Counting Down a True Rarity: MLB's 20 Perfect Games

Part 9 of 21

8 Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers September 9, 1965

Sandy Koufax was one of the game's most dominant pitchers, recording four no-hitters and a bevy of awards over his 12 major league seasons. Ultimately, the flame throwing lefty retired at the peak of his career on the advice of physicians due to arthritis.

The 1966 season was both his finest and final campaign— including baseball's eighth perfect game. Not surprisingly, Koufax recorded arguably the most dominant "perfecto"— mowing down 14 batters on strikes.

The 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs was also the only game in history with just one hit, but the Dodgers were able to scratch out one unearned run with that one base knock.

Koufax came very close to hurling perfect games a couple times earlier in his career. In 1963, he went into the eighth inning before yielding a walk, but was able to complete his second ho-hitter. In 1964, he faced the minimum 27 batters when Richie Allen walked, but was thrown out stealing in Koufax's third no-no.

In the period from 1963 to 1966, the Dodgers hurler posted 25-5, 19-5, 26-8, and 27-9 won/loss records with a 1.86 ERA. For his efforts, he was recognized with three Cy Young Awards and one MVP trophy.

Top Ten Destinations for a Pedro Martinez Return in 2010

Pedro Martinez whet his appetite with one pitch to kick off the 2010 Major League Baseball season and hopes to throw many more before the campaign concludes. Donning a Red Sox uniform, Pedro tossed the ceremonial first pitch in Bean Town a week ago Sunday.

Afterwards, the future Hall of Famer made it known that he still desires a real gig this season. Similar to last season, Martinez is looking for the right situation to continue his stellar career after the Philadelphia Phillies did not re-sign him at the end of 2009.

Prior to joining the Phillies in late August, the free agent pitched for the Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox, and Mets. When injuries and the death of his father contributed to his worst campaign in the big leagues in 2008, the Mets allowed him to become a free agent until his well publicized return late last season.

Martinez supplanted veteran Jamie Moyer in the rotation and played an important role down the stretch. Pedro posted a 5-1 record with a 3.63 ERA using a masterful combination of movement and change of pace. He also demonstrated surprising life on his fastball, touching 93 mph on the radar gun.

After sitting out the NLDS, Martinez pitched brilliantly in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers and then battled his way to a solid performance in World Series Game 2 against his former arch rival. With the temperature halving that of balmy L.A. a couple weeks earlier and antagonism running high in Yankees Stadium, Martinez appeared to have nothing left in the tank as he tried to keep the Phillies alive in Game 6.

Perhaps that scared off potential suitors, but Pedro remains convinced that he could help a team in need of pitching. Considering that he prefers to play on the East Coast for a National League contender and be in a starting role, here are the top ten landing sites for Martinez in 2010.

10 Colorado Rockies

After winning the National League Wild Card slot in 2009, the Colorado Rockies are widely considered the division favorite this season. The team is counting on lefty Jeff Francis to fill the 5th spot in their starting rotation, but he landed on the DL when he experienced shoulder pain at the end of spring training.

This situation bears watching, particularly since Francis missed all of the 2009 season after having shoulder surgery. The Rockies remain optimistic that he will be able to return believing that the injury is merely a minor shoulder strain.

Although the geography and stadium might not be high on Pedro's list, he might be wooed by the appeal of playing for an acknowledged contender. This will be a moot point if Francis returns to action with any semblance of his previous form.

9 San Francisco Giants

Similar to Colorado, Martinez would likely prefer more favorable baseball weather than in the "City by the Bay." However, the San Francisco Giants are a team on the rise and may be in need of a fifth starter to add to an otherwise strong rotation.

Todd Wellemeyer is currently in that role by virtue of a strong spring training showing, but if he struggles as he did in 2009 (7-10, 5.89 ERA)— he could find himself on the outside looking in. Young lefty Madison Bumgarner is currently the team's "Plan B", but a battled tested veteran such as Martinez might be a better fit in the heat of a pennant race.

8 Milwaukee Brewers

The "Brew Crew" features some exciting young players and could exceed expectations with decent starting pitching. An offense led by Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, and Casey McGehee should put a lot of runs on the board—surely a large carrot for Pedro.

Overall, the Milwaukee Brewers rotation is tenuous when you go beyond the first two starters. Martinez could easily fit in the rotation and be a stabilizing force.

The biggest obstacle would seem to be that it is doubtful that the city is on Pedro's "A" list and whether he believes that they are legitimate contender. A fast start might make a midseason signing a possibility.

7 Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are off to a quick start and should find themselves in a season-long battle with the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox for the AL Central Division title. With Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman occupying two slots in the rotation, it would be easy to see Martinez replacing one of them.

Although Willis has a large contract, the Tigers' patience in waiting for him to regain the form that made him a 22-game winner in 2005 is surely waning. All you need to know is that he has posted a horrific 7.77 ERA since coming to the team in 2008.

This is probably also a city that is not on Pedro's "A" list, but the team is in contention and there is a clear need for a starting pitcher. Pedro might see himself as the difference maker that could put the Tigers over the top.

6 Chicago Cubs

Many baseball pundits like the Chicago Cubs chances in 2010; however, the club has a great deal of question marks regarding its pitching staff. The team is counting on veteran Ted Lilly to return from arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder and step into a middle slot in the rotation.

Lilly pitched well a year ago, but it is never good to assume that a player will pick up where he left off prior to surgery. Additionally, the Cubs are relying on a pitcher who has registered a 5-18 record over the previous two seasons in Carlos Silva as their fifth starter.

A "good-bye Carlos, hello Pedro" scenario could easily be envisioned. The Cubs are the type of high profile team in a large market that might appeal to Martinez. What a great story line it would be for him to help lead the long-suffering franchise to postseason success.

5 Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners hope to ride strong starting pitching to contention in 2010. Once Cliff Lee returns from the DL and subsequent five-game suspension, the Mariners will feature a pair of aces at the top of their rotation. Additionally, when Erik Bedard returns from shoulder surgery rehab, they will have a solid number three.

