The Zo Zone

Curt Schilling filed for free agency yesterday, which means the Phillies can call him up and talk with him about returning to Philadelphia next season.

If they did not call him yesterday, they certainly will call him this week.

(In case you were wondering, teams can talk to free agents from opposing teams about everything except money until the 15-day filing period concludes Nov. 12. Then it's open season. They can talk with them about their desire to play for their team, length of contract, etc., however.)

The Phillies definitely are interested in Schilling, although they did not say that publicly yesterday. And Schilling has said he is interested in the Phillies should the Red Sox not re-sign him. But here's what makes Schilling even more attractive to the Phillies, other than his success as a big-game pitcher and ability to help this team over the hump: he said on his radio show yesterday that he is looking for a one-year contract. Now, Schillling made $13 million this season. It's unclear how much he is looking for next season, but a one-year, $13 million contract for Schilling sounds a little better than the three-year, $24.5 million contract Adam Eaton signed last season, you know what I mean? At least if Schilling would struggle, the Phillies only would be on the hook for one season ... unlike Eaton, who is on the hook for another two.

Update: Not that this is a surprise, but Schilling listed the Phillies as a team he would consider playing for next season.

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It's no big surprise, but Aaron Rowand, Kyle Lohse and J.C. Romero are expected to hit the open market before potentially re-signing with the Phillies.

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Ruben Amaro Jr. said they are keeping dialogue open with Abraham Nunez and Antonio Alfonseca. The Phillies have no real utility infielders in their organization, so they will need somebody to replace Nunez, who can play second, third and shortstop.

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Romero and Alfonseca filed for free agency yesterday. Rowand, Nuñez, Jose Mesa and Jon Lieber filed Monday.

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The players association just sent out an e-mail today saying they forgot to mention Rod Barajas has filed for free agency. Not that it really matters to Phillies fans because he's not coming back.

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Joe Savery, the team's first-round pick in June, is pitching well in the Arizona Fall League.

The Phillies need a third baseman ...

Alex Rodriguez is a third baseman ...

He's a free agent and needs a place to play ...

Forget about it. The Phillies said earlier this month and reasserted yesterday that they have absolutely ZERO plans to pursue Rodriguez in free agency. I can't say I blame them. Rodriguez is going to be seeking a contract around 10 years, $300 million. Frankly, as good as Rodriguez is, I'm not sure it's worth it. The Phillies have led the National League in runs scored the past two seasons, so I'm not sure their offense needs a $300 million solution. I personally would sink most of their money into improving the pitching staff. And -- like they've said countless times since the season ended -- that's exactly what they want to do.

Improve the pitching ...

Improve the pitching ...

Improve the pitching ...

A-Rod? No way.

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Bodog's odds for A-Rod;

Los Angeles Angels 3/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 4/1
Chicago Cubs 9/2
Detroit Tigers 5/1
Boston Red Sox 6/1
New York Yankees 6/1
New York Mets 9/1
Philadelphia Phillies 9/1
San Francisco Giants 10/1
Field (Any Other Team) 5/2

If you would bet on the Phillies, it's wasted money.

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Aaron Rowand, Abraham Nunez, Jose Mesa and Jon Lieber filed for free agency yesterday. This is part of a formal process, so it means nothing. The Phillies continue to have exclusive negotiating rights with Rowand until 15 days after the World Series.

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Jim Salisbury talks about changed expectations in Boston, where the Red Sox are celebrating their second championship in four years.

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Bodog also gives the Phillies 12/1 odds to win the World Series next year, which ranks behind the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Indians, Tigers, Cubs and Angels.

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Red Sox Get World Series Out Of The Way

The World Series is finished -- other than the ALCS, could the 2007 postseason have been any less enjoyable or memorable? -- but at least the Phillies begin their organizational meetings today at Citizens Bank Park. It basically involves every front office official, coach and scout from every level getting together and talking about what they have in the organization and what they need to do to improve.

There's plenty to improve.

I'm going to assume you're more concerned about the major-league talent at the moment. So everybody certainly will be discussing things like:

- How far should they go to re-sign Aaron Rowand?
- If Rowand leaves, can they go an entire season with Shane Victorino in center field and Jayson Werth and Greg Dobbs/Michael Bourn in right field?
- Is Brett Myers best suited for the bullpen or rotation?
- How far should they go to sign Curt Schilling, Mike Lowell and Mariano Rivera?
- Should they try to trade Pat Burrell again?

You know, stuff like that.

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The Bill James Handbook 2008 names Cole Hamels the 10th best player in baseball under 29 years old. James also says the Phillies have the 12th-best "young talent" in baseball.

“Hamels uses the changeup more often than a high school cheerleader,” James said in a news release. “His health is the only thing that will keep him from being great—but remember, arm injuries don’t strike down some great young pitchers, they strike down most great young pitchers.”

James ranks the Phillies as 12th-best team for young talent because of Kyle Kendrick, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Brett Myers and Shane Victorino.

“Most of the team has exited young and entered prime, but is holding on to pieces of their youth,” James said.

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Howard is hosting a baseball clinic Nov. 10 at Penn. Click here for more information.

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Bugs & Cranks finds a mini-Ryan Howard.

The Phillies consider it a priority to bring lefthander J.C. Romero back next season.

But so far the Phillies and Romero are far apart in contract talks.

"We have had some discussions," said Dan Lozano, Romero's agent from the Beverly Hills Sports Council. "But I'm not too optimistic at this point. I'm waiting to hear back from the Phillies."

It's an interesting situation. How much should Romero be paid? Neither side would say what the Phillies are offering or what Romero is looking for, but I'm guessing Romero is looking for something very similar or better to what numerous relief pitchers received on the open market last season. Three or four years. At least $3 million per season. Romero probably will get it, too. He dominated in his 51 appearances with the Phillies, but I'm sure the Phillies want to protect themselves. After all, the Red Sox released Romero midseason because he walked more batters than he had struck out. He also had a 6.70 ERA in 65 appearances last season for the Angels. So I'm sure the Phillies, who desperately need an effective lefthander in their bullpen, want him back. But they also don't want to go hog wild and have Romero return to his previous struggles and be on the hook for two or three more seasons.

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The Red Sox continue to roll. They won Game 2 of the World Series last night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Rockies look like a different team after that eight-day layoff following the NLCS. Or maybe it's just that the AL is much better than the NL.

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Terry Francona has some tough lineup decisions as the series continues in Colorado.

The Phillies have named former Tampa Bay Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar as their Director of Professional Scouting.

