Sun's out, we're off

There's not much going on today. The Phillies fans still mourn, and the Yankees will have their naseating parade to celebrate their epic, decade-long quest to buy a championship.

Christine and I took a day off and plan to enjoy this beautiful but cold November day with little focus on baseball.

Phillies fans who still need a little affirmation should check out this count-your-blessings piece by John Gonzalez. I usually don't care for Gonzo - except in Muppet form - but he did a good job with this one:

Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but it's really remarkable that in two years' time the Phils managed to end the drought and alter the way the fans think about sports. The reflexive pessimism that crushed so many souls for so many years has been replaced by genuine optimism - and for good reason. When you look at this team, there's no reason to think the Phils can't continue their astonishing run next season. Sure, the core group of players is getting a little older, and they could always use more pitching. But everything is relative. When you compare the Phils with the rest of the National League, you have to like their chances to push into the playoffs again.

Opening day is 150 days away.

You can't buy integrity

So the Yankees finally bought that World Series trophy that has alluded them for the past decade. Today crystallized why I can't stand the Yankees and their fans. First, there was the colleague who had to come in making sure everyone knew the Yankees won No. 27 - as if we all weren't well aware of it.

Then, a Deadspin commenter illustrated how obnoxious the Yankees fans are. They think they are better than everyone else, and they cannot just enjoy their championship. The commenter noted how when the White Sox won their title, their fans had a communal hug to enjoy the moment and remember all the painful years that preceded it.

You can replace the White Sox with the Red Sox, Phillies or even Angels, and the sentiment is still apt.

The Yankee fans, however, cannot enjoy their championship without expressing some false sense of dominance over everyone else. It's like they have some deep-rooted psychological problem they're overcompensating for. Or maybe they're jealous that their title carries none of the feel-good stories surrounding other recent champions.

You can buy a trophy, but you can't buy the pain, suffering and anticipation that makes it worthwhile.

Eric Wilbur has a nice satirical piece on the 2,992-day wait the Yankees fans have endured between their World Championships, which has cost more than $1 billion, perhaps up to $1.8 billion in payroll since 2000.

Actually, on second thought, it's disturbing because the Yankee fans who were quoted in other pieces don't seem to understand how stupid they sound:

These are the stories that infiltrate Yankee Universe today, tales of perseverance and dedication to a team that seemed destined never to win its 27th World Series.

"Being a Yankees fan is a matter of survival," former Cubs fan Chris McNally, told the New York Times. It is a statement that rings oh so true today, when the Yankees can call themselves champs for the first time since Obama took office.

Or, even worse:

"Grown men cried when the Yankees won it all for the first time in nine years," wrote the New York Post's Jay Greenburg. The deep, five-year wounds of 2004 have been healed.

Greenburg writes:

Behind the bleachers, Brennan Roe, 30, of Queens, had eyes almost as red as the Phillies uniforms or the blood spilled by Derek Jeter the night he ran head first into the third-base stands for a Red Sox pop foul, or from veins that were opened up in 2004 and probably weren't closed again until last night.

"I have seen him cry three times in 10 years," said Roe's wife Tara. "The first time was when Scott Brosius hit that home run in Game 4 in 2001, the second was on our wedding day and now tonight."

Yeah, it takes real heart to root for a $200 million team. Bringing us back to reality is Rich Hoffmann's eulogy-like piece on the Phillies season, "Manuel's teams never lack heart."

It's a must-read for downtrodden Phillies fans. It's a nice mixture of acknowledging the current pain, looking forward to the future and remembering the good times of the past few years:

But the truth is, Manuel has ridden herd on a revolution. Five years ago, this was not a likable team. Five years ago, this was not an admired franchise. Their reputation was for timidity. They lacked a personality. During his tenure, all of that has changed. He demanded only two things from them: that they play for nine innings and that they be themselves. The rest, he said, was on him.

"I'm sitting here today talking to you because I've got good players," Manuel said yesterday afternoon. "I always give them the credit. They have the best attitude I've ever been around. I've been in baseball a long time - best attitude, best chemistry I've ever been around. How much I put into it, I don't know, believe me. But I know this, I know that they've got a good way of seeing the game and doing what they want to do and how they play it. And that makes me proud of them."

Cholly says the Phillies will be back, and I believe him. I'd rather watch a team lose with heart than win with arrogance and bloated payrolls.

The Yankees are back on a pedestal, and Theo Epstein and the Red Sox could only watch:

"I've been watching, but pretty casually," Epstein said yesterday from his office at Fenway Park. "Like everyone else in the organization, though, most of our time these days is being spent planning for next season."

That plan was revealed somewhat today in the acquisition of OF Jeremy Hermida. It's not a huge move, but nothing to complain about. At worst, he's a fourth outfielder, but he's still just 25 so he could still fulfill the promise he showed a couple years ago.

More importantly, the move signals that 2009 is over. Our squads are focused on bringing us the SoxandPhils World Series in 2010.

It's over.

A long, cold winter begins.