From there, things drop off considerably. The perennially underperforming Ian Snell, Doug Pfister, and Jason Vargas are currently holding down spots in the rotation; however, only one will remain once their teammates return to action.

The team might be able to wring one solid starter out of the three, but with an offense that will struggle to consistently score runs, the Mariners cannot afford any weak links in the rotation. Should that happen—enter Pedro.

The Pacific Northwest may not be his preferred residence, but joining a rotation with such star power could be a great deal of fun for Martinez.

4 Philadelphia Phillies

Although Ruben Amaro advised Martinez that the team needed to focus its off-season efforts on other areas, he never officially closed the door on a return. Similarly, Pedro has kept the door wide open and has made it known that he would love to give it another go in Philadelphia.

Strong Grapefruit League performances by Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick had appeared to lessen the prospects of that happening, but both pitchers struggled in their initial starts once the games counted in the standings.

With the additions of free-agent Placido Polanco and pitcher Roy Halladay, the Phillies' payroll appears to be currently max-ed out. Therefore, it does not appear likely that Amaro would pay Martinez for a full season's work, but if he remains available later in the season, he might become an irresistible bargain.

Should Moyer and Kendrick regain the form they demonstrated in spring training, a Martinez return to Philly drops in probability. Additionally, if Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ have strong seasons, the chances drop to almost nil.

3 Florida Marlins

The perpetually young Florida Marlins completed a trade with the Detroit Tigers for veteran pitcher Nate Robertson during spring training. Manager Freddy Gonzalez plugged the lefty into the fifth spot in the otherwise right-handed rotation.

Robertson battled back and elbow injuries that hindered his 2009 performance and then had offseason surgery to repair a torn groin muscle. He has appeared to be recovered this spring, but it remains to be seen whether he can stay out of the training room over the course of the season.

If he cannot avoid the injury bug or he reverts to last season's form, the door may be opened for Pedro Martinez. Should the Marlins stay in contention as they did a year ago, Pedro might be drawn by the excitement of a pennant race and, more importantly, the fact that he already owns a home in South Beach.

Of course, competing against two former employers who opted not to re-sign him in the National League Eastern division could provide additional motivation for Martinez. Another factor is that team management could use the help at the box office, especially with their new stadium under construction.

2 St. Louis Cardinals

With Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday anchoring the lineup, and Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright anchoring the rotation, the St. Louis Cardinals appear to be poised for another successful season. Most experts see them as the leading challenger to take away the Philadelphia Phillies stronghold when the NL pennant.

Veterans Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny struggled a year ago, but should remain fixtures in the starting rotation. If the Cardinals were to add Martinez, they could send Kyle McClellan to shore up the bullpen.

The Cardinals have the type of rich history (not to mention warm weather) that would be appealing to Pedro. The prospect of going head-to-head against the Phillies in the postseason would add icing to the cake.

1 Los Angeles Dodgers

Life has a way of going full circle and the elements are right for that happening here. Pedro began his spectacular career in Los Angeles, so could a homecoming be in order?

The exit of Randy Wolf via free agency created an open slot in the rotation. Knuckleball pitcher Charlie Haeger won the spring training battle for the job, but is far from a lock to hold onto the position.

Manager Joe Torre witnessed Martinez's NLCS pitching clinic from the opposing dugout last year, so having him wear Dodger blue this season might be very enticing.

In order for this to happen, though, the price will likely have to be a bargain. The team's divorce muddled ownership situation would seem to strain finances despite indications to the contrary.

If the Dodgers find themselves firmly in contention, the allure of coming home to a major market filled with adoring fans might be too much for Martinez to resist.

The Final Word

After proving it to himself last season, Martinez believes that he still has some magic left. It may be less a matter of "if" he returns, and more I matter of "when."

Teams will likely wait to see how things unfold before taking a serious look at Pedro. Once the playoff races shape up and clubs further evaluate their existing staffs, the cell phone number of the pitcher's agent may become increasingly popular.

Expect to see Pedro back on a major league mound near you sometime this summer. Perhaps it will be on one of these ten teams, but even though they didn't make the list right now—don't ever rule out the Yankees.

Gary Suess is also a Featured Columnist covering the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles for the BleacherReport.com.

Phillies Earn NL Crown, Now Series Bound

This is a team on a mission. They came out swinging in the first inning and didn't relent at anytime, pounding long balls into the October night air energized by 46,000 fans anticipating a celebration. This 2009 Phillies team edition possesses a singular focus- end their season with a trip down Broad Street and stake their place in baseball history. The team took the next step on that quest by defeating the Dodgers to earn their second consecutive National League Championship.

After the team's 2008 magic run to a World Championship that still captivates an entire city, the players, coaches, manager and executives set their collective sights on repeating the same feat that has been rare in Philadelphia sports history. In the marathon that is a major league baseball season, as players bounce from city to city and game to game, the path to that goal can sometimes get blurred. The means to get there remains in the distance and the sense of urgency can be dulled. But, now that the path is clearly within their sights, the Phillies players are passionately launching towards it with intense focus and desire.

Last night, the Phillies quickly shook off Andre Ethier's first inning solo shot in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back. With two outs, Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla walked Chase Utley and then did the same with Ryan Howard, appearing to not want to give the red hot slugger anything at all to hit. That proved to be a treacherous tactic as Jayson Werth launched a 3-2 fastball into the right-center field bleachers for a 3-run homer. Knowing they had the Dodgers down after an 11-0 demolition and a heart breaking walk-off win, Werth and the Phillies quickly struck them to the turf again.

Phillies starter Cole Hamels surrendered another solo home run to James Loney leading off the second, but then seemed to settle down to retire 10 of the next 11 hitters. Meanwhile, his teammates continued their assault when Pedro Feliz homered to right-center to start the bottom half of the second frame to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

In the 4th inning, Werth smacked a hit to left and Raul Ibanez drove him home with a double between Matt Kemp and Ethier. Facing elimination, Manager Joe Torre elected to pull Padilla, who had dominated the Phillies just five days earlier. Unfortunately for Torre, his relievers struggled with their command, allowing another run via a walk and two hit batters.

When pinch hitter Orlando Hudson launched the Dodgers third solo home run of the evening, and Rafael Furcal followed with a double to left, Charlie Manuel was not taking any chances. He replaced last year's post season hero, Hamels, with J.A. Happ, just two outs away from earning the victory. This move clearly reinforced that the team is all about achieving its goal, and to Hamels' credit, he understood the decision and praised the work of the bullpen after the game. He was also stayed in the dugout and showered after the game.

Phillies hitters continued to pour it on, battering a Dodgers' bullpen that many pundits lauded as their advantage in the series. After the previous game's hero Rollins was hit by a pitch again in the 6th, Victorino drove a ball deep into the left field stands to increase the lead to 8-3. One inning later, Werth crushed a 410 foot homer to center, his second and the team's fourth of the night.

The Dodgers appeared to have the fight for one more run in them and put together a rally in the 8th inning that momentarily silenced the crowd. After Ronnie Belliard and Ethier singled off Chan Ho Park to open the inning, Ryan Madson walked Manny Ramirez. Kemp lined a single to center to plate one run and instill hope in his teammates. Madson pulled it together, though, setting the next 3 hitters down with blazing fastballs and a wicked change-up to escape further trouble.

A Rollins single and another Victorino smash that was touched by a fan a foot below the right-center field fence put them in position to score again with two outs in the 8th, and Rollins later crossed the dish on a wild pitch to make it 10-4. Manuel summoned Brad Lidge to pitch the ninth, who once again looked like the 2008 vintage, putting the Dodgers down 1-2-3.

Fireworks erupted, music blared, fans roared and Phillies players poured onto the field to celebrate. The team took another leap forward towards its goal, once again closing out the Dodgers in the NLCS 4-1 as they did a year ago. Although the Phillies celebrated happily, it was apparent that the team feels that they still have unfinished business and the real celebration awaits on the horizon.

11-0 NLCS Win...Fabulous, J Roll Walk-off....Priceless

Jimmy Rollins has had his up and down performances this year, but he saved his best act for the biggest stage and created one of the biggest moments in Philadelphia sports history. Trailing by a run with two mates aboard and down to their last out, squaring off against the National League's top relief pitcher throwing 100 mph seeds at him, J Roll rocketed a liner that landed in the right-center field gap to vault the Phillies to a dramatic come from behind victory. As Carlos Ruiz bounced across home plate with the winning run, Rollins raced around third to jubilantly jump into the middle of his teammates welcoming party.

In the space of seconds, J Roll had lifted his team from a 2-2 dead lock to a commanding 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. From the moment the barrel of Rollins' bat cracked against Jonathan Broxton's triple digit fastball, it was apparent that the ball was returning faster at a speed and location that was not going to be caught. The 45,000 Phillies faithful knew they were witnessing one of those truly spectacular moments for the ages unfold in front of them. The crowd exploded into boisterous celebration, overtaken by indescribable joy. It was pure bedlam throughout the stadium, on and off the field, with the notable exception of the Dodgers dugout.

Although the previous night's game was laced with excitement throughout the game as the Phillies continued their onslaught from start to finish, last night's game made up for any lull with a heroic finish of epic proportions. Considering the dramatic agony of defeat to thrill of victory ending, the import of the game, and the setting in Citizen's Bank Park, last night's game was arguably the most thrilling victory in Philadelphia sports history. Game ending, World Championship clinching strikeouts by Brad Lidge and Tug McGraw are surely special, but suddenly going from loser to winner in a handful of frantic seconds in the NLCS is stunningly momentous.

The night started out with the two teams following the same script from the previous night. Joe Blanton set the first 10 Dodgers down in order. Meanwhile, Ryan Howard smoked a line shot into the right field bleachers to give the Phils a 2-0 lead. Howard and Blanton had the crowd feeling the song still persistently playing in their head, "I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night." Of course, little did they know what was in store for them a couple hours later.

The Dodgers weren't ready to roll over, though, and strung 3 hits together with a pair of walks to tie the game in the fourth. Blanton finally got Casey Blake to ground out to end the threat after a 38 pitch inning. Matt Kemp hit a solo home run to dead center in the 5th inning to stake them to a 3-2 lead.

After surrendering Howard's homer, former Phil Randy Wolf made things tough on his former team, retiring 12 batters in a row. The Dodgers tacked on a run in the 6th, capitalizing on a Pedro Feliz error, a Texas League single by Ronnie Belliard and Blake's soft single to right.

The Phillies countered in the bottom half of the inning, though, when Shane Victorino tripled into the left field corner and Chase Utley knocked him in with a line single to right. Howard drew a walk, and was forced at second by Jayson Werth. Raul Ibanez then smashed a sinking liner to left, but Manny Ramirez immediately broke in and made a somewhat improbable shoe string catch to end the inning.

With George Sherrill on the hill, the Phillies mounted a threat in the home 8th. Victorino was a hit by a pitch and Utley walked to put a couple runners on with one out and Howard coming to the plate. Sherrill used an assortment of off speed pitches and fanned Howard on a pitch out of the strike zone. Joe Torre made the slow journey to the mound and summoned Broxton into face Werth, who battled valiantly to fight off 99-102 mph fastballs, but eventually flied out to right.

After Scott Eyre recorded an out and then yielded a single, Charlie Manuel opted for Brad Lidge to pitch to Kemp and Andre Ethier. Lidge made another strong case that he has re-found his 2008 form by striking both hitters out, sending the game to the fateful bottom of the ninth.

Broxton got Ibanez to ground out to start the frame. Manuel then sent Matt Stairs up to pinch hit for Feliz, and seemingly fearing a repeat of last year's events, Broxton walked him on four pitches. Ruiz was hit by a pitch, but pinch hitter Greg Dobbs lined out softly to Blake for out number two. The stage was set and up stepped Rollins to the roar of the crowd still trying to coax a last ditch rally out of the team. J Roll proved up to the challenge, smacking a blistering line shot on a 1-1 fastball between Kemp and Ethier that hopped against the right-center field fence. Pinch runner Eric Bruntlett and Ruiz raced around the bases and scored easily, with deafening noise echoing throughout the Bank.

