PHINALLY

I am convinced.

Typical

I kind of feel that calling the game was a reprieve for the Phillies. After Utley blew for the 1000 zillionth time another great opportunity to get 1 lousy hit with guys on base I felt the wheels were starting to come off. And when Rollins booted the BJ Upton grounder I knew he was going to be the tying run. I even have witnesses! Anyway, you could see the usual disaster starting to happen again. You could see it all slipping away like a ball out of Rollins hand.

Just like the Buccaneers game everything was lined up and people were talking like they already won. Then they jumped out to a very reminiscent early lead and it looked like it was going to be a cakewalk, just like the Eagles game. On WIP during the game, Jason Martinez, Mike Kern, and a caller were even talking about who they could get in the offseason so they could repeat.

I will never be convinced until the last out or the last second has ticked off the clock. Until then, it will still be will we ever win.

Other notes: MLB sucks. Was there anyone that didn't know this rain storm was going to happen since about noon? And it's going to be 38 with windchills in the 20s tomorrow and I bet they try and force the last 3 and half innings in anyway.

Also, even though the Phillies technically would have won if they called the game after 5 or the Rays didn't tie in the top of the 6th, that would be totally cheap, bogus and pathetic way to win. Not that I think they would have done that.

1 more win

Impressive game all around. Blanton becomes the first starting pitcher with a stupid beard to get a win. And how about that home run? The umps continued their streak of at least 1 terrible call a game, but this time it was in our favor. Congratulations to Feliz, who in game 4 became the first Phillie to get a hit with a guy on third, and with 2 outs even. Rollins is now wide awake. Howard is now wide awake. Pat Burrell though is still sound asleep. Am I going to have to call him out typographically too?

The only thing that makes me nervous is that everything seems too perfect and people are acting like they already won.

10-0

We are living in an alternate universe. A Philadelphia team is in position to win a championship, there could be a black president, and the Eagles were the beneficiaries of brutally bad refereeing that gave them the game. You knew the Falcon player didn't touch the ball because the guy that downed it didn't immediately start running for a TD like they all do even though you can't advance a muff.

So in the end the Eagles deserved to win this game and also didn't deserve to win. They controlled the majority of play but at the same time pathetically could not score a TD (yet again) from the 3 yard line on 3 plays and could not get 3 yards on 2 plays to get a first down when they were trying to run out the clock. Success on either series would have put the game away. But then came the undeserved muff call that handed them the victory which finally did.

This game started slow for the Eagles offense because of Andy Reid's usual stupidity. I'm sure he thought to himself during the bye, "Atlanta is expecting lots of Westbrook since he's had a bunch of time off and he's our best player so what I'll do instead, because I'm a football genius, is throw the ball 3x more than run it. They'll never expect that!" Of course Atlanta was expecting that, but did Reid adjust? No. He continued to throw, throw, throw despite the Falcons playing the pass and McNabb being erratic. Only late into the 2nd quarter when they started balancing the play calling out and getting Westbrook the ball did the offense finally start clicking. They even scored on 3 straight possessions and scored TDs both times inside the redzone.

The defense played ok throughout. They didn't allow a score on the opening drive of either half and stopped Atlanta from driving at the end of the first half for a 50 yard field goal. One breakdown on a big play gave Atlanta it's first touchdown and the predictable defensive letdown after the Eagles went up 20-7 gave them their second. The defense did keep points off the board with Lito's interception in the endzone which was a huge play.

Other notes:

• Westbrook should have scored or at least gotten a lot more yardage on that reverse. It's like he fell asleep or something midrun.
• Greg Lewis earned a couple dollars of his paycheck this week with his punt downing skillz.
• Holy crap. McNabb scrambled! And got a first down! Who knew that could work? So many times McNabb could have run in this game, especially on the Falcons blitzes where the receivers were being covered man to man. Instead he stayed in the pocket and overthrew his receivers instead.
• Holy crap! A QB draw! And it got a touchdown! Who knew that could work?
• Max Jean Gilles gets his helmet ripped off and he stops playing and casually bends down to pick it up all while the play is still going on. Nice job.
• How nice was it that it was the Eagles for a change driving down the field right before the half to kick a fieldgoal?
• How did they give LJ Smith a first down on that 1st and 20 play in the drive to start the 3rd quarter? That was his best play of the year by the way.
• Stupid DeSean Jackson and his stupid -13 yard punt return could have been a turning point in the game. Eagles offense went nowhere from their own 3 and Atlanta got great field position after the punt and first and goal after a Lito interference. Fortunately Lito then picked it off in the endzone.
• The refs did not have a good game.