Do or die

No more links to stories or rehashing the news. No more analyzing or speculating. No more lame photoshopped pictures or cheesy trash-talking.

Game 6 is starting now, and the Phillies know what they have to do.

Win tonight, play tomorrow.

Some more deja vu

When the Red Sox trailed the 2004 ALCS 0-3, there was a feeling that the Yankees should finish off the sweep because once the Red Sox started winning, they would not stop.

Anybody getting a similar vibe from the Phillies after they held on to an 8-6 win last night to stave off elimination and send the series back to New York?

Yesterday, I heard Jayson Stark comparing these Phillies to the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox, which are two of 11 teams, according to David Murphy, to overcome 3-1 deficits in the playoffs.

J-Roll used an interesting analogy in this separate piece by Stark:

Maybe 24 hours from now, in a stadium up the Turnpike, the Yankees will find a way to kill this team off. But if we learned anything from Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, it won't be easy. Just ask the leadoff man.

"How hard is it to kill this team? Hopefully it's like trying to run over an armadillo," said Jimmy Rollins, after his team had lived to play another ballgame. "Just roll up and put our shells on. And after the car goes over us, we unfold and walk away."

Yesterday, everything seemed so bleak for those of us rooting for the Phillies, against the Yankees or both. I didn't concede, but struggled to remain positive even though the Red Sox have mounted similar comebacks from 1-3 holes three times in the last six postseasons, hence the feeling that I've been here before.

In 2004, I conceded after the Game 3 drubbing, but my friend talked me off the ledge by pointing out the pitching was lined up (Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling) to force a Game 7, which is basically a coin toss.

I was more confident in 2007, especially because we had a dominant Josh Beckett going in Game 5 and then home field advantage for Games 6 and 7.

Last year, I was nervous until we won Game 6. I thought there was no way the Red Sox would come back and force a Game 7 just to lose it - especially given their recent comebacks, Jon Lester was starting, and the Phillies were waiting for their blogmates in the World Series.

I was wrong.

Despite last year's example, I'm using similar logic for the Phillies. If Pedro Martinez can work his magic and the Phillies bats remember they're an elite offense against an old roider on short rest, there's no reason this series doesn't go seven games. If there is a Game 7, it will be all hands on deck and basically even odds whether good or evil prevails. But in this scenario, evil has a track record of choking, so there may be some intangible advantage for the champs.

Unless Cole Hamels really has quit.

Speaking of quitting: There's no quit-orino in Shane Victorino. He says he's playing tomorrow. I don't doubt it, especially given his reaction to being removed in the 8th inning last night - a truly funny moment. Great line about Shane by Mitch Williams today: "He won't build you a rocket, but he'll be the first one on it. He just wants to play."

Phinally: Johnny Damon is a jackass. I heard him say that this World Series is the highlight of his career. Good, value blowing a 3-1 lead more than being part of one of the most notable championships ever. I only mention to contrast what a class act Pedro Martinez is. He's a true SoxandPhil ... and 'Spo:

On whether it would surprise him to know Red Sox fans are pulling for him to beat the Yankees: "No, it wouldn't. It wouldn't surprise me at all. I know that they don't like the Yankees to win, not even in Nintendo games. And knowing that I am part of Boston, I consider myself a Bostonian, as well, too, I've been a Montrealer, a Bostonian, and now a New Yorker, and somehow, I might become a Philadelphian now. But I've only been there for a short period. It's something that's a work in progress. I'm pretty sure that every Boston fan out there can feel proud that I'm going to try to beat the Yankees, and I'm going to give just the same effort I always did for them. They're special fans, and they will always have my respect."

Thank you Pedro. Give 'em hell tomorrow.

[Photo credit: wlarmadillo.com]

A World Series open letter to the Phillies

Dear Phillies,

It's been a while since I felt the need to address you, but now is the time.

I'm not going to rehash the mistakes, miscues and misplays of the past three games. I'm looking to the future.

I'm not ready for the season to end tonight.

Tonight is Cliff Lee's turn to do what Cliff Lee does best - work quickly, use both sides of the plate and shut down the other team's offense. Tonight, the Phillies offense needs to remember that it is elite, a formidable foe that can strike fear in any pitcher. And tonight, the fans need to make that New York pitcher remember that he's facing a world-class offense. A.J. Burnett is a head case. Get in his head, early and often.

Wednesday night, I want to see Pedro Martinez pitch until his arm falls off against a tired Andy Pettitte. Offense: Take advantage of that tiredness and the fact that you just faced him. Make that steroid-taking cheater work. Beat him.

And on Thursday night, I want to see a dead-tired CC Sabathia pitching his third game in only nine days and Cole Hamels remember that he's Cole Freakin' Hamels.

It won't be easy, but it can be done. If any team is going to come back from 3-1, it's the Phillies. Shut down the Yankees. Shut up their fans and all of the critics. Defend what is yours. Beat the Yankees. Win the World Series. I won't give up on you as long as you don't give up on yourselves.

See you on Wednesday in New York.

