Jason Giambi (??) single-handedly destroys the Phillies

Thursday was turn back the clock night for Jason Giambi, who seemingly took a time machine back to the year 2000 before facing the Phillies. In his first three at-bats, Giambi crushed home runs deep into the ballpark as he accounted for all 7 runs in the Rockies 7-1 win.

Remarkably, entering Thursday's game against the Phils, Giambi had just one homer on the season and 4 total RBI in 31 plate appearances. In just 3 swings, the 40 year old not only more than doubled those totals but he also saw his batting average jump from .115 to .194.

Giambi's performance was the only notable performance from an otherwise soggy and nondescript game. The Phillies offense was its typical punchless self while the pitching was everything you would expect from a game that Kyle Kendrick was forced to start. Kendrick, who took over for Joe Blanton after he was scratched from the start, put the Phillies behind immediately in the first inning when Giambi hit his first home run.

As for Blanton and his injury, don't be surprised to see Big Joe land on the disabled list soon due to his wonky elbow. With Vance Worley waiting to take over his rotation spot, there is no reason for the Phils to worry about whether Blanton can answer the bell in four days. Given Worley's numbers this season, he has done more than enough to earn a start every 5th day.

Things don't get any easier for the Phillies as the Texas Rangers come to town tomorrow for the start of Interleague play. While the Phils still cling to the best record in the NL, that will change if the offense doesn't wake up during the next seven games against the Rangers and the Reds.
(AP PHOTO)

Bring on the Dodgers! The Phillies are going back to the NLCS

(AP Photo)

The Phillies are going back to the NLCS!

In a game that was a roller coaster of emotions, the Phillies pulled out a thrilling 5-4 Game 4 victory over the Rockies to win the NLDS and move on to a rematch with the Dodgers in the NLCS.

The Phillies proved once again that you can never count them out, even when down by two runs and down to their final out. With the Phils trailing 4-2 in the 9th, Ryan Howard hit a clutch double to bring in a pair of runs and Jayson Werth followed with a single to bring Howard home and give the Phillies the lead. After another nail-biting bottom of the 9th with the Phillies bullpen, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge managed to close the door and clinch the series for the Phils.

Of course, the game would have been a lot less interesting had the Phillies not given up 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th. Cliff Lee, who pitched a marvelous game, ran into some trouble in the 8th and allowed two runners on base, the second one getting on after a botched play by Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. Ryan Madson entered the game after that and the Rockies offense woke up, getting clutch hits from Jason Giambi and Yorvit Torrealba to give the Rockies a huge 2 run lead.

None of what happened earlier mattered, though, as the Phillies proved once again that no deficit is too great. Tonight's game is exactly why they are the World Champs: they never give up. The confidence they showed with their backs against the wall, when they were down to their final out, even their final strike, was simply amazing.

Bring on the Dodgers! While some of the names have changed, the Phillies now get to face off against the team they shoved aside in the NLCS last year. With the magic they continue to pull out, a return trip to the World Series seems like a pretty solid bet. GO PHILLIES!

Phillies survive the cold, take 2-1 series lead

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

I'm going to keep this short and sweet thanks to the geniuses at MLB who decided to schedule this game in the middle of the night.

The Phillies survived the cold, some rather questionable umpiring and a save situation with Brad Lidge to overcome the Rockies in a 6-5 marathon game that ended at 2:14 AM. The win puts the Phillies in the drivers seat for the series as they are one win away from moving on with Cliff Lee taking the hill tomorrow (today!) for Game 4.

The Phillies had no individual hero in the game, rather a collective effort from nearly everyone who played. Starting pitcher J.A. Happ didn't last long, going only 3 innings before the Phillies turned to their bullpen to keep them in it. The Phils ended up using 5 pitchers out of the 'pen, and, for the most part, they all did their jobs. Ryan Madson was the biggest savior, entering the game in a sticky situation and only giving up one run after Scott Eyre injured himself allowing two runners on base with no outs.

Having Lidge close out the game, no matter how dicey it got, was also huge for the Phillies. If Lidge can be even a shadow of what he was in 2008, the Phillies have a real shot at going the distance again.

Kudos to everyone that stayed up to watch the Phillies pull out a nail-biter in Colorado. With Game 4 just about 15 hours after Game 3, let's hope the Phils take some momentum from this win into the next one and finish out Colorado. Maybe once the Phillies are in the NLCS we will actually be able to watch these games at a reasonable hour.

Pitching change: Happ to replace Pedro in Game 3

With the postponement of Game 3 until tomorrow, the Phillies have announced a change in their starting pitcher: J.A. Happ will now take the mound instead of Pedro Martinez. Clearly, the Phillies want a left hander facing this Rockies lefty-heavy lineup, so Happ, given an extra day of rest, makes for the smart choice.

With Happ pitching Game 3, Cliff Lee likely pitching Game 4 and Cole Hamels set for Game 5 if need be, the Phillies are now going to put a lefty on the mound to start every game this series. In the playoffs you take every advantage you can get.

Game 3 canceled today

Bad news: Game 3 was postponed today due to snow, to be made up tomorrow when they were supposed to play Game 4. The good news? This means Cliff Lee should be ready to pitch in Game 4.

Why do they play baseball in Denver, anyway?

Hamels falters as Rockies even up series

(AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Today will be a memorable day for Cole Hamels but not for anything he did on the mound. Hamels, who everyone hoped would magically be the 2008 shutdown pitcher once again, had a poor performance in Game 2 for the Phillies, giving up 4 runs in his 5 innings of work. The Phillies eventually fought back into the game but the runs Hamels gave put the Phillies in a hole that they never climbed out of as they lost 5-4 to the Rockies. Oh, and the reason today will be memorable for Hamels? Heidi Hamels went into labor with the couple's first child.

Once Hamels was pulled from the game, Charlie Manuel started making some curious decisions with his bullpen. Instead of turning to the usual bullpen suspects, Manuel went with his starters, putting Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ in for the 6th and 7th innings. The move was a definite mixed bag as Blanton got through his inning unscathed but Happ got beaned with a line drive in the knee and had to be pulled from the game. The injury to Happ is the reason why you don't use all of your starters in relief. While Happ only has a knee contusion and X-rays were negative, he most certainly won't be in the mix to start on Saturday, forcing Manuel to go with a right-handed starter against the lefty-heavy Rockies lineup. Manuel still has two good choices in Blanton and Pedro Martinez but the Phillies have yet to announce who will take the mound for Game 3.

The Phillies did well to fight back in the later stages of the game but eventually fell short. Jayson Werth led the way with a homer as the Phils got all of their offense from their first 7 hitters. It would be nice if the team decided to score a few runs in the early innings but you can't fault the offense for this loss, they nearly had a win if Shane Victorino's line drive in the bottom of the 9th was just a little higher.

So the Phillies now head to Denver with the series tied at 1 game apiece. While some of the confidence of yesterday's loss has worn off, the Phillies are still in a great position to win the series. If they find a way to split the games in Colorado, they will head back home for a Game 5 and throw Cliff Lee out there in the deciding game. Of course, if they lose Game 3, they could always put Lee on the mound for Game 4 to ensure they won't get eliminated early.

Game 2 was a tough loss for the Phillies but there are plenty more games to be played in this series. Game 3 becomes the crucial game that gives one team a major advantage; let's hope the Phillies have a starter ready to give them some solid innings.

1 down, 10 more to go: Lee, Phillies cruise past Rockies

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

This was why Cliff Lee was chosen to pitch in Game One instead of Cole Hamels. Lee, in the first playoff start of his career, dominated the Rockies, pitching a complete game 6-hitter as the Phillies beat Colorado 5-1 in Game One of the NLDS. While he had struggled in recent outings, Lee's outing on Wednesday was more like what he did for the Phillies back in July and August when he mowed down hitter after hitter. Lee also made it happen on offense, where he cracked a single and stole a base, the first steal by any Phillies pitcher in postseason history.

Offensively, the Phillies used a total team effort to get their 5 runs. Every Phillies starter had a hit in the game and Raul Ibanez led the way with a pair or RBI on a double and a single. The Phils main weapon on offense was their patience in the early innings as they forced Rockie starter Ubaldo Jimenez to throw strikes and chased him from the game after 5 innings of work.

Lee's start gave the Phillies the perfect start to the postseason. With Lee going 9 full innings, the Phils were able to give the bullpen another full day of rest. Not having to use a carousel of pitchers like the Rockies did will only benefit the Phillies for the rest of the series. Lee also set the tone for the rest of the Phillie pitching staff, hopefully Cole Hamels and whoever Charlie plans to start in Games 3 and 4 will continue the trend.

In all, you couldn't have asked for a better start to the postseason than Game One for the Phillies. They had a dominating start and proved they can score runs without hitting any homers. Let's hope they keep it rolling on Thursday in Game Two.

Phillies vs. Rockies: NLDS Breakdown

The road to a repeat gets under way Wednesday when the Phillies take on the Rockies in the NLDS. Do the Phillies have what it takes to knock out the red-hot Rockies or will this series be just like 2007 when Colorado swept the Phils right out of the playoffs? Here is my breakdown of the two teams, position-by-position:

Starting Pitching:
Phillies: Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ (?)
Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, Jason Hammel (?)

The Game One and Game Two starters appear to be set, with Cliff Lee facing Ubaldo Jimenez and Cole Hamels facing Aaron Cook. From there, things are a little iffy, although Blanton is a lock in Game Three for the Phils. The Rockies best pitcher, Jorge De La Rosa, is the wild card here. De La Rosa hurt his left groin in his last start and it's unknown as to whether he will be available to pitch. If he can go, he will pitch Game Three and will give the Rockies a big advantage in that game. If not, the Rockies do have a deep rotation and can throw out either Jason Hammel or Jason Marquis. All five Rockies pitchers won at least ten games this year, so there won't be that much of a drop-off if De La Rosa can't go. Despite the Rockie depth, I have to go with the Phillies because of their top-end talent. While Hamels has been off this whole season, if he is even close to the pitcher he was in the playoffs last year, he is going to be a force once again. Lee is also an elite talent and he has to get the edge over Jimenez. While the Phillies are still unsure whether J.A. Happ or Pedro Martinez will pitch in Game Four, the overall edge has to go to Philadelphia. Edge: Phillies

Bullpen:
Phillies: Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, Pedro Martinez, Brett Myers
Rockies: Huston Street, Franklin Morales, Matt Herges, Rafael Betancourt

The Rockies have one of the best closers in the game right now in Huston Street. The Phillies, well, they had one of the best closers in the game last year in the playoffs but that has all changed now. The one positive for the Phillies is that they go plenty deep, with lots of quality arms that have had success in the past. Of course, it's hard to say who the Phils can count on from game to game, so we have to rely on Charlie Manuel and his gut calls. The Rockies also have a dependable 8th inning lefty in Franklin Morales who can be called upon to mow down a few of the Phillies lefty sluggers late in the game. Even if the Phillies figure out who their closer is, the Rockies are simply better in the 'pen in every way. Edge: Rockies

Catcher:
Phillies: Carlos Ruiz
Rockies: Yorvit Torrealba

While Torrealba has a big edge over Ruiz in the batting average department, the Phillies catcher is better in nearly every other way. Ruiz has really put it all together this season and become an even better defensive catcher to go with his usually solid offensive power numbers. Edge: Phillies

Infield:
Phillies: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz
Rockies: Todd Helton, Clint Barmes, Troy Tulowitzki, Ian Stewart

Offensively, there is almost no comparison between these two infields. The Phillies power numbers put them amongst the best infields in the last decade so they have to be given the edge here. The only place where the Rockies close the gap is at shortstop, where Troy Tulowitzki has outplayed Jimmy Rollins this year. Still, two big edges at first and second and the slight edge at third give the Phillies the nod here. Edge: Phillies

Outfield:
Phillies: Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth
Rockies: Seth Smith, Dexter Fowler, Brad Hawpe

Once again, the Phillies have a huge edge offensively over Colorado. Defensively, despite having great throwing arms, the Phillies lag behind the Rockies a bit. The Rockies actually use a rotation in left field, with Seth Smith, Ryan Spilborghs and Carlos Gonzalez splitting time. The Rockies have better depth, but the Phillies continue to have the better top-end talent. Edge: Phillies

Bench:
Phillies: Ben Francisco, Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs
Rockies: Ryan Spilborghs, Carlos Gonzalez, Jason Giambi

This is where the Rockies have a big advantage. After Francisco, the Phillies bench really falls off and there isn't anyone they can count on. The Rockies, on the other hand, have speed in Carlos Gonzalez, power in Jason Giambi and a backup catcher in Chris Iannetta who doesn't completely suck. Edge: Rockies

Manager:
Phillies: Charlie Manuel
Rockies: Jim Tracy
Charlie Manuel, while not always the brilliant tactician, has to have a major edge over Jim Tracy. Tracy has exactly 4 postseason games under his belt while Charlie can show off that World Series ring from last year. While Tracy deserves a ton of credit for helping the Rockies go on a run to finish out the year, Manuel has been here before and Tracy has not. Edge: Phillies

My prediction:
The Phillies easily win this breakdown by a score of 5-2, and because of that they should win this series. I'm going with Phillies in 4, with Philly winning the first two games, dropping the third, then winning Game Four in Colorado. This Phillies team is too focused and too talented to fall in the first round, even to a hot team like the Rockies. I expect every game to be close on the scoreboard, but I don't see the Phillies faltering unless the bullpen completely implodes, which isn't all that unlikely.

Strap in, folks, playoff baseball is as good as it gets, and we are in store for another deep run by the Phillies. Things look pretty clear in the National League for the Phils, making a return trip to the World Series a very real possibility. Of course, what happens when they get there might not be as easy as last year, but we'll just have to wait and see about that. GO PHILLIES!

Colorado it is: Phillies vs. Rockies NLDS schedule

Earlier Saturday, a Cardinals loss to the Brewers gave the Phillies home field advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs. At that point, it was known the Phillies would play the NL Wild Card in the NLDS, but it was unknown whether the Dodgers or the Rockies would be the opponent. Then, late Saturday night, the Dodgers beat the Rockies 5-0, thereby clinching a first round series between the Rockies and the Phillies.

Here is the tentative schedule for the NLDS:

Game 1: Rockies @ Phillies, 10/7
Game 2: Rockies @ Phillies, 10/8
Game 3: Phillies @ Rockies, 10/10
Game 4: Phillies @ Rockies, 10/11
Game 5: Rockies @ Phillies, 10/13

Keep checking back to the site for previews on the series and much more for the Phillies playoff run. Let's hope this time around against the Rockies will be much different than 2007.