It's not a fatal blow, but each loss moves them closer and closer to that moment.
The Phillies had an opportunity to keep their lead in the National League wild card race last night at Citizens Bank Park. They also had a chance to move within one game of the first-place Mets in the NL East. But the Phillies could not hold a one-run lead in a 10-6 loss to the Braves.
The Phillies hope they aren't repeating history.
They led the NL wild-card race with eight games to play in 2003 but finished 1-7 to wind up far behind the Florida Marlins. They shared the wild-card lead with 16 games to play in 2005 but ended up one game behind the Houston Astros despite a 10-6 finish. They shared the wild-card lead with six games to play last season but went 3-3 to finish three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They have missed the playoffs by a combined four games in the last two seasons.
Now they're tied with the Rockies, a game behind the Padres in the wild card. And they remain two behind the Mets.
They have just five to play.
The Phillies might need to win their remaining five to make the playoffs.
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Jim Salisbury wonders if the Phillies are going to rebound like they have so many times this year or are back-to-back losses in the final week of the season an indication the Phillies will come up short?
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They have to beat Tim Hudson tonight and John Smoltz tomorrow night to keep in the hunt.
Sure, no problem.
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In the Phillies notebook: why the Phillies shuffled the rotation and David Montgomery talking about Pat Gillick's plans to retire after 2008. I also talked with Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., who many think is the heir apparent to Gillick. Amaro, whose quotes didn't make the paper, said he didn't consider that a surprise. It had been assumed by many -- there had been talk since the summer that Gillick planned to return to Seattle, although he dismissed speculation he would join the Mariners in a front office or ownership capacity -- that Gillick would not work past his contract.
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The fans put on a good show last night, until Geoff Geary allowed the tying run and two more runs to score in the sixth inning.
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Photos from last night's game.
Comments (21)
Tonight is the MUST WIN game. Peavy throwing for SD and a rookie on the mound for the Mets.
A Phils win tonight puts the Braves 4 back of the Wild Card (with a Padres win), making Thursday a little better for Kendrick (but not much).
I'd like to see a little more patience from Aaron tonight at the plate. And 7 strong from Loshe.
Go Phils!
Posted by Murph | September 26, 2007 9:59 AM
Posted on September 26, 2007 09:59
I don't see how they make it without going 5-0 the rest of the way. Last two losses may have been too much to overcome, even with 5 wins we have to hope Padres and Rockies tank a couple. Can we hope that the Mets continue to free fall? No doubt the Phils are capable of doing it, but now we need help.
Crowd was really great last night, if there is such a thing as the 10th man in baseball, we did ourselves proud. Now if we could use that energy to throw strikes that don't get hit a mile.....
Posted by jimmymack | September 26, 2007 11:43 AM
Posted on September 26, 2007 11:43
Now Gillick might not be leaving....what's next, locusts, famine, a Braves sweep?
There should be a limit of how much bad news a person has to endure in 24 hours.
TZ, can you run this down?
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3036310
Posted by jimmymack | September 26, 2007 1:07 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 13:07
Bad, bad night. Not much else to say. Please, Kyle Loshe, throw some strikes and re-energize this drive to the playoffs.
Had the Phils won last night, can you imagine how the Mets would be unraveling? They would be only a game up with a rookie making his debut tonight... What an opportunity... Oh well.
This is still a salvagable situation. But these pitchers have to get ahead in counts and make the Braves hitters work a little.
Posted by Louis | September 26, 2007 1:16 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 13:16
Hi, I'm Terrible April,
I will strike yet again....14 years and no playoffs. Muhhaahahaha.
Posted by Terrible April | September 26, 2007 1:42 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 13:42
What's really scary is not that the Phils may need to win all 5 to make the playoffs, but the possibility that they could get in by going 3-2, and still might not do even that!
Smoke clears and mirrors crack. This pitching staff may not be able to run any farther solely on adrenaline.
As for me, I'm all in... but shakin'.
Go Phils!
Posted by bobby | September 26, 2007 2:07 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:07
5-0 probably gets us in the WC, 4-1 probably means a one-game playoff on Monday in Denver.
The Rockies can't keep this up, can they? Hope the Dodgers show up tonight and that Barry is putting "the clear" under his tongue as I type.
Let's get it done tonight.
Posted by Murph | September 26, 2007 2:14 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:14
the rockies have won 9 straight, there is no way they close the season with 14 straight wins. but, if they do, they deserve to be in ahead of the phils because that is incredible clutch play. again, i don't think they will and am figuring 2 losses for them at least. the phils are tied with them so that means going 3-2 to keep up with the rockies. i think the important part is the brewers having something to play for in the 4-game series with the padres. i can envision a split in that series with the way the brewers play at home. 4-1 still gets the phils at least a tie for the wildcard, in my mind. but they have to win tonight to finish the braves off once and for all. lohse hasn't had a great start in a while, let's hope he's due...