LaMar, 51, worked last season with the Washington Nationals as the special assistant to the general manager and national crosschecker.

“Chuck brings a lot of experience in many different capacities to our club,” Phillies general manager Pat Gillick said in a news release. “We’re pleased we had the opportunity to bring someone with his background into the organization.”

LaMar was the Devil Rays' GM from 1995 to 2005. The Devil Rays never finished better than 70-91 during his tenure, although the Rays developed talents like Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli, Delmon Young and B.J. Upton.

He also has worked with the Braves, Pirates and Reds.

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Phillies director of publicity (aka fun and games) John Brazer survived a dog attack.

I get numerous press releases e-mailed to me every day. Most of them I immediately delete, but this one caught my eye. FOX Sports Radio e-mailed me a transcript of rapper Ja Rule's thoughts on Joe Torre leaving the Yankees.

Why did this catch my eye?

Because it reminded me of a funny bit Dave Chappelle had about Ja Rule and 9-11. Basically, Chappelle makes fun of the fact that MTV put Ja Rule on the phone to talk about 9-11 in the days following the tragedy. Chappelle said, "Who gives a (expletive) what Ja Rule thinks at a time like this? This is ridiculous. I don't want to dance. I'm scared to death. I want some answers that Ja Rule might not have right now. Do you think when bad (stuff) happens to me, I'm in the crib like, 'Oh, my God. This is terrible. Could somebody please ... find Ja Rule, get ahold of this (fine fellow) so I can make sense of all this.'"

I had the same feeling when he's talking about Torre and the Yankees.

In other words, who cares?

Here's the release:

LOS ANGELES, October 23, 2007 – Ja Rule, best-selling rap/hip-hop artist and die-hard New York City sports fan, joined Andrew Siciliano and Krystal Fernandez on FOX Game Time Live recently and discussed the Yankees and General Manager Joe Torre. Below are highlights from the interview….

SICILIANO: “I know you’re from Hollis Queens which would lead one to believe you’re a Met fan, but I have a picture of you wearing a Yankee hat. Which is it?”

JA RULE: “I switched up as I got older. I was a Met fan during the Strawberry/Doc Gooden era, but then as I got older, the Yankees became my team.”

SICILIANO: “What do you think of Joe Torre being pushed out?”

JA RULE: “I think that was kind of sour to push Joe out. You know, the Yankees are spoiled – I call them the Dankees. We’ve had so many great championship teams that we’re spoiled. So, if we don’t win, we’re deemed unsuccessful and that’s kind of a hard thing to swallow for Joe Torre because I mean four championships in twelve seasons – the Red Sox hadn’t won a championship before the one they just won since 1918, you understand – so it’s like, how could you look at this guy and say he’s not a great coach, he hasn’t done great things? I mean he’s had 90 wins every season he’s been the manager. He’s a great coach, and I think they’re making a mistake letting him go.”

SICILIANO: “Who do you want in there now? Do you want an old guy like Don Mattingly? Do you like Tony LaRussa?”

JA RULE: “I like Don. Don is old-school and he’s a true Yankee. He’s a Yankee by blood, so I wouldn’t be mad with Don. I wouldn’t be mad with Joe Girardi either. It depends. I move for Don, though.”

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Jim Salisbury tells us to reevaluate Terry Francona.

I agree. It's amazing how much smarter Francona looks with true talent in Boston, huh? I've heard managers can be responsible for winning or losing 10 games a year. I don't buy that. I think that's way too high because it always comes down to talent. If you have a terrible bullpen, no matter who you bring in you're probably going to be second guessed and called a moron. If you have a great bullpen, people will say, "Wow, he really uses his bullpen well." I guess it's human nature, but people really only remember the moves that don't work. They rarely remember the moves that do work.

Charlie Manuel used Brett Myers, Tom Gordon and J.C. Romero extensively the final few weeks of the season. Nobody complained. Why? Because they pitched well. If they would have struggled the final weekend of the season, I guarantee everybody would have said, "Manuel obviously overworked them. He didn't use them the right way. He's got to go." Guaranteed. But they finished strong and the Phillies won the NL East. But I never heard anybody credit Manuel for using the bullpen the way he did. But that's the way it is. Just like Francona.

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Here's a look at the Phillies' home schedule for 2008.

The Phillies released their 2008 schedule today, and here are a few highlights:

-- Opening Day is March 31.
-- The Phillies open and close the season at home against the Nationals.
-- They play the Red Sox and Angels at home June 16-22.
-- The Phillies also play the blue Jays at home May 16-18.
-- They travel on the road to play the Rangers and A's.
-- They do not play the Mets at home in September.
-- Like this season, they finish the season with a six-game homestand against the Braves and Nationals.

I'm sure the folks at MLB and FOX were happy to see the Red Sox pound the Indians, 11-2, in Game 7 of the ALCS.

Sure, it would have been a nice story to have the Indians in the World Series.

But the Red Sox should help the TV ratings.

In case you had not noticed, the national media loves the Red Sox and Yankees. Loves them. And I've got to think the Red Sox will beat the Rockies, who haven't played a game in more than a week. It feels like forever since the Rockies swept the Diamondbacks in the NLCS, doesn't it? So Red Sox Nation should be happy. And MLB and FOX should be happy.

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Let's also catch up on some things Jim Salisbury wrote about in Extra Bases in the Sunday paper:

- The Phillies open the 2008 season at home against the Nationals.

- The Phillies asked Tadahito Iguchi about re-signing with the Phillies as a third baseman, but he told them that he wanted to be an everyday second baseman. So now everybody can relax: the Phillies asked Iguchi. He said no. Let's move on.

- The Pirates will interview triple-A manager John Russell for their managerial vacancy.

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Also, the Phillies said today they have outrighted righthander Yoel Hernandez. He has elected for free agency.

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Salisbury also wrote about the Joe Torre situation in New York.

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Mike Lowell, who the Phillies are expected to take a run at in free agency, hit .333 with one homer and eight RBIs in the ALCS. Curt Schilling, who the Phillies also are expected to take a run at, pitched well in Game 6. I know some people would like Schilling back. I know some people would not. But if he can repeat his 2007 success next season, I don't think there's any question he would be an upgrade in the Phillies' rotation.

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Anybody surprised Paul Byrd took HGH?

Anybody believe his story?

I'm no doctor, but I'm not sure why a dentist would be prescribing HGH.

I'm wondering how closely the Phillies will be watching Game 6 of the ALCS tomorrow night at Fenway Park?