Go Phils.

Swoop-ios

It's not really the gold standard of breakfasts, but it's not too bad for a Cheerios knock-off. The Swoop fun facts were mildly entertaining, much like the 2008 version of the Eagles.

My typographical representation of Ryan Howard

Game isn't close to being over, although it's 11pm, and who knows, maybe he'll get a hit before 2am. Maybe Ruiz can give him some tips.

Update: My reverse hex worked or Ruiz read this blog in the dugout on his iPhone and gave Howard some tips. Either way you can thank me and discuss game 3 in the comments.

Nineteen Eighty

The Phillies improbable run to this years World Series has me searching the recesses of my mind for memories of their last (and only) World Championship. I was 10 years old in 1980 and was really into Legos and sports. Because I was so young my memories are both hazy and filtered through the mind of a child. However I do recall that 1980 was a particularly good year to be a young Philadelphia sports fan.

The Flyers went 35 straight games without losing, making the Stanley Cup finals before falling to the Islanders thanks in part to Leon Stickle. I distinctly remember watching the final game at a distant relatives home on the Chesapeake Bay, and being so angry when the telecast repeatedly replayed Stickle’s blown call. However the greatest hockey memory of 1980 was the most fantastic sporting event that I have ever, or will ever, witness in my lifetime: the miracle on ice at Lake Placid. This was like the greatest shit ever, a bunch of American nobodies beating the mighty Russians. I was a total nervous wreck throughout the game; I was literally shaking during the third period. I remember my brother and I just going bananas when Al Michaels counted down the last seconds. We ran through the house and went outside where we beat on pots and pans. In reality the game was played hours earlier, but luckily my radio station of choice was “hot hits” WCAU and not the all news KYW. So I was sure I was watching the miracle in real time.

The Sixers also went to the finals in 1980, losing to the Lakers. Because of players like Bird, McHale, Kareem, Magic, and strangely, Kurt Rambis, it was during this time period that my hate for both the Lakers and Celtics was birthed, hate which has continued unabated for nearly 30 years.

Like any red blooded American 10-year-old boy I collected baseball cards. This meant anytime my Mom or Dad gave me a dollar for doing some chores, I rushed off to Rogers News Agency and bought three packs of Topps trading cards. The baseball cards helped to familiarize me with all the ball players. I also remember that you could get Phillies baseball cards at Burger King with the purchase of French Fries, so I would often try to cajole one of my parents into taking me there for a Whaler and baseball cards. One time my brother and I ate about five packs of french fries each at the Burger King across from Cottman Golf in a desperate attempt to complete our card collections.

As far as the 1980 Phillies, I really liked Gary Maddox and Bake McBride because I thought their hairstyles were awesome. I disliked Nino Espinosa, which I probably picked up from my father, who grumbled every time this dude came in to pitch. I also supported Keith Moreland over Bob Boone, who I thought was old and boring. As for Schmidt and Carlton and Rose, the big stars, I was like whatever. The Bull, Greg Luzinski had the taint of Frank Rizzo upon him. No matter what he does in his life, he is forever stuck in the 1970’s misplaying that ball against the Dodgers. Like the Dodge Dart, the Evening Bulletin and those Fishtown row homes with the wood paneling and drop ceilings, Luzinski (and his tinted cop sun glasses) is a symbol of the decaying Rizzo Philadelphia. I thought this was just my own theory, but apparently some Villanova professor wrote an entire book based upon this phenomenon.

I distinctly remember some crucial moments during the closing portion of the 1980 season (particularly the series in Montreal that sealed the division win). I recall bits and pieces of the National League Championship series against Houston and their garish uniforms . I remember a disputed double, or was it a triple, play where the Astros’ fielder had clearly trapped the ball, and how unhittable Nolan Ryan seemed to be. After the NLCS, the World Series was almost anticlimactic, especially since Royals' star George Brett had hemorrhoids. There were lots of signs at the Vet mocking Brett and his butt. It was cold that October and all the players wore satin jackets in the dugout. I remember Dan Quisenberry and his sidearm delivery, and Willie Wilson striking out all the time. I definitely remember when Boone dropped the foul pop and Rose caught it. That moment remains the single time I have ever felt that a Philadelphia sports team was truly destined to win. The day after the final game people were so stoked about the victory, just driving around cheering and beeping their horns. Some dudes spray painted Phillies 1980 World Champs on a wall that my school bus passed. It remained there for years.

