Sept. 30 -- AUDIO: NLDS PREVIEW

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, before today's workout at the Bank, I sat down with Mike Radano of the Camden (N.J.) Courier Post to discuss the NL Division Series between the Phils and Brewers. We talk a little about how the pitching match-ups, and we discuss why, with CC Sabathia looming on Thursday, Game 1 may be the most important game for the Phillies.

Want to listen? Sure you do. Please click here: R09_0056.mp3

Sept. 30 -- BREWERS WERE 'TIGHT'

BY SCOTT LAUBER

No room in The Paper for this note, but lucky for us, Martin Frank contributes it to The Blog:

CC Sabathia didn't pitch when the Phillies swept a four-game series from the Brewers from Sept. 11-14. Before the series started, the Brewers had a four-game lead over the Phillies in the wildcard race. A day after it ended, managerNed Yost was fired and it seemed like the Brewers' playoff hopes were about to fade for good.

Even Sabathia was starting to wonder.

"The last time we were here, it was a little weird in the clubhouse," he said. "That was the first time I had ever seen [tightness] out of this team because it's a pretty loose team. Everybody is usually playing around, joking around and having fun. That was one of those moments where it got weird a little bit."

Third-base coach Dale Sveum replaced Yost, and Sabathia noticed a difference right away, even though it didn't show in the standings until the final week, when the Brewers won six of seven games to clinch the wildcard berth on the final day of the season.

"After the whole thing went down, people relaxed," Sabathia said. "It relaxed everybody and let us focus on being players. [Sveum] defined guys' roles. Guys know exactly when they're playing and when they're not playing."

Sept. 30 -- BREAKING: BURRELL INJURED?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just in: Pat Burrell left today's workout with discomfort in his lower back while taking batting practice. The official word from the Phillies is that he'll be re-evaluated tomorrow. So, if Burrell is unable play, who will play left field? Geoff Jenkins or Matt Stairs would be the best bet.

More as we get it.

Sept. 30 -- LIDGE HONORED; HAPP STILL HERE (UPDATED)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Greetings from the Bank. The Phillies are taking batting practice on the field right now, wrapping up their hour-long workout. A few notes from a morning/early afternoon spent in the clubhouse:

1. Brad Lidge was honored, but surprised, to learn that he has been selected as the NL Comeback Player of the Year by the 30 team reporters from MLB.com. "At first, it was kind of a little weird for me," Lidge said. "I was tremendously honored. But I also had a [3.36] ERA last year. I didn't think it was that bad. But I'm tremendously grateful for it. I think, when I look at '06 and '07 as a whole, those years were not what I'm capable of doing. So, I kind of look at this as a bounce-back from those years as a whole."

2. J.A. Happ (above) is still with the team, and there are indications that he'll be on the playoff roster. The Phillies have until 10 a.m. tomorrow to file their roster, and it appears they'll take all of their allotted time. If Happ makes the team, it'll mean that either another pitcher (Rudy Seanez?) or a position player (So Taguchi?) will be excluded.

3. The Brewers have announced their playoff roster, which includes 12 pitchers (Dave Bush, Eric Gagne, Yovani Gallardo, Seth McClung, Guillermo Mota, Manny Parra, CC Sabathia, Brian Shouse, Mitch Stetter, Jeff Suppan, Salomon Torres, Carlos Villanueva), two catchers (Jason Kendall, Mike Rivera), seven infielders (Craig Counsell, Ray Durham, Prince Fielder, Bill Hall, J.J. Hardy, Brad Nelson, Rickie Weeks) and four outfielders (Ryan Braun, Mike Cameron, Tony Gwynn, Corey Hart).

More in a bit.

(Updated, 4:30 p.m.): Happ has confirmed that he's been told he's on the playoff roster and will serve as a long reliever. Still no word on who has been left off.

Sept. 30 -- READY TO RUMBLE?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Almost time to head over to the Bank for NLDS workout day. The Brewers take the field at 1 p.m., followed by the Phillies at 3 p.m. We'll hear from Game 1 starters Cole Hamels and Yovani Gallardo, managers Charlie Manuel and Dale Sveum (almost typed Ned Yost), and much more. Over the past 24 hours, information on game times and starting pitchers has been trickling in, so here's the full schedule as we know it:

Game 1: Wednesday, 3 p.m., at Philly, Gallardo (0-0, 1.88) vs. Hamels (14-10, 3.09)
Game 2: Thursday, 6 p.m., at Philly, Sabathia (11-2, 1.65) vs. Myers (10-13, 4.55)
Game 3: Saturday, 6:30 p.m., at Mil., TBA vs. Moyer (16-7, 3.71)
Game 4: Sunday, TBA, at Mil., TBA vs. TBA
Game 5: Tuesday, TBA, at Philly, TBA vs. TBA

***
Admit it: You love Charlie Manuel. After being mocked and ridiculed for nearly three years, Manuel is the toast of the town. Amazing, isn't it, what winning will do?

***
Pat Gillick said he still intends for 2008 to be his final season as a GM, but in a conversation with The News Journal yesterday, he left the door slightly ajar for a potential return.

***
Jimmy Rollins didn't quite match his MVP season, but he may have saved the Phillies' with his glove, as Martin Frank writes.

***
Who needs tickets? Be prepared to empty your wallet.

Gotta run over to the Bank. More in a bit.

Sept. 29 -- HAMELS VS. ... GALLARDO

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just in from Milwaukee: The Brewers have selected right-hander Yovani Gallardo as their Game 1 starter Wednesday at the Bank. Gallardo, 22, has pitched just once since tearing the ACL in his right knee on May 1 in Chicago. He went four innings last Thursday against Pittsburgh, allowing three hits and one run while striking out seven. He was solid last season for Milwaukee, going 9-5 with a 3.67 ERA. In perhaps his best career start, he allowed one run in 6-2/3 innings and struck out seven in a victory over the Phillies on Aug. 3, 2007. Here's the box score from that game, courtesy of our friends at Baseballreference.com.

Looks like the Brewers' only other choice to start Game 1 was right-hander Jeff Suppan, but he allowed six runs on eight hits in only 3-2/3 innings Sept. 14 against the Phils at the Bank. No word yet on the Brew Crew's Game 2 starter, but I'd be willing to bet on CC Sabathia pitching on short rest again.

(Update, 9:03 p.m.): Sabathia, in fact, will start Game 2.

Sept. 29 -- ROTATION SET: HAMELS, MYERS, MOYER

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, we already knew that Cole Hamels will start Game 1 of the NLDS. The Phillies have decided on right-hander Brett Myers for Game 2 and lefty Jamie Moyer for Game 3.

Not a tremendous surprise. Myers has a far better ERA at home (3.01) than on the road (6.21). Also, the Brewers have struggled against right-handed pitching, and Myers tossed a complete game against them on short rest on Sept. 14.

***
Also, a bit of book-keeping: To complete the Aug. 30 trade for outfielder Matt Stairs, the Phillies have sent lefty Fabio Castro to the Blue Jays.

Sept. 29 -- HOW THE EAST WAS WON

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Over the past few months, I've been talking a lot to Gary Matthews. You see, Sarge and I are writing a book about the 2008 Phillies, a project that I'll undoubtedly mention (and shamelessly promote) over the next few months here at The Blog. And when we sat down at the Bank before the Sept. 11 series-opener against the Brewers, Sarge wasn't optimistic that the Phillies -- then 3-1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East, four behind the Brew Crew in the wild-card race, and coming off a losing series against the Marlins at home -- would make the playoffs.

