Hamels' shutout sends Phils to Championship Series

Cole Hamels' five-hitter completed the sweep of Cincinnati as the Phillies dispatched the Reds 2-0 in Game 3 of the Division Series.

Beerleaguer: Good pitching beat good hitting this series as Joey Votto and the league's best offense were completely erased by Phillies pitching. Hamels was a buzzsaw in cutting up the Reds all night long with the change-up. Bookended by Roy Halladay and Hamels tonight, the Phillies held the Reds to a MLB record low 11 hits for a playoff series. Hamels, coming off a disappointing 2009 postseason, improved to 7-0 lifetime against the Reds and wore the face of machine-like stoicism in striking out nine. Meanwhile, the offense barely broke a sweat again, benefitting from an Orlando Cabrera throwing error in the first that led to a run. Later on, Chase Utley tagged the Phillies' first post-season home run with a solo shot in the fifth. Other than that, it was a very quiet series by the bats.

All told, the Reds were completely outmatched by the powerful Phillies, who established the pitching template they were expected to follow this postseason. The Phils host Game 1 of the NLCS Saturday night against the Giants or Braves, who meet tomorrow at 7:30 in Game 4. Some parting words to take you into the long week ahead, from Johnny on the Spot Beerleaguer EastFallowField:

"I'm gonna miss hearing about the Reds great offense, and great defense, and Chapman's unhittable stuff while watching the exact opposite with my own lying eyes."

Comments

[p. Red]

For as many playoff series' this team has won over the past few years, it is a little surprising this is their first sweep.

Feels good.

[cut_fastball]

(repost) Ricky Bo's just had his "moment" about Howard/Werth's power drop-off. Let's go guys!!

[cjp]

Potential topics for the next five days:

*Greatest/Favorite all-time Phillies by letter of the alphabet (last name)

*Werth's beard vs. Bake McBride's 'fro

*Scawniest Phillie of all time: Jim Kern, Kent Tekulve, Von Hayes, or Marvin Freeman

*Schmidt's wig vs. Wheeler's rug

*All-time nightmare broadcast team (mine: McCarthy and Andy Musser, with Jim Jackson covering the middle innings)

[The Theory]

Wow, good stuff. I didn't get a chance to watch this game in an ideal situation--was at a bar for the game with a friend and we didn't have a great view of the television. But that stat is unbelievable--holding the statistically best hitting team in the NL to 11 hits for a series? Good stuff.

Good start by Hamels.

[EastFallowfield]

I'm gonna miss hearing about the Reds great offense, and great defense, and Chapman's unhittable stuff while watching the exact opposite with my own lying eyes.

[Fatalotti]

The Phillies scored 7 earned runs over 3 games and just swept out the best offensive team in the NL, with relative ease.

The Phillies offense will liekly get better, and the opponents offense is going to get much worse.

No need to fear.

[Old Phan]

Braves or Giants = Not Scary.

[NEPP]

Here's to hoping the Braves force a Game 5.

[Steve]

season=over....errrr wait a second....

[Hugh Mulcahy]

There's nobody in the tournament that this team should be 'scared' of. Plenty of teams worthy of respect. No real cause for celebration, though. A loss in the NLDS would have been a real disappointment. No gimme in the next round. If Atlanta gets by SF, though, teh loss of the Rat should loom large.

[EastFallowfield]

So taking the eight day schedule just means we had an extra day to chat about the no hitter in Game 1 without a Game 2 to distract us.

[Bob]

Really happy for the entire team, but especially for Hamels. He's pitched so well this season; very glad to see this one work out for him, and no question, he was completely dominant.

It's going to be a long 5 days. Hope Jason has planned some special threads to keep the dialogue going.

Nice to see the Phils taking this happily, but sort of matter of factly. They don't seem complacent, but more like being on a mission.

Loving the win and the play by Hamels and Halladay, but not loving the way the team overall is hitting. However, it does seem like Utley is pretty dialed in. Average isn't great but he's hitting the ball hard, could easily have had 2 HRs tonight.