It was truly a spectacular moment to cherish, one that will be remembered for many, many years to come. An 11-0 demolition the previous night, featuring a pitching gem by Cliff Lee and various pyrotechnics from Phillies hitters, was fabulous. A two out, bottom of the ninth inning, come from behind win via a walk-off double by J Roll was....priceless.

Oh, What a Game!

Last night the Phillies overwhelmed the Dodgers from start to finish, tallying an 11-0 win in Game 3 of the NLCS. Cliff Lee continued his brilliant post season pitching, thoroughly dominating the Dodgers with his best outing, yet. And, Phillies hitters wasted no time in supporting him, putting 4 runs on the board in the 1st inning and 2 more in the 2nd, seemingly knocking the life out of the Dodgers.

After great efforts in his first two playoff games, somehow Lee improved on those efforts by completely shutting down the Dodgers. He limited them to 3 base runners all evening, punching out 10 hitters. The Dodgers could manage only 3 harmless singles over 8 innings and never advanced a runner past second base. On a crisp October evening, Lee demonstrated the determined, laser-like focus that has become his signature, aggressively pounding the strike zone with an ever changing array of pitches.

Meanwhile, the Phillies were scoring runs early and often. Ryan Howard continued to show his growing maturity, transitioning from slugger to big game, clutch hitter. Once again he was in the center of the action, ripping a 2-run, 1st inning triple down the right field line to begin the scoring parade. He even added a subtle, yet important contribution when he made a terrific scoop of a Chase Utley throw that quieted any potential further scrutiny of Utley's defensive struggles.

The guy behind him, Jayson Werth, continues to mature in his own right and followed Howard by launching a rocket deep over the center field wall into the ivy covered brick wall. His growing reputation as a right handed power presence behind Howard has surely played a role in Howard's second half tear as it deters pitchers from pitching around him and provides separation from the next looming left-handed slugger, Raul Ibanez.

After posting 4 runs in the first, the Phillies did not let up on starter Hiroki Kuroda in the second frame. Doubles by Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins sent him to the showers after 1 1/3 innings, and helped the Phils increase the lead to 6-0.

The Dodgers appeared to deflate, seemingly becoming resigned to the notion that coming back on this cold night was unlikely. While Lee was pounding the zone with unhittable pitches, Phillies hitters were pounding Dodgers pitchers. On a night that the team in blue was having trouble simply laying wood on Lee's offerings, the prospect of reversing a 6-0 deficit was becoming increasingly daunting.

Chad Billingsley restored order for a couple innings before the Phillies struck again with two outs in the fifth. Ibanez walked and Pedro Feliz then tripled high off the wall in right-center. Ruiz continued to build his reputation as post season hitter, quickly driving home Feliz with his second hit of the game.

With the crowd still roaring, enjoying the events of the night and cherishing the tremendous capabilities of their beloved team, Shane Victorino punctuated everything with an exclamation point by jacking a 3-run homer into the second deck in right to extend the lead to 11-0. At this point, Manuel thought better of sending his ace back out, and instead called upon Chad Durbin to finish things off. Durbin preserved the shut out by setting the demoralized Dodgers down in order and sent the fans to the exits still buzzing from an electrifying performance.

The Phillies appeared to make a resounding statement that they were not about to let their disappointing Game 2 loss have any lingering effect or derail their mission to repeat as World Series Champions. This is about what you would expect from a team that continues to only get better, secure in knowing they have a truly special team on a mission. The two teams go back at it tonight, with Joe Blanton facing off against former Phils hurler Randy Wolf. The Phillies hope to pick up where the left off last night.

Pedro Pitches Brilliantly, But Phils Let Game 2 Slip Away

The Phillies let Game 2 of the National League Championship series slip away in somewhat improbable fashion. Their 2-1 loss came about due to a variety of occurrences that went against the odds on a day that the Dodgers did not have any hard hits. For most of the game, the Phillies road a sensational performance by Pedro Martinez to maintain a narrow 1-0 lead, but in the end they painfully let it get away.

Few would have predicted the type of performance turned in by Martinez yesterday, as he totally shut down the same Dodgers team that banged out 14 hits the night before, holding them to two weak singles and no runs over 7 innings. This is not to say that Pedro was incapable of such an outing as he proved in some of his other games this year, but it seemed unlikely considering that he was coming off a 16 day break after a mediocre outing in September.

Pedro demonstrated why he is a sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer, though, by dominating the Dodgers from beginning to end. He masterfully mixed all his pitches, moving them in and out, up and down. He changed speeds on all his pitches, at times reaching back to hit 92 on the radar gun, but it was his signature movement that really kept hitters off balance. Martinez was very effective running fastballs in on hands or to the outside part of the plate, while complementing that with diving change-ups and a slow curve.

Another somewhat improbable occurrence was the pitching performance of his Dodgers counterpart. Vicente Padillo was coming off a strong NLDS performance, but the Phillies have historically hit well against their former teammate. He had great velocity often throwing in the mid to high 90's, and like Martinez, mixed in off speed pitches such as a 55 mph curve ball to Shane Victorino. The only blemish on his day's work was a solo home run by Ryan Howard in the 4th inning.

Things unraveled in the 8th inning for the Phillies due to some uncharacteristic shaky fielding. Charlie Manuel elected to replace Martinez with Chan Ho Park to avoid risking overtaxing his arm since he had already thrown 87 pitches. First, LA lumberjack Casey Blake bounced a single to left that, if not for the heavy shadows and protecting the line, Pedro Feliz would have likely grabbed. Ronnie Belliard then hit such a poor sacrifice bunt that it turned into a base hit between Park and Howard. The normally athletic Park appeared to be slightly limited in his lateral movement by his hamstring, but regardless, the Dodgers suddenly had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs.