A day later, his tone changed completely.

What happened?

Well, Jamie Moyer pitched on three days' rest, and the Phillies scored a bunch of early runs off Ben Sheets in a 6-3 win. Knowing that the Phillies wouldn't have to face CC Sabathia (Brewers manager Ned Yost refused to start him on short rest), Sarge thought, and I agreed, that things suddenly were looking up for the Phillies. Sure enough, they won the next three against the Brewers, sweeping a four-game series. Then, they traveled to Atlanta and won three straight at Turner Field. The Sept. 11 win started a streak of 10 wins in 11 games that put the Phillies back into first place and in complete control of their playoff destiny.

By the time the Phils arrived at the Bank yesterday, the champagne was discarded, the clubhouse had been dry-cleaned, and Charlie Manuel decided to start the junior-varsity lineup in a meaningless season finale against the Nationals. So, I decided to chat up Manuel and a few Phillies players to find out if they thought the Brewers series was the season's critical turning point.

"That series was pretty big," Chris Coste said. "We knew we probably had to sweep them to put ourselves in a spot to contend for the wild card. Even if we'd won three out of four, it was only a two-game swing. Getting the sweep kind of gave us the confidence to know, OK, now there's two ways to get in. It gave us more control of our destiny."

Manuel added, "That series, for me, it felt like a must. We talk every day about how important that day's game is, but that series right there was a must. We made some ground that series. That got us back and put us in good position. When we swept the Brewers at home, that made our position much better, and it got us hot at the right time."

And that's how the East was won.

***
Geoff Jenkins has stayed in touch with many of his former Brewers teammates, and after watching them win the wild card yesterday, he has one message: Congratulations and worst of luck in the playoffs.

***
Sunday was a memorable day for Lou Marson, who may be the Phillies' catcher next season. Also, within the notebook, we have more on Cole Hamels starting Game 1, Shane Victorino's bruised shin, the possibilities for the playoff roster and a few other odds and ends.

***
Are the Phillies more prepared for the postseason after going through last year's sweep by the Rockies? We'll find out Wednesday, Martin Frank writes. Until then, when the Phils actually take the field against the Brewers, it's just speculation.

***
Want to re-live Saturday night's clinching victory? Sure you do. Check out News Journal photographer Ginger Wall's photo gallery.

Sept. 28 -- PHILS VS. BREWERS, FLOYD VS. FREDDY

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, by now, you know. The Brewers won, the Mets lost, and it'll be Milwaukee coming to the Bank for the best-of-five NL Division Series. What you may not know (it was released by MLB within the hour) are the game times and TV schedule. Without further ado, then ...

Game 1 -- Wednesday, 3 p.m., at Philly (TBS)
Game 2 -- Thursday, 6 p.m., at Philly (TBS)
Game 3 -- Saturday, 6:30 p.m., at Milwaukee (TBS)
Game 4 -- Sunday, TBA, at Milwaukee (TBS)
Game 5 -- Oct. 7, TBA, at Philly (TBS)

***
Talked to Greg Golson and J.A. Happ after today's game, and it seems they're both heading to Clearwater to stay sharp by playing for the Phillies' instructional-league team. That means that they won't be on the playoff roster. The Phillies don't have to submit their roster until 10 a.m. Wednesday, but the speculation can start right now. Here's my guess -- strictly a guess! -- for the 25 players.

Pitchers (11): Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey, Scott Eyre, Rudy Seanez.
Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste.
Infielders (6): Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, Greg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett.
Outfielders (6): Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs, So Taguchi.

***
While the Phillies enjoy a day off tomorrow, former Phils first-round pick Gavin Floyd will take the mound to try to pitch the White Sox past the Tigers and into a play-in game Tuesday against the Twins. The man on the mound trying to keep the Sox out of the postseason: Freddy Garcia. Surely, nobody here needs to be reminded that the Phils traded Floyd for Garcia in December 2006. Ah, the irony.

Sept. 28 -- HAMELS TO PITCH GAME 1

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Lots of bleary-eyed ballplayers in the Phils' clubhouse this morning. Strange lineup for Charlie Manuel, too. But we'll get to that in a moment. First things first, as in your Game 1 starter.

Cole Hamels.

Manuel announced a few moments ago that Hamels will start against either the Dodgers or Brewers on Wednesday at the Bank. No surprise there. Hamels would've started today if the Phillies needed to win, so it makes perfect sense that he'd be the guy for Game 1. Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee haven't decided if it will be Jamie Moyer or Brett Myers in Game 2. Moyer will be fully rested after pitching the clincher yesterday, and Myers has allowed 16 runs (14 earned) in 8-1/3 innings over his last two starts. But Myers pitches better at the Bank than he does on the road, so he may be the choice. As always, when I know, you'll know.

***
Shane Victorino was limping around the clubhouse today, although both he and athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said the speedy center fielder will be ready to go on Wednesday. Sheridan said X-rays on Victorino's bruised right shin were negative. Victorino's conversation with a few reporters went something like this:

Reporters: How do you feel?
Victorino: Good. I don't want to talk about it.
Reporters: Will you be ready Wednesday?
Victorino: Yes.
Reporters: And you'll be able to run?
Victorino: Sure.

So, there's that.

***
Today's lineup against Nats LHP Odalis Perez (7-11, 4.27 ERA): LF So Taguchi, SS Eric Bruntlett, 2B Tadahito Iguchi, RF Geoff Jenkins, 1B Chris Coste, 3B Mike Cervenak, CF Greg Golson, C Lou Marson, RHP Kyle Kendrick (11-9, 5.46 ERA). Keep your eye on Golson and Marson. Golson will be getting his first major-league at-bat. Marson will be making his major-league debut.

***
Running short on time before the first pitch, so I'll merely post today's links to The Paper -- from the game story that chronicles last night's 4-3 victory and the ensuing celebration; to the notebook that details Victorino's injury, Geoff Jenkins' long-awaited playoff appearance and more; to Moyer's latest clinching effort; to Martin Frank's column about how nothing ever comes easy for the Phillies.

Sept. 27 -- NL EAST CHAMPS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, it wasn't as easy as we thought.

Brad Lidge, the unflappable closer, allowed a rare ninth-inning run and was in jeopardy of allowing at least one, maybe two, more. But Jimmy Rollins dove and knocked down Ryan Zimmerman's grounder up the middle, then gathered himself and flipped the ball to Chase Utley, who pivoted and threw a strike to Ryan Howard for the double play that saved the day in a 4-3 victory that clinched the Phillies' second straight NL East title.

I'll bet 6-4-3 never looked so good on your scoresheet.

To me, the postgame celebration was more subdued than last year. Sure, Pedro Feliz rode a police bicycle on the field, and Brett Myers lifted Rollins over his shoulder. But most players that I talked to, from Rollins and Utley to Jayson Werth and Myers to Cole Hamels (the likely Game 1 starter) and Jamie Moyer said that winning the division isn't enough. Not this year. Not after getting swept in three straight games last season. Nothing short of advancing to the World Series will suffice.

The journey begins Wednesday.

***
So, would you rather see the Phillies play the Brewers or the Dodgers? Regardless of the opponent, here's the best-of-five NL Division Series schedule (game times to be announced):

Game 1 -- Wednesday at Philadelphia
Game 2 -- Thursday at Philadelphia
Game 3 -- Saturday at Milwaukee/Los Angeles
Game 4 -- Sunday at Milwaukee/Los Angeles
Game 5 -- Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Philadelphia

The Dodgers, meanwhile, have partially set their playoff rotation. RHP Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24) will start Game 1 followed by RHP Chad Billingsley (16-10, 3.17) and RHP Hiroki Kuroda (9-10, 3.84). Joe Torre said he hasn't decided if Lowe will pitch on short rest in Game 4. RHP Greg Maddux (1-4, 5.71) could be a candidate to make that start.

