So what did the Phillies accomplish and not accomplish this past week?

The Winter Meetings were pretty much uneventful, for the Phillies that is.  Which means, they didn’t pull any blockbuster moves or weren’t the coveted ‘mystery’ team this year.

Newly acquired outfielder Laynce Nix passed his physical and was officially signed to a 2-year deal.

Ryan Madson declined arbitration and will test the open market.

The Phillies passed on making any Rule 5 Draft Picks.

“We take a lot of pride that we have a few players in our organization that have had a positive impact — with David Herndon and Michael Martinez and obviously Shane a couple of years back — but it just didn’t feel like it was a fit this year,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. – Phillies.com

Jimmy Rollins and his agent Dan Lozano STILL haven’t agreed to the Phillies offer and the Albert Pujols-LESS St. Louis Cardinals could be contenders.  What a mess that is!!!!

Cole Hamels - MyPHL17.com

And everyone who is a Phillies fan and I mean EVERYONE wants Ruben and the Phillies to lock up Cole Hamels PRONTO!  2012 is Hamels’ last year of his contract meaning at the end he would become a free agent. Hamels is the quintessential home grown boy and no one wants to see him walk.

Amaro said he has not talked with Hamels’ agent, John Boggs, at the Winter Meetings. Talks could pick up after the New Year, a timeframe during which the Phillies have be known to sign players to contract extensions. – Phillies.com

And another quick blurb on the winter meetings, there was chatter about Dominic Brown being traded to the Oakland A’s for southpaw Gio Gonzalez.  The irony, the Phillies acquired Gonzalez in 2005 but through various deals and trades, didn’t keep him.  And as far as Brown goes, at one point he was determined untouchable, but with Brown not producing the way the Phillies had hoped, not sure he’s worth keeping around.  Plus the Phillies have John Mayberry, Jr. who shined bright last year and with the addition of Nix, Brown’s days as a Phillie may be numbered.  But as of right now, nothing has been done.

Yesterday was my mother-in-law’s birthday and she’s bar none the best mother-in-law a girl could hope for, so my apologies for not giving her a proper Happy Birthday.  She not only supports me in everything that I do, she’s one of the sweetest people ever so HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, Linda/Mom!  Love ya!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Ryan Howard - Photo courtesy of: MyPHL17.com

Not much!  HA HA HA

Actually the Phillies higher-ups along with all other MLB teams are preparing for the annual Winter Meetings that will take place next week.  Not sure GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. can top last year’s HUGE result…Cliff Lee!  But it would be nice to get another pleasant surprise.

But right now Amaro’s main priority is the shortstop position.  Which Amaro apparently refers to as the “Shortstop Situation” and we’re not talking about MTV’s Jersey Shore.  Thank goodness.

In fact, earlier this week he said a couple times he is happy with his roster — once he settles the shortstop situation. Amaro is clear to call it the “shortstop situation” and not the “Jimmy Rollins situation” because one way or another he knows he needs somebody to play shortstop next year.

But it sounds like if Amaro brings back Rollins that might be the last major move the Phillies make this winter, meaning no combination of Rollins and Michael Cuddyer. Of course, if Rollins signs elsewhere, then the Phillies could upgrade in left field while finding a cheaper alternative at shortstop like Freddy Galvis, Alex Gonzalez or some of the other free agent shortstops on the market. - Phillies.com

Yesterday, Ryan Howard donated $1.2 million dollars to Philly schools.  The money that comes from Howard’s foundation will be used to purchase new uniforms and sneakers for 57 high schools and four middle schools around Philadelphia.

“This is not a first-time thing,” Mayor Nutter said of Howard’s generosity, which also includes a $500,000 donation to help rebuild Hunting Park. “This is a person and a family that care about this city. They’re setting an example of what people . . . at the highest levels can do.” – Philly.com

That’s a very generous gift!  It’s so nice to see athletes give back and even more so giving to kids.  Major props to the big guy!!!

Image courtesy of: limecandy.onsugar.com

I was going to write this post up after last night’s game ended, but wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to say. And to be honest, I’m still not sure.

