Kuzul

It’s playoff time!

I know fans of the Yankees, Twins, Rays, Rangers, Giants, Phillies, Reds, and Braves are all gearing up with their jerseys, hats, and probably car flags to show their support as the playoffs get underway this afternoon.

What happened during the season means nothing at this point. Every team starts 0-0 and it become a whole new, albeit short, season.

For the teams themselves, there are players that become October monsters at the plate. The struggles of their regular season behind them, there’s always a new feeling when playoff times comes around that makes them swing a hot bat and help the team in big ways.

But there are also those players who were monsters during the regular season that become equally as dangerous come October.

Here are the 10 best hitters when playoff time rolls around.

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The Philadelphia Phillies are the favorite to win the 2010 World Series.   

Oddsmakers in Las Vegas have called for a rematch of the 2009 World Series since the beginning of the season.   

Bodog.com has the Philadelphia Phillies as 21/10 favorites.  The New York Yankees are 7/2 and the Tampa Bay Rays are not far behind at 9/2.     

Let me preface this article by saying that I DO believe that the Phillies will win the World Series.  

Philadelphia is not only the best team in baseball, but also the hottest team.  

No team wants to play in Citizens Bank Park.   

No team wants to pitch to Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jayson Werth.  Not to mention Carlos Ruiz, a .302 number EIGHT hitter.   

No team wants to start a series by facing Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels.  

Charlie Manuel’s team should win their second championship in the last three years.  

However, it is possible that the Philadelphia Phillies will not win the World Series.  

Any one of or a combination of these five reasons will be a fine explanation of what went wrong.  

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Part 3 of 7

Although the Phillies have a league-wide reputation as an offensive powerhouse, their numbers were down across the board this season. Appearances can be deceiving. 

A peek at the rankings suggests that the Phillies might take a back seat to other playoff teams in terms of offensive output.  

The Cincinnati Reds lead the National League in runs, batting average (.270), home runs (181), and slugging percentage (.434.)

Although in-season acquisitions have bolstered their run production, both the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres are built around pitching. Similarly, the Atlanta Braves rely more on pitching than offense to win games. 

Although the presence of the designated hitter makes comparisons between the two leagues difficult, all four American League clubs have posted impressive offensive statistics this season. The AL contenders have varying formulas, but each of them ranks in the top five in runs scored. 

When it comes to the 2010 Philadelphia Phillies, though, the stat sheets don’t tell the true story. Sometimes there is truth in the old adage “figures lie and liars figure” and this is a prime example.  

For the past several seasons, the Phillies reigned at the top of league rankings with their high octane offense. 

The previous two seasons placed them first in home runs. Last year, they captured that distinction by a large margin, clubbing 34 more than the next National League  team. 

As further validation that the Phillies have been built for the long ball, they ranked one or two in slugging percentage over the past four campaigns. 

And, in the true measure of offensive prowess, the Phils ranked first or second in runs scored each of the previous five seasons. 

In 2010, Philadelphia’s home run production currently sits 61 dingers behind that of a year ago. It is safe to say, regardless of any further exploits by Ben Francisco, John Mayberry, or Mike Sweeney in the regular season’s last three games, the final tally will be a very large drop-off. 

After a strong stretch run, they have climbed the rankings a bit in runs scored, but will likely finish third. 

Statistics and rankings aside, though, this is probably the team’s most dangerous lineup in the current era of prosperity. 

The recorded numbers mask the lineup’s true offensive potential as well as the level of anxiety it stirs amongst opposing hurlers. 

Just ask Jonathan Broxton.

The reason that the numbers seem not to align, of course, is simple—Phillies regulars logged an inordinate amount of time in the training room this year. 

The injury impact on the statistics has been two-fold. The most obvious has been the lost production associated with the roughly 200 games that regulars have not stepped on the playing field due to physical ailments.   

And, then, when players returned to action, their productivity suffered from inactivity and an often compromised physical state. This was most notable with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins as they struggled to regain their swings. 

And, I would be remiss not to mention that Howard’s stint on the DL and subsequent recovery non-fortuitously coincided with the stretch of season that has historically been his own personal fireworks display. 

The way this season has gone, it would be foolish to rule out anymore physical setbacks. That notwithstanding, though, it is the Phillies’ good fortune— and opponents’ ill fortune—that the lineup is set to be intact for the postseason.  

And, as good as the Reds hit all year, this Phillies lineup as it was conceived in the offseason is the gold standard. 

It possesses the rare combination of game changing speed and power capable of alternately intimidating opposing hurlers while instilling confidence in its own. 

