Thanks for Four Years of Awesome
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Blogged Around Philly: Farewell Edition
Photoist
It’s still hard to believe. The Phillies have found their way into October, alive and thriving. And they are National League East champions. Sounds a little foreign, but we’d be lying if there wasn’t a sweeter sound in Philadelphia. The moment when Brett Myers struck out Wily Mo Pena, threw his glove straight into the air, and his teammates mobbed him was a defining moment for this Phillyist. After years of hearing Harry Kalas drone on through meaningless heart-breaking games, we heard him more excited than we’d ever heard him, and also something that seemed to be a squeal from Chris Wheeler.
It’s been 14 years since any Phillies team made the playoffs or won the division and it’s only fitting that the team with the most comeback wins in the league solidify their place in the playoffs on the very last day of the regular season. The Phillies seem to be a team of destiny. No other team has overcome as many as seven games in September as the Phillies did in 17 days. No other team in league history has made the playoffs while giving up as many runs as they did (821).
I guess my pieces about the Phillies not making the playoffs until they fixed their bullpen were a little off. Rather, the solution was to overuse J.C. Romero, Tom Gordon and Brett Myers until the Phils got into the postseason. All modern schools of thought on days of rest and pitch counts aside, we have to pat Charlie Manuel on the back for that one.
And beyond the numbers, this team is in playoffs thanks to everyone on offense, and a few notable pitchers. Phillyist could make a gigantic list of every contributor who helped the Phillies get to where they are right now, but we’ll choose to focus on two players:
Kyle Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins.
These two players are arguably the MVPs of the team, while Rollins is arguably the MVP of the league. Kendrick has been the most consistent performer of the year, pumping out quality start after start and compiling 10 wins over those 20 starts. He came out of nowhere (AA Reading) to be the second best option on the staff, although Manuel might defer to Moyer to start the second playoff game. In a time where the Adam Eatons of the world continue to get starts, Kendrick has been heaven sent. Not to discredit Cole Hamels’ performances when he’s been healthy, but Hamels wasn’t always healthy, and Kendrick was still helping the Phillies win the majority of his starts.
Rollins, however, is the easy pick here. One need only look at the sequence between his first at-bat and scoring the first run of the game. Rollins started the Phillies off with a lead-off single, stole second base, stole third, and beat an Austin Kearns throw home to score on a sacrifice fly. That run was all him. It was like he was playing a pick-up game in the sand lot (lets pretend that people still do that). Later in the game, Rollins legged out a would-be double into a triple, making him the fourth player to ever hit 20 home runs, 20 triples, 20 doubles, and steal 20 bases.
For Philadelphia, it seems that a Phillies renaissance back into prominence has begun. Unfortunately, they had to do it in the year that Dane Cook does the playoffs commercials, but at least he’s not trying to be funny. On the other hand, he is trying to be serious. Hmm.
Anyway, the playoffs start Wednesday.
And there’s a rally for the Phillies today from 12-1 at City Hall.
Image Credit: Flickr user sixtoe
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