Love,
Christine

Hoping for a series

As the Phillies steamrolled through the 2008 playoffs, I kept reminding Christine that it wasn't supposed to be this easy and that eventually the Phillies would have to win a tough series - one in which they lose more than one game.

I kind of wanted her to feel the pressure of a Game 6 or 7 because I know the Phillies have the personality to gut it out and those situations build character for teams and fans.

But I did not want that series to be against the Yankees. I wanted these Phillies, my second team by marriage, to squash the arrogant, over-paid, over-hyped Empire from my youth back into the ground.

Unfortunately, Cole Hamels coughed up a three-run lead last night and the Phillies trail a playoff series (2-1) for the first time since 2007. Since 2004, I hesitate to call any non-elimination game a must-win, but tonight is pretty close.

Joe Blanton vs. CC Sabathia. Christine likes to talk tough about the big guy the Phillies beat around in Game 2 of last year's NLDS, but in an honest moment, she'll admit she was nervous that he would have pitched Game 5 if the Phillies hadn't wrapped up the series against the Brewers in four games.

I sensed a loss before last night's game; I have no feeling for tonight. I think Heavy B may surprise, but that may be more hope than intuition.

Christine's mindset? A few weeks ago, she placed a Phillies sundae helmet on a stuffed animal (a hedgehog). The thing has sat on her dresser since the first round of the playoffs and, in one of her only bouts of superstition, has insisted it cannot be moved. (In full disclosure, I employed this animal similarly during the great comeback of 2004.) When I got home from work today, the hedgehog was placed on the downstairs couch - hopefully in a better position to place a hex on CC.

Sorry about the random thoughts, but I don't like the feeling I've had all day. I don't like that the odds are now in favor of the Yankees ending their championship drought and that if it does happen, the SoxandPhils will be the biggest culprits. I knew I'd live to see another Yankees championship, I just didn't think it could happen this soon and against this Phillies team.

Go Phils!

Red Sox mention: Singing the anthem tonight is Tech. Sgt. Jody Johnson, who grew up in Alaska dreaming of playing for the Red Sox.

"I think it's because my mom was such a fan," Johnson said of her mother, Sandra Goodwin of Soldotna.

She's a now a SoxandPhils fan, but her friends don't seem to understand that's possible.

She even admitted to having become a Phillies fan.

"I park in the lot with a big fat Red Sox sticker on my car," she said. "Now I'm teased, how I can sing for the Phillies and support the Sox?"

As though she needs justification, she said she's made the Phillies her National League team, though the Sox still hold a special place in her heart.

Cole's nuts: After blowing Game 3, he said he can't wait for the season to end, raising eyebrows from everyone - including Charlie Manuel. I had to drive a lot today. It was odd hearing everyone on the radio so down on him. People weren't this upset with Brad Lidge throughout the year.

Deja vu

Today was eerily similar to Oct. 25, 2008, another Saturday in which a Phillies lefty, who used to be a sure thing but whose recent performance was concerning the fan base, was set to start Game 3 of a World Series in Philadelphia. Last year it was Jamie Moyer's gutsy performance. This year, it's Cole Hamels time to win back the doubters.

Personally, it was a similar day with lots of things to get done before game time. While running to a store today, I thought of last year's Game 3 because I was in the same store on that day.

Anyway, today we finished everything we had to do with time to spare before the game so we decided to use our Cold Stone coupon I've been saving for some pumpkin ice cream. The line wasn't too long, but it took forever as people took samples and got quarts upon quarts of ice cream. I don't think they got the concept of a specialty ice cream store.

Finally, when our turn arrived, the guy looks at Christine's jersey and asks what time the game starts.

"Twenty minutes," she said.

"OK, I'll hurry," he said. "Do you want it to go?"

Usually, we eat Cold Stone in the car, but we decided to drive home because we were cutting it close, but as soon as I turned on the car, Jim Jackson said the tarp was on the field. No need to go home before eating ice cream.

When we pulled up to the house, I said we should have just stayed in and watched Jamie Moyer's World Series game on DVD. Turns out, MLB Network had it on, so we watched a couple innings anyway while waiting for tonight's game to start.

Halloween observations: A little girl at Wawa complimented Christine's Phillies shirt. {I told her I liked her mermaid costume.} ... A guy outside the store said he was counting how many Phillies shirts he saw - he didn't give us a count. ... First trick-or-treater of the year (out of a whopping six we got all day) wore a Cole Hamels shirt. Very disappointing Halloween.

Game update: I'm not going to make the end of this one because it's a quasi work night for me. I'm sure I'll sense vibes from Christine whether the Phillies win.

So far, the Phillies lead 3-0 in the 4th, and Christine and I can't decide whether she has her psychic vibe going on.

In the 2nd, they were talking about a promotion in which $1 million would be donated to cancer research if a home run struck a sign in the outfield.

"Ryan Howard's going to cure cancer," I said.

"No, Jayson Werth is," Christine said.

Next pitch, J-Dub hits one to left about 20 feet from the sign.

She wants credit for calling that one; I disagree because she would have said that no matter who was up at the time of the discussion.

