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Report: Blanton selected for Division Series roster

John Clark of NBC10 reports on Twitter that Joe Blanton says he'll be on the roster when the Phillies open the NLDS Saturday. The news comes after several afternoon reports on Twitter that David Herndon was left off the roster. Blanton appeared in five games (7 IP) since returning from the disabled list, including a pair of bullpen starts, striking out 11 while walking none. He has appeared in nine postseason games, three as a reliever. In Beerleaguer's earlier poll, most readers preferred Blanton to Herndon on the NLDS roster. Clark also tweeted that Charlie Manuel will go with the same lineup he used through the final four games of the season.

Roster finalized: (Via CSNPhilly.com): Pitchers: Antonio Bastardo, Joe Blanton, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick, Cliff Lee, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Roy Oswalt, Michael Stutes, Vance Worley; Catchers: Carlos Ruiz, Brian Schneider;  Infielders: Ryan Howard, Michael Martinez, Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Wilson Valdez; Outfielders: Ben Francisco, Ross Gload, Raúl Ibañez, John Mayberry Jr., Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino.

Report: Phillies will keep Orr, Kratz on roster standby

Pete Orr and Erik Kratz will soldier on as non-roster hot beverage purveyors when the Phillies open the postseason tomorrow, according to the Inquirer's Matt Gelb on Twitter. (Screen cap courtesy of TheFightins.)

With the report, the roster begins to take shape. Although the Phillies haven't made any official announcements, the Phils are expected to carry 11 pitchers, as reinforced by Gelb's recent tweet. That means a six-man bench that is likely to include Brian Schneider, Ross Gload, John Mayberry, Ben Francisco, Wilson Valdez and Michael Martinez. Gelb also reports the Phils have dismissed recent addition John Bowker, who hit a lusty .000/.000/.000 with seven strikeouts in 13 plate appearances. Bowker joins a list that includes Brandon Moss and Michael Schwimer as September call-ups instructed to clean out their space, pack their knives and go home. Joe Savery, Domonic Brown, Justin De Fratus have been assigned to the Florida Instructional League in order to stay fresh.

Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing Orr and Kratz, in the proud tradition of Lou Marson, Greg Golson, Mike Cervenak and Andy Tracy in 2008, wearing the hats with the flaps in the near future.

Friday morning: Reasons to fear the Cardinals

Confident heading into the NLDS? You should be. Nevertheless, here are five reasons why St. Louis might be more dangerous than you think:

1) The Cardinals took six of nine meetings against the Phillies during the regular season. Dating back to last season, the Phillies are 4-9 in their last 13 meetings with St. Louis. This year, the Phillies managed more than four runs just twice in nine games against the Cardinals. One of those games was the June 21 contest when the Phils trailed 2-1 in the eighth before putting up a nine-spot thanks to some horrific St. Louis relief pitching. The other game came on Sept. 17, when the Phils held a 3-2 lead before putting up a six-spot in the eighth. So, in the nine games against the Cards this season, here how many runs the Phillies had in the first seven innings of those games: 1, 0, 1, 3, 1, 1, 3, 0, 1. Total = 11.

2) In their last 15 innings against Jaime Garcia, the Phillies have managed a total of one run. In six career games (four starts) against Philadelphia, the St. Louis lefty has given up a total of four earned runs in 30 innings. The Phillies' regular starters are a combined 11-for-70 in their careers against Garcia.

3) The Cardinals had the major leagues' best record in September, going 16-5 over their final 21 contests to steal the NL wild card. Included in that stretch was a four-game series victory in Philadelphia.

4) Which NL playoff team had the highest batting average this season? It wasn't the Phillies. It was the Cardinals (.273). They also led all NL postseason teams in runs per game (4.68) and average with runners in scoring position (.288)

5) Albert Pujols. Perhaps you've heard of him. He batted .355/.393/.561 in September and came in at a .319/.375/.584 clip after the All-Star break. And his postseason track record speaks for itself. Lance Berkman had a great year for the Cardinals, but Pujols remains the heart and soul of that offense.

There are, of course, plenty of reasons not to fear the Cardinals. Their shaky bullpen. Some key injuries. The fact that their ace, Chris Carpenter, won't go in Games 1 or 2. But don't expect them to be a pushover by any means. David Murphy, for one, thinks they're the Phils' toughest NLDS opponent yet.

NLDS start times announced for Games 1, 2

The Phillies are going to open the postseason on Saturday at 5:07 p.m., MLB just announced. Game 2 of their series with the Cardinals will be played on Sunday at 8:07 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on TBS and aired on ESPN radio and both will be preceded by the first two games of the Diamondbacks-Brewers series. The remainder of the series schedules will be announced at a later date.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: These halcyon days

The Phillies completed a grueling September no worse for wear in a manner that couldn't have been scripted better.

The Phils crossed everything off their checklist this week: set the franchise record for wins, get the offense back on track, play good baseball, get healthy, give the veterans some work, administer a consequence-free stress test for the bullpen kids, dump the Braves like yesterday's news. They once again proved they are more in control than we give them credit for. Unlike Andy Reid and the Eagles, they're masters of time management. It's as if they can bend 162 games as they please, speed up the dog days by ratcheting up wins or slow it down in order to recharge and replenish, just as they seemed to do since last Saturday.

What an insane, indescribable pleasure it was to sit with a smug little grin and watch the Phillies wreak havoc on the playoff picture in what has to go down as the best day of regular season baseball ever.

Game chat: Phils face reeling Braves in Game 162

Preview: The Phillies are going for two major franchise records, as discussed in the earlier thread. They are also going for their 50th road victory of the season. Joe Blanton will get one last look before the postseason roster is announced. Look for Blanton to log two or three innings. Cole Hamels will follow him, and the lefty is expected to pitch somewhere between 1-3 innings. Tim Hudson goes for the Braves in an effort to get them into the playoffs, or at least into a one-game playoff. Keep an eye on the scoreboard, for the results of the Cardinals, Brewers and D-Backs' games, in addition to this one, will determine the Phils' NLDS opponent. And that battle between the Rays and Red Sox is pretty intriguing too. Tonight's lineup is "Vicless" but otherwise standard: Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Howard 1B, Mayberry CF, Ibanez LF, Polanco 3B, Ruiz C, Blanton P.

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Phillies seek two major franchise records tonight

The Phillies have been around for more than 125 years, and two of their biggest franchise records can fall tonight with a win over the Braves.

First, it would be the team's 102nd win of the year, breaking the single-season record of 101 set in 1976 and 1977. Secondly, it would be the 646th regular-season victory with the Phillies for Charlie Manuel. That would break a tie between him and Gene Mauch, who went 645-684-2 during the 1960's, and make Manuel the winningest manager in team history.