Next, Park induced Russell Martin to hit a chopper to Feliz that was a tailor made double play. Unfortunately, for the second consecutive game, Chase Utley had difficulty turning the relay and made a wide throw for an error. Rather than two outs with the runner still on 3rd base, the tying run scored and the go ahead run was on base with only one out. Scott Eyre came on to face pinch hitter Jim Thome, who lofted a single to right, sending Martin to third. Manuel summoned in Ryan Madson, who walked Rafael Furcal, but struck out Matt Kemp with the bases loaded.

With dangerous left-handed hitter Andre Ethier coming to the plate, Manuel made yet another move, bringing in lefty J.A. Happ. After getting ahead in the count, Happ eventually walked Ethier on two fastballs that were just low, forcing home Martin to make it 2-1.

Jonathan Broxton came into the pitch the ninth in hope of getting the save. He primarily fired fastballs in the 97-99 mph range and retired the Phillies 1-2-3 to give the Dodgers a 1-1 split in the series.

It was a difficult loss in many ways, but especially so since Martinez had pitched so brilliantly, the Phillies usually stellar defense faltered and the Dodgers were able to emerge victorious without any hard hits. The Phillies players will rebound and look for another strong performance from their ace while they feed off the energy of the Citizens Bank Park fans in Game 3. Meanwhile, expect Utley, the consummate professional and one of the best all around players in the game, to put his difficulties behind him and be prepared to make some big contributions in Philly. A lesser team might let the frustration of this game linger, but not this mentally tough and resilient Phillies ball club.

Its Easy Not to Be a Manny Fan

One subplot of the Phillies-Dodgers NLCS series includes the theatre associated with Manny Ramirez. Manny is both center stage and a side show at the same time, by his own doing. He loves the big stage and commands a great deal of attention, but it is easy not to be a Manny fan.

The LA fans quickly developed a lovefest for him when the Dodgers obtained him last season after the Red Sox decided he was too much of a distraction and detraction for their team. "Mannywood" was launched as he went on a second half tear that lasted through their playoff elimination in the NLCS. The fame and celebrity landed with a thud this season when Ramirez was suspended for 50 games due to violation of Major League Baseball's banned substances rules.

Not to worry, though, as his celebrity immediately resumed upon his return to the field. Ramirez came back at mid-season to fan fare usually reserved for returning heroes. Fox Sports broke into their game of the week telecast involving the Phillies and Mets to show each and everyone of Manny's AB's. Unlike Barry Bonds and other fallen stars, any judgment of his transgressions were quickly left behind as the network and many others celebrated his return from a "break."

Manny made sure to put himself at center stage last night, drinking in the attention during every plate appearance. His entire "look at me" persona was firmly in the spotlight in the 5th inning when he launched an ill advised Cole Hamels change-up into the stands for a 2-run homer. He stood triumphantly watching his majestic shot, defiantly slammed the bat to the ground and then pompously leered into the Phillies dugout. He slowly circled the bases, seemingly celebrating the greatness of Manny. It is unclear whether he realized that the Dodgers were still trailing 5-4.

If he played another sport, Ramirez would undoubtedly be a wide receiver celebrating a touchdown via an elaborate dance with his team down 35 points. Or, he would be posing for the cameras after a dunk with his team about to lose.

It is apparent that we will see more of the Manny act over the balance of the series as both TBS and Ramirez himself will make sure that happens. The attention, and its subject basking in the limelight, makes for great theatre, but it also makes it easy not to be a Manny fan.

Phillies Bang and Hang to Win Tense Game 1

If Game 1 of the National League Championship Series is an indicator of what to expect over the course of the series, we are in store for some dramatic, entertaining baseball. The Phillies and Dodgers kicked off the 2009 rematch of last year's NLCS in style as both teams punched and counter punched until the final out, with the Phillies ultimately walking off the field with an 8-6 victory. Dodgers manager Joe Torre reinforced that when he drew the analogy to a "prize fight" in his post game comments.

It goes without saying that it was a big win as all games are important in a short series, but certainly Game 1 on the road. Besides transferring home field advantage back to the Phillies, the 1-0 series lead gives them a little more comfort in sending Pedro Martinez to the mound in Game 2 after a long layoff. There were also several other subtle story lines or developments within last night's game that are noteworthy.

The Phillies landed a few big blows, while the Dodgers maintained persistent pressure throughout the game. This is surely in keeping with the personalities and make-up of each club. The foundation of the Phillies starts with their intimidating power and the ability to put runs on the board in bunches. Conversely, while the Dodgers have some power themselves as they demonstrated last night, they tend to rely more on balance throughout the line-up to scratch out runs. The Dodgers banged out 14 hits, while the Phillies total of 8 was augmented with 7 walks that are the direct by product of pitchers fearing the long ball.

The Dodgers did land the first blow when James Loney lined a home run into the right field bleachers to make it 1-0 in the second inning; otherwise, both Cole Hamels and Clayton Kersaw were in control through four innings. That changed in the 5th inning when Raul Ibanez lined a single to left and Pedro Feliz walked. With Kersaw now struggling to find the strike zone, Carlos Ruiz jumped on a high fastball and launched it into the left field stands to suddenly vault the Phillies to a 3-1 lead.

Kershaw appeared rattled and followed by walking Hamels. After recording two outs, but also throwing 3 wild pitches along the way, Chase Utley drew another walk. Ryan Howard stepped to the plate knowing that Kershaw was having trouble locating his curve and quickly pounced on a fastball, driving it the fence in right for a 2-run double.

To their credit, the Dodgers promptly responded to the 5-1 deficit with a little help from the Phillies usually superb defense. Russell Martin stroked a double to left and one out later, Rafael Furcal singled to put runners on the corners. Hamels induced a bouncer to short from the dangerous Andre Ethier that appeared like it would be an inning ending double play, but Jimmy Rollins and Utley both had trouble handling the ball. They salvaged an out, but Martin scored to make it 5-2, with Manny Ramirez coming to the plate.

With Hamels visibly upset, he proceeded to throw 3 consecutive change-ups to Ramirez despite the fact that age and other reasons make it hard for him now to catch up to fastballs. Ramirez golfed the third pitch into the bleachers and then pompously stood and stared into the Phillies dugout, reveling in his own glory. In the space of a few minutes, Hamels went from escaping the inning with no runs to a lead of 5-4.

When the Dodgers again threatened in the 6th inning, Hamels was pulled, but Chad Durbin and J.A. Happ eased out of the jam. The Dodgers were back on the attack again when Ethier doubled off Antonio Bastardo to start the bottom of the 7th. Chan Ho Park, returning from a month long injury break, shut the door, though, combining a 96 mph two seam fastball with a sharp slider.

Torre tapped lefty George Sherrill with a couple lefty sluggers coming to the plate in the 8th. Howard and Jayson Werth patiently worked walks as Sherrill wrestled with his command. Raul Ibanez made him pay by jacking a slider for a 3-run homer, temporarily giving the team some breathing room at 8-4.

That comfort did not last long, though, as Ryan Madson quickly ran into difficulty in the bottom half of the frame. Loney, Ronnie Belliard and Martin all singled to make it 8-5 with no outs. A ground ball and sacrifice fly cut the lead to two, before Ethier collected his 3rd hit of the game to put the tying runs on base for Ramirez. Manuel stuck with Madson, who was able to get the uber confident "Manny" to ground out weakly.

Once again, Brad Lidge was called upon to nail down the victory in a tight playoff game on the road. He pumped two 95 mph fastballs for strikes, but then Matt Kemp guessed right on a slider and lined a single to left. Lidge battled Casey Blake before getting him to hit a one hopper to Utley for a tailor made double play. The Dodgers still had some fight left and Loney worked a walk. Lidge secured the save, though, by getting Belliard to pop out to end the game.

A few of the subplots from the game include reinforcement that the Phillies sluggers appear to be in a groove, the strong return of Park bodes well for the bullpen, the confidence of having Sherrill to shut down the Phils is a little eroded and Lidge's role as closer seems to be solidified. On a less positive note, two pitchers important to the club's success struggled. Madson did not have good command or miss many bats. Hamels had good stuff, but continued the 2009 pattern of letting unfortunate events break his poise. The team needs both of them to rebound if they want to repeat their trip down Broad Street.

Both teams go back at it with a day game today. Martinez takes the ball for the Phillies, returning to the big stage where he has prospered throughout his career, but with the uncertainty created by a long lay off. The Dodgers counter with former Phil and recent addition Vicente Padilla, who is coming off a strong performance in the NLDS. Based on last night's events and previous games this season, today's game should be another entertaining battle.

The Phillies Will Head Back to the World Series for 3 Reasons

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a good baseball team. There is no question about that fact. They proved that to be the case all year by racing to the best record in the league and never letting up, finishing with 95 wins, most in the National League. They reinforced that by winning some tough games against the surging Rockies in the last series of the season when they had a chance of being overtaken. They punctuated it all by sweeping a Cardinals team that appeared poised for a serious post season run in the NLDS, beating two Cy Young candidates along the way.

As you would expect from the team with the best record, statistically the Dodgers ranked high in pretty much every category. They ranked 1st in hitting at .270, 1st in pitching with a 3.41 ERA, 4th in runs scored and 4th in fielding in the National League. And, interestingly, they have reached these accomplishments through tremendous balance across their entire roster.

The bullpen is their greatest strength with the trade deadline acquisition of lefty George Sherrill to add to an already formidable group led by smoke throwing, right-hander Jonathan Broxton. Although the starters have posted solid numbers, and they added a couple veterans late in the season who have made strong contributions, there is no one that strikes fear in the opposition. None of them would be considered "stoppers" or big game proven pitchers. Joe Torre does not lose sleep over this fact, though, because he can go to his pen early and often if any of his starters labor.

Game 1 starter Clayton Kershaw has the best stuff and is left-handed, but the Phillies have fared well against him in the past. Game 2 and 4 pitchers (Vicente Padilla and Randy Wolf) are very familiar to the Phillies, of course, having both worn the same uniform in the past. Torre plans on starting Hiroki Kuroda in Game 3, who is returning from a back injury, but has been historically tough on the Phils. He shut them out on 2 hits over 6 innings back in June.

On offense, the Dodgers are deep and get on base, but they also do not have imposing sluggers like the Phillies. They hit roughly 1/3 less home runs during the season and ranked 11th in the NL. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp are their best long ball threats, but neither really has a reputation as a big bopper. Manny Ramirez has the historical stats and reputation as a slugger, but his production has been way down since returning from his 50-game steroid suspension. The team also has future Hall of Famer and former Phillies player Jim Thome lurking on the bench, who did hit 23 home runs for the White Sox in 124 games.

This is not to say that any of the Dodgers are incapable of hitting balls out of the park, but they tend to score through stringing rallies together. Another new addition to the team is someone worthy of attention from the Phillies. Ronnie Belliard came over from the Nationals and hit .351 for the Dodgers down the stretch. He has historically hit well against the Phillies and will be in the line-up against their lefties.

In the opposite dugout, the Phillies have some positive trends heading into the NLCS. They are getting contributions throughout their line-up, and most importantly, the "bomber quartet" seem to be grooved. The middle of the line-up is scary with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez all swinging the bats well. Shane Victorino had a big NLDS series, and Jimmy Rollins' timely hitting played a big role in the series win. Dodgers pitchers can not rest at the bottom of the order,either, as Carlos Ruiz and Pedro Feliz can both hurt them with timely hits.

The Phillies are 5 deep with the starting pitching, anchored by Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. Charlie Manuel has indicated that Pedro Martinez will get the ball in Game 2, electing to use Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ to strengthen the bullpen until further notice. No matter who is on the mound, though, they have the comfort of knowing that the best defense in baseball is behind them.

Although Hamels did not get the results he expected in his first playoff start, he had good stuff. With any possible distractions behind him, the guess here is that he will step up and make a strong contribution over the balance of the post season. Lee appears to be back to the laser focused, surgical version of himself that we first saw in a Phillies uniform. Pedro is a wild card considering his long layoff, but you surely should not discount the future Hall of Famer on a big stage in the city where he started his career.