[NEPP]

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/numlocation.php-pitchSel=430935&game=gid_2010_10_10_phimlb_cinmlb_1&batterX=0&innings=yyyyyyyyy&sp_type=1&s_type=1.gif

The most impressive thing about Cole's outing was the ridiculously small strikezone he was working with. He was majorly squeezed throughout the game and he simply dominated the "best offense in the NL". Look at all the green squares in the zone...insane how effective he was in spite of that.

[GBrettfan]

Derrek Lee must be in the media's brains. Matt V. on MLB just said it's Lincecum v. Derrek Lee in next SF-ATL game. :)

[GBrettfan]

I mean Baumgartner. My bad.

[NEPP]

Proposed lineup for the rest of the way:

Vic
Polly
Utley
Howard
Werth
Ibanez
Ruiz
Rollins
(Pitcher)

The "best" lineup would have Chooch higher up but I know that will never happen. Rollins in the 8 spot would be ideal though.

[The Greene Brothers]

Halladay will be pitching on something like 10 days rest in game 1. That is absurd. Additionally, this is going to be a great opportunity for guys to clean up their bruises.

[CJ]

Cole Hamels is mentally weak. If he weren't, he would have thrown a shutout. He's no Doc Halladay.

[CJ]

NEPP: Really? There's a chance that Charlie changes the lineup? And after Rollins got on base twice? Doesn't make any sense. Not much reason for it at all. The lineup we saw these last two games will be the lineup the rest of the way unless someone gets hurt. Period.

[NEPP]

****NEPP: Really? There's a chance that Charlie changes the lineup? And after Rollins got on base twice?****

Well, Rollins in the 6th hole is a brand new thing. Hopefully the full week off helps with his hamstring so he's a bit more effective.

[Malcolm]

Anyone see Oswalt behind Dubee in the dugout conversation? Holy crap it's hilarious.

[limoguy]

Can't remember being as glued to the TV.

May very well be watching history being made.

I like what one of the other guys said about being happy for the team.

[Diggitydave]

Congrats to Cole - tonight truly showed the evolution of what once was a promising young player with a ton of potential, but now who has learned to harness that potential and combine it with experience and maturity into becoming a dominant, patient and smart pitcher. Whereas before he would rely on his stuff alone (not to mention his 2 pitches - fastball and change), now he attacks hitters with a plan and incorporates all four of his pitches very effectively.

It will certainly get tougher from here on out, but the Phillies will guaranteed not face an offense in the next series that approaches what the Reds were statistically. That just supports the notion even stronger that they can ride these pitching performances to success for at least one more round until the offense will have to wake up eventually...

[The Truth Injection]

I'll be honest too- Seeing Scott Rolen have the series he did AND be the last out brought a smile to my face.

[NEPP]

Rolen looked very old in that series. His defense is really down from what it used to be.

He's still good but he's not nearly the guy he once was. He also looked simply overmatched by our pitching.

[PhilliesDude]

I didn't realize that the Phillies had never swept a team in the playoffs before (thought maybe one of their older teams had). That's another awesome first for them.
Also think that it's really cool that they have 5 guys who have started 33 consecutive playoff games together. Never happened before in baseball and a trib to the core of this team.
Can't wait until Saturday. Ironically the break may be good for some of the players but it's hard on this fan!

[Fatalotti]

We talking earlier about who the better pitcher was: Hamels or Sanchez.

Both had GREAT outings today, but just like the LIncecum/Halladay debate, Hamels did his against a far superior offense.

Sanchez was dominant today, but Hamels was just better.

Look forward to seeing these guys pitch in the NLCS. Expect Oswalt to come out much better.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Where can I see a clip or pic of this Oswalt thing?

I missed it during the broadcast.

[Jim]

Congrats fellows...

Amazing job beating the best offensive team in baseball without hitting at all!!!

Cole Hamels is an absolute beast, they had no prayer against him tonight...

