Note: Footage of the original TV broadcast had to be removed because of copyright enforcement.
It isn’t the mighty Red Sox, the lovable Cubs, the majestic Dodgers, the feel-good Brewers or the worst-to-first, miraculous Tampa Bay Rays. It isn’t even the Yankees.
It is the forgotten Phillies who are the story of 2008.
They were the team that time forgot, in a great sports city that championships somehow forgot. Not anymore.
It is the Phillies, who had one championship in their 125-year, 10,000-loss history, who are World Champions now. It is the Phillies, whose previous championship came nearly three decades ago, who are World Champions now. It is Philadelphia, which hadn’t sniffed a title in a quarter-century, who is World Champion now.
No one saw this coming until the moment had nearly arrived. There was a chance, sure, there’s always a chance, even in the face of a generation-long drought. But no one looked at this Phillies roster on paper and said, “That’s a World Champion.” They can say it now. It is forever now.
We are World Champions.
There is the homegrown talent, and then there is general manager Pat Gillick. He didn’t build for next year, didn’t build for years down the road. He built for now. And he didn’t assemble an all-star team, he assembled a team.
He built chemistry. And he made the move of all moves in the offseason. He got Brad Lidge.
Lidge, a finely tuned, world class athlete. Lidge, the best closer in baseball. Lidge, who overcame a mental and professional crisis to come back perfect, to close out the World Series. In Philadelphia, no less, in a place where he found acceptance and where, months before this moment, he decided to stay. The ultimate redemption story in the ultimate redemption city.
Human. That’s what this team is. Both flashy and ugly at the same time. Smooth one moment, a heart attack the next. Going deep or leaving guys on base. Stealing third or striking out. Turning two or getting picked off. Ups and downs, yet somehow finding a way.
Like you and me.
A Jimmy Rollins lovers’ spat. A guy with emotional issues who spent time in the minors. A manager who has turned from bumpkin into a backwoods Baryshnikov, berated to appreciated, lampooned to loved.
But it’s not about this guy or that guy or a cast of characters, because sometimes it’s that guy and sometimes it’s this guy who gets it done for our Phillies, a team with character, a team whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Forgotten no more. That’s the Phillies. That’s Philadelphia.
That’s us.
The home run was just the icing, the symbolic wink that this was the Phillies’ night. The six-plus innings, two runs and seven strikeouts were the heart of the matter.
Call him “Joe the Pitcher,” “Joe the Lumber” or whatever you want. The fact is, Joe Blanton wins big games, and he just won his biggest to date.
Phillies hitters not named Joe collectively broke out of their slumber, exploding for 10 runs. Feast-or-famine Ryan Howard has been bringing home the bacon lately, a sleeping giant suddenly wide awake. And, right now, at this moment, Philadelphia is one win away from a World Championship.
One win away. How old were you the last time Philadelphia won a major championship? One win away. Are you old enough to remember?
One win away.
Florida fallout: While Philadelphia fans are busy knocking on wood and trying not to think too far ahead, people in the Tampa Bay area are wondering why the Rays don’t look like the Rays, asking if their dream season could really just fizzle out, theorizing about a splotch and ripping Philly’s lowlifes. Meanwhile, former Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bill Lyon is enjoying his guest role.
Building a legacy: Four postseason starts, four wins. A playoff earned-run average of 1.55. A National League Championship Series MVP award. He’s the long, lanky, soft-spoken, smiling lefty with devastatig stuff, the ace Philadelphia wanted on the mound in a potentially deciding game. And here he is. With a win tonight, Cole Hamels could cement his legend in Philadelphia and World Series history.
A rain delay, a five-man infield, a ridiculous beard, hijinks on the basepaths, a vintage Jamie Moyer start, back-to-back homers (of which Comcast apparently deprived some viewers), throws that bounced off shoes and backstops and sometimes just sailed into open spaces, chants of Eva, a clock that read 1:47 a.m., the spirit of Tug McGraw.
Even Ryan Howard was part of it.
Not to mention, Reading, Pa., native Taylor Swift stuck around to do the national anthem.
Most people in America probably didn’t see it, but the Phillies won Game 3 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays to take a one-game edge.
