger of failing my first grad school class. Plus with the playoffs and all, I’ve been watching games in public instead of at home, which means that by the time I get home I’m too tired to write anything. So I didn’t die while doing the cigarettes, pasta, and baseball challenge that I had previously posted.

So on to the World Series, after a few housekeeping points.

World Series Breakdown: Batters

The Phillies face a stiff challenge in this year’s World Series. Don’t expect the Phillies to be favored by pundits anywhere, and don’t be surprised if a lot of them think the Phillies don’t belong in the same mention (they’d be the ones not worth paying attention to, anyhow).

Just how big of a gap is there? How do each of the hitters match up with their opponent? Let’s take a look.

Twenty Reasons Why Winning Once Isn’t Enough

No one needs to feel bad about being greedy in wanting a second title – not that I know anyone who does – because periods of extended success are so fleeting in baseball. The Phillies have given themselves an opportunity to seize the end of this decade and the beginning of the next in a choke hold, allowing their names to be mentioned in the same sentence as the mid-70s Reds, mid-90s Braves and, yes, those late-90s Yankees.

After a quarter-century of failure, of near misses and of just-not-enough, a Philadelphia team is enjoying a run of success not seen in this city in a long, long time.

Not that you needed a reminder or refresher, here are some reasons why I think just winning in 2008 isn’t enough.

Projections for the 2010 Phillies

Bill James released his projections for the 2010 MLB season earlier this week, and boy, do I love foresight.

Let’s take a look at the 2010 Phillies and see what they’re in line to do next summer, with my own projected typical lineup and rotation.

Quick Talking Points: World Series 2009

How ’bout them Phillies?!

In advancing to their second consecutive World Series, the Phillies become the third NL team to reach the Series in an attempt to defend their title since the Big Red Machine did it in the mid-70s. Let’s look ahead to the World Series – assuming a neutral opponent, as the ALCS still has to finish – and see what the hot button issues will be surrounding the Phillies, and only the Phillies, in the 2009 Fall Classic.

1. Cole Hamels

The man’s not quite right. Sure, he’s still getting a few bad breaks, but his control in Game 5 was less than acceptable and his mistakes are getting put into the seats. Cliff Lee looks like he’s on a roll, but with a superior offense looming, regardless of which one it is, the Phillies need some certainty in their rotation.

2.   The Offense

The only “superiority” the Phillies’ AL opponent would have offensively is being better than the Dodgers. This team can hit, and if Ryan Howard continues to have good at-bats against lefty pitchers, there’s no telling what this offense can do. It will need to hit, though, that’s for certain. I’m confident that it will.

3. The Bullpen

It looked solid at times, and maddeningly inconsistent at others. Brad Lidge looks good so far, but Madson hasn’t been great. Park and Durbin look good, Happ looks a bit uneasy. Will Happ and Blanton start the Series in the ‘pen? Will they be used?

4. Repeating

Hey, I don’t know about you, but I want a dynasty. I want our own “Little Red Machine.” I want a brother banner for the ‘08 cloth that flies above Ashburn Alley. I want a second parade. A part of me wants to just stick it to the Yankees. Really, though, I want it for Harry.

So get ready, American League. We’re coming.