Beerleaguer - Phillies Blog, Baseball News, Trade Rumors & Spirits

Contract swap could put lineup back in balance

It isn’t out of the question that the Phillies could move Raul Ibanez and his $11.5 million salary, provided of course that the Phils take back a similar player, and that Ibanez is open to a deal.

For those who think Ibanez is untradeable, keep in mind that Major League Baseball is loaded with aging players with bloated contracts and the art of swapping albatross for albatross is happening with greater frequency. With Ibanez set to turn 39, and with the lineup likely to become even more lefty dominant with the inclusion of Domonic Brown, here are a couple of right-handed hitting outfielders the Phillies could target this winter, if Ibanez is willing to waive his no-trade clause.

Aaron Rowand, Giants: The ex-Phils center fielder is owed $12 million in each of the next two seasons by the Giants, who benched Rowand midway through this season. This trade actually makes some sense, assuming the Giants agree to cover part of Rowand’s contract. He could prove to be a better fit in the Phillies’ southpaw-heavy lineup, while Ibanez could balance out the Giants’ righty-heavy lineup.

Carlos Lee, Astros: The three-time All-Star has basically seen his numbers decline the last four years. He is due $18.5 million over each of the next two seasons, but his bat would fit significantly better in the Phillies’ lineup than Ibanez. The Phillies love to trade with Astros GM Ed Wade, who would probably jump at the chance to unload Lee, even if it means bringing in a player who is less talented and four years older.

Milton Bradley, Mariners:  You’re probably cringing at the mere thought of bringing in Bradley, who has worn out his welcome everywhere he’s ever been. Bradley is owed $12 million next season, hit only .205 in 73 games last year and left the team to handle some personal issues. The money is basically a wash with him and Ibanez, plus the M’s would almost certainly kick in $6-to-$8 million to send Bradley out of town. Depending on how desperate the Phillies are to add a right-handed bat (Bradley is a switch-hitter but has always hit better righty), this could be a potential option, though certainly not an exciting one. Ibanez spent 10 productive years in Seattle and hit .293/.358/.479 in his 2008 swan song, so the prospect of bringing him back for one season coule be appealing.

Other considerations: Several other outfielders fit the mold of high salary-for-little production: Vernon Wells, Alex Rios and Alfonso Soriano among them. However, their contracts are so outrageous that the Phillies would likely balk at any deal. There are also a couple of pitchers who would be dumped in an instant for Ibanez – Barry Zito, A.J. Burnett and possibly Carlos Zambrano – but again, it appears unlikely the Phils would make those trades.

- Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

Transactions: Catcher Paul Hoover was outrighted to Lehigh Valley, which takes him off the 40-man roster. The 15 players on the 40-man roster who were not on the postseason active roster were all reactivated over the last few days. The 40-man roster is now at 39 plus Jamie Moyer, who is still listed on the 60-day disabled list.

Get your facts straight: Werth would be huge loss

There’s no use in trying to convince you that Ruben Amaro had his facts straight when he downplayed the looming exodus of Jayson Werth. Almost the entire Phillies world knows better. (Getty Images)

Amaro took the first shots across Scott Boras’ bow this week when he attacked Werth’s RISP pressure point, then went on WIP radio and likened his season to that of Raul Ibanez. Either he’s a woefully ignorant player evaluator or he’s deluding himself.  Listen, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve kept my guard up about Werth for almost two years. I've had no qualms with his offense, but felt the "5-tool" label was a tad ambitious based on some issues I've had with his glove and station-to-station acumen.

I could have gone either way when the Phillies shopped him at mid-season, back when they were well out of first and Werth had dipped to a season-low .865 OPS on July 16 (which is still higher than Ryan Howard’s final .859). Keeping him was the right call; after July 16, he hit 320/.418/.569 over the remaining 70 games, playing a key role in recapturing the division and was by far the most consistent run producer, and defender, in the postseason. If his teammates has only performed better against the Giants, the decision to keep Werth for the stretch run would go down as one of Amaro’s best moves as GM.

Online, nobody has championed Werth's cause more the blogger Bill Baer of CrashburnAlley.com. Writing on his side-project site, BaseballAnalytics.org, Baer writes: “Over the past three calendar years, Werth has the fifth-highest wOBA among all Major League outfielders. At a ridiculous .389, Werth trails only Matt Holliday, Josh Hamilton, Shin-Soo Choo, and Ryan Braun. In 2009, Werth led all Major Leaguers in average pitches seen per plate appearance (4.5) and finished third this year (4.37). … With a hitter so patient and yet so potent, how do you pitch to him? It's a good question, one that opposing pitchers have yet to answer. As the following charts show, Werth has tremendous plate coverage and great power to all fields against both left- and right-handed pitchers. … He hits hard stuff (93rd percentile in wOBA, 2010) and soft stuff (95th percentile) alike. He even hits well with two strikes (97th). If there is an easy way to handle Jayson Werth, it's not obvious.”

Uribe’s homer: According to Jonathan Skippa, also writing on BaseballAnalytics.org, Juan Uribe “has hit 13 homers off right handed sliders since 2008, by Ryan Madson's Game 6, first-pitch slider was the only one he has taken to the opposite field.  In fact, Uribe had hit no opposite field homers at all since 2008 before facing Madson in Game 6. And it was the second HR that Madson allowed to a RHB on a slider since 2008.”

Figures.

Report: Phillies decline option on J.C. Romero

According to multiple reports, the Phillies have passed on J.C. Romero's $4.5M option and will pay the left-handed reliever a $250,000 buyout.

The 34-year-old reliever, who first came to Philadelphia as a waiver claim in mid-2007, pitched four effective seasons with the Phils, appearing in 60 games (32 2-3 innings) and posting a 3.68 ERA and 28/29 K/BB ratio this season following offseason surgery to repair a flexor tendon in his pitching elbow. In 213 games for the Phillies between 2007-10, Romero went 6-6 with a 2.60 ERA in 148 2-3 innings. He retired the only three batters he facd this postseason. He will now become a free agent.

Beerleaguer: There's really no way for the Phillies to justify spending $4.5 million for Romero, although they could certainly entertain the idea of bringing him back on a one-year deal at a reduced rate. Romero's impact had diminished over the last few years due to injury and the 50-game suspension, but there's no denying that he greatly stabilized a very unstable bullpen situation beginning in late 2007. Moving ahead, the situational lefty spot, which will now default to the improved but inconsistent Antonio Bastardo, will become one of the biggest items on Ruben Amaro's winter agenda.