The Phillies have interest in bringing back Curt Schilling, who starts Game 6 and who could hit the open market as a free agent. And Schilling has said he would welcome a return to Philadelphia should the Red Sox not want to re-sign him. Schilling went 9-8 with a 3.87 ERA in 24 starts this season. He is 1-0 with a 3.96 ERA two postseason starts, although he allowed five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Indians.

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The Yankees basically fired Joe Torre yesterday for giving him a crappy offer. I can't believe I'm actually saying a $5 million offer is crappy, but it is ... if you're Torre. If you're me? Yeah, I'd pretty much do anything for a year for $5 million. Even one of those jobs on Dirty Jobs.

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Terry Francona Sends Eric Gagne Down To Made-Up Triple-A Team

I wish I could see the preseason odds -- not that I'm into gambling or anything -- on the Rockies and Indians to make the World Series. I'm sure if I had put $100 each on the Rockies and Indians -- hypothetically speaking, of course -- I'd probably be pretty happy right now.

Of course, the Indians haven't won anything yet.

But they took a 3-1 lead over the Red Sox in the ALCS last night at Jacobs Field. Of course, everybody will mention that the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. But if I were a betting man -- which I'm not -- I'd take the Indians right now.

But that's just me.

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And don't think folks at MLB and Fox aren't saying, "Rockies and Indians? Who's going to watch?"

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The Rockies said Monday they aren't getting tired of pouring champagne and beer over each other's heads (Coors Light, naturally). And really, why would they ? It's like hitting somebody in the face with a shaving cream pie or dropping a water balloon on somebody from the roof of a building. It can't get old.

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Mike's Baseball Rants comes up with some interesting facts about the Rockies' ridiculous run.

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Click here to see how some Phillies prospects are performing in the Arizona Fall League. Third baseman Mike Costanzo is hitting .059 with 10 strikeouts in 17 at-bats.

The Sporting News announced its postseason awards, and Jimmy Rollins, who figures to be a top finisher for National League MVP, was not named the league's best shortstop by his peers.

That honor went to Florida's Hanley Ramirez.

Chase Utley and Aaron Rowand were named the league's best second baseman and one of the best three outfielders, respectively. But it's certainly interesting that the players didn't pick Rollins, although Ramirez absolutely had a tremendous season. Rollins hit .296 with 38 doubles, 20 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBIs, 41 stolen bases and 139 runs scored. Ramirez hit .332 with 48 doubles, six triples, 29 home runs, 81 RBIs, 51 stolen bases and 125 runs scored. But I wouldn't fret too much. I don't think that means much as far as where Rollins will finish in the NL MVP race.

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The Rockies swept the Diamondbacks in the NLCS.

That means I'm headed home on a 7 a.m. flight this morning, barring any US Airways entanglements.

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The Indians took a 2-1 lead in the ALCS against the Red Sox. How about Kenny Lofton? The guy continues to be productive, while nobody wants him. Who's he going to be playing for next season?

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More than 5,000 birds were seized in a cockfighting raid in Southern California. There is no truth to the rumor that authorities also seized countless copies of Phillies DVDs at the site.

For those with a short memory, I wrote this story March 30, 2006:

Firm earns error for DVD goof
New meaning for "Fightin' Phillies."

By Todd Zolecki
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Baseball treasures its traditions, which is why the national pastime is so special to so many people.

There have been no reported complaints from cockfighting fans who have been sent Phillies highlights by mistake.

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Torre, Steinbrenner Have Most Awkward Bathroom Encounter Of Their Lives

It's been a while, so let's take a look at what some Phillies bloggers are saying:

A Citizen's Blog offers its blueprint for 2008, with promises to look this week at Aaron Rowand's free agent status, Johan Santana possibily joining the Phillies, Citizens Bank Park and Chris Coste.

Balls, Sticks, & Stuff offers its take on Curt Schilling, and the rumor about the Phillies selling the team within two years.

The post about the rumored sale is interesting. Here's what I've learned as a reporter: always listen for the non-denial denial, which is a term I first heard watching All the President's Men. In the movie, Richard Nixon's cronies start bashing the Watergate stories in The Washington Post -- without ever calling them untrue or lies.

In one scene, Post editor Ben Bradlee (played by Jason Robards) said, "All non-denial denials ... They don't say the story is inaccurate."

To which Carl Bernstein (played by Dustin Hoffman) said, "What's a real denial?"

Bradlee replied, "If they ever start calling us goddamn liars -- it's time to start circling the wagons."

What would a non-denial denial have been in this case? It could have been something like, "This is just wishful thinking on somebody's part." Or, "We receive inquiries from time to time about the team's availability. We're always respectful enough to listen, but we've never taken them seriously." Instead Phillies president David Montgomery adamantly told The Inquirer, "Nothing could be further from the truth. There's absolutely nothing to it. Nothing. Nothing." Phillies vice president of public relations Larry Shenk told the Daily News that the report was "totally ridiculous and absurd . . . The rumors are totally inaccurate and false. There is absolutely no truth to this story at all."

Those sound like pretty strong denials.

We Should Be GM's is answering questions you guys have posted in my Q&A forum. Hey, it works for me.

The Good Phight won't miss Abraham Nunez.

Philliesflow writes about the dominant offenses in the NL East.

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Seriously, I think Phillies fans should take a different perspective about the NLDS after watching the Rockies take a 3-0 lead in the NLCS. Everything these guys do works. Unbelievable.

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Jim Salisbury writes about an unusual start time tonight for Game 3 of the ALCS: 7 p.m.! We're not so lucky in Denver, where Game 4 tonight starts after 10 p.m.

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We have finalists for the Sexiest Fan in Baseball. Personally, I'm disappointed in most of the finalists. In other news, this guy won Sexiest Beat Writer in Baseball.

(And no Phillies fans made the cut?)

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Dane Cook: Please, SHUT UP.

(Thanks to B Dub, who pointed out these Cook spoofs on SNL).

Is it crazy to think Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen would return to Philadelphia next season?

Jim Salisbury looks at those possibilities in The Inquirer's Sunday baseball column. It's interesting to think about. Schilling already has said that he would have the Phillies on his short list, if the Red Sox choose not to re-sign him. The Phillies will look into it, especially if Schilling would take a one-year contract. I absolutely would keep an eye on Schilling. Rolen? Salisbury wasted no time shooting down that possibility. Rolen doesn't get along with Tony La Russa, but he doesn't get along with Philadelphia even more. No chance there.

But the Phillies definitely want to upgrade at third base, so I think Mike Lowell is a better bet. Or Garrett Atkins, should the Rockies make him available.