And it is the Rays who are under pressure now. Game 4 tonight is a must-win for them. They may be comeback kids, they may be better than the world gives them credit for, but they don’t want to go down 3-1.
The pressure is off Joe Blanton, the Phillies’ Game 4 starter. You know him, he’s the fat one in whom nobody had any faith until he delivered big in the clutch — winning both his postseason starts (including that clincher in Milwaukee) while allowing just four combined runs. He’ll face Andy Sonnanstine, who’s also 2-0 in October.
For a city that hasn’t won a major championship since Ronald Reagan’s first term as President, and a baseball team that has totaled one title in its 125-year history, an awful lot of Philadelphia fans were pretty cocky after the first game of the World Series.
The Phillies are gonna roll! We’re gonna sweep! Tampa’s young and rattled.
How are you feeling now?
The thing about the World Series, it’s the first team to win four games. Not the first team to win one.
Sure, the Phillies are coming back home. But now they’re relying on 45-year-old Jamie Moyer — who got shelled in his last two postseason starts — to be their stopper in Game 3 against Matt Garza, the guy who shut down the Red Sox twice.
The Phils follow up with Joe Blanton in Game 4.
Feeling good?
As for the Phillies’ going 1-for-28 with runners in scoring position over the first two games, it’s natural to assume they’ll turn things around at the plate and start driving guys in. But that’s only if you assume they’ll continue to get on base, and that’s a big assumption.
I’m not saying the Phillies won’t win the Series. I think they will. Just don”t expect it to come easy, because championships never come easy.
As a Philadelphia fan, you should know that by now.
Thriving on your criticism: Philadelphia fans aren’t the first ones to doubt the Rays.
Signs of life: At least the Phillies put up a couple runs late in the game, getting to the Tampa Bay bullpen a little bit. A shutout would have been more disheartening. But Charlie Manuel should have shown more signs of life in arguing that strikeout/appeal call, which eventually led to a run and changed the complexion of the game.
No angst in sunny Florida: There is lots of love for Joe Maddon and his Rays, every one of them, in the Tampa Bay area.
Ryan Howard’s disgraceful World Series debut was wiped clean by steady Cole Hamels. Shane Victorino’s glaring baserunning blunder, which was preceded by Jimmy Rollins’ bad at-bat, was massaged away by steady Cole Hamels. The layoff and the cowbells and the jitters all were neutralized by steady Cole Hamels.
Before our eyes, and minding that games remain to be played, Hamels is emerging as one of the great pitchers of our era, of any Phillies era. We knew he could and needed to do this, in this postseason, and he is doing it.
Seven innings, two runs, five hits, five strikeouts. Rays boppers disarmed. A Game 1 World Series win for the Phillies.
Chase Utley’s first-inning shot to right helped too.
The Rays didn’t want to face a scorching Utley. They even walked him to get to Howard — an indictment of Howard’s entirely immature approach at the plate. The intentional walk in the ninth (after which Howard struck out looking) was a shining example of why Howard should not win the National League MVP award (his atrocious fielding is extra ammo), because it would only reinforce his bad habits.
He needs to be a hitter, not a slugger. The home runs will come anyway. He needs to put the ball in play, like he failed to do when even a groundout would have produced a run in the seventh.
But this isn’t bash-Ryan-Howard time. Despite the chasms in his game, his power numbers are undeniable. This is time to savor the sight of a pitcher creeping up on greatness, to appreciate Mr. Steady, Mr. Cole Hamels.
Flyin’ outta control Hawaiian: Anyone who tells you Victorino”s “gamble” to try for home with the bases loaded on a shallow flyout to center was a good move is dead wrong and flatout stupid. If his potential out would have been the second out of the inning, or even the first, you could make such an argument (even though Rays center fielder B.J. Upton has a well-documented rocket). But not when it ends the inning, not when you’d have another shot at scoring runs — more runs — with Jayson Werth at the plate and the bags full. And if the Phillies’ didn’t believe in Werth, they shouldn’t have had him batting in the 2 slot.
Not to mention, Rollins’ popup to shallow center was the result of dumb hitting. He swung at a 1-0 pitch that jammed him.
Nerves and rust: They may have played a role in Rollins’ lousy at-bat. Maybe he was trying force it (although he”s never been the savviest, most patient hitter). You have to believe that nerves and rust played a role in the Phillies’ stranding 11 baserunners. The good news is, they were knockng the ball around enough to strand 11 baserunners.