Readers remember Romero: "I will remember Romero fondly. Without him, there is a good chance this team doesn't make the playoffs in '07 or win the World Series in '08. Besides maybe Wild Thing, there isn't a Phils' reliever I can remember that would get in and out of trouble as fast as Romero." - MG

So … now what?

Less than 48 hours since elimination Saturday and we’ve already read a dozen articles on how the Phillies need to scrap the old plan. Not necessarily.

The Big Three guided the Phillies to 97 wins, the most since 1993. Seems like a good plan, right? If the Phills had only performed better against the Giants, capitalized on some of the missed opportunities or even had slightly better luck, nobody would question this blueprint. Moreover, the series was quite even statistically. But in the key moments, the Giants simply outplayed, outpitched and outmaneuvered the Phillies. Role players like Cody Ross, Javier Lopez and Juan Uribe loomed larger than most of the Phillies notable stars. The Giants were aggressive. The Phillies looked passive and timid, down to the final strike.

Sometimes the bear gets you. The cream doesn’t always rise to the top. And so on. And that's it; except for one thing. The Phillies will be even older in 2011, and there’s nothing they can do about it. Youth is baseball’s chief commodity. If you think the Phillies’ lineup lacked freshness in 2010, it will be even worse in 2011. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez have experienced either significant or severe power decline. Rollins has clearly lost a step and is prone to frequent blowouts. I wonder if the perception that the Phillies “didn’t get after it” against San Francisco was actually their physical inability to do so. Meanwhile, any chance of negotiating with Jayson Werth died when they traded for Roy Oswalt. Fortunately (or unforunately), right field is the only place where youth can be served. Domonic Brown appears to be promising talent, but it would be an unrealistic expectation to count on comparable production to Werth in his first full season.

Ruben Amaro heads into winter negotiations in a broom closet of financial wiggle room. Besides Werth, Chad Durbin and Jose Contreras hit the open market and I would expect the Phils to consider resigning both. They'll probably look to add a lower-cost right-handed bat, but it probably wouldn't be much of an upgrade over Ben Francisco. Jamie Moyer, Greg Dobbs and Mike Sweeney would be worth minor league fliers. But with all the money tied into the core, I wonder if they have enough to offer arbitration to Kyle Kendrick.

Minor issues, frankly. All of this will play out over the next few months, plenty of time to reflect on another good season, and a heartbreaking missed opportunity in October.

Giant disappointment

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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.

Phillies survive, send series home for Game 6

It wasn't easy, but on the strength of their bullpen, and the bat and right arm of Jayson Werth, the Phillies are brining it home to Philadelphia thanks to a 4-2 victory Thursday night. (Getty Images)

Beerleaguer: Jayson Werth, who muscled a key insurance run over the right-field wall for his second home run this series, has essentially been the Phillies most reliable big-run power source of the last two postseasons. His hard hacks have been most refreshing as we continue to watch the rest of the lineup gape at crushable pitches as they travel down the chute. Werth’s defense has also been a revelation, including his throw, and the way he’s expertly navigated a very tricky AT&T Park outfield. ... Taking a look at the pitching, the back of the bullpen has emerged as a key strength again. Ryan Madson, who scratched through 1 2-3 innings the night before and was thought to be unavailable, pitched perhaps the best inning of the series by simply staying away from the 4-5-6 hitters’ power, a novel concept. He got the entire side to go fishing. Meanwhile, Jose Contreras had his splitter working again and has been on roll this postseason, dutifully filling the middle-inning gaps. We'll get to Brad Lidge in a minute.

Halladay injured: From the very first pitch, Roy Halladay didn’t look up to it. Now we know why. According to reports, he suffered a groin injury on a pitch in the second inning and was essentially pitching on one leg. Halladay, who found himself constantly behind in the count and played catch-up with pitches that showed little life, somehow managed to last six and surrendered only the two runs. Watching Ross Gload move into the on-deck circle in the seventh never felt like such a relief. (Talk about a hard-luck on Gload's liner to first).

Here’s what others had to say after the game.

Officiating: “This series has seen some of the worst umpiring ever. Balls and strikes has been an embarrassment. Pablo Sandoval hit the chalk down the line that was called foul, and the Halladay bunt was called fair. Gload beat the throw leading off the ninth inning in Game 4 but was called out, completely changing the complexion of that inning and the game.” – George S.

Exploiting Sandoval: “With Sandoval at third, I cannot believe that neither Victorino nor Rollins have tried to lay down a bunt. Sandoval is a poor fielder, with no range and a scattergun arm. Especially with men on base, and even with two out, a bunt toward third would seem like a good percentage play.” – George S.

Fastballs: “The Phillies do not seem able to hit fastballs any more (when they decide to swing at them). The Giants pitchers have left quite a few high and in the zone and they are not getting punished for it. Brian Wilson has really gotten away with some meatballs, and I hope somebody in that Philly lineup makes him pay. These are not 98 mph lasers on the black, but 88-90 mph pitches in the zone and often on hitters' counts. The Phils are making the Giants pitchers look a lot better than they really are.” – George S.

Lidge deserves respect: “Why Lidge continues to get some much second-guessing in the national media baffles me. Guess who has the better ERA since August 1 - Lidge or Wilson? That's right Lidge. He simply has shown the ability to throw that slider at the knee with great consistency with the exception of Game 1 in this series.” – MG

Manuel outmaneuvered Bochy: “Cholly made a blunder by putting Utley/Howard back-to-back, which loomed later in the game, but Bochy's blunder (pitching Ramirez) loomed even larger tonight. You don't put in a guy who is getting hit like Ramirez in a spot where you desperately need a scoreless inning. Also got away with bringing in Affeldt to turn around Vic.” - MG

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Manuel makes lineup adjustment for Game 5

The Phillies go with Victorino, Polanco, Utley, Howard, Werth, Rollins, Ibanez and Ruiz in front of Roy Halladay. The Giants reach for the series win with Torres, Sanchez, Huff, Posey, Burrell, Ross, Sandoval and Uribe ahead of Tim Lincecum.

