It’s almost as if the Phillies never got a chance to repeat last time. In first place at 34-21 at the time of the 1981 players’ strike, the Phillies never got it going in the second half. The owners were selling the club, the team had no incentive to play well during the second half (since it had already clinched a playoff spot) and some of the players on the Phils were incredibly out of shape when MLB came back from the layoff. Hell, in the middle of the NLDS against Montreal news broke that manager Dallas Green would become general manager of the Cubs after the season.
“The playoff never really piqued the interest of Philly’s fandom,” David Jordan writes in Occasional Glory, “perhaps because the second half of the sundered season never did either.” The mess of the 1981 season meant there was no real repeat attempt for Phils fans to cheer on their team to postseason glory. (This is what it’ll be like if the Arena Football League ever comes back and the Soul make the postseason.)
This year, though, the fans have been into it. Citizens Bank Park has been over capacity all season and the Phils responded with a third consecutive division title. It hasn’t been easy, of course. Brad Lidge had a 7.21 ERA, Jimmy Rollins was hitting .205 on July 1, The Pen was incredibly boring, et cetera. But could you have ever believed a few years ago that this Phillies team, the one without Mike Schmidt, would have the best chance to repeat in the team’s history?
That’s what strange about the whole thing: All of it has happened so fast. Sure, the Phils have been a winning team almost all decade, but there hasn’t been a stretch of postseason near-misses. The Phils got swept out their first trip to the postseason, then won it all on their second try. Last year we all spent the postseason breathing into paper bags and wondering if this was really happened. This year’s gravy, something to really enjoy. And what’s great is the Phils have a really good shot to win it all.
This should be fun.
Each day during the postseason, Dan McQuade will write about the Phillies’ chance at a second straight World Series title. You can usually read his thoughts on baseball at Walkoff Walk.
46 Comments on “Playoff Diary: Dance All Night, Work All Day”
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- Watrick on That was a helluva run, boys. Harry woulda been proud.
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General
October 7th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I think Jimmy said it at the beginning of the season. Everybody wins one (championship, WS) but if you win two, you prove how good you really are. 2.5 hours seems so far away.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
playoff anxiety is f’in killing me
October 7th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Haha, totally forgot about the Vanity Fair Chick… What a C-Bag!!
Go Philllllllieess!
October 7th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
i thought dmac might be a piece of shit at first but then i saw his keys to the game. i now like you. good stuff
October 7th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I’m so glad “Coste Rules” gets credit.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
This bon jovi song on tbs is mind blowingly horrible.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Yo, dmac is legit.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I’m glad to see dmac on the fightins, I miss Philadelphia Will do.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
HA! This is good stuff. Way to go, D-Mac.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Click my name to join the live blog.
October 7th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Fuck TBS, I wanna listen to Sarge
October 7th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I can’t fucking handle these TV D-bags on the radio. Please make these 3 innings go by like a flash. Torture!!!!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Rauuuuuuul!!!!!!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Choooooch!
October 7th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I’m having my own little NLDS party up in here on this thread. And I’m OK with that.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Where the hell were these bats in September, this is great
October 7th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Looks like Cliff Lee of August is back.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Cliff Lee. What a fucking boss.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Wow, I want to drive to 1 Citizens Bank Way and whack those two fucking cunts who tried to grab that ball. Tards.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
getting closer to…………EVERYBODY HITS!!!!!!!!!! come on ‘Dro!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Steak ‘Em Up!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
There it is! EVERYBODY HITS!!!!!!!!!!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
EVERYBODY HITS
October 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Welp it’s not a shutout but….
It’s official: Cliff Lee is a FUCKING BEAST.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
WOOO!!!! 1 DOWN, 10 TO GO!!!!!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Man I feel a lot better about this series now
October 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Everybody hits!!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Lee is money!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
wfc’s!
steak ‘em up!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Got my Everybody Hits shirt in the mail yesterday, so that was appropriate
October 7th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
yes!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
ITS CLIFTON BITCHES!!!
October 7th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Everybody hits, and Lee turned the Rockies into speed bumps. A game even close to that from Cole tomorrow, and this series doesn’t come back to CBP.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Tug, you misspelled the site so the link doesn’t work. There are one to many e’s in Lee…
http://www.cliftonphiferlee.com is what I’m assuming it should be…
Good work, though. CLIFTON!!!!!!!!!!
October 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I never doubted him..Cliff was amazing and so was J Werth!!!!!!! Take that Rockies. Colorado outfield = fail. Cole needs to step up tomorrow and keep the momentum going.
ps. who thinks we should invest in RED rally towels to avoid losing the ball again?
October 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
And then I misspelled “too.” My b.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
lee had a hit, a stolen base and one erned run. pretty dynamic day ol cliffs
October 7th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
CLIFF IS A BEAST AND AN ALL-AROUND COMPETITOR I CANNOT COMMENT ON HIM WITHOUT CAPS LOCK SORRY
October 7th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
AND THANKS FOR FIXING THAT MATT GOOD LOOKING OUT
October 7th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Amazing, 100% satisfaction guaranteed kind of game. Thank you Cliff Lee. How about that WFC offense??
October 7th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I liked the first thing out of Jason Werth’s mouth after the game when interviewed, “Tomorrow’s game is huge, maybe the biggest game of the series.” Ain’t nothing wrapped up yet, but it sure feels nice. Glad to see the new dogs pull them old tricks-Clifton and RaUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL coming up big.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
moon rock
October 8th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Dmac’s “keys to the game” (especially the first one)
FTW
October 8th, 2009 at 8:54 am
I miss Philadelphia Will Do.
October 8th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
YOU’RE WELCOME TUG. WHY ARE WE YELLING?!?!?! LOUD NOISES!!!!
October 8th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
BECAUSE AS PHANAVISION IS CONSTANTLY SAYING:
MAKE
NOISE!!!!!!!