We are on the eve of the baseball post-season which gives everyone a chance to theorize on how the matchups will play out, make their selections and pick a World Series winner, so let's get to it.

In the NLDS matchup between the Giants and the Braves, I like the Giants in five. This should be a series built on pitching and which team can scratch across just enough runs to get the game to their bullpen and respective closer to win. Tim Lincecum shook off an awful August to have a stellar September and could set the tone in game one. Matt Cain has electric stuff but didn't get run support all year and, as he's already proven once, Jonathan Sanchez is capable of putting together no-hit stuff every time he takes the hill. Sadly, the one starter with experience is Barry Zito and his season fell apart after a pretty solid first half. The Braves will counter with experience in Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson and the youngster Tommy Hanson, who like Sanchez, has the potential to be dominant each time out.

The offenses struggled for both teams most of the year but both clubs are capable of putting up some runs and hitting the ball out of the yard. Aubrey Huff resurrected his career in San Francisco this season as did Pat Burrell and Andres Torres, while Pablo "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval struggled and Aaron Rowand has virtually disappeared. Where does the flammable Jose Guillen fit into the mix and will he have any impact and of course, you have to mention potential Rookie of the Year Buster Posey, who solidified the lineup once he was inserted into the cleanup spot on an everyday basis.

The Braves have some pop with Derrek Lee, Brian McCann, Alex Gonzalez and potentional ROY Jason Heyward. But, the big question for Atlanta is not only how much will they miss Chipper Jones but how much will they miss Martin Prado, their best player this season. And, can they hide Brooks Conrad defensively for possibly five games at third base without him making a costly misplay? Omar Infante certainly validated his selection to the All-Star team and has to have a big series offensively at the top of the order for the Braves to have a chance.

The Braves were the best home team in the game this season and could be in position to close the series at Turner Field if they can get a split on the road, which means the pressure is on the Giants to win the first two games at home. Even if they don't, I think the Giants find a way to squeeze out a few more runs and win the series in the last game in front of their home fans.

The Phightin' Phils!

Wow! The morning after the Phillies clinched their fourth straight division title and all I can think about is how remote a possibility this seemed two and a half months ago.

The Phils were the runaway pre-season to choice to not only win the division but glide through the playoffs to a third straight World Series, and according to some experts, a second championship in three seasons.

It sure didn't look like there was any way it could happen in July after losing three of four to the pathetic Pirates and six out of out eight to the Cubbies and Cardinals. But, this amazing group of resilient and talented players has since ripped of 46 wins in their last 63 games to not only clinch another post-season appearance but home field advantage throughout the National League playoffs and the World Series.

Obviously, this team was creamed by injuries throughout the entire season and still managed to win the most games it has since 1993 which is really remarkable considering how badly they struggled offensively throughout most of the season.

And that, my friends, is where the irony lies with this whole season. A lineup that features Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Rollins and Victorino is my concern heading into the post-season.
They were inconsistent the last three years but found a way to come up with the timely hits in the playoffs to win one title and almost another. Yet, this year, they have been even more wildly inconsistent, partly due to injury, but there they are moving into October as the clear favorites in the NL and maybe in all of baseball.

Why? Simply because of pitching. Very fitting and appropriate that Roy Halladay finished off the clinching game to make it to the playoffs for the first time in his career. He has been everything the Phillies thought he would be and wanted him to be when they traded for him in December and he deserves get the ball in game one of the NLDS in eight days. Halladay started the season with a win in Washington and it was perfect symmetry that he pitched the clincher Monday night and did it in such dominating fashion. Have you ever seen a pitcher that has more movement on every pitch he throws than Halladay?

Really, all you need to know about this collection of players is that they let Halladay, Mike Sweeney and Brian Schneider, who had played 40 seasons combined without getting to the post-season, be the first three players to pop the champagne and start the celebration. All the players interviewed after the game all talked about how happy they were for those three guys to finally get the opportunity to play in the spotlight of the post-season and have the chance to win a ring, which you don't often hear in this day and age of the self-absorbed millionaire.

