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.
Comments (16)
Hey, we swept the Mutts when we had to and nobody thought we would do that. 3X. So, yes we can.
Jamie comes up big, the hitters hit and we go from there. Go Phils!
Posted by jimmymack | October 6, 2007 12:17 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 12:17
We are here, to enjoy ourselves. Players and fans. This is a team, you love win or lose. The main reason, is their approach to the game. They have the mindset, that they can still win. The Phils,even in the last month, were streaky, win (4),lose (3), then win (3). Hopefully, will change the current streak around. Score, early and often. All we can ask, from our pitching, is that they don't lose it for us. Let the bats do their part ! Offense has to step to the plate, for us to have any chance at all . I've really enjoyed this blog,with knowledgable, and loyal fans. Thanks ! GO PHILS ! Thanks also for your patience, with my poor writing skills. It's been a long time, very rusty..
Posted by Pat H | October 6, 2007 1:34 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 13:34
We knew it wasn't going to be easy.
I won't mind staying up to 1 or 2 AM both nights. This team doesn't quit and I won't quit on cheering them on.
I like to be able to finally face a righty.
Let's get one tonight and see how the Rockies respond tomorrow. The pressure is all on them now.
Go Phils!
Posted by Murph | October 6, 2007 2:00 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 14:00
Todd, Yeah, win or lose, they'll always be my team. The Rockies are beatable even with this ridiculous 15 for 16 stuff! Instead of perhaps just a Jimmy Rollins stepping up, they all come alive, it can happen, we've seen it so many times this year. I'm not giving up the ship on them and I hope the people in Philly won't either. They need some good karma and vibes and that last game back home on Tuesday!! Root em on, not only for tonight but for great memorable summer!! Thanks!!!Carl Diffenbaugh, Naples, Fl. If I can root all the way from here, you all can root from home.
Posted by Carl Diffenbaugh | October 6, 2007 2:04 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 14:04
phils have them right where they want them: supremely confident, and seemingly out of reach. i also like the fact they face a righty tonight, rockies did well by starting 2 lefties in games 1 and 2. plus the phillies won't have to worry about their own fans chanting one their players sucks in the middle of a playoff game- nice homefield advantage.
Posted by mike | October 6, 2007 3:07 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 15:07
Yeah Murph, I was thinking exactly the same thing - nice to face a righty!
One game. Win tonight. That's it. Deal with Sunday when it comes.
Go Phils!
Posted by Louis DeVizia | October 6, 2007 3:32 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 15:32
I have to say, that this team never makes it easy for themselves. I predict, a BLOWOUT!! I don't believe losing is a possibility tonight. GO PHILS!!!
Posted by RJ | October 6, 2007 8:46 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 20:46
No losing tonight fellows!
Phils WIN!
I think based on your disgust at the fans booing their own players we share a common bond.
I hate when they do that at Shea although some of those Met lazy bums deserve it! I just do not believe it helps. As long as a team is trying hard, beer bozo's shouldnt boo
So good luck- tell Pat B to get his homeruns in now. I am sick of him and the Braves Chipper Jones when they kill us at Shea!
Hex off- Phils WIN!
Posted by Mr. Met | October 6, 2007 9:37 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 21:37
Gnats in Cleveland, a power outage in Denver. What plague comes next?
Posted by V | October 6, 2007 10:09 PM
Posted on October 6, 2007 22:09
All year we put Bourne in for Burell . Why Werth. If he wanted his bat, he could have pinch hit for Bourne, when his spot came up !Bourne makes that catch in left! Why in the heck didn't he bring in Myers to pitch to a righty with winning run on 3rd ! Blatant mistakes by MANUEL Im embarrassed I BACKED HIS ASS ALL year.... "HE MUST GO" great year ,terrible ENDING !!! he must go..... i'M SO UPSET THAT THIS IS THE WAY A GREAT YEAR CAME TO AN END FROM AN INCOMPETANT BUFFOON...
Posted by Pat H | October 7, 2007 12:57 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 00:57
Phils get swept? C'Mon, you knew they weren't that good, and neither were my Mets. The Phils proved the NL East to be weaker than a mouse. Rollins for MVP, yeah right!! See you on '08...
Posted by PhilliesHater | October 7, 2007 1:04 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 01:04
Couldn't ask for a better game from Moyer. If he can pitch effectively like that for one more year, bring him back (I think he has one year left on his contract.)
I don't want to beat up on Charlie tonight and maybe it's not his call, but why hold the runner on first with 2 outs and a man on first and third?
I'm not saying Ryan makes that play, but it would have been nice to have him in position to field the hit that ended up being the gamewinning RBI single.
We have a strong group of core players and I hope that this is only the beginning of better things to come in 2008.
Posted by Murph | October 7, 2007 1:10 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 01:10
The 2007 Phillies were a good team, not great but good. A great team would have achieved the good start that they spent all of March talking about. If they had done that, they wouldn't have been chasing the Mets until the last day of the season. They might have been able to be more rested going into the post season.
You can blame the injuries for their failures during the season because they definitely contributed. But, I think Charlie is definitely the difference here.
Ask one question... Did Charlie loose more game than he won? YES he did!
He may have made the players warm and fuzzy but that just isn't enough.
Posted by Josh | October 7, 2007 1:14 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 01:14
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. The Phillies were the team to beat? So the Rockies beat them. Too bad the Phillies and their fans believed all that "grit" and "heart" hype. The Phillies turned out to be exactly what they were all year long: an entirely mediocre team that was lucky enough to get hot at the right time. Their luck ran out.
Posted by sfc | October 7, 2007 1:44 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 01:44
Oh, my. The Phils got swept by who?? The Rockies? That's a misprint, right? Who gets swept by the Rockies?
Now the blame starts - it's Manuel's fault, it's Howard's fault, it's Rollins' fault, it's Utley's fault. Of course it is, 'cause the Rockies suck, right? Don't they? Do they? Ok, no - they're really freakin' good!
Posted by tlc | October 7, 2007 2:30 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 02:30
uncle charley made us scratch our heads all yr over some of his calls.. but in the post season - he made pull our hair out..
overall good year.. but uncle charley did not stick to alot of the same practices that got him to the post season...
don't kid yourself - they were pressing..
oh yes - cole hamels sound like the consumate team player,
next year will be more difficult than this one - hope it's not another 14 yrs...
Posted by ttb | October 7, 2007 2:54 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 02:54