Hopefully the offense will wake up, which they have to...it's impossible for them not to..

and hopefully Atl wins tomorrow and they keep Mitch from Dazed and Confused out of Game 1

[loctastic]

Oswalt smiling behind Dubee during the game: http://plixi.com/p/49953494

[PhilliesDude]

If anyone has the time to answer this question it would be cool: I know that I boo and I hate Scott Rolen but I'm not quite sure the exact reason for why I do???

[Bob]

Yeah, just saw the graphic on Rolen: 1-11, 8 strikeouts, 0-2 w/RISP, and how many, 3? errors. Kind of surreal it's so bad.

I would not be surprised if you could make a case that he had one of the worst performances ever in the post season for a player of his caliber (multiple all star games, golden gloves, cleanup hitter on a powerful offensive team, etc.) Announcers were saying he was hurting...

I remember breathing a huge sigh of relief every time they got Votto, but being confident they would handle Rolen. I think people watching the games with me got sick of my saying about both of them, "Careful with this guy, he is sooo way overdue." Strange.

[NEPP]

I'm looking at the Reds roster/payroll for next year. They're obviously not gonna exercise Harang's option, I figure they'll probably use Arroyo's option so they have a veteran presence. At $11 million, its a bit steep but he's pretty solid for them and he will slot in pretty well in the 3 spot behind Volquez & Cueto. Their rotation should be decent next year with some combination of Volquez, Cueto, Wood, Arroyo and Chapman.

They have Votto, Volquez & Cueto all in their 1st year of Arbitration so that'll mean some pretty hefty raises to all 3. Rolen is back for 2 more years at just over $8 M per (pretty good deal if he remains productive) Cordero is owed a ridiculous $12 million next year (makes Lidge's deal look great in comparison) Bruce and Stubbs are automatic renewals in the $400 K range (probably the best $800K deal in baseball right there for that level of talent, eh?) Phillips is back for one more year for $11 million. And they have a handful of other automatic renewals and Cabrera has a mutual option that will likely not be exercised by one of the parties. Its a 1 year, $4 million deal that is quite reasonable.

Their payroll was $76 million this year and I'm guessing they'll need to raise it a little bit from that to keep it up next year.

They're a good young team.

[Tray]

"The Phillies offense will likely get better,"

Whoa whoa whoa, I can't see why. Those Giants pitchers are twice the pitchers Volquez, Cueto and Arroyo are. Then about this:

"Sanchez was dominant today, but Hamels was just better."

Hamels did pitch longer but it's not Sanchez's fault he got pulled, or that he has an earned run to his credit. Hamels did face a better lineup - he also didn't strike out half the batters he faced. Or only give up two hits, both singles (he gave up 5, one double). I mean, how well would Sanchez have to have pitched for you to say that he pitched just as well, in spite of the difference in offenses they faced? Would he have to strike out 15 batters and given up no hits for you to call those outings comparable?

[bay_area_phan]

This series was very reminiscent of the 1976 NLCS: an experienced, playoff-tested borderline dynasty against a young upstart team, with an impressive lineup, that isn't quite ready to play in the bright lights of October. Of course, in the 76 series, the Phillies were that upstart team & the Reds were the borderline dynasty. The Reds won the series in a 3-0 sweep.

[Jim]

@dude

At the end of his tenure here, he didn't want to be here anymore, let it be knowing he was going to walk, gave insane contract demands to stay, he wanted to be one of the highest paid players in baseball which he wasn't deserving of that, and he also wanted a stipulation in his contract that the Phillies had to be a top 5 payroll team in league or he could opt out....plus he never embraced the city or the fans

[NEPP]

It seems like our hitters sometimes hit good pitchers better than average pitchers so I wouldn't be shocked if we simply rolled the Giants (or Braves...yeah right) in 4-5 games.

[Jim]

@bob

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!!!

