The wait is finally over, Game 1 of the World Series have arrived.

While many analysts have predicted this to be a long and close series, history tells us that the winner may just be decided tonight.
In the last 12 years, teams which won Game 1, won the series 11 times, including the last six. That means there is a lot of pressure on Cliff Lee and the rest of the Phillies tonight at Yankee Stadium.

Weather update: The rain stopped in [...]

If the Philadelphia Phillies want to repeat as World Series champions, they will have to prove their worth on the road.
Starting pitcher Cole Hamels had a rough outing, allowing four runs in five innings, and the Phillies could not battle all the way back in a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Yovit Torrealba provided the big blow, hitting a two-run home run in the third inning . From there, Aaron Cook corralled the Phillies [...]

If there was any question of whether or not J.A. Happ would pitch out of the bullpen in the postseason, today’s news should erase it.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced that left-hander J.C. Romero has not recovered from his strained forearm injury and will need another month until he is fit to pitch.

That means the Phillies will enter the postseason without one of its biggest bullpen pieces last year, and most consistent left-hander.

Romero was huge in the [...]

Okay, the inevitable became real last night as the Phillies clinched their third straight division title thanks to a 10-3 win over the Astros (although actually the Braves 5-4 loss just minutes before the end of the Phillies game gave the Phillies the division).  We now know that the Phillies and Cardinals have clinched their respective divisions and that the Dodgers are in the playoffs but are still a win from clinching the division.  We also know that if the [...]

When I got in my car this evening following Brad Lidge’s 11th blown save of the season I knew I would hear some pretty upset Phillies fans when I flipped on 610 WIP.

The first thing I heard surprised me. It was suggestion that J.A. Happ should be the Phillies closer going forward.

With just two weeks left in the season this move seemed ridiculous. Happ has never closed and wouldn’t have much time to settle into the role.

It just didn’t seem [...]