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

Monday: Reliever market will be flooded today

Today is the final day to exercise contract options across baseball and many veteran relievers will be joining the likes of Brad Lidge as free agents.

Names that are likely to come available today include Francisco Cordero, Dan Wheeler and Jon Rauch. A couple of set-up types have already been declined options, including Francisco Rodriguez, who got a $4 million buyout from the Brewers, and Chad Qualls, who will become a free agent instead of getting $6 million from the Padres. They'll join Lidge, who was declined a $12.5 million option last week.

Rumors are already swirling around Ryan Madson, who finally became the Phillies' full-time closer in 2011. The Phils are considered a strong candidate to retain his services. Even if they do, they could still be in the hunt for a set-up man. Jose Contreras and Antonio Bastardo have saved a combined 17 games and Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has suggested that the club's stable of young relievers isn't ready to handle the higher-leverage frames.

In related news, the Yankees have reportedly made a contract offer to CC Sabathia, who has until Monday to decide whether to opt out of his deal. If he does, how much do you want to bet the Phillies get involved? Aramis Ramirez declined his portion of a $16 million mutual option. The 33-year-old third baseman hit .306/.361/.510 with 26 homers … essentially Hunter Pence production at a position where Placido Polanco limped to a .674 OPS.

The Phils have about $55 million coming off the books, but a mountain of salary escalators and major decisions at closer and shortstop.

Left-handed relievers follow a road less traveled

When it comes to the Phillies' organization, there's an express lane to Philadelphia reserved for left-handed relievers.

Earlier this week we discussed John Sickels' Phillies prospect grades and lamented the organization's lack of sure-fire future star. The problem with these lists is they never account for the path of least resistance. Consider all the talented blue-chippers who never make it, then consider left-handed misfits like Mike Zagurski, Juan Perez, Sergio Escalona and R.J. Swindle and how often the Phils reach for a spare lefty. The Phils don't discriminate, either. They'll reach for the hottest hand, regardless of athleticism or pedigree. Anthony Hewitt, an amazing athlete chosen by the Phillies in the first round of the 2008 draft, will probably never make it, but Jake Diekman, a failed starter selected in the 30th round in 2007, is likely to earn at least a cup of coffee somewhere, at some point.

Diekman, 24, had a quality season pitching for Double-A Reading (3.05 ERA, 83/44 K/BB ratio in 65 IP) and has not allowed a hit in 6 1-3 innings so far in the Arizona Fall League.

Diekman wasn't even mentioned in Sickels' list, which included 21 rated players and 20 honorable mentions. Sickels isn't alone in his prejudice; loogys never get any love. It's not for a lack of need, either. Think about how many times a contending team kicks the tires on an Arthur Rhodes, a Mike Gonzalez or a George Sherrill at the trade deadline. The Phils needed help in this area, too, and always seem to need a spare lefty, adding J.C. Romero and Scott Eyre in midseason deals in 2007 and 2008. Rhodes, Gonzalez, Sherrill and Romero are free agents yet again, along with fellow lefties John Grabow, Javier Lopez, Damaso Marte, Trever Miller, Darren Oliver and Brian Tallet. They'll all find work somewhere and the best ones will be bartered off to a contending team at midseason. That's how it goes.

Lefties can live forever. Les Walrond has circled the globe, waiting for the elusive door to open at a shot at joining baseball's lefty buffet. The 34-year-old lefty twirled 6 1-3 shutout innings and struck out seven Friday night in lowering his Venezuelan winter ball ERA to 0.96. Venezuela is the latest stop on an itinerary that's included Philadelphia, Allentown, Yokohama, Japan, Doosan, Korea, Lancaster, Pa., Reading and back to Allentown, all since 2008.

At the very least, he's been to the Show. That's something Jeff Jackson can never say.

Phillies may free Galvis from Venezuelan utility camp

A Venezuelan Web site says the Phillies want 21-year-old shortstop Freddy Galvis released from his winter ball obligations by Dec. 1. [Link]

Galvis, the soon-to-be-22-year-old shortstop and potential heir to Jimmy Rollins' throne, missed a week of action to have a ganglion cyst drained from his wrist. Galvis told the Venezuelan news source that the Phillies want him to rest after a career year split between double and triple-A. Ruben Amaro told Jim Salisbury that Dec. 1 was the timeframe all along, even before his wrist issue. The Phils were impressed with Galvis' jump to Triple-A and some believe he's good enough to get by in the Majors right now based on his glove alone.

On a related front, Amaro told Salisbury that second baseman Harold Garcia will soon join his fellow Pharmhands at Camp Utility after missing most of the season with a torn ACL. Cesar Hernandez, Ozzie Chavez and Carlos Rivero are the other Venezuelan infielders participating in the VWL, while Les Walrond and Juan Perez are participating in the LOOGY portion of camp.

Gload and his balky hip won't go under the knife

The Phillies released a series of updates from the postseason MASH unit, including news that Ryan Howard has started putting weight on his damaged left foot. [Official release]

To summarize the release, Howard has begun a rehabilitation program for the torn Achilles suffered on the season's final play. Placido Polanco and Hunter Pence are rehabbing from sports hernia procedures in Miami and Philadelphia, respectively. Cole Hamels, meanwhile, is "cleared to progress back to his off-season program" following hernia surgery; Hamels also had surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. Both procedures were considered minor. Jose Contreras is on track to start throwing in January, according to the report.

