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[Fatalotti]

Best game thread header of all time.

[bigmyc]

Ah, Jesus (or should I say, "Yaweh?")

102 wins, relatively large payroll, WFC core group, a gunslinging Doc on the hill and this has to come down to crossing fingers and flipping coins?

C'mon. There's a reason guys like Doc start the season, start the post season and are called, "Stoppers." They are also the guys you want most on the hill in games..just..like..this..one...

[They Call Me King Of The Bop]

hib to the jib

[Fatalotti]

Bop is back.

Everything will be ok.

[SLO Phan]

I thought Schumaker hurt himself last game and that was why Theriot came in? If so, I guess it wasn't serious.

[Scott]

I wasn't quite sure how J.W. would come up with a graphic that adequately captured everything about tonight's game.

He nailed it.

[bay_area_phan]

This feels like a loss.

[Scott]

SLO: They said it was just a cramp, nothing serious.

[Scott]

This feels like an anxiety attack.

[SLO Phan]

Rooting for AZ int he early game. I really dislike Nyger Morgan and don't want to see him win anything.

[BobbyD]

As much as I love sports, part of me just wants to check the score at midnight. This game is most likely going to be pure torture. I'd give anything for a Phils 3-spot in the 1st inning.

[Fatalotti]

The D-Backs have succeeded in making Gallardo work early on.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Perfect image for the game thread.

"This feels like an anxiety attack."

Hilarious. Nothing a shot or two can't cure.

[bay_area_phan]

My law practice, which hasn't gotten much attention over the last week, is desperately rooting for the Phillies' season to end tonight.

[king myno]

Confident and nervous at the same time. Confivous! Nervident.

[groovyjazztime]

anybody know a philly sports bar in downtown manhattan?

[The Perils of Thinking]

bigmyc: I'm with you, man... we don't need magical thinking, we need the best pitcher in the league, a raucous home crowd, and a capable lineup*.

*"Guess we're screwed." Hilarious. Save your keystrokes.

[phils nyc]

wogies, but good luck finding a seat. greenwich and 7th I think

[phils nyc]

wogies on greenwich, will be very crowded though

[Fatalotti]

Gallardo is going to likely be at 40+ pitches when this inning ends.

[Scott]

In other news, click to see what you'll witness when the Marlins hit a homer in their new stadium next year. I dare you...

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/10/7/2474722/miami-marlins-ballpark-home-run-structure-what-is-that-gaaaaaaaaah

[Neuronerd]

Graphic needs more Xanax and beer. :)

[3r0ck]

Why do we need to cross our fingers? We're the best team in baseball, playing at home in CBP, and Doc Halladay the best pitcher in baseball is starting for the Phillies.

We got this.

[The Perils of Thinking]

The MIL-ARI announcers say "Pujols having a great series, while Ryan Howard's trying to get on track..." while airing a graphic that shows:

Pujols
.412 BA
0 HR
1 RBI

Howard
.166 BA
1 HR
6 RBI

Now, in terms of determining who you want on your team, yeah, you want Pujols' average, OBP, and SLG - but to describe their relative impact on the series thus far, to ignore that HR and the 6 RBIs is just ignorant.

[Portal]

Jimmy Rollins is actively hurting the team.
Chase Utley is actively hurting the team.
Hunter Pence is actively hurting the team.
Ryan Howard is actively hurting the team.
Shane Victorino is actively hurting the team.
Raul Ibanez is actively hurting the team.
Placido Polanco is actively hurting the team.
Carlos Ruiz is actively hurting the team.

[Fatalotti]

The HP umpire is undoubtedly getting crucified on a Brewers blog right now.

Gallardo throws a pitch which everyone in Wisconsin thought was a 3rd strike. Next pitch: homerun.

[conshy matt]

the thread header seems decidedly un-lucky. there's just been too much talk about luck. when Doc's pitching, the Phils are rarely un-lucky.

[Unikruk]

Quick! Does that header hand belong to an opposing fan or a Phils fan? Find me that hand model!

[GTown_Dave]

If JW really wanted the Phils to win tonight he'd have used a Cardinals logo for the thread pic.

[Spitz]

Haven't seen any discussion of this, but this could be J-Roll's last game in a Phillies uniform.

[Bobby Cocks]

BobbyD: A 3 spot in the first inning for the Phils is a recipe for failure - see scoring first in games 2 and 4. Apparently the Phils think the game is over and stop doing anything after that.

Phils win 5-3, Halladay goes 7 throwing 126 pitches. Bastardo, Lidge and Madson close it out and the Phils march onward and upward!!

[conshy matt]

Perils - so Howard has been the better hitter?

BAP - so you are actively rotting for the Cards?

Bop - so...welcome back?

[Positive Thinking]

Looks like the real Kennedy showed up for the Dbacks tonight. Who will pitch game 1 vs the Phillies/Lee in the NLCS?

[conshy matt]

If Positive Thinking and Debbie Downer ever met, it could be explosive.

[Scott]

NBC10 just showed a squirrel running around on the field...

[The Perils of Thinking]

Matt: Are you kidding me? Who on earth thinks that's the case? I was attacking lazy announcers looking only at BA to describe performance, and you're bunching together straw...

[conshy matt]

ok, calm down Perils. i didn't know where you were coming from with that.

if a metior came crashing down on 3rd base right now (where Morgan is), i think i might start a slow clap.

[conshy matt]

btw, i said that BEFORE Morgan nearly got impaled by at bat. spooky.

[MG]

Cholly to LaRussa

Cholly: "There has er um been too much drama. Yeah. Too much late-inning anxiety. But I have an honorable compromise. Just walk away."

"Give me your lineup card, the sunflowers seeds, the after game spread, and the whole visitors dugout, and I'll er spare your Team. Yup. Just walk away and we'll give you a safe passageway on I-95 to the Philly airport. Just walk away and there will be an end to the NLDS."

[Soldiers start up their vehicles]
Cholly: I await your answer. You have 120 minutes day to decide.

[The Perils of Thinking]

...perhaps I'm a bit high-strung right now.

[MG]

Probably worse better with Halladay to LaRussa. Oh well.

[Fatalotti]

conshy, it's not your powers to persuade natural forces that failed to take out Morgan.

It's your spelling (meteor).

Had you typed it correctly, the entire left field side of Miller Park would be destroyed right now.

[BloodStripes]

Have been meaning to ask you all year bop. What does 'hib to the jib' mean? Is it a joyful expression? A term of hope or just a load of bollocks?

[MG]

Halladay gives up 2 runs or less and the Phils win tonight. Gives up 3 or more and they lose. My less than bold prediction for tonight.

[conshy matt]

Perils - you'll be fine. take a Xanax, cross your fingers, flip your coin, cut your kid's rabbit's foot off, embrace your Irish roots, get a tatoo of a four leaf clover, carry a horsehoe........

[Fatalotti]

If we get the Halladay we had between innings 2-8 of game 1, the Phillies will win easily.

[conshy matt]

fat man - metior? i'm better than that. must have been a typo. dammit, if only...

[Spitz]

MG, I think Halladay needs to give up 2 or less AND go at least 8. No faith in anyone but Madson in the Phils pen. That's why it is really important for the Phils to be ahead in the late innings - we can't be in the position to pull Doc for a pinch hitter.

[Fatalotti]

Yeah conshy, you're kind of up the creek now.

Morgan is in the dugout now. Goiong to be a lot harder to target...

[MG]

My other less than bold prediction: One team is going to hit a multi-run HR and that will be the main difference in this game.

It will be several degrees warmer at game time tonight than it normally is this time of year. Wonder if it helps the ball carry a bit more.

[The Perils of Thinking]

Naahhhh.... like I said in the previous thread, Fu*k a bunch of coins, crossed fingers, squirrels, and luck. We have the better pitcher, the homefield, and a bunch of good, smart hitters and fielders and relievers who need to execute and win this game.

Then I'll be fine.

[MG]

Nailbiter but Cards prevail 3-2 in a heartbreaker. Hope I'm wrong.

[GBrettfan]

There is that saying "You make your own luck."

Just throwin' that out there.

Luck + skill + effort/smarts. Sounds good to me. No one I'd rather have pitching than Doc. Hope the rest of our guys give him some runs.

[conshy matt]

when's Morgan due up? i need time to set up my Ouija board.

[whitey]

Phils opened with a -190 line, dropped to -175 and now are back to -188 over the last hour (bodog). Not that it means much but the Yankees were about -180 in last nights game.

[GTown_Dave]

MG: Agree w/ all of that.

[Fatalotti]

Brewers/D-Backs fans must be on the edges of their seats. This game is going to come down to the last inning for both teams, maybe event eh last AB.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

When do we eat, baby?