Fox’s phony radar gun: Fox, always “fair and balanced,” still hasn’t fixed its radar gun. On average, it was clocking pitches 2 m.p.h. faster than the stadium guns. Not as bad as a few years ago, when it was faster by an average of 5 m.p.h. in the postseason, but still not truthful. Goes to show how little Fox appreciates the nuances of baseball. (It’s not merely about how hard you can throw.)
Reaction: Tampa Bay isn’t daunted by being down. Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News dares to question Joe Maddon’s moves. With the Phils sending Brett Myers to the mound tonight against James Shields, can Myers trust the pitching rubber?
Cubs fans booed the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Dodger fans didn’t even fill Dodger Stadium for the playoffs. Red Sox fans, who have gone from feeling cursed to feeling entitled, gave their club an earful at Fenway Park, their club that won two of the last four World Series.
(Dirty little secret: a third of the ballpark had left before the Sawx’ big comeback in Game 5 of the ALCS. Boston fans bailed on a playoff game, a potentially decisive playoff game.)
And Tampa Bay Rays fans? They didn’t even start showing up until two weeks ago.
In the midst of it all, taking a beating for an undeserved and dogged rap, is the Philadelphia fan.
They booed Santa Claus in Philadelphia. They boo everybody in Philadelphia.
Yeah, so what. Like Elton Brand said, maybe Santa should have shown up with some gifts. Plus, that was 40 years ago. Who have we booed lately? Sarah Palin? Everybody knows she deserved it. You can”t expect to get by on your looks in Philly.
Fact is, it is the Philadelphia Fan who held up Brett Myers at the plate in the ALDS, who urged him on and willed him on. It is the Philadelphia Fan who has packed Citizens Bank Ballpark all year. It is the Philadelphia Fan who will be there in force in St. Pete, whether by transplant or travel, making Tropicana Field a little less friendly for its home team. (How many Rays fans do you think will organize a trip to the City of Brotherly Love this weekend?)
Through 124 years of futility in the Phillies’ 125-year history, through 10,000 losses, through the stench and anti-baseball atmosphere of the Vet, through bad trades, bad drafts, bad owners and bad players, the Philadelphia Fan has endured. This is our moment now. Win or lose (hopefully win), this is our time.
The Rays are the team with the mojo this year, an upstart bunch, an underappreciated and great ballclub. But they’re missing something. It is unjust, because it should be there, but it just isn’t there. The support isn’t there.
In the Phillies’ corner, for all the world to see, is the Philadelphia Fan.
Somebody has to win: The legacy of losing has to end for one of these teams.
Maddon”s Philly roots: Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon is drawing high praise in Florida for his winning ways borne out of a southeastern Pennsylvania upbringing.
Introducing the next President?: Rays pitching phenom David Price, on the heels of saving Game 7 of the ALCS, was selected to introduce Barack Obama at a rally in Tampa.
The Journal pick: Phillies in seven.
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Save: D. Price (1)
That”s what it said in the box score. First save for Price. ‘Course it was the box score from Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, in which the Tampa Bay Rays eliminated the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox, the 23-year-old Price’s eighth game in the majors.
Be careful what you wish for, Philadelphia.
All David Price did was strike out J.D. Drew with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and, after walking Jason Bay in the ninth, mow down Mark Kotsay and Jason Varitek before eliciting a Jed Lowrie groundout to end the game.
Not bad for kid who started the year in Single A, who considered quitting baseball as a freshman at Vanderbilt just a few years earlier.
But Price is used to pressure. After all, his major league debut five weeks ago came at Yankee Stadium. And Price is more than a feel-good story, although the Rays have many feel-good stories. He’s one the hottest young talents in the game, of which the Rays also have many. You haven’t heard of them, but you just haven’t been watching. You hadn’t heard of most of the 2002 Anaheim Angels’ roster either.
Be careful what you wish for, Philadelphia.
And speaking of that World Champion Angels team, that’s where Rays manager Joe Maddon came from. The Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels, or whatever you want to call them, only happen to be one of the best organizations in baseball, from top to bottom. That’s Maddon”s pedigree. He’s a gamer and a thinker and a Mike Scioscia guy. And, like Scioscia, he’s a Philly guy.