[Tray]

You boo Rolen because he asked out of here, claiming we weren't committed to winning. Though at the time that was how the fans felt too. As recently as, what, 2006, maybe even later, Philadelphia Magazine ran an article on how cheap and miserable our owners were and how all our homegrown talent would go to waste because Claire Betz would never pay to put the necessary pieces around it. It was very much the conventional wisdom at the time.

[raul's grandpa]

I just hope this team plans on settling down at home and taking plenty of BP this week and not signing stuff and making appearances.

[bay_area_phan]

It only took 107 years since the advent of post-season play, but the Phillies can finally claim that they have swept a post-season series.

[PhilliesDude]

@Jim and Tray

Thanks! It's always better to know why I hate an opposing ball player!!

[Jim]

First postseason cg shutout to end a series since beckett against yankees in 03

[Jim]

But Tray is right at the time the things Rolen was saying were true, the thing with the fans we saw him as our franchise player, and when he wanted out it was 2 years before ballpark was opening, and we knew once that happened things would get better, but you know what I am glad we have had all the success without that biotch!!!!!

[krukker]

EFF: Well said, and props to JW for quoting you in the header. For all we've heard about the Cincinnati defense, they made costly mistakes. The Phillies, to their credit, pounced on those mistakes.

The best thing is, even without those errors, the Phils are still up 2-1 in the series with Halladay ready to go tomorrow. Sure, the Reds made mistakes, but it should not take anything away from what the Phils accomplished.

Speaking of bad defense, what must be going through Brooks Conrad's head right now? He has to be terrified of anything hit anywhere near him. I kinda feel sorry for him, almost...

[Jim]

If Atlanta wins tomorrow Mitch won't be able to go until Game 3 of NLCS unless they would go with him on 3 days rest in Game 2 which is Sunday....so no balls at Brooks Conrad tomorrow

[PhilliesDude]

Well I heard Rolen wore out his welcome in St.L eventually too so maybe when he was younger he was a bit of a prima donna. Now he just looks older to me and not that clutch or impressive.

[Dreamer]

Tray...for a Giants fanny seem to post on a Phils blog quite frequently.
Hamels pitched a CG SO. That's generally considered to be better than anything less. Let me guess, you also think Lincecum pitched a better game than Halladay's no-no

[Dreamer]

And yes that would be "fan you", not fanny

[Jim]

@Dude...LaRussa rips him bad in his book that Buzz Bizzinger co-wrote with him, but Tony isn't the happiest person on the planet either...

But for all the talk that he is a bad clubhouse guy, Ricky Bo who played with him said he was a good guy, and Ricky says it how it is, so if he was a bad guy Ricky would say.

[Dukes]

Jim, that's a bit of revisionist history. We were told that things would get better when the new ballpark opened, but we didn't know it until Thome signed. If you would have told any Phils fan that the team would spend like they are spending we'd all have fallen off our rockers.

And in regards to Rolen - as much as everyone "hates" Scott Rolen, I might be the only one who is actually saddened by the whole thing. It's a cryin' shame it worked out the way it did. I mean, how sweet would it have been to have have Howard, Utley, Rollins, and Rolen as our home grown infield all those years?

All told he's really not a jerk. In fact, from what I can tell he's a pretty nice guy. He struggled some with hard line managers like Bowa (let's admit it, Bowa would have been difficult to have as a boss) and I know he had trouble with Larussa, too. But how many of us can't stand that guy? I actually heard he went and apologized to Larusa and was even willing to come back to the Phillies upon leaving the Blue Jays. And did you see the fight between the Reds and Cardinals earlier this year? Scott Rolen was the one trying to stop the thing.

What I'm getting at is this...I'm convinced people "hate" him because it masks the sadness they feel about what could have been. It's a coping mechanism.

[NEPP]

****It only took 107 years since the advent of post-season play, but the Phillies can finally claim that they have swept a post-season series.****

If you look at the Phillies over the last 35 years only, we are actually a pretty respectable franchise. Since 1975, we've made the playoffs 11 times, won the Pennant 5 times (basically once every 7 years), won 2 WS and put up a .512 winning percentage (2924 - 2785 overall)

[PhilliesDude]

@ Jim
You made me think about something ....Do the Phillies have any players who aren't good clubhouse guys?? ...and have they had any for a few years or since Burrell ripped up Billy Wagner??

