Cowboys and Eagles 24, Eagles 0

It wasn't what they had in mind. After a six game winning streak and the Vikings on the downturn, the Eagles flew to Dallas with visions of setting themselves up for a great post season run. A win today against the Cowboys would earn the NFC East crown, a first round bye and a divisional playoff game at home.

It didn't work out that way. Instead, the team failed miserably in every aspect of the game, turning in an utterly embarrassing effort that landed them the 6th and final playoff seed as a consolation prize. The Cowboys played well, but the Eagles assisted them in everyway to give them a 24-0 cake walk.

Where do we start? It is not an exaggeration to say that the Eagles did virtually nothing well on this day. Instead, even the casual observer could delineate a long list of transgressions that started with an ill conceived game plan, played out with horrible execution and ended with what often seemed to be lackluster effort.

The defense got things back sliding by allowing the Cowboys to stroll down the field for an easy score to open the game. Poor tackling, bad coverage, no pressure and missed assignments enabled Marion Barber, Tony Romo, Jason Witten and company on the way to 7-0 lead on the first drive and then pretty much kept that assistance intact throughout the half.

As if the lack of execution was not enough, it was all aided by a senseless, out of character defensive game plan. Sean McDermott and Andy Reid apparently decided the unit's best approach would be reverse psychology as they went away from their trademark blitzing and stunting. Instead, they mostly played a straight up four man rush with soft coverage throughout the first half on their way to a 17-0 deficit.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles problem was not so much about their usual pass heavy game plan, but rather dropped passes, misfired footballs, fumbles, poor blocking and penalties. The young pair of playmaking receivers, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, seemingly lost the fearless personas that have helped them to early success. They ran wrong routes, let passes slip through their hands and appeared to be looking for someone else to bail them out.

McNabb missed a golden opportunity in the first quarter when he overthrew an open Jackson on a deep post pattern and threw behind a couple receivers, but was mostly victimized by dropped passes and spotty protection. Brent Celek seemed to be his only reliable target, but he too dropped a would be first down pass late in the game.

While the Eagles were battling themselves and facilitating things, Dallas had no problem capitalizing on it all. The line gave Romo time to alternate throwing strikes to Witten, Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton and others on his way to racking up 311 yards passing. On the ground, Barber and Felix Jones took turns running through gaping holes to each gain 91 yards on the day.

In the post game press conference, a red faced Reid was particularly uncomfortable as his team had just failed in every phase of the game for the past few hours and apparently also the days leading up to it. In the biggest game of the season, the team lacked focus, intensity and almost appeared to be playing scared, reminiscent of the Eagles first Super Bowl appearance. Poor play was compounded by poor decisions such as wasting a valuable first half timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty with the ball inside the Cowboys 40. Or, electing to attempt a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter while trailing 17-0 rather than go for it on 4th and 2. You get the idea- it was an ugly loss, through and through.

The Eagles only saving grace is that they get a "do over" next Saturday night in Dallas. Let's hope this time that Reid and his coaching staff "put the players in a position to succeed," and those players perform like the guys who had won the previous six games. As McNabb pointed out after today's game, everybody needs to bring their "A" game for the playoffs as there will be no more "do overs" from here on out.

Let the Games Begin- Phillies vs Rockies Playoff Preview

The Phillies begin the second phase of their 2009 World Series Championship defense at 2:47 PM tomorrow. They have a difficult task ahead, starting with a little Colorado Rockies deja vu.

It was just two years ago that they finished with a flurry to pass the New York Mets to win the first of three consecutive NL Eastern Division titles. Unfortunately, the Rockies were on an unprecedented season ending hot streak that they rode through the National League playoffs until finally being derailed by the Red Sox in the World Series. That season, the Rockies finished by winning 21 of 22 games, before sweeping the Phillies 3-0 and then the Diamondbacks 4-0.

Although the Rockies did not approach those astounding numbers this season, they did string together the best record (20-11) since September 1st to once again make a late season dash to win the wild card. Overall. they recorded 92 wins, one game less than the 2009 Phillies.

