MLB - Sports Rumors

Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:51 am EDT

Phillies didn't want NLCS to get interesting, but it is now

By Joe Zedalis

Jamie Moyer

Getty Images

The last thing the Philadelphia Phillies wanted or needed was for this National League championship Series to get interesting. Guess what? It got there, wrote Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Phil Sheridan.

Game 3 opened doors for the Dodgers and cans of worms for the Phillies. For good measure, it featured a benches-clearing, not-quite-a-brawl that could give the rest of the series that hockey-playoff atmosphere of scores to be settled. A win last night would have put the Phillies on the threshold of the World Series with a three-games-to-nil lead. It also would have papered over some of the things that now require attention.

The Phillies opened their two-game lead courtesy of one good inning (the three-run sixth in Game 1) and one bad outing (Chad Billingsley's highly flammable Game 2 start). A 3-0 lead in games would have extinguished the Dodgers' flame. A five-run first inning reignited it.

Jamie Moyer, who described the Dodgers lineup as a school of sharks, got chomped to bits, raising a delicate issue for Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee. If this thing goes the distance, who starts Game 7 for the Phillies? There was no doubt before last night that it would be Moyer. Now? There have to be serious doubts. The school of Dodgers swarmed all over his crafty, slow-and-slower stuff like so much chum.

Righthander Joe Blanton will start Game 4 tonight. Cole Hamels is set to start Game 5 here Wednesday. If there is a Game 6 Friday night in Philadelphia, Brett Myers will be on the hill. Game 7 would be Saturday. Thanks to the extra off day tomorrow, Blanton would be available on his normal rest.

It's no fun even to have to contemplate this. Moyer is a fan favorite who also happens to be a very good pitcher. He isn't here as a favor. Without Moyer's 16-7 record this season, the Phillies are scattered around the country, watching the Dodgers play the Mets Monday night.

Source: Philly.comNew Window

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36 Comments

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  1. Joe
    1. Posted by Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    Moyer has pitched his last game in this series. Phillies in six.
  2. steadyteddy111
    2. Posted by steadyteddy111 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:40 pm EDT

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    I think we awoke a sleeping blue giant, May God have mercy on our souls....
  3. SAM S
    3. Posted by SAM S Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:01 pm EDT

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    If there is a game 7, remember Happ?
  4. Brian
    4. Posted by Brian Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    I hope for a blowout on the clilnching game. Or for the first series of next year. Bad blood is boiling deep and a brawl is bound to happen. Baseball's most exciting play, the bench clearing brawl.
  5. throwinheat33
    5. Posted by throwinheat33 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    UNBELIEVABLE! We lose one game and we are panicking! Phil's win tonght and we are looking good. Even if we lose the next 2 we are still coming back to Philly. WE WILL NOT LOSE THE NEXT 2.
  6. raven
    6. Posted by raven Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

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    I think fox sucks joe buck and tim mac need wear green because they are all blue and no red. No fun to watch with tv muted every game. there is more to this series then num 99.
  7. shaggy_taudelt
    7. Posted by shaggy_taudelt Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:16 pm EDT

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    Listen, ill say it for the last time, the media (tv, internet, paper) want the Dodgers vs Red Sox, its the best story line, the Dodgers are going to get a lot of good press no matter what. The bottom line is the Phils need to take one of the next two in LA, thats all i ask, thats all they need. GO PHILS! Show up tonight, get the win and put the pressure back on!
  8. thomasg.
    8. Posted by thomasg. Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    " GO BLUE " DODGERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  9. eagles,phillies,76er fan
    9. Posted by eagles,phillies,76er fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    We are still 2-1 i did not expect them yo sweep. i agree with raven but what hurts more is the fact that tim was once a phillie!!!!! and i am so tired of only hearing about manny. he is mlbs to.we still have 4 games 2 in philly, but dont count them out tonight maybe dodgers awoke a big red giant. go phillies.
  10. Jonny Rog
    10. Posted by Jonny Rog Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    phillies would kill the dodgers in a fight...you kidding me?.. Howard and Burrell would just walk through people and hell id even send in Myers, Victorino and Jroll because there scrappy little guys
  11. Joe
    11. Posted by Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    If Manny was going after Myers he's lucky he was restrained. Myers would destroy him. Bad matchup tonight even with Lowe on short rest. Good matchup tomorrow - Hamels against Billingsley. Then it's back to Philly where they only have to win one. Blanton could pitch game 7 on normal rest if Myers doesn't get it done. Even with an LA win tonight Phillies still have nice advantage. It's a grea series. Go Phillies.
  12. Fartface McNutsack
    12. Posted by Fartface McNutsack Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:53 pm EDT

