Postseason Hopefuls

The Phillies are on the verge of a playoff spot for the 3rd straight year, something they've accomplished once in 127 years (1976-78), drawing further comparison to that late '70's team (see 9/21 post, Champions' Glass Half-Full).

However, the general queasiness they presently inspire, has Tex Ritter's golden voice echoing around my head to the tune of "High Noon:"

Oh don't forsake me oh my Brad Lidge, we made a promise when we turned champs from chumps. Oh don't forsake me oh my Brad Lidge, without you our title hopes are in the dumps.

Cole Hamels said of teammate Lidge: "When you do struggle and you're trying to come back, in those struggles you seem to put yourself away from being invincible. And when you're invincible, teams don't want to face you. And then when you come back to the norm, they feel like they can hit you. They have that confidence, and when a team has confidence . . . they're going to get hits no matter what. You have to basically put the fear in them, and make them uncomfortable. Once they start getting that confidence, it is not to your advantage."

What a difference a year makes. Hamels and Lidge, invincible a year ago, were the key to the Phils 1st Championship in 28 years. This season, not so much. Lidge hasn't earned a spot on the playoff roster (if you judge his numbers alone), and Hamels has been the definition of inconsistency, reflected in his 10-10 record. September has been his best month so far, where he seemed finally on-track until derailed Monday against a Houston team the Phils are winless against. Hamels went 6 2/3 innings, allowing 9 hits, 6 runs & 3 BB. Ouch!

But, hey, let's not panic, right? I mean, we're not looking to Hamels as our Ace, we've got trusty new gun Cliff Lee to rely on... or do we? Lee, once 5-0 with an 0.68 ERA for the Phils, has gone 2-3 since with a September ERA of 5.59. Yikes! Lee will have 1 game to right himself before being thrown out there as the Phils postseason Ace. Starting to look like a long shot? If speculation is true, and he is suffering from too many innings, it looks longer than a Ryan Howard home run.

To make matters worse, the Phillies are now playing without a regular catcher, as Carlos Ruiz is indefinitely indisposed with injuries to both his wrists. Sunday the Phils used both backups, Bako and Hoover. They lost original backup Chris Coste to waivers in July when he signed with Houston, who are currently 5-0 against the Phils in 2009.

"We could have been selfish and sent him down," the general manager said. "Business-wise, what we did was not the smartest thing. But personally, for him, I think it was the right thing to do. Had we been a little less sensitive, we would have sent him down and we would have had him at this time. But we did not do that."

There has even been talk that dropped my jaw for its bizarreness, that Jayson Werth and Eric Bruntlett could serve as emergency catchers?! That about sums up the direness of the situation.

Phils Bullpen Coach Mick Billmeyer aptly expressed the impact this is having on the pitching staff, "You've got to have a guy back there you feel confident with. Because if you don't have confidence in him, you might not have confidence in yourself."

Hamels and Lee are certainly pitching with inconsistency, if not lack of confidence (hard to imagine Hamels lacking confidence, even when he ought to). Blanton has been the Phils most consistent starter who began the season in the rotation and he just got clobbered in his last start: 5 2/3 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 BB (incl. 2 HRs).

Where does this place the postseason rotation? Happ is the Ace if based on performance and statistics, but he just came off the DL and rumors have been flying about him as the logical postseason closer for months. Bottom line: with no catcher to rely on and no clear-cut rotation to depend on, the playoffs look a whole lot more daunting now then they did in August, when the Phils were on a roll, winning 15 of 20 from Aug. 11- Sept. 1. They've now lost 5 of 7 and lead surging Atlanta (on a 15-2 tear) by only 4 games in the NL East. If this keeps up, their concern will quickly become making the playoffs, rather than winning there.

It's highly unlikely that will happen. However, not acquiring George Sherill (1.75 ERA with Dodgers) or Billy Wagner (2.08 ERA with Boston) when they had the chance suddenly looks more pivitol than ever. There's no question, this year's Phils have holes that were filled in '08 and that they appear to be lacking that late-season surge that propelled last year's team to famed glory.

Does that mean the 2009 Phils are doomed to fail? No, it does not. Remember, this bomb squad lineup shined best in the brightest lights last October, when Victorino hit a grand-slam off of CC Sabathia and broke the Phillies all-time single-season postseason RBI record, Rollins found his stroke, Utley fought through major injury to hit key home runs and display now legendary fielding mastery and Werth and Howard hit home runs like Ruth and Aaron. In fact, a look at the rest of the NL playoff probables shows massive question marks up and down the competition's rosters, as well. The road to the World Series is paved with doubts for NL Champ hopefuls:

Dodgers

If the Dodgers getting pounded 11-1 Monday at the hands of the feeble Pirates doesn't zap your confidence in them, key injuries to Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake this week should. The Pirates had just gone 3-23 before the Dodgers managed to lose 3 of 4 against them. That's right and let me repeat: The Pirates had managed to win only 3 times in 26 games, then just took 3 out of 4 against the team with the best record in the NL.