I said I would post the conversation on the blog and let SoxandPhils followers decide. She said to wait a minute because there would be more to write about. Sure enough, the Phillies added two more runs in the inning.

So far, so good for King Cole. He looked really good hitting Alex Rodriguez in the 2nd inning.

Look back at 2008: I suck. Yesterday, I forgot to remember that Phils win! Phils win! Phils win! I also forgot to remember our recap of what will probably be the one and only World Series clincher we'll ever attend. Yes, Christine, it really did happen. And, on Halloween, there was a parade, but we still had some outtakes from Game 5 to post.

On Halloween Eve

'Twas the night before Halloween and all through the park,
not a creature was stirring, the ballyard was dark.

After two games, the series was a knot,
Cliff Lee got a win, Pedro did not.

After a brilliant Game 1, we got too high,
But then A.J. took our heads right out of the sky.

Tomorrow's a new day, time for Hamels to shine,
Blanton will follow, then it's Cliff Lee - he's so fine.

The series may be tighter than a bunch of clamps,
But the Phillies will pull through like champs.

Sorry, I don't know what got into me. Anyway, it's Halloween Eve and there's not much happening as the World Series takes a break to travel from New York to Philly. They announced the Game 4 starters: Chad Gaudin and Joe Blanton.

I thought I'd indulge myself and share the stories of my two baseball-themed Halloween costumes from my childhood.

In 3rd grade, before I wised up to the evils in the world, I was still a semi-Yankees fan, so I went as my favorite player, Dave Winfield. I wore my Winfield T-shirt - it was a cheap giveaway from the stadium. I forget who the sponsor was, but I distinctly remember the No. 31 was way too small.

I didn't understand racism and couldn't understand why my mom wouldn't let me paint my face black. I just wanted to look like my favorite player. I settled for painting on a mustache.

A couple years later, I wanted something a little more creative, so my mom and I came up with the idea of a baseball card. Lots of people go as playing cards, but I never saw a baseball card. We went to a sporting goods store, but they had a weak selection of posters: Keith Hernandez, Eric Davis and someone else, possibly Dale Murphy.

I went with Eric the Red and spent the week painstakingly tracing the stats from his 1987 Topps baseball card for the back of my costume. It was a great costume; unfortunately, I don't think we have any pictures. I kept it hanging in my closet for quite a few years. I don't remember when I finally got rid of it.

If my Halloween tale didn't suffice, check out Doug Glanville's recent op-ed, in which he discusses trick-or-treating as a Phillie in North Jersey. It's a great piece and a rare occasion in which a player shows the "fan" side of himself. We here at SoxandPhils really like Glanville.

Happy Halloween - if a future Phillie shows up at your door, give him or her an extra treat.

[Photo credit: Cincinnati Reds Cards]

It's Cliff Lee's world, we're just living in it

I used a similar title after Game 1 of last year's World Series about Cole Hamels, who has now officially been supplanted as the Phillies ace by Clifton Phifer Lee.

Lee's great night (complete game, 10 strikeouts) against the Yankees has been well-documented. It was a thing of beauty - especially against the Yankees, whose fans were surely taking the defending champs lightly.

Last year, we enjoyed watching Cole dominate the playoffs as Josh Beckett did the year before. Now, it's Cliff Lee's time. Hopefully, he can repeat either Beckett's World Series (he was used just once as the Red Sox swept) or Hamels (started Games 1 and 5 in the 4-1 win series win).

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Last night is over. Today is a new day and it's time to see whether Pedro Martinez (who used to own the universe) can follow up yesterday's rambling, but amusing, press conference with a virtuoso performance like he had against the Dodgers in the NLCS.

As a Red Sox fan, I've enjoyed many Pedro starts in which his opponents had no chance - it was just a matter of how few hits and many strikeouts he would get.

But also as a Red Sox fan, I've sat through some of the later-year Pedro starts where you wondered if he would last through three innings.

Through five, it's been closer to the former Pedro than the latter Pedro. He's allowed one run, a solo home run to Mark Teixeira, on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Unfortunately, A.J. Burnett, who I thought would be even more of a crapshoot than Pedro, is matching him. In the middle of the 6th, it's tied 1-1.

Look back at 2008: Christine and I took a look back at our experience during the first half of Game 5 as we headed back to watch the finale. I'd tell you how it turns out, but that's not posted until tomorrow's look back.

[Photo credit: US Presswire]

An epic battle begins

When I initially considered the PhilsandYanks World Series, my first thought was that it pitted the team of last century against an early contender for the team of this century.

But I might have been ahead of myself - Jayson Stark took a more measured look at the epic matchup:

... the winner of this World Series -- whether it's the Yankees or the Phillies -- will have a legitimate case that it is the Team of the Decade.

The winner, regardless of who it is, is going to have two titles to show for itself in the '00s. And that will tie that team with the Red Sox, who also won twice -- while obliterating curses, inspiring approximately 1.8 zillion New England poets and altering baseball life as we used to know it in the process.

(And you thought I'd have trouble working the Red Sox into a Game 1 post.)