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Thanks Loctastic

[Jim]

@dukes

I will admit I was hopeful things would change when the ballpark opened I was a little more optimistic when I was in my 20's , and I just wanted to see a winner...

but you do have to admit his demands were insane, no team is going to guarantee a player that the team is going to rank at a certain place in the league in payroll or he can opt out, that is where I started to dislike him....they wanted to make him the cornerstone of the franchise and he wanted nothing of that, it is right to do that, but as a fan, it is my right to hold a grudge and root against him because of that.....

[NEPP]

Do all the people that hate Rolen also hate Curt Schilling? I mean, he did the same exact thing.

Also, if we had never gotten rid of Rolen, we dont sign David Bell and Bell was a big part of getting Thome to sign here (they were very good friends and Bell begged Thome to sign with us over the other suitors)

[bay_area_phan]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but was that really Korbel champagne that the Phillies had in their locker room? I mean, I know it's only the NLDS and almost none of the champagne actually gets drunk anyhow. Still, imagery like that won't help ownership shake the "cheap" reputation that has dogged them for so many years.

[NEPP]

****@Dude...LaRussa rips him bad in his book that Buzz Bizzinger co-wrote with him, but Tony isn't the happiest person on the planet either...****

LaRussa rips a lot of guys. He's not exactly the best judge of character.

[Jim]

Wagner was a jerk......there were rumors about Myers, but I always liked him...

I think you have to go back to the whole Abreu, Millwood, Wagner, Rolen group....I am not sure what those guys were like in the clubhouse, but I always thought they were guys who wanted to come to work and punch the clock, put their work in and leave, and guys like Utley, Rollins, Howard live to win....but it is easier to say that when you win

[NEPP]

**** Still, imagery like that won't help ownership shake the "cheap" reputation that has dogged them for so many years.****

Gotta save the Mumm's for the special occasions.

[ozark]

Cole's final pitch was a 95mph heater. Pretty damn impressive. Cut the cheese all night. Pity the fool sitting next to him in the dugout.

[Jim]

I hate Schilling, but not because of why he left, he is an unsufferable blowhard that never shuts up

[Dukes]

@Jim...

I never heard anything about his demands, but that doesn't mean what you are saying isn't true. I did hear that the Phillies offered him a 140 million 10 year contract and he turned it down.

By the way, only the first paragraph was directed right at you, Jim. The rest was just kind of in general.

[NEPP]

****I hate Schilling, but not because of why he left, he is an unsufferable blowhard that never shuts up****

Oh yeah...as a person, he's an insufferable a-hole.

Put him on the mound and give him the ball and he was awesome. Hell, his teammates pretty much universally hated him too if all the rumors are true but they loved watching the man work.

[Jim]

@nepp

I said the truth about what Larussa said in his book, but that's why I threw that in there, he is a jerk, so for Dudes sake I wanted to remind him the jerk LaRussa is not to think Rolen is a jerk just because Tony says so...

[mw]

With post-season victories included, the Phillies have now won 100 games in each of the last three seasons.

They're now 23-9 in the post-season during that time.

[Jim]

@nepp

I agree he is the definiton of a bulldog on the mound....my reasons for dislike of him is just like Rex Ryan he never shuts the hell up

[PhilliesDude]

I think I heard Utley say on radio post-game that the champagne wasn't up to his liking but he was glad that they had a great reason to drink it anyway.

[NEPP]

**** I did hear that the Phillies offered him a 140 million 10 year contract and he turned it down.****

Imagine if he had signed that deal. He'd still have another 2 years left on his contract.

I will give him credit in that it obviously wasn't about the money as he signed a smaller deal to stay in STL at 8 years, $90 million (leaving $3.75 million per season on the table)

Walking away on the deal cost him $37 million in the long-run...ouch.