The Dodgers are an infamously 1st-half team and 2009 is no exception. At the All-Star break, they had MLB's best record and their best start in 32 years at 56-32. They are 37-32 since and have the worst forecasted postseason rotation of any team in baseball. Meanwhile, all-Star closer Jonathan Broxton has blown 6 saves and claims to be tired (boo-hoo). At this point, they are reliant on starting pitchers Randy Wolf and Vicente Padillia, 2 names familiar to Philly fans, to give them a playoff rotation edge, and that's desperation defined.

Cardinals

On the bright side, the Phils are 4-1 against them. From there, it kind of goes down hill. There's no doubt with the best 1, 2, 3 starters in baseball, Carpenter (16-4, 2.30 ERA), Wainwright (19-8, 2.58 ERA) and Pineiro (15-11, 3.24 ERA), the Cards are the NL team-to-beat. I predicted this early in the season, while comforting a dejected Cardinal fan, who had given up hope in light of their rocky start. I said they would emerge as the most-improved and the team to watch, and they did.

At mid-season, they complimented MLB's best hitter Albert Pujols (Pujols is 10-for-15, a .667 ave. with the bases loaded this year) with Matt Holliday, hitting .353 for them since acquired. However, they haven't fared well against playoff contenders in September, getting swept by Atlanta, then losing 2 of 3 to both Florida and Colorado. Still, former Phillie Ryan Franklin (38 saves, 1.95 ERA) is as good a closer as any in the NL and the road to the World Series definitely seems destined to be danced to the tune of "Meet Me in St. Louis" in 2009.

More in 2 articles (c/o ESPN) by Philly homeboys turned national journalists that examine some of these same questions:

Jayson Stark's "Ranking the Best and Worst Playoff Rotations"
and the Kruker's, "Plenty of question marks for potential playoff teams"

Lidge Not to Blame

How many times must it be said, how many ways can you say it? At what point does the obvious become visible to those in command? This is no longer about Brad Lidge. I don't think a single detracting word can justifiably continue to be said about the man who was as valuable as any other in bringing a championship back to Philadelphia after a mega-drought.

No, at this point in the season, his ineptness on the mound must be seen in a new light, one which acknowledges that he is sadly doing his best, at present, for whatever reason and because of whatever ailments are hindering him (be they mental or physical or both).

However, make no mistake, don't bury your head in your hands after Wednesday's walk-off Marlins win. Rather, stand tall and absorb the fact: there will be no retaining the crown if Brad Lidge remains the closer on this team, this year.

It is time to name names: Charlie Manuel and Rubén Amaro, Jr., wake up and smell the toilet water you're flushing the 2009 season-- and the title with it-- down in. No longer can well-wishing and pats on the back, slaps on the wrist followed by 10th and 11th chances be seen as merely 'sticking by your players' or good managerial loyalty.

Chuck, it's time to see reason and apply tough love by grounding your unruly bird before the flock is lost. Reuben, it's time to exercise that new found executive decision, even if it means overruling what might be, when it's all said and done, the best Phillies skipper of all-time (thus far: 1 World Series title, soon-to-be 3 divisional titles and an accumulative .553 winning % : 442 wins to 357 losses).

The jury is still out on that debate, but the judgment should have long been proclaimed on Lidge. The only thing the Phillies are doing is wasting precious time, which they should be using to experiment until a clear-cut closer or effective committee can emerge. With Myers injured and Madson thus far unreliable at closer, they ought to have been giving Madson an extended look and may ultimately need to move Pedro or Happ to the role for the postseason if Madson cannot secure it.
This team is too good, this moment in Phillies history too precious to allow to disappear with one inning, the 9th, and one stroke by Vlad or Jeter or Puljos. This team is 3 outs away from a full deck. Lee appears righted, Blanton has pitched 2 straight shutouts, Hamels has begun to flash his October '08 brilliance, Pedro has been an angel in cleats and Happ has been Rookie of the Year material. The tattered bullpen showed their true colors against Atlanta, where rain delays forced them to carry a heavy load shorthanded (due to injury), and they shined like the stars that they are, surrendering just 6 runs in 16 innings (3.75 ERA). When they go full-strength with Eyre, Romero, Myers and Park rejoining Walker, Madson and Condrey, the pitchers should be able to hold down the fort, while the wrecking crew that comprises the Phillies lineup, fronted by J-Roll and the Flyin' and anchored by 30 HR-men Howard, Utley, Werth and Ibanez, the Phillies are equipped to wrestle with even the Yankees.

