Right after Carlos Ruiz scored the winning run last night to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the NLCS the network cameras picked up a fan holding up a sign that read “Are You Kidding Me?” – it was perfect.  It not only put the exclamation point on last night but it simply explains the 2009 Phillies.

This is a team that just doesn’t know how to quit.  Never.  Not in their vocabulary.  So what if the bottom of the order was coming up in the 9th? No problem.  After Ibanez grounded out to second base for the first out and Matt Stairs pinch hit did anyone besides me have the flashback of his monster homer in Los Angeles that gave the Phillies the lead and eventual win in last year’s NLCS? Stairs might not have hit a homer last night, but his patience at the plate against Broxton, who seemed like he wanted no part of Stairs, setup the comeback.   And when Broxton hit Ruiz with the next pitch I have to admit I was thinking about Black Friday 1977 except this time instead of being on the wrong end of the implosion we just might pull this one out.  For the second year in a row, instead of the Dodgers doing it to us, we were going to do it to them.  How do you like that, Tommy LaSorda?

After the Dodgers got the second out on Greg Dobbs soft liner to third you had to think that maybe the series would be tied and that no matter what the Phillies would have to go back to Los Angeles.   Those thoughts vanished when Jimmy Rollins lined a 1-1 Broxton offering clocked at 99 mph into the right center field gap.  You knew the game was tied, but then all of a sudden here comes Ruiz – I was waiting for the throw home, but it never came and Ruiz slid safely into home and the Phillies had indeed pulled it out.   Are you kidding me? No way, baby – they really pulled it out and now are just one win from a second consecutive World Series appearance.

This was one of the greatest Playoff games I have ever had the pleasure of watching.   If you think Baseball is boring after last night, then this is not the sport for you.  The Dodgers got all four of their runs with two outs.  Torre and Manuel pushed the buttons, made the moves, and for eight and two-thirds innings Joe Torre almost came out on top.  Almost certainly is a big word, isn’t it? Was I dreaming, or did I really see Manny Ramirez pick a flyball off his shoetops to hold the lead? After allowing Howard’s homer, Wolf really settled down and Blanton was perfect through three and a third innings.  This was just a great game all the way around.

Sure, Game 5 of the NLCS against Houston in 1980 was pretty fantastic, but that was great because those Phillies finally got over the hump they had been trying to get over for four years.   That journey cost them a manager in Danny Ozark along the way.  This group is different.  This team plays the game as if it is fun, and they know how to win.  Pete Rose would to play with these guys.   Even Captain Cool, Mike Schmidt would probably have a good time playing for Uncle Charlie.   I think even Steve Carlton would smile and talk to the media if he played for this bunch.

As I watched the post-game coverage, John Hayman of SI.Com used the word “Dynasty” to describe this team.  Are you kidding me? Our Phillies a Dynasty? Isn’t that the term that was thrown around more for the Yankees or even at one time the Dodgers or even the Big Red Machine of the mid 1970’s? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that word used to describe our ballclub.   Last night Ryan Howard tied Lou Gehrig for the longest rbi streak in the post-season.  Are you kidding me? Rynomite and The Iron Horse in the same sentence?

Now, after a day off today the Phillies will send Cole Hamels back out there Wednesday night with the hope of putting the Phillies into the World Series for the second straight year for the first time in the history of the franchise.  Are you kidding me? Boy I certainly hope not.

Tagged with: Carlos Ruiz, Cole Hamels, Danny Ozark, Greg Dobbs, jimmy rollins, Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Tommy LaSorda

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