The most basic numerical analysis suggests that they two teams are closely matched. The Phillies finished first in the league in runs scored with 820, with the Rockies right behind them at 804. Both teams used a similar formula on offense, relying on the long ball to generate runs. The two teams were close in pitching, with the Phillies ending 6th in ERA, two spots higher than the Rockies. And, both clubs play strong defense. The Phils committed the second fewest errors (76) in the league, while the Rockies placed 5th with 87.

The NLDS series, of course, will not be won or lost based on past statistics. In a short 5-game series almost anything can happen, but most of the time it comes down to the match-ups and how each team executes in a pressure packed environment. Looking at the series from that vantage point, here is how I see it breaking down:

Starting Pitching

The Phillies have the clear advantage in terms of starting pitching. The Rockies will not have any known big game pitchers to throw out there, while the Phillies will counter with last year's AL Cy Young winner, last year's NLCS and World Series MVP, a sure fire Hall-of-Famer, last year's World Series game 4 winner and a Rookie-of-the-Year candidate who was their most consistent starter all season.

It will be important for them to capitalize on this by putting runs on the board early and by pitching deep into games to take the pressure off their beleaguered bullpen.

Relief Pitching

The bullpens are fairly comparable with one major exception. The Rockies head into the post season with a definitive closer while this remains the Phillies biggest question mark. Huston Street converted 35 of 37 save opportunities, allowing less than one baserunner per inning, while recording more than 10 strikeouts per 9 innings. The Phillies situation is well chronicled, so it will be key for them to take care of business early and hope that they realize the potential that was so elusive in the regular season.

Offense

The Phillies line-up is more explosive and diverse. Both clubs hit for similar average, but the Phils possess both more power and speed. Both teams are a little stronger from the left side, but the match-ups create very different scenarios. The Phillies can better neutralize the Rockies line-up with three strong left-handed starting pitchers, whereas the Rockies will be relying on right-handers.

Defense

Both teams play solid defense, but again, the Phillies are just a little better. The fan fare created by their long ball prowess tends to attention away from the fact they are a great defensive team. Not only do they avoid errors, but they also make plays that other team's would only hope to do.

Prediction

Although the Rockies have played exceptional baseball in the second half of the season and are once again coming into the post season with momentum, the Phillies simply are the better team. They have the best talent in the league and persevered through a long season for the opportunity to defend their title. They also possess incredible unity and a winning chemistry. This is what they have been playing for all season long, and they will not disappoint.

The Phillies will win the series, 3-1.

Phillies End the Regular Season on a High Note

Yesterday's regular season finale ended on a high note for the Phillies. Back-up catcher and September call-up Paul Hoover lined a ball down the third base line that ticked off the glove of Wes Helms for a single, plating John Mayberry to give the Phils a 7-6, 10th inning victory over the Florida Marlins. Teammates bounded onto the field and happily peppered him after he rounded first base and sent the team into post season in style.

On a day that Charlie Manuel chose to rest all his regulars, except for Jayson Werth and starting pitcher J.A. Happ, the Phillies fought from behind all day. Manuel pulled Happ after two innings and used an array of relievers who may have been auditioning for a playoff roster spot. Although the game had little relevance and the regulars mostly remained on the bench, heading to the post season fresh off a walk-off victory provided somewhat of a psychological lift for the team.

Werth was in the line-up as a gesture of appreciation for his excellent season. He came into the game with a career high 99 RBI, but unfortunately was not able to push the total to the milestone century mark. He missed his last opportunity when he was intentionally walked (to a jeering crowd) with Mayberry on second base to get to Hoover in the tenth.

Despite the mild disappointment, Werth was a large contributor throughout the 2009 season, providing critical right handed pop amongst the team's left handed power hitters. He built upon last year's break out season as he became the full-time right fielder, clubbing 36 home runs to finish 7th in the National League. Werth finished with a .268 batting average, but more indicative of his contribution was his lofty .373 On Base Percentage, which was second highest on the team.