However, as I've previously stated [See: The Lidge Dilemma (8.12), Phils Must Again Take Action (8.16), Closer Quandary (8.26) and Stop Saying it Ain't So (9.5)], pretending just isn't going to make it better at the backend of the bullpen. We all want that perfection back, the end of the 8th inning lead leading to a big sigh of relief, knowing that the game is in our hands, that the win is good as sealed and the only thing left to do is sit back and enjoy the show as it's delivered. Perhaps we didn't know how good we had it. Maybe we did. Next year may even bring a repeat performance in the last year of Lidge's contract, but one thing is for sure, it's sanctity in baseball and that's the numbers: 0-8, 7.48 ERA with 11 blown saves. In every other case, that wouldn't earn a player a spot in the Major Leagues, let alone merit him a spot on the postseason roster of a defending World Champion.

Dreams come true when mitigated by facts. Last year's legacy of perfection certainly might secure Lidge a spot on this team until the bitter end (although last year's contribution by Moyer probably won't), but just how bitter that end ultimately is rests 100% entirely in the hands of the 2 other men making the call.

	2008	2009
W-L	2-0	0-8
ERA	1.95	7.48
Saves	41	31
Blown saves	0	11 (Most in NL since 1998)
Opp. BA	.198	.305

Charlie Manuel ready to knockout reporter

Tuesday's ESPN feature article on Jayson Werth (in case you missed it).

Champions' Glass Half-Full

Heading into the 2007 season, the Phils were predicted by most sports journalists to end up 4th-- in their division. They famously won the division, but most sports fans attributed that to the Mets now legendary collapse. That year the Phils were swept out of the playoffs, flicked off like fleas by the red-hot Rockies.

In the 2008 preseason the Phils were supposed to wind up 3rd or 4th in the NL East, depending on which expert you relied upon. However, they won it all, as we all know-- or do we? Some Philly fans have never crossed over from the naysaying days of loserville. And it's understandable. Some of those fans endured a large portion of losing amidst 10,000 record losses posted by the Phils, the most for any professional sports team, ever.

Some lived through 1964, like my father, who would regularly recount it throughout my childhood like a vivid war story: At the end of play on September 20, 1964, the Phillies led both the Cardinals and Reds, who were tied for 2nd place, by 6 ½ games. At the end of play on September 27th, the Reds led the 2nd place Phillies by a full game. In seven days, the Phillies lost a 6-½ game lead and were never again in 1st place.

The motto might be, "Always Doubt the Phillies." After all, it seems both safer and natural with this team. We've been hurt too many times before. My all-time favorite headline about our beloved team is, "Latest Slide Ghastly, Even for Phils." However, that age-old familiar question rings true here: "Is the glass half-empty or half-full?" The year the Phils lost their 10,000 game, they won their division and made the playoffs for the 1st time in 14 years. The next year, they won the World Series. This current version of our team is comprised of winners. You don't have to look too far into the past to see, through the mirror, a Phillies team like them.

The Phils finished in last place for 3 straight years before Mike Schmidt sparked them to division crowns in 1976, 1977 and 1978. They won 101 games in both 1976 and 1977, a team record that hasn't been eclipsed since. However, they remained the team that couldn't shake that loser robe. When the playoffs hit, they hit rock bottom, losing in the 1st round each year by an accumulative record of 2-9 (best of 5 each year). The glasses fans toasted all across Philly were 1/2 empty yet again.

Then came 1980, the year that changed everything. That Phillies team did something the 1st 97 could not: they won it all! A meager 28 years later, with the final 2 numbers in the year reversed ('80 to '08), the mirror parallel pinnacle was reached. In addition to being the reigning Champs, today's Phillies just don't resemble losers in any way. Their glass is half full, every day.

In 2007, Jimmy Rollins defied all sports journalists and almost all, even the most optimistic of Phils' fans, when he declared: "This year, we're the team to beat." And he was right. It was precisely because he lacked the 'loser mentality' that Rollins was able to be so bold. He won the MVP that year when he posted record numbers, even eclipsing some of baseball's sacred combination of statistics. He has continued, through dry spells and controversial antics, to lead the club, especially on the field where he remains baseball's premiere fielding shortstop.