Which one is more impressive?: For me, it's Manuel. Once you get to 100 wins, it doesn't matter that much whether you end up at 101, 102, etc. The century mark is a special milestone and I think we all realize that the Phillies would definitely have broken the team record for victories had they not clinched so early. Manuel, on the other hand, continues to be a remarkable success story. If you had told me in 2005 that he would break Mauch's record, I would have laughed in your face. But here he is, 645-488 as Phils skipper and about to break a record that, personally, I never saw coming. You can argue that Manuel has benefited from a roster loaded with All-Stars - and that is certainly a valid point - but nevertheless, he has guided this team beautifully over the last seven seasons and is very deserving of this special franchise record.

Wednesday morning: J-Roll wants a five-year deal

Jimmy Rollins, a free agent at the conclusion of this season, told SI's Jon Heyman that he is looking for a five-year deal this winter.

"Five would be great. Five would be the number,'' Rollins told Heyman. "I don't think I want six or seven. You start thinking about 39 (years old). Do I want to play at 39?" Later in the article, the veteran shortstop talked about how he's played for the Phillies his whole career. But that doesn't mean that he'll necessarily end it that way.

"Right now there is no better place to play baseball, especially in the National League,'' Rollins said. "With that being said, I've been here since I am 17. I never thought of going anywhere else. But am I afraid to leave? Not at all. Nothing's permanent. I don't get caught up to the point where it's either this or nothing.''

Postgame: Rollins fuels Phillies to win No. 101

Jimmy Rollins continued his resurgence and Roy Oswalt worked six scoreless innings as the Phillies tied a franchise record with win No. 101 by defeating the Braves 7-1.

The hitting: Rollins went 3-for-5, bringing his numbers to 11-for-19 over his last four games. His seventh-inning homer was the Phils’ third of the game. Chase Utley went deep in the opening frame before Hunter Pence launched a two-run shot in the fifth.

The pitching: Oswalt gave up three hits and a walk with a fastball regularly in the mid-90's. His next scheduled appearance is in Game 4 of the NLDS, if necessary.  Joe Savery struck out Brian McCann as part of a perfect seventh before Antonio Bastardo worked a confidence-building 1-2-3 eighth. Kyle Kendrick allowed a homer in the ninth, spoiling what would have been the Phillies’ 22nd shutout.

Next up: The Phillies wrap up the regular season Wednesday night with Joe Blanton facing Tim Hudson. A win would give the team a club-record 102 victories. It would also break a tie between Charlie Manuel and Gene Mauch for the most wins by a manager in Phillies franchise history. Depending on what happens elsewhere tonight and tomorrow, it could also end Atlanta's season.

Game chat: A new-look lineup whose time has come

For the third straight day, the Phillies are going with the lineup of Rollins, Utley, Pence, Howard, Victorino, Ibanez, Polanco, Ruiz and the pitcher.

For years, Utley and Howard back-to-back made sense when they were both MVP candidates. It made sense when Utley was the ideal No. 3 hitter and Howard was too dominant to bat any lower than fourth. But now, Utley is more of a No. 2 hitter and Hunter Pence - obviously the key to the new-look lineup - is capable of hitting third, splitting up the two lefties.

This lineup works for other reasons, too: Shane Victorino couldn't have batted fifth a couple of years ago, but now he can do it. Raul Ibanez or John Mayberry, at times in recent years, they would have stood out as a weakness in the six-hole. Not anymore. And Placido Polanco used to be way too good a hitter to bat seventh. Now it's his natural spot.

You probably could argue that Charlie Manuel should have gone to this new lineup earlier in the season, but the important thing is that they're using it now, they're starting to hit the ball, and the playoffs begin in four days.

The Phillies will turn to Roy Oswalt (8-10, 3.86) tonight against Braves righty Derek Lowe (9-16, 4.92). Joe Blanton will start tomorrow's regular-season finale. The Phillies can tie the club record with their 101st win tonight. If they lose, they can potentially learn their first-round fate, should the Cardinals lose, the Brewers win and the D-Backs lose. In that scenario, the Phils would play Arizona in the NLDS.

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Tuesday: Putting 100 victories into perspective

The Phillies have accomplished a great deal in the last half-decade – five straight division titles, two pennants and of course the 2008 World Series title.

But 100 wins is different. It isn’t better or more important than the other accolades, but it’s special in its own right.

Back in the summer of 1997, when the Phillies lost 19 of 20 games, who could have envisioned a Phillies team winning 100 games? Two years later, when the Phillies batted Kevin Jordan cleanup 29 different times, the mere thought of winning 80 games, let alone 100, seemed like a pipe dream. And two years after that, when Omar Daal got the ball for the Phils on Opening Day, it seemed like the Phillies might never win 100 games again. Ever, that is. Let alone in one season.

So when Ryan Madson recorded the final out last night, it really should have meant something to those Phillies fans who sat through those awful years in the 80's, 90's and even the early part of the 2000's. Certainly this is a team with much bigger fish to fry than cracking the 100-win mark, but it’s an important milestone nonetheless. One that, at least for this team, doesn’t come around every century.

Jayson Stark, as always, does a good job of putting the Phillies' milestone into proper perspective.

Trivia: What was the last National League team to win at least 100 games in the regular season and then go on to win the World Series? Answer in the comments section.

Game chat: Phillies seeking win No. 100 tonight

Cliff Lee and the Phillies begin their final series of the regular season tonight in the opener of a three-game set versus the Wild Card leading Braves. The Phils lead the season series with Atlanta 9-6. The Braves lead the Cardinals by one game in the Wild Card race. [Jump to the newest comments]

Report: Phillies' postseason roster comes into focus

It's Antonio Bastardo or bust as far as lefty relief is concerned.

CSNPhilly.com insider Jim Salisbury reports on Twitter that Domonic Brown, Justin DeFratus and perhaps most notably, left-hander Joe Savery, will head to the Florida Instructional League after the season in case the Phillies need them during the postseason. It's a strong show of faith for struggling southpaw Antonio Bastardo, unless the Phillies have another trick up their sleeves. Meanwhile, Brandon Moss and Michael Schwimer will reportedly head home, which is interesting since Schwimer was an earlier arrival than De Fratus, so it would appear that his stock has dropped somewhat in the bullpen pecking order. No news is also good news as far as John Bowker is concerned; Salisbury says Ruben Amaro Jr. dropped serious hints about an 11-man pitching staff come October.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Polanco 3B, Ruiz C. That's a full lineup behind Cliff Lee as the Phillies aim to knock Atlanta into a dead heat with the Cardinals for the NL Wild Card. Atlanta leads the Cards by just one game after losing five of their last seven.

Winning and losing starts and stops with Doc

Roy Halladay will be on the mound Saturday when the Phillies host Game 1 of the Division Series. When he does, the Phils freshly dissolved losing streak will be a distant memory, and Doc will be as poised as ever.