The game definitely did not end the way I had hoped or wanted it to.  But it is what it is.  The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Phillies 1-0, eliminating them from the playoffs.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – Game5 NLDS 10/7/11

Sure Roy Halladay gave up a run in the first inning, but that run was all he gave up.  What he needed was assistance from his offense which clearly he did not get.  A one run lead shouldn’t have been enough for the Cards to advance but sadly it was.  Even with 102 wins in the regular season the offense wasn’t always there and last night it was their undoing.

Third baseman Placido Polanco and first baseman Ryan Howard both had .105 batting averages in the NLDS series.  Catcher Carlos Ruiz had a .057 batting average while right fielder Hunter Pence had .211.  After Games 1 and 2, the offense just faded.  And no matter how great a team’s pitching is, got to have a strong offense to back it up.

Watching Howard walk up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and nobody on, was eerily reminiscent of last year’s NLCS against the San Francisco Giants.  That’s when Howard struck out looking to end that series.  Well last night,  the entire series once again laid on Howard’s big shoulders and he failed to deliver yet again.  Though he did manage to make contact with the ball, it was playable and Howard was thrown out at first.  But he never even made it to first base, he somehow tripped up exiting the box and injured his achilles (left ankle).

“I was trying to run and I just felt this pop, and the whole thing went numb like it was on fire,” Howard said. “I tried to keep going and went down. It literally felt like I was on a flat tire. I tried to get up, [but I] just couldn’t go.”

Howard said he may have hit his Achilles with his bat during his final swing of the 2011 season. Howard had been dealing with bursitis and an assortment of other foot injuries for the latter part of the summer, but he never was told continued pressure on those joints and ligaments would increase the risk of a serious injury. – Phillies.com

Howard who had to be helped off the field while the Cards were celebrating no less, is scheduled to have an MRI on Saturday to see what if any damage was done.

So the offense was a bust as a whole, but I must tip my hat to St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter, who was very impressive.  Going up against Doc for the first time must have been both exciting and intimidating at the same time.  But Carpenter prevailed and helped his team advance to the NLCS to face the Milwaukee Brewers.

As a Philadelphia sports fan, I am used to the disappointment.  Because other than the Phillies World Series win in 2008, I have watched the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) and Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) choke year after year.  Doesn’t make it any easier but I’ve come to expect it.  The moment Cliff Lee re-signed with the team back in December 2010, this Phillies team was predicted to go all the way .  With the 4 Aces and then the acquisition of Pence, this team was built to win.  But sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way.

Jimmy Rollins who stepped it up in the playoff series, is in the final year of his contract.  So his future with the Phillies is unknown at this time.  Raul Ibanez and closer Ryan Madson are also at the end of their contracts.

Overall the Phillies had a great year, but sadly because they didn’t make it past the NLDS, some will feel it was a bust and having the best record in all of baseball didn’t mean squat.

Not sure what the future holds for this team but guess we will find out as their off season begins.  SADLY!!!

I want to congratulate the St. Louis Cardinals, their Aerys Site Aaron Miles’ Fastball and its lead writer Christine Coleman!  Good luck in the National League Championship Series.

I was all set to write…WOO-HOO Phillies clinch the 2011 NLDS!  But boy was that shot to s**t after the Phillies lost 5-3 to the Cardinals.

So now we are heading back to Philly for Game 5 on Friday night. Which I really didn’t want to see happen.

And I didn’t think it would be necessary after the Phillies took a nice 2-0 lead in the first inning.  Jimmy Rollins got the ball rolling with his fourth double of the series, then Chase Utley hauled ass to get an RBI-triple.  Hunter Pence then singled to score Utley.  Offense looked good and ready to win this game.  Unfortunately the bats had other plans and flatlined.

The Cards quickly answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI-double by Lance Berkman, that ended up being a double thanks to Shane Victorino slipping (literally) and unable to get the ball back in.

Was hoping for a better outing from Roy Oswalt, but he just didn’t have it.  He threw six innings, gave up five runs on six hits, and struck out five.

The squirrel that made its national television debut on Tuesday night, made another appearance in tonight’s.  And it decided to run across home plate as Oswalt was pitching to Skip Schumaker.