Happ yielded a couple runs in the first, before tossing a scoreless second inning. He also has played a large role in the Phillies NL East title, emerging as a highly dependable and effective starter. Happ ends the season with a 12-4 record, the league's 8th best ERA at 2.93, and consideration for a playoff start against the Colorado Rockies. He remains a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate, but may have been passed as the favorite by Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan, who turned in a huge second half to finish 6th in the NL batting race with a .321 average.

Sunday's victory pushed the Phillies overall record to 93-69, one win better than a season ago. This also secured the second best record in the National League behind the Dodgers. Attention now turns to preparing for Wednesday's National League Division Series against the Rockies at Citizen Bank Park, including important decisions about their playoff roster and starting rotation. Overall, the Phillies enjoyed another excellent regular season, but now the excitement rises to another level as they launch into the next phase of their World Series Championship defense.

Phillies Tune Up Hitting Some Sour Notes

The Phillies appear to still be suffering from the hangover of last Wednesday's victory celebration. Although the team has indicated the importance of winning every game to improve their playoff seeding, they have looked flat and lost three in a row. This could be expected due to the fatigue of the long season's journey and a somewhat ambivalent playoff picture.

Of course, the Phillies would prefer to have as many games at the Bank as possible due to its wonderful atmosphere and the tremendous fan support. But, even so, none of the three potential opponents emerged as a clear preferred choice to play. Also, playing on the road does not strike fear in their hearts as the Phillies had the best away record in baseball and better than their own home record. They won 48 of their 81 road games for a robust .593 winning percentage.

After last night's Dodgers victory, we now know that the Phillies play the Rockies in the National League Division Series and will have home field advantage against the wild card entrant regardless of each team's record. Because the Cardinals have similarly slipped at season's end, the Phillies would also have home field advantage if they were to meet them in the second round.

Besides records and seeding, the other important story line of these last few games relates to the players preparing for the post season. In some cases, it is a matter of tuning up. In other cases, the games are a possible audition for a spot on the playoff roster. The objectives can range from easing back from injury to getting a swing grooved to sharpening a pitching repertoire to re-charging batteries.

Everyone would prefer to win each and every game, but the background events and objectives may have more impact on the team's post season success. With that in mind, some of the more noteworthy ones have not panned out as well as most would like.

The likely three top starting pitchers (Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton) all had shaky tune-ups in their final outings. Besides losing, they did not display the sharpness that they will surely need when the post season curtain lifts on Wednesday. The team also received bad news when JC Romero and Chan Ho Park both had set backs on the injury front, and both appear to be long shots for the playoffs. On the offensive side of the ledger, many hoped to see team leader Chase Utley get locked on in his swing, but unfortunately he has continued to struggle.

On the flip side, some positive occurrences include Ryan Howard continuing his great hitting. Yesterday, he launched his 45th home run and increased his major league leading RBI total to 141. Jayson Werth also hit his 36th home run and moved to within 1 RBI of the century mark. Brett Myers returned to the mound and looked ready to step into a key playoff role. And yesterday, a dark horse candidate for a bullpen spot emerged when rookie Antonio Bastardo made an appearance after a long injury layoff. He threw hard and the Romero-like pitcher could be added as a needed left handed reliever.

With a couple off days ahead, Charlie Manuel will likely have his regulars in today's line-up. It would be nice to get a win, have J.A. Happ improve his Rookie-of-the-Year credentials and see Werth drive in at least 1 run, but the most important outcome would be for players to come away feeling confidence with some positive momentum heading into the playoffs.

Rough Outing for Lee and the Phillies

The Phillies #1 starter Cliff Lee faced off against struggling Brewers' starter Manny Parra on Friday night in Milwaukee. Hearing afterward that one pitcher had a dominant outing while the other surrendered a pair of 3-run homers, most would be surprised to learn the identity of each. Unfortunately for the Phillies, Lee had his worst outing in a Phillies uniform while Parra had his best performance of the season.

Lee was hit hard in the 1st inning, but almost worked his way out of trouble. Prince Fielder lined a two out single to center to plate the first run. After Lee did not get the call on 1-2 fastball that appeared to be right down broadway, Mike Cameron capitalized on the second chance by launching a 3-run homer to left. What looked like an inning ending strikeout, turned into a 4-0 deficit.