Halladay, a good bet to finish only third or fourth in voting in his quest to repeat as NL Cy Young, quietly ended his 2011 campaign with six dominant shutout innings Sunday, reducing his ERA to a career-best 2.35 ERA, one of the least known, least celebrated achievements this season. Doc has stayed on the fringe of the conversation for several reasons this year. Darling left-hander Cliff Lee has six complete-game shutouts and narrowly missed a couple more. He's already been recognized as the club's most valuable pitcher by Philadelphia sportswriters. And earlier in the season, one could argue that Cole Hamels was the Phillies' best pitcher, with numbers inflated only by his inaugural start (6 runs over 2 2-3 innings against the Mets on Apr. 5), then a seven-run shelling against the Mets July 16.

That just doesn't happen to Doc, and it certainly won't happen on Saturday. It's why the Phils were a good bet to snap their eight-game skid yesterday, even if he was treating it as a tune-up. The Phils' full lineup dropped 19 hits on the Mets heads in staking Doc to his 19th win, making it 29 hits in their last two games.

Game chat: Halladay aims to end this foolishness

Roy Halladay takes the damn ball this afternoon as the NL East champs try to avoid nine-straight losses for the first time since 1998 today against Mike Pelfrey and the Mets. First pitch is 2:10. Charlie Manuel will reportedly field a lineup of regulars as the Phils attempt to remove their heads from their rear ends defensively and take better at bats at the dish. Yeesh. [Jump to the newest comments]

Fans will scream for blood if Phillies get bounced

Although the players continue to downplay the losing streak, Beerleaguers are increasingly on edge, including real concern over the health of Hunter Pence. Some snippets …

"The Phillies have had the hearts and minds of all Philadelphians now for six or some odd years. If the Phillies take this slump into the playoffs and get bumped out in the NLDS people in Philly will scream for blood. For the first time in many years this Phillies organization will have to deal with what the Eagles dealt with when McNabb choked in the Super Bowl. I hope it doesn't happen, but if it does it will surely be more ugly then anyone in the organization ever dreamed of." - 3r0ck

"Apart from sinking feeling that teams on major losing streaks to end their seasons rarely advance in post season, my biggest take away from this second game loss was to see that Hunter Pence's knee injury seems to be affecting his play - on the base paths and in the field (as I think it played a role in his error). Phils need to win today and take two of three from Braves to get on track." - Dan

"To imply that they can suddenly turn it on when the postseason arrives is naîve at best. Slumps take time both to develop and more time to overcome. That's why the last four games are vitally important." - mainerob

"Dickey has been a really good pitcher of late, has been really tough at home, and is a knuckleballer who has given this team fits since last year. It is one thing to get shut down by him. Another to only score three runs against a scrub like Gee who has been hammered since Aug. 1 with an ERA well north of 6. Especially since he had nothing tonight. Did have great command nor was sharp with any of his offspeed stuff. I am sure Halladay will show up with his 'A' stuff today. Lineup needs to actually score more than 2-3 runs total though." - MG

Manuel on losses: "We’re out of sync. We’re out of focus. We’re searching and nothing’s going right. We jump out there tonight and get six guys on base the first two innings and we score two runs. The other night we got five straight hits and we scored two runs. What the heck? We’re supposed to be scoring three or four runs in a situation like that, but we make mistakes." - via CSNPhilly

Pence's error looms large in Phils' eighth-straight loss

Hunter Pence's brutal three-base error with two outs in the third led to a five-run inning and seemingly took the wind from the Phillies' sails in a 6-3 loss. The losing streak has hit its longest point in 11 years.

Beerleaguer: Now it's getting stupid. Now the Phils probably need to bag a couple of wins for their own sakes, and I think they will because the rotation is built to stop losing streaks. Positives: 10 hits and a handful of hard-hit balls for outs, but you can see they're also pressing offensively. Cole Hamels gave them seven solid innings early. And Mike Stutes looked good in the second game. Really, the pitchers who are worth a damn have been sharp lately. Negatives: First off, some of these call-ups are totally useless and I'd just as soon send them away and get back to business. David Herndon takes the loss and well he should with a pair of walks in the frame. Herdon isn't a good pitcher and I don't think there's room for him on the postseason roster. But more than anything, it's these errors that have burned the Phils, and Pence's drop is as bad as they've had all season.

Loss No. 8 is all on Pence, because Herndon gets through his inning, Kyle Kendrick starts fresh in the fourth and the Phils carry a different approach the rest of the game.

Game chat: Phillies hoping buck stops with bullpen

Joe Blanton makes an emergency start as the reeling Phillies try to avoid losing eight straight for the first time since 2000 in the nightcap of their doubleheader with the Mets. The Phils go Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Pence, Mayberry, Gload, Schneider, Valdez. [Jump to the newest comments]

Game chat: Phillies play third twin bill in 10 days

Cole Hamels and the Phillies meet R.A. Dickey and the Mets in the first game of a day-night doubleheader beginning at 1:10 from Citi Field. Ryan Howard returns to the lineup for the Phils.

The Phils are looking to snap their six-game losing streak, their longest since June of 2009. Hamels is also looking to get back on track after losing each of his last two starts, allowing nine runs in 12 innings over that stretch. He still has a chance to set a career high for wins, though he'd need to notch a victory today and then again in the regular-season finale. For his career, he's 3-10 with a 4.69 ERA against the Mets. Lineups: Rollins SS, Polanco 3B, Victorino CF, Howard 1B, Ibanez LF, Mayberry RF, Ruiz C, Valdez 2B. Howard (ankle) last started Sept. 17 against St. Louis. Chase Utley sits and is having a terrible month, hitting .175/.257/.286 with three extra base hits in September.

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Details: The Phils and Mets will play a day/night doubleheader tomorrow. Cole Hamels will reportedly pitch Game 1 beginning at 1:10 tomorrow. Joe Blanton will go in Game 2 beginning at 7:10, but is likely to be on a very short leash. Sunday's game will begin at 2:10.

Game chat: Will the losing streak end tonight?

Preview: The Phillies go for their first win in forever tonight at Citi Field in the opener of a three-game set. Cole Hamels has lost each of his last two starts, allowing nine runs in 12 innings over that stretch. He still has a chance to set a career high for wins, though he'd need to notch a victory tonight and then again in the regular-season finale. For his career, Hamels is 3-10 with a 4.69 ERA against the Mets. New York will go with R.A. Dickey, a knuckleballer who has pitched very well over the last two months. You might think Dickey is the last pitcher the reeling Phillies need to face right now. Then again, things can't get much worse offensively.

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Friday: Phillies' six-game slide a non-story

The Phillies command your trust.

