via the Inky

14 of the Phillies’ 20 runs in this series have been scored
via the long ball.  That means, of
course, that the Phillies boom-or-bust offense didn’t change, or re-shape, or
take form.  It means that all those
little things (move runners, steal bases) that everyone preaches are critically
important in the playoffs haven’t been.  The Phillies haven’t been able to get runners over, and they have only been able to score one way -
fortunately for them, that has been all the scoring they really need.

Tonight they try to close out an improbable championship, and Cole
Hamels tries to add some more hardware to his shelf.  The Phillies have yet to be beaten at home in
the playoffs, don’t expect that to end tonight.  Plenty of notes from game four, ATJ

• Pregame thoughts on the players:  Pat seems focused, and he’s raking.  Howard is clowning around, he looks looser
  than he has all series.

• The World Series is different.  Every time a player stops to chat for a few
  minutes they get swarmed by a crowd. 
  Chooch and Feliz are superstars to masses of Hispanic press.

• Your first round of batting practice you take eight
  cuts.  Utley sprays all of his in between
  where the second baseman and shortstop would be at double play depth. 

• Jim Thome is in the building
• The Hark Aaron Awards were presented tonight.  They’re supposed to go to the offensive player
  on the year, but since it’s a fan vote they always just go to a guy with a
  fanbase (a Yankee or a Red Sox have won the AL one five times in a row).  This year’s winners were Kevin Youkilis and
  Aramis Ramirez, they were presented their awards by MLB head man Bud Selig,
  Sharp CEO Doug Koshima (”the original Dice-K” joked moderator Karl Ravech, like
  45 times) and the Hammering one himself. 
  It was pretty absurd.  Here are
  some highlights:
  • Doug Koshima is the man they would send if you requested an
    Asian businessman from central casting. 
    He referred to Hank Aaron as a “super athlete” and plugged sharp
    electronics at least eight times in his short speech. 

  • Aramis Ramirez is obviously shocked he won the award.  He was not the National League offensive
    player of the year – not by any reasonable metric – and while he had himself a
    hell of year, he knows that he’s there more because he’s a Cub than because he
    had a great year.  Awkward. 

  • Youk is not
    bothered by this.

• Early on Joe Blanton looks nasty.  He’s changing speeds
  and planes, and none of his strikes are white.  I guess it helps that he gets to toss to
  Carlos Pena and the Desperate Thirdbasemen, who have a combined zero hits this series. 

• I keep on trying to bring myself to write a “speed doesn’t
  matter” article, or at least a long post, but every time I watch a game I talk
  myself out of it.  The Phillies small
  ball (i.e. get help with an error, a blown call, and a poor decision not to
  turn a double play) their way to a 1-0 lead.

• When I was but a little Beale my father told me that California had only
  contributed two things to popular culture: the first was the right turn on red
  and the second was the wave.  This was
  not a compliment.  I bring this up
  because some clown in a madras hat and baby blue Utley jersey tee tried to
  start the second.  He was sitting in
  section 324, row one, and he sucks. 

• Wow. That eighth inning is just insulting. 
• All three of Tampa
  Bay’s home runs have been
  solo shots

• Four games in a row a team has scored in the first inning
• All four Rays starters surrendered at least six hits
• The Rays 22 postseason stolen bases in a single season high. 
  

There are some reports coming out of Tampa Bay that suggest some really ugly fan stuff inside the bank last night.  Remember people, you’re there for the Phillies, not against the Rays.  These aren’t Mets fans you’re dealing with – they’re fragile and can’t take a good ribbing.  So stop ripping the tags off of their jerseys, it’s not worth it.

Oh, and when they do win … try not to riot too hard, we have enough of a rep as is.

27 MORE OUTS

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