The biggest surprise is that pending free agent Ross Gload will rehab his hip and won't have an arthroscopic procedure on the torn labrum in his hip. He will instead rehab in the offseason. Jim Salisbury reported that Gload decided against surgery because it would be too risky. See Sully's latest off-season report here.

Phils' system lacks 'elite' prospects, pundit suggests

John Sickels' annual round-up of the Phillies farm system produced a handful of B-grade prospects, but no sure-fire winners, if there is such a thing. [Link]

Right-handed pitching, led by top-rated prospect Trevor May, dominated Sickels' newest installment, which was headed last season by Domonic Brown, who has since lost his prospect eligibility. Sickels' has championed May's cause on previous lists, rating him fifth in last-season's poll and third in 2009, once again citing his potential to overpower hitters. "I almost went with an A- here and my revise this," Sickels writes. May struck out 208 hitters (12.4 K/9) in 27 Florida State League starts, but his 67 walks remain a concern.

The trade of Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart and Domingo Santana to Houston eliminated three of the higher-ceiling prospects from the Phillies' talent pool, clearing room for 2010 first-rounder Jesse Biddle to slide into the No. 2 spot. Other movers include reliever Phillippe Aumont, a favorite of Sickels, who climbed up to No. 7; Aumont ranked third on Sickels' 2009 chart, a show of foresight in the right-hander's ability.

Newcombers to the top 20 include Maikel Franco, Roman Quinn, Austin Wright, Perci Garner and Lisalberto Bonilla.

Sickels, however, is unconvinced by Beerleaguer talking point Freddy Galvis, rating the all-glove, no-bat shortstop 17th.

Gosewisch plays key role in historic USA win

The USA played David to Cuba’s Goliath in the Pan Am Games on Monday, knocking off the 10-time defending champs by a score of 12-10. The victory, in which Phils farmhand Tuffy Gosewisch played a role, sends the Stars and Stripes to the tournament’s title game tonight.

Gosewisch, who started behind the plate for the US team, smoked a two-run single in the second inning to give the United States a 3-0 lead. He would come around to score later in the frame, capping the club’s five-run outburst.

The 28-year-old catcher, who the Phils selected out of Arizona State in the 11^th round of the 2005 draft, has started 11 of the USA’s 15 games in the tournament. He is 10-for-41 (.244) with four doubles, a homer and nine RBIs. Travis d’Arnaud and Joe Thurston, both former members of the Phils organization, are also on the US team.

Oh Canada: Chris Kissock, who went 3-7 with a 4.82 ERA at Double-A Reading last season, threw two scoreless innings to close out Canada’s 5-3 win over Mexico. The Phils drafted Kissock, a native of Trail, British Columbia, in the 9^th round in 2007. His Canadian squad will take on the US tonight at 8 p.m., as the States look for their first Pan Am baseball title since 1967. You can watch live online here.

Breaking: Phillies decline options on Oswalt, Lidge

The biggest non-injury news of the postseason has emerged and it involves free agency for a pair of veteran pitchers.

The Phillies have declined the 2012 options to pitchers Brad Lidge and Roy Oswalt, the club announced today. The club said in a statement that they will remain in contact with representatives for both players about the possibility of bringing them back for the 2012 season. Lidge, 34, went 0-2 with one save and a 1.40 ERA in 25 appearances for the Phillies in 2011, his fourth season with the club. Oswalt, 34, went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 23 starts in an injury-plagued campaign.

Oswalt's mutual option would have been for $16 million. He will instead receive a $2 million buyout. Lidge would have stood to receive $12.5 million and will get a $1.5 million buyout.

Ex-Phillies report: Gose blazing a trail in AFL

While the Phillies ponder whether it's time to get younger, the would-have-been stars of tomorrow (maybe) are sharpening their tools in the Arizona Fall League, including rising prospect Anthony Gose.

Gose, 21, was included in the 2010 Roy Oswalt trade with Houston and was immediately flipped to Toronto, who had pursued the slashing outfielder heavily during the Roy Halladay talks. After a breakout season with double-A New Hampshire, in which he hit .253/.349/.415 with 16 homers and 70 stolen bases, Gose has kept up the pace in Arizona, where he's 17-for-57 (.298) with three homers, three triples and four doubles. According to ESPN's Keith Law, the Jays have worked to polish Gose's game, developing "more consistent, simpler swing mechanics." Gose fanned 154 times in his first full season at double-A, which isn't a major red flag given his age. To put it in perspective, Michael Bourn, a lefty batter with similar tools, struck out 123 times, had a worse season overall and was a year older when he made his Eastern League debut.

Once the scouting magazine prospect rankings are released, it will be interesting to see how high Gose climbs and where he sits alongside another breakout ex-Phillie: Travis d'Arnaud, who hit .311/.371/.542 with 21 homers for New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, outfielder Tyson Gillies, the Phillies' farm equivalent to Gose, is 7-for-30 in the AFL so far as he tries to recover from the hamstring and foot issues that kept him off the field all of last season. He joins infielders Darin Ruf and Cody Overbeck, right-handers Colby Shreve, BJ Rosenberg, Tyler Cloyd and left-hander Jake Diekman, who are all staying sharp with the Scottsdale Scorpions. Former prospect Josh Zeid, who was included in the Hunter Pence trade, is pitching for the Salt River squad.

Extremely minor news: RHP Naylor back with Phils

Sorry, but this is as good as it’s going to get for Oct. 20 news.

Australian starter Drew Naylor, 25, was released by the Phillies late in the season in a move to clear 40-man roster space. And now he's back! The right-hander is making his way back from Tommy John surgery and went 12-10 with a 4.63 ERA and 113/44 K/BB in 26 starts with Double-A Reading in 2010. He pitched for Team Australia during the 2009 World Baseball Classic and his hobbies include Australian Rules Football and computers, according to the 2010 Phillies media guide. The move was reported on the Baseball America transactions page.

Phils' O can get small boost from better backup C

Outgoing veteran Brian Schneider will join a deep pool of free agent backup catchers after hitting .176 in his second season with the Phils. It's one Beerleaguers can anticipate an upgrade.

The lure of handling a championship-caliber pitching staff could make Philadelphia a sought-after destination for many backstops getting long in the tooth, which is good news for a Phillies team in need of catching depth and a little added umph off the bench. On Monday, we reported that standby catcher Dane Sardinha, who started 12 games this season, elected free agency, this after Lehigh Valley teammate Erik Kratz nabbed the September third catcher gig, drama that only Beerleaguer cares about. Kratz, who will turn 32 this season, remains on the 40-man roster, which is soon to include only himself and Carlos Ruiz once Schneider hits free agency, where he will join a fairly deep field of qualified back-up catcher candidates, names like Jose Molina, Jason Varitek, Rod Barajas and Chris Snyder. MLBTradeRumors outlines a whole list of possibilities, including non-tender trade candidates and 15 or so free agents ready to slip into a back-up role depending on the situation ... and Philadelphia is a good one.

Backup catcher remains among the most needlessly scrutinized positions on Beerleaguer, but the Phillies haven’t done themselves many favors at the position over the years, Schneider being the latest failure. Among catchers with at least 100 plate appearances, Schneider, who hit just .176/.246/.256, rated second to last in baseball in WAR (-0.9), behind only non-tender candidate Jeff Mathis of the Angels.

Compare that to someone like Snyder, for example, who hit .271/.376/.396 (.772 OPS), or Molina, who posted a .281/.342/.415 with Toronto and would be a great fit to handle the Phillies’ staff of aces, perhaps opposite brother Yadier in a 2012 postseason rematch.

Transactions: Orr, Moss removed from 40-man roster

In a follow-up of sorts to our earlier post, alert blogger Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLBTradeRumors.com noticed on the MLB.com transactions page that outfielder Brandon Moss and arbitration-eligible utilityman Pete Orr were outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, reducing the Phillies' roster to 38. Moss, who spent all season in Triple-A and became a late-season call-up for the Phils, was the IronPigs' best all-around player, hitting .275/.368/.509 with 23 home runs. The 28-year-old outfielder is a quad-A type who could stick with the organization and try to win a job as a non-roster spring invitee, or seek opportunities to win a job elsewhere. Meanwhile, a minor-league gig with the Phillies isn't a bad option for Orr, who worked his way into 104 plate appearances with the Phils this season, his most since 2006.  If he stays on, I'm confident he'd find his way onto the field again considering the Phillies' dinged-up infield.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Non-tender candidates

Here’s a list of arbitration-eligible Phillies to kick off your Tuesday.

Cole Hamels (final year); Hunter Pence (arbitration-eligible through 2013); Kyle Kendrick (free agent after 2014); Ben Francisco (free agent after 2014); Pete Orr (second year of arbitration, earned $600K last season); Wilson Valdez (first year of arbitration eligibility, earned $560K last season); Scott Mathieson (listed on Cot’s Contracts as arbitration eligible and currently included on 40-man roster).

Beerleaguer: Hamels and Pence are formalities, although the Phillies are expected to open talks about extending Hamels. Kendrick, who pitched in a career-high 34 games last season and went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA, is a valuable insurance policy and will get a raise over his $2.45 million 2011 earnings. Unless they make another deal, the Phils, as currently constructed, can't afford to lose Valdez, their best back-up defender at three infield spots. It’s not inconceivable to expect him to triple-up his $560K salary considering he’s started in 162 games over the last two seasons. Yeah, those starts have added up. It gets muddier from here. Division Series Game 3 hero Ben Francisco, who earned $1.175 million last season, rarely started in the second half and knocked in a whole three runs after the All-Star break. The Phils might prefer a left-handed outfield bat given the likely departures of Raul Ibanez and Ross Gload. John Bowker is under team control and I know you’re excited about that. Meanwhile, Orr’s service time prices him out of the equation. The Phils love six-year minor league free agents, and Michael Martinez, so Orr will be looking for work. Mathieson, 27 and still unproven, was desginated for assignment in August and wasn't called up in September.

None of this makes much difference in the short term and could be moot anyway if the Phillies explore free agency to address areas like the bench. The Phils can settle up with any of these players between now and Jan. 18, when teams and arbitration-eligible players must submit blind salary figures.

Monday: Time has not healed Beerleaguer's wounds

It’s been 10 days since the NLDS gut punch. Has anyone recovered?

Time hasn’t unclogged the worst case of writers block in eight years of writing Beerleaguer. My last timestamp occurred almost a week ago: a mailed-in link to the Ruben Amaro press conference last Tuesday. The last time I’ve gone a week without updating: my honeymoon in 2004, which briefly interrupted heated debates over the value of Lou Collier. If only I were smart enough to heed my own warning about how the short series is just a coin flip. We’ve all been spoiled by not having to endure a do-or-die NLDS. I get it. But I’m still simmering. Still fuming at how Cliff Lee pissed away Game 2, still baffled by how the offense couldn’t work a run in Game 5, still livid that Milwaukee, St. Louis, Texas and Detroit – the game’s “middle class” – advanced and we, the "nouveau riche," didn't. Now it’s down to the Cards and Rangers.

What makes matters worse is that these last 10 days have driven home the fact that the Phillies blew it big. Through age, injury and contractual attrition, the Phils only stand to get worse. Perhaps much worse. Life without a qualified shortstop may become a reality unless the Phils pay up. They’ll also need to pay top dollar for a closer, whether it’s Ryan Madson or not. Ryan Howard’s symbolic fall on the season’s final play wasn’t just good theater, it was a fully torn Achilles that will require a minimum of six months. Howard isn’t the only player with mounting injuries. Placido Polanco and Hunter Pence underwent sports hernia surgeries in the same morning last week. Polly had a “double” hernia surgery, whatever that is, while Cole Hamels had not one, but two, surgeries, one to clean loose bodies in his elbow and another for a sports hernia, just for good measure. Loose bodies and sports hernias are common contagians inside the Phillies' locker room, along with knee tendonitis; Pence and Chase Utley will continue to cope with tendonitis using delicate care.

The Phillies have expiring contracts all over the place (Roy Oswalt, Ross Gload, Brad Lidge, Raul Ibanez). The Phils have expiring contracts they don’t even know about. Dane Sardinha, for example, elected free agency. That’s not a big deal in and of itself, but Brian Schneider is also a free agent. Again, not a big deal in isolation, but it’s just another area of concern for a 102-win team suddenly loaded with issues.

Thursday: Catching up with Phillies happenings

A couple of items of note from the last few days:

-Ruben Amaro Jr. is calling it "five to six months" for Ryan Howard. While Chase Utley is one of those players who recovers quickly, I don't see Howard falling into that category in this case. I'd be stunned if he's ready for Opening Day and wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play until May or June.

-Charlie Manuel likes the expectations to be high. "We will get better," he said. Check out the rest of his season wrapup interview here.

-Theo Epstein is headed to Chicago. Ryne Sandberg too?

-The Phillies hired Joe Jordan as their new director of player development. One look at his track record in Baltimore and it's easy to see what their logic is wonder what the hell they're thinking.

-It's a little hard to envision Rich Dubee getting a manager's job in the majors, but I guess you never know. Charlie Manuel, for one, would support the idea. Bud Black and John Farrell have done it, though the history doesn't go much deeper than that.

-Also, tonight in St. Louis, Kyle Lohse will face Randy Wolf in a postseason matchup of former Phillies. I spent about 15 minutes trying to find the last time a playoff game featured two starting pitchers that had both previously played for the Phils. Couldn't do it. I came close in the 2007 ALCS, when Paul Byrd and Curt Schilling both pitched, but never against each other. I think the answer might go back to the 1980's. If anyone can find it, let me know.

Live: Rollins and Amaro press conferences at noon

Watch the live stream here.

Lee deal, failure to restock system, hurts Phillies

Ideally, a fresh batch of Major League-ready bodies, the kind who were supposed to arrive in the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle, would supplement the Phillies' aging lineup.

Ruben Amaro Jr. earned high marks for building a boorish starting rotation but failed miserably in his one, controversial attempt to replenish the farm system. It’s a fact that’s coming to light now that most of the starting lineup is heading for either free agency or surgery. The window may not be closed on the Phillies’ chances at a World Series, but it’s plainly evident that the time to get younger has arrived. This upcoming season – 2012 – should have been the year when outfielder Tyson Gilles, right-hander J.C. Ramirez and right-handed reliever Phillippe Aumont were ready to contribute. Not only are they not close, nor do they project as meaningful contributors, they’re not even positioned to fill areas of great need, and that’s foresight that should have occurred at the time of the first Lee trade. A position like third base, for example, hasn’t had a projectable prospect roll through system since Scott Rolen. The position has been caulked by aging veterans or cheap role players for years.

At the minimum, Amaro needed to hit a bullseye with at least one of the players packaged in the Lee deal, which was heavily criticized for a lack of marquee prospects the Phillies received in return. It’s the kind of trade where the Phillies should have secured a real blue-chipper instead of a wish-and-a-prayer grab bag of athletes.

Don’t put it past Amaro to attempt the same type of deal this winter, trading from an area of strength, such as the pitching staff, to fortify an area of weakness, which could easily include a massive void at shortstop. Needless to say, Amaro and his men, who dwell heavily in the world of raw, amateur athletes and older minor league castoffs, have no track record for getting young and good on the fly.

That said, it's easier said than done. Amaro's hour has certainly arrived.

Readers: Phils must be cautious of wholesale change

Three days after the Phillies' World Series dreams were shattered, cooler heads are beginning to prevail. But even with cool heads, Beerleaguers appear split on whether the NLDS loss should be a springboard for change. Here's one side of the coin ...

"All you can do is build a team to make the playoffs. If the players don't play well in those 5 games, what else can you do? The best hitter on the team hit .211. The cleanup hitter hit .105. The typically reliable catcher (.283/.371 during the year) hit .059. One of your Cy Young candidates was spotted a 4 run lead and gave up 5.

"Aside from the age issues going forward, this team is built to make the playoffs. The way to build a team to make the World Series is: build a team to make the playoffs, and hope the players play as well in the playoffs as they did during the year. If they don't, it doesn't matter how well your team is constructed." - DH Phils

"The truth is, this team can contend, whoever's in our lineup, and as currently constituted we have one of the better offenses in the NL. And when you have that much money locked up in the rotation, you're not going to be able to buy a great offense. So outside of some tinkering around the edges, I don't think there's much that we can or even should do."  - Tray

"I'd love for someone to explain to me how you build a team that will get hot and be healthy at precisely the right moment in October. Does anyone think the 2011 Cardinals are better than the 2011 Phillies? Or that the 2010 Giants were better than the 2010 Phillies? Or that the 2006 Cardinals were better than the 2006 Tigers? Or that the 2003 Marlins were better than the 2003 Yankees? Or that the 2001 Yankees were better than the 2001 Mariners? Or that the 1990 Reds were better than the 1990 A's? Or that the 1960 Pirates were better than the 1960 Yankees? Or that...ad nauseum, ad infinitum." - Clout

DREAM SEASON ENDS IN A CRUMPLED HEAP!

WRITING ON THE WALL: CHANGE MUST COME TO PHILLIES' OFFENSE!

CHARLIE'S LONG LEASH TO STRUGGLING VETS LOOMS LARGE!

BROKEN-DOWN OFFENSE RUNS OUT OF GAS IN OCTOBER - AGAIN!

SYMBOLICALLY, BEST HITS OF GAME CARRY ONLY TO WARNING TRACK!

HOWARD BELIEVED TO HAVE TORN ACHILLES ON FINAL PLAY!

DEEP ROTATION RENDERED INCONSEQUENTIAL IN NLDS!

CARDINALS OUTPLAY PHILLIES IN ALL FACETS OF SERIES!

PHILLIES BUILDING LEGACY OF POSTSEASON FAILURE!

SEPTEMBER SWOON FORESHADOWED PENDING COLLAPSE!

OFF-SEASON SURGERY, FREE AGENCY LOOMS FOR MOST OF LINEUP!

FIELD DOWN TO CARDINALS-BREWERS, TIGERS-RANGERS

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ JUMP OFF THE CLIFF WITH OTHERS LIKE YOU! ]

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J-Roll, Chase, Hunter, Ryan, Vic, Raul, Polly, Chooch

Your mammoth investment boils down to a coin flip

The Phillies’ season. Your commitment. What does it mean? Who knows.

No analysis necessary. No number crunching or calculations. A kindergartener can grasp the dubiousness of 50/50. You've come for my best impression of Walter Cronkite. You want reassurance that the Phils have the Cards exactly where they want them, at home, with Roy Halladay on the hill. Sorry, but it’s up to the coin to restore order, or lead the Phillies to indiscriminate slaughter. (Pictured right: Animated .gif of God flipping said coin, thus deciding whether the sun rises or sets on the Philadelphia Phillies tonight.)

Friday: News and notes leading up to Game 5

A couple of numbers and notes on the Phillies-Cardinals Game 5, courtesy of the Phillies' media notes and other online previews:

-The Phillies have a .299 OBP and a .381 slugging percentage against a Cardinals staff that has started Kyle Lohse, Chris Carpenter on three days' rest, Jaime Garcia and Edwin Jackson.

-The Phillies have never lost a series in which they led two games to one. They are 7-0 in such situations, including all three series they played in 2008 and their first two series in 2009.

-Only once in their history have the Phillies won a do-or-die game in the final game of a series. That was a victory over the Astros in game 5 of the 1980 NLCS. They are 1-1 all-time in decisive games.

-The Phils are trying to become the first team to reach four straight NLCS since the Braves made eight in a row from 1991 to 1999. The Yankees were the last team to reach for straight ALCS (1998-2001).

-Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina are the only active Cardinals that played in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against the Mets. However, other St. Louis players, including Lance Berkman, Rafael Furcal, and Arthur Rhodes have played in a winner-take-all game. Also, Matt Holliday played in the one-game playoff between Colorado and San Diego in 2007. For the Phillies, Roy Oswalt has pitched in a couple of winner-take-all games, but that's about it. Of course, the Phillies have played in plenty of high-pressure games over the last five years, so take that for what it's worth.

-Against the Phillies on regular rest, Carpenter is 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA since 2005.

-The last three decisive Game 5's in the NL have been won by road teams. The last home team to win an NLDS Game 5 was the 2001 D-Backs. In all, home teams are 1-8 in the last nine NLDS/ALDS Game 5's.

-Jimmy Rollins has nine hits in the series. His previous high for any series was six, something he accomplished twice.

-Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and Placido Polanco are a combined 5-for-45 in the series. Yikes.

-Cliff Lee, available out of the 'pen tonight, has pitched in relief four times in his career. All four came in 2007 after he was recalled from the minors by the Cleveland Indians.

-Finally, check out Roy Halladay's career numbers on five days' rest, courtesy of CSNPhilly.com:

Halladay has made 84 career starts on five days' rest. He has a .714 winning percentage in those games and an ERA (2.59) almost one full run better than on normal rest (3.42). An extra-rested Halladay has held opponents to a batting average 22 points lower than usual and a slugging percentage 44 points lower. In such games, his opponents’ OPS is 15 percent worse.

Halladay made 10 starts on five days' rest this season, and went 7-1 with a 2.29 ERA and three complete games. Last year, he was 9-2 with a 1.44 ERA, four complete games and two shutouts.

Put it all together and Halladay is 16-3 with a 1.81 ERA – and 143 strikeouts to only 23 walks – on five days' rest as a Phillie.

Thursday night: Should Mayberry get the nod?

It's probably a moot point, but perhaps Charlie Manuel should consider starting John Mayberry Jr. instead of Raul Ibanez in left field on Friday night.

Mayberry has never faced Chris Carpenter, so that obviously is a reason not to put Mayberry in the lineup. He also batted just .250/.330/.455 against RHP this season, compared to .306/.358/.595 vs. LHP. Ibanez is 1-for-11 with two strikeouts and a GIDP against Carpenter in his regular-season career. He had an RBI single and a groundout against Carpenter in Game 2, but in the last two games, Ibanez is 1-for-8 with five K's and he's looked, in a word, Ibanesque.

Is Mayberry starting a long shot? Probably. Is there some logic to it? You decide.

On a happier note: A very special anniversary

In an effort to sprinkle a bit of happiness back into a tense day here in Philadelphia, today is the one-year anniversary of Roy Halladay's postseason no-hitter against the Reds.

What a magical night that was. The utter domination. The pinpoint control. The drama of the final out. You just kind of felt after that game that this pitcher and this team were destined for truly great things in the postseason. That idea didn't work out too well, but Halladay's legacy was secured nonetheless. A perfect game and a postseason no-hitter in the same year. An NL Cy Young Award to boot. And he can take that legacy a step further  - a big step further - with a strong performance tomorrow night in a do-or-die showdown in South Philly.

In case you want to take a walk down memory lane, here is last year's Oct. 6 game thread.

In case you prefer to live in the present, here is a story about the Game 5 "dream matchup."

And in case you would rather live in some fantasy world where squirrels have 10,000 Twitter followers, well, you're in luck.

Pressure on the Cards? Hard to believe, Harry

Several Phillies have attempted to take the perspective that the pressure is on the Cardinals in Game 5. On the surface, it's hard to see how that makes any sense.

"The pressure is back on them. ... They are coming into our house trying to beat us. We came here and split with them. They've got to come back and beat us in our house." -Roy Oswalt

"I would definitely say so." -Ryan Howard

Jimmy Rollins put it in better perspective:

"It's fun. It's a pressure situation. This is what we play for. This is what we get paid for, to be in these situations. And I don't think anyone in here is afraid of it. Naturally, once the game is on its way, that's the toughest part. Playing the game, it becomes baseball again. That part's not necessarily easy, but you're relaxed when you get there. When you have to sit around and think about it for a day is when you can get a little tight. But we have a night to think about it, then a day to clear our minds and get ready for [tomorrow]. Everyone in this clubhouse is looking forward to it. Yeah, we wanted to close it out here but now we have Game 5 and there's no better place to do it than CBP."

Beerleaguer: The pressure was on the Cardinals in Game 4, that's for sure. But in Game 5? The pressure is squarely on the Phillies. Sure, the Cards have pressure - their season is on the line too - but let's be honest here. If the Cardinals lose Game 5, they still had a nice season in which they overachieved without ace Adam Wainwright. If the Phillies lose Game 5, they go down in history as arguably the most underachieving team in the history of this city.

Postgame: Phillies scuffle as Cardinals force five

Now, Roy Halladay must save the season.

The dream rotation. An intact offense. The best record in baseball. Frankly, you wouldn't know it from this series, which has been pedestrian at best for the Phillies overall. Now, they find themselves in unfamiliar territory with Friday's winner-take-all, where the Cardinals have nothing to lose while the Phillies stand to lose everything.

Let's start with the pitching, where Roy Oswalt joined stablemate Cliff Lee in Dudsville and was done after 82 pitches. Of the four aces, two stunk. Should the Phillies advance, the prospect of starting Oswalt again seems dubious at best. Obviously, over the course of a 162-game season, the advantage of having a stellar pitching staff manifested to the game's best record, but in this best-of-five, the lines have blurred. Actually, the real stars might be the maligned Cardinals bullpen, which chipped in a couple of good innings again tonight.

As bad as Oswalt was, I cursed the bats almost as much as I cursed Yadier Molina when he conferenced with his pitcher for the 100th time. Jimmy Rollins complained when the fans fell silent in Game 2, which was the precise time the Cards hushed the 3-through-6 hitters of the Phillies, who have not had an extra base hit since Game 1. Tonight, their 4-through-6 went 0-for-12 despite the favorable matchup against right-hander Edwin Jackson (6 IP, 2 ER), which also spoiled a relatively decent effort by the table-setters - Rollins, Chase Utley and Hunter Pence - who got after it like gangbusters with two runs in the first. Utley's aggressive baserunning in the sixth backfired, but I liked the idea and respect Utley's baserunning immensely. Nevertheless, that was one of their only shots after losing the lead.

The Phillies get one more. Time for Doc to deliver in the game of his life.

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Oswalt will try to slow the mighty Ryan Theriot

Roy Oswalt takes the mound tonight in a potential NLDS clincher. Let's hope he can hold Ryan Theriot to three hits or fewer. That would be exciting.

Theriot did make the final out in Tuesday night's contest, but he's basically been a terror on Phils pitching the last two games. In his career against Oswalt, Theriot is 10-for-32 (.313) with two walks. He's actually one of several St. Louis players (Pujols, Furcal, Molina) with good career numbers against Roy O.

The Cards' second baseman is the type of player that Placido Polanco was - and can still be, at times. He's a total pest, a nuisance, the kind of player that you hate to face, particularly when you're Cole Hamels and you're nearing 100 pitches in the sixth inning. Theriot isn't one of the Cardinals' five best hitters, but he's become a major player in this best-of-five series. And you can bet he'll be in the lineup again tonight.

Francisco's three-run treat earns Phils series lead

Ben Francisco chose to hit his first homer since May 25 in the seventh inning of the Phils’ 3-2 win over the Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLDS.

Prior to Francisco’s bomb, the Phillies had absolutely no answer for Jaime Garcia and his incessant strike-throwing. Garcia threw first-pitch strikes to each of the first 10 batters he faced and needed just 51 pitches to get through the game’s first five innings.

Shane Victorino started the Phils’ crucial rally in the seventh, leading off the frame with a line-drive single up the chute. A rare passed ball by Yadier Molina put Victorino on second, and following an intentional walk to Carlos Ruiz, Francisco came to the plate to hit for Cole Hamels. Garcia’s 1-0 cutter missed around the belt, and Francisco drove it into the left-center field bullpen.

Working with a 3-0 lead, the Phils' pen did their best to make it interesting, stranding runners in scoring position to end the seventh and eighth innings. Ryan Madson’s effort to mop up Brad Lidge’s mess in the eighth was nothing short of miraculous. Clinging to a 3-1 lead with the bases jammed, Madson got Allen Craig to hit a one-hop smash at Chase Utley, who tagged second and threw to first to end the inning without any damage. Madson gave up a two-out, RBI single to Molina in the ninth, but escaped with the save.

Hamels’ performance gets lost in the chaos of the last three innings, but was impressive nonetheless. Despite some early command issues, the lefty battled through six innings without surrendering a run en route to his seventh playoff win. His six scoreless frames lower his career NLDS earned run average to 1.82.  

The Phils take a 2-1 series lead despite being outhit 12-7 in Game 3. It’ll be Roy Oswalt against Edwin Jackson in Game 4.

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Mayberry hopes to make a difference in Game 3

John Mayberry Jr. will almost certainly be in the lineup this evening when the Phillies face the Cardinals in Game 3.

“The stakes are a lot higher, but the game is actually the same,” Mayberry said. “I feel like for the most part that I have gotten in there often. I’ve gotten enough at-bats to stay sharp.”

Mayberry, who has essentially been platooning with Raul Ibanez for much of the season's second half, batted .306 against lefties in 2011. The Cardinals, of course, are pitching southpaw Jaime Garcia tonight. In all, Mayberry batted .273/.341/.513 in 104 games for the Phillies this season. Eight of his 15 homers came against left-handed pitchers.

John Finger at CSNPhilly has more on Mayberry and on Ryan Howard's previous success in St. Louis.

Looking ahead: What if the Phillies lose Game 3?

With a large chunk of Beerleager already looking for the nearest bridge, it seems like a good time to pile on a bit.

Let's say the Phillies lose Game 3. It's certainly a possible scenario given, among other reasons, Jaime Garcia's domination of the Phils in the past. So, the scenario comes up seemingly every year. If the Phillies are trailing 2-1 in the series, do you go with Roy Halladay in Game 4?

Some of the factors are that Doc has pitched on three days' rest, but not since he was with Toronto. (Unless I'm forgetting a short-rest start with the Phils). The Phillies' fourth starter, Roy Oswalt, has generally pitched pretty well over the last month, including seven scoreless innings against St. Louis on Sept. 17. And he's obviously well established as a postseason pitcher. And the other big factor - maybe the biggest one - is that Cliff Lee would be able to pitch Game 5 on regular rest. So, as opposed to other scenarios from previous seasons, you'd only need to pitch one ace on short rest.

It's a little hard to imagine Loyal Chuck not starting Oswalt in Game 4 in either scenario, but it's a discussion worth having before, ya know, the line down the Ben Franklin Bridge gets longer and longer.

Rollins: Fans were 'waaay' too quiet during Game 2

J-Roll on the fans: Jimmy Rollins had some choice words for the fans following Sunday's Game 2. The most notable was "waaay" - as in, "waaay" too quiet during the Phillies' 5-4 loss. Rollins commented about the fans to the media after the game and then tweeted about the noise level in Citizens Bank Park later on that night. Personally, I wasn't at the game, but the noise level in the crowd seemed OK on television. Obviously a little extra support never hurts, but it was a helluva dreary game after the second inning. The ungodly Eagles loss earlier in the day and the cruddy weather at night probably didn't help matters. Regardless, does Rollins have a point?

Monday morning: We've seen this movie before

There are plenty of reasons to be aggravated following last night's loss, but it's important to keep in mind that the Phillies have been in this spot before.

Over the last five years, the Phillies are 2-3 in Game 2 of the NLDS. And they've only played well in one of those games. A quick look back:

2007: Kyle Kendrick and the Phillies were pounded by the Rockies, 10-5, in Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park. A host of relievers, including unfathomable options Jose Mesa and Clay Condrey, failed to slow Colorado's hit parade. The Phillies were swept out of the playoffs two days later.

2008: The Phillies defeated the Brewers, 5-2, in the classic game where Shane Victorino hit the grand slam off CC Sabathia, shortly after Brett Myers drew a walk against the Milwaukee ace. The Phillies went on to lose Game 3 before winning the series in four.

