Friendly reminder: Game begins at 7:57 tonight

And that’s because the Rangers defeated the Yankees 6-1 Friday night to clinch their first trip to the Fall Classic.

Beer nuts: As the series shifts to Philadelphia, one can’t help but like the Phillies’ odds with Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels set to pitch the next two games. Oswalt says he’s ready following Wednesday’s failed relief appearance. He’ll look to improve to 11-0 at Citizens Bank Park. The Phils have had five looks at the Giants’ offense and it’s finally starting to look like the Phillies have figured them out. The Giants were a formidable road team this season, but will it be enough to stop the Phils, who were 52-29 at home? … Meanwhile, no news on Roy Halladay's status for Game 7.

Winter league update: If you’re looking to kill time, the Dominican Winter League starts today. Rosters have finally been posted and it’s littered with past and present Phillies. Right-handed reliever Ebelin Lugo, lefty reliever Derrick Loop, veteran first baseman Andy Tracy, veteran outfielder Timo Perez, left-handed starter Yohan Flande and organizational shortstop Ozzie Chavez are listed participants and players who spent last season in the Phillies’ chain. You'll recognize lots of others, like Fabio Castro, Eude Brito, Pablo Ozuna and Zack Segovia. Domonic Brown has committed to linking up with a team after the postseason. And Jamie Moyer is reportedly considering it. Jim Salisbury reported earlier in the week that Moyer’s agent has reach out to one of the Dominican clubs. …  Elsewhere, Matt Rizzotti has carried his hot hitting into the Arizona Fall League. At last check, he was hitting .350 with Mesa. In Mexico, Brian Mazone’s problems continued in his second outing. He’s given up 16 hits, 10 earned runs and four bombs in two starts.

Comments

[Scott]

Nervous. Already nervous.

I was able to get a "Standing Room Only" ticket for tonight. That means I'll not be around to post the "Brad's my guy" graphic, which I try to always post when Lidge enters the game in a Save situation. While I'd love to see Oswalt pitch a CG shutout, if we do need Brad, here's the link:

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/8536/charlietalk.jpg

Someone please feel free to do the posting honors. Go Phillies!

[Scott]

And, in the rare event we'd need Madson to close it out, there's always this:

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2125/charlie2d.jpg

Just trying to cover my bases!

[clout]

Gload instead of Howard? Against a LHP?

I realize that Ross Gload is considered a major star by most posters here, but the fact that such a ridiculous idea posted on the last thread was met with no opposition shows just how far out of touch with reality some folks are.

[Old Phan]

Barring an extra inning game where there is no choice, I do not want to see Doc pitch in Game 7. The bullpen's Big Three have been just fine. No need to take that risk.

[Iceman]

Anyone that thinks Werth should be batting cleanup against Sanchez when he's 0-15 against him in his career and hitless against lefties in the playoffs is as much of a fool as Conlin.

[Klaus]

"Anyone that thinks Werth should be batting cleanup against Sanchez when he's 0-15 against him in his career and hitless against lefties in the playoffs is as much of a fool as Conlin."

That's a bit hyperbolic. The deepest reason for playing Howard is his career-long track record of superiority to Gload and latter-day Mike Sweeney. That same reasoning might apply to batting Werth 4th: break-up the lefties with a person who for most of his career has excelled at hitting left-handers.

Hitting Werth 4th isn't nearly on the same no brainer plane as playing Howard--but neither is the suggestion as ludicrous as Conlin's.

Which, by the way, has found a disturbing level of support in the paper's comments section.

[Old Phan]

Klaus, I noticed that. People love bashing Howard, I guess.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Per Rotoworld:

Roy Halladay (groin) has told manager Charlie Manuel that he'll be good to pitch if the Phillies advance to the World Series.
Doc suffered a groin injury in the second inning of Game 5 but still went six innings. "Oh yeah, he made it clear to me [he could pitch]," Manuel said. "He said, on his regular time, he said he'll be ready to go." GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. described Halladay's groin injury as a "mild to moderate strain," but there was no way he would consider missing a start in the World Series. Oct.

[jozef]

Silly article by Conlin.

