WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!

I was there!!!

I saw it all!!!

I couldn't have planned it any better, just one more game

When I got my playoff ticket invoice in the mail and saw that I had game 5 of the World Series if the Phils won the NL pennant I remarked to myself that it would be cool if that game would be the clinching win for the series. 6 weeks later I am sitting in anticipation of going to the ball park where the Phillies send their best pitcher, Cole Hamels, out to the mound to win the championship clinching game of the World Series.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

OH MY FUCKING GOD!!

TWENTY EIGHT YEARS I'VE WAITED FOR THIS MOMENT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

Cross your fingers folks, I just may be at the park the moment the Phils win it all!

An Utley and Hamels production

In my opinion the Phils' best position player and best pitcher are 2nd baseman Chase Utley and ace pitcher Cole Hamels. Both players are making me look good as they were the big heroes last night along with bullpen stoppers, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge. It was a nail biter of a game. The Phillies were able to get on base but just couldn't get runners in and set a record by going 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. If not for Utley's 2 run homerun blast in the 1st inning and Ruiz's RBI grounder, there would have been no scoring for the Phillies.

Speaking of no scoring, Hamels held off the high offensive power of the Rays to just 2 runs and then Madson and Lidge came in the game and shut them down in a hurry. Hamels has become one of the elite World Series pitchers for the ages having received his 4th post season win. He will be the first starter to get 5 wins if he does it again. (Randy Johnson got 5 but one win was in relief)

Now that my summary is out of the way, let me say this-


Whew

and

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!

Winning game one while playing away and with your ace on the mound is huge- you need to win those games. It takes some pressure off of Myers, who can be a huge head case. It guarantees a split before you come back home. And it's first blood. They made a statement last night. Again, the majority of experts are picking against the Phils. Yes, the Rays are the toughest opponent yet in the post season, but to easily dismiss this team is a huge mistake in my opinion. Game 2 two is tonight, I'm feeling greedy and want another win- Let's go Phils!!

Pinch me

Sexual innuendos put aside, I would like a good hard pinch to see if I'm dreaming. Tomorrow I get to watch the Phillies play in the World Series. It's been 15 years since the Phils last went to the World Series and 28 years since they won the whole enchilada. All in all, it's been 25 years since the last Philly championship in any of the 4 major sports. To say that I'm edgy, nervous, excited and elated all at the same time is somewhat of an understatement. I usually have guarded enthusiasm but now I'm willing to throw it all out there and pin my hopes on this team.

With free agency in today's sports you often don't get to see players come up through the minors and grow into stars and stay on the team for most of their careers. What's somewhat special about this team is that the Phils have quite alot of their stars come from their own system or players that that got their first real shot with them. Rollins, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Madson, Ruiz, Myers and Burrell are all guys that came up from the Phils' minor league system. Guys like Dobbs, Victorino, Coste and Werth are players who didn't do much of anything in the majors until they played with the Phils and are now integral parts of the team. This makes it more fun to root for the team as you feel more attachment to the players. Unlike the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox who overpay for their players, the Phillies have mostly grown and scouted their talent.

I can't say that I've been happy with the front office all of these years, but I need to give credit now before I change my mind. So, thanks Pat Gillick, Dave Montgomery, Ruben Amaro, Mike Arbuckle and even Ed Wade (who built the core of this team before getting canned). No matter what happens in the series, I haven't enjoyed baseball this much in a long time.

The Rays will be a hard team to beat, but I think the Phightin's have a real good shot to win in 6. Even better would be to win in 5 so I can personally see them win and have my car overturned in Lot K during the riots and celebrations. (meh, it's worth it, it's why we have insurance) Cross your fingers and give out a cheer- tomorrow is game one people!!

GO PHILLIES!!