Apart from having an elite starting rotation, potent offense, and stable bullpen, the Phillies have another thing in their favor: three straight years of post season experience.
The Giants, Reds, Braves, Padres are all newcomers to the October stage. When a team reaches the post-season for the first time, the feeling can be a little overwhelming as the level of intensity cranks up several notches. A team that has just made the playoffs for the first time after battling through a grueling 162 game schedule is generally satisfied with just making it to the playoffs, and when the playoffs start, they sometimes don’t have anything left to give.
The Phillies experienced this when they first made the playoffs in 2007. The team had battled through an up and down season and had just finished an incredible comeback to take the division from the Mets. They had home field advantage over the wild card Colorado Rockies. The team was feeling good about their position, but when it came time to play they came out flat and were swept in three games. It was as though it took everything the Phillies had just to make the playoffs, and after riding the emotional high of clinching the division, didn’t know what to do next.
When the Phillies returned to the playoffs in 2008, they were better prepared for October. They came back with better focus and intensity, and were hungry for more than just another division title. They had little trouble with the Milwaukee Brewers (another example of a first time playoff team that was just happy to be there) in the NLDS. And in the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays were experiencing the first successful season in the history of their franchise. They had a remarkable run throughout the regular season, and in the American League Playoffs, but they seemed to hit a wall after the emotional high of defeating the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the ALCS.
Prior post season experience won’t show up anywhere on the stat sheets, but it is an intangible that absolutely factors into October games. It’s just one more thing working in the Phillies favor as they try to win their second World Series in three years.
yes we r winning it all this yr
building a dynasty here in philly
im so glad to be a part of this
Paulman’s Playoff Pedictions
Phils over the Reds in 4 games
Braves over the SF Giants in 5 games
Phils over the Braves in 5 games for the NL Pennant
Phils over the Twins in 6 Games for the World Series
WS MVP is Ryan Gload who hits 4 Pitch-Hit Home runs in the 9th Inning of every game
to Win the WS…
(C Hamels/R Oswalt are a close Second with great pitching perfomances through-out the entire Playoffs)
“WS MVP is Ryan Gload who hits 4 Pitch-Hit Home runs in the 9th Inning of every game”
I lol’d. I would love it if that happened.
PM: Come on man, I wouldn’t take those odds if someone handed me the $$ to bet, especially the Gload MVP thing… 4 pinch-hit HR’s by same guy. He’s no Reggie Jackson! I think the NC tropical storm rains this week have waterlogged your head…LOL!
Actually think the MVP will either be Halladay or Werth.
i wish the 1st series wasnt best of 5 but who cares in the words of my main man moses malone
we r going
three
fo
fo
i truly smell a sweep of the whole damn thing
I am going with Hamels/Ruiz as Co-MVP’s
Hamels goes 4-0 with a 1.18 ERa in 32 innings pitched while KO 27 batters and 5 Base on Balls
Ruiz bats 389 with 2 HR’s but 8 RBI’s and throws out all attempted base-stealers…
After the Game and award Ceremony, “Chicks and Pete’s” Sports Bar legally changes their name to
“Cole & Cooch’s”….