I was nine years old when the Phils won the first of three straight division titles in 1976 and kicked off a nine-year run when they either made the playoffs or challenged for a spot every season. I adored those teams of Schmidt, my favorite all-time player, Bowa, Bull, Garry Lee, Lefty, Tugger, LC, Rufus, Boonie and even Pete, and didn't think there could ever be a team that could be as good or as talented as they were.

However, you sure have to look at the core of this team and say that it could be as good if not better than that group and that is saying something.

JRoll, Howard, Utley, Ruiz and Hamels are all in the prime of their careers and Halladay and Oswalt certainly have a lot left and have been re-energized and revitalized by pitching in front of sellout crowds every night at home and by the chance to pitch in October.

We all know that a huge decision is looming over the Phillies after the season is over about whether or not Jayson Werth will be back. He certainly overcame a shaky middle of the season to provide some big, timely hits and prove his worth to this team over the last month. Chemistry, as discussed earlier, is a huge part of this team's success and he is a central figure in it on and off the field and the Phillies have to find a way to keep him here. It is unfortunate that he hired agent Scott Boras, maybe a foreboding sign of things to come, but he has indicated how much he enjoys playing in Philly and what a good thing they have going and could continue to have if they keep the core together, so maybe that gives some hope that the two sides can find a way to keep him around.

(123 straight sellouts and the chance to play two handfuls of October games at Citizens Bank Park and generate a lot of revenue could also be a factor)

Charlie Manuel not so subtly said the same thing after the clincher last night.

Let's get back to the games on the field. It seems right now that the only thing that can slow the Phillies down is one of their offensive funks. They have the starting pitching, and don't overlook what Joe Blanton has done the last two months, either. After a slow start, he has pitched pretty well and could turn out to be a very valuable fourth starter. Now, by clinching with five games left, they can rest some players, get Rollins some at-bats, rest the bullpen and get themselves in prime position to make a long run into October.

Back at ya next week after the regular season is over and the playoff matchups are set.

Early gut feeling and a little tease...the Yankees won't be playing in the World Series.

Pondering the Phillies

Well, it is not time to panic just yet, or is it? According to the general populus we might have reached that stage and the prevailing wisdom seems to be "trade Jayson Werth, trade Jayson Werth."

I think the worst thing the Phillies can do over the next ten days is trade Jayson Werth.

There is no question this has been a disappointing and very frustrating season and his struggles seem to have become magnified with each passing day and the trade deadline looming.

But let's examine what is wrong with this team and Werth's situation separately and together.

Clearly, injuries have been the biggest hurdle to the Phillies season so far and likely will prevent them from getting to the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

Jimmy Rollins has a few game-winning hits since his return but has struggled and has not been the dynamic player he has been in the past and the spark plug that we were all hoping he would become for a struggling offense.

Raul Ibanez has been a complete non-factor and virtually untradeable because of his contract and non-production (he's a super guy but the player that needs to be moved, not Werth).

Shane Victorino and Werth have been inconsistent and Ryan Howard was not the impact power he has been in the past during the first half.

The starting pitching on most nights has been good enough to win if the offense was performing at 2007-09 levels but that hasn't happened.

The manager has no faith in anyone in the bullpen, justifiably so.

So, where does that leave the Phils for the final 70 games of the season?

General manager Ruben Amaro, jr has hinted that a deal for pitching could be imminent but what do the Phillies have to give up to get it done?

And, if the price is Werth, how does that make you better? And, how are you going to get an impact pitcher for a guy who will be a free agent after the season? And, how can you possibly deal for the pricey Roy Oswalt or Danny Haren when you wouldn't spend the money to sign Cliff Lee and are tied in at $24 million for severely underachieving Joe Blanton?

You would then be weakening an already struggling lineup and removing the one impact right-hand bat that you need to balance the lineup. Let us not forget that Werth is a pretty good right fielder with an outstanding arm and a guy who can run and steal bases, though he hasn't done it as often this season (that's a whole nother issue for a team that struggles to score).

The general populus also seems to think that Dominic Brown's arrival in the big leagues will be as a team savior. Which means, most people think that a guy who has spent a month in Triple-A and never played in the major leagues will step into a pennant race and an make an immediate and big enough impact to turn the season around? That is wishful thinking and way too much pressure to put on a young player. It just doesn't happen that way.

The Phillies have captured the city's heart and have become the premier team in the area for the last few years because of their on-field success, the ballpark, the friendly nature of most of their stars and their willingness to make themselves better during the course of a playoff push.

Trading Jayson Werth doesn't make them better, as a matter of fact, I think they need to find a way to sign him and keep him here. The have sold out every game for more than a year and the stadium is the place to be for the younger crowd and for the baseball afficianado. You can't give up on the season and expect the fans to come streaming in during the last two months, especially in September with school starting, and sell them on the idea that every thing is alright.

The Phillies need to plough forward as though the wild card is a realistic possibility and the only way that can happen is to keep Jayson Werth.

Flyers Phenomenal Run

Well, it is the day after the day after the Flyers were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Finals.

I did want to take a little bit of time to let the disappointment sink in and start to drift away before writing about the last two months and the future and not let the emotion cloud the judgement.

As I have told a lot of people over the last few months, the thing I miss most about not being in baseball this season is the daily rhythm of being around a team and the ups and downs that a long minor league season brings.

For me, going through the daily grind of a playoff run for the first time in 15 years was just as much fun as watching the games. I haven't had the opportunity to do so since becoming a baseball broadcaster and I thoroughly enjoyed it and reveled in it.

I couldn't wait to get up in the morning and read the paper, whether it was after a win or a loss.

The emotional swings after a loss were fun to go through and the nerves watching each game were also something I enjoyed experiencing. I don't think there is anything more nerve wracking from a fan standpoint than watching playoff hockey, especially in a one-goal game in the third period or in overtime, where one play decides the game and could tilt the series.

As far as the actual hockey is concerned, I don't think the league or NBC could have asked for anything better than what they got for six games...four games decided by a goal, two in overtime, up and down hockey with brilliant goals and brilliant goaltending plus a mostly clean, physical brand of play with some big big hits. Hopefully, it was enough to convert some of the casual fans into more serious and passionate fans and turn some novices onto the game.

The Flyers have some decisions to make as they get ready for next season and the most important one is between the pipes.

I cannot see them investing in multiple years at big dollars in Michael Leighton. No doubt, he was a great story and rescued them during the regular season and again for most of the playoffs but I just don't think he is the number one netminder that you build around to win a Cup. He would make a hell of a backup and injury replacement but the Flyers have to find themselves a legitimate number one goalie who is good enough to overcome sluggish play and make the saves necessary to steal games and series and win the silver chalice.

I would also expect them to go find another defenseman or two, what a disappointment Ryan Parent was during the playoffs, and maybe even another goal scorer. JVR should be better next season, as should Claude Giroux and if Ville Leino is anywhere close to what he was during the playoffs, they'll have a real find. What to do with Scott Hartnell is a decision they will have to make, as well. Is he the guy who was a force in the last two and a half rounds of the playoffs or the guy who was invisible and borderline useless during the regular season?

No doubt some tough decisions lie ahead for Paul Holmgren but it sure was a hell of a ride and even more fun to be a part of it for the first time in 15 years!!!

Life On the Lidge

Who is the Phillies most indispensable player?
Jimmy Rollins? Chase Utley? Ryan Howard? Soon to be free agent Jayson Werth? Carlos Ruiz?

How about the injury-plagued Brad Lidge?

It is truly amazing that the Phillies made it to the World Series (and probably should have won it) last year with as gaping a hole in their bullpen as they had with Lidge and Ryan Madson trying fairly unsuccessfully to finish games. For them to get back there for a third straight season, this issue must be resolved quickly.

The way the game is now, you build in your bullpen from your closer backwards and if you don't have the reliable, dependable closer to build with, your chances for success aren't very good.