Another hugely positive trend has been the work of Brad Lidge, who saved the final two games of the NLDS. Although he struggled all season long, the 2008 version Lidge has always seemed to be only a minor adjustment here or there away, so perhaps Manuel and Lidge have gotten it dialed in? There is mounting evidence to believe this to be the case, particularly since most importantly, Lidge himself is a believer, which may have been the issue all along.

Clearly, the Dodgers are a strong team and it will be a tough series, but the Phillies will be the team heading back to the World Series. It will take all 7 games to do it, but the Phillies will win for 3 simple reasons. They have the best talent in baseball. They possess the best team chemistry, laden with selfless players and gamers who rally around each other and know what it takes to win a championship. And, as they demonstrated in winning last season and most recently in Colorado, they have great mental toughness and tremendous heart. That is the ultimate winning combination.

NLCS- Phillies 4, Dodgers 3

Rocky Mountain High for the Phillies

A 7 1/2 inning pitchers duel ended in wild fashion with the Phillies showing tremendous resiliency to ultimately prevail in Game 4 of the NLDS . After leading the entire game behind another masterpiece by Cliff Lee, the Phillies found themselves suddenly behind heading into the ninth inning. The reigning World Series Champions were not about to let this game get away, though, and dug deep to counter the Rockies with an exciting rally to win the game and the series.

Lee and Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez battled on the mound for most of the game and the Phillies held a slim 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 8th inning.The Rockies used a little luck and a fluke play to get something going off of Cliff Lee. They followed through with a couple jubilant hits off reliever Ryan Madson to rally for 3 runs and jump to a 4-2 lead.

The Phillies responded with some dramatic hitting in the 9th off of all-star closer Huston Street to themselves rally for 3 runs with two outs to forge ahead 5-4. And, Brad Lidge came on to secure the win by striking out Rockies clean-up hitter Troy Tulowitzki and gain his second save in two days.

The Phillies 9th inning rally was one for the ages, and reminiscent of the 1980 NL Championship Series clincher in terms of drama. Ryan Howard crushed a dramatic double to deep right to drive in the tying runs with two outs, and then Jayson Werth lined a single to right-center to plate Howard. Moments earlier, it had looked like the Phillies would suffer a disappointing defeat and be forced to return home for a Game 5, but this is a team of tenacious players that always believe they can get it done.

Before the late game offensive explosion and excitement, Lee and Jimenez mostly took turns putting zero's on the scoreboard. Lee followed up his brilliant effort in Game 1 with a similar performance in Game 4, keeping the Rockies off balance and off the board with an array of pitches on the edges of the strike zone. Once again, he mixed his 92-93 mph fastball with a biting cutter, diving change-up and sharp slider.

On the other side, Jimenez was firing 96-99 mph fastballs along with a big hook and a nasty splitter to make things difficult for Phillies hitters. He kept them at bay except for two solo homers over 7 innings and 126 pitches. In the first inning, Shane Victorino turned on a 99 mph fastball and hit a line shot into the forrest behind the right-centerfield fence to make it 1-0. In the sixth inning, Jayson Werth put a picture perfect swing on a slider out over the plate and drove it 400 feet into Phillies bullpen in right-center.

The Rockies scratched out a run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Lee appeared to be squeezed a little by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa in walking Todd Helton. Tulowitzki followed with a double to left-center and Helton slid into home head first just ahead of the tag.

With the Phillies still holding a 2-1 lead and Lee still throwing well, the real drama began in the home 8th. Red hot Carlos Gonzalez flied out to left, but Dexter Fowler worked a walk. Lee jammed Helton and he muscled a bouncer to Chase Utley. Fowler arrived about the same time as the ball, hurdled over Utley and got into the line of sight of Jimmy Rollins on Utley's flip. The ball ticked off of Rollins glove for an error and what looked to be a possible inning ending double play turned into both runners being safe.

With Lee having thrown 117 pitches and righty Tulowitzki coming up, Charlie Manuel opted to bring in Madson on a double switch, with Ben Francisco replacing Ibanez in left. Tulowitzki, of course, then hit a sinking liner towards Francisco, who made a spectacular diving catch to momentarily save the day. But, pinch hitter Jason Giambi dumped a soft flare into shallow left off the trademark sending home Fowler with the tying run. Playoff nemesis Yorvit Torrealba followed with a double to deep center and the Rockies found themselves suddenly leading 4-2 accompanied by the roar of the raucous crowd.

Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who made so many trips to the field over the series he could have been mistaken for a tenth player, tapped Street to close out the come from behind victory. He quickly struck out pinch hitter Greg Dobbs and jumped ahead of Rollins. J Roll showed great discipline staying off outside sinkers and grounded a single up the middle. After Victorino bounced into a force out, Utley came to the plate and worked a walk by staying off some tough pitches that tailed off the plate.

Street was now forced to face MVP candidate Howard with the tying runs on base. On a 2-1 count, Howard reached across the plate to get a sinker tailing down and away and cranked a ball to the right field fence. Watching the ball, Victorino missed third base, but went back to tag and scored just in front of a sliding Utley to knot the game at 4-4. With Howard on second, Werth served a 2-2 pitch to right center to send home the go ahead run.

Manuel brought in Scott Eyre, who injured his ankle a day earlier, to pitch the 9th knowing that tough lefties Gonzalez and Helton were coming up. After quick out, Gonzalez flared his 10th hit of the series to left. Fowler hit a soft liner to Rollins, before Helton lofted a single to center. At this point, Manuel came out of the dugout and motioned in Brad Lidge, who earned the save in Game 3. Lidge fed a steady diet of sliders to clean-up hitter Tulowitzki, and got him to wave weakly at a 2008 vintage hard diving pitch to strike him out to end the threat. Wow! What a game- an "Instant Classic" as coined by Eyre after the game!

The Phillies flowed onto the field to joyously celebrate a terrific, series clinching victory. The team moves onto to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, a rematch from a year ago. They do so with the confidence of knowing they are never out of a game and might just have the 2008 version Lidge back in the fold. And, importantly, the Phillies once again showed the tremendous heart and mental toughness that can fuel a championship run.

I'm just saying....NL Team Rankings

In this weekly feature, we take a look at the top ten records in the National League (Rear View Mirror) and rank them based on strength of team going forward (Over the Hood.) Influencing factors include injuries, current and projected level of play, personnel changes, trends, schedule, star alignment and the writer's then current mood. Please feel free to provide your commentary whether you agree, disagree or just have something you want to get off your chest.

Rear View Mirror

1. Dodgers (93-64 .592)

2. Phillies (90-66 .577)

3. Cardinals (90-66 .577)

4. Rockies (88-68 .564)

5. Braves (86-70 .551)

6. Giants (83-73 .532)

7. Marlins (83-74 .529)

8. Cubs (81-74 .523)

9. Brewers (77-79 .494)

10. Reds (74-82 .474)

Over the Hood

1. Dodgers- Close to clinching home field despite mediocre finish

2. Cardinals- Clinched division, can focus on strong post season run

3. Phillies- Injuries, bullpen and fatigue have them limping to finish

4. Braves- Could run the table with strong pitching and weak schedule

5. Rockies- Cooled off, looking over shoulder at Braves

6. Giants- Still fading with Lincecum, Cain looking human

7. Marlins- Almost extinct with up and down finish, will gear up for Phillies

8. Cubs- Good finish, too little, too late

9. Brewers- Push to finish at .500 led by Fielder and Braun

10. Reds- Putting things together in September to pass Astros despite Phils

I'm just saying....NL Team Rankings

In this weekly feature, we take a look at the top ten records in the National League (Rear View Mirror) and rank them based on strength of team going forward (Over the Hood.) Influencing factors include injuries, current and projected level of play, personnel changes, trends, schedule, star alignment and the writer's then current mood. Please feel free to provide your commentary whether you agree, disagree or just have something you want to get off your chest.

Rear View Mirror

1. Dodgers (90-60 .600)

2. Phillies (87-61 .588)

3. Cardinals (88-63 .583)

4. Rockies (85-65 .567)

5. Giants (81-69 .545)

6. Marlins (80-70 .533)

7. Braves (80-70 .533)

8. Cubs (77-72 .517)

9. Brewers (74-76 .493)

10. Astros (70-80 .467)

Over the Hood

1. Dodgers- Besides Wolf, many concerns about starters; great bullpen

2. Cardinals- Success as Pujols, Holiday, Wainwright, Carpenter, Franklin go

3. Phillies- Best talent, but tempered by mounting injury concerns

4. Rockies- Streaky team with no dominant starters, but score lots of runs

5. Marlins- Scary team with young starters and streaky line-up

6. Braves- Very solid rotation, but not enough pop in line-up, weak schedule left

7. Giants- Starting to fade with Dow Jones September, not enough offense

8. Cubs- Unfulfilled potential has been the story all year

9. Brewers- Turned it up to reach .500?

10. Astros- Current 8 game losing streak dashed any optimism

I'm just saying....NL Team Rankings

In this weekly feature, we take a look at the top ten records in the National League (Rear View Mirror) and rank them based on strength of team going forward (Over the Hood.) Influencing factors include injuries, current and projected level of play, personnel changes, trends, schedule, star alignment and the writer's then current mood. Please feel free to provide your commentary whether you agree, disagree or just have something you want to get off your chest.

Rear View Mirror

1. Dodgers (87-59 .596)

2. Cardinals (85-61 .582)

3. Phillies (83-60 .580)

4. Rockies (82-64 .562)

5. Giants (79-66 .545)

6. Marlins (77-68 .531)

7. Braves (76-68 .528)

8. Cubs (75-68 .507)

9. Astros (70-75 .483)

10. Brewers (69-75 .479)

Over the Hood

1. Dodgers- Back on track with improved starting staff and Ethier walk offs

2. Cardinals- First downturn since July, scary with big two starters

3. Phillies- Scratching out wins, bullpen big concerns offset Pedro-mania

4. Rockies- Big offense, but streaky team back on downswing

5. Giants- Hanging in the wild card race with help from Rockies

6. Marlins- Another streaky team back on the upswing, team dissension concerns

7. Braves- Catching fire again after a painful slump

8. Cubs- Late surge probably too little, too late

9. Astros- Back to mediocre baseball after thumping Phillies

10. Brewers- Continuing to reach new lows

I'm just saying....NL Team Rankings

In this weekly feature, we take a look at the top ten records in the National League (Rear View Mirror) and rank them based on strength of team going forward (Over the Hood.) Influencing factors include injuries, current and projected level of play, personnel changes, trends, schedule, star alignment and the writer's then current mood. Please feel free to provide your commentary whether you agree, disagree or just have something you want to get off your chest.

Rear View Mirror

1. Cardinals (82-57 .590)

2. Dodgers (82-57 .590)

3. Phillies (77-58 .570)

4. Rockies (78-60 .565)

5. Giants (76-62 .551)

6. Marlins (72-65 .526)

7. Braves (70-67 .511)

8. Cubs (69-67 .507)

9. Astros (67-70 .489)

10. Brewers (66-71 .482)

Over the Hood

1. Cardinals- Playing the best baseball in the 2nd half with holes plugged

2. Dodgers- Starting pitching bolstered, strong pen, leading league in hitting

3. Phillies- Hit a wall in Houston, need offense to get back on track

4. Rockies- Streaky team on the upswing again

5. Giants- Keeping pace with strong starting staff, scratching out runs

6. Marlins- Another streaky team back on the upswing, team dissension concerns

7. Braves- Losing steam, slipping back in playoff race

8. Cubs- Treading water, soon to be out of playoff contention

9. Astros- Bourn, Pence, Lee and Berkman provide enough offense

10. Brewers- Disappointing season continues after playoffs last year