This is the on-deck series. Exhibition. Nothing. If you're panicked about losing six straight and fearful that it's creating bad juju heading into the postseason, than it might be time to ask yourself, as a fan, whether it's better to invest your summer hours elsewhere instead of watching winning baseball 63 percent of the time and a pitching clinic held in about half of the games total.

That's why Saturday's celebration should be savored even if it felt like a formality. God were the Phillies good this year. So, so good. These last dozen games should be shaved from the scorecard. And if you've been around the game long enough you know that anything can happen in the postseason, although pitching and experience can't hurt; the Phils are loaded with both. Less talented teams have backed into the postseason and won. Better teams entered the postseason primed to rip through October like a buzzsaw, and lost.

Acceptable areas of big concern: left-handed relief. And that's it. They're just as banged up as ever. The offense will sputter as usual. They've let off the gas because their regular season work is done. They can improve their stock no more, as a team and individually. Ryan Howard, Hunter Pence and a steady stream of others have been sitting out, and it doesn't help that the "On-Deck All-Stars," Pete Orr, Michael Martinez, Brian Schneider, John Bowker, Michael Schwimer, Ben Francisco and Ross Gload, kinda stink. And if you let off the gas with lineups like these, you lose. Actually, you'd lose at Triple-A.

Come Oct. 1, when it's ace vs. ace with loaded lineups, it'll all be forgotten.

Friday morning chat: Joe Savery, playoff pitcher?

The Phillies have a handful of goals left between now and the end of the regular season. They want to win at least twice to reach 100 victories. They want to stay healthy, of course. And they want to get some of their struggling players going before the postseason kicks off.

But they are also keeping an eye on Joe Savery, who likely will get two or three relief opportunities over the final six games. Does he have a chance to make the playoff roster? Well, it's hard to call it a good chance, but it's not as much of a longshot as it was six months ago or even one month ago.

Savery, the Phils' first-round pick in 2007, has gone from a pitcher to a hitter back to a pitcher. The lefty had a strong run for the IronPigs in the latter part of this season, going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA over 25 innings. He struck out 26 batters and walked only six. He held lefties to a .192 average, though he actually struck out righties at a higher clip. In two major league appearances this month, Savery has pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relatively uneventful fashion.

The other factors, of course, are the struggles of Antonio Bastardo, who remains the only lefty in the Phillies' bullpen, and the debated value of guys like Kyle Kendrick or Michael Stutes in the postseason. It's probably unlikely that the Phillies would summon Savery for the NLDS - or any ensuing round - but it's certainly an idea that's on the table as we enter the final week of the season.

Postgame: Oswalt crumbles late, skid hits six

An encouraging outing for Roy Oswalt turned sour in the eighth inning, and the Phillies' bats remained in hibernation in a 6-1 loss to the Nationals, the Phils' sixth straight defeat.

The pitching: For most of the night, Oswalt had life on his fastball and good movement on his off-speed stuff. He dominated the first seven innings before things fell apart. In all, the righty gave up six runs on seven hits and two walks in 7 2/3 innings. He ended up throwing 110 pitches in his next-to-last start of the regular season. Joe Savery worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning in his second major league appearance.

The defense: The first two runs Oswalt allowed came in the third inning, and both were a product of a shallow fly ball into right field that the stunningly awful John Bowker didn't take charge of. Roger Bernadina added an RBI double in the eighth to make it 3-0 before Mike Morse launched a three-run homer to end Oswalt's night. Morse was the dreaded "one more batter" following a brief mound visit from Charlie Manuel.

The hitting: Well, Carlos Ruiz had three hits and John Mayberry Jr. had one. And that was it. The four-hitter concluded the Phillies' home slate in disappointing fashion. The team went 52-29 at home this season, a great record but one that includes six straight defeats - including a four-game sweep at the hands of the Nationals - to end the year.

Next up: The Phils open a three-game set at Citi Field on Friday. Cole Hamels gets the nod against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Maybe the Phillies can mix in a victory before the season ends.

Game chat: On the verge of unprecedented sweep

The Phils have never suffered a four-game sweep at the hands of the Nationals since they moved to Washington.

Roy Oswalt will have the ball in the series finale and if history is any indicator, he should fare pretty well. In 113 career innings against Washington, he has surrendered just 37 earned runs on 93 hits en route to a 2.95 ERA. Laynce Nix, however, does give Oswalt some problems (12-for-28 with four doubles, three homers and six RBIs), and he'll be hitting fifth for the Nats tonight.

The Phils will count on the following nine to avoid their sixth straight defeat: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Ibanez LF, Gload 1B, Ruiz C, Bowker RF, Orr 3B and Oswalt P.

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Thursday morning: How concerning is the slump?

Over the last 10 years, only two teams have struggled down the stretch and gone on to win the World Series.

One was the 2006 Cardinals, considered by most to be somewhat of a postseason anomaly. The other was the 2002 Angels, who scuffled over the final two weeks before turning it on in October. Here is a quick look at how recent World Series champions fared down the stretch:

2010 Giants: 9-4

2009 Yankees: 8-3

2008 Phillies: 13-3

2007 Red Sox: 6-3

2006 Cardinals: 3-9

2005 White Sox: 8-2

2004 Red Sox: 7-2

2003 Marlins: 6-1

2002 Angels: 4-7 (though they won three of their final four games)

2001 Diamondbacks: 8-3

Beerleaguer: The 2011 Phillies are currently on a five-game losing streak - all at home - and they're just 4-9 in their last 13 games. I haven't had a chance to examine the "clinching factor" in all of this, i.e. how other World Series champions fared immediately after clinching the division or their league's best record, but I'd imagine that a four- or five-day hangover isn't uncommon. While I don't put a ton of value on the above records, it certainly would be nice to see the Phils return to their old form, at least to some extent, over the final eight games. At this point, I'm more concerned about individual players (Bastardo, Utley, and several banged-up veterans) than I am about the team as a whole.

Postgame: Bleh … Lackluster Phils drop fifth straight

More apathy from the Phillies in their 7-5 loss to the Nationals. Plus, Antonio Bastardo offers another worrying performance.

Pitching: Vance Worley was alright, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked three en route to the loss. Despite Worley’s missteps, the game was really lost in the eighth, when Bastardo made a throwing error, allowing a runner he inherited from Justin De Fratus to score. He gave up an RBI single to the following batter and a sac fly after that, handing Washington a 7-3 lead.

Offense: At least the performance at the plate marked an improvement. After averaging 1.5 runs over their last four contests, a spike in production was inevitable. Behind multi-hit nights from John Mayberry, Raul Ibanez and Ben Francisco, the Phils pushed five across on 10 knocks. Mayberry finished 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs and a pair of RBIs.

Distinctly un-Phillies moment: Brian Schneider hit a ground ball to first with two outs and the bases empty in the eighth. The Phils were trailing by a pair of runs and in need of baserunners, but Schneider barely left the batter’s box as he watched Chris Marrero field the grounder and tag the bag. Pretty much the Phils’ last week in a nutshell.