Overreaction to Cholly's choices grows tiresome

Charlie Manuel is an experienced baseball man with canny instincts, but often a dim and inflexible mind. Deal with it, says one reader. (AP Photo)

"It's human nature to be reactionary. Doesn't mean that that makes it more acceptable than contemplation. If you defended everything on the basis of 'human nature', you might as well not bother to have laws or courts. Charlie Manuel is a dope when we lose, a savvy, underrated baseball man when we win. This is so tiresome. He is an experienced baseball man with a very dim and inflexible mind. he has his strengths, he has his weaknesses. If you're still surprised by the things he does at this point, it's sort of hard to comprehend. Although the media in this town aren't much better when it comes to jumping on and off the Charlie bandwagon: 'At first, I thought this guy was an idiot, but then I saw that he's really a sage who knows exactly what he's doing, don't let that accent fool you, you see, he pushes all the right buttons...ah wait a minute, it turns out he's actually an idiot after all.' " - RSB

Beerleaguer: RSB's comments proceeded a pair of high-profile indictments of Manuel on SI.com from senior baseball writers Tom Verducci and Joe Posanski. Manuel's postgame explainations haven't satisfied most of us in Philadelphia, where we're left to play through the "what if's." But RSB is right on point with the black-and-white, day-to-day reaction to Manuel, when an agnostic view is what's needed based on six seasons of tactical give-and-take.

Rollins: 'I just didn't execute'

A quote from today's CSNPhilly.com postmortem.

Via Jim Salisbury - With one out and the Phils playing for a run late in the game, the situation called for Jimmy Rollins to get Jayson Werth to third base. Rollins said he thought about bunting, but wanted to take one shot “to get him over swinging if not drive him in. After that, I don’t mind bunting.” Rollins swung at the first pitch and popped it to third base. Sergio Romo then struck out Ben Francisco and Carlos Ruiz to preserve the tie.

"I just didn’t execute,' Rollins said.

Charlie Manuel said he thought about having Rollins bunt, but did not order it because Rollins is adept at pulling the ball to the right side when he bats left-handed. “All he’s got to do is get a ground ball to the right side,” Manuel said. “That’s one of his strong suits. Not only that, if he gets the ground ball, it has a chance to go through and he could drive the run in.” [Read entire article]

Phillies face elimination after heartbreaking 6-5 loss

Chad Durbin's carelessness and the Giants' clutch hitting have put the Phillies' backs against the wall.

Beerleaguer: Lead-off walk to Burrell and a middle-in fastball to Cody Ross. Durbin gets what he deserves on the Sandoval two-run double. There's simply no room for that kind of failure in the postseason. Nobody said it was easy, to be handed something so precious as a one-run lead when Durbin hadn't pitched in forever. But it's not supposed to be easy. This attrocity falls at the feet of the bullpen, which included Roy Oswalt tonight. It should have worked. Why didn't it work? For starters, Oswalt was overthrowing. I couldn't get a read on what he was trying to do, but the Giants seemed to know. Credit Buster Posey with maturity beyond his years. Posey's single in the ninth set up Juan Uribe's game-winning sac fly. Besides that, Posey delivered a pair of two-out RBIs earlier in the game. The Giants' third run also came with two outs when Aubrey Huff chased Joe Blanton after 4 2-3 innings. The Giants look like they've done this 1,000 times: big hits, hits to the opposite field, all night long.

Careless pitching. Carelessness throughout. Carelessness, like waving home Carlos Ruiz with one out in the fifth. Carelessness, like Shane Victorino failing to move up to second on the play; to Vic's delight, Placido Polanco made it moot. Carelessness everywhere. Carelessness and head-hanging. Chase Utley has head-hanging down to a science.

It should have worked. They always finish on the right side of a crazy game like this; the Phillies previously cashed in on plays like Chooch's laserbeam throw, Howard's tremendous lead-off double, Werth's follow-up knock and feel-good weirdness like turning Oswalt into essentially a closer on two days rest.

Tomorrow we find out if the Phillies still float with the same buoyancy, or if this is the end of Phillies baseball as we know it.

Cavalcade of carelessness: "They didn't deserve to win tonight. Chooch should have blocked those pitches in first, Ben should have caught the ball that lead to the second run, Polly had a chance to turn a double play that lead to the third run, Leadoff walks in both the fifth and sixth, Durbin's location was horrendous, not bunting with Jimmy in the eighth, not pinch hitting with Ben in the eighth and Oswalt coming in the ninth was plain stupid. They may win tomorrow, but this offense has showed me nothing that they can win two straight let alone three straight. They are being outhit, outpitched, outmanaged, and the Giants are playing much better defense, and I know the Sabermetricians won't like this, but they look like they want it more, they are doing everything right with alot of emotion." - Jim

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Breaking news: Francisco gets the start in left

CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury reports that Ben Francisco will replace slumping outfielder Raul Ibanez in tonight's lineup. Ibanez, who was susceptible to left-handed pitching this season, is hitless this series and hitting .130 in the postseason. Francisco, who was a .284/.344/.557 hitter against left-handed pitching this season, hasn't started a game since Oct. 2 against Atlanta.

Midday: Time for patience, or time for panic?

You could argue that Charlie Manuel should go back to Roy Halladay in Game 4. You could say Raul Ibanez should be benched in favor of Ben Francisco. It all comes down to one question: Patience or panic?

Five reasons for patience: 1). The Phillies seemingly have the advantage in the Game 4 pitching matchup. Veteran Joe Blanton, who has a 3.89 ERA in eight career postseason games, is taking on 21-year-old rookie Madison Bumgarner, who has one playoff start to his name. 2). The 2-3-2 series format is a big edge for the team with home-field advantage. 3). The Giants’ hitters are not setting the world on fire. Their team batting average in the playoffs is .206 and one player, Cody Ross, has 50 percent of their RBIs. 4). The Phillies have proven in this series that they can score against Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez (albeit modestly) and they have proven in the past that they can score against Matt Cain. Furthermore, the Phils got to the Giants’ bullpen in Game 2, so there shouldn’t be a shortage of confidence from their end. 5). Championship pedigree.

Five reasons for panic: 1). The Phillies, through all their postseason success, have not come from behind to win a playoff series in recent years. The only two series in which the Phils trailed at any point – the 2007 NLDS and the 2009 World Series – wound up with the Phillies on the losing end. 2). The Phillies haven’t scored runs consistently all season and their offensive problems are resurfacing at the worst possible time. They are hitting only .203 in the playoffs, have scored just  11 runs in their last four games. 3). Of the regulars, only Ryan Howard (7-for-22, .318) is hitting above .235. The rest have been woefully inept. 4). Neither Roy Halladay nor Cole Hamels has had his A-stuff in this series. 5). While Blanton has been solid for the Phillies, both down the stretch this season and in previous playoff runs, he could easily be rusty on Wednesday. Blanton has not thrown a pitch in a major league game since Oct. 3 and has not started since Sept. 29.

Link: Another Wild Game 4 in Store for Phillies? [Read]

- Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

Readers: Utley losing his luster; tired, old bones

A sampling of Game 3 reactions as Beerleaguer gets set for Game 4.

Utley: "This game falls squarely on the shoulders of Chase Utley. He came up to the plate twice with a chance to drive in runs, and he botched two plays in the field that would have saved runs. He lost this game for us today. The luster is starting to come off Utley, as he has been average to poor this year." - Fatalotti

Tired bones: "Polanco is a shell of himself. He is getting pounded with fastball after fastball on the outside corner and just can't drive the ball even when he makes contact. Pitchers are going right after him because they know they aren't going to get hurt when he fully extends because of that elbow. Ibanez is seeing only fastballs, too, and likely will see more of the same today on the outside corner with some sliders mixed in. It would be a mistake to start Ibanez today." - MG

Bumgarner: "Mad Bum's changeup is good, not great, and his fastball is of the 90 mph variety. He wins because his command is ridiculously good and his delivery is deceptive. He reminds me a bit of J.A. Happ in terms of how he gets guys out. Phils can beat him if they swing only at pitches in the strike zone. Obviously, the Phils need to focus on fastballs thrown for strikes and try to lay off the junk. Like Happ, he spots his fastball up and down, inside and out while trying to hit corners with his breaking stuff or fool batters into swinging at that junk when it's out of the zone. He's a pitch-to-contact guy and, unless he's way off his game, he won't walk anyone." - clout

Beerleaguer postgame: Giants blank feeble Phils 3-0

In the words of Philadelphia Daily News blogger Will Bunch, this is exactly the Phillies-San Francisco series we were afraid of.

Beerleaguer: Three hits, and approximately three hard-hit balls, two for outs, were all the Phillies could manage today as our worst fears about the listless offense, the Giants and AT&T Park became a reality in Game 3. San Francisco is where holes go to get exposed, and the Phillies are loaded with them right now (example pictured right, an individual who needs to spend Game 4 on the bench; it wasn't 'too late' for Bruce Bochy to make a switch). Let's not get overly carried away with Matt Cain, either. A 119-69 pitch-strike ratio, three walks and a couple of strikeouts isn't what I'd call an overpowering postseason start. He "mixed his pitches?" Give me a break. The homeplate umpire did more to keep the Phillies off balance.

The Phils have gotta do better than this. An 0-2 deficit in the fifth shouldn't feel as insurmountable as it did today. They're getting beaten by Cody Ross and little else; Ross has knocked in half of the Giants runs this series. Maybe it's good they got this first one at AT&T out of their system. Besides Zooey Dechanel, the best part about it was that it was over in a blur.

Start Blanton tomorrow because it's the right decision, bear down and play Phillies baseball.

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Manuel sticks with same lineup; Giants make switch

The Phillies will keep Chase Utley and Placido Polanco hitting second and third respectively. For the Giants, They'll go SS Renteria, 2B Sanchez, C Posey, LF Burrell, RF Ross, 1B Huff, 3B Uribe, CF Rowand. For Rowand, it will be his first start this postseason and first appearance of the series. Uribe is back after missing Game 2.

Phillies hand Game 3 to road warrior Hamels

Cole Hamels, who is 4-0 in postseason road games and pitched to a 2.96 ERA and 9.6 K/9 away from Citizens Bank Park this season, opposes fellow 2002 first-rounder Matt Cain this afternoon.

Beerleaguer: I can’t recall believing that a game would be more about one player than this one with Hamels. Fly balls go to die in San Francisco, not that the Phils are hitting for power anyway. The Phils are hitting .221/.310/.325 in five postseason games, going yard just three times. Over their last seven games at AT&T Park, they've averaged under three runs. The Giants posted the second-best home mark in the league, with Cain holding opponents to a .591 OPS at home. Banking on the bat rack would be a mistake.

Unlike Great American Ball Park, which is like a second home to Hamels, the left-hander has had his share of ups and downs at AT&T Park. He has a 6.14 ERA there in four starts, allowing four runs in six innings in that crazy game early this season, and also a memorable seven-run meltdown in 2009. The Phils are hoping present-day success trumps past failures in San Francisco. Hamels cooked the Reds in a monstrous Game 3, going the distance to for the first time in his postseason career.

It's all about Hamels today. All things considered, I'm cool with that.

Winter leagues: Valle off to fast start in Mexico

Continuing our survey of the Caribbean leagues, we move to Mexico, where a pair of Phillies are holing up for the winter.

Sebastian Valle, the Phillies’ 20-year-old slugging catcher, is 3-for-5 with a walk, homer, double and single in the early going for his hometown Caneros de los Mochis. Considered one of the Phillies top catching prospects, Valle hit .255/.298/.430 with 16 homers for the Low-A champion Lakewood Blueclaws. Scouts seem to appreciate his power potential, but question his future behind the plate and think he could wind up at another position. In addition, lefty stalwart and Beerleaguer favorite Brian Mazone is also there. He was drilled for seven runs in 3 1-3 innings in his first start for Mexicali.

Phillies even series behind signature start by Oswalt

Roy Oswalt fanned nine over eight stellar innings, while the Phillies offense methodically broke down Jonathan Sanchez, as the hometown nine pulled even with the Giants with a 6-1 win Sunday. (Getty Images)

Beerleaguer: A brilliant effort by Oswalt, who had a bead on every hitter except Cody Ross (no middle-in fastballs, please). No matter what, whether he's mowing down the side, surrendering a bomb to that troll, running through Sam Perlozzo's stop sign or deflecting Charlie Manuel back into the dugout, the diminutive veteran wears the same, deadpan expression, the perfect front for his sneaky dominance. Tonight, the Giants couldn't resist his rising fastball. Oswalt is simply a different breed.

On to the offense, which smartly got after Sanchez with the running game in the first inning, with Chase Utley swiping second on Sanchez's slide step. A throwing error moved Utley to third and from there the Phils allowed Sanchez to get himself into trouble by luring a bases-loaded walk to Jimmy Rollins. Give the Phillies credit for their patience, but also their plan and execution of that plan. The key to the game came on back-to-back sacrifice flies in the fifth by Chase Utley and Placido Polanco to cash in Shane Victorino's lead-off double. The Phillies rarely bludgeon the opposition anymore, and it's certainly not going to happen this series. But this station-to-station blueprint is something they can follow all series and outleg the Giants' lineup.

Footnotes: Tim McCarver said he wouldn't have taken the bat out of Victorino's hands in the seventh. So much for that; his bunt to move Oswalt to second turned into another key to the game. It was pretty clearly the right way to play it considering how the Phillies are scoring their runs this postseason. ... Nice work by Raul Ibanez to track down a couple of tricky balls in left. ... Excellent job by Ryan Howard to stay on the ball against Sanchez. ... Last but not least, the rumors of Jimmy Rollins' demise have been greatly exaggerated.

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Readers critical of Phillies' approach against Giants

Readers are concerned about the Phillies' sputtering offense.

"I heard L.A. say the Phils offense is not just suddenly going to start clicking on all cylinders after 162 games of inconsistency and many games of scoring 0-2 runs. That we need to start scratching and clawing out runs rather than wait for the home run. So at least we aren't the only ones disappointed and ranting at the offense. I'm inclined to agree. We did get hits tonight but failed to capitalize on opportunities." -gbrettfan

"I also agree with Andersen. The Phillies did not get after it tonight. I saw too many hitters determined to yank the ball over the fence; after Howard hit the double to left-center leading off the second, the Phillies to a man conceded the outside part of the plate to the pitchers; by the time Wilson got in there, he exploited this expertly. This was a poor, poor offensive showing, and moreover a poor offensive *approach*. They needed to have Lincecum get the ball up, and they didn't focus on this objective in enough at-bats, flailing at ankle-high changeups again and again when behind in the count, not picking up Lincecum's rather obvious patterns. The Phillies looked like they weren't prepared for this game, somehow, while the Giants went ahead and played their game to a tee. Anyone who didn't think this would be a tough series surely knows better now." -RSB

Beerleaguer postgame: Round 1 goes to Ross, Giants

Phillie killer Cody Ross homered twice, and Tim Lincecum was a run better than Roy Halladay in a duel of aces, as the Giants took Game 1 4-3 to put the Phillies in an early hole.

Beerleaguer: Pedestrian start by Halladay, allowing eight hits and failing to duplicate the pinpoint accuracy of last Wednesday. Add in a Giants defense that awarded no freebies the way Cincinnati did and the Phillies, with their hit-and-miss offense, were kept at bay for the first time in a playoff series opener since 2007 against the Rockies. The Phils tallied all their runs on homers - a Carlos Ruiz solo and a Jayson Werth two-run blast, but couldn't manufacture anything more and fell short on a couple of good run-scoring opportunities. Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez went hitless; Rollins has just one hit this postseason. Meanwhile, Ross, Lincecum and the rest of the poised Giants made an early statement and essentially put the Phillies in a must-win situation to split the first two at home with tough left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, considered the key to this series for the Giants, scheduled to throw tomorrow.

No need to push the panic button just yet. No one should consider this a stunner. But this was indeed a discouraging loss, and it's time for a couple of guys to get it going ...

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Poll: Pick the outcome of the Phillies-Giants series

Report: Kendrick added, Dobbs dropped from roster

As expected, the Phillies will carry 11 pitchers into the NLCS, with Kyle Kendrick winning back a spot on the 25-man roster. Kendrick will fill a longman role held by Joe Blanton in the previous round; Blanton is expected to start Game 4. The move was bad news for Greg Dobbs, who, despite to health of Placido Polanco at third, was left off the roster. Domonic Brown will reportedly stay on for speed and extra power. Beerleaguer: The Phils are taking a chance with bringing only one extra infielder, however, Dobbs' skills have rapidly dwindled and Brown is a dynamic asset. Adding Kendrick for the seven-game series was the right call.

Impatiently waiting for 7:57 Saturday

Beerleaguer has officially reached the jibberjabber threshold.

Over the last several days, this series has been attacked from every possible angle, right down to a compare/contrast of the last (projected) player on each bench. You’ve got the Pat Burrell angle. You’ve got the Halladay/Lincecum thing and the fact that no two pitchers with the middle name of Leroy have ever met in the postseason. With the rotation officially set through Game 3, the roster announcement is the only valid missing piece of information. There is a good chance the Phillies will carry 11 pitchers, one more than they had the previous series. Speculation surrounds Greg Dobbs or Domonic Brown as candidates to miss the cut. Here’s my problem with that. The Phillies were forced to start Wilson Valdez at third in Game 1. Can they afford to sell themselves short on the left side of the infield knowing the fragility of Placido Polanco and Jimmy Rollins? On the other hand, cut Brown, and the Phils have no speed. To me, I’d take a hard look at someone like Ross Gload, who doesn’t bring any positional value and only marginal offensive value to the mix over what they already have.

Video: Charlie Manuel discusses NLCS gameplan

In a Beerleaguer first, tune in at 12:45 p.m. for a live stream of Charlie Manuel's NLCS press conference. The Phillies skipper is expected to officially announce his pitching matchups for the first three games of the series: Roy Halladay vs. Tim Lincecum in Game 1; Roy Oswalt vs. Jonathan Sanchez in Game 2; Cole Hamels vs. Matt Cain in Game 3; and Joe Blanton a likely candidate to pitch Game 4, possibly against Madison Bumgarner.

Highlights: The Phillies will "more than likely add a pitcher" for this series, Manuel said.

Notes: Blanton ready; baseball begins in Venezuela

Joe Blanton, who last started a game Sept. 29, threw an 80-pitch simulated game Tuesday and is expected to be tabbed as the Game 4 starter Wednesday at AT&T Park. (Getty Images)

David Murphy summarized the Blanton situation today in the Daily News: “Last year, Blanton went 16 days between his final start of the regular season and his first start of the postseason, pitching twice in relief in the National League Division Series before taking the mound against the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS. The result was a 5-4 win over the Dodgers in which he allowed three earned runs on six hits in six innings of work. This time around, Blanton is not sure when he will be pitching. On Tuesday, Charlie Manuel sounded like a man who was leaning toward using four starters against the Giants. Of course, a lot depends on how the series unfolds. Manuel has the option of starting Roy Halladay in Game 4 on 3 days' rest, which would line him up for a potential Game 7 start on 3 days' rest. But, for now, everybody seems to be operating under the assumption that Blanton will get a start at some point during this best-of-seven series.” [Link]

Blanton, who is 2-0 with a 4.13 ERA in five starts (seven appearances) with the Phillies in the postseason, went 6-1 with a 3.48 ERA after the All-Star break.

Venezuelan Winter League: Beerleaguer wouldn’t be doing its due diligence if it neglected the Venezuelan Winter League, even in the midst of a postseason. Venezuela is known for producing sure-handed infielders. Not surprisingly, eight Phillies farmhands, mostly infielders, are slated to participate this season, including Harold Garcia, Fidel Hernandez, Cesar Hernandez, Edgar Duran, Freddy Galvis and veteran Melvin Dorta, who may or may not be back with the club next season. Left-hander Sergio Escalona is also trying to put himself back on the map after falling off the Phillies radar this season. Brian Gordon, a veteran outfielder-turned-reliever who pitched 40 games with Lehigh Valley, is also listed.

Time for the Phillies’ offensive stars to shine again

Just one sizzling performance by a big bat could tip the scales in the Phillies’ favor.

Ninty-seven wins never felt so much like 87 and it’s all because the Phillies, a team of perennial MVP candidates, went through the season without experiencing greatness at the plate. Carlos Ruiz had a fine season by Carlos Ruiz standards. Jayson Werth’s final totals were terrific, but hardly exceptional. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley missed gobs of time and barely left a mark. A season of fits and starts carried into the Division Series, where the Phillies relied almost entirely on pitching and the Reds’ mistakes. As they get set to stare down the barrel of the Giants’ guns, it might be a good time for the offense to become magical again. Through the first two rounds in ‘09, Howard hit .355/.462/.742 with two homers, 14 RBIs and took home NLCS MVP hardware. Utley homered five times including a pair of two-tater efforts in Game 1 and 5, both leading to victory.

It’s a nice idea to believe the Phillies can simply pitch their way to a title. After all, they didn’t need much offense to take care of the Rays in 2008. But they needed some, and against the Giants, they’ll need more bounce from the bat rack than they showed in the previous series. The chances of repeating a no-hitter, five-hitter and receiving a gift-wrapped game like they did in Game 2 are unlikely, and the Giants’ rotation is of a higher caliber than the Reds. But if Howard and Utley are producing like they're capable of producing, the Giants will have no answer.

How do the Phils stack up against Giants’ Big 3?

Some numbers to refresh the header.

Victorino: 12-for-44 (.273), 1 HR, 2 2Bs, 2 BBs, 7 Ks
Polanco: 5-for-17 (.294), 2 BBs, 3 Ks
Utley: 12-for-46 (.261), 5 HRs, 3 2Bs, 5 BBs, 13 Ks
Howard: 11-for-43 (.256), 5 HRs, 1 3B, 4 2Bs, 2 BBs, 18 Ks
Werth: 4-for-24 (.166), 1 HR, 3 BBs, 11Ks
Ibanez: 2-for-19 (.105), 4 BBs, 11 Ks
Rollins: 10-for-44 (.227), 1 HR, 3 3Bs, 3 2Bs, 2 BBs, 10 Ks
Ruiz: 5-for-23 (.217), 1 3B, 2 2Bs, 5 BBs, 6 Ks

Big Three vs. Phillies
Lincecum: 2-1, 3.17 ERA, 48 1/3 innings, 36 hits, 54 Ks, 0.993 WHIP
Cain: 0-3, 6.23 ERA, 26 innings, 28 hits, 23 Ks, 1.577 WHIP
Sanchez: 3-1, 2.86 ERA, 34 2/3 innings, 22 hits, 40 Ks, 1.212 WHIP

Matchups
Howard kills Lincecum. The Big Piece is 6-for-19 (.316) lifetime against him with three homers and a pair of doubles. Though Ibanez hasn’t hit any of Frisco’s Big Three, Lincecum seems to give him the most problems. He has just one hit and five Ks in 10 plate appearances against the two-time Cy Young winner. Utley and Rollins should be looking forward to Game 2. Against Cain, Utley is 7-for-15 (.467) with 3 homers, while Rollins is 6-for-10 with 16 total bases. Victorino is a .400-hitter against Sanchez at 6-for-15. Werth, on the other hand, goes blind against the lefty. He is hitless in 14 plate appearances against Sanchez with six punchouts. - Matt Grassie

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Schedule and simulation

Neither manager would commit to their Game 1 starter, but it is highly likely that Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum will share the mound when the NLCS gets underway Saturday night on Fox.

Game 1: Giants at Phillies, Saturday, 7:57 p.m.
Game 2: Giants at Phillies, Sunday, 8:19 p.m.
Game 3: Phillies at Giants, Tuesday, 4:19 p.m.
Game 4: Phillies at Giants, Wednesday, 7:57 p.m.
Game 5: Phillies at Giants, Thursday,  7:57 p.m.
Game 6: Giants at Phils, Sat., 3:57/7:57 if AL is over)
Game 7: Giants at Phillies, Sunday, 7:57 p.m.

Phillies 8, Pirates 2: While the Phillies were tuning up with a seven-inning simulated game at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, Beerleaguer decided to run a simulated game of its own, pitting the Phillies' bench and a dream team of Beerleaguer All-Stars against the 2010 Pirates using the online simulation engine at whatifsports.com. Kyle Kendrick turned in four strong innings of two-hit ball, but was inexplicably pulled for Robinson Tejeda, who took the win despite 1 2-3 shaky innings. The faux Phils put up a crooked number in the fourth thanks to a two-run homer by Greg Dobbs and a Wilson Valdez sac fly. Valdez would add a two-run shot of his own in the sixth, finishing the day 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs. Despite notching 10 hits, the Pirates managed just two runs, incluidng a Ryan Doumit solo homer off Rudy Seanez to start the ninth. View the game summary and box score here. - Matt Grassie

Minors: AFL begins for eight Phillies prospects

Fall baseball gets underway this afternoon for a handful of notable Phillies prospects.

Mesa, which will be home to eight Phillies this fall, meets Phoenix today at 2:35 p.m. ET in the AFL opener. Outfielder John Mayberry Jr., last spotted homering for the Phillies in the regular season finale against Atlanta, represents the most recognizable name on the list of participants. First baseman Matt Rizzotti, who posted a .985 OPS between Reading and Allentown, catcher and utilityman Tim Kennelly and right-handers Josh Zeid, Justin De Fratus, B.J. Rosenberg, Chris Kissock and Tyson Brummett are also there. Generally speaking, it’s a group of older prospects; Zeid and De Fratus being the youngest at 23, with Mayberry, who will soon turn 27, being the oldest, and way old for this particular league. Mayberry hit .267/.328/.412 with 15 homers and 20 stolen bases in 534 plate appearances with Lehigh Valley. He's worth tracking since he could factor into the outfield mix next season, especially if he can learn how to hit a curveball. Until then, he continues to be merely an impressive physical specimen who has appeared in two fewer postseason games than Greg Golson.

Keep up with the Phillies prospects this offseason by visiting the links to the left.

Tuesday: Beerleaguers fearful of the other ‘Big 3’

Readers gear up for a Phillies-Giants Championship Series with the usual mix of pessimism and optimism.

 “The Phillies got completely shut down day after day after day and everyone here continues to ignore reality and assure me that the Phillies have a potent offense. The Giants don't hit very well either, but they do have a knack for manufacturing runs and, in a low-scoring series, that could be critical. I'd certainly like nothing more than to be wrong, but I see absolutely no basis for believing that the likes of Rollins, Polanco, Howard and Vic, who have been stinking it up for most of the season, are suddenly going to start hitting Lincecum, Cain and Sanchez.” – bay_area_phan

 “The Giants series easily could have gone the other way. There wasn't much scoring in that series, and the pitching matched up pretty well. The Giants were not overpowering nor intimidating. They played good ball and capitalized on the Braves mistakes (thank you, Brooks Conrad)” – Old Phan

 “Phils scored 13 runs in 25 innings. Giants scored 11 runs in 37 innings. And another thing, Phils never had the chance to face the Reds' shaky closer.” – EastFallowField

“I like all this negativity, it's the reverse jinx working at its finest. Getting that underdog feeling back. However, Halladay pitched a no hitter and Hamels pitched a CG SO, against the best hitting team in the National league in almost every category. It wasn't like they were a one dimensional offense. But anything can happen and who knows, Giants can smack Halladay around, or they won't and the Phillies will win in four with 'just enough' offense which seems to be the way they operate lately.” - Johnnysanz3

Giants/Phillies head-to-head: "The conventional wisdom is that the two pitching staffs are roughly equivalent, but that the Phillies are the superior offensive club. That is not, however, how it played out when the two teams met during the season. While they split six games, each taking two out of three at home, the Giants hit .290 against the Phillies and outhomered them 8-3 over the six games. Furthermore, the Giants' oft-dismissed offense fared much better against the Philadelphia Threedom than the Phils' heralded lineup did against the Giants' trio. In four starts against San Francisco, H20 went 1-2 with a 6.12 ERA, allowing 32 hits over 25 innings with 27 strikeouts. But the Giants' trio was much more effective against the Phillies' vaunted offense, going 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA over four starts, allowing only 15 hits over 27 1-3 innings while striking out 28.” – Brian McTaggart for MLB.com [Link]

Hamels' shutout sends Phils to Championship Series

Cole Hamels' five-hitter completed the sweep of Cincinnati as the Phillies dispatched the Reds 2-0 in Game 3 of the Division Series.

Beerleaguer: Good pitching beat good hitting this series as Joey Votto and the league's best offense were completely erased by Phillies pitching. Hamels was a buzzsaw in cutting up the Reds all night long with the change-up. Bookended by Roy Halladay and Hamels tonight, the Phillies held the Reds to a MLB record low 11 hits for a playoff series. Hamels, coming off a disappointing 2009 postseason, improved to 7-0 lifetime against the Reds and wore the face of machine-like stoicism in striking out nine. Meanwhile, the offense barely broke a sweat again, benefitting from an Orlando Cabrera throwing error in the first that led to a run. Later on, Chase Utley tagged the Phillies' first post-season home run with a solo shot in the fifth. Other than that, it was a very quiet series by the bats.

All told, the Reds were completely outmatched by the powerful Phillies, who established the pitching template they were expected to follow this postseason. The Phils host Game 1 of the NLCS Saturday night against the Giants or Braves, who meet tomorrow at 7:30 in Game 4. Some parting words to take you into the long week ahead, from Johnny on the Spot Beerleaguer EastFallowField:

"I'm gonna miss hearing about the Reds great offense, and great defense, and Chapman's unhittable stuff while watching the exact opposite with my own lying eyes."

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Cole, Phillies positioned to close out series in Cincy

Cole Hamels (12-11, 3.06) returns to the place where he made his Major League debut tonight when the Phillies try to clinch their third-straight trip to the NLCS. Game time is now 8:07 p.m. on TBS.

Notes: Because of the Yankees' sweep of the Twins, the game was pushed back from 7:07 on TNT to 8:07 on TBS, which will force Philadelphia viewers to deal with a total overlap of the Eagles-49ers game on NBC Sunday Night Football, beginning at 8:20. ... The reeling Reds could be without the services of their starting shortstop Orlando Cabrera, who told reporters that he's 50-50 to start Game 3 because of an injury to his left side. Reds utilityman Paul Janish would start if Cabrara can't go. Third baseman Scott Rolen, who his hitless this series, is also playing through back and shoulder stiffness. Cincinnati's hopes of staying alive rest on the right arm of Jonny Cueto (12-7, 3.64), who pitched the Phillies very tough in two starts this season. ... On the Phillies' front, Carlos Ruiz told reporters that he's 100 percent for tonight's game after taking a pitch off his left kneecap Friday. Ben Francisco, who took a glancing pitch off the brim of his helmet, is also OK. Hamels looked sharp in a two-inning tune-up last Sunday against the Braves. The revived left-hander was a disappointment last October, going 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA. He never made it out of the 6th inning in any of his four starts.

Phillies make Reds pay for miscues in 7-4 victory

For the second time this series, the Phillies watched a win materialize without having to do much work.

Summary: First it was Roy Halladay's no-hitter in Game 1. Tonight, the Phillies benefited from shoddy defense and shaky relief in watching a 4-0 deficit turn into a 7-4 surplus and a 2-0 series lead. The go-ahead moment came when Jay Bruce misplayed a fly ball in right, apparently losing it in the lights, allowing two runs to score with second baseman Brandon Phillips booting the relay throw from Bruce. Five of the Phillies' seven runs were unearned as the typically reliable Reds' defense committed four errors. Meanwhile, their bullpen, considered a strength, hit three batters. All of them scored. The Phils tallied eight hits - all singles - while five relievers (Romero, Durbin, Contreras, Madson, Lidge) collaborated on four shutout innings.

Beerleaguer: The Phillies weren't great, but great teams find ways to win games like these. Case in point: How an inexperienced Reds bullpen coughed up a lead while the veteran Phillies were biding their time for the game to break the other way. That's not to say the Phils did much to earn this win. Roy Oswalt couldn't find the plate, the defense had its own problems and the offense was just so-so. This was mostly about a leaky Cincinnati defense, players you wouldn't expect to fail: Scott Rolen, Phllips and Bruce, who had been very sharp this series until that play.

Still, there are some small wins here. Shane Victorino's bases-loaded walk being one of them. Total focus so far this postseason. He's been a superb lead-off hitter for weeks. Chase Utley is back to being Chase Utley. I like what's happening with the bench; Mike Sweeney gets a hit, Domonic Brown legs out a fielder's choice and causes some unease with his speed. The bench was a huge problem last fall. And of course, Brad Lidge passed the first test.

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Friday thread: Oswalt can put Reds on the brink

Roy Oswalt will have a tough act to follow today when the former National League Central mainstay faces a familiar foe.

It isn’t talked about a lot here, but it’s common knowledge among Astros fans that Oswalt became the first pitcher in baseball history to win 23 of his first 24 decisions against a single opponent, that opponent being the Cincinnati Reds. He' 23-3 lifetime with a 2.81 ERA against them. The familiar Reds will be in his crosshairs when Oswalt makes his first postseason start since the Astros’ 2005 World Series run. The little, long-strider went 4-0 with a 3.66 that fall, earning the victory in the National League clincher over the Cardinals. He followed with his best statistical season in 2006, but a league-leading 2.98 ERA (150 ERA+) wasn’t enough to help secure a postseason return. The Astros fell further into the NL Central basement in subsequent years and it seemed to suck the life out of the 32-year-old right-hander, who hasn’t been named to an All-Star game since 2007. He’s experienced career resuscitation with the Phils, who hit the nail squarely on the head when they traded for Oswalt in July. In 13 games (12 starts) he’s 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA, returning to the top of the leaderboard in one category: WHIP (1.025), thanks to a career-best 6.9 H/9, including a smoldering 5.8 with the Phils. The Reds, who had exactly no hits in their previous effort, need to make every one of them count. Not that any of us would care if they don't.

Polanco ready: Placido Polanco told reporters that he expects to return to the lineup today. Polanco was scratched from Wednesday’s game with back spasms. Wilson Valdez filled in admirably of course. … Roy Halladay’s Game 1 jersey will be donated to the Hall of Fame.

A moment to appreciate Doc’s deputy hero

Shane Victorino played Robin to Roy Halladay’s Batman.

There’s something about the Division Series that puts the pep in a Polynesian’s step. Victorino, who felled the giant CC Sabathia with a grand slam in Game 2 of the 2008 division series, got everyone loose right out of the chute, slashing a double down the line, stealing third and scoring on Chase Utley’s sac fly. He’d later knock in a pair, including the members-only jacket-clad Halladay, making it 25 RBIs for Victorino in his 33-game postseason career. The extra runs may not have mattered, but the comfortable lead kept the electricity pulsing through the CBP crowd through the 6th. At that point, Doctober set in.

I was there

I was there. I was there when Roy Halladay threw his no-hitter against the Reds. I was there last night with 46,000 others; 46,000 to whatever the power of children and grandchildren who will hear the story second-hand. I was there, sitting in the same nosebleed seats that Halladay is often spotted traversing in his own personal boot camp, there to watch him finally reach the summit of his climb. I was there, and it’s taken 12 hours to process it. Perfectionists can sympathize about how difficult it is to write about (near) perfection. So I'll keep it simple, because Doc did all the talking. Coworkers who watched on television described it as “comical.” Quotes from the Reds players suggested that it was like trying to hit air. "I wondered how many times I could have struck out if I just kept going up there," said Scott Rolen, who struck out in all three at bats. From the cheap seats, his pitches were diving so sharply off the table that it appeared the Reds were missing by 10 feet. Doc doesn't need a bullpen when he owns Brad Lidge’s best slider and Ryan Madson’s best change-up and mixes them with the rest of his surgical tools. To think that he shared Game 1 billing with a no-style club fighter like Edinson Volquez, who put a 93 meatball right in Halladay’s unwieldy wheelhouse.

Great ticket. But they all are anymore. Appearing in the postseason isn’t enough. Verifying their stake as the best club in franchise history is old hat. The Phillies won’t rest until they make their mark in some deep-seated, historic way. I can't wait to see how they follow this ...

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Breaking news: Polanco a no-go for series opener

Back soreness has forced Placido Polanco from Game 1, it was announced just minutes ago. Wilson Valdez will get the start at third. So it turns out that Jimmy Rollins will bat lead-off after all, but this isn't how Charlie Manuel and the Phillies had envisioned opening the postseason. The lineup will go Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Ruiz, Valdez. Beerleaguer: The loss of Polanco, who had already been coping with elbow problems, weakens the defense and removes their best situational hitter from the lineup. Valdez did an admirable job filling in this season, but the offense is clearly weakened, particularly through 8-9-1.

Doc’s day has dawned

Roy Halladay arrives at the moment he’s been waiting for.

Poll: Pick the outcome of the Phillies-Reds series

Link: Salisbury's 15 defining moments of the season

As the Phillies begin their quest to return to the World Series for a third straight year, CSNPhilly insider Jim Salisbury takes a look back at 15 moments that defined their regular season. Bookmark it. It's terrific, and it's living on nicely treated landing page. Any ideas on who designed it? [Link]