Anyway, Stark concluded that if the Phillies win, the Red Sox get the title, but if the Empire wins, they get it. Have I mentioned yet that the fate of the free world depends on the Phillies?

I'll keep repeating it until Tony Massarotti gets the message. I know I've mellowed in my fandom since the Red Sox have won World Series(s), but my blood still boils at the sight of the pinstripes (black ones, not red ones). I don't need to win every time - just against the Yankees. I will never, like this joker, root for the Yankees in a World Series. (The only time it is acceptable to root for the Empire is if they're out of the playoff picture and playing a team we're competing with for a playoff slot.)

Today's game: The players were introduced to strains of Star Wars. The Yankees must really be oblivious to how they are perceived because they played Empire music for the Phillies and Rebel music for their own. Idiots.

After the pregame festivities, the Phillies loaded the bases against CC Sabathia in the first but couldn't capitalize. Cliff Lee looks good in the early going. The Phillies struck first with a solo home run by Chase Utley in the 3rd. The Phillies are currently up 1-0 in the 5th.

Look back at 2008: Holding pattern; we had no idea when Game 5 would resume.

Bartender, give me a shot of that '09 vintage

Last year, on World Series Eve, I tried to explain how I felt. I'm not sure that I was able to capture the uniqueness of the moment, but here I am again. Trying again. Because the Phillies are in the World Series again! Woo-hoo!! Re-read that: The Phillies are in the World Series for the second year in a row.

As awesome as the playoffs and championship were last year, there was still a little part of me that was sad while it was happening. I knew there was only one time that I could experience my team breaking the championship drought and all of the frenzy that goes with it.

And the fact that I was at the game(s) where they actually won? Forget it. Those feelings could never be repeated.

(Speaking of, in today's look back at 2008, this was the first half of Game 5 of the World Series. No bubbly that night, just lots and lots of water.)

Ever since the Red Sox won again in 2007, Greg has explained that it just didn't seem quite as good the second time around. I could understand that, but for me, this year has been just as good, only in a completely different way from 2008.

The Phillies are the World F-in Champions. They saved us from having to hear about teams from 1980 and 1993. No players need to be vindicated. No failures, curses or other self-pitying stories need to be dredged up. This time, it's all about defending what belongs to them. Who cares that they're playing the Yankees? That team is just one last minor distraction that needs to be taken care of before the trophy can be paraded down Broad Street next week.

(And Greg, take a look at that picture up top. Remember that I'd like to expand my collection. It's the easiest present you can shop for this Christmas.)

Jimmy Rollins made his prediction. Phillies, could be six games, probably five. The man's been pretty accurate in the past. I like what he has to say. And now, for my last prediction of 2009:

Phillies vs. Yankees: Phillies, no doubt.

[Agreed.]

The fate of the free world depends on the Phillies

I've quite enjoyed the 2001 through 2008 baseball seasons. Aside from three SoxandPhils World Championships, the era marked the end of the drug- and money-tainted Yankees dynasty. {I'm not so sure you should be throwing around team drug accusations, Greg, but continue.}

I remember the end vividly. Christine and I were watching Shrek in my apartment. I didn't want to watch the game, figuring the Yankees were going to win. She convinced me to turn on the 9th inning, just in time to see Mariano Rivera blow it. There would be different Yankee killers every year - Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, CC Sabathia, to name a few - but the results were the same.

The Yankees, once fueled by mystique and aura, were now nothing but chokers.

This year, it appears as if M&A have returned. But the Phillies have their own mojo, and it will be up to them to make sure the Yankees championship drought continues. I believe they are up to the mission. The fate of the free world depends on it.

Meanwhile, here's the SoxandPhils primer on the PhilsandYanks World Series.

A year ago, I compiled a roster of players who appeared for both the Rays and Phillies. The Rays had just completed their 11th season and didn't have much of a pool of players, so I had guys playing out of position and couldn't fill out a bench.

The Yankees have a slightly longer history book, so I had a deeper roster to work with, but there were surprisingly not too many clear-cut examples. Here's a quick roster I compiled with help from baseball-reference.com. I didn't exhaustively research it, so I'm sure you'll be able to pick apart my choices (there's a few names I never heard of before - I tried to find players with significant time on each team) {basically, he picked people I heard of or those with fun names, like Chicken Hawk}:

C-Bobby Estalella
1B-Babe Dahlgren
2B-Mariano Duncan
3B-Charlie Hayes
SS-Dale Sveum
OF-Ruben Amaro Sr.
OF-Johnny Callison
OF-Bobby Abreu
DH-Oscar Gamble
C-Deacon McGuire
IF-Nick Etten
IF-Bill Keister
OF-Ricky Ledee
OF-Hersh Martin
SP-Al Orth
SP-Jon Lieber
SP-Shane Rawley
SP-Cory Lidle
SP-Terry Muholland
RP-Tom Gordon
RP-Jim Konstanty
RP-Sparky Lyle
RP-Paul Qunatrill
RP-Felix Rodriguez
RP-Jason Grimsley
Announcer-Jay Johnstone

Other notables: Miguel Cairo, David Dellucci, Mike Easler, Kevin Elster, Sal Fasano, Chicken Hawk, Rex Hudler Pete Incaviglia, Travis Lee, Kenny Lofton, Danny Tartabull, Mark Whiten, Todd Zeile, Marty Bystrom, Joe Cowley, Al Holland, Charles Hudson, Jeff Juden, Jim Kaat, Mark Leiter and Matt Smith.