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    Hey Joe - you said it, this has been a great series so far. Nice to have Philly in the hunt, and even more so against a good team like the Dodgers. Makes for a real exciting post season.
    Go Phillies!
  13. buttery boo
    13. Posted by buttery boo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    Amazed by the number of empty seats there. Worst fans ever.
  14. YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW
    14. Posted by YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    56,800 fans...i guess they must have been invisible!!!
  15. Curtis
    15. Posted by Curtis Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm EDT

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    Unless the Phillies dress Bobby Clarke, Dave Schultz, or Moose Dupont..the fighting won't take place...
  16. Joe
    16. Posted by Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW - two things, myers' father is a boxing instructor and myers used to box. yes, one on one myers (6'4", 238) would destroy manny (6', 200). that's not trashing manny. that's a fact. not that he was throwing at him anyway. he wasn't. myers gets too pumped up and that pitch just got away. second, they may have sold out, but didn't you see the empty seats everytime they fanned the seats? you couldn't help but notice it. the ones who were there were loud and into it, but there was a lot of empty seats.
  17. YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW
    17. Posted by YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    Myers USE TO box!! Before he got out of shape and started pitching you mean...come on, a guy as out of shape as Myers CAN NOT box!! 2 swings and he's tired!! You see how tired he was when he ran to first in game 2...But talkin bout this is pretty dumb cuz its BASEBALL, NOT BOXING!!! So i'll leave it at that...
    there were SOME empty seats..i think you exaggeratin when you say A LOT...sorry thing bout L.A. is all the RICH people sit behind home plate so you noticed most of that section wuz empty...and when i say RICH, im talkin bout L.A. RICH, not 6 figure salary rich that would make you the KING OF PHILLY!!! My guess is they bought a new Ferari and drove up the coast for the weekend and didnt make it back in time for the game...Yeah thats L.A., MONEY MONEY MONEY AND PLENTY TO DO WIT THAT MONEY!!! Thats no knock on Philly, i'm sure there's plenty to do besides watch the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers!!
    So yeah, those RICH "fans" kill it for TRUE Dodger fans and the nation classifys those RICH "fans" as DODGER FANS!!!
  18. Chris
    18. Posted by Chris Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT

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    Those seats were pretty empty. The fans that were not there probably are rich they don't like baseball and only buy the tickets to impress their friends or coworkers. That makes it sadder when they say that 56,000 tickets sold and it looked like you had 20,000 seats filled that means that the fans that can afford the prices just don't care about the dodgers. That's why the phillies fans are so much better in game 1 and 2 the place was packed. Game 3 looked horrible from a fan turn out standpoint.
  19. Susan D
    19. Posted by Susan D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

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    HEY YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW - You must really want to know because you're completely clueless. You must have taken a class in dumb.
  20. YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW
    20. Posted by YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    20,000 seats filled??? Come on now!! I would say at least 45,000 were filled!!!
    Phillies fans are A LOT BETTER?? Sure even YOUR MVP said it himself..."PHILLIES FANS ARE FAIRWEATHER FANS!!!"
    Hey i didnt say it, J-ROLL DID!!!
    Seriously, all jokes and insults aside, That must of hurt right, for your MVP to call you FAIRWEATHER!!!
  21. Joshua B
    21. Posted by Joshua B Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    Quit yer crying Rollins, there's always next year!
    Phillies fans suck, choke on a cheese steak!
    Dodgers in 6
  22. YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW
    22. Posted by YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    No Susan actually i have a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and have a GREAT JOB where i can kick back and chill on Yahoo in between my daily duties...Not like thats any of your business BUT i don't recall seeing DUMB class on any of my transcripts...
    So yeah Susan, leave the Baseball talk to us True Baseball fans you FAIRWEATHER CHICK!!!
  23. David B
    23. Posted by David B Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    One good game and you think you won the world series....Relax your seasons over you just don't know it yet. Phills in 6
  24. Joshua B
    24. Posted by Joshua B Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    Hey David B (a.k.a. Davey Bodafuco)
    Phillies fans are the one's talkin' after one bad game! Shedding tears for Victorino, poor guy!
    Phillies let us get our lift that we needed..

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