There's Always Next Year, Phillies Fans

ONE HUNDRED AND TWO REGULAR SEASON VICTORIES. ONE GIANT FAILURE.

The one game the Philadelphia Phillies needed to win -- Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Wild Card-winning St. Louis Cardinals Friday night -- they lost 1-0 thanks to Chris Carpenter's rocket arm and a Skip Schumaker RBI.

Carpenter was lights out all night long, allowing only three hits with three strikeouts. Meanwhile, Roy Halladay pitched his little heart out, surrendering just the one run on six hits with seven Ks over eight solid innings. Not quite phucking solid enough though.

But enough about that incredible pitcher's duel. Highlighting this season's fourth edition of There's Always Next Year, let's see the Phillies off with a bang into their long, long offseason. In sad photo montage.

NLDS Game 5: Chris Carpenter 1, Philadelphia Phillies 0

Let the keyword searches for "Shirtless Chris Carpenter" commence. (Thank you Nick Punto). It's amazing what seeing a man's abs can do for a girl...as if tossing a three-hit, complete game shutout to carry your team to the National League Championship Series in a must-win Game 5 isn't sexy enough.

Carpenter was out of control. Lights out. In command. Determined to pitch that entire game, and probably thrilled as hell that his teammates managed even one run off his offseason fishing buddy Roy Halladay.

There's Always Next Year, Diamondbacks Fans

Welcome to this season's third edition of There's Always Next Year, starring the Arizona Diamondbacks!

Nyjer Morgan is T-Clutch, which he prefers to be called when he is kicking ass, taking names, and driving in walkoff runs to advance his team to the National League Championship Series. The Brewers advanced Friday night and sent the Diamondbacks packing for the offseason in the 10th inning of their 3-2 walkoff victory, with Carlos Gomez absolutely cruising around the horn to score the winning run off Morgan's base hit.

But enough about the game and how awesome it was. Let's continue on with the Snakes' obituary... in sad photo montage.

Diamondbacks Rally at Home to Bring Game 5 to Milwaukee

It just wouldn't be Arizona Diamondbacks baseball at Chase Field without a grand slam these days. Showoffs.

After returning to the desert staring down an 0-2 hole in the National League Division Series, the Diamondbacks won both of their home games to force a deciding Game 5, including an 8-1 rout Tuesday evening before their 10-6 win Wednesday night over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Thanks in part to Randy Wolf being completely out of control early on, the D'Backs enjoyed a five-run first inning highlighted by a Ryan Roberts grand slam -- the team's fourth in as many home games. In fact, they're just the second team to hit grand salamis in consecutive playoff games since the 1977 Dodgers.

Chris Young went yard twice, and Aaron Hill added a solo shot to Arizona's 13 hits to shift the series back to Milwaukee.

Rallying for a win is nothing new to the D'Backs, and frankly I'm sure they're offended that everyone outside of Arizona pretty much wrote them off after dropping the first two games of the series. In case it's your first day, they had a big league-best 48 comeback wins during the regular season.

They might not have a rally squirrel, but they do have a Kirk Gibson, whose unorthodox managing techniques had fans and analysts questioning his sanity Wednesday night. The second-year skipper pulled starter Joe Saunders for a pinch-hitter in the third inning of his team's must-win postseason game after the lefty surrendered three runs on five hits with two walks. Not a good outing at all, but definitely not something you can't come back from. It was so Tony La Russa... but it worked.

Charlie Manuel: Avid Squirrel Hunter

If we were squirrels, we'd be all over this guy. Anyway, I don't think we really need to say anything about this video...

Here's the rally squirrel in action... adorable. Read about the St. Louis Cardinals' 5-3 win over the Philadephia Phillies in Game 4 of their NLDS and, of course, follow the smack-talking Busch Squirrel on Twitter.

[Guyism]

David Freese Drives in Four Runs, Cardinals Force NLDS Game 5

It was the David Freese Show Wednesday night in St. Louis, with the third baseman hitting a home run and a double for a total of four RBI to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Phillies 5-3 and force a deciding Game 5 back in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park.

After going 2-for-12 with just one RBI over the first three games of the series, Freese nailed a two-run double in the fourth inning before his two-run bomb to deep center in the sixth. Also, the hot corner had the the most awesome quote of the postseason so far:

"We're going to come to the yard and give it a hard nine."

Hell yeah buddy.

Lance Berkman, who's looking more and more like Fat Elvis these days -- especially when he runs, smoked a double in the first to score a run as well, before being allowed third base on a Shane Victorino throwing error.

Edwin Jackson was sucking it up early, but he recovered to win his very first playoff start ever. It was a momentous occasion for him. After serving up two longballs on his first five pitches, it was not looking good for the Cardinals starter, but he ended up tossing six solid innings, giving up just those two runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

Then, in true Tony La Russa fashion, five relievers finished the game, with closer Jason Motte being the only one to pitch an entire inning all by himself.

Game 5 is Friday night at 8:37pm ET on TBS, featuring a rematch of Cy Young-winning aces Roy Halladay and Chris Carpenter. This is going to be a great contest, and it's literally anyone's game. So don't miss it.

[Usa Today]

Ben Francisco's Pinch Hit Homer Lifts Phillies over Cardinals in NLDS Game 3

Ben Francisco, pinch-hitting for starter Cole Hamels, came up big with a three-run shot off Jaime Garcia in the seventh inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 win Tuesday night over the St. Louis Cardinals for a 2-1 lead in their National League Division Series.

That was all the offense the Phillies needed behind Hamels, who earned his seventh postseason victory. He's no amateur. Reliever Ryan Madson entered in the eighth to get five outs and (barely) save Hamels' performance after going no more than one inning during his 32 regular season saves. He was pretty pumped about his outing:

"That was a lot of fun. I wish I was a lot better but I guess I was goof enough and that's all that matters."

Hamels was on fire after a rough September, striking out eight over six scoreless innings, with the only extra-base hits coming by way of two Albert Pujols doubles. You'll have that.

The NL Wild Card-winning Cardinals stranded 14 runners on base in front of a sell-out home crowd of 46,914, which is pretty disappointing considering how hard they worked to get to the playoffs in the first place. They attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh when David Freese nailed an RBI single off Hamels to put his team on the board before Yadier Molina added another run in the ninth off Madson with a base hit to center that scored Pujols, but it was too little-too late.

Heavily favored to win it all after a franchise-record 102-win season, the Phillies will attempt to finish off the Cardinals in Game 4 Wednesday night at 6:05pm ET on TBS. Roy Oswalt will get the ball again for Philadelphia against righty Edwin Jackson, who has faced the Phils just once in real life: a loss in which he gave up five runs on eight hits with two walks over five innings.

[Philadelphia Inquirer]

Diamondbacks Stay Alive Thanks to Rookies Collmenter and Goldschmidt

Putting a rookie on the hill and one in the no. 5 spot of the batting order in a must-win situation is just how Arizona Diamondbacks Kirk Gibson rolls. And apparently it works.

Josh Collmenter silenced the Milwaukee Brewers abusive bats for a second time this season with six strikeouts and two walks, while first baseman Paul Goldschmidt added five RBI, including the third grand slam by a rookie in postseason history, to give the Diamondbacks an 8-1 rout to force Game 4 of their NLDS.

While the 25-year-old Collmenter and his crazy changeup were called up as a reliever back in mid-April before eventually becoming a starter, the 24-year-old Goldschmidt didn't join the team until August 1 when he was called up from Double-A Mobile. Goldy had this to say about the victory:

"It was awesome. Now to be back home and hear almost 50,000 people screaming for us is awesome."

Meanwhile, Ryan Braun, who had been 6-for-8 with a homer and two doubles in the series so far, went 0-for-3 with a walk. Prince Fielder managed only an infield single after being hit by a pitch following Brauny's walk in the first. Brewers starter Shaun Marcum didn't help matters by giving up seven runs on seven hits in just 4.2 innings.

Game 4 begins at 9:30pm ET Wednesday on TBS in a battle of lefties with Randy Wolf taking on Joe Saunders.

[AZ Central]

Cardinals Rally Past Phillies, Cliff Lee is Human After All

The Philadelphia Phillies, as damn near unbeatable as they've been all season, were unable to stop the St. Louis Cardinals from rallying for a 5-4 win Sunday night to even up the National League Division Series at 1-1.

The Amazing Cliff Lee blew a four-run lead against the NL Wild Card winners, giving up five runs on 12 hits with nine strikeouts in 6-plus innings to lose his third consecutive playoff start. He's now 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA over his last three outings... looks like he's human after all.

St. Louis took the lead in the seventh when Allen Craig led off with a triple thanks to a botched catch by center fielder Shane Victorino. Then Albert Pujols, who had struck out in his previous two at bats, lined one over Jimmy Rollins' head to give his team the 5-4 lead.

The Milwaukee Brewers are One Win Away from the NLCS

In front of yet another sold-out crowd at Miller Park, the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-4 Sunday afternoon to give themselves a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series for their hometown fans.

In fact, they're the only team to have a 2-0 lead in the playoffs thus far, with every other series tied at 1-1. Oddly enough, this marks the first time in franchise history that the Brewers hold a shutout lead in a postseason series.

Ryan Braun was at it again for Milwaukee, nailing a two-run homer in the first inning before Paul Goldschmidt answered with a solo shot in the second for the Diamondbacks. Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks then drove in a few runs in the third for a 6-1 lead, but Chris Young and Justin Upton each hit homers in the fourth in fifth, respectively, in an attempt to chip away at Milwaukee's rather comfortable position.

Jonathan Lucroy, who his teammates call "Mr. Squeeze", drove in the go-ahead run with a bunt during the Brewers' five-run sixth that busted the game wide open. Corey Hart, Nyjer Morgan, and Braun each singled to chip right back and eventually earn the win for the Brewers.

Yovani Gallardo, Prince Fielder Lift Brewers Over Diamondbacks in NLDS Game One

Backed by a solid outing by Yovani Gallardo, Prince Fielder capped the run support for the Milwaukee Brewers' 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game One of their NLDS.

Gallardo went eight awesome innings, surrendering just the one run on four hits, walking one and striking out nine for his very first postseason victory. He simply out-dueled opposing pitcher and NL Cy Young candidate Ian Kennedy, matching a Brewers record in K's for the postseason.

Jerry Hairston, Jr. kicked off the scoring with a sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Braun in the fourth before Jonathan Lucroy added an RBI single in the sixth. The very next inning, Fielder smashed an effortless bomb into deep right field to give the Brewers a 4-0 lead.

Who Doesn't Want to See a Shirtless Nick Punto?? Ummm... Everyone.

We wanted to share this photo of Nick Punto with you. No reason, other than it made us laugh hysterically. Special thanks to good pal and commenter Seth for posting this on Sooze's Facebook wall... it made her pee a little.

It's one thing for the scrappy Punto to shred the jerseys of Chris Carpenter, Matt Holliday, or Skip Shumacher, for example, but he needs to keep his intact. And shave.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies will meet up for Game One of the best-of-five NLDS Saturday evening with Roy Halladay taking the hill against Kyle Lohse at 4:05pm ET on TBS. Unfortunately, Punto will be riding the pine in favor of Rafael Furcal.

Earlier on in the day, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers will face off in a battle of aces with Ian Kennedy and Yovani Gallardo highlighting Game One of that NLDS matchup at 1:05pm ET.

The Beers will be Flowing in Either Philadelphia or St. Louis

Much like the respective mayors of San Francisco and Arlington did during the World Series last season, the mayors of Philadelphia and St. Louis are betting on baseball.

This time, however, the wager is on delicious home-brewed beer rather than tasty hometown food. The losing mayor, as if his team getting tossed out of the playoffs isn't bad enough, will send locally-made beer to the winning mayor, who also gets to enjoy his team moving on to the NLCS.

Regardless of which ball club emerges victorious, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter and St. Louis mayor Francis Slay   announced Friday that they will each volunteer with Habitat for Humanity following the best-of-five series. Roy Halladay will take the hill against Kyle Lohse Saturday evening at 4:05pm ET for Game One of the NLDS in St. Louis.

[Philadelphia Daily News]

There's Always Next Year, Braves Fans

Well that series was definitely torture -- if your idea of "torture" is four incredible baseball games.

The San Francisco Giants are one (really difficult) series closer to fans being able to scream THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! But first they must face the hardcore Philadelphia Phillies. While they wait, they'll belt out their catchy rendition of Don't Stop Believing.

Get Your Crap Together, Brooks Conrad

When your team is smack-dab in the middle of a pennant race and you literally help put two runs on the board for the opposing team, it's time to either get your head out of your rear or ride the bench.

Do slump busters work for fielding too?

Atlanta Braves second baseman Brooks Conrad committed not one, not two, but THREE ERRORS during his team's 3-2 loss on Sunday to the San Francisco Giants, who are now ahead 2-1 in the series and threatening to eliminate Bobby Cox's last hope for a World Series title.

Conrad bobbled a grounder in the first, dropped a piece-of-cake pop-up in the second that scored a run, and then he made the most embarrassing fielding error of all: a ground ball rolled through the guy's legs in the ninth inning of a tie ballgame. Right through the wickets to allow the winning run.

Tim Lincecum Keepin It Real

You may not know this, but I have the mouth of a sailor. Marea can attest to this... I just try and keep it clean for the kiddos who drop by BLB.

So naturally, I see nothing wrong with Tim Lincecum dropping an f-bomb when celebrating his San Francisco Giants' long-awaited postseason accomplishments, as long as he's not asking anyone to go eff themselves. That would be rude.

[Larry Brown Sports]

There's Always Next Year, Reds Fans

First Roy Halladay tossed a no-hitter. Then the offense rallied behind Roy Oswalt. Then Cole Hamels struck out nine in a five-hit performance.

Then Jayson Werth soaked his beard in champagne for the second time in about a week.

After polishing off the sweep of the once-hopeful Cincinnati Reds, the seemingly unstoppable Philadelphia Philles are headed to the NLCS once again with their eye on a third straight pennant.

No fans ran onto the field, no little girls were puked on. All in all, it was a successful series for the Phillies.

Babes Love Reader Feedback!

Dearest BLB readers,

We hope you've been ok with the downtime between game 162 and the start of the playoffs. It's a difficult time for all of us, but fear not, the playoffs will be here tomorrow. You could take this time off to do something you've been meaning to do for a while.. household projects, spending time with friends and family, feeding your dog... OR, you can read MLB blogs so you can fend off the shakes and get your baseball fix.

Obviously, you know which route we're taking.

So, to fill the void in our lives for the next long 24+ hours, we want to hear YOUR thoughts! What did you think of all the end of the season firings around MLB? What are your predictions for the post season? Which matchups (ALDS/NLDS or possibly in the ALCS/NLCS) are you most excited to watch this month? What were the highlights of the 2010 season? Which team totally shit the bed this season? Who really needs to hang it up next year (that isn't already)? You read what we had to say all season long, now we want to hear YOUR thoughts!

Happy Playoffs to you and yours!

XOXO,

Sooze and Marea

There's Always Next Year...

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said it best,

"We got beat, so you take the heat."

His team was swept out of the NLDS by the Los Angeles Dodgers in dramatic fashion, with a 5-1 win in Game 3 Saturday night. That entire series was absolutely ridiculous.

There's Always Next Year, Brewers Fans

Was there anyone who didn't want the Milwaukee Brewers to do well this post-season?

We could wax poetic about how the baseball world was pretty excited to see the Beer Makers playing baseball in October after 26 looooong years, how CC totally kicked ass, the late-season slumping, Prince Fielder's awesomeness, the steamrolling at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies...

Instead, like always, we'll let the pictures do the talking. Click to enlarge the goodness: