More on last night...

Mike, the new father over at Mike's Baseball Rants, has a pitch-by-pitch account of the 7th inning of last night's game, complete with his notes. It's a really good recap. He finishes off with this summary:

The Phils waste a great performance by Millwood. They pull him one batter too late instead of thanking their lucky stars after Encarnacion flied out. They again go to execrable Williams, who has a 5.09 ERA with the Phils and has walked as many as he has struck out. Way to throw fuel on the fire. And then it's their typical trip down bullpen memory lane to ensure that each reliever puts his own personal touches on the debacle.

I would only argue with one point: it was a great performance by Millwood...through six. And whether or not Millwood should have been left in to pitch the seventh, or left in after Encarnacion's at-bat is -- to a certain extent -- besides the point. He is our ace, and Bowa and company put the burden on his shoulders to get through it. And once again, he could not. A great performace through six...marred by a seventh Phillies' fans will likely not forget any time soon.

Stick a fork in 'em

The series in Pittsburgh a week and a half ago was bad.

The series versus Cincinnati this weekend was devastating.

But if someone asks you, years from now, what ended the Phillies' 2003 season, you can point to this swing:

And as the ball traveled off of Jeff Conine's bat, and landed just over the left field scoreboard, so ended the Phillies' playoff chances.

Yes, I know that Conine's home run only tied the score. And yes, I know that there are still five games remaining. But the Phillies now have to make up two games in those five games, and that shot completely turned the momentum 180 degrees.

The Phillies held a three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Their ace was pitching well. They had the momentum. And a victory would tie up the Wild Card race with five games to go. But then Kevin Millwood walked Derrek Lee on five pitches. And then he walked Miguel Cabrera on seven. He got Juan Encarnacion on a fly out, but the wheels were about to fall off.

A 1-0 pitch that he will have nightmares about. A 1-0 pitch that may be enough to let Phillies fans say goodbye to the one-year rental of a pitcher without so much as a second thought. A 1-0 pitch that got out of the playing field so quickly you would think it was in a hurry. In fact, it may have been in a hurry: it may have been trying to get to the playoffs.

Mike Williams replaced Millwood; Dan Plesac replaced Williams; and Carlos Silva replaced Plesac. Three pitchers, two hits, two walks, one sac fly, and two more runs scored. 5-3. Good night. Good season. But not good enough.

But the efforts of Williams, Plesac, and Silva didn't matter. All that mattered was that one pitch; the one pitch that tied the game, swung the momentum, and realistically ended the Phillies' season.

So if someone asks you what happened to the Phillies in 2003, show them this moment. They'll understand.

Ready for the weekend

What a game yesterday's was. In the sometimes-working comment section, Mike Morley mentioned how it "was as exciting as a playoff game". I wasn't lucky enough to be there, but thanks to radio and MLB Gameday radio, I was able to listen to it. Unfortunately, I was listening to it while working, so sometimes my attention was torn. But here were my thoughts as I was listening...

Pregame: Tom McCarthy is interviewing 3B Travis Chapman. The two talk about Chapman's spring training experience in Detroit's camp, Alan Trammell's influence, and how Chapman felt when the Tigers told him he was going back to the Phillies. Chapman concludes the interview by saying that just to have the opportunity to sit in the major league clubhouse, put on the major leage uniform, and get an at-bat last week in Atlanta was thrilling. McCarthy mentioned that he hopes Chapman gets a few more at-bats this year and can pick up that first hit. I agree with that. From everything I have seen, Chapman is a steady bat at third; smart and consistent. And from what I heard, he's a pretty good guy, too.

Just before the game started, I was pulled away from the radio for a bit. I returned after the first inning, as each pitcher set down the opponent easily. The same happened in the second and again in the third, and then the fun started.

Top of the 4th: Is it me, or does Derrek Lee always seem to step up against the Phillies? He doubled to start off the fourth, and something just told me that it would be a long inning. Lee's double was followed by a walk to Juan Encarnacion, bringing up Jeff Conine. Conine set down the sacrifice, which Millwood fielded cleanly. He went to first, but his throw was too high. Conine was safe, and everyone moved up -- Lee scored and Encarnacion went to third. Uh oh...door opened. Miguel Cabrera then dropped a single into right, scoring Encarnacion and moving Conine to third. A sac fly by Alex Gonzalez, and just like that it was 3-0. Had Millwood's throw been on target, he probably would have only saved one run. With Conine out, it would have been runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out, and Cabrera's single would have likely scored them both. But the error occurred, and the Phils were down by three.