***
More tomorrow from the Bank on Shane Victorino's bruised shin. Expect to see a lot of Greg Golson and Lou Marson in the season finale. Kyle Kendrick will get the start before he heads off to Clearwater, Fla., to develop his changeup while pitching for the Phils' Florida instructional-league team.

Also tomorrow, we'll take our best guess at the Phillies' playoff roster, and with any luck, we'll have an announcement on the playoff starting rotation. My guess: Hamels for Game 1, Myers for Game 2, Moyer for Game 3, Joe Blanton for Game 4.

For now, enjoy some pictures from the celebration.

Sept. 27 -- IN-GAME: PHILLIES 3, NATS 2

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Right-hander Ryan Madson, who has emerged as the primary setup reliever, yielded a run in the eighth but stranded the tying run on second base by getting Elijah Dukes to hit a broken-bat grounder to third base and striking out Aaron Boone.

In a nervous moment, Shane Victorino was shaken up after colliding with Jimmy Rollins in shallow center field on a sacrifice fly by Lastings Milledge. It appeared that Victorino injured his right shin, but he has remained in the game.

Three outs to go, and if the Phillies hang on, I'll be heading down to the field. More blogging later tonight.

Sept. 27 -- IN-GAME: MOYER OUT

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, old-man Jamie Moyer wiggled out of a two-on, none-out jam in the sixth inning by getting Elijah Dukes and Aaron Boone to fly to center field and striking out Wil Nieves. And, in the bottom of the sixth, Moyer was lifted for pinch-hitter Matt Stairs.

Moyer's final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Not bad.

Chad Durbin on to pitch the seventh. If the Phillies hold on, Moyer will become the second pitcher ever to win 16 games at age 45, joining Phil Niekro (16-8 for the Yankees in 1984). It's also believed that Moyer will be the oldest pitcher to win a clinching game during the regular season. Of course, he did so almost a year ago, when he was only 44.

Sept. 27 -- IN-GAME: PHILLIES 3, NATS 1

BY SCOTT LAUBER

With a runner on second and two out in the top of the fifth, Anderson Hernandez's drive to right field hit off Jayson Werth's glove for a double, allowing Roger Bernadina to score. I covered Hernandez in the minors with the Mets, and he can play. Don't be surprised if he's the Nats' second baseman next season.

Anyway, Werth made up for his near-catch in the bottom of the fifth, belting a leadoff home run into the first row in right field to restore the two-run lead. Ryan Howard just struck out, by the way, raising his K total to 199 and matching his single-season mark from last year. Of course, Arizona's Mark Reynolds already has broken that record. He has 201 whiffs heading into the D-backs game tonight vs. Colorado.

Sept. 27 -- IN-GAME: PHILLIES 2, NATS 0

BY SCOTT LAUBER

John Lannan has lost it. After subdueing the Phils' offense for three innings, Lannan allowed two runs in the fourth on a leadoff single by Chase Utley, a single to center field by Ryan Howard, a sacrifice fly to right (on a ball that may have been foul) by Pat Burrell, a single by Shane Victorino, a bases-loading walk to Pedro Feliz and a sacrifice fly to right by Carlos Ruiz. After Jamie Moyer walked, Jimmy Rollins had a chance to extend the lead, but with the bases loaded, he bounced into a fielder's choice.

Sept. 27 -- IN-GAME: NUTHIN' DOIN'

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Three innings complete, and not much to report here at the Bank. Ageless lefty Jamie Moyer and young lefty John Lannan are locked in a pitchers' duel. But Moyer has thrown 48 pitches, Lannan has thrown 53, and neither seems to be destined to reach the late innings. Could be a battle of the bullpens, which, of course, favors the Phillies. Jayson Werth just struck out with Jimmy Rollins on second base, giving him only five hits in his last 32 at-bats. Not good.

Meantime, the Mets have blanked the Marlins, 2-0, on a complete-game three-hitter by The Johan (yeah, Santana is good), and the Cubs are leading the Brewers, 4-0, in the third inning at Miller Park.

Sept. 27 -- PREGAME: LINEUPS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just got back from the Phillies' clubhouse, where the plastic already is rolled up above the lockers. If the Phillies clinch, it will be unfurled to protect clothing and other personal belongings from the spray of champagne.

Today's lineup against Nationals LHP John Lannan (9-14, 3.86): SS Jimmy Rollins (.277/11/59), RF Jayson Werth (.271/23/66), 2B Chase Utley (.292/33/104), 1B Ryan Howard (.250/48/146), LF Pat Burrell (.249/33/85), CF Shane Victorino (.290/14/58), 3B Pedro Feliz (.249/14/57), C Carlos Ruiz (.221/4/30), LHP Jamie Moyer (15-7, 3.78).

Update from Shea: The Mets are leading the Marlins, 2-0, and Florida just left the bases loaded in the fifth inning.

Sept. 27 -- TIME TO CLINCH?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, somewhere near the Phillies' clubhouse, champagne is chilling.

Is today the day the Phils clinch the NL East?

It could happen. Quite easily, actually. If Jamie Moyer pitches the Phillies to a victory, they'll clinch. If Johan Santana, starting on short rest, can't rescue the Mets at Shea Stadium, they'll clinch. The magic number is one, and Baseball Prospectus lists the Phillies' odds of winning the division at 97.66 percent. Somehow, after last night's 8-4 win over the Nationals, it seems even more inevitable than that.

***
Beating the Nats to clinch the division? Sounds vaguely familiar. Moyer has been here, done this. Meanwhile, The Johan is the Mets' best hope to avoid a second straight September fold. And, in Milwaukee, reliever Seth McClung says, "It's good to be a Brewer." Amazing, isn't it, how five straight wins changes your entire outlook? And the Brewers can wrap up the wild card with a victory today and a Mets loss.

***
How much is Ryan Howard worth? Once again, that's going to be a big question in the offseason, and Martin Frank explored it in The Paper today. Howard's power numbers are positively historic. Simply put, nobody produces runs like the Big Man. But he's also flirting with 200 strikeouts and 20 errors (for a first baseman!), and for all of his September success, his on-base (.338) and slugging percentages (.544) are the lowest in any full season of his career.

***
Other projections, courtesy of Baseball Prospectus:
Phillies win the division, Brewers win the wild card -- 61 percent
Phillies win the division, Mets and Brewers tie for the wild card -- 27 percent
Phillies win the division, Mets win the wild card -- 8 percent
Phillies, Mets, and Brewers all finish in a tie -- 2 percent

***
Before today's game, the local chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will dole out our annual awards. The winners: Brad Lidge (Mike Schmidt MVP), Cole Hamels (Steve Carlton Pitcher of the Year), Greg Dobbs (Tug McGraw Good Guy), Jamie Moyer (Dallas Green Special Achievement).

***
Since the Phillies can clinch today, we'll try to do some live blogging during the game. So, please keep it here throughout the afternoon. Meanwhile, I'm going to go searching for some birthday cake. You only turn 32 once, right?

Sept. 26 -- JUST WIN, BABY & AUDIOFILE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Well, it's overcast here at the Bank. But the tarp isn't on the field, the batting cage is being set up, and it's business as usual for the Phillies, who need not scoreboard-watch this weekend as long as they beat the 99-loss Nationals.

No sweat, right?

Well, as I wrote in The Paper today, the Phillies usually handle prosperity like a grenade. When they took over first place in June, Charlie Manuel wanted them to make like Big Brown at the Preakness and pull away from the field. Their lead never swelled to more than four games. And, with a chance to wrap up a playoff spot this week, they lost two of three games to the Braves.

So, here we are, with the magic number frozen at 3, and the Phils having to contend with the pesky Nationals on the season's final weekend. Mike Radano of the Camden Courier Post and I just sat down and recorded our last regular-season audiofile to further discuss the big final weekend.

Want to listen? Sure you do. Please click here: R09_0032.mp3

Sept. 25 -- ROOT, ROOT, ROOT FOR THE ... MARLINS?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, as the Phillies enjoyed their final night off of the regular season, the Mets and Brewers picked up big, huge, ginormous walk-off wins.

In New York, in the rain, Carlos Beltran singled home the winning run, and the Mets turned a 6-3 deficit into a 7-6 victory over the Cubs, who didn't have Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano or Aramis Ramirez in their lineup and didn't use Kerry Wood or Carlos Marmol to halt the Mets' big late-inning comeback. Something tells me that Charlie Manuel just crossed Lou Piniella off his Christmas card list.

About an hour later, in Milwaukee, Ryan Braun belted a grand slam in the 10th inning to give the Brewers a 5-1 win over the Pirates. Good sign for the Brew Crew: Yovani Gallardo pitched well in his first start since May 1. Of course, Gallardo won't make another start unless the Brewers make the playoffs. Ben Sheets' status is still undecided for Saturday. Sheets missed his last start because of a sore right elbow.

So, as the rain prepares to invade the region, the already-taut playoff race gets even tighter. The Phillies (89-70), who have a one-game advantage over the Mets and Brewers, will host the 98-loss Nationals. The Mets (88-71) will host the Marlins. And the Brewers (88-71) will visit the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Will Piniella play his big guns this weekend? If so, how much? Meantime, check out what the Marlins have been saying about the Mets:

Mike Jacobs: "We want to kick their butt, and I'm sure they want to kick our butt. It feels good beating teams like that. [Last year] was pretty amazing going from how loud that stadium was to you could hear a pin drop when that game was over. I remember hearing some of the guys saying they saw fans who were crying, and obviously they were hanging their heads. For us to have a hand in it, it was a good feeling. I don't necessarily think they're worried because of what happened last year. I think they should be worried because we play 'em tough. And I think they know that, and I think that I'm sure they'll be up to the challenge. I wouldn't say we're in their heads. I think they need to be perfect because if they're not, they're going to have a tough time."

Scott Olsen: "Anything we can do to keep them from going on is our goal going in."

Here's a breakdown of the final series for the Phillies, Mets and Brewers:

NATIONALS (59-99) at PHILLIES (89-70)
(Phillies lead the season series, 9-6)
Tonight, 7:10: RHP Colin Balester (3-6, 4.83) vs. RHP Joe Blanton (3-0, 4.45)
Saturday, 3:55: LHP John Lannan (9-14, 3.86) vs. LHP Jamie Moyer (15-7, 3.78)
Sunday, 1:35: LHP Odalis Perez (7-11, 4.27) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (14-10, 3.09)
Hot: Nationals SS Cristian Guzman is batting .411 (39-for-95) with 19 RBIs in his last 23 games; Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman is batting .322 (39-for-121) with 17 RBIs in his last 28 games; Phillies CF Shane Victorino is batting .431 (22-for-51) with three homers and seven RBIs in his last 13 games; Phillies 1B Ryan Howard is batting .346 (36-for-104) with 13 homers and 34 RBIs in his last 28 games.
Not: Nationals INF Ronnie Belliard (strained groin) is out for the season; Nationals C Jesus Flores (left ankle sprain) hasn't played since Sept. 2; Phillies RF Jayson Werth is mired in a 1-for-25 slump; Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is hitless in his last 10 at-bats.

MARLINS (82-76) at METS (87-71)
(Mets lead the season series, 9-6)
Tonight, 7:10: RHP Chris Volstad (5-4, 3.10) vs. RHP Mike Pelfrey (13-10, 3.70)
Saturday, 1:10: RHP Ricky Nolasco (15-7, 3.55) vs. LHP Jonathon Niese (1-1, 7.07)
Sunday, 1:10: LHP Scott Olsen (8-11, 4.23) vs. LHP Johan Santana (15-7, 2.64)

BREWERS (87-71) at CUBS (96-61)
(Cubs lead the season series, 8-5)
Tonight, 8:08: RHP Jeff Suppan (10-10, 5.06) vs. Ryan Dempster (17-6, 2.99)
Saturday, 3:55: RHP Ben Sheets (13-8, 2.98) or RHP Dave Bush (9-10, 4.25) vs. LHP Ted Lilly (16-9, 4.17)
Sunday, 2:05: LHP CC Sabathia (10-2, 1.78) vs. TBA

Sept. 25 -- SCOREBOARD-WATCHING (plus, reader poll)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

It had been our intention here at The Blog to spend part of the Phillies' final regular-season off-day discussing things like the composition of the playoff roster and how, if we were Charlie Manuel or Rich Dubee, we might structure the starting rotation for the NL Division Series.

Well, so much for that.

The odds, according to Baseball Prospectus, are still overwhelmingly positive for the Phillies to both make the playoffs and win the NL East. But after back-to-back losses to the Braves, the bubbly remains in storage and the season's final weekend will be just a little more nerve-wracking.

And, really, did you expect anything else?

"It wouldn't be the Philly way," Jimmy Rollins said. "It doesn't matter what sport. We don't make things easy."

So, the Phillies will try to enjoy today's day off. I'm sure they'll sneak a peek at the Mets and Brewers scores. And then, they'll go back to work tomorrow. When they do, they'll have a team meeting. A note on the dry-erase boards in the Phillies' clubhouse last night indicated a team meeting at 3:15 p.m. Rollins said he isn't sure what it will be about, but presumably, Manuel wants to remind his players that they still control their own playoff destiny.

***
Bobby Cox concurs with Chipper Jones: The Phillies have a slight edge over the Mets because of the reliability of their bullpen. The Braves would know. Over the past two weeks, they have played nobody but the Phillies and Mets. Also, within the notebook, we have more on Hot-Dog Gate and a few words about the near-brawl between chatty Shane Victorino and volatile Braves reliever Julian Tavarez.

***
Since he pitched on three days' rest against the Brewers, Brett Myers is 0-2 with a 15.12 ERA. He was 7-2 with a 1.56 ERA in his previous 10 starts. But easily lost amid Myers' renewed struggles was another costly error by Ryan Howard, who leads major-league first basemen with a career-high 18 errors. It's the most errors by a Phillies first baseman since Dick Allen had 18 in 1975.

***
It felt a lot like 2007 at Shea Stadium last night. The Mets had runners on third base and none out in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and scored only one run in a 9-6 loss to the Cubs. "Man that's bad. That's bad. That's bad," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. Well, it certainly isn't good. Meanwhile, CC Sabathia pitched like a Cy Young Award winner -- on short rest, no less -- for the Brew Crew, who tied the Mets for the wild-card lead.

***
READER POLL: If the Mets win the wild card, the Phillies would host the Dodgers in the first round. If the Brewers win the wild card (and the Phillies win the NL East), the Phils would host the Brew Crew in the first round. If the Mets win the NL East and the Phillies win the wild card, the Phils would travel to Chicago.