Count this Phillies potent offense as another key October advantage. It appears poised to do some postseason damage. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After clinching their fourth straight division title, the Philadelphia Phillies have established themselves as the team to beat in the National League.

Despite sitting in second place when September began, the Phillies continued to chop away at Atlanta‘s lead in the NL East and overtook them on the 7th of the month. Once they stood atop the division, Philly wasted no time in putting away the fading Braves, pushing their lead to seven games within 15 days of taking control of first place.

Even though they had six of their eight starters on offense hit the disabled list at some point this year, Charlie Manuel’s group relied on starting pitching to bide their time until their lineup could get healthy.

With Cy Young candidate Roy Halladay (21-7, 2.44 ERA) on the mound, the Phillies clinched the NL East title in Washington last night with an 8-0 victory. A fitting end to a roller coaster season, which has seen the rotation dominate opponents since the All-Star break. In September, the starters were especially instrumental in helping Philly finish out the season on a 19-5 tun that included an 8-1 road record.

When you include fellow ace Roy Oswalt, who has gone 7-1 with a 1.76 ERA in his 11 starts since being traded for on July 29th, Philadelphia remains almost unbeatable in a five-game series.

Along with Oswalt and Halladay, Cole Hamels has rediscovered the success that saw him win the 2008 World Series MVP. Leaving out his latest four-inning, five-earned run outing against the Mets two days ago, Hamels had been a perfect 5-0 in his last five starts, having given up only two runs in 36.2 innings over that span. If the lefty can carry over his stellar performance into October, then Philadelphia may walk into the World Series.

Although their rotation has been outstanding in recent weeks, the offense, too, broke out of its slump in September, as players continue to return to pre-injury form.

Philadelphia’s hot streak coincided with the return of Chase Utley, who missed July and a portion of August rehabbing from a thumb injury. In September, the Gold Glove second baseman has hit .326 to go along with five home runs and 22 RBIs. Had it not been for the historic month that Colorado‘s Troy Tulowitzki is having, Utley’s September would be getting far more attention than it has. 

With Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez also revitalized for the stretch run, the Phillies’ offense has finally surrounded behemoth Ryan Howard (.276, 31 HRs, 106 RBIs) with ample protection for the playoffs. 

The biggest surprise of the Phillies’ run, however, has been the quiet bat of Jimmy Rollins. When in the lineup, the shortstop usually plays the role of catalyst for the Phillies late in the season, as seen by his .292 batting average in September and October, up from his otherwise regular .273 stat line. This year, though, he has sported a batting average as low as .236 and looks altogether lost at the plate.

While Rollins has been given the past two weeks off because of a “hamstring” injury, the Phillies have continued to push the pace and have posted four games in which they scored at least eight runs during his time on the disabled list. Philadelphia management hopes that his hiatus, which, according to coach Charlie Manuel, is set to end early this week, will help breath life into the 32-year-old’s bat.

As the Phillies begin to rest their regulars for the playoffs, very few question marks stand in the way of a third straight World Series appearance. Set to be in his first playoff series, ace Roy Halladay knows that Philadelphia knows how to win.

“That’s the reason you want to come to a team like this. They know how to do it,” Halladay said. “It’s the coolest thing I’ve been a part of. It’s just the start, I think.”

Hopefully Doc’s words do come true and his division-clinching victory is only the beginning for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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It began in Washington on April 5, and fittingly, it has ended in Washington with the Philadelphia Phillies crushing the Washington Nationals, 8-0 en route to a divisional clinch.

And with every ending comes a new beginning.

Now, Dem Phightin’ Phils will begin the process of gearing up for their fourth postseason berth in as many years.

And they do it HEALTHY!

Jimmy Rollins will return as soon as today, and the rest of the musketeers are in good health and playing at an incredibly high level.

But the Phillies will have to utilize a couple of things in order to survive the bevy of teams that they could face.

Let’s take a quick look at what lies ahead for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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At this point, Jimmy Rollins has missed eight straight games after tweaking his hamstring about a week and a half ago. Overall, Rollins has only played in 82 games this season, is on injury number four, and is only hitting .245.

All of that, combined with the way Shane Victorino has responded as the lead-off hitter and the way Wilson Valdez has been playing the field, makes me think the Phils should just sit Rollins down until the playoffs.

That allows them to keep the lineup the way it is so they don’t risk messing up the rhythm these guys have established, and it helps Rollins get ready for when the team will really need him.