The Phillies couldn't counter in the bottom of the inning, and with the wind picking up and the rain rolling in, I started to wonder if the Phillies would be able to make a move before Isabel did. Millwood got the Marlins 1-2-3 in the fifth, and then the Phillies made their move.

Bottom of the 5th: Tomas Perez led off the inning. In the last few weeks, the commentators have been stressing the need to get Placido Polanco back to third for fear that Perez was wearing down with the everyday play. Yet, even with Polanco's return, Perez has been in the starting lineup at second. And in the bottom of the 5th yesterday, they were glad he was. There's nothing like a Harry Kalas "Outta Here!" call during the work day to get you going. But it was still 3-1 Florida.

Two quick outs tempered my excitement a bit. Then Polanco walked, and Abreu singled. My attention shifted to my work for a few minutes (how dare I?!?), but I was snapped back to reality but Kalas's next moment (paraphrasing, because I can't remember the exact verbiage): "Lieberthal pops it up, towards Derrek Lee. Lee goes back for it. The wind is taking it! IT'S GONNA FALL IN! BOTH RUNS WILL SCORE, AND THE GAME IS TIED AT THREE!"

Work? What work? End of five, game's official, but the score is still tied. At this point, my co-worker comes in to ask me what happens if the rain comes and they are still tied.

Co-worker: "Will they have to continue it at another time?"
Me: *nodding* "I think they actually start over at this point."
Co-worker: "Oh, that would suck."

Yes, yes it would.

Top of the 6th: Millwood looks strong and re-energized by the comeback the inning before, and strikes out Encarnacion and Conine to start the inning. He gets two strikes on Cabrera, and Larry Anderson says something along the lines of how strong and unhittable Millwood is looking. Oops. The words no sooner fly out of his mouth than the ball flies out of the stadium. 4-3 Marlins, and I am once again praying for the rain to hold off just a bit longer.

The Phillies go down in order in the bottom of the 6th, failing to get to Millwood's spot in the order, and thus a pinch-hitter. Millwood calms all fears in the top of the seventh by setting the Marlins down in order.

Bottom of the 7th: Things are starting to get iffy. Burrell hits for Millwood and pops up. Marlon Byrd grounds out, and suddenly the commentators are saying about Dontrelle Willis what they were saying about Millwood in the 6th; he's getting stronger as he goes. Thanks, guys! The jinx works on Willis as it did Millwood, and Polanco lines a shot into the left-field seats. 4-4, and the crowd (and my office) is rocking. Abreu doubles off the wall in left-center, and just like that Willis goes from dominating to done for the day. Chad Fox comes in and gets Lieberthal to foul out quickly to end the rally.

Rheal Cormier comes in in the top of the 8th and sets Florida down, keeping the momentum on Philly's side. And all we needed it for was one more batter.

Bottom of the 8th: Jim Thome leads off. He, of course, has homered in each of the first two games of the series, and I am dying for one more. Thome swings and misses at two quick strikes from Fox, and then fouls two more off. He works three straight balls out of Fox to fill the count. And then...

...my phone rings.

See, that's the bad part about the tech support aspect of my job. You never know when someone is going to call with a problem. And our front-desk receptionist chose now to call me. With one ear, I am listening to her explain the problem. With the other, I am listening to Scott Graham call the 8th pitch of the at-bat.

Thome swings and drives it. Graham calls it, his voice rising. As the ball goes over the wall, it is all I can do not to drop the phone and scream out myself. Outside, I am dealing with the tech support call. Inside, I am celebrating madly. 5-4 Phillies. Three outs to go.

The Phillies threaten to add an insurance run later in the inning, but Jason Michaels was nailed at the plate. Meanwhile, the radio guys tried to stop my heart. As Cormier's spot in the order was coming around, I heard "Look who's up in the bullpen." My heart sunk...they couldn't be bringing him in; not in a 5-4 game with playoff implications; not at home; not NOW! I was kicking my desk...