And all the Rays did was win more games than they lost against the Red Sox this year, going 14-11 against Boston, including the playoffs. All the Rays did was win 97 games during the regular season, bested only by the Angels. All the Rays did was win the American League East, a division in which four teams won at least 86 games apiece.
Some Philadelphia fans were pulling for the Tampa Bay Rays because they’re Cinderella, while other just hate Boston and all it stands for. But an awful lot of Philadelphia fans were rooting for Tampa Bay because they figured it would be a better matchup for the Phillies.
Be careful what you wish for.
This is going to be a tough Series for Philly, probably tougher than facing the Red Sox would have been.
You knew when Rollins hit it they were gonna win.
His leadoff home run set the stage. When Hamels got through the first inning, the excitement started to build even more.
Then the Phillies added on, and the Dodgers made error after error.
It wasn’t L.A.’s night. It was Philadelphia’s night.
There was no way the Phils were losing this one.
This feeling doesn’t come around very often, not around here. The tension, the exuberance, the pride in the “P,” which stands for Philadelphia.
This is a serious team, and ol’ Uncle Charlie is starting to seem like a goofy old genious. This is a team that blew threw the feel-good Brewers and mopped up with Torre’s destined Dodgers.
L.A. criticized Philadelphia. The Dodgers complained about inside pitches and squabbled amongst themselves for not retaliating. Their ace called out their manager. The national media assumed a Manny reunion in a cross-coastal World Series with the Red Sox.
Through it all, the Phillies just played ball. Through it all, it was much-maligned Philly who showed class. Yes, that’s right. Philly — this place, this club — has been a class act.
Now, it’s Philadelphia who is going to the World Series.
While Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook were marching the Eagles down the field on their first possession, shortly before a DeSean Jackson punt return for a touchdown, Jimmy Rollins belted a leadoff home run.
While Washington chewed up most of the second quarter and part of the third, after the Eagles had decided to stop rushing the ball despite finding early success on the ground, Pat Burrell drilled a three-run homer to left. Jayson Werth followed with a home run, and Burrell later added a solo shot.
And as the Eagles completed one of their most pathetic, disgusting losses of the past two years, the Phillies celebrated on the mound at Miller Park and popped champagne corks in the clubhouse.
Phils starter Joe Blanton, who delivered one of the best performances of his career, earned his stripes to become a true Phillie (you know, like a “true Yankee”) which — believe it or not — actually means something these days.
Maybe it was good that TBS and Major League Baseball dumped all over Philadelphia fans by scheduling the Phillies’ game opposite the Eagles when there was absolutely no reason to do so. What better excuse to flip off the rotten Birds than to watch the Phillies clinch their first appearance in the NLCS in 15 years?
Still, it’s typical of Philadelphia sports: All joy must be tempered by nausea.
You know what? For this week, forget the Eagles. We’ll vent today, but let’s not allow Andy Reid’s lack of passion (“Hrumph, hrumph … It’s my responsibility. We’ll get it fixed.”) and failure to correct the mistakes he’s been making for 10 years to sully the Phillies’ accomplishment. Let’s not allow Donovan McNabb’s symbiotic lack of passion and failure to correct the mistakes he’s been making for 10 years to dull the shine on this Ferrari that is the 2008 Phillies. Let”s not allow the Eagles’ frustrating stubbornness to drag down the optimism the Phillies are creating.
Not just happy to be here: You kind of figured they wouldn’t sweep the Brewers. Milwaukee has too much heart. But you figured Sunday would be the Phillies’ day. Yet, as exciting as it is to get this far, to be able to play for the National League pennant with a trip to the World Series on the line, you get the feeling this team is quietly focused on the ultimate prize. There’s a maturity about this team, a hard-knocks quality, a bit of a jagged edge that comes from weathering disappointment and controversy. You’ve got to feel good about the Phillies’ chances against the Dodgers.
Quotable: “Thank God the Phillies won. It’s the only thing that will keep a number of Philadelphians from suicide today. It sucked from the beginning to the end.” —Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, on the Eagles” loss to the Redskins.
“Hopefully we’re going to turn this town more red than it is green.” —Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels
