Oct. 31 -- ROLLINS SLAMS METS ... AGAIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

After being hailed as a World Series champion and riding down Broad Street in the victory parade of his dreams, Jimmy Rollins couldn't resist taking one more jab at the Phillies' fiercest division rival.

"In the offseason, I heard a lot about the New York Mets," Rollins said. "Johan Santana is a great pitcher. But it takes more than one player to bring home a championship."

Trading for Santana, the two-time Cy Young Award-winning left-hander, was supposed to put the Mets over the top in the National League East. And although Santana posted a league-best 2.53 ERA and 206 strikeouts in a league-leading 234-1/3 innings (and went 2-0 with a 2.97 ERA against the Phillies), the Mets still finished second, three games behind the Phils.

Oct. 31 -- SAYONARA TAGUCHI, GORDON

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Well, that didn't take long.

The Phillies came off the field a few minutes ago, and they already have announced that they declined their 2009 club options on outfielder So Taguchi and reliever Tom Gordon. Neither move is a surprise. Taguchi was ineffective in a bench role, while Gordon recently underwent surgery on his elbow. It was likely Pat Gillick's last decision as general manager. His contract expires today.

Taguchi made $1.05 million this season. He had a $1.25 million option. Instead, he will receive a $150,000 buyout. Gordon made $5.5 million this season. He had a $4.5 million club option. Instead, he will receive a $1 million buyout.

Oct. 31 -- EVERYBODY LOVES A PARADE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the on-field ceremony just wrapped up here at Citizens Bank Park, and without a doubt, Chase Utley stole the show. Soft-spoken (when he speaks) all season, Utley let loose -- and drove the censors crazy -- when he addressed the crowd.

"World champions," he said. "World [bleeping] champions."

Only, on live television, they didn't have time to insert the "bleep."

The crowd went wild. So, too, did Jayson Werth, who stood up and raised his arms. By the way, did anybody else think Werth looked more like the drummer of a rock band than a right fielder?

A few other remarks that caught my attention:

Cole Hamels: "The one thing I can't wait to do is go down to that Broad Street parade again and again and again."

Charlie Manuel (in his best Rocky voice): "Yo, man, we love you."

More later.

Oct. 31 -- HAMELS ON LETTERMAN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, as you may have seen last night if you stayed up late, Cole Hamels read the Top 10 List on "The Late Show With David Letterman." That's what World Series MVPs do, ya know. Anyway, if you didn't catch it, here you go, straight from the home office. The category is, top 10 things that went through Cole Hamels' mind after winning the World Series:

10. Maybe I'll get to be on "Dancing With The Stars."
9. Can I wear my cup in the offseason?
8. The Rays collapsed faster than my 401(k).
7. How cool a name is Cole Hamels?
6. This must be how the Yankees used to feel.
5. Is the Phillie Phanatic hitting on my wife?
4. Seriously, how cool a name is Cole Hamels?
3. How can I celebrate when the nation's economic output is the weakest it's been since the third quarter of 2001?
2. I hope John McCain will start calling me "Cole the Pitcher."
1. Now maybe I'll get to appear on Leno?

See it for yourself.

Oct. 30 -- PARADE PLANS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just got back from a press conference with team president David Montgomery and Mayor Michael Nutter, where most of this was covered:

PARADE PROCESSION: The World Series Champs procession begins at noon at 20th and Market, will proceed east on Market Street and continue south on 15th Street. The parade will then continue around the south side of City Hall and onto South Broad Street, where it will head to the sports complex. The procession will make a left on Hartranft Street into the sports complex, where fans with tickets can watch a post-game celebration taking place at Citizens Bank Park and simulcast at Lincoln Financial Field.

CELEBRATION AT CITIZENS BANK PARK: The primary post-parade celebration will take place at Citizens Bank Park, and will also be broadcast live at Lincoln Financial Field (where there will be a brief appearance by Phillies players). Gates at both facilities will open at 10:00 a.m., and fans are invited to arrive early to watch the parade travel throughout Center City via the large videoboards at both facilities. Tickets are needed for entry to both Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field, and can be obtained through an exclusive online opportunity at http://www.phillies.com/. Starting at 3 p.m. today, each fan will have the opportunity to obtain up to four complimentary tickets. There are a limited number of tickets for the celebration. If you do not have a ticket please enjoy the celebration from the parade route, or from home through live local television broadcasts.

TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY: Please be patient while traveling throughout Philadelphia. Due to the large number of people expected to celebrate, it will take some time to get around the City. Fans are urged to take public transit and not to drive down to the City if it can be avoided.

Oct. 30 -- CHAMPS!

BY SCOTT LAUBER

It wasn't a dream.

No, it really happened. The Phillies did, in fact, win the World Series last night. Brad Lidge (who else?) threw the final pitch, one more hellacious slider for the ages, and Eric Hinske swung through it, naturally. Lidge dropped to his knees, raised his arms and got gang-tackled by his teammates. Then, they partied, long into the night, a celebration, 28 years in the making, in the ballpark and on the streets.

Amazing, isn't it?

Truly, I didn't see this coming.

On Sept. 10, the Phillies lost to the Marlins, 7-3, at the Bank and slipped to a season-high 3-1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East. That was when I thought it might be over. Turns out, Chris Coste was having similar thoughts. So was Gary Matthews, the Phillies' broadcaster with whom I'm writing a book about the '08 season (now scheduled to be released by Thanksgiving). The Phillies lacked something. Nobody knew what, exactly, but there definitely was a missing ingredient.

And, then, something happened. They swept the Brewers in a four-game series, pulling even in the wild-card race. They went to Atlanta and swept a three-game series, inching ahead of the Mets by a half-game. They even won two of three games in Florida, and when Greg Dobbs left the series finale with a cramp in his leg and Pedro Feliz homered after replacing him in the eighth, I knew something special might be happening here. They won the NL East on Sept. 27, then breezed through the Brewers, dominated the Dodgers and reeled in the Rays. Overall, they won 24 of their last 30 games after that Sept. 10 loss, a six-week run that was as impressive as any you'll ever see.

Did they even break a sweat?

And so, you wake up this morning, still disbelieving what you saw last night. Did Ryan Howard really grab the red 2008 pennant out of the Phanatic's hand and lead a victory lap around the outfield? Did Cole Hamels really drive away with the red sports car given to the Series MVP? Did I really walk into Charlie Manuel's office and see him talking to Dallas Green, the only other Phillies manager who knows what he was feeling?

Yeah, it's all true.

Enjoy it.

***
One word about Pat Gillick: Last night, during the on-field trophy presentation, he said something like, "Let's do this again next year!" I couldn't find Gillick amid the champagne and beer celebration, but as I stepped into the elevator to return to the press box, Gillick walked in behind me.

"Let's do it again next year?" I said, inquisitively.

"Well, somebody will do it again next year," he said, smiling.

It won't be Gillick, though. His contract expires tomorrow, and after taking a brief trip to Toronto next week, he and his wife are going on a European vacation, with stops in Paris and Berlin. Gillick has a home in Seattle that he rarely sees and a summer house on Prince Edward Island that he never sees. I don't think he'll ever completely retire from baseball, but at age 71, I think he'd like a job where he can work from PEI during the summers and not have to be at the ballpark every day.

Ruben Amaro Jr. is the favorite to be named GM, possibly by the weekend, and if that happens, he'll face some tough decisions. Do you re-sign Pat Burrell? How about Jamie Moyer? Do you give Hamels a long-term contract? How about Howard? Those are questions, though, for another day, and we'll have plenty during the winter to discuss the answers.

***
Today's News Journal is wall-to-wall Phillies. It starts with the game story, which talks about how the 1980 banner that flies solo above right-center field is going to finally have some company.

-Cole Hamels didn't expect to be named MVP, but it was a well-deserved honor. But, as Kevin Noonan writes (and it's hard to disagree), the MVP should've been shared by the members of the bullpen.

-Kevin Roberts brings us this poignant moment: Lidge and catcher Carlos Ruiz couldn't decide who should keep the ball from the final out, so they gave it to Manuel. Very classy.

-Martin Frank thought it was fitting that the weirdest game in the weirdest season should end with a championship. I couldn't agree more.

-Moyer and Chris Coste have waited a long time for this. So has Burrell, the longest-tenured Phillie and a free-agent-to-be, whose only hit in the World Series couldn't have come at a better time, in perhaps his final at-bat with the Phillies. Speaking of well-timed hits, how about Geoff Jenkins, who re-started Game 5 with a pinch-hit double and pumped his fist like a 10-year-old in a Little League game. Speaking of the re-start, the Phillies couldn't have felt more comfortable putting the game in the hands of their bullpen.

-Within the notebook, Manuel and Green share a moment. Also, there's a word about Chase Utley's play in the seventh inning which may have saved the game.

-The parade down Broad Street will be tomorrow. I'll have more details on that in a few hours. As Peter Bothum writes, this championship heals all the old wounds that plague Phillies fans. The scene at the Bank last night was pure bedlam, and fans were partying in Delaware, too.

-Finally, this championship was a long-time coming for both the Phillies and the region. But, then, we don't have to tell you that, do we?

Oct. 29 -- PHINALLY!

Because pictures are worth 1,000 words.

Oct. 29 -- IT'S JENKINS VS. ... (UPDATED)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, lefty-swinging Geoff Jenkins is swinging a bat on the on-deck circle, and Rays right-hander Grant Balfour is warming up on the mound. And Balfour is staying in the game to face Jenkins.

There's the answer to the night's first strategical question.

Official scorer Mike Maconi just announced that the total delay time was "46 hours, even." Don't hear that every day.

(Updated, 8:42 p.m.): So far, Charlie Manuel is winning the managerial chess. Jenkins doubled to right-center to open the sixth inning.

Oct. 29 -- ANIMAL HOUSE

By KEVIN NOONAN

Just had a thought -- if the Phillies win tonight, will we see the horses and dogs again?

Anyone who remembers the last time the Phils won the World Series, in 1980, can't forget the sight. In the final innings, with the Phillies protecting a lead and the final victory finally in sight, the cavalry arrived -- mounted Philadelphia policemen ringed the field and police dogs were stationed on top of both dugouts.

The reason for that: Other crowds in other stadiums had reacted to winning championships by charging the field and tearing it up for souvenirs. Well, the Phillies were determined that wasn't going to happen, hence the horses and dogs, which unnerved the players but also discouraged any high-spirited fans.

Needless to say, everybody stayed in his seat and there were no on-field disturbances. As for tonight, well, stay tuned...

Oct. 29 -- BRRRRR!

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just got upstairs after the Phillies completed the first pre-sixth-inning batting practice in the history of the World Series, and there's one thing to report:

It's COLD.

Evidently, it's about 40 degrees, but I can assure you, down on the field, it feels even colder. Definitely not good hitting weather. "When you hit the ball, a lot of times, your hands sting," Charlie Manuel said. "People say, 'Well, you've got gloves on.' Well, believe me, if you don't hit the ball on the fat part of the bat, you get a sting from it."

So, to me, the first run scored tonight may be the biggest.

By the way, the Phillies are 4-1 this season in games played in sub-50-degree temps. The Rays are 1-5.

***
We continue to hear that Ruben Amaro Jr. will be named the next Phillies GM within the next few days. Of course, none of the Phillies officials will confirm that, but the GM meetings begin Monday and Pat Gillick's three-year contract expires Friday.

Oct. 29 -- RAYS IN WILMINGTON, BY GEORGE

By KEVIN NOONAN

Rays manager Joe Maddon is a big rock 'n roll fan and he usually puts on his headphones and listens to the Rolling Stones before games.

Apparently he also likes a rocker with a local connection, which came to light because the Rays stayed at the Hotel du Pont for two nights after Game 5 was suspended on Monday night.

When Maddon sat down for his pre-game press conference this evening, the first question, from a Tampa Bay writer, was this: "Being down in Wilmington, did that give you a chance to crank up George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers?''

Maddon smiled and replied "That would have been so appropriate. I wish you had been there to remind me. ... I missed that opportunity and I regret it already.''

Oct. 29 -- MADSON WILL "START"

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Moments ago, Charlie Manuel told us that Ryan Madson will pitch the seventh inning. Why Madson? Well, he's the only reliever in the bullpen with extensive experience as a starter. So, he knows the feeling of warming up fresh, without having sat in the bullpen for five or six innings.

We had the rare -- unprecedented, even -- opportunity to ask Manuel and Joe Maddon in-game strategy questions. Predictably, neither took the bait. Manuel wouldn't announce his pinch-hitter to open the bottom of the sixth inning, but I'm thinking it'll be Geoff Jenkins. Maddon said only that Grant Balfour will "start" the sixth, but he wouldn't say that Balfour will actually throw a pitch. Everyone is presuming that rookie lefty David Price will pitch in this game. How soon, we're not sure.

Here's Maddon's quandry: Chase Utley is the fourth hitter due in the sixth. Ideally, you'd want Price to face Utley and then Ryan Howard. But the Rays' pitcher is the fourth hitter due ini the seventh, and more ideally, you'd want Price to face more than two batters before having to pinch-hit for him. Maddon, in fact, said Price is good for about 50 pitches tonight.

Either way, it seems Maddon will have to make the tougher decisions early in the game. That, and the fact that the Phillies are leading the series 3-1, prompted Manuel to say, "I wouldn't trade positions."

Neither would I.

More in a bit.

Oct. 29 -- IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the sun finally has broken through here at the Bank, and the resumption of the final 3-1/2 innings of Game 5 is only 3-1/2 hours away. We could obsess, if we choose, about Bud Selig's decision Monday night. To me, though, it's more interesting to talk about what's going to happen tonight.

There's no precedent for this. Never before has a World Series game started and not reached a resolution. So, really, it's anybody's guess how this will play out. One thing is for certain: When play resumes -- at the earliest, 8:37 tonight -- the Phils will pinch-hit for Cole Hamels. The identity of that pinch-hitter will depend largely on whether Rays manager Joe Maddon decides to leave right-hander Grant Balfour on the mound or to turn to another of his relievers, most likely David Price, the rookie lefty with the mid-90s fastball and the starter's pedigree. Regardless, Maddon intends to save ace right-hander James Shields for a possible Game 6 start. And Manuel will have to counter with an appropriate pinch-hitter, likely a lefty (Greg Dobbs?, Matt Stairs?) if Balfour stays in the game or a right-hander (So Taguchi?, Eric Bruntlett?) if the Rays go with Price.

Charlie Manuel said yesterday that he plans to put the game in the hands of his bullpen, rather than Game 6 starter Brett Myers. And the Phillies relievers have capable hands (or arms), posting the best bullpen ERA (3.19) in the National League during the regular season.

Beyond that, it will be a sprint to the ninth inning for the Phils and Rays -- and a chess match between Manuel and Maddon.

Should be fascinating.

Oct. 28 -- BLAME IT ON THE RAIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Ryan Lawrence, of the Delaware County Times, shared this with me, so I thought I'd share it with you. If nothing else, it's an excuse to listen to some vintage Milli Vanilli (is there such a thing?).

Oct. 28 -- MANUEL SPEAKS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, with some time to digest what happened last night (and, presumably, to calm himself down, too), Charlie Manuel just answered a few questions. Mostly, he said that he agreed with Bud Selig's decision to postpone the game and that he was briefed before the game that the teams would play nine innings, regardless of whether the game was official when the postponement occurred.

"I was down in the room after the top of the sixth when we met with the Commissioner and the umpires, the GMs, the managers of each team, and I came up and watched the [press conference] with the commissioner on TV. I totally agree with what he said. There were some things that went on during the course of the game that I didn't like, like [losing] my pitcher. But I definitely agreed with everything that happened. I agreed that the game needed to be stopped. The conditions were unplayable. ... There comes a time when there had to be a decision made on when to stop it. I'm a manager, so I can voice an opinion. There's a lot of opinions going on there. They could've stopped when the field started showing water on it. Of course, the conditions were unbearable to play. Jimmy Rollins, more than likely, he'll get to that ball [hit by B.J. Upton in the sixth]. He makes that play quite a bit. I felt like they did what they had to do. I go along with that. That doesn't mean some of the thing that happened, that I had to like them.

"We agreed on starting the game because the weather report was it would be a light drizzle, similar to what was going on. It was supposed to be very light. There was a good chance that we definitely could get the whole game in. We understood what was going on. We also knew that once the game started it was going to be a nine-inning game. Everybody's got an opinion. From a manager's standpoint, I'm biased because I want the best that's going to happen for my team. I wasn't the one to make the decision. I'm sure Joe Maddon is going to feel the same way. I do feel like the conditions of the field were where they had to stop the game.

"I know we're going to be ready to play. When we come to the ballpark, we're concentrating on winning tomorrow's game. We've got 3-1/2 innings of baseball. We get to bat four times. They get to bat three. We got 12 outs, they've got 9. We're coming with that mindset. I'll go around and talk to all of our players and get a feel for what they're thinking. I don't think there's going to be any problem at all."

More later.

Oct. 28 -- ABOUT GAME 5

BY SCOTT LAUBER

A few logistical notes from the Phillies about Game 5, tentatively scheduled to resume at 8:37 p.m. tomorrow night, weather-permitting:

Tickets: Fans holding tickets for World Series Game 5 should use their ticket(s) for re-entry. The game is sold out.

Parking: Fans with parking passes from Monday (October 27) or receipts will be permitted to gain re-entry into the parking lots. Fans that no longer have their passes or receipts will need to pay.

Gate openings: All Citizens Bank Park gates will open at 5:30 p.m.

Public transportation: Fans are encouraged to use public transportation. In addition to the World Series game, there is a 6 p.m. Sixers game at the Wachovia Center.

Oct. 28 -- RAYS LOVE WILMINGTON

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the resumption of Game 5 has been pushed back until at least tomorrow night, which means, of course, that the Rays will be spending another night in lovely Wilmington at the Hotel duPont.

And that's just fine with them.

"Quite frankly it's one of the nicest hotels we've stayed in all year," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "If you're going to have to have a postponement, you might as well stay here. We haven't got out in the town yet, obviously that would be very difficult, the weather is kind of nasty here, too, but great place. People have treated us wonderfully, and again, we'll get out and walk around a bit if the wind dies down."

Asked how the Rays wound up in Wilmington, Maddon said, "Well, Jeff Ziegler, our crack traveling secretary, got on the phone immediately and did a little research. We were pointed in this direction. And finding it was only 30 minutes from the Phillies ballpark, we jumped all over it. There was plenty of rooms. It's a magnificent hotel, I believe it was built one year prior to Fenway Park, actually and walking through the downstairs lobby it's one of those old-fashioned, well kept, actually magnificent European units. So we get here, and it was quite a treat, actually, to be able to come up with this situation in a moment's notice. So we're here right now. We really haven't had a chance to get out in Wilmington yet. But we got fortunate in the fact that this place was available to us. And it was all about Jeff Ziegler pulling it off.

So, do the Rays have dinner plans in Wilmington?

"No, everybody is pretty much on their own," Maddon said. "I'm going to go see my kids. My kids are actually at my niece's house in Philly. We're going to rent a car and go up there. Everybody is pretty much on their own. [Hitting coach] Davey Martinez is going to get dry clothes for his kids, because they got so wet last night. There's all kinds of different motivation to the day right now. There will be pockets of people going out, I'm sure, but for the most part there's not one big function going on.

More in a bit from Charlie Manuel, who will speak with reporters for the first time since before last night's game.

Oct. 28 -- GAME OFF

Oct. 28 -- REIGN DELAY (w/reader poll)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, I went to sleep at about 4 a.m., and it was pouring outside. I woke up at about 9:30 a.m., and it's still pouring outside. Meanwhile, the Phillies sit in their homes, the Rays sit in the Hotel du Pont, and the World Series sits, suspended, with no sign of being able to resume any time soon.

Charlie Manuel, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell and several other Phillies players didn't want to discuss the situation last night, leaving us to draw the sensible conclusion that they weren't happy with how the whole thing was handled. To them, it seemed, Bud Selig dropped the ball either by allowing the game to continue for as long as it did under the most adverse conditions imaginable or by starting it in the first place.

Couple of things:

1. Selig said the weather worsened at a more rapid rate than the forecasts indicated. That may be true. I wasn't monitoring Weather.com throughout the day/night, but presumably, Major League Baseball was. In fact, Selig said MLB was getting three separate forecasts, and none predicted the rain would be as steady or intense as it got by the sixth inning. We have little choice but to take him at his word.

2. At some point, Selig decided that he wasn't going to allow the World Series to end in a suspended state. And since America loves conspiracy theories, a popular one going around last night was that Selig waited for the Rays to tie the game before he instructed the umps to call for the tarp because it would've been easier to explain suspending a tie game than an official game with the Phillies leading 2-1. Once again, we'll never know. But I think we can all agree that allowing the Phillies to win the Series in a rain-shortened Game 5 would've been just as ludicrous. By rule, during the regular season, had the game been suspended before the sixth inning began, the Phillies would've won. But, regardless of the rules, a World Series can't be decided that way.

3. Whenever Game 5 resumes, the strategical maneuverings by Manuel and Joe Maddon will be fascinating. Reliever Grant Balfour was on the mound for the Rays when the tarp came out, but it doesn't mean he has to throw the next pitch. Prevailing wisdom is that Maddon will turn to hard-throwing rookie lefty David Price. If that's the case, who might Manuel use to hit for Hamels and open the bottom of the sixth? My bet: So Taguchi. He's right-handed, somewhat fits a leadoff-hitting mold, and unlike left-field defensive replacement Eric Bruntlett or backup catcher Chris Coste, he won't be needed later in the game.

Meanwhile, the Phillies and Rays wait, you wait, I wait, for the rain to finally stop, the field to dry and Game 5 to resume. While we all wait, you tell me: Did Selig handle the situation correctly last night? And if not, how should he have done it?

Oct. 27 -- SUSPENDED DISBELIEF

BY SCOTT LAUBER

A few things to pass along:

1. The Rays already checked out of their Center City hotel this afternoon, so they're staying in the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington. Feel free to drop by and say hello.

2. Weather forecast for Tuesday is worse than it was for tonight. Although, I've been informed that some outlets are calling for the rain to clear by 10 p.m. The choice, it seems, is whether Fox would rather televise the resumption of the game at 10 p.m., or at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night. "It will be resumed when I believe the weather conditions are appropriate," commissioner Bud Selig said. "We'll stay here if we have to celebrate Thanksgiving here."

And, so, they wait.

The Phillies, once 10 outs from winning their first World Series since 1980 and the second in their 126-year history, won't have their ace, left-hander Cole Hamels, when the Series resumes. Mother Nature interrupted Hamels' Game 5 start – in all likelihood, his final appearance of the postseason – after 75 pitches in what he called "the worst conditions imaginable to pitch in."

Whenever they resume, Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said he will call upon a reliever to pitch in the top of the seventh. Neither Charlie Manuel nor Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies’ players union rep, were willing to comment.

"It's up to the hitters and it's up to the guys in the bullpen to get the job done," reliever J.C. Romero said.

Said slugger Ryan Howard, "I don't know what's going on. We've got to wait and find out when we play again."

And, from closer Brad Lidge: "Nothing's ever been easy. Jimmy Rollins said it a while back. That's the Philly way, and I'm starting to see that now. It sucks, but what choice do we have."

Oct. 27 -- PARADE PLANS ... AND RAYS LINEUP

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Not to jinx anything, but if the Phillies win tonight, the parade will be Wednesday. The route will begin at 20th and Market in Center City, proceed to City Hall, take a turn onto Broad Street and will end at Citizens Bank Park. No word yet on the time.

***
Some changes to the Rays' lineup, namely Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria have been moved down one notch in the lineup.

RAYS
2B Akinori Iwamura (.200/0/1)
LF Carl Crawford (.267/2/2)
CF B.J. Upton (.250/0/1)
1B Carlos Pena (0-for-13, 6 strikeouts)
3B Evan Longoria (0-for-16, 9 strikeouts)
C Dioner Navarro (.357/0/0)
RF Rocco Baldelli (.000/0/0)
SS Jason Bartlett (.182/0/2)
LHP Scott Kazmir (0-1, 4.50)

Jeff Kellogg will be behind the plate tonight. The rest of the umpire rotation: Tim Tschida (1st base), Tim Welke (2nd base), Kerwin Danley (3rd base), Fieldin Culbreth (left field), Tom Hallion (right field).

Oct. 27 -- LINEUPS & PREGAME NOTES

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, Charlie Manuel is sticking with the same lineup tonight, and really, why change what's working?

SS Jimmy Rollins (.263/0/0)
RF Jayson Werth (.400/1/2)
2B Chase Utley (.200/2/4)
1B Ryan Howard (.353/3/6)
LF Pat Burrell (.000/0/1)
CF Shane Victorino (.250/0/0)
3B Pedro Feliz (.286/0/1)
C Carlos Ruiz (.417/1/3)
LHP Cole Hamels (1-0, 2.57)

***
Manuel just spent a few minutes in his office with the beat writers who cover the team. He has a bottle of saki in his office, a gift from Tadahito Iguchi. "He's trying to get a job on the team next year," Manuel joked.

Also, Manuel is waiting to have a picture of John Vukovich framed. He said he has thought a lot about Vuke lately, especially today. Manuel also talked again about his mother, who passed away two weeks ago. "I miss her calling me every day," he said.

And what would she have told him today?

"She'd tell me to win the game," Manuel said. "She'd act like I had complete control over it."

***
Meanwhile, Jamie Moyer is throwing a bullpen session right now, but he's hoping it's just some extra exercise. Moyer is supposed to be the Game 7 starter.

***
Brad Lidge and Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez have been named Sporting News' 2008 Relievers of the Year by a panel of 314 major-league players.

Oct. 27 -- GOOD SCOUTING

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Last season, when the Phillies were swept in the Division Series, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Pat Burrell were a combined 9-for-45. The Rockies chalked that up to good pitching, but also good scouting. Will George, a Delaware resident and the Rockies' top pro scout, prepared a report that the pitchers were able to execute.

So, with Evan Longoria (0-for-16, 9 strikeouts) and Carlos Pena (0-for-13, 6 strikeouts) struggling for the Rays, Charlie Manuel credits director of pro scouting Chuck LaMar and his staff.

"We've had real good scouting reports, and the pitchers have been sticking with them," he said.

Oct. 27 -- ONE MORE WIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, Brett Myers mentioned that he was walking into Citizens Bank Park yesterday when he heard, from across the street at Lincoln Financial Field, chants of "Phil-lies! Phil-lies!"

Yeah, that kind of tells you what kind of mood everyone is in, doesn't it?

It could happen tonight. The Phillies, one win away from a World Series championship (say it with me, a World Series championship), could get the clincher tonight with Cole Hamels on the mound. Pretty incredible, especially since, on Sept. 10, they were four games out of a playoff spot. There were all kinds of heroes in Game 4, a 10-2 giggler over the Rays, and we had them all covered in today's News Journal.

-With his arm and his bat, Joe Blanton proved that he was far more than a consolation prize at the trade deadline.
-Ryan Howard delivered two enormous home runs, and as Kevin Roberts writes, it was just like Hank Aaron said he would
-Martin Frank closed his eyes and envisioned the parade down Broad Street. Pretty soon, he won't have to close his eyes anymore.
-We get to the bottom of Hat-Gate with Blanton and Rays manager Joe Maddon.
-Hamels has been money in the postseason (4-0, 1.55 ERA). But it wasn't so long ago that he came up small in a big spot.
-Within the notebook, Jamie Moyer tells us about the stomach virus that wasn't going to stop him from starting a World Series game, and we have more on Tim McGraw's classy move to sprinkle some of his father's ashes on the mound.
-Because Game 3 ended at 1:48 a.m., we reviewed it in The Paper today. If the Phillies win the Series, this will be the most important victory.
-Jim Thome dropped by to see his old team. You could argue, quite compellingly, that signing Thome back in 2003 was the first step in reaffirming that the Phillies would be contenders again. Mike Lieberthal was at Game 4, too.
-Scott Kazmir needs to rescue the Rays tonight.
-If the Phillies win tonight, Harry Kalas will make the call.
-Fans at the Bank were loving every second of last night's win. If the Phillies win tonight, it'll be worth the wait for long-suffering fans. All across Delaware, they're pulling for the Phils.
-Oh, and don't forget that you can re-live Game 4 with this photo gallery.

Oct. 26 -- GAME 4: PHILLIES 10, RAYS 2

BY SCOTT LAUBER

One more win.

That's all the Phillies need to win their first World Series since 1980 and the second in the franchise's 126-year history.

Go ahead and pinch yourself.

Only six teams have rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series. The Rays will be trying to join the 1903 Boston Pilgims, 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1958 New York Yankees, 1968 Detroit Tigers, 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates and 1985 Kansas City Royals. But none of those teams had to face Cole Hamels in Game 5. Hamels is 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA in four starts during this postseason. To quote Charlie Manuel, "Every time you hand him the ball, you expect to win."

And if the Phillies do?

"It'll be bedlam," Ryan Howard said.

"I'm going to get on the mound and do snow angels out there," Brett Myers said, channeling his inner Jonathan Papelbon.

We'll have complete coverage in The Paper and here, on The Blog, later today, from Joe Blanton's stellar six-inning performance (and his unexpected home run) to Ryan Howard's home run. For now, though, I wanted to pass along a few notes about the Blanton hat situation. Here was Blanton's explanation: "It's nothing. They rub the balls up with whatever they rub them up with, and you rub it up and get it on your hand and I'm constantly trying to get moisture, and just touch my hat. It's nothing sticky. Anybody can go touch it. It's just basically just the dirt from the ball that gets on it over time, over so many starts. I don't change my hat. It just gets rubbed on the hat."

From Joe Maddon: "I did bring it to their attention. Quite frankly, I did. I asked them to watch it and be vigilant about it, and nothing happened, obviously, but I was concerned about that early on."

And from MLB VP of umpiring Mike Port: "In my estimation, as a spectator, I don't feel there was anything untoward because I noticed almost a nervous habit. He was going to hit cap all the time. I can only guess it was normal smudging. But, suffice it to say that after Joe Maddon talking with Tom Hallion about keeping an eye on the situation, Tom didn't detect anything as far as action on the baseball or any substance on the baseball."

Oct. 26 -- LONGORIA'S DAD: PHILS FANS ARE 'DISGRACE'

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the intrepid Chuck Gormley from our Gannett sister paper in Camden, N.J., caught up before tonight's game with several family members of Rays players, including Mike Longoria, father of Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.

Turns out, he's no fan of Phillies fans.

"They are the worst," said Mike Longoria, a California resident. "They cuss at us. They cuss at our families. It's a disgrace. My daughter refused to come back here. She's back at the hotel watching the game on television. I have to take my son to the men's room because he's afraid to go through the crowd by himself wearing a Rays cap. It shouldn't be like this."

Through four games, Evan Longoria is 0-for-16 in the World Series. Fans have taken to chanting "Eva! Eva!" when he comes to the plate.

Oct. 26 -- WHAT'S ON BLANTON'S HAT?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Evidently, during the early innings, the Rays were suspicious of a discoloration on the top of the bill of Joe Blanton's cap. Blanton struck out three batters in the first two innings and four of the first eight batters he faced. It seems Rays manager Joe Maddon told home-plate umpire Tom Hallion that he believed Blanton had pine tar on his cap. Hallion said he would examine the baseball.

He did. Nothing happened.

More on this after the game.

Oct. 26 -- HANK ON HOWARD; BLANTON GOES DEEP

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Before tonight's game, and before Ryan Howard blasted the three-run home run that may have clinched the Phillies' second World Series championship in their 126-year history, Hank Aaron had this to say about the majors' foremost power threat:

"Ryan is a great ballplayer. People have to understand, he might never hit .290. He's a guy, to me, that is really an asset to your ballclub. People have to understand that he's going to strike out. He might strike out twice tonight, and then the next night he might hit two home runs? Who knows? That's the kind of ballplayer he is. He's a terrific ballplayer. Ryan is good for the league, he's good for the Phillies, he's good for the game. He's a good player to watch. He's somebody you can be proud of, and kids can look up to, today, tomorrow and the next day.''

No word on what Hammerin' Hank thinks of Joe Blanton's swing.

Blanton just became the 14th pitcher to hit a home run in a World Series game and the first since Oakland's Ken Holtzman in Game 4 of the 1974 Series. That's right. Joe Blanton, an American League pitcher until mid-July, just homered in the World Series.

Crazy stuff.

Oct. 26 -- PHILS GET THEIR INTROS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

This isn't being shown on Fox, so I'll pass it along here: The Phillies are being introduced, one-by-one, and lining up along the first-base line. Even Tom Gordon, in uniform and with his surgically repaired right elbow in a sling, was announced. The Rays, who apparently don't mind that the complete rosters weren't announced before Game 1 at the Trop Dome, aren't participating in the pregame introductions.

Big ovation, by the way, for Matt Stairs.

Oct. 26 -- LINEUPS, MORE ON MOYER

BY SCOTT LAUBER

First, your lineups for tonight, with World Series stats:

RAYS
2B Akinori Iwamura (.273/0/1)
CF B.J. Upton (.333/0/1)
1B Carlos Pena (.000/0/1)
3B Evan Longoria (.000/0/1)
LF Carl Crawford (.250/1/1)
C Dioner Navarro (.400/0/0)
RF Ben Zobrist (.333/0/0)
SS Jason Bartlett (.286/0/2)
RHP Andy Sonnanstine

PHILLIES
SS Jimmy Rollins (.143/0/0)
RF Jayson Werth (.364/0/0)
2B Chase Utley (.250/2/4)
1B Ryan Howard (.231/1/1)
LF Pat Burrell (.000/0/0)
CF Shane Victorino (.364/0/0)
3B Pedro Feliz (.200/0/0)
C Carlos Ruiz (.500/1/3)
RHP Joe Blanton

***
Just spent a few minutes with Jamie Moyer, who said he did, indeed, feel lousy yesterday. "During the game, I didn't really feel it," Moyer said. "I felt it more in the dugout. I don't know what it was, if it was a virus or the flu. We're not on the West Coast or anything, but your body clock is messed up. You're in different cities, you're traveling, the games don't start until 8:30. It's like everything is upside down. I feel a lot better today. I don't feel like I'm out of the woods yet. But, to me, it was a moot point. I had the opportunity to pitch, so I was going to pitch."

I asked Moyer if he ever felt like he wouldn't be able to pitch.

"No," he said.

So, I asked Moyer how sick he'd have to be for that to happen.

"I don't know," he said. "I don't think I've ever been that sick."

Oct. 26 -- MOYER WAS SICK

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Physically sick, that is.

Jamie Moyer, who shut down the Rays for most of his 6-1/3 innings last night, began suffering from a stomach virus when the World Series started. His wife told Fox's Ken Rosenthal that Moyer was "the sickest I've ever seen him in 22 years." Charlie Manuel just said that he wasn't aware of Moyer's illness but was certain that Moyer wouldn't have pitched if he didn't feel up to it.

We'll try to talk to Moyer about it in a bit.

***
Rays manager Joe Maddon just said that the Rays are in good spirits after the tough Game 3 loss. And, really, if there's a team that has handled adversity in the postseason, isn't it the Rays, who still defeated the Red Sox in Game 7 of the ALCS after losing a seven-run lead in Game 5 and dropped Game 6, too?

Lineups coming shortly.

Oct. 26 -- ABOUT LAST NIGHT

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Back here at The Bank (feels like I never left), and in a bit, we'll have starting lineups and other pregame news. For now, though, let's talk about what happened last night (this morning) in Game 3.

-In the game story, Carlos Ruiz's game-winning hit went about 30 feet, but it might as well have gone 400. And, as he sprinted home from third base, Eric Bruntlett said it felt like he was running in quicksand. The Phillies are only 2-for-33 with runners in scoring position. Both are infield singles.

-As Martin Frank writes, the Great Ryan Howard Postseason Drought of 2008 is over. Everyone can sleep tonight.

-Charlie Manuel kept his faith in Jamie Moyer, and Moyer delivered. Did he ever deliver? This is why players love playing for Manuel, Kevin Noonan writes.

-Within the notebook, first-base umpire Tom Hallion admitted he blew the call in the seventh inning last night by calling Carl Crawford safe on his drag bunt. Also, Joe Blanton says his experience during the season-opening series in Japan will prepare him for what he'll face tonight.

-The Phillies wish they had a chance to tip their cap and get introduced before Game 1 at the Trop Dome. They may get a chance here tonight. Scott Eyre, meanwhile, is happy with the attention he has been getting from fans around town.

-Rays Game 4 starter Andy Sonnanstine can hit; he can pitch a little, too. The Rays insist they weren't bothered by the Phillies' crowd last night, although the "Eva! Eva!" chants at Evan Longoria were pretty funny.

-Bud Selig was not going to let last night's game get postponed.

Oct. 25 -- GAME 3: PHILLIES 5, RAYS 4

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Wow.

I've just spent the past 13-1/2 hours at The Bank, and really, that's the only word I can come up with to describe what I just saw. So, for now, I'll simply post the story that I filed for The Paper, and we'll talk more tomorrow (or later today, I suppose).

***

PHILADELPHIA -- Jamie Moyer waited 22 years to pitch in a World Series.

What, then, was another 91 minutes?

So, Moyer paced around the Phillies' clubhouse, stretched his left arm and did everything he could to stay loose for a game that, one day earlier, he called "the biggest start of my life." And when it began, finally, at 10:06 p.m. Saturday night, after the rain ceased and the tarp had been removed, Moyer mowed down the young Tampa Bay Rays for 6-1/3 innings.

It wasn't enough.

