Mr. September vs. Father Time

The Phillies lost 5-0 to MLB's worst team Saturday night.  The Fightin' won 7-straight before dropping 2-of-3 in Houston.  Never-the-less, they remain just 3 games out of the final playoff spot, but with little time left to close that gap. 

"Tonight was unreal," said frustrated manager Charlie Manuel, after his team went 0 for 10 with men in scoring position and stranded 12 baserunners. "We have to keep playing. We've got to play better. They outplayed us."

The Phillies have 16 games left in their regular season.  16 games to determine if they are playoff caliber.  All that must start Sunday when 'Doc', a shadow of himself for most of 2012, takes the mound to show the baseball world what he has left in the tank this year and perhaps beyond.


Halladay struggled in his last outing on 9/11/12

Halladay (10-7, 4.01 ERA), has won 4 consecutive decisions and is 2-1 with a 1.16 ERA and 2 complete games in 4 starts against the Astros.

However, he struggled his last time out, allowing 7 hits, 3 BB and 5 runs in 6 1/3.

The Phillies will need Halladay to step up Sunday, as they desperately must salvage a split in Houston in a series they ought to have swept.

Meanwhile, 'Mr. September' Ryan Howard seemed poised to live up to his name after returning from Achilles heel surgery in July to post a promising August: .255 Ave., 6 HR, 25 RBI.

However, when his team needs him most, he is presently mired in an ugly month: .189 Ave., 0 HR, 10 RBI

If this keeps up, Manuel should replace him at cleanup with Ruiz, who hit there earlier this year with Howard out after surgery.  Ruiz is 4-for-11 with 3 runs scored in 5 games since coming off the disabled list and is hitting a whopping .336 for the year with a team-best .556 slugging % (Howard's is a paltry .411).


Howard could be a difference maker in this year's playoff chase.

Friday, Howard went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI, offering hope that he may have September magic yet-to-come.  Here's a look at Howard's Septembers past, which earned him the title 'Mr. September':

2005: .278 10 HR, 22 RBI
2006: .387 9 HR, 20 RBI
2007: .260 11 HR, 26 RBI
2008: .352 11 HR, 32 RBI
2009: .288 6 HR, 27 RBI
2010: .280 7 HR, 21 RBI
2011: .290 4 HR 13 RBI


The teams ahead of the Phils in the Wild Card Standings are largely struggling mightily, while the Phillies have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past few weeks.

Dodgers' Cy Young defender "out indefinitely."

DODGERS: Despite tying for the Wild Card lead, they are reeling at 3-7 in their last 10 and just announced reigning Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to inflammation in his right hip.

It's a huge blow to a team left with Josh Beckett (6-13, 4.94 ERA) now fronting their rotation.  They also lack chemistry after a recent LA-style team face lift.  Add to their misery that they will have to play, largely on the road, 10 of their remaining 16 games against the NL's #1-3 & #5 best teams, and the Dodgers are beginning to look like a playoff long shot, even though if the season ended today they'd be in.

ST. LOUIS: Tied for Wild Card lead, but dropping faster than lead from a plane.  The defending Champs Wild Card lead has evaporated amidst a titanic team slide, 2-8 in their last 10.  They do have the talent and experience to turn it around fast, though.  However, they will face the #1, #2 and #5 NL teams in 7 of their remaining 16 games. 

PITTSBURGH: 2 games out in the Wild Card standings.  3-11 in last 14 games and must battle top teams in 9 of final 18 games.  Plus, they're the Pirates, so enough said.

MILWAUKEE: 2 1/2 games out in the Wild Card standings.  Enjoying a very impressive 19-6 run with a remaining schedule consisting of 10 top teams in 16 games.  However, 3 of those games are vs. the incredibly shrinking Pirates.  This should be Milwaukee's year.

PHILLIES: 3 games out in the Wild Card standings.  The Phils are on a 16-6 and 8-2 hot streak, which is next to best in baseball, behind Milwaukee.  The Phils will play 9 games against 2 of the NL's best teams, playoff bound #1 Washington and #2 Atlanta.  The Phils are a dismal 5-10 vs. Atlanta this year, but a hopeful 7-5 against Washington.  It remains to be seen whether their hot streak is a mirage, promising a better 2013 or a serious run this year.  The present series against Houston has already been a troublesome hiccup.  They will need to win Sunday and charge full-steam ahead straight through the Mets in NY Mon.-Wed. in order to stake a claim on the 2012 playoffs.

Next up:

Sunday, 2:05 EST

Philadelphia: Halladay (10-7, 4.01 ERA)
vs.
Houston: Lyles (4-11, 5.33 ERA)