Chase Utley, who scored the winning run in the 11th against the Yankees on 5.24.09 (photo.), repeatedly verbalizes his confidence in the team. In one quote, he stated: "Winning this way, after [Tuesday's] tough loss shows the character of this team. We're not giving up. We're not going to quit.” He has backed it with his glove and bat over the past couple seasons and last year's postseason run, homering in game 1 against Milwaukee and Tampa Bay, despite an injury that required surgery during the off-season.

Ryan Howard, Mr. September, knows about winning attitude down the stretch. It's what has made him a perennial MVP candidate and winner in 2006. And even the newest Phils understand the current crop's bravado:

“This team really surprised me,” said Pedro Martinez. “As competitive as they are on the field doesn't reflect the kind of calm they have in the clubhouse. How relaxed everybody is, how simple they do it as far as going about their business. When they go out there it seems like they know they’re going to win.”

Philly fans take solace in the fact that this current team has a winning mentality and, even better, the results to back it up. The front office has won big on trades with an almost unmatched winning streak in MLB management. This team is the defending world champions. They played best when the pressure was on, going on a 27-12 streak and winning 13 of their final 16 games to finish the 2008 regular season. Next, they stomped through the postseason, losing only 1 time to mighty Milwaukee, blasting Sabathia, storming through supposedly unbeatable Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers 4 games to 1 and crushing American League victors Tampa Bay in 5 games. In 2009, they have a good chance of catching the 1993 Phils record, which was a whopping 97-65.

On October 29th, 2008, when the Phils raised the trophy, manager Charlie Manuel said: "In baseball, you'll see people if they've got a ring on, everybody always wants to see the ring. Once you win a World Series you become a winner. In baseball, when someone asks me what I want to be known as, I want to be known as a winner. That kind of tells the whole story." No matter what your history with the Phils storied legacy, don't count this Phillies team out. Their history may be losing, but their way is a winning one.

Charlie Manuel declares Philadelphia winners

A Call to Arms

The Phils won 2 Sunday and got a vital, timely boost of confidence, hopefully re-initiating winning ways. The aid came from those trusty arms, the reliable stoppers of the staff: Kyle Kendrick and Pedro Martinez-- ?!

It would be false to say that Ruben Amaro Jr. had it all planned from day 1. Who would have believed in March that a doubleheader against the Mets in mid-September would feature Kendrick and Martinez on the mound for the Phillies-- and that the day would end with the Phils leading the NL East by 6.5 ?

Still, pounding hapless Washington and the hopeless Mets can hardly be seen as a sign of strength, rather than an answer to opportunity when it came knocking. Now, comes the real work. Baseball analysts and fans alike know that the true test of October resilience is the men on the mound. That's where playoff baseball is won. Now is the time for 2008's Hamels, 5/18-8/30's Blanton and, most significantly, reigning AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, the man who aced his initial test when joining the club (5-0, 0.68) to rise to the occasion and claim his inherited position as staff ace. The Phillies hurlers must stand tall and give deep and dazzling starts, imitating Sunday's Kendrick and Martinez electrifying double feature. They must now pay back a bullpen whose immense workload at the start of the season has shown its wear-and-tear in injuries to Condrey, Eyre, Romero, Lidge, Madson, Durbin, Park... (you get the picture).

These are the times that try men's grit. The Phillies pitchers, in lieu of the lately woeful, too often dismal 2009 bullpen, which gets worse as the game progresses, must stand tall, dig in on the rubber and put the lights out from their starting role. That is the sign of greatness. When one man goes down, the next picks him up. That's teamwork. The Phillies pitching stars are no longer Hamels and Lidge, which means it's time for everybody else to pitch in.

Pedro Martinez has turned back the clock, thrown off the mask of age and emerged a white knight for the Phils. He is now, incredibly, a major reason why they may still rise to greatness this October. Anyone who knew it would be so when the Phils signed him for a thrifty $1 mill. on 7/14 ought to be a scout in the majors. Sunday, Pedro ironically eliminated from playoff contention the very team that cast him off. "There's a reason this guy won three Cy Youngs," says Phils Pitching Coach Rich Dubee. "He is a fun-loving guy for 4 days, but on Day 5, he's got a different look about him. You really don't talk to him too much. Day 4, he might be doing anything. Day 5, it's about winning."

Still, future Hall of Famer Pedro can't be the only Phil to shine under the bright lights of September. The Phils have won 5 of their last 7 against semi-major league teams. They have 3 more at home against the dregs of the majors, the Senators-- I mean, Nationals. The Phils are 12-6 against the Mets and 12-3 against Washington. They are 58-51 against everybody else. That's still winning, but hardly dominant. There are 20 games left-- 20 precious games. The Phils should win the division with ease during that span, but the real job ahead and opportunity therein is fine tuning and preparation for the 2009 season version 2.0: the coveted postseason.

