We’ve talked a lot on this blog about the Phillies consistently being in the mid-80’s in wins for the last several years, and it seemed for 95% of the season that this year would be no different. But, defying the odds, the Phillies went 11-3 in their last 14, to bring their record to 90-70. This is only the 12th time in franchise history that we’ve reached 90 wins. So let’s just keep this post short and enjoy it for now.
1899: 94-58
1915: 90-62 (Lost WS to BOS 4-1)
1916: 91-61
1950: 91-63 (Lost WS to NYY 4-0)
1964: 92-70
1976: 101-61 (Lost NLCS to CIN 3-0)
1977: 101-61 (Lost NLCS to LAD 3-1)
1978: 90-72 (Lost NLCS to LAD 3-1)
1980: 91-71 (Won WS over KC 4-2)
1983: 90-72 (Lost WS to BAL 4-1)
1993: 97-65 (Lost WS to TOR 4-2)
2008: 90-70 (TBD)
Magic number is 1. Got Jamie Moyer going tomorrow. Let’s hope we don’t even care what happens Sunday.
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
“This is only the 12th time in franchise history that we’ve reached 90 wins.” We? Do you play for the Phillies.?
damn it feels good to be a front runner.
Milwaukee has a one game lead in the WC chase and I’m thinking Mets collapse (just a hunch). Who would we rather play, Manny Ramirez or the Brewers?
Mark...C’mon, are you kidding? How do you speak about the teams you are passionate about? For me, it’s us (Phillies, Sixers, etc…) against them (everybody else), and we (fans) are all a part of us.
90 wins in 1964, not 1962.
slimtom54-
thanks…late night typo. fixed it.
Mark-
im a part of the phillies whether they like it or not!
Pete: Nice headline!
Morty...In response to your post from last night, fear not. So far, I’m 2 for 2 with my prediction from the other day. I said that the Phils would win Friday (check) and Saturday, and that the Mets would lose one to the Marlins either Friday (check) or Saturday. The offense has awakened, we are facing Lannan today–we have hit him well in his 3 previous starts against us, and we have Moyer on the mound. Al of that tells me the Phils will wrap it up with a win today.
The Mets are going all in today by using Santana on 3 days rest. If it doesn’t work, they are toast. Even if it does work and they remain alive until tomorrow, I’m thinking the Marlins are going to hang another loss on them in the season finale (If Glavine were starting for the Mets, I’d be sure of it.)
The Brewers have regained their footing and have now won 5 in a row. With the Cubs not using all their top guns and the Brewers having Sabathia ready to pitch tomorrow (which would be his 3rd consecutive start on 3 days rest), I see the Brewers taking the wild card.
Raro...I’d rather face the Brewers, even though they are playing better of late. At the risk of getting too far ahead, here’s how I hope it lays out:
Our best of five, first round series is scheduled for 10/1, 10/2, 10/4, 10/5, 10/7.
Sheets is pitching for the Brewers today. He is not 100%, so I’m thinking they will not get much from him and have a good chance of losing today. That would force them to pitch Sabathia tomorrow. If that happens, I’m hoping his first playoff start wouldn’t come until game 3 on 10/4. That way we would only have to face him once. Sabathia is the only one to really worry about. We can handle the rest of their staff.
On our side, when we win today, Hamels will not need to pitch tomorrow, meaning that he will be available for game 1 on 10/1 and again for game 5 on 10/7, if needed. That should work in our favor.
bski’s got it right.
Thanks, Pete. A play-in game would be great, but I don’t think the Mets are going to overtake the Brewers. Also, the Rockies beat the Padres in a play-in game last year and that didn’t work out so well for us.
The vibes I’m getting tell me that Sheets won’t have much and the Brewers will lose today. Meanwhile, the combination of having their backs against the wall and Santana on the mound will be enough for the Mets to win today, but I think they are going to have to push a bit, possibly needing to work their bullpen pretty good.
Tomorrow, the Brewers will pitch Sabathia and win, while the somewhat overextended Mets will lose and fall out it.
Just my general sense of things, for what it’s worth.
The big man is on a roll. Question: Why doesn’t anybody drill him with a fastball to the ribs? Has that part of the game gone the way of the complete game and the suicide squeeze? They say Dickie Noles turned the Series in ‘80 by flipping Brett. Seeing as how the surging Howard theatrically spits in his glove, points his bat menacingly/provocatively in the direction of mound & centerfield fence and waits comfortably for a fat one, it’s a wonder pitchers don’t take exception to the grandstanding and attempts at intimidation. Drysdale, Gibson, Perry, McLain and their likes would’ve, I’m sure.
jjg: You should just dust off the ol’ heater and take him on yourself. Do it for Drysdale’s sake. The other thing is remember is that Victorino’s got Howard’s back, and don’t think pitchers don’t know that.
Looks like the Phils took a Zyrtec to eliminatte that 90 win allergy!!!
Morty, Boy would I love to give it a shot! He does deserve some “chin music” or “rib-ticklers”. If only for the diamonds in his ears. And self-admiration of HRs.
Victorino?? May be quick, but I bet he’s got a glass jaw. Crazy, but small. Another hot dog.
When watching games, often think I could sit a few batters
down – like a million other delusional fans. How many have you struck out this year?
Signed, Walter Mitty.
You say “crazy, but small,” I say small, but crazy.
Go Phils!!!
jjg: Are you secretly John McCain, and Ryan Howard is hanging out on your on your lawn? Never mind if the big man will be named MVP, tough to do that in my mind, but J Roll was the MVP of this game. Respect is due to Jimmy for never taking his batting, and off-the-field problems, into the field.
PHILLIES!!!!!!! GO PHILLIES!!!!! WIN AT ALL BABY!!!
I mean IT ALL!!!!
Morty…You’re dead on about today’s MVP. Rollins made 3 fantastic plays, without which we lose.
I got enough anxiety from Madson’s 8th, then Lidge’s 9th almost caused a full blown panic attack.
Great to see them come through and lock up the division today (although they didn’t get to Lannan as I had expected). That makes me 3 for 3 in the prediction department. Now we will see if my extended prediction about the Mets and Brewers plays out tomorrow.
I didnt want to get into the prediction game because I feared upsetting the baseball gods. Fortunately, they just toyed with us and we won the division anyway.
But seriously, several days ago I had a feeling things would work out exactly the way they did. Why, you ask? Because last year, it was Deaf Awareness Day and Jamie Moyer was the starting pitcher when the Phillies clinched.
This year I bought tickets for Saturday’s Deaf Awareness game well in advance (yes, I’m deaf as a post and damn proud of it). But earlier this week when I learned that it would be Moyer’s turn to pitch, that was one hell of a deja vu all over again. That’s when I had a really good feeling about what was about to happen.
I highly recommend the Phillies bring back the deaf choir (yes, there is such a thing) for every playoff game just for good luck. Sort of like Kate Smith with a hearing aid. Deaf Power!
All right, I’ve calmed down. But it was a hell of an electric atmosphere. Jimmy’s glove won the game. I need some antacids. Looking forward to the playoffs big time.
If you were to watch the last play of yesterday’s game with objectivity, you’d term Rollins’ pickup and flip a good play, not a great one, though it successfully capped a season-long struggle. The over-the-head catch in shallow center was a great one. The one-hop shot that he nabbed head-high, a good and somewhat lucky one. No cheers for Jimmy though from me, as he thinks I am (and – don’t forget – you are) a frontrunner. I’ll never cheer him as my base principle – respect - runs wider than the mere winning of games, no matter the stakes. In the big view, ”a good little player” is the perfect encapsulation for ‘J-Roll’.
jjg-
you aren’t really going to be bashing a player the day after we clinched back to back division championships, are you?
it takes a lot more than one frustrated quote for me to turn my back on a player for a lifetime.
Pete: Amen to that.
I’m with Pete. Didn’t Larry Bowa once call us the worst fans in the world? Water under the bridge. It’s a long season and sooner or later someone says something they wish they hadn’t. I think Ricky Watters’ infamous “For who? For what?” was much, much worse than anything Bowa or Rollins could have said.
Regardless of what he said (and Rollins confided to none other than Bowa that “frontrunner” was the wrong word to use), at least Rollins was sticking up for his teammates. If by ticking off a city he unites a team, I’m okay with it.
I do agree that the pickup and flip was merely a good play by Rollins’ standards. But it was freaking GREAT timing.
Pete, Maybe your former employment and connections with Phillies leads you to a cheerleading disposition, especially in high times. I offered a convictioned perspective on Rollins, not a “bashing”. I thought blogs were about free speech. Please excuse me for being so rash as to render a real opinion; I’m a little bit upset as I recently read ”the universe collaps[ed] on itself.”
jjg-
Morty, Are you secretly Alan Colmes? Or John Stewart?
OK, have it your way – “small, but crazy”. In the land of the disputatious, syntax is king; I get the “refinement”. I say he’s a rabbit puncher. Tiny bubbles.
“Respect is due to Jimmy” by those who choose to genuflect to a cocky, flippant multi-millionaire who couldn’t care less about fans’ welfare. Don’t count me in.
THROW OUT THOSE SUMMER MAGAZINES – ORTON OVER MCNABB!
Pete, Appreciate your reply. I’m done with my Rollins
commentary. No doubt he’s a good player and mainstay of Phillies.
Pete, ‘Infer’ is to draw conclusion based on available info;
‘imply’ is to indirectly suggest. Hope you don’t mind this didactic mention.
jjg: Alan Comes?? Now you’ve gone too far! That’s a low blow, mister!
By they way, don’t worry about that universe collapsing thing. It must be localized, because I’m not seeing any effects here in Center City.
Morty, Colmes, according to Wikipedia, began career as stand-up comedian. Bet he was a real hoot. In reconsideration, my apology for the guessed association.
Center City … reminds me of Horn & Hardart’s automat – insert the nickels, open the glass, get out the lemon merangue pie.
Wow, I had to “trust, but verify” to make sure that Colmes as comedian thing was true. And it is! Reading his entry, I also discovered a quote comparing him to the Washington Generals – so true.