2009: Cole Hamels and the Phillies lost 5-4 at home to Colorado in Game 2 of the NLDS. There was panic ensuing, to some extent, before the Phils notched a pair of one-run wins at Coors Field to take the series.

2010: The Phillies were very fortunate to escape with a 7-4 win against Cincinnati. Two days after Roy Halladay no-hit the Reds, Roy Oswalt found himself trailing 4-0 going into the bottom of the fifth. That's when things fell apart for the Reds. The Phils came up with some big hits, but Cincinnati made four errors, while their pitchers walked six batters and hit three others. Cole Hamels' gem two days later ended the series in a sweep.

2011: Cliff Lee couldn't hold a 4-0 lead. You know the rest.

I'm not sure what conclusions you can draw from the team generally playing poorly in Game  2 of the NLDS. But looking ahead, Cole Hamels has a history of coming up big when he's needed most, and it'll be interesting to see how Jaime Garcia fares against the Phils' new-look lineup. I don't see any reason to panic ... yet.

Cliff gets too cute in 5-4 loss to Cardinals

Beerleaguer: Dealing. Dealing. Dealing. Cardinals are begging, and Cliff gets bored. What should have been an effortless Game 2 victory turned into a mess, all because ... what? ... Cliff decided to get tricky? Bury one or two pitches right down Broadway in the fourth, with a couple of Cardinals behind in the count, and the Phillies likely emerge unscathed tonight and ahead 2-0 in the series. Cliff Lee is an unreal showman. Such a pleasure to watch. He had the Cards eating out of his hands through three. He was ahead all night. He fanned nine. But Doc would never lose himself this way. He wouldn't tinker around. Don't blame Jerry Meals. They weren't strikes. And luck was not on the Phillies' side for sure. But when you're as good as Lee and staked to 4-0 lead, and to lose, and to allow 12 hits. It's pretty small. And what a shame. Six shutout innings by the Cards' 'pen saved Tony LaRussa from looking like an fool since Chris Carpenter had zero command. What a shame. What should have been ... (posted by phone in Chicago).

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Howard earns redemption by fueling Phillies' rout

It was a different scene the last time was saw Ryan Howard in the postseason, but tonight, it was the Big Piece's big hit that sparked the Phillies' 11-6 ambush of the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLDS. (AP Photo)

Beerleaguer: All the pre-game buzz centered on the Phillies' staff of aces, how Tony La Russa would wizard his staff and a St. Louis offense that led the league in scoring. Very little ink was spilled about the Phils' old-hat offense, and what little space they received dropped hints about their demise. Tonight once again proved that a complete Phillies lineup has the power to change games and win series, starting with the outstanding, focused, clutch, three-run blast by Ryan Howard in the sixth.

It would be a shame to remember Game 1 for the onslaught. Instead, remember the at-bat where Ryno swatted off Kyle Lohse until he uncovered the pitch he wanted. If not for Howard, the game, and series, might have taken on a very different dynamic.

At one point, Lohse was on pace for a 50-pitch, complete-game shutout, but the tables started to turn in the fourth after Chase Utley belted a double off the top of the right-field wall, Howard reached on a walk and Shane Victorino - kept alive by a critical error on a pop foul by David Freese - got the Phils on the board with a veteran opposite-field smack through the right side of the infield. Vic, along with Hunter Pence, finished with a pair of RBIs, not to be outdone by Raul Ibanez, who had three, including a blood-in-the-water two-run jack during the five-run sixth. The good Phillie continues to ring up a sneaky amount of RBIs.

A 6-3 lead was plenty for Roy Halladay, who retired 21 in a row and withstood a horrendous, three-run first. I'm hesitant to heap Doc with oodles of praise considering the early deficit and the simple fact that Howard and the offense took control. It's not okay to begin a postseason game that way. And all I can say about Michael Stutes' folly  is that the postseason is for grown-ups and it's a small shame that the Phils had to show Ryan Madson in a blowout. No reason to believe Cliff Lee and the Phillies won't get after it against Chris Carpenter tomorrow.

Tonight, they pounced from all angles.

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Pregame: Manuel keeps promise with retooled lineup

The lineup cards are listed with no surprises on the Phillies' end.

The National League East champions go like this: Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Polanco 3B, Ruiz C, Halladay P. The Wild Card representative, without Matt Holliday, lines up like this: Furcal SS, Craig RF, Pujols 1B, Berkman LF, Freese 3B, Molina C, Schumaker 2B, Jay CF, Lohse P.

Courtesy call: The Phils play baseball today at 5 p.m.

Level of excitement, on a scale of 1 to 10 .... 102.

Beerleaguer: It's here, finally, and the anticipation has been restored to the fever-pitch, pre-2008 levels, but with a business-like focus that comes from being in this position for five-straight years. The satisfaction of winning it all in '08 and the peace of mind that followed carried through the forgettable finish of 2009 and even spilled into 2010, but the anxiety is back, and the electricity is uncontrollable. The Phillies are the best and can settle for nothing less, and that isn't just tough, populist rhetoric. Anything can happen in a short series, but not to these Phillies. Everyone on this board will hunker down with fists clenched ready to watch Doc go to town with an expectation that the Phillies will carve through the field until they are the last men standing. After 102 wins, falling shy of 113 would be impossible to brush off this time. That's the reality. It starts today.