Nail Biting Time

After a season of incredible inconsistency marked by long winning streaks and long losing streaks and one of the most horrifically bad pitching staffs in the history of Major League Baseball, my beloved Philadelphia Phillies have pulled into a dead heat with the New York Mets after the Mets have pulled off one of the most monumental collapses in the history of the game. After a huge win that eliminated Atlanta from the playoff hunt, the Phillies are now tied for first place in the National League East.

The Mets had a seven game lead with 17 to play, and they’ve blown that lead entirely, thanks, in no small part, to eight straight losses to the Phightin’ Phils.

The Phillies, on the other hand, feature a tremendous offense (the have two players–Ryan Howard and Chase Utley) with more than 100 RBI’s and three knocking on the door with more than 90 each (Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Aaron Rowand). Three players (Howard, Rollins, and Burrell) have more than 30 home runs. Jimmy Rollins, the shortstop, has over 200 hits, 30 home runs, 36 stolen bases, 19 triples, and more than 90 RBI’s as a lead-off hitter. Rollins will set a major league for most at-bats in a season later on tonight. Burrell has been magnificent the second half of the season after a start so bad that I was advocating that he be cut, sicne nobody wanted him a trade. Burrell’s been one of the most productive hitters in the National League for the second half of the season.

Their pitching, on the other hand, leaves a vast amount to be desired. Other than all-star Cole Hamels and mid-season call-up Kyle Kendrick (10-3), they have one of the most incendiary, inconsistent, and atrocious pitching staffs I’ve ever seen. That they’ve hung in there this long is really a tribute to the offense and to Charlie Manuel, the manager.

Anyway, the Phils, through great clutch hitting and decent pitching, have taken advantage of the monumental collapse of the Mets, and have drawn into a dead heat with them. Both teams are 87-72 with three games each left to play. The Phils are riding a hot streak, while the Mets have been floundering badly. They close the regular season with the pesky Washington Nationals, while the Mets close with the Florida Marlins, who’ve done a great job of being a season killer against the Phillies for a number of years now.

From the very beginning of the season, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has predicted that 90 wins would take the division. Looks like he was dead on the money.

The Phillies have not been to the post-season since their magical ride to the World Series in 1993. It’s time. Hell, it’s long over due. Citzen’s Bank Park is going to be ROCKING this weekend. I wish I could be there.

It’s nail biting time for this life-long Phillies fan. Wish us luck. And wish the Marlins luck, too.