And, now, with Ryan Madson unavailable for another month and a half to be Robin to Lidge's Batman, it is even more imperative that Lidge get healthy and return to something close to what he was in 2008.

It is really staggering that the Phillies are a first place team with all of the injuries they have had, including one save from Lidge to this point, to endure to this point of the season, and with Ryan Howard yet to really get going and be the impact player that he can and should be.

They NEED Lidge to reestablish himself and make it easier for Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee to establish roles and order in the bullpen to get the game to Lidge in a save situation. The 'pen has the potential to be pretty good, and features more hard throwers than the Phils have had in a long time, but it can only be good IF Lidge is healthy and closing and the other guys are doing what they have do in a prescribed role.

All you have to do to realize the importantance of a good closer is to take a look at the Washington Nationals and what Matt Capps has done.

Who would have figured the Nats to be right on the Phillies heels at this point in the season?
Not too many people but the fact is, they get a lead and protect it and win.

It is time for Lidge to get healthy, get his game in order and get back to doing what he is being paid a lot of money to do...and that is slam the door shut in the ninth inning!

I was at the Flyers history making game last night, first playoff game I had been to in 15 years after starting my career in baseball. As much as I love baseball, and do consider myself more of an old school fan who still looks at the game with some romanticism, there is NOTHING like playoff hockey!

I have been to baseball playoff games and the World Series, to NFL playoff and conference championship games but the intensity on the ice and in the building of an NHL post-season game is unmatched..especially with what was at stake last night.

The building was electric, especially as the game moved on with the Flyers in the lead. You could feel the excitement but also a bit of trepidation and nerves, especially as the Bruins took the play to the Flyers late in the first and throughout half the second period.

You hold your breath on each foray into the attack zone by the Bruins and then nervously exhale as each scoring opportunity gets turned away or denied, or, in my case last night, make sure my shoulder is still attached after my best friend continually grabbed it and pulled on it as the puck was steered wide or cleared from the crease.

Now, we'll see if the Flyers can finish the job tomorrow night and advance into the conference finals and earn home ice against the Canadiens. Obviously, it is a great accomplishment to force a decisive game 7 after being down 3-0 but the job isn't done just yet...

LET'S GO FLYERS!

Sadly, another baseball legend, and maybe even American icon, has passed away.

Ernie Harwell truly was the definition of a distinguished gentleman; as terrific a broadcaster as he was, he was an even better human being.

Harwell and a few others like Vin Scully, who delivered a beautiful soliloquy during the Dodgers game Tuesday night, are the last of the old-school baseball announcers who are identified with the team just as much, if not more, than the players themselves. They have seen the dramatic changes in the game and are so revered and woven into the fabric of their respective cities that their losses are so real and touch so many.

For someone like me, who has been broadcasting minor league baseball with the hopes of reaching the big leagues, and the others who do what I do, we strive to have a sliver of the career with some small measure of the lasting impact that someone like Harwell has had.

Harwell and Scully are the giants of the game and it is part of our job, and duty, to know what they have accomplished and how they paved the road to make it easier for us to pursue our dreams.

I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview Harwell twice over the phone while doing my talk show in El Paso, Texas. The second was the day that Ted Williams was remembered at Fenway Park following his death and Harwell could not have been more gracious, more engaging, more informative and more perfectly attuned to the events of the day and their impact on Boston.

Long time Phillies announcer Harry Kalas was the reason I decided to pursue a career in baseball broadcasting and I was fortunate to meet him and tell him that in person. I also had the pleasure of interviewing him three times on my show in El Paso and was visibly saddened when he passed away last year. I closed the remaining 125 games of the 2009 season with an on-air dedication to him and can fully appreciate what the fans of the Tigers are going through as they line up to see Harwell lying in state today at the ball park.

In this ever changing and fast moving culture of ours, it is nice to see that someone can have such a profound impact on the lives of so many for doing something so fun and seemingly so simple as just broadcasting a baseball game.