Also check out Salisbury's Extra Bases, which talks about Brett Myers' future and the Phillies' need to re-sign J.C. Romero.

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I had a short blurb on the Phillies bringing back their entire coaching staff, but it's nowhere to be found online. Either that, or I'm just missing it. Regardless, just check out the previous post below.

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The Indians beat the Red Sox last night in Game 2, 13-6, in 11 innings. Schilling did not pitch well.

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Yes, I'm in Denver covering the NLCS. It's supposed to be freezing and raining tonight. Awesome. And when I say awesome, I mean totally sweet. But the Diamondbacks think they're in fine shape entering Game 3, especially Eric Byrnes. He actually thinks the Diamondbacks have outplayed the Rockies so far.

Uh, riiiiiiiiight.

I just got to my hotel in Denver after a 7 a.m. flight, which followed an 11-inning game that began after 10 p.m. Eastern, so I'm going to be lazy and paste the news release from the Phillies announcing the return of the entire Phillies coaching staff for 2008. But I will say this was expected. The only hold up had been bench coach Jimy Williams, but any issues there had been ironed out.

All coaches have been signed to one-year contracts.

But before we get to the release, Curt Schilling said he would like to return to Philadelphia if the Red Sox do not re-sign him. Keep an eye on that, especially if Schilling is sincere when he says he would take a one-year contract. I think if that's the case, the Phillies would jump all over that.

Here is the release about the coaching staff:

PHILLIES RENEW ENTIRE COACHING STAFF FOR 2008 SEASON

The Phillies' coaching staff, which instructed the team to the National League East Division championship, has been renewed for the 2008 season, the club announced today.

Rich Dubee (pitching), Ramon Henderson (bullpen), Davey Lopes (first base), Steve Smith (third base), Milt Thompson (hitting) and Jimy Williams (bench) have all had their contracts extended through the 2008 season, as well as catching instructor Mick Billmeyer.

"I couldn't be happier with the job my coaches did this year," said manager Charlie Manuel. "Their hard work paid off in a big way when we won the division."

Dubee, 50, handled a club-record 28 different pitchers this past season with seven of them making their major league debuts. The team also set a franchise record with nine different pitchers getting saves. Overall, Dubee guided the pitching staff through injuries to starting pitchers Adam Eaton, Cole Hamels, Jon Lieber and Freddy Garcia and relievers Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Brett Myers and Mike Zagurski, among others.

In his first season with the Phillies, the 62-year-old Lopes coached the club to the best stolen base percentage in major league history. The team stole 138 bases - second-best in the NL - and was thrown out only 19 times, good for an 87.9% success rate. Both Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino finished in the NL's top 10 in both stolen bases and stolen base percentage. Lopes also oversaw the outfield defense. In 2007, the Phillies had 39 outfield assists, tops in the NL and second only to Tampa Bay among all major league clubs. Aaron Rowand (11), Victorino (10) and Jayson Werth (9) all finished in the top 10 in the league in outfield assists.

For the second time in as many seasons, Thompson, 48, oversaw an offense that led the NL in runs. The team total of 892 was the most by any Phillies club since 1930, when they scored 944 runs. Also in 2007, the Phillies led the NL in triples (41), walks (641), slugging percentage (.458), extra-base hits (580), total bases (2,605) and times on base (2,289), while finishing second in home runs (213).

In addition to his bench coach duties as Manuel's second-in-command, the 64-year-old Williams also was in charge of the pitchers' hitting and bunting. Under his watch, the Phillies' pitching staff finished fourth in the NL with 51 hits, 22 more than the 2006 team (29), and led all NL staffs in runs scored (28). Their 39 sacrifice bunts was 10 more than the previous year (29).

For Henderson, 2008 will be his 11th season as a coach with the Phillies, the longest active streak in the NL East. For the third straight season, Henderson, 44, served as a pitcher for the Century 21 Home Run Derby during the All-Star break. Under Billmeyer's supervision, Phillies catchers threw out the third-most runners in the NL (31). Only the Dodgers (37) and Nationals (33) threw out more. Smith returns for his second season as third base coach and infield instructor.

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My description of Arizona fans after Game 1 made the Arizona Republic today.

Not sure if anybody watched Game 1 of the NLCS last night at Chase Field, but if you didn't ... the Rockies beat the Diamondbacks, 5-1. And a bunch of Diamondbacks fans threw water bottles on the field because they got upset (look at all of them in that picture, such a travesty).

Imagine if that had happened in Philly.

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Tonight's game starts after 10 p.m. Eastern.

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Not much Phillies news, other than my story on the Phillies cutting ties with Rod Barajas and Abraham Nunez. Oh, and expect the Phillies coaching staff to return in its entirety. Except, of course, unless Jimy Williams finds work elsewhere. But otherwise everybody should be back: pitching coach Rich Dubee, hitting coach Milt Thompson, first base coach Davey Lopes, third base coach Steve Smith, bullpen coach Ramon Henderson and catching instructor Mick Billmeyer.

An official announcement won't be made until contracts are finalized.

OK, that's probably a little strong.

But the Phillies today declined the club 2008 options on catcher Rod Barajas and infielder Abraham Nunez. Righthander Kane Davis also was designated for assignment.

Barajas proved to be a major disappointment for the Phillies. He made $2.5 million this season and ended up hitting .230 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 48 games. By the end of the season, Barajas basically was the team's No. 4 catcher behind Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste and Pete LaForest. Nunez hit .234 with 16 RBI in 136 games, including 51 starts at third base. Unless the Phillies bring back Nunez back for less money, they will need to find a utility infielder next season.

Now that Charlie Manuel is signed through 2009, the Phillies need to start making moves to improve their team.

Manuel talked about his wish list yesterday at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies announced his two-year contract extension with a team option for 2010. Not surpisingly, that list included lots and lots of pitching. Interestingly, Phillies president David Montgomery said that when the season ended the team's payroll was about $103 million (not sure if he's talking about the 40-man payroll or the 25-man payroll), and he expected to at least maintain that number in 2008. The Phillies have had around a $95 million payroll for the 25-man roster the last few seasons, so an extra $10 million should give the Phillies a little more flexibility.

But does that mean they'll be able to improve their pitching, re-sign Aaron Rowand and upgrade at third base?

I'm not convinced.

But it sure beats the alternative, which is going back to $95 million.

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The Phillies are selling the team!

Or not.