Well...

The game isn't over yet, but I'm going to say it's over and I need to get a good night's sleep for a change. So gripe away in the gripes.

From ESPN:


There's no more wall left, dude.

1 down, 3 to go

Should have had more than 3 runs (13 guys left in scoring position), but hey, they won anyway. The obvious first star of the game was Hamels, although he wasn't in top form. Second star was Utley for giving the Phillies the early 2-0 lead (2 for 4, 2 stolen bases) and his defense, and third star was Ruiz for a ground out that ended up scoring Victorino for the winning run. But hey, at least Ruiz got his bat on the ball with someone in scoring position unlike Rollins, Howard, and Burrell who pretty much sucked. Honorable mentions go to Madson and Lidge.

First chump of the game was BJ Upton. Loved those double play ground balls chump, but I really loved the hustle. Runners-up: Backstreet Boys.

Anyone have any faith in Myers on the road and in Florida?

Big favorite

10/26 1:00 PM ET	Opening	betED	Logans	5Dimes	SPORTSBETTING
Atlanta @ Philadelphia	45.5 -9	45.5 -9	45.5 -9	45 -10	45.5 -9

Matchup

BONUS QUESTION: How long is Westbrook going to last?

Crazy Stuff

Two things: 1) Do we want the Rays to win? I mean, it's hard to say I *WANT* the defending champions IF they pull off the comeback, but how much of a confidence boost is it to the Rays if they win and move on? Overall, I fear on paper the talent on BOS much less, especially their pitching. It just feels odd to say that I want to play Boston at this point. Ah, either way, at least we can lose to either hometown in style AGAIN - unless things keep rolling for the Phils the way they seemed to have so far these playoffs - destiny, regardless? 2) Why do coaches call that STOOPID timeout when the opposing team has to kick a FG in crunch time against the clock? I finished my workout at the Y, watched the first kick, and laughed, then left. Got in the car and when I pulled in my neighborhood, was updated that OAK/NYJ were in overtime. Say, what? Turns out, for another week (ref: PHX/DAL last week), the team with the clock / time on their side calls a last second timeout so that the opposing kicker can get a practice kick in (miss too), and come back, set up with less pressure and stress, and do it all over again after finding the range, etc.... Am I the only one bugged by this behavior? I mean, sure, if it's a tie game with seconds left or in overtime and the other team calls the time out first OR is going to kick on 2nd or 3rd down or something, then great, call your "icing" timeout, but these last two scenarios are STOOPID. How often does icing really work anyway? I'd like to see that stat, discounting these dumb scenarios when the kicker is HELPED by having some extra time to not rush.

He's One of Us!

Give it a read, and then hope the guy can drop a W for us this round! Perhaps also, the Bosox can continue to stir up trouble and force the Rays to pitch an ace on Sunday, unavailable for Wednesday!

Um...

When are the Flyers going to win a game?

First game excuse - Rangers already had played 3 real games and Flyers weren't ready at the start.

Second game excuse - Just didn't play the first 5 minutes of the third period, but other than that...

Third game excuse - It was on the road, lost in overtime, they never win in Pittsburgh anyway but good effort.

Fourth game excuse - Flyers suck?

Lets go Phils

Wow. Something went exactly the way it was supposed to. It was even easy. I'm not really sure how to act.



Winning the pennant is nice, now you have to win it all.

Pedal to the metal!

The most frustrating team in the world does it again. Roy Williams was available but the Eagles didn't get him. But guess who did? Dallass. A team that already has a #1 went for it again, giving up a 1st, 3rd and a 6th round pick. Sure that's alot, but that's what you do when you ACTUALLY WANT TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL instead of just talking about it. Oh, we all know how valuable 1st round picks are, that's why the Eagles traded out of the first round the last 2 years passing on some really good players that would have filled their needs. And third rounders, they're like gold, that's why the Eagles cut 3rd round bust, Tony Hunt today. I also wonder what the Eagles wouldn't give up to get Tony Gonzalez.

Onto another joke, the NFL itself. So Pacman Jones breaks his "zero tolerance" probation and is suspended "at least" 4 games. And the Cowboys and Jerry Jones appeared to try to cover it up and don't get punished at all. Funny definition of zero tolerance Roger Goodell.

