Phils-Dodgers Game I

Notes On Game One:

1. The Phils' victory last night was the result of a formula they employed all year - a strong 7 innings from their starter, excellent relief pitching, a couple of timely hits, and the speed of Shane Victorino. There was also some good fortune the Phillies were able to capitalize on: Ramirez just missing a home run in the first inning and the error allowing Victorino to reach base in front of Chase Utley. There was irony too, as Pat Burrell noted, in that the homers of Utley and Burrell probably would not have been out of the park in Dodger Stadium, whereas Manny's shot probably would have.

2. The most important development for the Phillies in recent weeks has been the emergence of Ryan Madson. Last night's performance in a pressure situation can only boost his confidence further. With Madson and Lidge, the Phils can really shorten a game for their starter.

3. Tim McCarver and Joe Buck talked about how the Phils' 1-6 hitters have carried the team. Well, only in the sense that at different times during the season, one or two of these hitters have carried the team. But certainly not in unison. For lengthy intervals, Rollins, Werth, Burrell, Utley, Howard, and Victorino have virtually disappeared. Buck added that the Phillies have been weighed down offensively by the bottom of the line up. Hardly a surprise as two of those hitters (Felice and Ruiz) are in the lineup primarily for their defense.

4. Ken Rosenthal, the Fox baseball analyst, picked the Dodgers to win the series but after last night's game he says the Phillies could win. That's like a stock market analyst, if anyone is willing to admit that these days, saying stocks could continue to go down but they could also go up.