The Zo Zone

My biggest concern yesterdy morning was what I was going to do with myself if the season were to suddenly end, and I wouldn't have this blog to turn to every morning. Does Todd cover the Arizona Fall League? Winter ball in the Dominican?

Looks like the Phils have bought us all at least one more wild, amazing, dizzying week.

Yesterday was pretty surreal. As I was listening to the Marlins' first on XM, my wife kept asking why I wasn't happy. "The Mets are losing, right?"

I was - and still am - a little in shock.

Rollins is simply beyond words. The team, to a man, earned this. Manuel is the Manager of the Year and deserves another 2 years. And the fans have been incredible - I especially love reading all those posts from people like me, outside Philly, living and dying with every pitch.

Seriously, though - is Kazahkstan even a real place???

Sitting at work still happy from yesterday. 14 years is a lot of joy saved up. I keep watching the YouTube video of the last inning, I have never heard a baseball stadium that loud.

It has been said before but it can not be said enough, great job with the site Todd. You have helped me and other fans that are not in Philly anymore really feel like we are back home following the team.

Couldn't agree more, Todd - lots of reasons to be optimistic about this team as the postseason (FINALLY) starts for us - the problem with the pitching had more to do with depth (Eaton, Alfonseca, Mesa, Zagurski, and anybody else I can think of who should be superglued to the bench for the entire postseason) than the ability at the top, and more importantly, the big fella hit at least one home run in EACH of the last 4 games - if I was any other team in the postseason this year, my worst nightmare would be that Ryan's gearing up to go through one of those hot streaks where he hits 10 homers in 14 games - because that might be just enough to carry this team to...well, I'm not even gonna say it.

GO PHILS!!!

T, you are finally going to cover a playoff team! How does it feel?

Love the video link. And the pic of Rowand and Harry K. is priceless...

Yeah Todd Zo, congratulations on getting to cover a PLAYOFF team! That's awesome. Enjoy the ride. I look forward to reading your coverage!

Good point about the JRoll quote too. Regardless of how far the Phillies go in the playoffs, his "team to beat" thing will be legendary. Up there with "you gotta believe" and "yes we can".

Remember the year Len Dykstra had in 93? Very similar to how JRoll drives this team. Dykstra led the NL in hits AND walks that year (very rare) and scored 143 runs. JRoll is more of a free swinger and has more pop in his bat and has more speed. But it's interesting that the two teams both had top-notch table-setters. Both were/are adored by the fans.

Anybody else notice that Pat the Bat looked like he was down in starters-blocks before Myers' last pitch? He must have taken off from the dugout before the wind-up....

Poor Phil Sheridan.

Which editor did he piss off to get sent to Shea?

I had the strangest dream...the Mets were leading by 7 games, the Phils starters and bullpen put together a great streak, the Mets kept losing and a Philly raised 44 year pitcher and the bullpen pitched us into the pennant. I even dreamed that Chase Utley smiled. Then the Phils went on to win it all. Of course it was just a dream wasn't it? Nope, JRoll pushed the dream to reality. Ok, celebration over, time to win the next 3 games.

Now Pat Gillick, it's time for you to man up and give Charlie the extension he so richly deserves. No excuses, no line about it's a distraction, do the right freaking thing (it won't make up for Eaton/Garcia/Barajas but it's a start).

Speaking of Eaton, who do all the zo-zoners drop/add to the post season roster? Some interesting decisions to be made.

And finally, great job on coverage this year Todd, not only in newspaper but on this blog. There are great ones out there like Beerleaguer, etc. but your informative and many times hilarious take on things all year made this a must stop place for real fans.
And kudo's to Jim Salisbury also, you and TZ covered this team from a great pre-season guide all the way thru yesterday. Tierney should give you both a raise. Thanks guys.

Todd - I met you in person at the Cincinnati series back in the fall - my in-laws are from New Berlin!! Can't believe how this season turned out. I read your blog every day and actually love reading Jimmymack and John in la...

I've purposely not posted because I fear my luck will screw them up if I post comments. I'm stuck in the middle of Indiana but grew up near Philly and am a die-hard fan.

I started college at Purdue in 93 when the collapse produced a broken hand from punching the concrete wall in my dorm room. The wait has come to an end and I'm beyond stoked. Wearing my phils hat and Utley jersey to work today, completely giddy and like a kid in a candy store.

I love that Peavy has to pitch for the Pads today. I think we get SD and Hamels will get us out to a 1-0 starts. I don't want to get into a scoring fest with Colorado, so all together now... "LET'S GO PADS, LET'S GO PADS!"

Absolutely incredible. I had SRO tickets yesterday and was up in the 300 section. It was truly amazing to watch.

Todd, great job with this blog. I don't mind that my work has suffered checking this great site daily!

So who are we all cheering for tonight?

Go Phils!!

I think that was the fasted Pat ran all year after the final out yesterday...
When are they going to annouce the game times? I got to make up some excuses to get out of work if needed. It was unreal at the park yesterday, a great experience. Can't wait to see what it is like Wednesday and Thursday.