So, who is your preferred first-round opponent -- the Dodgers, the Brewers, or the Cubs?

Sept. 24 -- BLAME THE PHANATIC

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, about that bomb scare ...

... the Phillies just released a statement in which they revealed that the suspicious packages near the first-base gate outside the Bank today were, in fact, hot dogs. Apparently, hot dogs had been wrapped in white packaging and duct tape to be used as projectiles in a commercial shoot starring the Phanatic. Three hot-dog projectiles were inadvertently left behind on a light post near the first-base gate.

In a related story, the Phanatic hasn't been spotted on the field tonight. Perhaps he's answering some questions downtown?

Meanwhile, in far more serious news, the Phillies are losing 9-3 to the Braves. The Cubs have rallied to tie the Mets, 5-5, at Shea Stadium. But, all of a sudden, things are getting very interesting in the NL playoff race.

Sept. 24 -- BOMB SCARE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Before games, Greg Dobbs and Jayson Werth usually walk through the Phillies' clubhouse with matching black T-shirts that read "Bomb Squad ... Defuse This!"

Well, there was an actual bomb -- and a defusion -- at the Bank today.

Three suspicious packages were found outside the ballpark, on the first-base side. The ballpark was partially evacuated shortly before 5 p.m., and several Phillies front-office members were told to leave their offices on the East side of the building. The Philadelphia Police detonated the packages and found nothing harmful. There's a rumor that the packages contained hot dog buns, but Phillies officials said they aren't aware of the contents.

Sept. 24 -- HANDICAPPING THE RACE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Morning, all.

While you continue to ponder the Phillies MVP question (please, don't forget to vote in the post below), here are a few words from Chipper Jones that may help you make your decision. Jones, who finds himself in the rare position of playing for pride during the season's last week, was asked by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution whether he likes the Phillies or Mets to win the NL East.

"The offenses are comparable, and the defenses are comparable," Jones said. "But the Phillies' bullpen [is tougher], with the lefties who can turn guys around and neutralize lefties, and [closer Brad] Lidge being so dominant at the end. With the Mets bullpen, I got a sense the last time we played them [last weekend], that nobody knows their role down there. There's a lot of confusion down there. Jerry [Manuel, Mets manager] is trying to piece it together as well as he can."

So, there you have it. A chipper outlook from The Chipper.

***
A costly error by Cole Hamels and a base-running blunder by Pat Burrell led to a Phillies loss last night. So what? Losses happen, Ryan Howard said. And while that's completely true, and one Phillies loss (coupled with a Mets win and a Brewers win) is hardly cause for panic, a repeat of those scenarios tonight could make the next few days very interesting.

***
J.A. Happ accepted the Paul Owens Award last night as the Phillies' Minor League Pitcher of the Year. And while the award is an honor, Happ has a few more souvenirs from the 2008 season that are even more valuable, namely the scorecard from his first major-league victory last week in Atlanta. Not bad for a guy who was among the Phillies' first cuts in spring training. Happ has made his case to be on the Phillies' postseason roster, and that's a possibility considering the Phils had a few injuries when Happ was called up Sept. 1.

More in a bit from the Bank.

Sept. 23 -- READER POLL: WHO'S YOUR MVP?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

On Saturday, before the Phillies face the Nationals here at the Bank, our chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will present our annual end-of-season awards. Among them, as always, will be the team MVP award. Personally, I had a tough time selecting an MVP, so I'm going to ask you: If you had to choose, who would you vote for?

a) Ryan Howard
b) Brad Lidge
c) Jamie Moyer
d) Jimmy Rollins
e) Chase Utley
f) Other

Sept. 23 -- MAGIC NUMBERS: 3 & 4

BY SCOTT LAUBER

On Sept. 11, when the Phillies opened a four-game series against the Brewers at the Bank, they were 79-67, 3-1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East and four off the Brew Crew's pace in the wild-card standings. They had just lost two of three games at home against the Marlins, and Baseball Prospectus gave them only a 16.53 percent chance of making the playoffs.

Things weren't looking good.

Two weeks later, the outlook is considerably different.

The Phils swept a four-game series against the Brewers, the start of a stretch in which they've won 10 of 11 games. They are 89-68, 2-1/2 games ahead of the Mets in the NL East and 3-1/2 ahead of the Brew Crew in the wild-card race. Their magic number for clinching a playoff berth is down to 3, and with five games remaining, they need only a combination of wins and/or Mets losses totaling 4 to clinch the NL East title. Both achievements appear to be inevitable. Baseball Prospectus gives them a 99.63 percent chance to make the playoffs and a 95.52 percent chance to win the division.

"I don't scoreboard-watch because we control our own destiny," reliever Scott Eyre said after last night's 6-2 victory over the Braves, striking a tone that was less arrogant than it was realistic. "I don't think anybody realizes how much fun this could be."

Judging by the towel-waving crowd last night, I think everyone is starting to get that feeling. During this 10-1 stretch, the Phillies are batting .279 as a team and have averaged six runs per game. Their team ERA is 3.67 and opponents have batted .225 against them.

***
Greg Golson, a baseball player with the speed of a track star, has never ran in a race he couldn't win. Last night, Golson, a September call-up after spending the season at Class AA Reading, was introduced to the playoff race. And with his blazing speed, he scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. "I just heard [first-base coach] Davey [Lopes] yelling, 'Go, Go, Go,'" Golson said after going from first to third on an errant pick-off throw by Braves reliever Jeff Bennett. "It was amazing. No knock on Reading, but it's a little louder here."

***
Last month, after the Phillies learned that the damaged ligament in Tom Gordon's right elbow was season-ending, they wondered who would pitch the eighth inning. The answer: Ryan Madson. He has allowed one unearned run in his last 12-2/3 innings, cementing the job as the setup man. And, with closer Brad Lidge unavailable last night after back-to-back stressful outings in Florida, Madson was Charlie Manuel's choice to pitch the ninth.

***
Ryan Howard is getting NL MVP buzz, but Martin Frank wonders if he's even the Phillies' MVP. After last night's game, Martin gives the nod to Lidge -- and, really, the entire bullpen. And, when you consider that the Phillies are 76-0 when leading after eight innings, it's difficult to argue.

Sept. 22 -- BIG WEEK AT THE BANK

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, it's shaping up to be a memorable week for the Phillies.

In the next few days, either tomorrow or Wednesday, the Phils will surpass 3.25 million in attendance, eclipsing the all-time single-season franchise record set in 2004, the first season at the Bank. Entering tonight, 3,170,768 folks have walked through the turnstiles.

As early as Wednesday, the Phillies can clinch a playoff berth. Their magic number is 4, meaning that any combination of four Phillies victories and Brewers losses will get them into the postseason for the second straight season.

And, before the week is out, they also could clinch their second consecutive NL East crown. For that, their magic number is 6. Any combination of six Phillies and Mets defeats will do the trick.