Montgomery adamantly denied speculation yesterday that the Phillies were looking for buyers. I've been covering this team for five years, and it seems every year somebody says the Phillies are looking to sell. This seems to be one of those times, if you believe what Montgomery said yesterday and what Bill Giles said last summer before the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh.

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Phil Sheridan would like to see what kind of manager Manuel is ... with a real pitching staff and more production at third base and elsewhere.

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I flew yesterday to Phoenix for the NLCS.

Yes, they're still playing it.

No, we're not sure how many people will be watching.

But tickets for Games 1 and 2 remained available as of late last night. I could actually purchase 25 tickets as of midnight Eastern. Incredible. How come I get the feeling that if the Phillies had beaten the Rockies, there would be Phillies fans scooping up tickets and buying airfare to Phoenix for the next couple days?

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Good news for Phillies fans. Braves general manager John Schuerholz is stepping down.

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Gotta love travel. Got up yesterday at 4:45 a.m. to head to the airport. Got to the airport and checked a bag with US Airways only to find I've got a middle seat for the five-hour flight to Phoenix. Got on the plane and I'm ready to go when the pilot said something about the plane being "dead." Swear to God. Computer problem or something. So he told us to hang tight, relax and wait until they found another plane. They found one. We were in Terminal C. The new plane was in Terminal A. If you've been to the Philly airport, you know that's a hike. So we got off the plane and walked to our new gate only to find there were more computer problems, this time airport-wide. So we waited. We finally got on the new plane. And, yes, I still had a middle seat.

I tried to drug myself to sleep on the flight. Didn't work. Arrived in Phoenix. Went to Hertz to pick up a car. The lady gave me a car that wasn't there. Straight out of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Seriously. One of my favorite movies, so I actually laughed when I discovered this. Went back. Told her the Corrolla she assigned me wasn't there. She said it might not be a Corrolla. Just check the plate number. If the plate matches, take it. I walked back. It didn't match. Went back. She assigned me a new car ... which had just been returned and needed to be cleaned. So I waited some more. Finally it showed up, and I took off for my hotel in Scottsdale.

Got to the hotel. Naturally, the room wasn't ready.

Let's hope the trip to Denver runs a little more smoothly.

Charlie Manuel will be in red pinstripes next season.

According to baseball sources, The Inquirer has learned tonight that the Phillies and Manuel, who this season led the Phillies to their first National League East championship since 1993, have agreed to two-year contract with a team option for the 2010 season.

An official announcement is expected at a news conference tomorrow.

Manuel and his agent, Pat Rooney, met with Phillies general manager Pat Gillick and other front office officials for most of the day yesterday at Citizens Bank Park. Gillick said earlier today they had made progress.

“That’s kind of where we are,” Gillick said.

Manuel worked the entire 2007 as a lame duck manager. He said repeatedly during the year that he had no concerns about his future, but Manuel certainly wanted security with his next contract.

That meant at least two years.

The Phillies had told Manuel they would like him back next year during the final week of the season, when the Phillies became the first team in baseball history to overcome a seven-game deficit with 17 games to play to make the playoffs.

Charlie Manuel and Pat Gillick meet today to talk about Manuel's next contract.

I'm interested to see how these negotiations go.

They should go relatively quickly. But there are some potential hang ups. Are the Phillies interested in only a one-year contract for Manuel because Gillick has said he won't return after 2008? A one-year contract for Manuel would allow the next GM to hire his own man, if he chooses. But anything less than a two-year offer would be an insult to Manuel, who had to work as a lame duck the entire season with no hints from Gillick that they wanted him back until the very end of the season. That's no way to work, although Manuel doesn't have much juice in these negotiations.

Where else would he go?

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The Phillies cleared out their lockers yesterday at Citizens Bank Park, so I tried to break down how much money the Phillies will have to spend in the off-season to improve a team that needs serious pitching help.

They don't have as much to spend as people probably think.

The Phils have committed more than $64 million in salaries for 2008: Pat Burrell ($14 million), Brett Myers ($8.5 million), Jimmy Rollins ($8 million), Adam Eaton ($7.635 million), Chase Utley ($7.5 million), Jamie Moyer ($5.5 million), Jim Thome ($5.5 million) Tom Gordon ($5.5 million), and Wes Helms ($2.15 million).

That does not include the six players eligible for salary arbitration: Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Jayson Werth, Geoff Geary, Julio Mateo and Kane Davis. Howard should make at least $5 million next season, if you consider Miguel Cabrera made $7.4 million in his first year or arbitration -- Cabrera had slightly more service time than Howard does at the moment.

The Phillies also must decide if they want to pick up Abraham Nunez's $2.5 million club option. And then they must pay the relatively small salaries for Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Kyle Kendrick, Chris Coste, Michael Bourn and others.

If the Phillies' payroll remains around $95 million for the 25-man roster, which it has been the past few years, that leaves the Phillies around $20 million to upgrade the pitching staff, re-sign Aaron Rowand and upgrade third base. I just don't see all that happening, and I get the feeling because the Phillies have Victorino, Werth and Bourn already in the fold, if push comes to shove the Phillies might let Rowand go elsewhere. Rowand is probably going to get some serious offers, so if the White Sox or somebody offer him a four-year, $40 million contract, I just don't see the Phillies matching that.

But would you rather take your chances with Victorino, Werth and Bourn if it meant finding another quality starter, a quality arm or two in the bullpen and somebody like Mike Lowell at third base next season?

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A Citizen's Blog says Manuel should be back.

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The Good Phight already has its 2008 projections for the Phillies.

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I talked yesterday afternoon with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (aka The 700 Level Sports Fanatics) on Sports Radio 950. Listen to the podcast here. And in case you missed it yesterday, the final Philliescast of the season is up.

They're still making fun of the New York Mets' historic collapse in the NL East.

Scroll below to find two more clips from Conan O'Brien and one clip from the Daily Show.

The Phillies clear out their lockers today at Citizens Bank Park.

Then they scatter across the country to their homes in California, Arizona, Florida, etc., for the off-season.

The Phillies never thought their postseason would end so quickly. Three games? Three stinkin' games? Not a chance. When they clinched the NL East championship Sept. 30, several players talked about unfinished business and going to the World Series. They truly believed they could. They could have. But the Rockies were the better team, although you wonder what might have happened had the Phillies offense showed up.

Ironic isn't it that the one thing that held this team together all season -- the offense -- is the one thing that really hurt them in the playoffs? I mean, they held the Rockies to four runs in Game 1 and two runs in Game 3. If you had told Charlie Manuel that before the series started he would have loved his chances. Bob Ford talks about that oddity in today's paper.

