After 28 years of waiting, the Philadelphia Phillies have finally won the second world championship in team history. Behind stellar pitching, timely offense, and solid defense, the Phils vanquished the talented Rays, four games to one.
This championship drive truly was a total team effort for the Phillies, with everyone making a significant contribution to the team's success. Below, I will go through each man on the 25-man postseason roster and describe how they were a key part of ending the Phillies' championship drought.
Starting Position Players
Carlos Ruiz -This guy is the biggest unsung hero of the playoffs. Ruiz played great baseball in the NLCS and World Series, coming up with numerous clutch hits and taking over the starting catching job through the stretch drive and the postseason, doing a great job of controlling the pitching staff.
Ruiz hit a combined .344 in the NLCS and World Series, including a big second inning home run in Game Three, in which he also recorded the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth.
Ryan Howard - It is certainly safe to say that without the big bopper, the Phillies could have been sitting at home in October. He carried the offense in September, hitting .352 with 11 homers and 32 RBI in the month, helping the Phillies surpass the Mets for the N.L. East crown.
After struggling in the NLDS, Howard batted a .293 combined in 10 NLCS and World Series games. He found his power when the World Series shifted to Citizens Bank Park, connecting for an important home run in Game Three and then crushing two bombs in Game Four and driving in six runs total in those two games.
Chase Utley - The best second baseman in the major leagues showed his talents on the big stage. He hit .353 in the NLCS, willing the Phillies to the championship, with his sixth-inning home run off Derek Lowe in Game One, perhaps turning the tide of that whole series, as the Dodgers had gotten off to a dominant start.
In the World Series, Chase connected for two big home runs, one in the first inning of Game One, giving the Phillies a lead they would never relinquish, and the other a key shot in Game Three.
But the biggest impact Utley made in the playoffs was his defense. The middle infield of the Phillies turned countless clutch double plays throughout the postseason, and Utley flashed brilliance throughout.
One of the most memorable plays of these playoffs will be from Game Five, where on a tough grounder up the middle, Utley raced to his right to keep the ball from getting into the outfield, faked the throw to first, and then fired home to catch Jason Bartlett, preserving the tie score and allowing the Phillies to go on and take the lead immediately after.
Jimmy Rollins - The catalyst at the top of the Phillies order, it can always be said that the team goes as Rollins goes. He scored 10 runs in 14 playoff games, and when Jimmy scored, the Phillies did not lose.
In the clinching games of both the NLDS and NLCS, Rollins led off with home runs, getting the Phillies off to a hot start by himself both times. In the World Series, he used line-drive hitting and speed in games Three and Four to give the offense a boost.
His defense was also outstanding throughout the postseason as the other half of the double play combo with Utley. Rollins was a Gold Glover last year and showed why he deserves the award again.
Pedro Feliz - The much-maligned third baseman with a bad habit of constantly chasing the first pitch (he has walked just 182 times in his nine-year career) came through big for the Phillies in the playoffs.
Feliz batted .375 in the Fall Classic, including the game-winning RBI single in the deciding fifth game. In addition, he played outstanding defense all season, giving the Phillies their only competent third baseman since Placido Polanco. He is as deserving of a Gold Glove as any N.L. third baseman.
Pat Burrell -
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2 months ago
Gee could you copy my article any more?
from 2 months ago
well considering i wrote mine on october 29 and you didn't write yours til november 4, there's no way i could have copied you, but nice try.
2 months ago
my bad i didnt see that my apologies
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