The pitch, which hit the catcher’s mitt a split-second before the furry fellow crossed the home-plate area, was called a ball. The squirrel darted into the stands while Oswalt stood with his hands in the air, either protesting the pitch should have been wiped out or should have been called a strike. – Phillies.com

Obviously Oswalt was struggling anyway, but the squirrel definitely just added to it.  And I defended the little critters in my previous post but they have no place on the baseball field.  When asked after the game what he thought of the squirrel, Manuel stated that there wasn’t much he could do about it, but that being from the south, had he had a shotgun, he would have shot the squirrel.  All I know is that better be the last squirrel sighting at any Phillies games.  The once labeled ‘lucky squirrel’ is now null and void.

On Tuesday night, the Philly killer was Ryan Theriot, tonight it was David Freese, who hit a two RBI-double in the fourth then slammed a two-run homer in the sixth.  Putting the Cards up 5-2.

Joe Blanton threw in the seventh and Brad Lidge pitched the eighth.  Combined they retired all six batters faced but the damage had already been done.

The Phillies managed to squeak in a run in the eighth courtesy of pinch hitter Ross Gload singling then advancing to second on a balk.  Michael Martinez pinched run for Gload and got to third after Utley singled.  With Hunter Pence at the plate, St. Louis reliever Fernando Salas threw a wild pitch, allowing Martinez to score.  At that point the Phillies would take a run any way they could.  Sadly though with the offense on life support, there wasn’t much hope of a miraculous recovery.

Even worse, Ryan Howard who usually kills it at Busch Stadium has been downright invisible. Tonight he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.  Not harping on him, I just want him to find whatever is missing and be the hitter I know he can be!  And hopefully he finds it before Friday night.

And speaking of Friday night, the pitching match-up for Game 5 will be Roy Halladay vs. Chris Carpenter.  If ever there was a time to be grateful that Doc is a Phillie, Friday night would be it.  I have faith…so please baseball gods, don’t disappoint me!

Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – Game 5 NLDS 10/5/11

The song used for the FOX/TBS Postseason is “Written in the Stars” by Tinie Tempah featuring Eric Turner can be heard here.

PHI Cole Hamels & STL Jaime Garcia

The series is tied 1-1 and tonight’s Game 3 is in St.Louis.

Ryan Howard usually tears it up at Busch Stadium, playing in front of his hometown family and friends, so hopefully tonight and tomorrow are no exception.

John Mayberry, Jr. who has had good success against lefties, will most likely start in place of Raul Ibanez.  Mayberry is 3-for-6 against St. Louis southpaw Jaime Garcia, with a double and RBI.

“I don’t think anybody feels real comfortable against him,” said Mayberry about his success against Garcia. “He’s a real good pitcher. I guess I’ve been fortunate in the past.” – Phillies.com

One of the biggest keys to beating the Cards is the offense staying hot.  So far lead-off batter Jimmy Rollins has done his job effectively.

Rollins is hitting .485 with two doubles, two home runs, four RBIs, three walks and three stolen bases in his last eight games, including the first two games of the NLDS. – Phillies.com

So has Chase Utley who at times struggled going down the stretch.

Utley is hitting .500 with two doubles, one home run, two RBIs, four walks and one stolen base in his last four games, including the first two games of the postseason. – Phillies.com

As good as those two have been, both have not fared well against Garcia.  In their careers, Rollins is 1-for-11 and Utley is 0-for-6.  Not very good stats, but this is the playoffs and the mindset is completely different.  If Rollins gets on base, right out of the gate, he sets the tone for the rest of the game.

Tonight, we finally get to see Cole Hamels in the postseason. He finished off the regular season with 14 wins, nine losses, and a 2.79 earned run average.

“I know that being able to have good starting pitchers in the postseason is supposed to be sort of the way of success, but at the same time, in the postseason, everything is different no matter what you did during the regular season — how well you did, how well you didn’t do,” Hamels said. “You can have your big games in the postseason, but at the same time, it takes a whole team.” – Phillies.com

Check out tonight’s Game 3 preview after the jump…

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