[Iceman]

Klaus- yeah, you're probably right that the idea of benching Howard is substantially more ridiculous. Especially considering he was the guy who had the best game against Sanchez in Game 2.

That being said, I think his success in Game 2 is on of the main reasons that there's no need to move him out of the cleanup spot for today's game. Couple that with Werth's 0 for his career against Sanchez, and the idea makes even less sense. You should split the lefties, though, absolutely- with Polanco batting third.

[Bake McBride was Here]

WESTMORELAND

O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING HENRY V

What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

[Old Phan]

Shakes-Beerleaguer

[MG]

I actually know one who is throwing a St. Crispin's party today. My bet is that it is really just an excuse to have a better reason to get people together and drink . .

[Old Phan]

Do people really need a good reason to get together and drink?

[phlipper]

Old Phan - That may have been your worst pun yet.

Keep up the good work.

[Bake McBride was Here]

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

[Old Phan]

phlipper, I'll try my worst.

[Andy]

Bake: This one, at least, is better with background music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAvmLDkAgAM

[phlipper]

Actually, Old Phan - I realized that what I should have said is that it was a really, really bard pun.

[MG]

No but my bet is that it makes people a bit more motivated to go to a 'theme-based event' regardless of marginal/lame.

[Old Phan]

phlipper, touche.

[Klaus]

"O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England."

Alternatively, Henry might have replied:

Fvck 'em! We've got long bows!

Less poetical though, I suppose.

@Iceman:
I think we pretty much agree.

[Andy]

Alternatively: Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

[Bake McBride was Here]

"Bake: This one, at least, is better with background music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAvmLDkAgAM"

Agreed.

[Bubba]

Back home + nice weather = Hittin' Season.

Conlin's article was beyond stupid- he is really crying out for attention- pathetic.

You don't sit Howard for Hittin Season.

[Jim]

If anyone is going to the game, please be loud and obnoxious.......let us earn our reputation tonight

[Fatalotti]

"Halladay took care of his end Thursday. So that kept the season alive to allow the Phillies to start Oswalt in Game 6, in a ballpark where he has never lost at any point in his career (10-0, 2.20 in 12 career starts, 6-0, 2.00 in eight starts since joining the Phillies in July).

And if the Phillies win behind Oswalt and find themselves still inhaling and exhaling Sunday, they can go into Game 7 matching up Cole Hamels against Cain, who has NEVER won in Citizens Bank Park in his career (0-2, 5.29 in three starts). So the Phillies will be counting on their home park this weekend for more than just extra gate receipts."

-- Jayson Stark

[GTown_Dave]

Matt Gelb (via Twitter): "Game 6: Rollins 6, Polanco 5, Utley 4, Howard 3, Werth 9, Victorino 8, Ibañez 7, Ruiz 2, Oswalt 1"

Yippee. Did Shakespeare ever write anything about taking a f*cking pitch or two?

[Jim]

Lineup

J-Roll
Polly
Utley
Howard
Werth
Vic
Raul
Chooch
Oswalt

[Old Phan]

Mr. Roll leading off? Curiouser and curiouser.

[Jim]

@old phan

Not a big fan of Jimmy as a leadoff hitter, but this offense still isn't doing much and he has looked much better than Shane, maybe it is a spark that will push us over the top

[Old Phan]

To take a f*cking pitch or not to take a f*cking pitch. That is the question.

[Jim]

With Sanchez I say take a f*cking pitch

[Bake McBride was Here]

"To take a f*cking pitch or not to take a f*cking pitch. That is the question."

Genius.

[KnoxPhil]

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of called strikes,
Or to take arms against a first pitch fastball,
And by opposing end them? To pop up: to bat
No more;

[Bake McBride was Here]

As long as they don't take f*cking pitches for f*cking strike three, which they've been doing like it's some sort of new fad.

[Iceman]

That...is a confusing lineup.

[Dukes]

Re: Gload over Howard... Read it and found it underserving of a post.