Matt Stairs?

Eat it Buck and McCarver. They were so depressed that the Dodgers lost. I don't know what was the sweeter sound, the disappointment in their voices or the crickets in Dodger Stadium. Then the post game tools talked about how Torre blew the game by taking out Kuo instead of how the Phillies won it and of course that means Manuel outmanaged their hero, Torre. Ha ha.

Is Victorino this team's Pete Rose but with power? Post season leader in RBIs with 11 and the guy that has definitely been the spark for this team in the post season.

Little things are going the Phillies way and Victorino's odd golf swing homerun that barely cleared the wall to tie and Stairs super clutch pinch hit 2 run homer for the win is just the latest. Hell, Rollins even got a hit to lead off the game that ended up being a run. When does that ever happen? My memory is hazy, but I remember the 80 team coming back from the dead vs. Houston in the NLCS a couple times with the help of Del Unser pinch hit homeruns. And they're also overcoming terrible mistakes like Howard's awful, awful throw with Utley's great individual double play. Huge.

So the Phillies SHOULD wrap it up on Wednesday with their ace, Hamels, pitching, but of course being a Philadelphia team...

Phillies ruin a perfectly good day

Moyers pitched batting practice and the Phillies bats were anemic. I guess that outcome was fairly predictable. And while I am far from a baseball expert, I really have no idea how Moyers gets over at all with his weak stuff, but maybe the regular season with its ordinary teams and lineups full of scrubs and hacks are filled with easy outs. Let's hope Blanton and Hamels and, if necessary, Myers can get the job done and we don't see Moyers on the mound for a game 7.

A win is a win I guess

Watching the 49ers last couple of offensive series was like watching the Andy Reid led Eagles. Instead of sticking with their strength and what worked all game - running Gore, short drops, and throwing quick passes and screens, they suddenly decided to throw the ball downfield, run end arounds, and all sorts of other stupidity. But it's not suprising, Mike Martz thinks he invented the game and is smarter than everybody else just like Reid.

So in the end, the team that sucked more lost to the team that just merely sucked. Yeah, the final score made it look like a dominating victory, but if the Eagles were actually a good team they never would have been down by 9 points to the 49ers and this game wouldn't have still been in doubt with 2 minutes to go. How many times did the Eagles get inside the 10 and go nowhere in 3 plays and had to trot out Shakers? And until the 49ers started to get dumb, the defense was once again giving up big runs and big plays and unable to get off the field.

I watched this game like I'd watch an Eagles preseason game - with limited emotion and interest. So when the Eagles started losing the game in the second quarter I didn't get angry. When the defense gave up another 50+ yard field goal before the end of the half, eh. When Akers got his 54 yard attempt blocked and returned for a TD to end the half, oh well. When the defense laid down and died to start the second half, it's pretty much what I expected. When they turned it around in the 4th with 23 unanswered points and ended up winning it was nice, but not the usual feeling I would get from a victory. The Eagles and Reid and McNabb have lost me for now even though they managed not to lose the today's game.

Other notes:

• Fitting that the Eagles started the game with a drop since they lead the league.
• Defense gave up a score on the opponents first possession of the game, but it wasn't their fault this time.
• 49ers defense should be pretty embarrassed. They let the Eagles run the ball on them successfully in short yardage inside the 5 once.
• Watching the 49ers run screen after screen successfully, sometimes with the same call 2 plays in a row, reminded me of the Patriots shredding the Eagles defense in the second half of the Super Bowl.
• I hadn't heard Trent Cole's name since the last time he idiotically jumped offsides in a game.
• Well, who could have guessed the defense would give up a 50+ yard field goal right before the end of the half? Fourth time this year.
• Who could have guessed a 50+ yard field goal attempt by the Eagles would turn out bad? But to be fair that would have been blocked from 20 since the guy that blocked it came right up the middle untouched.
• Fitting that the Eagles started the second half with a drop since they lead the league.
• Booker sucks. Just like I said back in the preseason.
• By the way, Dawkins is still old and slow just like he's been since last year. Just because he made a play in the Pittsburgh game doesn't change those facts.
• Funny that Takeo Spikes was finally able to hang onto a ball thrown right into his hands. Nice pass McNabb, he didn't even have to move. LJ sucks, but it was McNabb's fault.
• Akers "good" field goal I thought was no good. I think if it was low enough it would have hit the upright yet again. That's when things started going the Eagles way in this game and the 49ers started getting stupid like challenging the kick and bringing their high suck factor to the fore.
• Juqua Parker is the player of the 4th quarter, Buckhalter the consistently good player of the game.
• And how sweet was that bonus Dallass loss? It made me happier than the Eagles win. Dallass sucks.