Without further ado, then, we give you a preview of the three-game series against the Braves, against whom the Phillies are 13-2:

BRAVES (69-87) at PHILLIES (88-68)
Tonight, 7:05: RHP Jair Jurrjens (13-10, 3.72) vs. LHP J.A. Happ (1-0, 4.24)
Tuesday, 7:05: LHP Mike Hampton (2-3, 5.05) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (14-9, 3.10)
Wednesday, 7:05: TBA vs. RHP Brett Myers (10-12, 4.46)
Hot: Braves RF Jeff Francoeur is 12-for-34 (.353) in his last nine games; Braves 2B Kelly Johnson has a career-high 19-game hitting streak during which he’s batting .405 (30-for-74); Phillies CF Shane Victorino is batting .462 (18-for-39) with three home runs and seven RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak; Phillies 1B Ryan Howard has 33 RBIs in his last 25 games.
Not: Braves SS Yunel Escobar has been slowed by a right hamstring strain since Sept. 13; Braves rookie LF Gregor Blanco is hitless over his last seven at-bats; Phillies LF Pat Burrell went 3-for-24 during the six-game road trip and is batting .155 (15-for-97) since Aug. 22; Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz’s eighth-inning homer Sunday snapped a 1-for-16 skid.

Sept. 22 -- LUCKY CHARMS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

FORT LAUDERDALE -- After batting practice Saturday, Mike Schmidt, a self-proclaimed "lucky charm" for the Phillies, said he made the 70-mile drive from his Jupiter, Fla., home to Dolphin Stadium to "sprinkle some fairy dust" on his favorite team.

Looks like it worked.

The Phils pulled out a one-run win here Saturday night, and absolutely everything went their way yesterday, as they beat the Marlins 5-2, increased their division lead over the Mets to 1-1/2 games, lowered their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to 4, won for the ninth time in 10 games, and improved to 20 games over .500 for the first time since 1993.

And it all started with an injury.

Greg Dobbs, the offensive and defensive hero from Saturday night, left the game in the seventh inning with a cramp in his right calf. Charlie Manuel considered a double-switch that would've put fill-in third baseman Pedro Feliz in the No. 9 spot, but ultimately, he opted for a straight-up switch. Then, when Feliz came to the plate in the eighth, Manuel thought about having him bunt Shane Victorino to second base. Instead, he let Feliz swing away, and he hit a two-run homer to open a three-run lead.

"Lucky hit," Feliz said.

Hey, when you're hot, you're hot.

"Our timing on stuff is tremendous right now," closer Brad Lidge said. "Whether it's a guy getting a cramp in his calf or whatever, it's all working well. Everything's happening at the right time."

***
Magic-number check: With any combination of 4 Phillies wins/Brewers losses, the Phillies will clinch a playoff spot. With any combination of 6 Phillies wins/Mets losses, the Phillies will clinch the NL East title.

***
I can't find it online, so you'll have to take my word for it: In his Sunday baseball notes in the Miami Herald, Mike Phillips endorsed Ryan Howard for the NL MVP award. The Howard-for-MVP buzz is picking up steam around the country. But, and we don't mean any disrespect to Howard's late-season power surge, is it possible that he isn't even the Phillies' MVP? Brad Lidge has been downright automatic in the ninth inning, going 40-for-40 in save chances and having one of the best seasons ever for a closer.

***
Caught the highlights of last night's final game at Yankee Stadium, and it looked pretty cool. Loved seeing Willie Randolph slide into second base. Think he's loving the Mets' late-season troubles? By the way, the Mets were 1-8 at Turner Field this season. The Phillies were 9-0.

***
OK, time to hop a 6 a.m. US Airways flight home. Be back later from the Bank with a Phillies-Braves preview, a new audiofile and other goodies.

Sept. 21 -- FAREWELL, YANKEE STADIUM

BY SCOTT LAUBER

MIAMI -- As the Phillies wrap their three-game series here at Dolphin Stadium, a few words about the Cathedral of Baseball:

Butch Wynegar hit his solo home run with one out in the eighth inning, the lone highlight from an otherwise gloomy day for the Yankees.

And I missed it.

It was June 6, 1982. I was 5 years old and attending my very first baseball game at Yankee Stadium. The Royals, powered by George Brett's four hits, were leading 14-0 when my dad decided we should beat the traffic on the George Washington Bridge. Wynegar's blast left the stadium just as we did.

We kept going back, though. My dad and I saw countless other games at The House That Ruth Built. It's where I learned to keep score, where I caught a foul ball hit by Claudell Washington (I still have it), where so many father-son moments were shared. The place stood on the footsteps of Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, and their aura was unmistakable. I was there for Cal Ripken Jr.'s final game in New York in 2001. I was there once on Old Timers' Day. I was there during the 2000 World Series, sitting in left field, when Roger Clemens fired that shattered bat handle back at Mike Piazza.

The hallowed, 85-year-old ballpark in the Bronx will host its last game tonight, and there has been an outpouring of emotion. It's how I imagine Red Sox' fans would feel if Fenway Park closed or Cubs' fans would react if Wrigley Field was in its final days. I'm certain the new Stadium, the $1.3 billion structure rising across 161st Street, will be state of the art. It will still have Monument Park and the famous white frieze facade spanning the outfield. And it will have enough luxury suites to please even the Steinbrenners.

But it won't be the same. Not even close.

Sept. 21 -- EIGHTH WONDER

BY SCOTT LAUBER

MIAMI -- So, after the final out had been recorded last night and the Phillies had won for the eighth time in nine games, I asked Greg Dobbs whether he took greater satisfaction from his game-winning RBI single in the sixth inning or his defensive play in the eighth that cut down the would-be tying run at home plate.

"You know," Dobbs said, "there's something about playing in this stadium. You want to be able to shut their offense down because when it gets going, it's pretty damn scary. So, to be able to squash that run at the plate was probably even bigger for me than the go-ahead single."

Clearly, though, they were both huge plays.

The Mets lost last night. So did the Brewers. Thus, the Phillies (87-68) were able to leapfrog the Mets (86-68) and retake first place by a half-game. They're also three games ahead of the free-falling Brewers (84-71) in the race to win the safety net known as the wild card. So, it seems, the only drama in the season's final week will be whether the Phillies win the division or the wild card. Merely making the playoffs now seems like a foregone conclusion. Let's do the math: The best the Brewers can do is 91 wins. So, the Phillies magic number to clinch a playoff spot over Milwaukee is 5. The best the Mets can do is 94 wins. So, the Phillies magic number to clinch the division is 8.

***
Don't look now, but eighth-inning reliever Ryan Madson has pitched 10-2/3 scoreless innings. Madson was the picture of calm last night after Jorge Cantu singled and Mike Jacobs doubled to open the eighth inning. Dobbs made his clutch play to get Cantu at home (he may have been safe) before Madson got Josh Willingham to ground out and fanned Cody Ross to end the inning and preserve the 3-2 lead.

"I looked behind me and saw I had a good infield that could make the plays," Madson said. "Luckily enough, I just got a ground ball to Dobber. Those two ground balls were huge."

***
Mike Schmidt dropped by before the game and said he's a good-luck charm. And, no surprise, J.A. Happ will start Monday night against the Braves.

***
Who's your NL MVP? Is it Ryan Howard? He's getting consideration from voters. In our Sunday baseball notes, we look at Howard's competition in a race that will be as closely contested as the presidential election.

More in a bit from Dolphin Stadium. Enjoy your Sunday.

Sept. 20 -- MYERS GET TATTOOED

BY SCOTT LAUBER

MIAMI -- So, if you were watching last night's game, you probably wondered what the heck was going on in the third inning when Brett Myers was told to put on long sleeves.

It's called gamesmanship, folks.

One inning earlier, Charlie Manuel asked the umpires to make sure that the Marlins base coaches were standing closer to their boxes. Manuel said later that he didn't want to make a fuss or outright accuse Marlins coaches of stealing signs. He just wanted to be sure that they weren't. Well, the Marlins countered by asking crew chief Joe West to tell Myers to put on long sleeves to cover a tattoo that curls around his left wrist. Myers has had the tattoo for 3-1/2 years and has faced the Marlins countless times. Never before has it been a problem.