[BobbyD]

almost the opening day line-up

[HammRadio]

Yeah totally confusing to go with the opening day line up that went like 7 and 1 or something

[Bridoc10]

It's not the opening day lineup, HammRadio. Ibanez and Victorino were flipped.

Charlie is going on a hunch, and I like it. Jimmy's a big game player. They don't get much bigger than this game.

[Jim]

If Vic was hitting he would never do it, but Vic looks as bad on this team as anyone other than maybe Utley, Jimmy has looked better, and this offense needs a spark, I think that is why he is doing it.

[Andy]

Don't like that he's not breaking up the lefties against a lefty starter.

But this line-up change has all the markings of a gut. A big gut. A hot gut. A knowing gut. A capital G Gut.

Or Chollie ate too many cheesesteaks upon return...

[Hope SE]

Cholly's lineup's sayin': "Dance with the one who brought ya."

Cholly and Jimmy go very, very deep. Utley #3 the same. If we're goin' down, we're goin' down with the guys who got us here, says UC.

[Old Phan]

And you can't really blame him.

[roger22]

Good lineup, and thankfully, Howard is indeed in it!

http://longdistancephilliesfan.blogspot.com/2010/10/tomorrow-begins-today-for-phils.html

[Andy]

Though a first ball thrown seems rich
and round as winter's sweet cabbage,
enough the seasoned eyeballs twitch
and every batter's hand must itch,
the ones who will not take a pitch
may soon descend into a ditch
to face the slippery walls of which
takes brooms of magic (see Quiddich)
to leave the deeply carvéd niche
without a scream of "Son of a gun!"

[Cliff]

And that's what I love about UC.

[Andy]

I'm surprised (since this is beerleaguer after all) that no one has bemoaned the fact that Matt Rizzoti has been left off the postseason roster.

[HrdcrPhillsfan]

Game 7 and World Series Tickets http://tiny.cc/706pb

[aksmith]

Nobody's surprised that Ibanez gets the start? I find that more surprising than the lineup.

Still think Vic should be leading off. At least if he gets on, he can run. Don't really believe Rollins can at this point.

The lefties should have been split. Absolute no brainer.

And Benny Fran should be getting the start in left.

Other than that, it's peachy.

[Dukes]

Beerleaguer in unique fashion this evening. I like it.

[Old Phan]

If Oswalt gets tired, can they bring in a relief pitcher and move him to left?

[Jim]

@ak

Jimmy stole two bases in Game 5...

I think Charlie is going with the lets go with got us here thing, it has worked for them the past two years, I agree with putting Jimmy up, not worried about splitting lefties, and I kinda agree on Ben Fran, he didn't do much in Game 4, so I don't think it is a big deal

[Dukes]

aksmith: Surprised? Nope. Dissapointed? A little.

[Andy]

I, too, would have chosen Ben over Rauuulll. Of course, when Sanchez is knowcked out in the bottom of the first, Bochy will bring in a righty anyway.

[Dukes]

I have no problem with Rollins leading off. Both Vic and Rollins have the same approach at leadoff and neither are Lenny Dykstra. With Vic showing nothing the last few games and Rollins showing his legs are healthy, I think you go with the guy who has always done it.

[Dukes]

How sweet would a 3 run bomb from Howard be in the top of the first. God do we need something like that.

[Dukes]

Of course I meant bottom.

[NEPP]

Raul is due...I keep telling myself that.

[NEPP]

Totally okay withy Jimmy leading off...Vic hasn't shown anything of late.

[Jim]

Vic has looked as lost as anyone in the lineup, and Jimmy stole two bags in Game 5, so I am confident he will run if he gets on....

[BobbyD]

"How sweet would a 3 run bomb from Howard be in the top of the first. God do we need something like that."

My number one wish for tonight's game is an early lead of at least 2 runs.

[Jim]

I really can't believe no one on here has brought up how Shane has much better numbers vs. Sanchez than Jimmy does...

Having said that I still like the move

[GBrettfan]

Not surprised about Raul b/c I read yesterday that Charlie was leaning to keeping him in since he had a hit last game.

Agree with Jim about the reasoning of replacing Vic with Jimmy in leadoff.