[Jim]

@dukes

those demands were reported, not sure if it was true, and I remember the contract was in that ballpark, and if I remember correctly that is another reason why fans hated him, at that time 14 mil a year was probably a top 10-15 highest paid player in the league, and how could he turn it down when the Phils were trying to make him the cornerstone of the franchise

[Fatalotti]

Tray, Hamels and Sanchez both gave up 0 runs, but Hamels got more outs, and Hamels did it against a superior offense.

Hamels pitched better.

[Dukes]

The guy to me who best exemplifies that terrible and boring early 2000's team is Travis Lee. Talk about a guy who just punched the clock. He had so much potentional and he didn't come close to realizing it. I think he got like a 10 million dollar signing bonus from the Twins or DBacks. From day one it seemed he couldn't wait to sit back on his earnings.

[MG]

At the Eagles-49ers game tonight most of the Eagles' fans had some piece of Phils' gear and vice versa with the 49ers' fans and Giants' gear.

BTU- Wilson is almost guaranteed to become villified quite quickly in the NLCS. He looks ridiculous with his jet black dyed beard and his antics will quickly earn him the ire of Phils' fans.

[ozark]

Why the Schilling talk? 8 wins away from Broad Street.

[Jim]

Rolen is almost like Lindros to me, I loved them both when they were here as players, but when they left, they both gave us reasons to dislike them, and as a fan I jumped on those reasons....

[NEPP]

****BTU- Wilson is almost guaranteed to become villified quite quickly in the NLCS. He looks ridiculous with his jet black dyed bear****

What, you're not a big fan of the Macho Man Randy Savage (NWO Era) look?

[Jim]

@Ozark

wasn't he a really high draft pick....because I was dumb enough to think he was going to become something when we got him

but LOL he was great with the glove, but so was Rico Brogna.

[Fatalotti]

Apparently, Hamels last pitch of the night was clocked at 95 mph. Even if the gun was hot, the fact remains that his last fastball of the night was as fast as his first fastball of the night.

He was dialed in tonight. Fun to watch.

[Jim]

I meant @dukes

[NEPP]

Lindros did give us possibly the greatest open ice hit in the history of the NHL. Granted, he was the recipient of it and not the giver but that hit that Scott Stevens put on him in the 2000 ECF was ridiculous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Z7-XRPcrw

[Jim]

@fatalotti...He was between 94-96 all night a few times he was in the 90-91 range...didn't you just love how it was all fastball early and then as the game went on and they started to get jumpy on his fastball he started throwing a few more change-ups and cutter, he had them perplexed a thing of beauty

[NEPP]

Travis Lee was a very high pick but he slipped through a loophole and signed as a free agent. It was another one of Scott Boras's attacks on the June Draft. Worked out really well as Lee never lived up to his hype.

[Jim]

@nepp

sorry I don't think I can watch that again, cause it will remind me of the puck going off of Primeau right to Elias and probably costing us the cup...

I never understood why Lindros took so much heat during his career here, he was everything that you could have asked for, at the end sure, but I never understood it, and the reasons I say that I can understand why some don't understand why all the hate towards Rolen.

[Jim]

And Boras made a mil off of it if he got 10 mil......damn he has a great life

[Dukes]

Yes, Travis Lee was supposed to be the big piece of the Schilling deal. turns out Figgy was!

I'll end my Rolen stuff with this...he's definitely not my most hated ex-phil. Wagner is. Wagner continues to bash Philly when I feel as though we weren't really that hard on him. He talks about how we booed him when he didn't hit 100mph, but I felt like that was more out of a wow factor and not a real boo. And he deserved to get booed with his antics against the Astros. Real players say "I sucked, so I got booed." Not that guy. The only downside of this injury that he has is that we can't beat him in the NLCS.

[NEPP]

Lee was the 2nd overall pick of the '96 draft...selected immediately after #1 overall Kris Benson (ouch) and Braden Looper (#3 overall). That was the year we picked Eaton in the 1st round.

