In the Playoff Pulse series, our MLB editor takes on a hot October topic.On the precipice of their first World Series title in 28 years, the Phillies deserve a world of credit for the way they have executed in October. They have played to their strengths all month long, and as it turns out, those strengths are enough to win a title.
They have a dominant ace in Cole Hamels who may very well close the Fall Classic out Monday night. He's 4-0 in October and he gives the opposing pitcher very little room for error. The rest of their rotation has flown under the radar in part because of Hamels' excellence and in part because of a ballpark that inflates ERAs, but it's proven to be very capable, too, behind the southpaw ace.
They have a lights-out bullpen that finishes with Brad Lidge, but also features top-notch flame-thrower Ryan Madson as the bridge to Lidge and a number of useful situational guys like Scott Eyre and Chad Durbin.
And they have a power-laden offense that has much more balance than the Rays -- one that is capable of putting crooked numbers up on the board as it did in Game 4, but also capable of staying in the game even when it struggles with runners in scoring position because of the home run ball.
If Monday is a coronation, it will have been well earned indeed.
On the flip side, the Rays have been nothing but awful for most of the series.
After setting a record for a postseason series with 16 home runs in the ALCS, the offense has completely collapsed. Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena are now 0-for-29 in the Fall Classic. Even more troubling, the pair has whiffed 15 times. Hamels and Brett Myers are strikeout pitchers, but Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton most certainly are not.
Tampa Bay was not a great offensive club in the regular season. It rode Longoria, Pena and B.J. Upton hard in October, but it's clear now -- as all three continue to battle themselves at the plate -- that there isn't much to the rest of the lineup.
Up until Game 4, the pitching had been acceptable, but it's been forced to get extra outs because of a defense that has gotten the yips at the worst possible time of year. Few teams in baseball cover more ground than the Rays, but they continue to play sloppy. If it's not Akinori Iwamura making a couple of errors, as he did Sunday night, it's Dioner Navarro wildly throwing down to second base after a wild pitch or Andy Sonnanstine trying to get Jimmy Rollins going home instead of opting for the easy double play.
World Series Storylines - Game 4
Phillies 10, Rays 2 (Read Recap | Check Box Score)
Ryan Howard, middle, has struggled for most of the postseason, but his bat has woken up just in time to put the Phillies on the brink of a World Series title. Howard went deep twice as Philadelphia took a 3-1 lead in the Fall Classic.
Chris O'Meara, AP
Howard wasn't the only Philadelphia hitter to feast on Tampa Bay pitching in Game 4. Pitcher Joe Blanton clubbed a home run -- the first of his career -- as the Phillies cruised to a 10-2 rout of the Rays. Blanton is the first pitcher to homer in the World Series in 34 years.
David J. Phillip, AP
The Rays, on the other hand, kept struggling in all facets of the game. Second baseman Akinori Iwamura made two errors in Game 4 as Tampa Bay's usually sterling defense continued to make costly mistakes.
Brad Mangin, MLB / Getty Images
The Rays' offense is also in a deep funk. No. 3 hitter Carlos Pena, pictured, and cleanup hitter Evan Longoria are a combined 0-for-29 in the World Series with 15 strikeouts.
Elsa, Getty Images
The Phillies were the benefactors of a lucky break early on that became inconsequential late. The Rays stranded Jimmy Rollins between third base and home, and Evan Longoria, left, appeared to tag him for the second out of the first inning, but Rollins was ruled safe and scored in the wake of the controversial call.
Charles Krupa, AP
Rollins' emergence offensively in the World Series has also been a huge factor in the Phillies' success. The shortstop went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs in the Game 4 rout.
Doug Pensinger, Getty Images
It was a rough night for control artist Andy Sonnanstine, who won both of his previous starts in the playoffs. Sonnanstine lasted just four innings in the loss.
Elsa, Getty Images
The Phillies remained undefeated at home in the postseason and will now have a chance to close out the Rays without ever returning to Tropicana Field. Cole Hamels, who has a 4-0 record this October, will try to clinch Philadelphia's first World Series title since 1980 Monday night.
Elsa, Getty Images
Tampa Bay was the better team coming into the World Series. It's a difficult fact to deny when you consider the disparity in records and leagues. But the Phillies have executed in the World Series. They've played to their strengths and avoided mental mistakes, and even if the Rays tighten up their game Monday night, it's probably going to be too little, too late.
One final note: The only group that has looked worse than the Rays in the World Series are the other men in blue. It's become a nightly occurence for the umpires to screw up a call and both teams have suffered as a result. They did again in Game 4, calling Rollins safe when it was clear on replays that he was tagged out by Longoria in the first inning.
In the end, it didn't matter because Tampa Bay got blown out, but the point is that it could have.
They've screwed up in every way possible and seemingly at every base, and really, it's just embarrassing for baseball when technology is available to right the wrong. Human error and unpredictability make baseball great, but umpires are not supposed to be part of that equation. There are enough Bill Buckners and Grady Littles lying around without adding the officials to the mess. Those guys are supposed to be invisible. They're supposed to fade into the background as the drama unfolds, not be at the center of it.
Major League Baseball has taken steps to remedy that by instituting instant replay on boundary calls, but it doesn't go far enough. The cameras need to be available for safe and out calls -- tags and forces -- as well.
The main criticism of additional replay is that games could get even longer, but there are number of ways to offset that. A challenge system like in the NFL could be instituted. The umpires could also enforce more of the actual rules in the rulebook -- like not granting hitters timeout at will and making pitchers deliver within 12 seconds of receiving the ball from the catcher, as they're supposed to according to section 8.04.
Baseball, as an institution, does not pretend to be perfect. That's why replay was instituted in the first place. That's why there is a document called the Mitchell Report floating around while the mainstream sports media continues to ignore rampant steroid use in the NFL.
It could right plenty of wrongs by opening up to even more replay.
Yesterday's Hero: Joe Blanton, who homered and won in the same World Series game, a rare feat indeed. Honorable mention to Ryan Howard.
Yesterday's Goat: Akinori Iwamura, who personified the Rays' mental errors in Game 4. Honorable mention to Andy Sonnanstine.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-27-2008 @ 6:34AM
frank said...
One more night and then the whole world will have to look at Philadelphia again.
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10-27-2008 @ 8:24AM
Mimi said...
Go Phillies! You can do it!
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10-27-2008 @ 9:44AM
Harry said...
Let's get the party started. Let's get Hamels to win tonight. Don't want the Rays to have a chance to wake up in St Pete. GO PHILS. DO IT TONIGHT. AND IT'S PARTY TIME.
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10-27-2008 @ 9:50AM
bobby said...
i have seen human error in officiating in most sports....base ball, football and basketball although basketball refs seem to be more in rythem with the game. in football owners saw the flaw in officiating because of so many rules and they instituted the replay review. in hockey i think police officers should be officiating on the ice. tennis now has monitors to rule if the ball was hit in play. "kill the umpire" was popular 50 or 60 years ago although disturbing the fans had reason to be upset and still do.
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10-27-2008 @ 9:57AM
Troy's Mom said...
How about Joe Buck flounders? He is sooo obviously for the Rays. What an idiot! Go Phillies!!!!
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10-27-2008 @ 10:23AM
Leslie said...
Philadelphia is going to win the Series but nothing could ever be more fun than game 4. I wish I had it on tape because I could watch it once a week for the rest of my life. It had everything; what a team. And I think that is the whole secret to their great success - they truly are a team, taking real joy in what each is capable of doing and supporting each other when things do not work out. Bravo, Phillies. Show the rest of us how to behave like that.
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10-27-2008 @ 10:19AM
LuckyLori said...
I am so proud of my hometown Phillies!!! Come on guys, One more game!!! We all know you can do it. This city has gone through some rough times, we could certainly use some really good news for once. "GO PHILLIES" You guys are number 1 in our book no matter what.
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10-27-2008 @ 10:23AM
Harry said...
Everyone was for the Rays. They never gave the Phils a chance. Surprise, surprise, surprise. End it all tonight and we can all laugh at all the announcers,reporters, critics and who ever. The umps have made many errors, I must said up to now, for the Rays side. Maybe a count of 4-1. What ever, this is the World Series and there should be NO ERRORS at all. Maybe instant reply should be extended to all the playoff games. Go Phils. Good Luck tonight. I think the bats are back.
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10-27-2008 @ 10:55AM
nick said...
What a cheap shot by ANDREW JOHNSON, you suck big time buddy. Here they get 99 percent of the calls right and you shine on a couple, if you really were paying attention calls were missed in two different games and on both sides. Get a life or a new job. Maybe Obama will hire you, they love reporting that is slanted.
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10-27-2008 @ 11:21AM
JDBreeze1 said...
99 percent of the calls right? LOL...not in this series. Isn't the World Series supposed to be for the best umpires? They've been awful. Another call they missed last night was when Pena was pulled off the bag and the out call was made.
10-27-2008 @ 10:59AM
Anna said...
I am very elated that the Phillies are in the World Series and they will in all probability win tonight at home. YEAH!!!!
