As I watch the New York Yankees fight the Los Angeles Angels and Mother Nature for the chance to win the American League pennant and advance to the World Series, I realize something, albeit elementary.
This Phillies team knows how to win. More succinctly, the find another gear when playing in postseason baseball.
During the past two years, the Phillies have gone 18-5 in postseason play.
Carlos Ruiz, a .255 regular season eight-hole hitter for the Phillies, is batting .385 in the postseason with one home run and 4 RBI.
Jimmy Rollins, who was cold in the opening round against the Rockies, hit .250 during the season. Recent hits have brought his postseason average up to .244. But his two-out, two-run walk off double to win Game Four of the NLCS was stuff made up in legends.
Pitting big Dodgers flame thrower Jonathan Broxton against the smaller Rollins, was a David slaying Goliath moment for Phillies fans.
And to a man, they all believe the job is not done.
They held their first post-pennant workout Friday at Citizens Bank Park. My friend, who is a cameraman for a Philadelphia television station, sent me the picture above, along with several others.
I believe it is Shane Victorino taking swings, Jimmy Rollins closest to the cage and Ryan Howard leaning on the bat.
While the Phillies avoided the rain drops for their workout, Major League baseball will do its best to get these American League games done this weekend.
With the Yankees holding a 3-2 series lead over the Angels, one game could finalize the Phillies' World Series opponent.
The Yankees, who came back from a 4-0 first inning lead to take a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh, could not hold on to the victory. The Angels took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh and held on for a 7-6 victory.
The Phillies meanwhile, in their NLCS, split victories in Los Angeles, then won three straight in Philadelphia to close the series out.
This Phillies team, under Charlie Manuel, truly has an attitude of focusing on one game at a time. Ironically, they are a big picture team.
I was very confident that the Phillies would win Game Five and not have to go back to Los Angeles.
While Yankees fans stick out their chest and say they are confident that CC Sabathia will win a Game Seven if it comes to that, the Phillies simply took care of business in five games, not six or seven.
Their offense hammered a good Dodgers bullpen, while the Phillies bullpen sharpened up when they had to.
This Phillies team is like no other in history.
The have a solid lineup top to bottom and a better starting pitching staff than last year's champions. And they win much more than they lose.
The only question mark is if the bullpen stays hot.
Their 93 regular season wins was the fourth best in Phillies history.
Sound like a winning formula to me.
Go Phillies.
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