But regardless of how it ended, the Phillies said they will look back at this season fondly. It sounds like most fans feel the same way.

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The latest Philliescast -- and the final Philliescast of the season -- is up.

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Phil Sheridan writes about this collection of players never playing together again, and what needs to happen over the winter to get them back to this point -- and go further.

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Jim Salisbury tells us what the Phillies learned from this postseason, and how it might help them in the future.

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So I put together this graphic for today's paper and, well, here it is. It looks pretty cool in the paper, so you'll just have to imagine a bunch of pictures and stuff along with it and that's pretty much what it looks like :)

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J.C. Romero kept things in perspective after allowing three two-out singles in Game 3 that led to the winning run. He shouldn't worry. The Phillies never would have gotten to the playoffs if he hadn't pitched his rear off this season.

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So what's next? Manuel's contract should be decided soon. He will be back, unless the Phillies insist on a one-year contract and Manuel insists on a multi-year contract. Then the off-season starts. Rumors upon rumors, free agency, trades, etc. But there's no question this is a very important off-season for the Phillies. They've got to improve this pitching staff to give this team a better chance to win, especially with players like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in the primes of their careers. They made the playoffs in spite of their pitching this season, they don't want to take that chance again.

As far as the blog? Keep checking back. Obviously, there won't be stuff to post every day, but hopefully there should be enought stuff to check in from time to time. So keep checking back. I'm headed to the ballpark later today to talk to a few players ... so I'll be back tomorrow with something I'm sure.

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Found this 2007 highlight video at Bugs & Cranks.

"It's unfortunate," Jamie Moyer said after last night's 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, which knocked the Phillies out of the playoffs. "I thought this team had a chance to do some special things in the playoffs. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way."

Will they be back?

"You never know," Moyer said. "When you have that magic during the course of a season and you fight and you battle and you deal with whatever you have to deal with during the course of the season and you stay together and win, it's very special. These moments don't come along too often. I haven't had them come along too often in my career. And you cherish them. You don't know when you'll get back. You hope to get back. But it's over for us."

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It's late and I'm going to try to catch a 7 a.m. flight back to Philly.

I'll try to post more tomorrow. There's plenty to talk about.

The Phillies have been in this position before.

Kind of.

They have overcome a 4-11 start, injuries to Tom Gordon, Brett Myers and Ryan Howard in May, injuries to Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber in June, injuries to Chase Utley, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn in July and a seven-game deficit in the National League East with just 17 games to play. But none of that truly compares to trailing the Rockies 0-2 in the best-of-five National League division series. To keep their season alive the Phillies have to win three straight games against the Rockies, who have won 16 of their last 17 games.

Impossible? No, not impossible.

But the odds are stacked heavily against them.

The Phillies were a loose bunch in the visitor's clubhouse at Coors Field yesterday. That's one thing I have noticed about this team: they seem to have a very short memory. But short memories won't help them tonight. They need to come up with some big hits and get some good pitching from Jamie Moyer.

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Davey Lopes played on the '81 Dodgers, who overcame a 0-2 deficit to beat the Expos in a best-of-five NLDS. So, yes, he said, it's possible to come back.

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Moyer pitched incredibly well in Sunday's NL East-clinching victory over the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Can the Souderton native repeat that effort? Phil Sheridan tells us that Moyer is ready for the challenge.

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Sure, Moyer needs to pitch well. But the Phillies lead the NL in scoring this season. Bob Ford tells us these Phillies bats need to come to life, like, right freakin' now.

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Do you believe in karma? The Phillies seemed to pick up some karma in July when they helped out the Rockies grounds screw when strong winds put a handful of them underneath the tarp. The Phillies recall that moment.

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Humidors store cigars and baseballs, and the humidor at Coors Field has made a difference in how the ball his hit.

Is it over?

Just seven out of 49 teams in baseball history have rallied from 0-2 deficits to win a best-of-five series. But just one of them -- the 2001 New York Yankees -- lost those first two games at home.

History is not on the side of the Phillies.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Got to head home, pack, sleep and get up to catch a 6:27 a.m. flight to Denver tomorrow morning. So check back tomorrow for more.

Charlie Manuel changed his lineup for Game 2:

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Chase Utley, 2B
3. Pat Burrell, LF
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Aaron Rowand, CF
6. Jayson Werth, LF
7. Wes Helms, 3B
8. Carlos Ruiz, C
9. Kyle Kendrick, P

The beat writers met with Manuel before the game and he explained that he wanted to split up Utley and Howard, and provide some more pop in the lineup with Werth. Werth has hit lefthanders very well this season.

Everybody had the same reaction yesterday inside the Phillies clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park:

Relax.

We're OK.

But are they? The Phillies lost, 4-2, to the Colorado Rockies in Game 1 of the National League division series. They lost because Cole Hamels lost his cool in the second inning and because Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard went a combined 0 for 15 with nine strikeouts and one walk.

The Phillies are OK for the moment, but if they lose Game 2 today they are in deeeeeeeeeep trouble.

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Phil Sheridan writes that yesterday felt like Turn Back the Clock Day.

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Jim Salisbury writes that Cole Hamels first lost his cool and then his sleeves.

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Bob Ford tells us that while the Phillies said they're OK and fine, they won't be able to utter those words later today if they don't play well and win.

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All these things happened in the Phillies' first playoff game in 14 years:
- Chase Utley struck out four times for the first time in his career.
- Hamels walked three batters in an inning -- without intentionally walking a batter -- for the first time since his big-league debut May 12, 2006.
- The top four hitters in the Phillies lineup went 0 for 15. It's the first time in 263 games the top four hitters in the Phillies lineup failed to record a single hit.

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It's up to rookie Kyle Kendrick.

No pressure, Kyle.

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The Phillies would find themselves in a deep hole should they lose today. But seven teams in baseball history have overcome 0-2 deficits to win a best-of-five series.

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The Phillies beat up Jeff Francis twice this season, but not the third time. Todd Helton also made sure his first playoff game was a good one.

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The Diamondbacks beat the Cubs in Game 1. My Lord, what happens if the D-Backs win the series? Does that mean we can't hear hours upon hours upon hours of coverage of long suffering Cubs fans and the Billy Goat curse? That said, I wouldn't mind a Phillies-Cubs NLCS, should the Phillies get that far.

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The Phillies lost, but fans were happy they got to share the moment with others.

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Yankees Decline Wild Card

I'm sure Phillies fans would love to see their team in the postseason every year for the next 10 years, but the way the Phillies made it happen this season -- breaking a 14-year drought and making history in the process by catching the Mets with 17 games to play -- certainly seems to have made everybody appreciate this a little more.