As of now, they’re doing just fine holding off the Braves and have themselves in position to win the NL East.

With the expanded roster, they can probably even afford to sit him down without having to put him on the DL, making him available to pinch-hit or pinch-run if he’s truly needed.

There’s always the risk he could re-tweak his hammy doing that, but the option is available to the team should they feel obligated to use it.

But even that might not be necessary with Ross Gload, Ben Francisco, Brian Schneider, and (soon) Dominic Brown available to hit off the bench.

So put Rollins on the bench and let him get to 100 percent. He hasn’t been great during the regular season, but as we’ve seen over the past couple of seasons there might not be a more clutch guy in the postseason than Rollins.

And if the Phils are able to head into the second season with him at full strength and a guy like Wilson Valdez in the dugout just in case, Charlie Manuel’s team could be the deepest and most talented squad in the tournament regardless of league.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Philadelphia Phillies obstacle course of a season currently finds them one game up in the National League Eastern Division. The club’s 2010 campaign has been akin to a season of The Amazing Race in terms of duration, complexity, and challenge. 

An ongoing spate of injuries has kept the National League’s best team on paper at less than full strength all season long. Key players revolved on the disabled list and often when back on the field, found themselves still compromised by inactivity and less than full physical function. 

The team’s fortunes had taken such a nose dive that many were debating whether the Phillies should be “buyers” or “sellers” in the annual July swap meet. Some argued that it was time to concede to the injuries and team’s diminished record, write the season off, and look towards next season. 

To the Phillies players’, coaches’, and entire organization’s credit— that did not happen. Everyone maintained a sense of calm, found a way to stay afloat, and even threw in a bold trade to acquire another marquee pitcher. 

The payoff has been a slow, steady climb back to the top spot in the NL East after spending almost three months looking up at the Atlanta Braves. But just as the team was making the swap in standings, a few more warning flares appeared. 

First, Brad Lidge’s balky elbow caused the team to shut him down for a few days. Although he is just months removed from surgery to clean it up, both Lidge and the team remain optimistic that it is only a minor ailment that will not derail the Phillies closer. 

Lidge has been a key cog in the team’s resurgence and is being counted on as an important element for the team’s success. Since an ugly blown save against the Washington Nationals in late August, Lidge has done his best work since the 2008 World Series run. 

Next, Gold Glove shortstop and team heartbeat Jimmy Rollins pulled up lame running the bases. Two previous stints on the DL already this season with a calf injury caused manager Charlie Manuel to immediately sit him down and is now listed as day-to-day. 

The injury was indicated to be a hamstring strain. Both player and team remain optimistic that a short rest will nip the problem in the bud. 

Other players such as Ryan Howard, Placido Polanco, and Chase Utley may not be 100 percent over the balance of the year, but that is the reality of the marathon that is Major League Baseball. 

Continuing brushes with the injury bug highlight that a successful conclusion to the season is not all within the team’s control. And, surely the other team’s fighting for a postseason berth are not going to fade away easily. 

The Braves lead baseball in comeback and walk-off wins. 

The San Francisco Giants have the pitching and a bolstered offense to maintain their charge. 

After a recent tailspin, the San Diego Padres are showing signs of a rebound. Strong pitching had produced the best record in the NL before their 10-game losing streak, and surely is capable of producing many wins down the stretch. 

The Colorado Rockies have launched their annual September surge. They are playing with the same strong sense of confidence that has propelled them past other teams in recent years when the games became more urgent.  

Despite the keen competition, the Phillies are well positioned and poised to make another run to glory. 

The Phillies offense has started to heat up as the original starting cast now populates the lineup and returning players continue to find their groove. Hitting can be contagious and Howard appears to have his normal September offensive bug. 

With an effective Lidge, a rested and sharp Ryan Madson, and an overall good supporting cast, the bullpen has moved from weakness to strength. 

And, importantly, the starting staff  is imposing— at least three out of five days. 

Joe Blanton brought back memories of Adam Eaton through July, but has been 6-1 with a 3.37 ERA since. The remaining schedule may allow the team to bypass inconsistent fifth starter Kyle Kendrick. 

The biggest source of optimism for the pennant stretch and postseason, should they advance, derives from the fact that Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt can out-duel anyone. 

Surely the games need to be won on the field, and a one game lead and a pack of hungry teams in pursuit of the playoffs will keep the heat on— but this Phillies team has the elements to win it all. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the playoffs around the corner, potential matchups are being examined. The regular season is winding down and the hunt is heating up. For the Padres and Phillies, two playoff hopefuls, there is a chance the two will face each other in the postseason.