And, yes, Charlie's mostly a "dance with the one that brung ya" kind of guy.

Getting nervous just thinking about it! And my kids and I are wearing Phillies shirts to this Air Force football party - It was suggested we wear Air Force colors - Seriously?? I'm sure she's laughing at me, but my friend has promised to have the Phillies on in the sunroom. So I won't be relegated to a back room in the basement. I'm taking my rally towel. If I can't take it anymore, I'll go home on pretext of getting my kids to bed.

[Jim]

Just for you guys to argue

Jimmy 063 OBP
Shane 438 OBP

[GBrettfan]

Yes, please, early runs! (For us, not for SF)

[Jim]

@GBrettfan

Way to represent!!!!!

[Jim]

Let Em Have it!!!!!! the words of the great J-Roll!!!!!!!!

[Hope SE]

Only rational explanation for Conlin's article today is: an attempted BL reverse jinx.

[Jim]

Or COnlin doing what Conlin does best, creating attention to his column by saying something 95% of people are going to disagree with...

[GBrettfan]

I found this curious, but then, so very Charlie-speak:

"I can pretty much answer I'm not going to use him (Halladay) tonight," Manuel said. "We'll see tomorrow. If we get to tomorrow we'll see. We're going to get to tomorrow. I don't want to say if we get there because we are going to get there."

Note #1: "IF" we get to tomorrow
Note #2: "I don't want to say 'IF' because we are going to."
Uh, you just did say "If," Charlie. :)
(It's ok, we're ALL nervous and uncertain but optimistic!)

[Jim]

@Gbrettfan

Just Charlie being Charlie

[Andy]

No! Try noy.
Do;
or do not.
There is no try

[Andy]

or Try not.

Whatever.

[JeffS]

Ugh. MLB featuring Cody Ross again right now.

[philwynk]

"Posted by: Andy | Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 04:48 PM"

Seems to me that a man who can rhyme "niche," "pitch," and "cabbage" in a poem about baseball deserves some sort of award. Not one that celebrates literary excellence, of course, but... something.

[Conshy Matt]

I for one will miss scotts graphic. I hope I get to be that terrified later.

[MG]

JRoll in the leadoff spot? Okay he is playing a 'hunch.'

Playing Ibanez in LF vs. a guy who he doesn't have a hit against in his career (0-9 with 3 BBs), struggled with mightily in Game 2, and has struggled with all LHP for all the entire year.

This is playing a 'hunch' and doing something stupid because it is the way you usually do things. Playing Ibanez is the latter. I would bet 10k tonight he has an Ofer vs. Sanchez. Just hope he is a bit patient and coaxes a BB in his likely 3 PAs vs. Sanchez.

Ditto on Utley/Howard back-to-back in the lineup late because it almost guarantees Lopez faces them and makes Bochy have to make one less real decision.

phlipper or Iceman will find some way to defend the lineup even though it will basically be "Cholly knows what he is doing' and "That's the way the Phils have done it."

[Conshy Matt]

andy - karate kid reference? Time for a haiku?

[philwynk]

"Did Shakespeare ever write anything about taking a f*cking pitch or two? "

King Henry VI, Part i

TALBOT No, no, I am but shadow of myself:
You are deceived, my substance is not here;
For what you see is but the smallest part
And least proportion of humanity:
I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here,
It is of such a spacious lofty pitch,
Your roof were not sufficient to contain't.

ROLLINS I could not care how loft your pitch may be,
You throw thee near enough, I'll swing at thee.

[Old Phan]

I once knew a leadoff hitter from Nantucket...

[Lets go Giants]

LETS GO METS LETS GO METS

[MaybeNextYear]

bye bye... see you on the links

[RichardK]

The Giants win the pennant!

[Charlie Manual]

Great at bat from Ryan Howard - definitely proving why its a GREAT idea to give a 30 year old a 5 year $125 million extension!

HAHAHAHA!!!!

[Kirk]

Give the Giants credit. They beat our Fightins twice in Philly and twice in SF. Frustrating, yes. Let's go get 'em in 2011.

[Mister Zoomer]

There will be a cake in the shape of Ryan Langerhans