With the Washington and Dallass loss, do the Eagles have new hope?

Up 2-0 and goin' back to Cali

Stylin', profilin', dialin', and smilin', while in the sun.

So the Phillies did what they needed to do in Philadelphia beating Lowe who is supposed to be some October wunderkind but looked like a sweat factory to me, and Billingsley, the Dodger's supposed ace who couldn't get Brett Myers out. So now they go back to LA where they were swept in 4 games earlier this year. Hopefully they figure out not to pitch a strike to Ramirez with guys on base and they can come home to Philadelphia with the pennant and a trip the the World Series and not more games to play.

Still a favorite...

10/12 4:15 PM ET	Opening	betED	Logans	5Dimes	SPORTSBETTING
Philadelphia @ San Francisco	43.5 6	42 5	42.5 4.5	42 4	43 4.5

Matchup

BONUS QUESTION: Who should the Eagles take in the draft next year? I like that wide receiver dude on Missouri.

Their Annoying Mindset

A decent short read that touches on the arrogantly high self-view the Eagles have of themselves, while looking at last off-season's moves. You know, that persistent Gold Standard self-proclaimed proclamation, which has now become all the more annoying, not only because it's been "five" years and there is no championship, but because they continue to think and believe they're really the best out there. It was annoying enough when it all started some 15 yrs ago under Laurie, but much moreso now with two back to back last place seasons and several weak personnel moves during the same time.

Oh well, there's always next year... or the year after?

Beat LA

Pat the Bat, 0 for everything until today. 2 crucial homeruns? Where did that come from? And Blanton is now 5-0 for the Phillies and they won this series with almost no production from the 2 superstars, Utley and Howard. And all of Manuel's moves were the right ones. Is it possible they have "it" this year, whatever "it" is?

Will they win the NLCS?

Andy Reid sucks. And is really, really fat.

By the middle of the second quarter I knew this game was lost. I knew then that the offense would be lucky to score another point and it was just a matter of time for the Redskins to take the lead and keep it permanently. What, you think Andy Reid would out coach a rookie and make better second half adjustments and the Eagles would regain control of the game?

Good one.

The offense had a great first drive and a half then basically nothing for the rest of the entire game. Nothing but a Brown catch and run when the Redskins stupidly failed to touch him down when he was laying on the ground. Then laughably, once again the Eagles couldn't gain a yard once inside the 5.

The wet, green tissue paper defense actually managed to prevent the opposition from scoring points on its first drive of the game but then got pushed around like a bunch of little girls the rest of the game. They made no plays at all, no stops, no nothing. They were completely outplayed and manhandled.

So calls for Andy Reid's firing should resume in earnest. The theory that he got fat (figuratively, not literally in this case) on a weak NFC East for all those years gains credence with each passing season. Of course he never won anything during those years. The Giants have won a Super Bowl since, Dallass is probably next or maybe even the Redskins. The Eagles, a big fat zero like their big fat coach. Against talent and good coaching "suddenly" Reid loses far more than he wins. Also notice, even though down 14-0, Zorn continued to run the ball and stick with the game plan. So by the end of the game the Eagles defensive line wouldn't have even been able to stop an Eagles' offensive goal line running play.

Other notes:

• Although the block was stupid and totally unnecessary, it still was a legitimate block in the back by sTank Daniels and I don't understand why the refs picked up the flag. I guess sometimes they can suck in our favor once.
• Akers can't make crap from over 40, and especially from 50. The Eagles fans know it, fans of other teams know it, everyone knows it. Everyone but the idiot Andy Reid. And of course the Redskins took that miss, the short field and the momentum and went down the field and scored their first points. It was the turning point of the game. That or the Greg Lewis drop the play before that set up Aker's miss.
• Can Rocca learn to kick field goals? Sure he'll be mediocre this year but next year...
• Pathetic effort by the offense before the half after getting the ball on the 40. But how else are you going to allow the defense to allow the opposition to kick a 50 yard FG right before the half for the third time this year?
• Are the Coors Lite commercials among the worst of all-time?
• Nice challenge Reid. Damn, you're stupid. It's like you did it just to piss off the fans even more.
• I got nothing to say about the effort at the 3 yard line.
• I got nothing to say about the defense allowing the Redskins to eat up the last 7:12 of the game.
• Unlike the Eagles previous losses, the Redskins deserved to win and kicked the Eagles collective ass.
• Redskins have all their remaining NFC East games at home.