That moment is here.

The Phillies play the Rockies in Game 1 of the National League division series at 3 p.m. today.

It's Cole Hamels vs. Jeff Francis.

It's power vs. power.

It's the two hottest teams in the National League.

It should be fun. There are few things like postseason baseball. Every pitch becomes magnified. Every at-bat. Every move. Every play. I have had the chance to see some incredibly memorable playoff games in person in the previous four years -- the Steve Bartman game in Chicago in 2003, the Red Sox winning Game 7 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium in 2004 immediately come to mind -- and it would be nice to see a few more this October.

Ready?

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Cool. Calm. Cole.

Jim Salisbury tells us why Hamels never seems to be rattled on the mound, and how his teammates feed off that.

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Phil Sheridan thinks the start times for the NLDS are lousy. So do most of you.

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In the Phillies notebook, we look at Adam Eaton, the health status of Carlos Ruiz and Geoff Geary and more.

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J.C. Romero has been a God send for the Phillies. The Boston Red Sox released him, and the Phillies signed him to a minor-league contract. A couple months later he's one of the Big Three in the bullpen along with Brett Myers and Tom Gordon.

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Ryan Howard had a great final week of the season, winning NL player of the week honors. He seems relaxed and ready to go.

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The Phillies have lit up Francis this season, but he's not worried about that.

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Fans are getting creative so they can watch the games this afternoon. (MLB and TBS provide their explanation for the start times here.) Like I said on the Philliescast, 10 years from now those inconvienences should make for some pretty good stories ... especially if the Phillies go deep in the playoffs.

So lock it up!

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The Inquirer's postseason predictions. I said weeks ago that if the Phillies made the postseason they could get to the World Series. I'm sticking with that, although this match up against the Rockies is scary. ... We also have some predictions in video. ... SEPTA plans. ... Fashion advice for Phillies fans. ... Mike's Baseball Rants finds the 1964 and 2007 collapses are the worst in baseball history, and both involve the Phillies. ... A Citizen's Blog breaks down the series. ... Thanks to Swing and a Miss, which liked the lead to my Phillies story today. ... The Good Phight also takes a crack at breaking down this series. ... We Should Be GM's picks the Phillies in four.

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Got some great clips from Conan and the Daily Show if you scroll down.

I get the feeling the vote for National League MVP is going to be a lot closer than people think. A lot of people like the numbers Matt Holliday has put up, and Prince Fielder should receive some first-place votes, too. But Jimmy Rollins has put up some historical numbers. He would get my vote.

The Mets are getting hammered everywhere these days.

Scroll down to see the first clip from the Late Show with Conan O'Brien where Mr. Met tries to kill himself.

The Phillies and Rockies are the two hottest teams in baseball, so perhaps it's fitting they play each other in the National League division series.

But I get the feeling the Phillies would have preferred the Padres.

The Phillies and Rockies are the two highest scoring teams in the National League at 5.51 and 5.25 runs per game, respectively. But while the Phillies have the fourth-worst pitching staff in the NL with a 4.76 ERA, the Rockies rank eighth with a 4.31 ERA. Can the Phillies get enough pitching against the Rockies? Cole Hamels pitches in Game 1 tomorrow afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He also will pitch in Game 5 next Tuesday, if necessary, which should be comforting for Phillies fans.

It might be a benefit, too, that the Rockies have never faced Hamels before.

But what about the rest of the Phillies rotation?

Kyle Kendrick is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two starts this season against the Rockies, although he allowed three runs in six innings at Coors Field in July. The second time he faced the Rockies he got hit in the knee with a line drive and had to leave the game after facing one batter in the fourth inning.

Kyle Lohse is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts this season against the Rockies, and 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA against them in three career starts.

Jamie Moyer is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in one start this season against the Rockies, and is 0-4 with a 5.54 ERA in four career starts against them.

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Bill Lyon writes that in the "Season of the 10,000 Losses, for a franchise that has suffered more defeats than any professional team in any sport, ever, the Phillies have achieved Deliverance."

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Bob Ford tells us how the Eagles couldn't be happier to step aside and give the Phillies the spotlight.

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David Aldridge takes a look at Jimmy Rollins' motivation for his preseason prediction. Hey, maybe Freddy Garcia made a bigger contribution to this team's success than we give him credit for.

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Charlie Manuel never has had to worry about his offense this season, but he has had to worry about his pitching staff. But late in the season he took advantage of some hot hands to get his team to the postseason.

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The Phillies have until 10 a.m. tomorrow to set their NLDS roster.

Two things on that: First, I would bet that Adam Eaton is not on the postseason roster. There's not a chance in hell he pitches in the rotation, and he has made just two relief appearances in his career. So why would they want to risk pitching him in relief in the biggest games in 14 years with a legitimate chance to make the World Series? Second, Carlos Ruiz is having a MRI today on his bruised left elbow, just to make sure there are no chipped bones or anything. But if he is unable to play tomorrow in Game 1, I would expect Rod Barajas to make the postseason roster as the third catcher.

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The Phillies went 3-4 against the Rockies this season. Here's a look back at those games:

July 6 at Coors Field: The Phillies lost in 11 innings, 7-6, when they blew a 6-1 run lead in the fifth. The Phillies even had a one-run lead in the ninth inning when Antonio Alfonseca blew his fourth save of the season.
July 7 at Coors Field: The Phillies took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Jamie Moyer allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss that dropped them below .500 for the first time since June 4.
July 8 at Coors Field: Best remembered as The Tarp Game. The Phillies stormed the field in the seventh inning in an 8-4 victory after heavy winds flipped the tarp over several Rockies grounds crew members. The Phillies helped pull the tarp into place -- and saved a few people in the process -- to receive an ovation from Rockies fans. Believe in karma? The Phillies were 43-44 (.494) before that happened. They went 46-29 (.613) the rest of the way for the best record in the National League and the second-best record in baseball. Hey, we're just sayin'.
Sept. 10 at Citizens Bank Park: The Phillies enjoyed a 6-5 victory when Ryan Howard sliced a double into the left-field corner to score Chase Utley in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Sept. 11 at Citizens Bank Park: Adam Eaton pitched poorly -- again -- in an 8-2 loss.
Sept. 12 at Citizens Bank Park: The last loss before the Phillies' remarkable 13-4 run to the NL East championship. The Phillies took a 12-0 beating, and afterward Charlie Manuel said something prophetic: "There's no sense in me sugarcoating it. It's kind of a 'show me' time. It's kind of like, 'Let's go. If we have it, let's see it.' That's kind of how I look at it. We've got 17 games left. That's what it's come down to. It's no time to talk. Let's do it."
Sept. 13 at Citizens Bank Park: The Phillies spanked the Rockies, 12-4, to awaken from their slumber as they headed to New York for a three-game series against the Mets. And we know what happened there.

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I looked forward to a weekend in the Gaslamp District in San Diego. But LoDo in Denver certainly is a nice consolation prize.

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The Phillies held a pep rally yesterday at City Hall. Great crowd with a lot of energy. ... It sucks to be a Mets fan, but it really sucks to be a Mets fan in Philadelphia.

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Take a Phillies postseason quiz.

We have game times.

The Phillies will play San Diego or Colorado in Game 1 of the National League division series at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. Game 2 on Thursday also will be played at 3 p.m. So for everybody with a 9 to 5 job, you might want to find yourself a radio or a computer ... or just skip work because, hey, it's not like you're going to get much work done anyway.

Game 3 on Saturday, which would be played on the road, will begin at 9:30 p.m.

Game 4 on Sunday, if necessary, would be played at 10 p.m.

If the Phillies would need a Game 5 next Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, it would begin at 6:30 p.m.. But the Game 5 time could change if the Phillies vs. San Diego/Colorado are the only game that day. If they are the only game that day, Game 5 would be played at 8:30 p.m.

Yes, these times are Eastern. So not only is Wednesday and Thursday going to be fairly unproductive, Monday might as well.

Those games will be broadcast on TBS. Don Orsillo (play-by-play), Joe Simpson (analyst) and The Inquirer's David Aldridge (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show Wednesday begins at 2:30 p.m. on TBS with Ernie Johnson (host), Cal Ripken (analyst) and Frank Thomas (analyst) in the studio.

No Sir Charles?

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Thanks to The 700 Level -- or was it Philadelphia Will Do? -- for finding this Conan clip.

It still seems surreal.

Maybe that's because I have seen the Phillies get so close before. So close in 2003. So close in 2005. So close in 2006. Each time somebody else went to the postseason. The Marlins went and won the World Series in 2003. The Astros went and won the NL pennant in 2005. The Cardinals went and won the World Series in 2006, despite finishing with a worse record than the Phillies. So when I saw Brett Myers step off the mound for a moment in the top of the ninth inning yesterday to -- as he put it -- "let the fans soak in what was about to happen," I sat in the press box thinking, "Is this finally happening?"

It was.

It seemed everybody felt it was going to happen before the Phillies even threw a pitch. The buzz in the ballpark yesterday was palpable. Once the Marlins took a big lead on the Mets, the place maintained that buzz the rest of the way -- although I must say the 20 minutes leading up to the game was something I had never experienced before. And that buzz turned into something unbelievable in the top of the ninth inning. I got the sense that fans would have prefered the Phillies to make three first-pitch outs in the bottom of the eighth, just so they could rush to the ninth as quickly as possible.

It came quickly enough. Three batters later Myers struck out Wily Mo Pena looking to record the final out in a 6-1 victory over the Nationals that clinched their first NL East championship since 1993.

So what's next?

I have said in recent weeks that if the Phillies somehow make the postseason, I very much believe they could reach the World Series. Because who scares you in the National League? (Except maybe the Rockies, who play the Padres today in a one-game playoff.) If the Phillies can continue to get good pitching -- Cole Hamels would pitch twice in the NLDS, if necessary -- they have a shot. A real shot. But in the meantime, enjoy the moment. Enjoy the ride. It doesn't happen often. I think that's the one thing that makes baseball so great. It's not easy to make the postseason. It's not like the NHL or NBA or NFL. It's tough as hell.

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Jim Salisbury has seen some terrible Phillies teams over the years. Terrible. He can put what happened into perspective better than anybody.

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David Aldridge writes about Charlie Manuel's moment in the sun. I have said for a long time that I thought the Manuel bashing was overblown, and that's not because I have to talk to the guy every day. It's because I think it's true. Earlier this season Yankees fans wanted Joe Torre fired because, you know, he stunk. Red Sox fans have been killing Terry Francona this season, you know, for being such moron. Same thing with Mets fans and Willie Randolph, Brewers fans with Ned Yost, Dodgers fans with Grady Little. Pretty much every manager in baseball is terrible and makes terrible moves.

A manager is only as good as his players. The Phillies have a lot of talent, but Manuel did a great job of holding this group together through some trying times. Pat Gillick remained noncommittal about Manuel's future, but there are indications he will be back.

Think he has earned it?

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Jimmy Rollins ripped that triple to right field in the sixth inning and probably cinched the National League MVP in the process. I'm not sure Rollins thought about it in January, but his "team to beat" proclamation is going to be one of the most memorable quotes in Philadelphia sports history. Right? Talk about a guy backing up his words. He backed them up.

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Jamie Moyer, who skipped school to attend The Parade in 1980, came up huge for his hometown team. He pitched beautifully for 5 1/3 innings.

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Random observations: I have never seen Chase Utley smile as much as I saw him smile yesterday. That guy is all business, but yesterday the kid came out ... Brett Myers dumped beers down people's pants. My pants were spared. Thank God. ... No Eagles chants at the ballpark yesterday. ... Cool to see Ryan Howard gather up the troops inside the clubhouse to celebrate outside. ... Wow, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie wished the Phillies luck. ... Antonio Alfonseca has to be one of the goofiest dudes in the clubhouse. He enjoyed spraying everybody with a grounds crew hose. So did Shane Victorino.

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Beat the Mets. Beat the Mets. Step right up and beat the Mets.

Phil Sheridan was at Shea Stadium yesterday, where he witnessed one of the worst collapses in baseball history. Does 2007 erase 1964? No, but it probably makes Phillies fans feel better about themselves.

Mets GM Omar Minaya congratulates the Phillies, althought it must make him sick to say that. Especially after watching Tom Glavine's dreadful performance in the first inning.

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Fans hits the streets to celebrate. And those fans with tickets yesterday stayed to party with the players. If you were born after 1986, you probably don't remember much from the 1993 team. But these kids seem to be enjoying the moment.

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Photos from yesterday.

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Got this e-mail from a reader:

tickets still available for games 3 & 4 available online at the Rockies (http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com)and Padres (http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com) sites. These games are Saturday and Sunday and the team that doesn't make it, you get a refund 2 weeks from tomorrow. Let's get some Phils phans on the road!