On August 31st, ESPN ranked the Phillies the 2nd best team in baseball. The Phils were at a season-high pinnacle. Mid-season pick up Cliff Lee appeared invincible, Ryan Howard had just earned Player of the Month honors, having donned his perennial Pennant-run Superman form, Jayson Werth had recently been NL Player of the Week, the Phils starting pitching was on fire, having finally solidified behind additional rotation gem Pedro Martinez and rookie sensation J.A. Happ. The Phils were on one of their 16-6 tears and coming off a playoff atmosphere series win against the Giants. Well, all good things must come to an end. Let's hope the Phils as World Champs isn't one of them.

Last week, ESPN dropped the Phils to 5th in their rankings. Then, Charlie Manuel and the Phils took a necessary step, when they finally accepted reality and moved on. Brad Lidge was not able to resolve his mechanical or mental problems this season and be effective in the closer role. So, as one must do with a terminally busted relationship, they moved on. The trouble now is exactly what kept Lidge in the closer role for so long: where to go from here? How do you replace a 48-48 perfect season All-Star closer? You must have a closer-ready pitcher waiting in the wings. The Phils thought they did in Ryan Madson, now it appears more conclusive than ever that he is not that man.

Madson's save % is actually substantially worse than Lidge's. Madson is 8-14 in saves (57%) and has blown 5 of his last 9. Lidge is 29-39 (74%). Lidge and Madson are a combined 37 for 53 in save attempts (MLB-worst 69.8%), having failed on a staggering 16 saves this year between them. Should they have closed those games, the Phils could have almost 100 wins already, best in MLB and would be favorites to repeat as World Series Champions. You bet the bullpen is a colossal problem, gaining ground in collateral damage with each passing day.

After the Phils got Cliff Lee on July 30th, it appeared a footnote when the Dodgers signed back end bullpenner George Sherrill from Baltimore. However, time has shown that Sherrill-- or recently released former Phils closer Billy Wagner-- were exactly what they lacked. The Phils bullpen has setup arms in Madson and Walker, Eyre and even Myers. What they haven't found a plug for is the 9th inning hole which has manifest into a black hole of hits, walks, hit batsman and runs in increasing numbers as the season has progressed.

Hopefully, the Phils didn't mess up Madson this time around. Last time they tried him out as closer, during Lidge's DL stint in June, it took him all of an uncharacteristically awful July to fumble his way back to form. Hopefully, his current stint as Lidge's replacement doesn't force him to be unreliable when he shined in 2008, in October, when we need him most. Alternatively, perhaps the Phils continuing to throw him out there in the 9th will force him to acclimate like a kid scared of the pool learns to swim. A new hand, the arm of an assured closer may emerge and Madson could be the star closer they now need. Time will tell, and with 20 games remaining, as when there were 120, the closer quandary remains one of the Phils greatest 2009 intrigue stories-- as does the saga of J.A. Happ.

Happ, a Rookie of the Year lead candidate, lost a competition with teammate Chan Ho Park for the 5th spot in the rotation this preseason. Then, with stellar 'pen appearances and Park's ineptness as starter, Happ got 2nd life. He used it to rise to the top of the rotation, posting an ERA that is among MLB's best. Then came trade deadline and Doc Halladay rumors and the Phils tried to deal him away, against his will. The result? They were unable to, and the rest is kismet: Happ was the glue that kept the pitching staff together throughout the summer.

Now, its been 2 weeks since he pitched, with no news of his next start. Happ has been temporarily shut down, no doubt with October in mind, when the Phils will need him at full-strength. There is even a fascinating-- if counterintuitive-- rumor that has emerged: That Happ will pitch the 8th and 'Hold' for Myers, who will close. Where that notion would leave Ryan Madson, the team's superb and proven 8th inning set-up man, who helped them win the Series in that role last year, I'm uncertain.

The Phillies certainly have an unclear postseason rotation right now. Pedro Martinez pushes the point with each new start. He is now 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA and a remarkable 34 S.O. to 6 BB in 37.2 innings. His success defies all expectation, and with his 3 Cy Youngs and playoff grandeur, deleting Pedro from your postseason roster is presently impossible (barring injury). So, could Pedro close? He certainly has the right wardrobe for the closer job (dominant stuff, strikeout material). Perhaps he's now too valuable and secure in the starting role. Closer by committee is a dangerous game come playoff time.

Meanwhile, the Phils are squandering their greatest asset: time. In actuality, they already knew Madson wasn't a solve for Lidge. Any doubts they had after he blew 3 saves in 5 attempts for them with Lidge on the DL in June should have been solidified this past week.

After feeding on the weak for a week, the Phils are a passable 5-5 in their last 10. However, .500 ball is what put their counterpart Dodgers into a downward trend that projects to their inconceivably missing the playoffs, after recording a MLB-best 56-32 record by the All-Star break. This is the Dodgers, though, a perennial 1st-half team. (If I'd put my money where my mouth was, I'd be rich on predicting their 2nd-half collapse, which was more history awareness than clairvoyance at the time).

Beginning Tuesday, the Phils will play their final 3 for the season against Washington and have a chance to finish an improbable 15-3 against them. (Perhaps the Nationals belongs on the Phils' payroll-- or at least deserve a Christmas bonus this off-season). After that, the Phils will play their remaining 17 against Atlanta, Florida, Milwaukee and Houston, non-playoff teams, but teams that have handled the Phils, who are a daunting 14-20 against that group (6-9 vs. Atlanta, 7-5 vs. Florida, 1-2 vs. Milwaukee, 0-4 against Houston). This is the time when champions shine. This is the true test which will define the Phils in yesterday's glory or as today's substantial contenders.

Stop Saying it Ain't So

It's heartbreaking, it's inconceivable, it can't be-- and yet it is. On a muggy summer night in early September in Houston, Texas, the man who was invincible for an entire season and sealed the sweetest victory to cap an immaculate season of rebirth and redemption made his final pitch-- and lost, again.

It's time to close the door on the Brad Lidge era-- at least, for now. Let's tune in next year for the next installment. Perhaps it is his knee, perhaps it's his head. Chances are, time will heal both wounds. The lamenting fans and patient, supportive manager can't stop this bleeding. For the sake of his teammates, for the sake of the team, ultimately for his own good, the lights must go out on Lidge for 2009. What to do with him is difficult to define. Perhaps you use him in middle relief for the time being, while auditioning closers to replace him: Brett Myers (who pertinently pitched a scoreless 8th Saturday, his 1st Major League inning since May), Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson...

What has made it so difficult to retire Lidge is the lack of a clear-cut replacement. This is not a new problem. Lidge has been unsteady all year long. Baseball is a numbers game, and perhaps Lidge's most condemning number is his staggering 7.15 ERA, which hasn't bested 6.52 since April 17th. It is the story of his storied career. In 2005, Lidge posted a 2.29 ERA with 42 saves and 4 blown. Then, in 2006, his ERA ballooned to 5.28. It wasn't until 2008, his perfect year, the Phillies wondrously magic season, that Lidge regained his All-Star stature and superstar status.

I have crossed this bridge in detail: The Lidge Dilemma (8.12), Phils Must Again Take Action (8.16) and Closer Quandary (8.26). I want to reiterate a vital message, one which I hope Ruben Amaro, Jr. can see, perhaps more clearly and with a little more perspective from the glass than the dugout: The Phillies will not return to the World Series, let alone win it, with Lidge as their closer this year. I would love to be wrong-- and yet, not only my gut and my digestive system, but my intellect and reason and even my eyes tell me differently.

Lidge will always be a Philadelphia sports hero. Heck, he may even be one in the flesh on the mound in 2010. However, he is not that man today, and today is September 6th, less than a month from the end of the regular season. The time has past for the Phillies to turn the page and begin the next chapter of 9th innings of their season. They must act. For the sake of the team, for morale, for what they are ultimately here to do, win ball games.

Of all places for this to happen, for the final entries into Lidge's 2009 season as Phils closer to be written. Houston, where he first found glory. Houston, where he first tasted defeat. The team for which Lidge debuted his Major League career, rose to stardom and was sent packing after they had given up on his ability to control the game in its closing moments. On Saturday, Lidge stood on the mound with two outs, the lead, his brethren behind him. The guys he fought with all perfect 2008 season long, the same teammates he lifted up to glory, had clawed their way back from 3-0 down in the 7th to take a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the 9th-- only to see Brad cough it up, one out away from victory. He single-handedly snatched victory from the hands of the team and converted it into the vicious jaws of defeat.

Now, imagine if, instead of signaling the difference between a 7.5 vs. a 6.5 game divisional lead, this had been Game 4 against the Dodgers in the 1st round of the playoffs, a month away. You're the manager. The series is tied, 2-2. Instead of advancing to the next round, which a save in Saturday's game would have provided, a deciding Game 5 is now necessary. All of the sudden, with the stakes high, the chips stacked, Lidge's follow-up to dreamy 48-48 is an unfathomable 0-7, 28-38 nightmare that sends your mind searching for answers.