Neither, it turned out, were solo home runs by Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard that gave the Phillies a three-run lead in the sixth inning. The resilient Rays ran their way back into Game 3 against the Phillies' staunch bullpen, tying the score in the eighth on two stolen bases and a throwing error by Ruiz.

Ultimately, to complete a stirring 5-4 victory, the Phillies needed a 30-foot RBI dribbler down the third-base line, only their second hit in 33 chances with runners in scoring position during the World Series.

"If it's a hit, I'll take it," Ruiz said after rolling that dribbler, with the bases loaded and five Rays players on the infield, to score Eric Bruntlett at 1:48 this morning and give the Phillies a 2-1 edge in the Series. "It was a great moment. I'll remember for the rest of my life. I hope I can do it [tonight]."

The winning rally was started with, of all things, light-hitting Bruntlett getting hit by a pitch. Bruntlett bolted for second base when reliever Grant Balfour threw a wild pitch, although he wasn't sure he'd make it after the ball bounced back to catcher Dioner Navarro. But when Navarro's errant throw went into center field, Bruntlett scurried to third.

"There was moment there where I thought maybe he had a play on me," Bruntlett said. "I kind of felt like I was running in quicksand."

But that was nothing compared to his 90-foot sprint to home plate.

After the Rays intentionally walked Shane Victorino and pinch-hitting Greg Dobbs, they brought the infield in and even summoned right fielder Ben Zobrist to be a fifth infielder. When Ruiz hit his topper down the line, third baseman Evan Longoria charged to glove it. But he couldn't make a play at the plate, throwing the ball over Navarro's head as Bruntlett slid home safely.

"It felt like it was happening in slow motion," Bruntlett said. "I wanted to go faster, but I couldn't."

With that, the Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the Series, and if they win tonight behind right-hander Joe Blanton, they'll have a chance Monday night with ace Cole Hamels on the mound to clinch their first championship since 1980 and only the second in their 126-year history.

There's no sense in getting too far ahead of ourselves, though. The Phils never make things easy, and Game 3 wasn’t without several sweaty moments on a chilly, damp night at Citizens Bank Park.

At times, it seemed the sold-out crowd of 45,900 was biting its collective nails, just waiting for the next Joe Carter-like disaster in the first World Series game in Philadelphia since Oct. 21, 1993.

For a moment, B.J. Upton provided such a disaster.

Trailing 4-3 in the eighth inning, Upton legged out an infield single to charging shortstop Jimmy Rollins. And with sluggers Carlos Pena and Longoria struggling (0-for-22, 10 strikeouts combined), Upton stole second base, swiped third and scored when Ruiz's throw hit the bag and skipped into left field.

An inning later, Ruiz was a hero.

In the World Series, your luck can change that quickly.

"I know I had an error, but that's part of the game," Ruiz said. "It was an unbelievable feeling when I was at first base and everyone came to [congratulate] me."

The Rays have a National League-style offense in the American League.

Unlike their AL brethren, they rely on speed, not power, to generate runs. Upton became the first AL player -- and the fourth player overall -- to steal three bases in a World Series game, and the Rays' four steals gave them 22 overall, a postseason record.

Trailing 1-0 in the second inning, they manufactured a run against Moyer. Carl Crawford led off with a double, swiped third base and scored on Gabe Gross' sacrifice fly. Then, facing a 4-1 deficit in the seventh, Crawford was ruled safe on a drag bunt and went to third on Dioner Navarro's double. Crawford and Navarro scored on back-to-back groundouts, cutting the margin to 4-3.

And, in the eighth, they scored the tying run without hitting the ball out of the infield.

It wrecked a solid outing from Moyer, who, 24 days shy of his 46th birthday, became the second-oldest player to appear in a World Series game and the oldest in 78 years. Steve Carlton, who threw the ceremonial first pitch, was the opposing pitcher when Moyer made his major-league debut in 1986.

The game was delayed by rain for 91 minutes, and if the rain hadn't stopped when it did, Major League Baseball may have been forced to postpone the game. Commissioner Bud Selig was determined to get the game in, but MLB vice president of public relations Rich Levin said the league wouldn't have started the game much later.

"There were some jabs at Moyer that the van to the seniors home was going to leave," said Bruntlett. "You just do whatever you can to stay loose."

Once the game began, Moyer used his array of breaking pitches and fastballs that look like breaking pitches to allow only five hits, including two infield singles.

Ruiz, still sore following a home-plate collision in Game 2, gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead with his first career postseason home run, a two-out shot into the left-field seats against hard-throwing Rays right-hander Matt Garza. Then, in the sixth, Utley and Howard tagged Garza for back-to-back blasts, with Howard snapping a 42-at-bat postseason homerless drought.

But it all came down to the ninth inning -- and that 30-foot dribbler.

Moyer, watching from the clubhouse with reliever Scott Eyre, couldn't contain his excitement.

"I went from my seat to the ceiling," he said.

With two more victories, the Phillies won't have to come down.

Oct. 25 -- IN-GAME: ROLLINS, UPTON & MORE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Three innings complete, with the Phillies leading 2-1. Five quick thoughts before I start tapping away for The Paper:

1. Looks like the extra batting practice worked for Jimmy Rollins. He singled in his first two plate appearances, snapping his 0-for-10 World Series slump. Prior to tonight, Rollins had three hits in his last seven games (3-for-31). Rollins slid awkwardly into second base when he was caught stealing moments ago. It seemed he lost his footing. But he appears to be OK.

2. If there's a center fielder who plays shallower than B.J. Upton, I haven't seen him. I noticed it during Game 1 at the Trop Dome, but forgot to mention it here. Chase Utley just hit a line drive that I swore was going to be over Upton's head. But he retreated fast enough to haul it in.

3. Something to watch for as the game goes on: Carlos Pena is 10-for-20 (.500) with two home runs in his career against Jamie Moyer. Carl Crawford is 9-for-19 (.474).

4. Welcome to Philly, Evan Longoria. During his at-bat in the first inning -- and, I presume, during his upcoming at-bat in the fourth, fans chanted "Eva! Eva!" And while he isn't a desperate housewife, Tampa's Longoria is desperate. He's 0-for-9 with five strikeouts in the Series.

5. Runners in scoring position count: 1-for-30

Enjoy the rest of the game. More later.

Oct. 25 -- COMMISH SAYS THEY'LL PLAY

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just spent a few minutes downstairs in the media room, where Albert Pujols received the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award in recognition of the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team.

(Much to our chagrin, Pujols politely declined to handicap his -- or Ryan Howard's -- chances of winning the NL MVP award next month.)

After the presentation, Bud Selig addressed some reporters about tonight's game, which will surely be delayed. It's still raining here, the tarp remains on the field, and other than a few relievers from both teams playing catch in the outfield a few hours ago, the Phillies and Rays have been holed up inside their respective clubhouses. But Selig said tonight's game will be played, even if it's delayed until 9:30 or 10 p.m., mainly because the rain is expected to pass shortly after 8:30. He has been in communication with both teams, and Charlie Manuel and Joe Maddon both want to play the game.

"In 1971 or '72, I did something that I said I'd never do again," Selig said. "[The Brewers] had a big game against the Red Sox or the Yankees, and about 4:30, I called the game off. I walked out to my car to go home at about 7, and the sun was shining. I said to myself that I'll never do that again."

Oct. 25 -- ABOUT THE INTROS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, according to a report on ESPN.com, some Phillies players weren't happy that the pre-game introductions before Game 1 at Tropicana Field were limited only to the starting lineups. Evidently, Fox television asked Major League Baseball to forego that World Series tradition in the interest of making their broadcast shorter. Matt Stairs, Brad Lidge and several other players were upset when a Phillies PR official told them before Game 1 that they wouldn't introduced, and Ryan Madson, the team's alternate player rep, is trying to get the situation changed for tonight.