"It's all to get in my head, but it didn't affect me," Myers said. "I'm from Florida. It wasn't a big deal. They don't want to get in my head. Not too many people have been successful getting in there, besides myself."

Indeed, Myers had bigger problems than his sleeve length.

Wearing short sleeves, he served up five first-inning runs before retiring a batter. With long sleeves, he allowed five fifth-inning runs and was knocked from the game before recording an out. The 10 runs added up to the worst start of Myers' career, and the Phillies slipped to a half-game behind the Mets in the NL East.

***
The Phillies did, however, have their magic number to clinch a playoff spot reduced to 7 because the Brewers got pounded by the Reds. Milwaukee's collapse really takes the drama out of the playoff race. It appears the Phils and Mets will both make it, with one team winning the NL East and the other winning the wild card. If the Phils win the division, they would play the Dodgers in the first round. If they win the wild card, they would play the Cubs.

***
Those of you who get an early edition of The Paper received this elongated note:

Upon being traded to the Phillies in mid-July, Joe Blanton brought a reputation for throwing strikes and logging innings.

Over the past six weeks, he hasn't done much of either.

But, after Blanton tossed seven solid innings last Sunday against the Brewers, pitching coach Rich Dubee revealed that the burly right-hander had been bothered for at least two starts by mild biceps tendinitis. Blanton is healthy again, though, and the Phillies expect him to pitch more like himself here tonight against the Marlins.

"I put in a lot of work in the bullpen before that last start, trying to get mechanically sound," said Blanton, who unknowingly compensated for the stiffness he had been feeling by altering his arm slot, a change that affected his control. "I felt like I got a good base, and in my last start, I was able to attack the [strike] zone."

Blanton is 2-0 with a 4.53 ERA in 11 starts with the Phillies. He allowed only one run over 14 innings in two starts Aug. 2 against the Cardinals and Aug. 8 against the Pirates, but in his next six starts, when his arm flared, he posted a 5.58 ERA, walked 18 batters in 30-2/3 innings and finished the sixth inning only once.

He yielded two first-inning runs last Sunday in the opener of a doubleheader before settling and earning the victory. Dubee said the Phils are confident enough in his health that they won't have him on a restrictive pitch count tonight.

"Blanton is pretty much healthy," Dubee said. "What he had, guys pitch through during the season all the time. It's regular wear and tear. It's not uncommon."

***
The Phillies will field a Florida instructional league team that will play games against the Blue Jays, Pirates, Yankees and Rays from Sept. 22 through Oct. 15. Forty-two Phillies minor leaguers will participate. The roster: Right-handers Welinson Baez, Mike Bolsenbroek, Tyler Cloyd, Jarred Cosart, Kyle Drabek (2006 first-round pick), Jason Knapp, Trevor May, Jonathan Pettibone, Chad Poe, Julio Rodriguez, Robert Roth, Julian Sampson, Jesus Sanchez, Michael Schwimer, Reginal Simon, Kyle Slate, Vance Worley; left-handers Spencer Arroyo, Jacob Diekman, Yohan Flande, Joe Savery (2007 first-round pick); catchers Travis D'Arnaud, Ferrel Gomez, Joel Naughton, Sebastian Valle; infielders Tomas DeLosSantos, Freddy Galvis, Harold Garcia, Jeremy Hamilton, Troy Hanzawa, Anthony Hewitt (2008 first-round pick), Travis Mattair, Derrick Mitchell, Cody Overbeck, Nerio Rios; outfielders Leandro Castro, Zach Collier, Anthony Gose, Brandon Haislet, D'Arby Myers, Bernardo Solarte, Terrance Warren.

***
Enjoy your Saturday, everyone.

Sept. 19 -- FISH FRY?

"Our chances might be pretty slim to none. But anybody we can take down with us,
we're going to do it. If we're not going, we don't want anybody else to go."

-Marlins 2B Dan Uggla on Sept. 10

BY SCOTT LAUBER

FORT LAUDERDALE -- So, the Marlins aren't going to roll over for the Phillies?

No kidding.

"Look at what they did last year to the Mets," Jayson Werth said yesterday, referring to the last series of last season when the Marlins won two of three at Shea Stadium. "I don't expect them to lay down. Everyone knows what's at stake here. These are meaningful games for everybody."

Charlie Manuel added, "It's up to our players to go beat them. For [Uggla] to say something like that, that's all right. I don't see nothing wrong with that. Probably he should feel that way, as long as he feels that way about everybody. I look at that like that's a professional. That's a competitor wanting to compete. Nobody gives you nothing in this game. I always say, if we don't beat somebody, why should we feel like we have to go play in the playoffs or something? It's up to us to win. What he said, that makes sense to me. That didn't make me mad or anything. I just thought, well, that's good then, we'll beat you."

The Phillies have won seven straight games. The Marlins -- who haven't been eliminated from wild-card contention, by the way -- have won eight in a row. The Phillies are 6-9 against the Marlins this season, losing six of the last eight games.

Ready to rumble?

PHILLIES (86-67) at MARLINS (80-72)
Tonight, 7:10: RHP Brett Myers (10-11, 4.06) vs. RHP Josh Johnson (5-1, 3.30)
Tomorrow, 7:10: RHP Joe Blanton (2-0, 4.53) vs. RHP Anibal Sanchez (2-4, 5.87)
Sunday, 4:10: LHP Jamie Moyer (14-7, 3.86) vs. RHP Chris Volstad (5-3, 3.07)
Hot: Phillies CF Shane Victorino has 11 hits in his last 14 at-bats; Phillies 1B Ryan Howard is batting .368 (32-for-87) with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs over his last 23 games; Marlins CF Cameron Maybin, a top prospect, is went 4-for-4 last night and is 5-for-6 since being called up; 3B Jorge Cantu is batting .362 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 14 games against the Phillies.

Not: Phillies LF Pat Burrell is batting .185 (28-for-151) with five homers and 15 RBIs in his last 42 games; Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz has one hit in his last 14 at-bats; Marlins RF Jeremy Hermida has one hit in his last 12 at-bats; Marlins INF Wes Helms hasn’t homered in 130 at-bats since June 15.

Sept. 19 -- 9-0 IN ATLANTA; MAGIC NUMBERS 8 & 10

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ATLANTA -- After watching Pat Burrell go 0-for-5 with five strikeouts here Tuesday night, Charlie Manuel admitted that he considered taking the slumping left fielder out of the lineup.

Burrell wouldn't have blamed him.

"How can you really argue with the guy for not playing you?" Burrell told me last night. "You don't have much bargaining power."

Manuel stuck with Burrell, though. And, last night, Burrell rewarded his manager's loyalty by hitting his 250th career homer, a two-run shot in the sixth inning that broke a 2-2 tie in the Phillies' 4-3 victory over the Braves.

"It does a great deal for me," Burrell said of Manuel's confidence. "I think Charlie knows, at this point, how much I care about winning games and wanting to be a part of it. As a player, this is the time of year you really take pride in to be able to contribute and win when it counts. I do."

***
Led by The Johan, the Mets won (again) last night. The Brewers lost (again) in a crushing game at Wrigley Field. I wasn't a math major, but according to my calculations, the Phillies' magic number to clinch a playoff berth is 8 and to clinch the NL East is 10.