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

Is there anything that sucks more than watching the opposing team's players run onto your team's home field to celebrate a post season series win?

[Fatalotti]

Ryan Braun is seriously good. Beautiful swing there.

[Scott]

Phlipper: Watching the aforementioned scene play out while a defenseless Phanatic gets humped by a rabid squirrel??

[Fatalotti]

What a great play by Kennedy!

[GTown_Dave]

Phlipper: Watching it two years in a row?

[Bake McBride was Here]

Can the Phillies trade for Braun and have him at CBP tonight by game time?

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

In some ways, baseball is an incredibly difficult game, and in some ways it's relatively simple.

It always amazes me when a professional baseball player throws to the wrong base or fails to get down a sacrifice bunt.

[Fatalotti]

WHAT A CATCH BY CHRIS YOUNG!!!!

[GTown_Dave]

WOW. What a clutch grab!

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

That was spectacular.

[Bake McBride was Here]

Great catch.

[DH Phils]

Phlipper: Case in point, one of the simpler things to understand is to not have your 20 HR 5-hole hitter sacrifice bunt in the 6th inning.

And yet, a professional manager can't stop himself from doing that.

[Fatalotti]

You can't get beaten by Yuniesky.

Ugh.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

Ok, I officially want the Brewers to lose.

Whatever that is that they're doing is even more obnoxious than that stupid crap the Rangers were doing last year.

And I kind of like that whole snake thing the D-backs do.

[Iceman]

That beast mode thing is by far the dumbest and most annoying thing I've ever seen.

[3r0ck]

What's with these players who put up the #1 sign with their finger when they score a run? I don't get it - they still have to finish the game - they haven't won sh1t.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

Two best players in baseball?

Braun and Cano?

I'd actually take either one over Pujols.

[3r0ck]

What's with these guys scoring a run and put up their finger showing #1? They haven't won anything yet - annoying

[Kevin]

Really gotta say, the Brewers are a very, very annoying team – they're the epitome of acting like you've never been there before.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

OK - K-Rod blowing this game would be almost as nice as watching A-Rod striking out last night.

[3r0ck]

So they have a game break to show a squirrel at CBP? Really?

[NEPP]

Go Team!

[Horton hears a who]

Here's to hoping this Brewers/AZ game goes 20 innings!

[NEPP]

Saito hasn't thrown a strike in this entire AB.

[whitey]

Do they Phils match up better against the Brewers or Dbacks? I think the Brewers because they are free swingers and they have no lefties in the pen.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

Brian Shaw was good for the Lakers and Celtics also.

[NEPP]

Phlipper, you should have gone up the Walt Whitman...you'd have a better view of CBP that way.

[Iceman]

After watching the Phils play all three playoff teams in the NL, if we're fortunate enough to win tonight, I'm just glad we won't have to play St. Louis again. I think the Phils match-up with both of these teams.

[f4f]

k-rod in some trouble. love it.

[NEPP]

Why not bunt the runner over and play for the tie?

[NEPP]

Would have been a tie game at this point now...though the 1B wouldn't have been keeping him on so he probably fields that I guess.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

Did teams used to use the squeeze bunt more than they do now? I have never understood why it isn't used more often.

[Fatalotti]

Come on K-Rod....blow this!!!

[Mick O]

I can't stand the 2011 Brewers, but I do like me some Bob Uecker

[NEPP]

Great pitch there...hate KROD but that was a great pitch.

[NEPP]

A wild pitch would be hilarious here.

[Fatalotti]

K-Rod hasn't thrown a pitch in the zone in about 8 pitches. Yet, the D-Backs keep swinging.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

Almost got your wish, NEPP.

[Fatalotti]

I would love a bases clearing double right here.

[Fatalotti]

I hate K-Rod.

[Phlipper (Chillin' atop tower #2 on the Ben Franklin).]

It's going to be fun kicking the Brewers' collective asses next series.

[bay_area_phan]

"if we're fortunate enough to win tonight, I'm just glad we won't have to play St. Louis again."

Agreed. St. Louis is our worst matchup among the NL teams because they know how to drive up pitchers' pitch counts & they have several starting pitchers who drive us bonkers.

Detroit & Texas present some problems too -- Detroit because of Verlander, Texas because of Wilson & their 3 top relievers. But worrying about Detroit & Texas right now is like a prisoner who is 2 hours from execution worrying about how he'll spend his day tomorrow if the governor grants him a last-minute pardon.