...but it was all for nothing. It wasn't Mesa in the 'pen, but Mike Williams. I know, not much better, but still...it didn't matter anyway. Cormier batted for himself, walked, and came back out for the ninth.

Top of the 9th: Pop out. *Yes.* Ground out. *Yes!* Foul out. *YES!* Game over. A little jumping up and down and I can work again.

But it was one hell of a game. Wind, no wind. Rain, no rain. Playoff implications everywhere. And it was just a knockdown type of day, and I felt like I was knocked down.

The win, once again, cut the lead to 1/2 a game. The Marlins head to Atlanta for four; the Phillies stay here to host the Louisville Reds for three. There is no playing around anymore. There is no opportunity to let one slip away. The Phillies need to take advantage this weekend. They need to go down to Florida with a lead in hand, not playing from behind in their place. The weekend has to be the difference. Every game, every play, every pitch counts right now.

But then again, when Superman is carrying you on his shoulders, things look pretty good. Call me biased (and I am), but Thome gets my MVP vote. Where would the Phillies be without him? Fourth place? Fifth? Just my thought...

Blown Away

Oh, how I wish I had been there. Today's game, which I listened to on the radio, was outstanding! Millwood did just enough to keep the Phillies in it, after falling behind early. An early home run by Tomas Perez got the Phillies on the board; a later one by Placido Polanco tied it at 4 in the 7th; and a late one by none other than Jim Thome won it in the bottom of the 8th. And congratulations to Rheal Cormier, who came in and shut the door on the Marlins late in the game. 5-4, and nine innings of great baseball. I'm breathless.

Half a game, again, with the Reds coming to town tomorrow, Isabel permitting.

News and Notes

Jayson Stark gives the nod to the Phillies in the Wild Card race. Why? Well, experience, for one.

Placido Polanco missed his 16th straight game last night, but is expected to be in the starting lineup at 3B tonight. The pain has gone away, and he was able to run full-speed yesterday.

David Bell continues to work out -- without pain -- and still hopes to return by the end of the season. Larry Bowa isn't as confident as his third baseman, so we will continue to play this one day-by-day.

P Terry Adams, who has been out since Thursday night, just after he returned from the DL, had an MRI yesterday on his throwing elbow. The results showed loose bodies in the elbow, and surgery was recommended. A procedure would likely end his season, but he and his agent are seeking a second opinion.

Round One: Philadelphia

Statement made.

Game and a half lead? Cut to half a game. Eight-game winning streak. Gone. Marlins' magic over the Phillies? Disappeared. And all thanks to some timely hitting and a Vicente Padilla masterpiece.

The Phillies came out last night and absolutely spanked the Marlins, 14-0. The Phillies pounded out 17 hits, drew five walks, and -- here's the key -- only struck out four times. A four-run first inning got the team started, and a seven run eighth capped the night in style. The only shame is that none of that carries over to tonight's game.

Marlon Byrd led off the top of the first with a single, and he was followed by Jimmy Rollins who had a single of his own. A stolen base by Rollins and the Phillies had second and third with no one out. The crowd (and yes, there was a crowd) was waving their "rally towels" and was rocking, and you just had a feeling it would be a pretty good night. After Bobby Abreu was unable to advance the runners, Jim Thome was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Mike Lieberthal. Key at-bat: Lieberthal, a .400 career hitter off of Marlins' starter Carl Pavano, dumped a flare into center, which landed in front of Juan Pierre. Byrd scored, and Rollins -- who read the ball perfectly -- was right behind him. Just like that, it's 2-0 Phils. Had that ball hung up just a bit longer, Pierre makes the catch. Byrd may have been able to tag up and score, making it 1-0; but that's 1-0 with two outs now, and makes for a completely different inning. A Chase Utley RBI double and a Pat Burrell RBI groundout followed, and it was 4-0 after one.

The top of the second was the key inning. Staked to a four-run lead, it was in Padilla's best interests to set the Marlins down quickly and keep the Philly momentum going. A pair of two-out hits had Florida threatening, but Padilla got SS Alex Gonzalez to ground out to Rollins to end the inning; the Marlins never threatened again.

