Gammons: Phillies appear primed to repeat

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Gammons: Phillies appear primed to repeat

Saturday, October 24, 2009 | Print Entry

The Phillies wait a week for the World Series, which may rest their pitching staff, and may or may not cool the hitters that pummeled the Dodgers. As the rain beat down Saturday morning in the Northeast, they didn't know if their next game was at Yankee Stadium or The Big A, but it really doesn't matter, because whomever they play had better be ready for the best American League team that plays its regular season in the National League.

How much the Phillies deserved their 2008 World Series rings got a little waterlogged because so many followed the Tampa Bay series on Doppler radar. And while the Rays had won the AL East and defeated the Red Sox and White Sox to get to the Series, there was some fairy-tale perception that further slighted the Phillies' accomplishments.

But make no mistake this year: The Phillies can win the World Series, whether it's against the Yankees or the Angels. You don't win in October and November if you don't hit; going back to 2005, in the 29 series leading into Yankees-Angels, the team that hit the most home runs won 26 of 29 series; the team that outslugged the other won 28 of 29 times. Postseason baseball was about little ball when Babe Ruth was pitching, but in this generation it's about pitching and power, and the Phillies have both.

In defeating the Rockies and Dodgers in nine games, the Phillies averaged more than six runs a game, and their 55 runs were more than the other three National League teams scored (50) in their combined total of 15 games. They out-homered Colorado and Los Angeles 14-8. They are the only team in either league with a team OPS over .800 (.840 to be precise). Jayson Werth has matched Alex Rodriguez with five homers. A-Rod went into his Game 6 with a 1.453 OPS, then after Andre Ethier's 1.235 there are three Phils: Werth (1.207), Ryan Howard (1.203) and Shane Victorino (1.161).

Even with the pitcher in the lineup, the Phillies fell just 20 homers shy of the Yankees in the regular season -- with four regulars hitting 30 or more, their 820 runs easily led the NL. The power that plays so well at Citizens Bank Park should also play in Yankee Stadium -- if that's where they end up. Hey, even Carlos Ruiz hit .300 after Aug. 1.

They are an intrepid, swashbuckling team fueled by the personalities of Jimmy Rollins and Victorino. They relished beating up on the Mets in the spotlight, they have played on the Fox stage, they had the best road record in baseball (48-33) and aren't likely to be intimidated by the formidable aura of Yankeeology.

The fact that Brad Lidge (4 IP, 1 H, 0 R), Ryan Madson (6 IP, 8 K) and Chad Durbin (4 IP, 0 R) have pulled the bullpen together in the postseason, with J.A. Happ and Chan Ho Park, give them the wherewithal to steal a couple of 7-5, 9-6 games. They had the best starters' ERA (3.04) in the NL postseason, so if they get three or four strong Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels starts … Yes, and everyone from Grady Little to Johnny Damon wants to see Pedro Martinez back in the high life again against the Yankees.

Layoffs affected the 2006 Tigers and 2007 Rockies, and so, too, the Phillies may not be the same come Wednesday. But they are much more experienced than those other two teams, so the rust should never sleep. Bring on the Yankees, bring on the Angels; the Phillies are going to make for a fun November.

Peter Gammons
The Philadelphia Phillies are primed to repeat as World Series champions, writes Peter Gammons - ESPN