After Parra set down the Phillies in order over the first 3 innings, an error, walk and 2-run single by Ryan Howard cut the Brewers lead in half. Meanwhile, Lee settled down and cruised through the next 3 innings, before encountering trouble in the 5th. A hit batter and single put two runners aboard before Fielder crushed a towering drive into the upper deck in right-center field to extend the lead to 7-2.

The Phils rallied for a couple runs in the 8th, with Howard collecting his 135th RBI of the season, one behind Fielder's NL leading 136. A potential rally in the 9th was quickly shut down by closer Trevor Hoffman, who used mostly 84-86 mph fastballs along with his signature change-up to induce three weak outs.

The loss allowed the surging Braves to move within 6 games in the NL East and keep the magic number at 4. The Cardinals 2-1 loss to the Rockies kept the 1/2 game ahead of St. Louis for the 2nd playoff seed. Some more bad injury news came there way when it was determined that Pedro Martinez had not recovered enough from a neck strain to make his scheduled start today, so Kyle Kendrick will start in his place. Also, with the bullpen struggles, the team is hoping for strong performances from the starters in order to advance in the playoffs, so Lee's outing certainly causes concern.

Phillies Hit Bump in the Road to Division Championship

The Florida Marlins, who are fighting to stay off the endangered species list, rallied late to pin a frustrating 7-6 loss on the Phillies. Unfortunately for the Phillies, the bullpen again faltered in holding onto a late game lead, suffering another blown save.  The team also squandered a big game by Ryan Howard, who drove in 4 runs with a home run and double. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves completed a three game sweep of the depleted New York Mets to pull within 6 1/2 games of the Phillies.

A typical sudden Miami down pour delayed the game in the middle of the 8th inning with the Marlins trailing 6-4. When play resumed, Ryan Madson replaced starter Cole Hamels, who was less effective than he has been over the past month, but was poised to earn his 11th win. Madson yielded a run by virtue of hitting a batter and giving up a couple singles.

Brad Lidge was summoned into pitch the 9th inning with hopes of closing out a 6-5 victory. He was quickly greeted with a double in the right field corner by Ross Gload, who moved to third on Chris Coghlan's deep liner to Jayson Werth. Lidge recorded a strikeout on a borderline slider to move within one out of a save, but then walked NL batting leader Hanley Ramirez.  Jorge Cantu stepped to the plate and lined a shot to center for his fourth straight hit, tying the score. After getting pinch hitter Brett Carroll to swing and miss two sliders, Lidge hung another one over the plate that he ripped to center to win the game.

The Phillies are still in good position to win their third consecutive NL East crown and in line to play the wild card Rockies if the season ended today. They also still have a shot at home field advantage throughout the playoffs as they are 2 1/2 games behind the Dodgers.

Despite remaining relatively well positioned in those regards, the Phillies have clearly not resolved their bullpen issues. Besides the health of catcher Carlos Ruiz, the relief corp remains the one big question mark for the team. Several key components are injured and after 151 games, Charlie Manuel still cannot avoid the Rolaids and Nexium pills when he hands the ball over in a save situation.

Manuel has tirelessly stayed the course in his attempts to restore the confidence and effectiveness of Lidge, and to a lesser degree, Madson. He knows that he almost surely needs them to be able to close games if the team hopes to repeat in 2009. Any thought of Brett Myers emerging to assume the role has been dashed by his shoulder strain and you cannot help but to recall a similar injury shutting him down for quite awhile in 2007.

With only 11 games left in the regular season, it seems apparent that the team would head into the post season with at best, a level of uncertainty in its ability to close out games.  Last year's most reliable aspect of the team will be this year's most anxiety producing. That does not mean that it is impossible for Lidge and Madson to fare well in the post season, as both possess the "stuff" to come through.

The good news for the Phillies is that they have the National League's best line-up, best defense and a strong cast of starting pitchers. Those three components are capable of powering them to victory, but surrendering games that were seemingly won, has a way of derailing teams sooner or later.

The 1993 Phillies team made it to the 6th game of the World Series with a closer who was "out of gas." That is not the case here as both pitchers still have plenty of zip on their pitches, so there is hope that they will find their groove, but they are clearly still searching for it. The '93 team also reinforces that a different formula than the one the team relied on in 2008 can work. Of course, Manuel, the players and the team's followers alike would greatly prefer seeing fans confidently waving the white towels in the air at closing time rather than pulling a Curt Shilling with those same towels.

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

Phillies Go Back to the Future with Cliff Lee

Cliff Lee probably had the desire to go back in time as he took the mound for the Phillies at Citizen's Bank Park last evening. Lee came to the team in a much discussed trade in late July and proceeded to dazzle teammates, fans and the media alike with his intensely focused demeanor and phenomenal pitching over his first five appearances. Just when everyone was projecting playoff implications and comparing the pitcher to the best of all-time, Lee showed he was human over the next three starts.

It is unclear whether a DeLorean was involved, but the original version of Lee returned last night as he shut out the Washington Nationals on six hits. He also struck out 9, including the first three and last two batters he faced. The only real trouble he encountered was when he uncharacteristically walked three hitters in the 4th inning, but recorded a couple strikeouts to escape the self-induced jam. To underscore the oddity, these are the only walks that he has surrendered in the past 45 innings.

The offensive star of the game was Carlos Ruiz, who has somewhat quietly found his stroke and is hitting a blistering .371 over the last month. Last night, he cleared the bases with a 3-run double in the 2nd inning and added another double in the 8th inning. His only outs were a drive caught against the fence in left and a sinking liner to center that was snared with a diving catch. Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth were the other offensive leaders for the Phillies.

Lee's "retro" performance was great news for a team that continues to be concerned about its bullpen and is still without Rookie-of-the-Year candidate J.A. Happ. Additionally, starter Joe Blanton has faltered a bit after an extended run of strong pitching and there is lingering concern whether Cole Hamels can re-gain last year's consistency. All would agree, a sharp Cliff Lee is critical to the team's post season aspirations.

Phillies: A Great Day for Two

In the sentiments of Hall-of-Famer Ernie Banks, yesterday turned out to be a great day for two for the Phillies. Winning a day, night doubleheader against the rival Mets on a day that the Marlins lost and the surging Braves won again had a very big impact on their playoff prospects.

The Phillies used two strong starting pitching performances to enable the delayed sweep. In the afternoon game, it was Kyle Kendrick making a spot start due to J.A. Happ being injured and responding with 7 shutout innings before allowing a 2-run homer in the 8th. After Tyler Walker turned in another solid effort to quiet any further damage in that inning, Brad Lidge gave what is now seemingly becoming the obligatory high wire closer act. He yielded 2 runs on 3 hits, but registered a game ending strikeout to preserve the win. Shane Victorino and Ben Francisco led the offense, each collecting two hits and a home run.

In the nightcap, Pedro Martinez turned in another amazing performance, shutting out the Mets on six hits over 8 innings. The most astonishing aspect was that he threw 130 pitches as he battled to preserve a narrow 1-0 lead. Once again, he used an array of 88-92 mph fastballs moving in a variety of directions, an occasional curve and quite a few diving change-ups. The effort earned him his 5th victory in 5 decisions after Ryan Madson pitched a relatively tame 9th inning to earn the save.

The Phillies only run against long-time nemesis Tim "ZZ Top" Redding came on Chase Utley's single high off the left-center field fence in the first inning. Jimmy Rollins had walked to open the inning and Victorino followed with a single, but a Rollins' base running miscue found him having to race home while the other two could only take one base. Fortunately, Martinez made it a moot point with his sparkling effort.

Pedro has been a great addition, both on the field and in the clubhouse. He seems to be staking his case to take the ball in the playoffs if the Phillies can take care of business. Martinez, the fans and players are all thoroughly enjoying the contributions that he is making to the team's success and his ongoing demonstration of the art of pitching.

Scratching out a couple of one run victories turned out to be very beneficial for their playoff aspirations. It allowed them to widen the lead against the surging Marlins back to 6.5 games. It also kept the Braves 7.5 games back after they swept the red hot Cardinals in a 3-game weekend series. Ironically, although they were surely spiritually eliminated a long time ago, Martinez's win mathematically eliminated his former Mets teammates from the 2009 playoffs.

The Cliff Lee Effect

Ruben Amaro's late July coup, landing reigning American League Cy Young award winner Cliff Lee at the trade deadline, is already paying handsome dividends. In some ways this is very obvious, and other ways it is less obvious, but maybe just as important. After yesterday seeing Lee's 3rd excellent performance in 3 outings for the Phillies, what seemed very apparent from the start is continuing to become clearer. Let's examine the broad impact of this blockbuster acquisition.

Complacency

Ironically, one of the first impacts might have been to cause a little bit of complacency to set in after the initial euphoria. Adding one of the best pitchers in baseball to a team whose collective esteem was spiking after a tremendous month of play might have inadvertently caused the players to feel a little too confident. The inner voice in players' minds might very well have turned down the adrenaline and sense of urgency as logic would say that one of the best teams in baseball just got a lot better. The Marlins 3 game sweep and Charlie Manuel's post game address on Sunday helped to reinforce that games need to be won on the field.

Rotation Upgrade

The obvious impact of the Lee acquisition is that a starter-by-committee spot, dotted with a big question mark, is being replaced by a top notch pitcher. The chances of winning every 5th day clearly went up. Registering a 22-3 win/loss record last year is truly remarkable, but it becomes understandable as you witness Lee's make-up, repertoire and approach up close.

Role Model

From the first time that Cliff Lee toed the pitching rubber in a Phillies uniform to now, it has been easy to see that he is a natural "leader-by-example." He exudes professionalism, a warm, yet no nonsense demeanor and positive energy in all his actions- and then proceeds to aggressively attack the strike zone with an upbeat tempo and laser focus on the mound. This is invaluable to other pitchers on the staff (especially similar style left-handers like Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ) as they observe the positive impact on the players behind him and ultimately, the results. Lee's impact on the staff is largely parallel to the impact that Raul Ibanez has had on the team's position players.

True Stopper

With Hamels struggling to find the consistent level of excellence and air of supreme confidence that he displayed last year, Lee gives the team a legitimate stopper on the staff. In theory, this serves to keep the team out of prolonged slumps, but more importantly, gives peace of mind to the team knowing that every fifth day they are backing one of the best pitchers in baseball. This also serves to take some pressure off the other starting pitchers as well as provide motivation. And, won't it be fun to see Hamels regain his mojo to give the Phillies two stoppers down the stretch and into the playoffs?

Playoff Positioning

Speaking of the playoffs, many have expressed the opinion that this trade was engineered to strengthen the team for the post season. Although it is absolutely true that the impact becomes greater in the post season when teams go to a 3 or 4 man rotation, it would be folly to assume that the division championship is in the bag (as the Marlins reminded the team this past weekend.) The Phillies have the talent to win the division and make a strong post season run, but that needs to play out one pitch, one inning, one game at a time.

Chemistry

Lee looks to be another high character, personable team player who fits perfectly into a team with great chemistry. The Phillies have done a tremendous job building a team filled with talented players that are genuine, likable, competitive and function as a true team (that has fun along the way.) This played a big part in their past success, will be a key driver for future success and is foundational to their tremendous fan appeal.

Ben Francisco

I would be remiss to not recognize the other player acquired in the Lee deal. Ben Francisco has some pop in his bat, can run, has a plus arm and is versatile enough to play all 3 outfield positions. He has already contributed, as evidenced Tuesday night by his game winning home run in the 12th inning, and provides a more consistent, seasoned back-up who will help the team down the stretch.

Philadelphia Phillie fans are fortunate to have Cliff Lee join an already strong cast. It will be fun to see him contribute to the team's success in both the tangible and intangible ways over the course of 2009 season. Thank you, Ruben, for your insight and negotiating skill in making this deal.