Padilla went eight strong shutout innings to pick up his 14th win of the year -- the fourth Phillie to reach that mark this year. He allowed just three more hits after that second inning, struck out six on the night, and did not walk a batter. He seemed to trust his off-speed stuff last night, more than he has all season, and used it well. He completely fooled Ivan Rodriguez in the first inning by actually throwing two -- *gasp!* -- two off-speed pitches in a row. A night like last night had to make Joe Kerrigan smile. Carlos Silva was called on in the ninth to protect a 14-run lead. Hell, even Mesa could have held that one.

Offensively, it was a team effort, but it was Mike Lieberthal's night. Lieberthal went 2-for-5 on the night with six RBI -- he had his two-run single in the first, and capped off the night with a grand slam in the eighth. Byrd and Rollins set the table all night long, as they combined to go 6-for-11 with five runs scored and two RBI. Every starter had at least one hit besides Padilla, who was robbed of a base hit in the middle innings by 3B Miguel Cabrera, who made a diving stab of a low liner. In fact, all of the starters had at least two hits, except for Padilla, Abreu, and Thome. Abreu and Thome had one apiece, and Thome's is still traveling. He launched his 41st homer in the 6th inning, upping the lead to 7-0. All of the starters scored a run except for Padilla and Utley, and all but Padilla and Byrd had an RBI. It was the kind of night where Ricky Ledee, a pinch-hitter for Padilla in the bottom of the 8th, got two at-bats despite not playing the field. It was that kind of night.

While Byrd and Rollins set the table for the Phils, Padilla did an excellent job of keeping Florida's table-setters -- Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo -- off the base paths (a combined 0-8). As those two go, so goes the Florida offense. And last night, the offense went right back to the bench. That's how the Phillies would like to see it go the next two nights, as well.

So the Phillies came out last night, crunched Florida, and made a statement. So what does that mean for tonight? Absolutely nothing.

That's the magic of baseball, folks. 14 runs last night mean nothing when the first pitch is thrown. If any team knows that, it's the Phillies. Before last night's explosion, the Phillies had scored in double-digits 15 times this year. They have only gone 8-7 in the games that follow. Tonight starts 0-0, and the Phillies have to do it all over again.

But this time, they have the momentum. This time, they have the confidence. This time, they want to do it again.

Game Time

Everyone ready for some fun baseball? The Florida Marlins come to town tonight to start a three-game set; a three-game series that will go a long way to determining who will be this year's National League Wild Card winner.

The Marlins come to town leading the Phillies by a game and a half in the Wild Card Chase. The Phillies have 12 games remaining; the Marlins have 13. Six of those games will be against one another -- three here in Philly this week, three more in Florida next week. At the very least, the Philly press thinks it's an important series:

Ideal time for Phils to turn tables on Marlins -- Todd Zolecki, Philadelphia Inquirer

There's nothing fishy about high-flying Marlins -- Marcus Hayes, Philadelphia Daily News

Phillies finally get their turn to hit one out of the park -- Sam Donnellon

Phillies vs. Marlins: The reel deal -- Ed Barkowitz

The stage is set for Phils, Marlins -- Jim Salisbury, Philadelphia Inquirer

Heck, even nationwide, reporters are feeling this series:

Phillies, Marlins open key series -- Indianapolis Star, IN

Phillies in 'sudden death' vs. Marlins -- Rocky Mountain News, CO

Sudden death. I am not sure that I would go to that extreme, because even if the Phils and Fish split the six games, the Phillies have six more games to make up that 1 1/2 game deficit. Much tougher to do, yes, but not impossible.

Regardless, the Phillies do not want to count on those six "other" games. They want to take on Florida head on, they want to make a statement, and they want to win. Straight up, no questions asked. A split would not kill the Phillies, but they are looking for more than that. They want a sweep this week. They want to go from 1 1/2 down to 1 1/2 up in the standings. And if the manager is any indicator, they are not messing around:

"I don't think you're happy when you take two out of three right now," Bowa said. "I don't think you should be. You've got to try to go for perfection right now. You've got to try to sweep people. And trust me, Florida is a good team. We've got our hands full."

Hands full, huh? Is that what you call it when a team has your number? Florida leads the season series with the Phillies nine games to four. They have won eight straight in the series. The Phillies have not defeated the Fish since April 15. A lot has happened since April 15.