Looking at that 1st round it was a really weak draft.

Standouts include #18 RA Dickey, #20 Eric Milton, #22 Gil Meche, #9 Mark Kotsay, #10 Eric Chavez, #21 Jake Westbrook and #34 Jason Marquis. Obviously some legitimate MLB talent but no superstars by a long shot. Basically the year of the overpaid mediocre pitcher

[Fatalotti]

Lost in all the hooplah. Our bullpen going 4 shutout innings in game 2, holding the Reds to 4 runs, whilst they imploded in the later innings.

[Dukes]

NEPP - that's right, I forgot...it was a loophole. I think he signed with the Twins but it somehow fell through and the DBacks signed him as a free agent for a cool 10 million. The guy has probably never worked a day in his life.

[Jim]

Did Wagner not say that the Phillies would never win a championship because of their fans?

[NEPP]

Travis Lee was a San Diego State Alumni...same school as Strasburg and current Phillies minor-leaguer SS Troy Hanzawa.

[Fatalotti]

If you're a Philadelphia sports fan, what more can you ask for today:

Phillies win and advance to NLCS.

Braves lose.

Eagles win.

Cowboys lose.

What a day!

[Jim]

But I would agree I hate Wagner more than I hate Rolen, I think I hate Drew more than I hate Rolen because of the circumstances that surronded that, it is great that he didn't have the career that he and Boras thought he would...

[NEPP]

****Did Wagner not say that the Phillies would never win a championship because of their fans?****

Probably. Wagner said a lot of things. He was and is a POS that has never won anything in his career. And he never will...too sweet.

[RSB]

And you thought it was bad for the Phillies in the '07 DS...

The Reds will be back. They have a nice future, especially in a perpetually lackluster division. Add Travis Wood and Homer Bailey to the three starters we saw in this series, and that's a strong rotation to go with a plus bullpen and a young, dynamic offensive core.

If it wasn't already official, Hamels placed himself firmly in the company of the other two 'aces' with that gem tonight, which outdid any of his stellar '08 post-season efforts. I have never come out and said it, mainly because I've become a less regular poster here, but I of course was completely wrong about Hamels. I was one of those guys, if not the one leading the charge, postulating that he was an insufferable prima donna who was destined to keep getting in the way of his own success. I'm stunned by the way he completely regained his career momentum and turned back into the most mature, focused, and confident pitcher you'd ever want to see, sort of gradually at first early in the season but far more rapidly than I ever would have given him a chance to. Many kudos to Cole, and I'll gladly take my lumps for being so wrong about him.

[Jim]

07 was sweet when Burrell took him deep in the series that started to turn everything around

[PhilliesDude]

I remember it being reported that Pat the Bat confronted Wagner in the clubhouse and told him he wasn't a real Phillie with his attitude. The other Phils like Utley and Rollins all sided with Burrell in that confrontation.

[NEPP]

I dont really hate Rolen all that much...he basically voiced the same complaints I voiced in the late 90s/early 00s. He played on some awful awful teams and there wasn't much light at the end of the tunnel for him. There were no real indications that the Phillies would ever raise payroll even when CBP opened...at least not when he left in '02.

[Jim]

@dude

I do remember that, we all know this is a tough town to play in, and some get it, burell was the best he got booed as bad as everyone, but understood why he was getting booed, others like Wagner and Rolen never got it, which I understand Rolen a bit he was a midwestern kid that didn't like the spotlight.....Wagner is just an a-hole

[Jim]

@Nepp

I honestly never thought Rolen was out of line, but as a fan I still hate him, because I always think one of the fun things about sports is to hate your rivals, hate is always good for sports.....that is if you keep your hate under control

[PhilliesDude]

Yeah Wager continued to dump on the Phillies and Philadelphia. When he was asked a question about returning to the Phillies last year I think when the mets were looking to trade him, he stated he absolutely would not play on for that team (Phillies) or those fans again.