The problem I do have is twofold: First of all the commercials during this series are repetative and boring to say the least and there are lots of them. But, here is my real problem and this is a biggie: Tim McCarver. Hello? Didn't he used to be a Phillie? What in the world is his problem? He continuously berates the Phillies, has nothing good to say hardly at all about them and even when they do something great, he still finds a way to make it negative. I think he should be ashamed of himself. Oh well, we will have the last laugh when the Phillies win it all and he will be eating crow, that jerk. Let' s see what he has to say then.
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10-27-2008 @ 11:16AM
wilson said...
When the umps made calls in their favor it made the game a lot more easier for the phillies to win, it pulled the Rays down mentally. We all saw the game and know its true, calling balls strikes, for their pitcher, and the reverse for the Rays, and that play on third base that Longoria made. Its not true about the Rays depending on three guys for the years drive to the world series, everyone on the Rays team played a part. I watched 95% on their games during the year, and i know, The Rays are a beautiful team with a lot of talent. Nothing was said when the philles weren,t hitting, so lay off my Rays.
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10-27-2008 @ 11:21AM
JDBreeze1 said...
Can we stop talking about the "disparity" between the AL and NL? People talk as if the AL is leaps and bounds above the NL, and that is simply not true. And this series proves it. Yes, the Rays had a better record in the regular season than the Phillies did. But if you actually watched both LCSs (and I suspect the author didn't), you'd know that the Phillies played better overall baseball in the postseason than the Rays did.
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10-27-2008 @ 11:24AM
Duane said...
I wonder if the 2 big-time biased announcers have money on the World Series. They absolutely stink! I mean, calling one of the Phillies' homers "scrappy", what does that mean? Hey Buck and McCarver.....SHUT UP already. I can't wait until the Phils win it tonight and we won't have to listen to those 2 again!
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10-27-2008 @ 11:29AM
Fred Honigman said...
It's been a long time, but tonight will make it worthwhile . . . and soooo gratifying. I wish Tugger was around to preach his 'you gotta believe' to any doubters who still think all the years in beteeen were futile.
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10-27-2008 @ 5:26PM
John Martinez said...
When umpires make blatant bad calls, it takes the heart out the game for the team that the bad call was made.
I know the players are professionals and are supposed to accept human error, but that just isn't what happens. Bad calls can instantly demoralize players. It happens in all sports! Baseball (umpires/commissioner) should look at Tennis and Football with todays high tech have kept the Heart of the Players in the game.
I am for instant replays. Rules on use will control any abuse of over use!
I very strongly believe that the umpires have been biased (pro Phillies) or else cannot always be in perfect position to make the call. The "safe call" at third in the first inning last nite was shown (via TV insatnt replay) to be in gross error and it looked like it negatively affected the Rays. Other bad calls duing he game against the Rays just added to the lingering "loss of heart" attitude and "loss of concentration" by Rays for whole game.
Get with it Baseball!!! High tech is here and is needed!
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3-21-2009 @ 12:19AM
Bobby Bo said...
The pitcher flipped the ball to Longoria, but Rollins lunged to get around him and third base umpire Tim Welke ruled he got his hand on third before Longoria tagged him. The fielders choice loaded the bases, then Sonnanstine walked Pat Burrell to force in a run.
"I saw Longoria coming in and he was going for Rollins' back on the tag. I just saw him swing and miss," Welke said. "I never saw a tag."
This is exactly why Baseball needs to use instant replay. Millions of TV viewers saw the tag. There was no "swing and miss" . Tim Welke and his brother were part of the crew which performed so terribly in the Phils last visit to Wrigley Field. He is a very incompetent umpire. As is Tom Hallion who almost cost the Phils game three with his absurdly bad call at first base which led to Rays scoring. Should have been a 4 to 1 win for Moyer.
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10-30-2008 @ 11:24PM
NLUmp42 said...
1) How do you know what Umpires are "horrible" or good? I also am wondering how you decided what position the Umpires should be in to make a call? This was not a shining WS for the MLB Umpires. But if you want to critisizw, know what the facts are
10-27-2008 @ 11:55AM
Maria Pastrana said...
Go Phillies, never a dout in my mine. you guys are the best. I love Philly sports, and here to support all the way from Orlando Fl. One more you can do it. i'll be watching and cheering for you.
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10-27-2008 @ 11:58AM
Sue said...
I don't have a dog in this fight but I must say that the umpiring crew is terrible. You would think with such an important series for both teams......you don't get any bigger than this........then the umpiring crew would be top notch. They are shoddy to say the least......Are they trying to hand it over to the Phillies??? By making such bogus calls the whole series will come into question. It is a disservice to both teams.Maybe they should use instant replay for the whole game...???When something is this big? Just a thought........
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