Making Roy Halladay's Dreams Come True

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies on clinching their fourth consecutive National League East division title.

Yep. They're the team to beat once again.

After winning it all in 2008 before losing the World Series the following year to the New York Yankees, the Phillies are ready to battle. With just five games left in the season and a 94-63 record, they've ensured home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and into the Big Show -- if they make it there -- since the NL won the All-Star game this year.

When the team gathered around the clubhouse to celebrate their 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals last night, three old dogs who'd never had the opportunity to pop the bubbly had the honors. Phillies ace Roy Halladay, backup catcher Brian Schneider and bench player Mike Sweeney uncorked the first champagne bottles to get the shindig under way.

Ryan Howard, the National League's 2006 MVP, had this to say:

If you’re not here to try to win a championship, you’re here for the wrong reasons. We feel like we kind of have some unfinished business and have taken the first step to trying to right that ship.

Jayson Werth was just as down-to-earth:

We’ve got a long way to go. We’ve got a long road. We know where we want to be. We know what happened last year; we haven’t forgot it. We know what’s at stake, and we’re looking forward to it.

Halladay was also vividly eloquent:

P.S. Don't forget to check out Ken Burns' new documentary The Tenth Inning -- a two-part sequel to the incredible 1994 film Baseball -- tonight and tomorrow night at 8pm ET on PBS.

[Big League Stew]