After the game on April 15, the Phillies were 9-5, tied for first in the NL East with the Expos, three games up on the struggling Braves, 3 1/2 ahead of the Marlins. Jimmy Rollins was hitting .297 in the leadoff role; David Bell was in the lineup at 3B; Ricky Ledee was getting significant time in CF; and Joe Roa was the starting pitcher.

Now, Rollins is buried deeper in the lineup, Bell is on the DL, Ledee can't get Marlon Byrd out of the lineup, and Roa is in San Diego. Oh, and the Braves made up that three game difference and have run away with the division -- again. More importantly, the Marlins have swung the difference around five games, and hold the current 1 1/2 game lead over the Phillies.

Yes, the Marlins have taken the last eight, but they have not run away with them:

April 16: Florida 3, Philly 1
April 17: Florida 7, Philly 3
July 4: Florida 2, Philly 1
July 5: Florida 5, Philly 4
July 6: Florida 6, Philly 3
July 25: Florida 11, Philly 5
July 26: Florida 10, Philly 5
July 27: Florida 7, Philly 6

Eight games: three one-run losses, four games scoring less than four runs. Three bullpen losses (Mesa and Williams, for the surprised). The Marlins haven't made it look pretty, but they have gotten the job done. The question is, have they gotten in the heads of the Phillies. On the season, here are some batting numbers against the Marlins:

Byrd: .263 (10-for-38), 6 runs, 1 HR, 5 RBI
Polanco: .262 (11-for-42), 5 runs, 1 HR, 5 RBI
Abreu: .295 (13-for-44), 6 runs, 2 RBI
Thome: .260 (13-for-50), 7 runs, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Lieberthal: .375 (15-for-40), 8 runs, 5 RBI
Burrell: .186 (8-for-43), 5 runs, 3 RBI
Rollins: .260 (13-for-50), 3 runs, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 3 SB

Do you see anything spectacular in there? How about the pitching numbers:

Millwood: 4 GS, 1-1, 6.75 ERA, 21 H, 15 R, 20 IP
Padilla: 3 GS, 1-2, 5.51 ERA, 15 H, 10 R, 16.1 IP
Wolf: 2 GS, 1-1, 4.09 ERA, 8 H, 5 R, 11 IP
Myers: 2 GS, 0-1, 5.06 ERA, 15 H, 6 R, 10.2 IP

Also not good. The bullpen has been slightly better:

Adams: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R
Plesac: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R
Wendell: 7.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R
Cormier: 7.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R -- all 5 of those runs came in one outing at the beginning of the season

I'll ignore Mesa's and Williams's numbers for my sanity.

So what do all of these numbers mean? Absolutely nothing. The Phillies have to go into this series with the mentality that it's a whole new ballgame. It's time for the Thomes and Millwoods to step up and lead this team. It's time for the Lieberthals and Abreus to make a difference. It's time for the Wendells and Plesacs to show that they have been here before. It's time to make a statement, and just go out and win. And the time to do that is right now.

The Phillies haven't been to the postseason in 10 years, but they brought Thome and Millwood in for just this reason: to show Abreu and Burrell and Rollins and Byrd what September baseball is supposed to be about. The Marlins haven't been to the postseason since they won it all in '97. But all of those key players were gone in '98. Pudge Rodriguez has been to the postseason, and so has recent acquisition Jeff Conine. But Derrek Lee? Mike Lowell? Juan Pierre? They have as much postseason experience as the core of the Phillies. So who has the upper hand? The team that remains within itself and can grab that upper hand over the next three days.

Pitching matchups for the series:

Tuesday: Padilla (13-10) vs. Carl Pavano (11-11)
Wednesday: Myers (14-7) vs. Mark Redman (12-9)
Thursday: Millwood (14-11) vs. Dontrelle Willis (13-6)

Enjoy the games!

Playoff Bullpens

Jayson Stark has an article up on ESPN.com, ranking the bullpens of the prospective playoff teams. He ranks the Phillies 7th out of the 8th NL teams still working their way in. The reason for such a low ranking? The man with the red and blue gloves.

What players/scouts say: "I don't know what to make of the Phillies' 'pen. You never know how they'll use it. And they don't know who the hell to give the ball to at the end." ... "They just don't have the whole package. I've never liked (Jose) Mesa as a closer. He beats himself as much as you beat him. But Cormier has been phenomenal."

Check out the entire review...

Other News and Notes

Placido Polanco worked out the other day, and says his injured leg is improving. He hopes to be back in the lineup tomorrow night, giving the Phillies a much needed boost and improved defense at third.

David Bell worked out earlier this week with no pain in his back. He is set to take live BP early this week as his next test, and we'll see how he responds.

Amaury Telemaco will be skipped in his next turn in the rotation. He is scheduled to pitch on Thursday in the Florida series finale. Instead, Kevin Millwood will go that day on 4 days rest. Telemaco will instead pitch at home on Saturday, against the free-falling Reds.

A lost weekend...or, Ending on a high note

The title you choose to lean towards depends on your view of this weekend's games.

The Phillies jumped on Atlanta early on Thursday night and held on for the win and the series split, to pull within 1/2 a game of the Marlins entering play on Friday. The Phillies sent Atlanta down to Miami to beat up on the Fish while they traveled to PNC Park to take on the Pirates. All in all, it seemed like the perfect time to make up some ground and reclaim the Wild Card lead. Instead it was a weekend of wasted chances.

Amaury Telemaco took the mound on Friday night, and had his problems. He lasted just 5 2/3 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. The bullpen wasn't much help either. Dan Plesac left the game two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh, and in game Mr. Kerosene -- I mean, Jose Mesa. Mesa gave up a home run to Reggie Sanders, turning a 3-run Pittsburgh lead into a 6-run Pirates lead. The Phillies scored two in the top of the 8th, but by then it was too little, too late.

Kevin Millwood was the starter on Saturday, and the Phillies looked to the ace to get them back in the win column. Ummm, no luck. Millwood did not have "ace" stuff again on Saturday, giving up five runs on seven hits in just five innings of work. He did not have much help behind him defensively or at the plate, but the Phillies still found themselves crawling out of a 5-0 hole. They got three back in the sixth, but it again proved to be not enough.

So while the Phillies were floundering in Pittsburgh, the Fish were frying the Braves. (Bad, I know.) A come-from-behind thriller on Friday night, and an early statement on Saturday, and the Marlins had stretched their lead to 2 1/2 games over the Phillies heading into Sunday's games.

The Phillies finally woke up on Sunday and got some help from the Braves in a comeback of their own. Trailing 4-3 entering the ninth, Bobby Cox brought Javy Lopez and Chipper Jones off the bench to spark a five-run, ninth inning rally to avoid the sweep and beat the Marlins 8-4. Meanwhile, the Phillies were led by the violently ill Randy Wolf and an offense that was firing on all cylinders.

Wolf, who suffered a case of food poisoning and spent most of Saturday night...ummm, rejecting his food...managed to go 6 1/3 innings. He wasn't sharp (five runs on eight hits), but after being staked to a 10-1 lead, he really didn't have to be. The offense dinked out 14 hits, 12 of which were singles. Everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit, and all but Todd Pratt and Chase Utley scored at least one run. Wolf even helped his own cause (required speech when a pitcher does something with the bat) by going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jimmy Rollins, Bobby Abreu, Jim Thome, and Utley also had two hits apiece, and Thome drove in three.

So the Phillies managed to preserve one game in the three-game set, AND pick up a game on the Marlins. They are home today, relaxing. Yes, after 27 straight days of baseball, the Phillies get a well-deserved day off.

They finished the 27-game stretch at 13-14 -- pretty darn good for a stretch that started 1-9; not so good for a stretch that included a 9-1 stretch. Again, it all depends on your outlook on it. My outlook is that the Phillies 1) survived the thing to begin with, and 2) finished it still within sniffing distance of the playoff spot. 1 1/2 games with 12 to go may seem like a lot -- but it really isn't when six of your last 12 are against the team you trail.

The Marlins come to town for three crucial games beginning tomorrow. I will break down the series tomorrow, but it goes without saying that the Phillies need this series. The Diamondbacks, Cards, and Cubs seem to be falling backwards in the race, and I don't think the Dodgers have enough offense to make it work. So that leaves the Phillies and Florida. And the winner will be the team that comes out of these six games with the upper hand. So these three games, with the Marlins here at the Vet, are the three most important games the Phillies have played all season; maybe even since 1993. And no, I don't think I am overplaying it.

In the meantime, the Phillies rest...and get ready.