Hardware: Four Phillies were honored by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Cliff Lee was given the Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher award, Shane Victorino received the Mike Schmidt Most Valuable Player award, Charlie Manuel received the Dallas Green award for Special Achievement and Ibanez received the Tug McGraw Good Guy award.

Game chat: Lannan, just what the doctor ordered

Preview: The Phillies, losers of four straight games, will try to avoid a five-game skid for the first time since May 2010. And if you're the Phillies, you can't really ask for a better matchup than John Lannan (9-13, 3.68). Sure, Lannan is having a solid season for Washington, but his career numbers against Philadelphia (1-12, 5.81) are well-documented. He is 0-5 with a 7.40 ERA in six career outings at Citizens Bank Park. Though of course last night's starter, Ross Detwiler, had never won on the road in his career prior to last night. The Phils will go with Vance Worley (11-2, 2.85), who will be moved to the bullpen following this outing. Worley will try to improve his already-terrific home numbers (6-0, 2.01 in 11 starts). The Phils lineup looks like this: Rollins 6, Victorino 8, Polanco 5, Utley 4, Mayberry 3, Ibanez 7, Francisco 9, Schneider 2, Worley 1. Looking down the road, the Phillies' postseason rotation is beginning to come into focus.

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Wednesday: Potential World Series matchups

Disclaimer: We know, we know, the Phillies still have a ways to go before they reach the World Series. We're not taking the NL pennant for granted by any means.

That said, if the Phils are fortunate enough to reach the Fall Classic for the third time in four years, who would you want (or not want) them to face?

The Yankees? There's a revenge factor, if that does anything for you. The Yanks' starting pitching is arguably the shakiest of any AL contender, though the emergence of Ivan Nova has quieted that talk a bit. The Yankees are probably the favorite in the AL, but it's not clear-cut by any means.

The Red Sox, Rays or Angels? One of these teams is going to win the AL wild card. All three are flawed in one sense or another. Tampa Bay could be dangerous if it gets into the postseason, due mainly to the improbability of the Rays' September comeback. Boston is the most talented of the three teams, but injuries (and John Lackey) have destroyed their season. Anaheim has a rotation that would stack up pretty favorably against the Phils, at least in the grand scheme of AL contenders.

The Tigers? Justin Verlander is as good as it gets. Miguel Cabrera is a force. And the bullpen has been lights out. Detroit is becoming a trendy pick to win the AL pennant.

The Rangers? Even though they're having a fine season, they kind of feel like the forgotten team in the American League. Hardly anyone is giving them a chance to repeat as AL champs.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Razor's edge going dull

The fulfilled Phils have nothing to play for and have played 25 games in 23 days. And it shows.

Signs of the times: four-staight home losses, B-game lineup cards, errors, wasted outs, cortisone shots, precautionary MRIs, 'I felt a pop,' double-header losses to the Nationals. It's the three-day hangover from hell. You've woken up in bizarro world, where John Bowker plays first and Michael Schwimer blows a three-run lead on a pitch, you suspect, that could be the worst you've seen in your entire life. Little did you know that the face of success - 98 wins - would be the sobering mug of Ben Francisco, who wandered back from the hills and snapped away your fat-and-happy haze. "Hey. Where'd Hunter Pence go? Knee tendinitus? Let's eat."

Game 2 chat: Lee, Phillies hope for split vs. Nats

Game 2 preview: Cliff Lee probably needs a strong performance in the nightcap to become (remain?) the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young Award. Lee (16-7, 2.38) is coming off last Thursday’s game against the Marlins in which he pitched so well before allowing a game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth. Still, Lee remains 12-2 with a 1.48 ERA in his last 18 starts. The Nats will counter with Ross Detwiler, who is 0-9 with a 4.76 ERA in 18 career road games, including 12 starts. The Phillies likely will play more of their regulars in the nightcap after fielding a lineup full of Piglets in Game 1. Jayson Werth should be in the lineup for Washington.

Here’s what you need to know from Game 1:

Late-inning drama: Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer for the Phils in the seventh inning, tying the game at 3-3. Michael Stutes allowed the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th on Ryan Zimmerman's pinch single. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, Erik Kratz - making his Phils debut - led off with a double. Pete Orr then lined out on the 11th pitch he saw from Drew Storen. Following a strikeout by Brian Schneider and an intentional walk to Chase Utley, Ross Gload grounded out to end the ballgame.

Fringe players look like, well, fringe players: Orr made a lazy error early in the game, John Bowker did his best impression of a Little League rundown, and Michael Schwimer gave up a three-run homer. Kyle Kendrick, the rotation's version of a fringe player (despite pitching terrificly for most of the year), logged six scoreless innings to lower his season ERA to 3.04. At one point, the nine players the Phillies had in their lineup collectively had 47 fewer career hits than Chase Utley.

Savery debuts: Former first-round pick, former starting pitcher, former hitter and current relief pitcher Joe Savery made his major league debut in the eighth inning. He allowed a leadoff single and a sacrifice before Charlie Manuel turned to Brad Lidge to escape the jam.

Game chat: Kratz making Phillies debut in Game 1

Preview: You'd think that when a .118 career hitter makes his season debut for a 98-win team, that he'd probably be batting eighth. Well, not when your name is Erik Floyd Kratz. The recent callup from Lehigh Valley is in the six-hole for the day game of Tuesday's double-dip with the Nationals. The lineup, arguably the worst the Phillies have used in the last four years (maybe even inarguably?) looks like this: Victorino CF, Valdez SS, Mayberry 1B, Pence RF, Francisco LF, Kratz C, Orr 2B, Martinez 3B, Kendrick P. This is the second straight double-header start for Kendrick, who gave up one run in five innings against the Marlins last Thursday. The Nats will counter with Ross Detwiler, who has some impressive career road numbers (0-9, 4.76 ERA, 1.66 WHIP). A win for Kratz and Co. and the Phillies will have clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason the best record in the NL. (Sorry 'bout that) And Detwiler apparently isn't starting for the Nats now. It's Tommy Milone. (Sorry 'bout that too.)

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Postgame: Too little, too late in finale vs. Cardinals

The Phillies put forth a valiant ninth-inning rally, but it wasn't enough in a 4-3 loss to the Cardinals to conclude the teams' four-game set.

The hitting: The Phillies have scored just 28 runs over their last 11 games, two of which came in the ninth inning Monday. Their first run of the night - an unearned run - scored on Carlos Ruiz's second-inning single. Their second run came on Jimmy Rollins' RBI triple in the ninth. (No apparent groin problems as he legged out the three-base hit, by the way.) Rollins then scored on Shane Victorino's RBI groundout, making it 4-3. Tony La Russa then summoned Arthur Rhodes, who allowed a single to Chase Utley. That brought up the potential winning run, Hunter Pence, who grounded out against Octavio Dotel to send the Phils to a four-game series loss for the first time all season.

The pitching: Roy Halladay gave up four runs and six hits over eight innings. He also walked four batters, including two intentional passes to Lance Berkman, who also hit a two-run homer in the first inning. Halladay fell short of his 19th win and likely won't get to 20 victories, as he's expected to make his final start of the regular season this weekend.

Next up: A doubleheader against the Nats on Tuesday. Kyle Kendrick goes for the Phils in the opener, while Cliff Lee pitches the nightcap. The Nationals will go with a pair of southpaws: Ross Detwiler and Tommy Milone. The games are at 1:05 and 7:05.

Game chat: Doc, Phils can clinch NL's best record

Preview: The Phillies can clinch the best record in the National League with a win over the Cardinals tonight, coupled with a Brewers defeat against the Cubs. Roy Halladay (18-5, 2.34) is looking for his 40th regular-season win as a Phillie, a victory that would potentially make him the NL Cy Young favorite. Halladay has given up three earned runs in 22 career innings against the Cardinals, including one run in six innings at Busch Stadium in late June. He'll be opposed by ex-Phils righty Kyle Lohse (13-8, 3.62), who hasn't beaten the Phillies since 2008. Ryan Howard, over the last four seasons, is 7-for-14 with two homers against Lohse. But it's a moot point, since Howard had a cortisone shot earlier Monday and is not expected to play until Thursday at the earliest. That means Beerleaguer's Ross Gload fan club gets to celebrate again, as the veteran earns a second straight start at first base. Here's the lineup: Rollins 6, Victorino 8, Utley 4, Pence 9, Ibanez 7, Polanco 5, Gload 3, Ruiz 2, Halladay 1.

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Monday morning: Who's got the eighth inning?

While the Phillies' starters have gotten most of the attention, and the closer's spot has been a bit of a merry-go-round at times, it's the eighth inning that leaves the most intrigue between now and the postseason.

Here is the scenario: Cliff Lee goes seven innings against the Diamondbacks in Game 5 of the NLDS. The D-Backs, trailing 7-5, are sending up Paul Goldschmidt, Chris Young and Ryan Roberts (three right-handed hitters) in the top of the eighth. Assuming everyone is reasonably rested, who are you going to?

The choices: Brad Lidge hasn't allowed a run in his last nine appearances, but he's come awfully close at times. The last time Lidge pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning was May 31, 2010. ... Antonio Bastardo has been lights out for much of the year, but he's the only lefty in the 'pen and he's leaking oil faster than a BP drilling rig (too soon?). ... Joe Blanton has pitched two innings since May 14. ... Vance Worley hasn't pitched in relief since May and Roy Oswalt hasn't done it since last October. ... Ryan Madson for two innings? Yeah, right. ... Kyle Kendrick? No thanks. ... The wild card may be Michael Stutes, who certainly hasn't been at his best over the last six weeks. But he has the stuff and the demeanor to handle set-up duties. Perhaps some rest between now and the postseason would prove invaluable for the 25-year-old right-hander.

 

Game chat: NL East champs share prime time stage

Cole Hamels (14-8, 2.71) and the Phillies earn ESPN's prime time slot opposite the Eagles on Sunday Night Football tonight in the third of four against the Cardinals. First pitch is 8:05.

Despite clinching the division and celebrating into the night, the Phils go with most of their regulars this evening: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Ibanez LF, Polanco 3B, Gload 1B, Schneider C. Hamels tries to rebound following a poor performance against Houston Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are trying to stay alive in the Wild Card race and could close the gap to 3.5 games with a win. The Braves fell to the Mets 7-5 earlier today. [Jump to the newest comments]

Phillies five-peat the East with 12 games to spare

Game chat: Phillies in full force for possible clincher

Roy Oswalt (7-9, 3.88) seeks better consistency when the Phillies and their freshly bloated 34-man roster meet Jake Westbrook (12-8, 4.61) and the streaking Cardinals in Game 2 tonight at 7:05.

The Phils can clinch the National League East with a win or a Braves loss to the Mets, but the Phils are clearly focused on home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have won eight-of-night and are putting serious heat on the Braves' grasp of the Wild Card spot, cutting Atlanta's lead to 3.5. … Lineups are posted and all the regulars are in: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Pence RF, Ibanez LF, Polanco 3B, Ruiz C. ... The Phils added five call-ups to the roster today, including outfielders Domonic Brown and Brandon Moss, catcher Erik Kratz and relievers Joe Savery and Justin De Fratus.

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Call-ups could factor in to Phillies' postseason plans

The Phillies summoned the IronPigs' five best players Friday night after Columbus dealt the Phils' Triple-A affiliate a 4-1 loss in the deciding game of the International League Governor's Cup finals.

The team recalled outfielder Domonic Brown and right-handed reliever Justin DeFratus and purchased the contracts of catcher Erik Kratz, lefty reliever Joe Savery and outfielder Brandon Moss, it was announced during Friday's Phillies game. To clear room on the 40-man roster, the Phillies announced they had designated left-handers Juan Perez and Mike Zagurski for assignment, along with minor-league right-hander Drew Naylor, who has been on the 40-man roster for several seasons. Both Zagurski and Perez had appeared with the Phillies this season. Perez, who struck out the side on nine pitches in a July 8 appearance, had been a mess since being sent back down to the minors, while Zagurski classifies as a dime-a-dozen lefty tweener who failed to impress.

That means the the 2011 saga of Joe Savery begins a fascinating new chapter, one that could end with an invitation to the Phillies' postseason roster. The former first-round pick was left unprotected and could have been claimed by any team in the Rule 5 draft, but instead returned to the Phillies as a first baseman for Class-A Clearwater. For about two weeks, he was the hottest hitter on the planet, ascended to Double-A where circumstances pushed him back into the bullpen where he rediscovered his long, lost fastball. He was promoted to Triple-A, as a reliever, and finessed the the regular season 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA for Lehigh Valley, posting a 26/6 K/BB ratio in 25 innings. All told, he appeared in 25 games this season, posting a 1.50 ERA, while hitting .294/.354/.404 with two homers.

Savery's story becomes even more intriguing given that Antonio Bastardo's struggles continued Friday.

De Fratus, a power right-hander, could also get a hard look and pitched lights-out ball down the stretch. In his last 10 regular-season appearances, he fanned 24 in 15 innings.

In veterans Kratz and Moss, the Phillies receive the IronPigs' best veterans. Kratz, of nearby Telford, Pa., has been a third catcher in the bigs before and put up good power numbers again, hitting .288/.372/.466 with 15 homers for the Pigs. Notably absent: Old standby Dane Sardinha. Meanwhile, the Pigs' postseason run gypped Moss out of likely earlier call-up. He hit .275/.368/.509 with 23 homers in leading the IronPigs offense all season. He could push John Bowker out of the picture for good; Bowker is 0-for-7 with five strikeouts and doesn't have Moss's glove.

As for Brown, his offensive and defensive struggles since the Hunter Pence trade have been well documented. He lost his started job to Scott Podsednik in Lehigh Valley, but I still would not rule him out of the postseason mix. The Phils would love nothing more than for Brown to gain back some confidence and head to 2012 firmly in the outfield mix. The Phillies share much of the blame for robbing him of development time these last two seasons.

Clinching the division today would be a good first step in clearing some bandwidth in order to give these guys a shot. They could do so before stepping on the field should the Mets beat the Braves again.

Game chat: Worley, Phils inching towards clinching

Preview: The Phillies can clinch the NL East title tonight with a win against the Cardinals and a Mets win against the Braves. It would be their fifth straight division crown. Here is a look at the final outs of the last four clinchers. Vance Worley (11-2, 2.92) straps on the goggles tonight, coming off a rare loss in which he gave up three runs in 6 2/3 against Milwaukee. The Cards counter with lefty Jaime Garcia (12-7, 3.68), who is 4-3 with a 4.68 ERA on the road this season, compared to 8-4 with a 2.64 ERA at home. The lineup looks like this: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Polanco 3B, Mayberry 1B, Francisco LF, Schneider C, Worley P. After winning last night's game as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning, Ryan Howard gets a second straight night off.

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Beerleaguer for breakfast: Ex-Phils still hanging on

This week's games vs. the Astros and Marlins got us thinking about ex-Phillies that are still hanging on in the major leagues, many of whom - quite frankly - we never thought would be playing baseball in 2011.

Jason Michaels: A solid bench player and occasional starter for the Phillies from 2001-05, Michaels has hit .199/.256/.295 for Houston this season. Since leaving the Phillies, the 35-year-old outfielder has played for the Indians, Pirates and Astros. Probably a safe bet that 2011 will be the final season of his decade-long career.

Nelson Figueroa: Another Ed Wade special, Figueroa is hanging on with the Astros after not pitching in the majors from 2005-07. He has pitched for the Mets, Phillies and Astros since returning to the big leagues, after playing for the Diamondbacks, Phillies, Brewers and Pirates from 2000-04. Figueroa, one of four players the Phils got in the Curt Schilling deal, was 0-3 with an 8.69 ERA for the Astros this season. The 37-year-old has been in the minors since May and likely will never reach the majors again.

Greg Dobbs - It's hard to imagine that Dobbs actually hit cleanup for the Marlins earlier this week - and hit his eighth homer of the season in that game. Dobbs, 33, was obviously a quality reserve for the Phillies in 2007 and 2008, but after his struggles the last two seasons, it looked like his career was coming to an end. Now he's batting .282/.316/.403 with 49 RBIs in 390 at-bats for the Fish.

Nick Punto: A scrappy infielder for the Phils from 2001-03, Punto became a valuable piece for some good Twins teams in the middle of the last decade. Now he's hanging on with the Cardinals, batting .263/.372/.395 in 114 at-bats. Punto, 33, has seen time at second, third and short for St. Louis this year.

Bruce Chen: Sure, he's left-handed and those guys can pitch forever. But who thought Bruce Chen - who played for nine teams between 1998 and 2007 - would still be pitching in '11? Chen, still only 34 years old, is currently 11-7 with a 4.04 ERA for K.C. He was part of the Phillies' pitching staffs in 2000 and 2001.

Others: Four or five years ago, would you have guessed Brian Sanches, Freddy Garcia, or Miguel Cairo would play in the 2011 season? What about Arthur Rhodes, Russell Branyan and Ryan Franklin? Many of these guys won't be in major league uniforms next season - some are already looking for work - so if you were hoping to spend your Friday morning reminiscing about Jason Michaels' time in Philadelphia or debating Nick Punto's defensive value, it's pretty much now or never.

Phillies take twin bill with Howard's walk-off double

Summary: Ryan Howard's 10th-inning double scored Michael Martinez to give the Phillies a 2-1 victory over the Marlins, completing the doubleheader sweep and reducing their NL East magic number to two. Howard had been in a four-game hitless drought before plating Mini-Mart. Cliff Lee came within one pitch of his seventh complete-game shutout before surrendering the tying run on a homer. Before that, the Phillies were making John Mayberry's low-flying missile into the left field seats stand up. It was Mayberry's 14th homer of the season and 46th RBI. Also of note: rookie reliever Michael Schwimer picked up his first-career victory with a scoreless 10th. So, sharp defense in Game 1, and an adrenaline rush in the nightcap, two things that went missing in Houston. Readers speak ...

"Marshall Harris talking about 'the troubles that Cliff Lee ran into in the 9th inning,' The guy gave up one freaking' run. If he gives that random solo HR in the 4th inning, and still pitches a 9 IP, 1 ER outing, there would be NO negativity about his outing. But because he just barely missed the CGSO, people over evaluate the random HR; 9 IP, 1 ER is a fantastic start. There is absolutely no reason for any negativity about Lee's start." - Fatalotti

"Even if the Phils march out a bobo lineup that would include Mini Mart, I like this team's chances as long as Halladay/Lee are on the mound. Best 1-2 punch since Schilling-Johnson." - MG

Game chat: Slumping Howard gets Game 2 off

Preview: Cliff Lee (16-7, 2.44 ERA) tries to keep pace with Roy Halladay and the rest of the Cy Young frontrunners when the Phillies go for the doubleheader sweep tonight at 7:35. Right-hander Alex Sanabia makes his 2011 starting rotation debut for the Fish.

Notes: Here's your "sign of the times" lineup: Rollins SS, Mayberry CF, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Ibanez LF, Gload 1B, Ruiz C, Orr 3B. I'm a little surprised Charlie Manuel didn't use the opportunity to give John Bowker a start somewhere, just for jags. So far, he's 0-for-6 with five strikeouts as a pinch hitter and he's looked pretty brutal in each of those chances. Michael Martinez has to be in the same camp as Bowker these days. The utilityman is hitting below the Mendoza Line now (.197) and clearly has no plan when he's at the plate; swinging at balls over his head. The Phils won this afternoon because of a couple of fine defensive plays, but could have easily blown it, and some of the late-inning at bats by Mini-Mart and Bowker would have loomed larged if it happened. So Pete Orr gets the bonus start at third tonight, while Ross Gload starts for Howard, who went 0-4 with two strikeouts this afternoon.

So, despite almost no intrigue since - what - the Braves sweep or even earlier? - there are a couple of dumb, worrisome storylines developing, including the continued struggles of Antonio Bastardo, the bench and an injured infield, including Wilson Valdez, who, when healthy, is a big upgrade over Martinez at this point. There are definitely a number of stinky players on the roster.

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Game chat: Utley absent from Game 1 lineup

The Phillies will look like this when they take the field this afternoon against Anibal Sanchez and the Marlins: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Pence RF, Howard 1B, Ibanez LF, Orr 2B, Schneider C, Martinez SS.

Missing from that batting order is Chase Utley, who missed the Phils' entire seven-game road trip with a concussion. Utley was expected to return to the lineup today, which would have been nice considering his career line against Sanchez: 5-for-15 (.441), 2 2B, 7 RBI. If it's any consolation, Polanco also kills the Florida right-hander. In 15 at-bats against Sanchez, Polly has seven hits, including a double, a triple and a pair of homers.

Kyle Kendrick is on the mound, making his 14th start of the season. The Phils have lost three of Kendrick's last four starts, but he has typically had success against the Fish. In 15 appearances against Florida, Kendrick boasts a 6-2 record, and he is 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA in his last five starts against the Marlins.

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Thursday: Catching up with NL contenders

The Phils and Marlins kick off a doubleheader in a few hours, but for now let's take a quick look at what the other NL contenders have been up to:

Braves: Following a stretch of seven losses in nine games, the Braves have won two straight. They have series coming up against the bottom three teams in the NL East before a showdown vs. Philadelphia beginning on Sept. 26.

Brewers: Wednesday was a relatively brutal day for the Brewers. They lost to the Rockies, while the second-place Cardinals beat the Pirates. Off the field, K-Rod finally voiced his displeasure with his role in the Milwaukee bullpen since coming over from the Mets. Who didn't see that coming eventually? And Prince Fielder basically made it clear that he's leaving via free agency after this season. Pretty much everyone expected Fielder to leave, but I'm not sure you're supposed to come out and say it, especially in the heat of a pennant race.

Cardinals: They've won seven of eight, including a three-game sweep of the Braves last weekend. Their playoff chances remain a serious longshot, particularly with Matt Holliday possibly missing the remainder of the season with a finger injury. But St. Louis is at least making things mildly interesting.

Diamondbacks: Their magic number to clinch the West is six. Ian Kennedy, whom many of you have dismissed as a Cy Young contender, is 19-4 with a 2.99 ERA. The D-Backs are 23-8 in his starts this season. By comparison, the Phils are 23-7 in Roy Halladay's 30 starts. Since the All-Star break, Kennedy is 10-1 with a 2.26 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.

Giants: Better luck next year.

Postgame: Halladay blanks Astros as Phils clinch

With a 1-0 win over the Houston Astros, the Phillies clinched their fifth straight playoff berth. It is just the 13th time in the franchise's 128-year history that they will participate in postseason play.

Roy Halladay tossed his first shutout of the season, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out seven. The win is Halladay's 18th, which means he has a shot to win 20 games for the fourth time in his career.

The umps could have literally called this game after the first five minutes, as Shane Victorino (the game's first batter) doubled and Placido Polanco (the game's second batter) singled him home to provide the contest's only offense six pitches into the first inning.

With the win, the Phils avoided a sweep and will head back to Philadelphia after going 4-3 on the road trip. It was the team's 95th victory of the season, which means they need just seven wins in the final 16 games to post the highest single-season total in franchise history.

All of the above are good things. Talk amongst yourselves.

Next up: Kyle Kendrick (7-6, 3.29) gets the ball as the Phils take on Anibal Sanchez (8-7, 3.64) and the Marlins in another matinee tomorrow, part of a day-night doubleheader.

In progress: Phillies try to avoid sweep in Houston

The Phillies went ahead 1-0 in the first on an RBI single by Placido Polanco, but more sloppy play, this time a fielding error by Polanco, put Roy Halladay in an early jam. Doc escaped with a force at home and a double play. [Jump to the newest comments]

2012 schedule released: Red Sox, Rays visit CBP

For some reason, Major League Baseball announces the following season's schedule right smack in the middle of the current season's pennant race.

Here are some highlights of the Phils' schedule in 2012:

-Following the annual two-game "on-deck series" at Citizens Bank Park against the Pirates, the Phillies open their season in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 5. The home opener is against the newly named Miami Marlins on Monday, April 9 at 1:05 p.m. The Phils conclude the season in Washington on Wednesday, October 3.

-The Red Sox and Rays will visit Citizens Bank Park during interleague play, while the Phillies will travel to AL stadiums in Baltimore, Minnesota and Toronto.

-The Phillies' longest home stretch is from May 7 to May 23, when the team plays 14 of 16 games at Citizens Bank Park. The longest  homestand of the season is from August 20 to August 30, when the team plays 10 consecutive home games against the Reds, Nationals and Mets.

-The Phillies travel out west in mid-April, when they'll face the Giants, Padres and D-Backs. Coming out of the All-Star break, the Phils make another West Coast swing with stops in Colorado and L.A. The longest road trips of the year are a pair of nine-gamers. The first is the aforementioned SF/SD/Ariz. trek and the seocnd comes in June, as the Phils take a nine-game trip to face the Orioles, Twins and Blue Jays.

-The toughest stretch of the season appears to be from June 29 to August 2. During that period, which includes the All-Star break, the Phillies play 18 road games and only nine home games. And those home contests are all challenging series against the Braves, Giants and Brewers.

-The Phillies will lay their annual goose egg in Houston from September 13-16.

-Here is the entire schedule, courtesy of David Murphy.

Postgame: Hamels lasted just five against whom?

This lineup – Jason Bourgeois, Clint Barmes, J.D. Martinez, Carlos Lee, Matt Downs, Chris Johnson, Jason Michaels, Humberto Quintero – beat Cole Hamels tonight, 5-2 in the second of three against the Houston Astros.

Hamels surrendered four earned on nine hits through five innings of work. He walked one and struck out six. The majority of the damage came in the fourth, when Hamels allowed an RBI single to Bourgeois followed by a three-run homer off the bat of Barmes later in the inning.

Notwithstanding solo home runs from Hunter Pence and Carlos Ruiz, the Phils’ offense was lackluster. They managed just five hits on the night, marking the first time in 32 games that the club hasn’t tallied at least six knocks. The fact that the Phils looked so inept against J.A. Happ, of all people, was salt in the wound.

With the loss, and a 7-1 win for the Braves, the Phils missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot. The bright side of this defeat, however, is that the Phils have responded very positively to losing streaks since the All-Star break. The team has won at least five consecutive games following each of the three second-half instances in which they’ve dropped multiple games in a row.

Next up: Roy Halladay (17-5, 2.44) toes the slab against Bud Norris (6-9, 3.78) in an 2:05 p.m. tilt on Wednesday, the series finale.