CONGRATS to all you phillie fans and the phillies themselves....they deserve everything they have coming to them....as i said b4 i like j-roll and utley and am happy for them....my mets choked and there is nothing left to say....jimmymack,john in la,murph and even todd z. who i don't care for,good job rooting for your team even when the odds were against you guys.......again congrats and i will continue our favorite chant as a met fan,WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR........lets go cleveland

Any chance anyone has any insight as to when they will announce the game times for this week?

Incredible! And the choke couldn't have happened to a better team.

Sitting here flashing on the some of the great moments in my (short) lifetime of Phillies memories: the clinchers in Montreal ('76) and Chicago (Chateau Deer Path '77 was a very good year); Randy Lerch's two(!) homers and Ron Reed's "k" of Pops Stargell with the bases loaded in '78; 1980-nothing else needs to be said, so many great moments; Sarge's homer off Reuss in game 4 of '83, and him turning around and apologizing to Steve Yeager for catching him on the back-swing of his bat (Yeager's reply will go unmentioned for the sake of any youngsters reading this blog); Kim Batiste, Bill Pecota+WildThing= K and a pennant for the Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves in '93 and Schill's shut-out in game 5.

Now 2007 can be added to the list. These Phils may not have the same talent from top to bottom as the '80 champs, and nowhere near the same pitching, but they've got the heart and fight in them that that team had and they can hit the ball a ton. Now that they're in, you just never know...

Thank you Ryan, Chase, Aaron, Jamie, Cole, J-Roll and all you guys for a fantastic season. Padres? Rockies? It doesn't matter. Bring 'em on!

GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!

This was the best game I've ever been too. Right from getting into the ballpark the place was filled with nervous anticipation. I was sitting in right field in my Sunday plan ticket location, so I couldn't see the scoreboard of the out of town scores. I knew when the crowd along the third base side of the stadium stood up and went crazy before the game even started in Philly that the Mets were losing, but never dreamed that the Marlins were clobbering them that bad until I got my am radio out of my bag and tuned into what was happening.

The mood was upbeat throughout the day from before the first pitch of the game and lasted till after 6 pm when I left the stadium.

One of the best games I have ever seen and been to, what a celebration afterwards...

Rich

Where to start? This run has been fantastic and there are more thoughts and emotions than anyone can express. Just amazing.

I'll kick it off with this. Was at the ballpark yesterday, top row in right field, section 303. Best seats in the house! I don't think I sat down once. When that final strike crossed the plate, like everyone else in the house, I whooped it up and waved that towel. Then I stopped and just took it all in. My hands cupped over my mouth, I just watched the joy and giddiness below and all around. Without much warning, tears began rolling down my face. Not because I live for the Phils, or for sports in general. But my father was a true diehard. An old-schooler who lived through the Whiz Kids and the '64 collapse, as well as saw the early spark of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. I can recall him taking me to Connie Mack Stadium to see working class heroes like Callison, Money, and Bunning.

My Dad died a year ago June, and it just hit me very hard at that moment how much he would have enjoyed all this. So there I was with craziness all around and I'm standing there crying. A guy two seats away, who I've never seen before, high-fives me and says "I can see it in your eyes." Then a big hug and pat on the back.

This was really magic in many ways. Go Phils, and thank you for making this a season to remember!

More to come...

Wow, that's a good perspective Bobby.

So, what's the thinking for tonight? I think we root for SD. Deep down I don't care, but the Rockies made a frantic run to the post-season like the Phillies did. If Peavy beats them tonight, obviously he can't pitch Game One against Hamels. Maybe the Phils would only see him once in a short series.

The only two things in the NL that worry me a little are Jake Peavy's arm and Colorado's bats. SD wins tonight and the Phils limit their exposure to one and avoid the other altogether.

But then again, who cares? I think other teams should be more worried about the Phillies than vice-versa.

I've noticed that Mets fans are getting all upset that this is being called the greatest choke of all time. (Something about math and how the Phils in '64 was worse...)

I have to say, I get a hearty chuckle thinking of all those Mets fans laying in bed at night trying to get to sleep, with this comforting mantra cycling in their heads:

"It's NOT the worst choke ever. It's NOT the worst choke ever. It's NOT the worst choke ever..."

Kind of like Dorothy trying to wish her way back to Kansas. But alas, Mets fan will not wake up from this nightmare.

Thank you so much Todd for posting this video. I'm a Wilmington, DE native who's been up here in NYC for 7 years and I kill to hear Harry's voice. Yesterday was no exception.

The mood in NYC for the last 12 hours is absolutely indescribable.

I can't believe the Phillies are finally on the other end...

LET'S GO PHILS!

Thanks for encouraging fans to hit the road in San Diego or Denver. We're in San Francisco and bought tickets last night for both sets of games 3 and 4. Weekend games, more or less on the same coast as we are, were too much to pass up.

Hope to see lots of fans in either city this weekend.

i'm definitely happy for rollins. he really put himself out there last january with his comment, and all sorts of people took every opportunity to rip him for it all through the year. that could have followed him around for a long time if it didn't work out. but it did, and not only that, he went out and had an mvp-caliber season to back it up. he'll never have to hear about it again in a negative way. he didn't try to "middle-of-the-road" it- he was going to be the goat or the hero. and he looks pretty good about now.

I'm a Phillies fan living in Denver. Already have my tickets for games 3 and 4, assuming of course the Rockies win tonight. So, so, so excit ed.