The season is already over?

No sweep 'til

New park, new result, and a new set of rules according to the umps. Or at least a bizarre, very bad call.

The Phils just had no offense Saturday until it was too late to matter, and that was the story. With the dome closed in Milwaukee, those notorious Citizen Bank Park winds could not mess with the Brewers and they ended up fielding most of what the Phillies sent toward them.

Unable to figure out Brewers starter Dave Bush, the Phils made a little more headway against the shaky Milwaukee bullpen, but not enough. So they'll play Sunday. The Phillies have had good success against Milwaukee starter Jeff Suppan, so let's hope they step it up and finish out this series before it gets nervous.

Oh, that bad call. With the bases loaded in the ninth, Feliz hits into a double play, with Howard scoring from third and Dobbs moving up to third base. Victorino, running toward second, decided not to slide at all. And while there's no rule stating you have to slide, and Victorino proceeded directly into second as opposed to well to the side,
the ump called interference. Brewers manager Dale Sveum then pointed something out to the umps — I guess that Howard and Dobbs hadn't crossed the next base yet — and they proceeded to call back Howard and Dobbs to third and second.

Now, this ended up not meaning anything as Ruiz subsequently grounded to the pitcher to end the game, but it was still a terrible call as far as I'm concerned. But whatever.

On to Sunday.

Flyin' Hawaiian leaves Californian mourninin'

In the second inning Victorino hit the first ever Phillies post-season grand slam and thats all the Phillies needed to win. They should have scored alot more than 5 but they stranded about 50 dudes. Myers sucked in the first inning but was bailed out by Brewers goat, Corey Hart, who hit a double play ball back to the mound when the bases were loaded. From there Myers was good and even had a crucial 10 pitch at bat that ultimately resulted in a walk, shook up Sabathia, and ultimately helped lead to Victorino's grand slam.

Should they break out the brooms?

Other notes: Is Larry Anderson the most unprofessional broadcaster in history or is it just me? I listened to this game on the radio, but have also heard cuts, and his, "YEAH!!!! YEEEEAAAHHH!!!" cheering in the booth is total amateur hour. He was rooting Victorino's slam over the wall - "C'MON!!!........ YEAH!!" - like a fan in the stands or watching at home. High school announcers have more composure and professionalism.

Must win

10/05 1:00 PM ET	Opening	betED	Logans	5Dimes	SPORTSBETTING
Washington @ Philadelphia	43 -5	42.5 -6	42.5 -6	42.5 -7	42.5 -6

Matchup

BONUS ANALYSIS: Maybe calling game 5 a must win is hyperbole, but check out the rest of the NFC East's next 6 games:

Dallass: Bengals, Cardinals, Rams, Buccaneers, Giants, BYE
Giants: Seahawks, Browns, 49ers, Steelers, Dallass, Eagles
Redskins: Eagles, Rams, Browns, Lions, Steelers, BYE

Looks like lots of wins there except for the NFC East opponents. And this makes the loss to the Bears all that more horrible. Also it is the second game they should have won this season but found a way to lose instead. So they must win vs. the Redskins.

Did you know "Gerbil Dad" is an anagram for "Brad Lidge"?

I was hoping ANAGRAM 3000 would return something like "Mitch 2.0," but I guess not.

The original Mitch Williams, not the 2008 wannabe, was on the radio saying while he was watching Lidge almost blow the game on Saturday, he was incredibly anxious and freaking out and now understood why everyone hated him. Lidge pitched 35 pitches in a shaky 9th inning. Hamels only pitched 100 in the previous 8 masterful innings. Should Manuel have left Hamels in to finish the game? Did he bring in Lidge in a relatively safe situation to try and restore his playoff pitching confidence since the reason he is now a Phillie is because of his choking in Houston?

Oh yeah, the game... the Phillies did a nice job being opportunistic in winning game 1, 3-1, their first postseason victory since game 5 of the World Series on October 21, 1993.