Everyone knows this is a rematch of the 1950 World Series and that the Phillies are trying to avenge that sweep. I have no memories of that, but I do remember the first time they hooked up in the regular season.

It was September 1997 - a time before I knew Christine, and Curt Schilling was just a player the Red Sox once traded for Mike Boddicker. The Yankees were cruising toward the playoffs and the Phillies were headed for last place. I expected a drubbing but watched anyway. Curt struck out 16 in eight innings to start a three-game sweep.

Since then, it's been relatively even, and the Yankees hold an 11-10 edge in the 21 regular season matchups the teams have played. This year, the Phillies took two of three despite two blown saves from Brad Lidge. Brett Myers won the first game; Lidge lost the second while Fox dubbed a random fan John Mayberry Sr.; and the Phillies won the finale 4-3 in the 11th, but it felt like a loss because Lidge blew a strong performance by Cole Hamels.

I think I'm done with the history lessons. I only have one unanswered question for the future: Who will be more irrational this week, Christine in her bias for the Phillies or me in my bias against the Yankees?

Go Phils!

Look back at 2008: Oops, almost forgot about this little feature, so there's one more history lesson today. On this date, Christine pretty much predicted Joe Blanton's home run in Game 4, and it was starting to sink in that the Phillies were probably going to win the World Series with us in attendance.

Yankees = wusses

Instead of just adding "Look back at 2008" at the bottom of today's post, I'm going to lead off with it.

A year ago tonight, Christine and I were scrambling to prepare the house for a small party the next day while getting ready to watch the Phillies first home World Series game in 15 years. I remember the night vividly because there was torrential rain as I went to the store to pick up some last-minute items.

It was kind of reminiscent of last night's rain, except last October was much colder than yesterday's humid 60+ degrees.

The Phillies and Rays waited out the rain and then played a truly memorable game. Jamie Moyer gutted out 6 1/3 innings. We later found out that he had a sleepless night with stomach ailments. The Phillies won in the wee hours of the morning in the bottom of the 9th when Carlos Ruiz hit a ball to third slow enough to score Eric Bruntlett. The Phillies showed championship grit with the weather and the Rays, and pretty much set themselves up for the series win.

The Yankees found themselves in a similar position before last night's scheduled Game 6 of the ALCS. Did they wait out the heavy rain and then play in what were better conditions than what the Phillies and Rays (and Philly fans) suffered through last year? Nope, the game was called off hours before it started.

At home, I couldn't believe it when I hard a host on the MLB Network say "awesome" when they showed a clip of Andy Pettitte having a catch in the drizzle.

If he wants to see a truly "awesome" pitching performance in the rain, he should skip ahead to Thursday's look back at 2008 to review our recap of the first half of Game 5 of the World Series.

I still can't believe we sat through that crap. Christine can't believe that no one understands how bad it was. The Yankees and their fans certainly never will.

I hope New York wins tonight ... against the Arizona Cardinals.

Go Angels!

So glad tonight's schedule is AL-only

We try to schedule visits to my parents to coincide with occasional Saturday morning appointments we have in Trenton.

We have one today and had committed to seeing the folks before we knew for sure the Phillies would take care of business early. Thank goodness they did because Game 7 was scheduled for tonight, a game that was not necessary.

So we won't be listening to a very nervous Larry Andersen on the drive home tonight, but a nervous John Sterling.

We'll be home long before the game ends, but I hope Sterling has two more games this year, each ending with, "Thhhhheeeee Yankees lose. Thhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankeeeeeeeeeeees loooooooooooooooooosssseee."

Go Angels.

Look back at 2008: The Phillies didn't play on this date either as they made what would be their final road trip of the season between Games 2 and 3. I was nervous about how Christine would react if the Phillies dropped Game 3 and actually trailed in the series.

An encore of 2004 would be heavenly

What a game last night. Despite being wiped out, I made it to the last out. My eyes were closed, but I heard Brian Fuentes get Nick Swisher to pop out with the bases loaded to end the 7-6 Angels win and send the ALCS back to New York, where whispers of the ghosts of 2004 are already popping up.

New York Newsday columnist Bruce Matthews suggests that if the Yankees blow this 3-1 lead to the Angels, it could be worse than blowing the 0-3 lead in the great 2004 ALCS. I disagree just because of the teams involved, but sentiment aside, he's got a point:

Last night's 7-6 loss to the Angels - who suddenly seem to have remembered that their strategy of creating havoc on the basepaths works only if they actually get on base - did more than cut the Yankees' lead in the ALCS to 3-2.

