Game chat: Rollins will wait another day

Poor weather conditions have forced Jimmy Rollins from the lineup once again as the Phillies try to capture the East in rainy Washington. Roy Halladay and Jordan Zimmerman are scheduled.

Halladay in September: Roy Halladay has typically been dominant as the baseball calendar nears its end. In September and October, he's sporting a 2.77 career ERA, lower than that of any other individual month, with a record of 27-11. But in 2010, Doc is experiencing a rare slump. While he continues to win games (4-0 this September), Halladay’s numbers this month are strikingly inferior to his numbers in June, July or August. His 4.55 ERA is more than a point higher than during any other month, and his innings per start (6.9) and K/BB ratio (5.75) are both worse than his season norms.

Lineups: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS. The Nationals go Espinosa 2B, Bernadina CF, Desmond SS, Dunn 1B, Morse RF, Harris LF, Rodriguez C, Gonzalez 3B. Note the absence of Ryan Zimmerman.

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Comments

[Old Phan]

Doc is where he belongs.

[GTown_Dave]

Strangely, I'm OK w/ Roy going out there for the 9th. He's damn well earned it.

[Joe Cowley]

NEPP: Joe Blanton retorts: Gotta love maple syrup

[NEPP]

Hell of a game by Polly tonight.

2 to go.

[GBrettfan]

It is very fitting that Halladay finish what he started in this, the clincher.

[Fatalotti]

Should he complete it wit this score, this will go down as Doc's 4th complete game shutout and 9th complete game, but he actually should have 5 shutouts and 10 complete games, if not for that game in Cincinnati, where Doc went 9 innings of scoreless ball, but Travis Wood almost threw a perfect game against him.

[NEPP]

This is one of those special moments you get to witness every few years.

Enjoy it.

[curt]

This is actually the game I was expecting yesterday - a Hamels CG.

[NEPP]

1 to go.

[Old Phan]

He hasn't even thrown 100 pitches tonight.

[Fatalotti]

Come on Doc, strike him out!

[Fatalotti]

Here it comes...

[Joe Cowley]

Channeling Harry.....

[NEPP]

That's Doctastic!

[GTown_Dave]

CLINCHED. :-D :-D :-D :-D

[NEPP]

How fitting.

[Fatalotti]

Say hello the 1 seed, ladies and gentelmen!!

Say hello to your Cy Young award, Roy Halladay.

[Wes Chamberlain]

Does this count as the Phils 85th home game this year?????

Congrats Roy H. and the 2010 Phillies!!!!

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Ain't no thang.

[HammRadio]

11 more wins fellas.

[NEPP]

97 pitch CG shutout.

I dont think he could have made it look any easier if he tried.

[bay_area_phan]

Back when the Phillies were 7 games back and completely stinking it up, I tried to tell you all that they'd win the Division. No one listened.

[NEPP]

I look forward to an awesome JW graphic.

[Fatalotti]

It's cool seeing how subdued the Phillies are with this NL East clincher. It's so ho hum to them now.

[Kutztown Fan]

I could get used to this.

[Andy]

Pitching Halladay against the Nationals is like using a Sledgehammer on a roach. But, dangit, sometimes that bug has gotta get smushed.

Grats to the 2010 NL East champs.

[Old Phan]

This team is pretty good.

[NEPP]

10 more in a row and we match the Braves.

[Andy]

Yup. Pretty good.

[Fatalotti]

Roy Halladay is the man. What an amazing performance to clinch the division!

[GBrettfan]

I wanna see Sweeney.

[Kutztown Fan]

Did Doc just say, "Funner"?

[Fatalotti]

Sweeney is embracing the hell out of this moment!

[NEPP]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings

Now there's a nice little "x" by the Phillies...too sweet!

[Fatalotti]

Ryan Howard just yelled, "Sweeney, let's go!!"

[GBrettfan]

Call me Ish-- Was it worth getting wet?

[Joe Cowley]

I wonder if Sarge gave T-Mac a "Noogy"....

[Jack]

If anyone deserves a ring, it's Brian Bocock. Win it for him.

[EastFallowfield]

Glad they could do it front of their own fans.

[HammRadio]

I hate admitting this... but when TMAC talks about this team being the greatest in franchise history... got a little choked up...

dammit... this team is so special....

ROY

F'N

HALLADAY

[philwynk]

That was an astounding performance by Roy Halladay. I'm pretty happy with how the Phillies rotation wound up this year.

Congrats to the Phils for another Division Championship. One more win to clinch home field advantage in the playoffs, and then the scrubs finish the year.

[Joe Cowley]

A Ben Francisco sighting!

[Fatalotti]

NEPP, the Phillies actually have a "y" next to their name now, to signify division champions.

[Fatalotti]

MIKE SWEENEY!!!!!!!

[Klaus]

Wow, what a year.

This winning the division, it never gets old.

[Greg S.]

So if the Giants win out(they won't) and the Phils loose out(they won't) we'd each have 94 wins, who has the top seed? I think the season series is a deadheat 3-3. Anyone know?

[curt]

It is finally actually appropriate to say that Ben Fran should get a start.

[GBrettfan]

A Sweeney interview! How happy for him, Roy H, Valdez, Schneider...

[Kutztown Fan]

Greg - Phils do

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread!

[GBrettfan]

Jamie Moyer's son was out there with the team for the mound celebration.

[cut_fastball]

Raul = Unwashed-up™

How can anyone explain this? I believed Jayson !@#$# Stark when he said that the Braves were going to "run away with the division."

Note to self: Do not aspire to be "sportswriter"!!!!!!!!!! There's 100 of us on Beerleaguer!!!!!!!!!!!!1