Whether the Phillies and Padres win the wild card or their divisions, there is a good chance they’ll face each other, making for an intriguing matchup.

On one side is the young, up-and-coming San Diego Padres, stacked with solid young pitching. On the other side is the Philadelphia Phillies, a seasoned team that is defending a National League title.

There have been a lot of good things going on in San Diego this year, and they could be the team to dismantle the defending NL champs in a potential playoff series between the two. Here are five reasons why the Padres can knock the Phillies out of playoff contention.

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Jimmy Rollins is either the most unlucky guy on the planet, or he doesn’t do nearly enough work during the offseason and throughout the regular season. Muscle pulls can, of course, be freak things, but three times in one year leads me to believe he simply doesn’t train hard enough.

When the muscle is worked properly, it gets stronger—obviously. You don’t need a medical degree to understand how that might work. It also doesn’t take a genius to understand that not only does training make it stronger, but it makes the muscle more resilient.

More resilient means fewer tweaks, strains, pulls and a much lower chance of a tear. So the fact that Rollins has now tweaked/strained/pulled a muscle in his leg three times in one season can most likely be traced back to laziness in the weight room.

No one is that unlucky. There has to be an explanation for it.

Jimmy has a reputation as a hard worker and a tough player which has led to a lot of games played and few missed. So the fact that he’s now been injured three times in 2010 would lead me to believe his training has dipped.

The fact that “dehydration” was listed as a cause of the injury doesn’t help. Is there anything easier to avoid? Just drink some water. He’s sitting on the bench for how long while the Phillies are batting and there’s no possible way he’s just too busy to have a cup of water.

If he’s truly being that lazy this season, he could probably have someone get it and bring it to him on the bench, so there’s no excuse for that to ever be an issue.

Basketball players, soccer players and maybe even hockey players might be able to use that as an excuse because they’re constantly going and truly might not have time to get enough water, but baseball players should never have that kind of trouble.

The bottom line is that Rollins has to step up and start doing the things expected of him. That means getting in the weight room, drinking some water and doing whatever else he must do in order to stay on the field and actually help his team, because right now Wilson Valdez is just a more reliable option at shortstop.

Yeah, Wilson Valdez. How about that?

Or, maybe my assumption is all wrong, and all Jimmy needs is a rabbit’s foot, a horseshoe and a four-leaf clover.

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How do the Phillies follow up their reclaiming of first place in the NL East? With a game that was almost too much fun to watch. The first inning brought two quick scores by the Phillies, as the Phils jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

The party came to a halt however, when Jimmy Rollins left the game with a, then, undisclosed injury in the third inning. The Phillies are now calling it “tightness in the hamstring.”

Rollins didn’t look quite right running to second base on his two-out double in the third. His approach to second base came with a peculiar arrival, as he chooses not to slide, despite the ball arriving in a close play.

Rollins looked upset as he exited the game. Jimmy Rollins is the anchor to this team, and they seem to play better with him in the lineup.

Rollins missed 59 games this season, and the Phillies seemed to drag along during that period. Since then, into September, the Phillies have been rolling. They have found themselves in first place, winning eight of their last ten games.

Tonight was a beautiful follow up to the commandeering of first place. Cole Hamels didn’t allow a single run in seven innings of work, seemingly, furthering the presence of Philadelphia’s ‘big three’ on the National League. 

Matt Gelb, of the Philly.com, reports on the luck the Phillies are commonly known to live on:

“Luck, as in Jimmy Rollins just keeping a line drive fair inside the third-base line in the third inning Wednesday. Luck, as in the ball bouncing off the fencing of the stands that jut out, meaning Marlins leftfielder Logan Morrison could reach the ball quicker. Luck, as in Rollins looking up and seeing he had to bust it just a little harder.”

Gelb also reported on the hands down skill that the high powered offense is know for also.

“Ryan Howard drove in six runs – one short of his career high – including three on an opposite-field blast in the fourth that left little doubt in the game’s result. The team’s newest lead-off hitter, Shane Victorino, was on base three times and scored each time. Chase Utley added two more RBIs to his torrid September.”

But the perfect night comes with the anxiety of losing the team catalyst in the thick of a pennant race.

The bullpen gave up six runs in the eighth inning, but did enough to hold up the eventual win. The Phillies came away with the 10-6 victory over the Florida Marlins.

The Braves held up their end, winning 9-3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates, keeping the Phillies lead at .5 games ahead of those pesky Braves.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com