Your heart thumps fast and your mind races in search of someone, anyone to take his place if Game 5 comes down to the 9th inning. Now, take a step back, breathe, remember: the Phils have a padded lead in the division and a month to play. The most important thing they've bought themselves is time. Now is that time, the only time to find that solve, implement and cement it. It's about winning baseball games, today and in October. Denial will only get you so far, and then a one-way ticket home, followed by a long, cold winter of what-ifs.


(above) Brett Myers recorded 8 saves in September and 21 total as the Phils closer in 2007. In his final 9 appearances, he allowed only 1 run with 10 S.O. and 1 B.B. He had hip surgery on June 4th, 2009.

Utley Plunked, Phils Win

It was their final regular season series against a playoff team this year, and the Phillies made it count. On Thursday, they won the deciding game in a good old fashioned pitchers duel, the kind baseball purists savor. The Phils didn't win the S.F. series with their famed bats, they did it with baseball fundamentals of dominant pitching and great defense.

Not a soul alive could have dreamed, back in April, that Pedro Martinez would have been on the mound for the Phils, whiffing batters in the summer air and showing up the best right-hander in the game. 4 players have won the Cy Young Award in their 1st full big league season. The Philles' 3-time Cy Young winning veteran rose to the occasion and beat the most recent of them on Thursday. Tim Lincecum lost after allowing 2 runs or fewer for the 7th time this year.

Jayson Werth hit a memorable, monstrous 435-foot HR several rows into the 2nd deck in left field, his 30th of the year. “You watch him in batting practice and he puts on a show,” Happ said. “He’s got impressive pop in that bat.” It was just the 9th HR allowed by Lincecum this year, who struck out 11 in 7 innings.

Meanwhile, 37 year-old Pedro Martinez did his best imitation of either Tim Lincecum or his younger self, the one that won 3 Cy Young Awards. In 7 innings, Pedro allowed 5 hits and only 1 run, while striking out 9 and walking nobody.

"There's a reason this guy won three Cy Youngs," Phils Pitching Coach Rich Dubee said. "He is a fun-loving guy for 4 days, but on Day 5, he's got a different look about him. You really don't talk to him too much. Day 4, he might be doing anything. Day 5, it's about winning."

Pedro had high praise for his teammates:

“It seems like it’s a team thing. Everybody is focused,” Pedro said. "But with this team, it seems as if it’s something they teach from the minor leagues on up."

“This team really surprised me,” he said. “As competitive as they are on the field doesn't reflect the kind of calm they have in the clubhouse. How relaxed everybody is, how simple they do it as far as going about their business. When they go out there it seems like they know they’re going to win.”

Chase Utley was able to score the go-ahead run in the 6th, when he ran hard and well from 1st to home on a double by Howard, who drove in his 113th RBI on the play. Utley had reached base with 2-out by being plunked for the 18th MLB-leading time this year. Utley has led MLB in Hit-By-Pitch since 2006 (25 times in '07 and 27 in '08). Utley is the consummate gamer, who is the living definition of 'take one for the team' hard-play everyday.

"I think he is absolutely recognized as the gamer in our game," Phils president David Montgomery said. "I don't think there's any question about that."

Former teammates respect Utley for his easy professionalism: "He's not a pretty-boy style flashy player, he's old school. He just goes out and plays hard and continues to get better. It's nice to have guys like that on your team," says Giant's outfielder Aaron Rowand, who homered against his former team Thursday. "He's a gamer," adds Jim Thome, now playing for a title with the Dodgers. "The bigger the situation, he thrives on it. And you can't teach that. Either you have it or you don't."

"I've always been taught to play the game hard," says Utley. "Baseball is such a tough game, it really humbles you at times. You just have to try not to get too high or too low. The harder you play this game, the more you get out of it."

Utley is as smart a player as he is selfless. Case in point: His now legendary run-saving play in the clinching 5th game of the 2008 World Series. The game was tied at 3-3 with two outs in the top of the 7th when Utley got to Akinori Iwamura's bouncer up the middle. Utley faked to 1st, conceding a hit to Iwamura, and noticed that baserunner Jason Bartlett was rounding 3rd and heading home. Utley threw quickly to catcher Carlos Ruiz for the out at the plate. The Phils went ahead in the bottom of the inning and went on to win both the game, 4-3, and their 1st World Championship in 28 years.