Meanwhile, Charlie Manuel thinks the Phillies should simply worry about playing. Here's what he told a small group of local beat writers a few minutes ago.

"I understand that, very much so. In some ways, if they feel like it's important for them to get introduced, I feel like we should do it. But we're in the World Series. Our guys became a star when they made the major leagues. They've been a star. They are a star. The scoreboard, computers, coverage nowadays with national television, all the exposure they get, I don't necessarily like when my players think that this is a big ticket for them. To me, their ticket is swinging the bat and pitching and running. They got popular because the fans love to see them play. Actually, what they've done is what's made them who they are.

"When I was with Cleveland, I used to hear about marketing and stuff like that. Marketing is none of my business, and I don't know anything about it. So, I'm not saying anything in a derogatory way. But I remember Cleveland never drew anything until they put a good ballclub on the field. Our players, they became big players because of who they did and what they were and how they played the game. Over the last two years, how many times have I told you guys about our players and how they play is what brings people to the park? Therefore, they get popular that way. Just because somebody introduces you and you get your picture on TV or something, after the game you can go over and do a TV interview, and if that's national exposure, that's all fine. But at the same time, why don't we try to do something to get that exposure? Does that make sense? If you do that, that other stuff will take care of itself. At the end of the World Series, if we can look back and say we won the World Series, I guarantee they're going to get all the attention downtown with a parade. Right now, I can go eat somewhere and they're all over me. It's hard to believe. Everywhere you go, somebody is hollering at you. I mean, really. So, playing the game comes first."

Oct. 25 -- GAME 3 LINEUPS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

First, a weather update: According to the reports that Charlie Manuel has received, tonight's game will be played. That's the good news. The bad news: The start of the game may be delayed. We'll update you as the night goes on.

Now, tonight's lineups, with World Series stats:

RAYS
2B Akinori Iwamura (3-for-7, 1 RBI)
CF B.J. Upton (2-for-8, 1 RBI)
1B Carlos Pena (0-for-7, 1 RBI)
3B Evan Longoria (0-for-8, 1 RBI)
LF Carl Crawford (1-for-8, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
C Dioner Navarro (2-for-6)
RF Gabe Gross (hasn't played)
SS Jason Bartlett (2-for-3, 1 RBI)
RHP Matt Garza

PHILLIES
SS Jimmy Rollins (0-for-10)
RF Jayson Werth (3-for-9)
2B Chase Utley (2-for-8, 1 HR, 2 RBI)
1B Ryan Howard (2-for-9)
LF Pat Burrell (0-for-6)
CF Shane Victorino (4-for-8)
3B Pedro Feliz (2-for-7)
C Carlos Ruiz (2-for-5, 1 RBI)
LHP Jamie Moyer

Fieldin Culbreth will be the home-plate umpire, and as you know, the home-plate umpire always is important when Moyer pitches. The rest of the crew: Tom Hallion (first base), Jeff Kellogg (second base), Tim Tschida (third base), Tim Welke (left field), Kerwin Danley (right field).

Oct. 25 -- "BIGGEST START OF MY LIFE"

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, we have about 4-1/2 hours before the game, and the tarp is on the field here at The Bank. It's not raining at the moment, but the forecast is calling for heavy rain from about 5-7 p.m. It's supposed to clear, however, and I expect that tonight's game will be played.

***
Not sure how many of y'all got the final-edition game story in your paper yesterday, so I wanted to be certain I pass along something that Jimmy Rollins said. Asked if the Phillies, 1-for-28 with runners in scoring position through two games of the World Series, are pressing to get clutch hits, Rollins admitted that he's feeling some pressure.

Not very J-Roll-ish.

Rollins is one of the coolest customers you'll find in the Phillies clubhouse. But he confessed that he was gripping the bat a bit tight during the seventh inning of Game 2 when he struck out against Rays reliever Dan Wheeler, and yesterday, he took extra batting practice after the Phillies completed their workout. Most of the Phillies insisted yesterday that they aren't concerned about this slump becoming an epidemic, but it does feel an awful lot like June, when the offense hit the snooze button for 10 weeks.

"Somebody told me what the [1-for-28] numbers are, and that's unheard of," utility infielder Eric Bruntlett said. "We're talking about guys who can really swing the bat. It's not going to continue this way."

At least the Phillies hope not.

***
It took 22 years, but Jamie Moyer, at age 45, finally will pitch in the World Series. And, as Martin Frank writes, Moyer knows this is "the biggest start of my life."

***
The Phillies are aware of Matt Garza's comments that it will be easier to face their lineup than the Yankees' or the Red Sox's. But Ryan Howard wasn't about to engage Garza in a war of words. He'd prefer to let his bat do the talking.

***
Kevin Noonan wonders what would happen if all of the Phillies' hitters were hot at the same time. You know, kind of like September. ... Also, hard-throwing lefty David Price has emerged as the Rays' secret weapon. ... Long-suffering Phillies fans think this is the year. They also think it's crazy to call Rays' fans "long-suffering." I completely agree. ... The Phillies didn't hit in Game 2, and Fox's ratings took a hit.

***
Quick public-service announcement: Traffic at the Sports Complex is going to be brutal tomorrow. Brutal. The Eagles are playing at 1 p.m. at The Linc, and The Who is playing a concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Wachovia Center. The Phillies are urging everyone to take public transportation, and if you're unable to do that, leave your house early.

Oct. 24 -- ALL ABOUT MOYER

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Good afternoon, all.

So, we're sitting here at the Bank, moments away from Charlie Manuel's between-games press conference. Jamie Moyer also will be available in the media room. We'll have updates when they are through talking.

But, during my drive to Orlando International in the wee hours and my flight home, I kept thinking about what this moment, a Game 3 start in a deadlocked World Series, must mean to Moyer. Imagine going to work every day for years, and after 22 years, finally reaching the pinnacle of your profession. It's terribly unfair to say that a career as long and distingushed as Moyer's comes down to one game, but clearly, he's going to be immortalized in large part for what he does tomorrow night. If he shuts down the Rays and restores the Phillies' momentum, nobody will remember what happened against the Brewers in the Division Series or the Dodgers in the NLCS. Struggle and, after 16 wins at age 45, people will wonder if Moyer should merit a Game 7 start, if it even gets to that point.

My gut feeling is that Moyer will pitch well. The Rays are a little like the Florida Marlins, a young, aggressive, fastball-hitting team. Chances are, Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton have never seen a pitcher quite like Moyer, who will dictate the tempo and, if he's on his game, speed up and slow down their bats almost at will. Few of the Rays hitters have faced Moyer, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of at-bats they have, especially early in the game.

Of course, none of it will matter if the Phillies don't start hitting.

More on that, and everything else, in The Paper and here on The Blog. For now, you tell me: How do you think Moyer will fare tomorrow?

Oct. 23 -- OFFENSIVE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Talk about a bad time for a slump.

Watching the Phillies go 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position here tonight (they're 1-for-28 in the series) reminded me of this summer when they went through a 10-week offensive swoon. There were times, many times, when they'd get runners on base. They just wouldn't drive home those runners. Jimmy Rollins alluded to that tonight after the game.

"We've done this before, unfortunately," he said. "But, fortunately, we've done this before, so we know how to get out of it."

Rollins and Shane Victorino shrugged off the notion that the 1-for-28 performance was caused by the week-long layoff. To them, that would be an excuse. To me, it seems logical. Think about it: From the time they report to spring training, baseball players rarely get a day off. They get three days off for the All-Star break. They never get six days off. Not until the offseason. Simulated games are great, but as Charlie Manuel often says, there's no substitute for actual game conditions. And there's really no substitute for World Series game conditions.