It also raises the specter of another catastrophic failure, but for this one, there would be no excuse or any consolation. You see, these Angels are not nearly as good as the 2004 Red Sox. And these Yankees are a lot better than the 2004 Yankees. At least, they're supposed to be.

The New York Times suggests the odds are against the Yankees being the fourth team with home-field advantage to blow a 3-1 lead in a best of seven series. But no team had blown a 3-0 lead before 2004:

Five other times, Jeter's Yankees have been in this position, ahead by 3-1 in the A.L.C.S. Three times, the Yankees won the series in five. Another time, they won it in six. Then there was 2004.

Every pinstriped fan knows what happened then. The Yankees won the first three games against Boston, and lost the fourth game in 12 heart-stopping innings. They lost the fifth game, too, and the last two at Yankee Stadium.

I don't think the Angels will win both games in New York, but the fact that they're making the Yankees and their fans squirm is good enough for me. And they have made it close enough to stop us from talking as if we definitively know who will face the Phillies next week.

Red Sox: They continue to lose: Assistant GM Jed Hoyer is going to be the man in San Diego, and Brad Mills (a SoxandPhil) could be the Astros manager.

Look back at 2008: The Phillies lost Game 2 of the World Series - Christine's favorite Phillies loss ever because it guaranteed the series would last five games. (We had tickets for Game 5.)

Will Jimmy be right?

Although it's not exactly Troy Tulowitzki predicting the Rockies would return to Fenway for the World Series in 2007, Jimmy Rollins called a PhilsandYanks World Series in an offseason interview with Playboy.

The night after J-Roll and the Phils clinched their World Series berth, the Angels will try to thwart his prediction. Although the shortstop has backed up many of his predictions, he has been wrong before. He predicted he would hit .400 for an entire month this year - the closest he came was .313 in July.

OK, enough silliness.

We're still trying to put last night's win in perspective. For me, 2004 was great. It was a liberating moment that made my decision to be a Red Sox fan worthwhile. The 2007 championship, wasn't as fun, but it validated 2004, making it clear that the Red Sox were now a premier team - a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

I think that's what's going on right now with the Phillies and why Christine, even though she was expecting a win, dropped her jaw for a few moments after the game ended. The team of her youth, which never made the playoffs except for the fluke of 1993, has become an elite team. Four more wins and there will be no argument that the Phillies are the class of baseball. After growing up rooting for a crappy team, that's pretty heady stuff.

Jayson Stark has a good piece on the Phillies rise from the team of 10,000 losses to consecutive National League pennants:

Just 12 months after winning one World Series, they are heading for another World Series. No Phillies team before them had ever done that. Not a one.

Not the Phillies of Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts. Not the Phillies of Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton. Not the Phillies of Curt Schilling and Lenny Dykstra. And, it goes without saying, sure as heck not the Phillies of Jerry Spradlin or Juan Bell.

This team has separated itself from all of them now. It guaranteed that much with a 10-4 thumping of the Dodgers on Wednesday that finished off the National League Championship Series in five games.

And while this team hasn't finished the mission, hasn't defended yet or repeated yet or ridden the parade floats yet, these Phillies have already accomplished something almost as important:

The metamorphosis of an entire franchise.

{I'll believe there's a metamorphosis when we get a decent game time for next year's NLDS. And I don't think 2008 and 2009 are comparable. 2008 was different just because there was so much riding on it. 2009 was not less fun in any way, just different because everyone now expects this team to win.}

Red Sox news: Tim Wakefield spoke after his surgery and said he wants to win 25 more games to give him at least 200 in his career:

"Past that, I really can't tell you," Wakefield said. "I'm not planning on getting to that point and retiring, if that's the question you're asking. I still feel like I can contribute. I still feel like I can compete at the highest level, and I'm going to continue to play as long as my body allows me and as long as the Red Sox want me around.

"I do have those goals in mind, and it's something that that's not the only reason why I'm playing. I'm playing because I feel like I can still contribute to us winning a championship."

Wakefield vs. Jamie Moyer in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series?

Bring on the Yankees, or preferably the Angels

{Wooooooooooooo! I'll let Greg take over now.}

Cole Hamels didn't earn a cupcake tonight, but his mates deserve a tray of them for beating the Dodgers 10-4 to clinch their second consecutive World Series appearance.

It's late. I'm catching a cold. We'll celebrate tomorrow.

Christine is in disbelief. She says I can't stop writing this blog because of the team's success during the past two years.

Bring on the Yankees. But I wouldn't object to seeing the Angels wipe out the Yankees in epic fashion.

Other news: Before the game, Pedro Martinez wouldn't be baited into talking about the possibility of pitching against his old nemesis:

I (Globe reporter Peter Abraham) tried to engage Pedro in some "what about facing the Yankees" talk yesterday after he threw a bullpen at Citizens Bank Park. But he would have none of it. "I know what you're trying to do," he said with a smile. "Not yet."

And Tim Wakefield's surgery was successful.

Look back at 2008: Christine summed up her feelings on the eve of the World Series. She dropped a hint for a Christmas gift. Usually, I'm good with things like that, but I dropped the ball. We bought one later, but we can't remember exactly when. Christine thinks it was at our first game of the year on May 2, but there's no record of it on the blog.