"At times, he can put close to what you'd call a perfect swing on the ball," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's good balance, rhythm, load, and at the same time getting a ball that you'd like to hit. And just, very slight, underneath the center of the ball. He's a very stylish hitter... Utley’s one of the best players in the game. You sit and watch him day in and day out, and he consistently hits the ball hard. He’s a tremendous hitter."

Utley’s sweet left-handed swing is short, compact and generates a lot of power, although Utley (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) isn’t as big as most long-ball hitters. Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson observed: "I don't know if there's a perfect swing. But his is as close to it as you can be. He's amazing, one of the most amazing hitters I've ever seen."

W. Bush, former U.S. President and former Texas Rangers owner, said he’d take Utley if he had his choice of anyone in the majors.

John Dewan, author of "The Fielding Bible," regarded baseball's foremost authority on fielding, said in 2008:

"Utley leads major league second basemen with a plus-19 ranking. He has excellent range to his left and his right. He's so underrated," Dewan said. "People don't realize it, but his defense is as good as his offense" (more on "Why Chase Utley is so Good at 2B").

Utley was HBP in July of 2007 that broke his right hand, slowed his productivity and zapped his HR output. In his characteristically quiet, resilient manner, Utley shrugged it off: "As breaks go, it's not that bad of a break," Utley said. "It's definitely disappointing."

However, the injury cost him a likely NL MVP that season. The punishment absorbed by his body also affected Utley in 2008. When he played hurt for some time during a later stretch of the season, his numbers tailed off. Utley denied the injury until Pat Gillick eventually leaked his sore hip to the press: "He's having some trouble with his right hip," Gillick said. Utley remained the hero, telling reporters, "I have no idea what you're talking about." He went on to hit a key HR in the 1st game of the World Series, hip injury and all. Fitting for a guy whose 1st major-league hit was a grand-slam.

After the 2008 season, Utley acknowledged the injury, underwent surgery and was supposed to miss the first couple months of the 2009 season. However, both Utley and his manager knew better, counting him in all along. Utley opened the season with the team, hitting .342 with 7 HRs and 20 RBIs in April and has played in all but 3 of the team's games since.

In April, ESPN reported: "It's hard to tell what's more impressive: Utley playing 159 games and the entire 2008 postseason on a hip so sore it required surgery, or his ability to come back so quickly from an injury that was supposed to keep him out until May or even June. Utley's fast start comes as no surprise to the Phillies' people, who saw him arrive at Citizens Bank Park each day at 9 a.m. and stay until 2 or 3 p.m. during his winter rehab sessions."

“My plan is to stay a Phillie for life” --Chase Utley, July, 2008

Utley is ever the understated game-day performer. His humility is one of the defining characteristics of his greatness. The only time he uses his fame is in conjunction with wife Jennifer's charity efforts. He is so not a hot-dog in our modern day media circus world, where everyone, it seems, will do anything to get noticed. Utley prefers to go unnoticed. He simply wants to do his job to the best of his ability, injury or not, every day. He is old school in work ethic, effort and team-first mentality. Utley has been a NL All-Star Second Baseman for 5 straight years, and he led all player voting in June for the 2nd-straight year, which says a lot about how he is perceived and admired by baseball fans (more on this: Old School Player in Modern Times).

Utley's manager is among his admirers. In June of '07, Manuel had this to say about his nationally revered 2nd baseman: "What do you want me to say about him? I can't say enough. He is something really special. He's what I call a player. I used to say Kirby Puckett was my favorite player. I love Kirby Puckett, but Chase is getting there." 1 World Series title later, did Utley 'get there' for his manager, the way he has for the rest of us?

“I’ve never seen a guy as prepared as Chase,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He’s always early, and he hits every day. He eats it and sleeps it. Puckett for me was the ideal baseball player until I met Chase,” Manuel said. “I see how Utley goes about his business day in and day out, how he prepares and how he plays. He’s tremendous — his dedication, his determination... I think he’s the best player I’ve been around, and I’ve been around a long time.”

Howard named NL Player of the Week-- and Month

In 27 games in August, Howard batted .299 with a National League-best 11 home runs and 33 RBIs. The former MVP had three multi-homer games during the month and raised his career total to 22 games with more than one home run -- tying him with Chuck Klein for second on the franchise list. Howard also followed teammate Jayson Werth with NL Player of the Week honors. It's Howard's 1st Player of the Month Award since 9/08. In his four previous Septembers, Howard has averaged 11 homers and nearly 28 RBIs with a .317 batting average. It's a big part of how he won the NL MVP in 2006 and has earned the esteemed reputation for contributing when it matters most.


[link for a laugh: Utley and Rollins make fun of Charlie Manuel Bobblehead.]