A few of the ugly numbers:
Jimmy Rollins- 0-for-10
Pat Burrell- 0-for-6
Ryan Howard- 2-for-9

Until Victorino legged out an infield single in the fifth fourth inning tonight, beating the throw by a step, the Phils were 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position in the series. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the second-longest hitless streak with runners in scoring position in World Series history. The Dodgers went 0-for-22 in the 1966 World Series against the Orioles.

And it's only by the grace of Cole Hamels' left arm that the Phillies aren't facing a 2-0 deficit as they head home tonight.

Speaking of which, I have to catch a flight in six hours in Orlando, which is an hour away. So, I better get going. More tomorrow (or later today, I suppose) from The Bank.

Oct. 23 -- NO, NOT GO

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- This note comes courtesy of Martin Frank:

Shane Victorino was on third with one out in the second inning of Game 1, with the Phillies winning 2-0, when Jimmy Rollins sent a pop fly into shallow center field. Victorino tagged up and tried to score. But Rays center fielder B.J. Upton threw him out at the plate. Victorino said he thought third-base coach Steve Smith said, "Go!" when in reality he said, "No!"

"I'm not second-guessing anything," Victorino said. "It was part miscommunication. That's the way it is. I was out. [Upton] made a great throw. But we got the win. We were able to overcome some things and get the win."

***
Also, Charlie Manuel explained why he didn't pinch-hit for Chris Coste late in the game last night. Evidently, Carlos Ruiz wasn't feeling well, and Manuel was worried that he may have to be replaced. Ruiz got through it, and he's in the lineup again tonight.

Oct. 23 -- LOVIN' LIDGE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- As the Phillies took the field for batting practice, a few fans along the third-base line, near the Fox pregame show stage, raised a sign that read "Only God saves more than Brad Lidge."

Lidge was overwhelmed.

You see, Lidge is a student of religion. Literally. He told a few of us the other day that, in his "free" time, he's taking online classes from Regis University in Denver and working toward a degree in religious studies.

"That's pretty unbelievable," Lidge, 47-for-47 in save chances this season, said upon seeing the sign.

Then, as he ran to the outfield, he stopped to shake hands and take pictures with the fans who created it. He also autographed the sign.

Very cool stuff.

Oct. 23 -- GAME 2 LINEUPS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Your Game 2 lineups:

PHILLIES
SS Jimmy Rollins
RF Jayson Werth
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
LF Pat Burrell
CF Shane Victorino
DH Greg Dobbs
3B Pedro Feliz
C Carlos Ruiz
RHP Brett Myers

RAYS
2B Aki Iwamura
CF B.J. Upton
1B Carlos Pena
3B Evan Longoria
LF Carl Crawford
DH Cliff Floyd
C Dioner Navarro
RF Rocco Baldelli
SS Jason Bartlett

Charlie Manuel said he decided to use Dobbs at DH and keep Feliz at third base because Feliz is more familiar with playing defense on the artificial turf. Also, Feliz had two hits last night. Manuel's other option was using Matt Stairs at DH, but Stairs is only 3-for-20 in his career against James Shields.

Finally, the Phillies went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position last night. That was a World Series record, one that the Phils never wanted to set.

OCT. 23 -- ANTHEM UPDATE

"Multi-platinum country artist" Taylor Swift will sing the National Anthem before Game 3 on Saturday, the Phillies have announced. Swift is a Reading, Pa., native.

Philly native Patti LaBelle will sing the anthem before Game 4 on Sunday.

Tug McGraw's son, country music star Tim McGraw, will be on hand to help a local member of the Boys & Girls Club deliver the first ball to the mound for both games.

Oct. 23 -- POWERED BY COLE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- So, sometime before Game 1 last night, I received an e-mail promoting the "Young Talent Inventory," yet another list that will be included in noted statistical analyst Bill James' annual handbook. Evidently, James has ranked Cole Hamels 13th on his list of the top 25 players under 30 years old. The e-mail goes on to explain the formula that James used to arrive at his rankings, including the "runs allowed" statistic for pitchers. According to the e-mail, James then makes several adjustments, including for injuries suffered during the year, and takes into account the number of years the player should be at his peak performance. Anyway, James lists Hamels at No. 13. Pitchers that were ahead of him are the Giants' Tim Lincecum (No. 3), the Angels' Francisco Rodriguez (No. 8) and the Royals' Joakim Soria (No. 11). Scott Kazmir, by the way, didn't crack the top 25.

Last night, though, nobody was better than Hamels.

In another vintage postseason performance, Hamels allowed two runs in seven innings and lifted the Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Rays, their first World Series win since Oct. 21, 1993.

"Cole is pretty good, man," Charlie Manuel said, summing it up perfectly, as usual. "I'm glad he pitches for us."

In four playoff starts, Hamels is 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA. Some perspective: Steve Carlton was 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA in the 1980 playoffs, while Curt Schilling was 1-1 with a 2.59 ERA in the 1993 postseason.

"I played with [Roger] Clemens and [Andy] Pettitte and [Roy] Oswalt in Houston, and they're such huge-game pitchers," Brad Lidge said. "Cole is confident and collected. He's right there in their league. He's got one of the best changeups I've ever seen. Everybody talks about Johan Santana's changeup. Cole's is just as good.

"I don't know what makes Cole tick, but the situation does not rattle him. You can put all the pressure in the world on him, he'll come through."

As Martin Frank writes, neither the Phillies nor Hamels lost their composure amid the cowbells and other distractions that surrounded them at the Trop Dome.

***
Somehow, the Phillies won last night despite going 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 men on base. Fortunately, they got one huge hit from Chase Utley, a two-run homer in the first inning that, as Kevin Roberts writes, set the tone and made all the difference. Clearly, though, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies' other big stars are going to have to play big if they're going to win the Series.

***
James Shields, who will pitch for the Rays tonight, is Aaron Rowand's cousin. And, as Martin Frank writes, Rowand has helped Shields immeasurably throughout his career.

***
Who's your Phillies' MVP this season? Within the notebook, assistant GM Mike Arbuckle casts his vote for Game 2 starter Brett Myers. What would've happened if Myers hadn't turned around his season after his stint in the minors? "Then, we've got problems," Arbuckle said. Also, Manuel explains why he picked Chris Coste as his Game 1 DH, and Mike Schmidt predicts Rollins will be the Series MVP. Meanwhile, Dave Huppert has perhaps the best seat in the house for the World Series. And after what he went through in April at triple-A Lehigh Valley, he deserves it.

***
Some residents of Clearwater are torn over whether to root for their hometown Rays or their spring-training-favorite Phillies. Fans in Delaware have no such conflicts. They're pulling for the Phillies.

Back in a bit from the Trop.

Oct. 22 -- GAME 1: PHILLIES 3, RAYS 2

BY SCOTT LAUBER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- So, years from now, when you wax nostalgic about the 2008 World Series, what will you tell your kids or your grandkids?

Me? I'll remember how ear-splittingly loud it got here at the Trop Dome, with the cowbells and the music and the artificial noise blaring through the sound system. And I'll remember how everything was muted after Chase Utley hit his two-run homer in the first inning. Except for a few brief moments, Cole Hamels kept it that way with his fourth straight brilliant start of the postseason.

A few notes on Hamels:
-His four wins are tied for third-most all-time in a single postseason, behind only Randy Johnson (2001) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002). He's also the fourth pitcher in postseason history to win four games in four postseason starts, joining Josh Beckett (2007), Dave Stewart (1989) and David Wells (1998).

A notes on winning Game 1 on the road:
-The Phillies became the sixth team in the past 21 World Series since 1987 to win Game 1 on the road. Of the previous five, three (1999 Yankees, 2003 Marlins, 2006 Cardinals) won the Series.

Much, much more tomorrow from the Trop Dome.