Oct. 17 -- WILL THE PLAYERS CHOOSE HOWARD?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Lots to get to after the Phillies' workout at the Bank, so here goes:

1. In what may be a precursor to an NL MVP award, Ryan Howard is among three finalists for the Outstanding NL Player Award in the annual Players' Choice Awards. The others: Albert Pujols and Chipper Jones. The winners will be announced next week.

2. With Charlie Manuel away at his mother's funeral (Dave Montgomery, Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro Jr. and Mike Arbuckle were there, too), Rich Dubee said the Phillies haven't discussed their starting rotation for the World Series. But Dubee also said that he doesn't see a need to change anything. So, I think we can safely assume Cole Hamels will pitch Game 1 on Wednesday night. If the Phillies change anything, I think Brett Myers could be pushed to Game 3 at home, where he pitches significantly better than he does on the road. That also would line him up to start a potential Game 7. In that scenario, Jamie Moyer would be the likely Game 2 starter. But, again, nothing is official.

3. Talked with several Phillies players about the effect of a long layoff on their World Series performance, so check for that in The Paper tomorrow.

4. Phillies will work out again tomorrow afternoon before taking Sunday off. They will travel to either Tampa or Boston on Monday afternoon.

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Meanwhile, Gillick always hoped the Phillies could reach the World Series. But he didn't seriously start believing until Hamels, Myers and Moyer began stringing together quality starts down the stretch, and Ryan Madson became dominant in the eighth inning. As always, for the Phillies, it was all about the pitching.

Getting to the World Series is great, but as Martin Frank writes, it'll hardly be remembered if the Phillies don't win. As Kevin Roberts writes, this World Series has been a long-time coming for Jamie Moyer, a 22-year veteran who has never gotten this far. Finally, within the notebook, Manuel's mother, June, predicted the Phillies would reach the World Series before she passed away last Friday.

Oh, and finally, The News Journal wants to know how much you'd pay for World Series tickets. Let's hear from you.