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."

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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.

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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.

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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.