The way I figure it, the Phillies (86-67), Mets (85-67) and Brewers (84-69) are fighting for two playoff spots. The best the Brewers can finish is 93-69, so any combination of eight Phillies wins or Brewers losses will give the Phillies a better record, clinching at least the wild-card berth. The best the Mets can finish is 95-67, so any combination of 10 Phillies wins or Mets losses will give the Phillies a better record, clinching the NL East title.

***
Around the batting cage before last night's game, Burrell was chatting with Chipper Jones about the old days when the Braves won 11 straight NL East titles and the Phillies had some miserable trips to Atlanta. So, Burrell admitted that it was a strange feeling to leave here with a 9-0 record against the Braves at Turner Field this season.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Phillies are the first team to win nine straight road games in Atlanta in a single season. The Cardinals beat the Boston Braves nine straight times in Boston in 1943. But the Braves franchise hadn't been swept a season series of at least nine games at home since the Chicago Cubs went 11-0 against the Boston Doves in Boston in 1909.

***
Those of you who get early editions of The Paper read about Jayson Werth, who is proving to Manuel that he's an everyday player.

"I thought I did it last year," Werth said.

Well, not quite.

Despite starting 45 of the Phillies' final 57 games last season, Werth split time with lefty-swinging Geoff Jenkins for most of this year. But, since Jenkins strained his right hip Aug. 22, Werth has started 25 straight games, batting .337 with a .452 on-base percentage, seven homers, 17 RBIs and six steals. He was batting .265 with eight homers and 30 RBIs against right-handers, .314 with 15 homers and 34 RBIs against lefties.

"He's improved a lot [against right-handers]," Manuel said. "He's got a lot of ability. He's big. He's strong. He hits the ball to all fields. He steals bases. He throws you out. He runs the ball down. He has a chance to be a big player. He's starting to put it all together. It's good to see."

***
No strikeouts in Atlanta for Ryan Howard. First time all season that Howard hasn't whiffed at least once in a series.

***
Time to hop a flight to Lauderdale. Back later from Dolphin Stadium with another audiofile, your series preview and a few other notes.

Sept. 18 -- FINDING HAPP-INESS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ATLANTA -- Before we get to J.A. Happ and the outstanding job he did here last night, I want to delve into something Charlie Manuel said earlier in the day. Asked by an Atlanta reporter to discuss what he likes most about his team, Manuel touched on qualities that I think explain why the Phillies have been so successful in September over the past few years.

"We've got character on our team. "We've got a lot of guys who love to play. We've got a lot of professionals. We've got a lot of guys who know when to be serious and also when to have fun. If you want to know the truth, the biggest reason I came back on this job was the players that we had. I thought, 'Who wouldn't want to go back and manage [Chase] Utley and [Ryan] Howard and [Jimmy] Rollins and [Cole] Hamels and [Brett] Myers and guys like that? Who these guys are definitely plays a part in where we're at. Chemistry counts. Attitude definitely comes into play. Our attitude and chemistry are the things that drive us. [Tuesday] night, we got down three runs, and I went out to change the pitcher, two or three guys said, 'We've got enough to come back and win. Let's hold 'em.' That kind of tells you how they think."

***
Happ made his major-league debut last season against the Mets, not a low-stress assignment. His second start came July 4, also against the Mets, and Johan Santana. Lots of pressure there. So, when the Phils decided to give Happ a start in the heat of a pennant race, they believed he could handle it.

Then, Happ proved them right.

Sure, the Phillies' offense gave Happ a four-run lead before he threw a pitch. But he still tossed six shutout innings, allowing three hits to a Braves lineup that featured Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. And when it was over, and the Phillies had won 6-1, Happ was given the scorecard, ticket stubs and a few game balls to commemorate his first major-league victory. In four career starts, Happ is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA.

"He pitched the way you're supposed to pitch, not like the clown who pitched [Tuesday] night," Jamie Moyer said. "He's obviously worked hard from last year to this year. He had great poise tonight. He threw the ball down in the zone. He pitched well up. He held his own. The more opportunities he gets, the better off he'll be."

Will Happ get another opportunity Monday night against the Braves? Rich Dubee and Charlie Manuel wouldn't guarantee it, but if I was a betting man, I'd put the house on Happ making that start.

***
Most pitchers throw 45 to 50 pitches in their between-starts bullpen sessions. Moyer, the oldest pitcher in baseball, throws about 100, even when he's coming off a start on three days' rest.

***
They needed to use eight pitchers, but the Mets held off the Nationals. The Brewers finally won, too, although the lost Ben Sheets to an injury. And, for the Tigers, Freddy Garcia earned his first win since April 22, 2007 when he won his one and only game for the Phillies.

Sept. 17 -- PHILLIES TO VISIT NEW YANKEE STADIUM

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ATLANTA -- So, I know we're all focused on the pennant race, but the Phillies have unveiled their preliminary schedule for next season. It includes home games against the Red Sox (June 12-14) and a trip to the new Yankee Stadium on May 22-24.

The season will open at home Monday, April 6, against the Braves. The Phillies will finish the season Oct. 2-4 at home against the Marlins. They'll host the Mets on May 1-3, July 3-5 and Sept. 11-13.

For a look at the entire schedule, please click here.

Sept. 16 -- MR. SEPTEMBER STRIKES AGAIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ATLANTA -- A few postgame notes after the Phillies won again in the deep South and returned to first place in the NL East. Make that 7-0 this season at Turner Field. "I don't even want to make a remark about that," superstitious Charlie Manuel said, not wanting to tempt fate.

* Ryan Howard: How hot is the Big Man? His two biggest hits tonight -- a seventh-inning triple and an eighth-inning homer -- came against lefties, Will Ohman and Mike Gonzalez. He's batting .396 (21-for-53) with eight homers and 22 RBIs in 14 games this month to lift his overall average to .249. For his career, he's a .320 hitter with 41 homers, 101 RBIs and 81 runs in 118 games over the season's final month. "I have no idea," Howard said of his September success. "Why even question it?" Manuel ventured a guess. "He wants to go to arbitration." Everyone in the room laughed, but chances are, after leading the majors in homers and RBIs again, Howard will win another arbitration case. "I talk about being a carrier, and Ryan's a carrier," Manuel said. "He's the guy who knocks in 130 to 160 [runs]. He comes up big in the big moment."

* Jamie Moyer: Couldn't squeeze much in The Paper about Moyer, but he clearly didn't have his best stuff. He walked four batters and allowed six runs in 5-2/3 innings, and Manuel thought he may have been feeling the aftereffects of pitching on short rest last week. I'll try to ask Moyer about it tomorrow.

* Pat Burrell: He went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts, tying a club record set by Jim Thome on July 2, 2004. Burrell is batting .250, one point higher than Howard.

* Jayson Werth: After going 3-for-4, he's batting .424 (14-for-33) against the Braves this season. More importantly, though, Werth is batting .329 (27-for-82) with six homers and 17 RBIs in 23 games since taking over as the full-time right fielder Aug. 22 when Geoff Jenkins suffered a strained right hip flexor.

* Brad Lidge: He threw 33 pitches (only 15 strikes) in the white-knuckle ninth inning. It was the most pitches he has thrown in an outing this season, likely making him unavailable tomorrow.

* The Mets: They're seemingly in panic mode -- again. Jerry Manuel called a 15-minute team meeting before tonight's 1-0 loss in Washington, and David Wright said this: "I've said all along this is a little bump in the road. This is not about what Philadelphia does. This is about what the New York Mets do." The Mets also lost outfielder Fernando Tatis for the season with a separated shoulder.