[Photo credit: Treetshop.com]

A cookie for J-Roll

Entering the 9th inning last night, the Phillies trailed the Dodgers 4-3 and Christine was getting cranky at the prospect that the Phillies might actually be tested in a playoff series.

She kept flashing her fingers, trying to illustrate to me the difference between being up 3-1 and tied at 2 in a seven-game set. As if I didn't live through the Red Sox coming back from 0-3 against the Yankees in 2004.

After Raul Ibanez grounded out, the announcers said pinch-hitter Matt Stairs had one thing on his mind.

"Cheese," I said. "A big wheel of cheddar."

After he walked, and Carlos Ruiz got hit by a pitch, Christine and I started "bribing" Phillies with treats if they'd come through.

We tempted pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs with a cheesecake - we once read a gossip item about him being spotted at our local Cheesecake Factory. But he lined out.

When Jimmy Rollins stepped up, Christine offered a chocolate chip cookie. With nuts. For no particular reason.

"I just think J-Roll would like chocolate chip cookies," she said.

We all know he earned his treat with a game-winning double, putting the Phillies in position to clinch their second straight National League Championship tomorrow night. (If Cole Hamels comes through, there is a cupcake in it for him.)

Phil Sheridan also invoked snack treats when describing the improbable comeback:

The Phillies were down to their last out, their last two strikes, last night. Broxton, who looks like Paul Bunyan's great-grandson, only meaner, was throwing 100-mile-an-hour heat. Rollins, who is about the size of a midnight snack for Broxton, wagged his bat as if daring the big guy to bring it on.

Well, we bought a chocolate chip cookie tonight for J-Roll, but Christine decided it would probably cause awkwardness, if not involve police, if we showed up at the shortstop's house bearing a solitary cookie, so she ate it in his honor. Tasty.

I had a slice of cheesecake - symbolizing the piece Dobbs didn't get because he didn't deliver.

Look back at 2008: Nothing much happened on this date, so we'll look back to 2004 because today is the fifth anniversary of us toppling the Empire:

Red Sox fans will forever remember it as their day of redemption, the victory that made the deep, personal investment of time and emotion through so many
seasons worthwhile at last.

Pedro Martinez doesn't know whether the 2009 Phillies or 2004 Red Sox are the better team:

This team maybe has a little bit of an edge on that team because there's more talent, probably, overall. When you combine everything that we have — the pitching, the relieving, all that — it seems to be more of a package. But I don't know. This team is a little bit quieter than in '04. In '04, we were a whole bunch of characters that were really loud. There was a lot of noise in that clubhouse.

[Photo credits: cookie - upontop.org, cheesecake - davidscookies.com]

SoxandPhils stories

I did a double take this morning when I saw this picture. It is a fairly unremarkable picture from a dominant 11-0 win that gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead over the Dodgers in the NLCS.

What made me pause is that it was not from a Philadelphia Web site. It was from the Boston Globe's lead baseball story. I like the Phillies, but kind of depressing that they're getting top billing in Boston.

It wasn't the only story in the news with SoxandPhils connections.

The Jayson Werth castoff to All-Star story is well-known. The Los Angeles Times has a story that illustrates how far he had to come, or just how stupid former Red Sox and Dodger manager Grady Little was:

Grady Little understood the question.

He just didn't recognize the name.

"Who?" asked Little, then the Dodgers manager, in August 2006 after a reporter inquired about the status of Jayson Werth.

It was a clear indication of how the outfielder -- sidelined for the entire season by a nagging wrist injury -- figured into the Dodgers' long-term plans.

That is to say, he didn't.

Ah, it's been fun this week remembering the Grady Little era. No, it hasn't.

Speaking of Grady Gump, his moment of infamy (yes, I'm still bitter) was replayed on MLB Network this week. Joe Torre kept it on in the Dodgers clubhouse, but ball-stealing Doug Mientkiewicz represented the next day when the network aired the 2004 ALCS:

"Turnabout is fair play," Torre said with a laugh. Torre was asked if he watched replays of games he managed in previous years. "I do when I know the result is good," he said. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

I won't answer that.

Uh-oh: Forget the Steve Sax stuff - Mitch Williams says Chase Utley is injured.

Today's games: And never mind the Empire rising stuff. Angels aren't done yet, winning 5-4 in 11 innings.

Ryan Howard belted a two-run homer in the 1st right after TBS noted that Randy Wolf gave up only one home run to a lefty all year. Joe Blanton started out well, but the Dodgers rallied. The Phillies are trying to mount a comeback, but still trail 4-3 in the 7th.

I could have sworn in the 6th inning I saw someone in the crowd wearing a "Henderson 31" jersey. Ramon Henderson, really?

Look back at 2008: We're skipping this feature tonight on account that I posted what should have been today's recap yesterday. Oops. And, as Christine noted, I missed out on posting the Red Sox win to force Game 7. Oh well.

[Photo Credit: Associated Press]