Posted by mike | September 26, 2007 2:36 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:36
Let's not forget that Arizona may still have something to play for when the Rockies face them this weekend. Even if it's just one game there, we need all the help we can get!
Posted by bobby | September 26, 2007 2:40 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:40
I found it interesting that as I was leaving last night, everyone left quietly. Perhaps this is tempting fate, but I didn't hear a single bitter "E-A-G-L-E-S! EAGLES!" cheer on the way out. I don't know what it means, but I thought it bore mentioning.
Posted by Clare | September 26, 2007 2:42 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:42
Deja vu all over again...
Scary that the Rockies and Braves seem so much looser than the Phils. Tonight's another night, though. They've come back all year. Thank God for the fans!
Posted by John in LA | September 26, 2007 2:46 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:46
I wonder who the Rockies ground crew would be rooting for in a playoff between the Rockies and Phils?
Posted by Mike Chary | September 26, 2007 2:48 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:48
Here's how it could go:
Phillies 3-2
Padres 2-3
Rockies 3-2
Mets 1-4
Phillies and Mets tie for the division. One game playoff Monday. Padres and Rockies tie for the wildcard. One game playoff Monday. (Under this scenario, if the Mets win more than 1 game, they win the division and the Phils fall into 3-way tie with Padres and Rockies for the wildcard.) Or...
Phillies 4-1
Padres 2-3
Rockies 3-2
Mets 1-4
Phillies win the division. Mets fall into 3-way tie with Padres and Rockies for the wildcard. (If the Mets go 2-3 in this scenario, they and the Phils would tie for the division.)
So what happens in the case of a 3-way tie, anyway?
Posted by bobby | September 26, 2007 2:51 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:51
According to mlb.com, a three way tie between the Phils, Padres and Rockies means this as you go by Head to Head wins between the three teams:
Rockies were 14-11 vs. Padres/Phillies
Phillies were 7-7 vs. the Rockies/Padres
Padres were 11-14 vs. the Phillies/Rockies
Rockies would determine if they are Club A, B or C. Phillies would pick next. Padres would be left with the remains.
Club A would play Club B (not sure where, I assume based on the coin flip that already took place) on Monday
Winner of Club A/Club B game would HOST Club C on Tuesday.
I hope I got it right.
Posted by Murph | September 26, 2007 3:23 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 15:23
Could you imagine a 3-way tie for the Wildcard AND a tie for the NL East? Not likely, but not impossible. Wow.
Posted by Louis | September 26, 2007 4:22 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 16:22
Thanks, Murph. Under that scenario, I can't imagine the Rockies (or any club picking first) not choosing to be Club C, right? Yes, you may be able to host the games, but 2 games instead of 1? I'll take the day of rest and one game playoff on the road.
Somewhere I heard a few weeks ago that if there were a playoff, the Phils would host it at CBP. I wonder if that applies to a 3-way as well?
Let's hope it doesn't come to that, at least not for the Phils. But I'd love to see the Mets have to run around playing to squeak into the postseason!
Posted by bobby | September 26, 2007 4:24 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 16:24
BTW, Peavy goes tonight for SD, so any playoff after the reg. season ends involves him. Nice for the Pads to have that in their back pocket. But honestly, I think the Pads may falter. Even if they win tonight (a good bet), have you seen the Brewers the last couple of nights? See how they play at home? And no Peavy in that series. And the Cubs have left the Brewers with something to play for.
I've been an avid baseball fan for over 30 years, and I've never seen anything like the end of this season. This is just great. Every division is in play. And there's the Wildcard.
There are SEVEN teams with realistic playoff chances, four spots up for grabs, five days left, and virtually NONE of the teams involved play head-to-head! A scoreboard-watcher's DREAM!
Posted by Louis | September 26, 2007 4:38 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 16:38
I'll take a tie and a playoff scenerio with anyone...just want the boys to get a chance at the dance.
Do I sound desperate? Of course I am, I'm a Phillies fan.
Posted by jimmymack | September 26, 2007 5:07 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 17:07
True, Louis. But these late nights are killin' me!
Posted by bobby | September 26, 2007 5:09 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 17:09
I have nothing really to add other then... LETS GO PHILLIES *clap clap clapclapclap*
Posted by B Dub | September 26, 2007 5:31 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 17:31
Yeah, me too Bobby. I conk out at my desk at about 3PM lately. Not good.
Posted by Louis | September 26, 2007 5:32 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 17:32