Going the Distance? - Russakoff Rules - Comcast.net Sports

You knew the Phillies weren’t going to make it easy. Not on the Yankees … and not on their fans. That just hasn’t been their way. They work hard, they make their opponent fight for all 27 outs and they make their fans sweat through their drawers, even with the chill of autumn in the air.

Why should the World Series be any different?

It got a bit shaky at the end when a six-run Phillies lead suddenly dwindled to two, and Mark Teixeira strode to the plate as the tying run. But Ryan Madson was able to get Tex swinging, and the Phillies held on for an 8-6 win.

It wasn’t the triumphant romp it looked like it was going to be, but it was a win. And when you’ve already lost three games in a seven-game series, you take them however you can get them.

So where do we stand?

Yankees 3, Chase Utley and Cliff Lee 2.

The World Series is now officially a series.

Philadelphia’s two man-children of the 2009 Classic put the Phillies on their back. Lee was good for long enough, holding the Yankees to two runs through seven, and a locked-in Utley (two HRs and four RBIs) was too much for New York to overcome.

Utley now has five home runs this World Series, tying the original Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, for the most ever in a Fall Classic. And Chase may still have two games to play.

We’re going back to the Bronx, and the longer the Phillies extend this series, the more ’04 Red Sox memories may creep in for the Yankees.

At least we finally have the back-and-forth, tight series everyone expected at the outset. The league’s two best teams are digging in for a dogfight and both squads are fully aware the men in the opposite dugout aren’t giving away an inch.

Because for all the talk about the Yankees not being the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, the 2009 Phillies just proved they aren’t the ’08 Rays either.

It’s evident in the late-inning ABs of Johnny Damon and Jimmy Rollins, in the clutch power of Alex Rodriguez and Chase Utley, and in the resilience of pitchers like CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee.

This is turning into a classic Apollo Creed-Rocky Balboa marathon. New York glitz and talent against the blue-collar grit of Philadelphia.

There ain’t going to be no rematch.

The Bronx Bombers vs. the Phightin Phils … sounds like a damn monster movie.

The Yankees eat lightning, the Phillies crap thunder. The Phillies fight great, but the Yankees are great fighters.

“One more round” … “hit the one in the middle” … “I must break you” … uh, “sue me for what?”

“When your back is against the wall,” Jimmy Rollins said of his team’s performance in Game 5, “you really only have one thing to do: And that’s fight.”

The brawl now returns to New York (think, Rocky II), with both teams bloodied but neither close to throwing in the towel.

Cole Trying to Get Clean

Speaking of throwing in the towel, this Cole Hamels thing isn’t going away.

In case you missed it, after his Game 3 loss, Hamels told the media, “I can’t wait for [the season] to end. It’s been mentally draining. At year end, you just can’t wait for a fresh start.”

Needless to say (which means, of course, I’m saying it), the quote did not go over well in Philadelphia, and was apparently even less of a hit in the Phillies' clubhouse. Charlie Manuel addressed it in his pregame press conference.

“I was surprised when I heard that,” Manuel said. “I was surprised at that. But I don’t really understand exactly how he meant that.”

OK, Charlie didn’t condemn his player, but he didn’t condone the put-me-out-of-my-misery attitude either. Well played, sir.

So … Story over, right?

Wrong-O.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Tim Brown, that bit about the clubhouse being none-too-pleased with Mr. Comcast High-Speed Internet was not media embellishment.

In fact, Brett Myers was irked enough to bring it up in front of an audience after the Phils’ Game 5 win.

Phillies pitchers Brett Myers and Cole Hamels had a short but tense confrontation in the team’s clubhouse following Game 5 of the World Series, according to one witness, words that stemmed from Hamels’ recent statement that he was eager for his season to end.

As Myers walked past Hamels near Hamels’ locker he said, mocking, “What are you doing here? I thought you quit.”

Hamels, the witness said, responded with an expletive.

Before the situation escalated, Myers was guided away by a team official.

Hamels used an expletive? I didn’t know androids were allowed to do that.

Boy, for two guys who've contributed absolutely nothing to 2009, Myers and Hamels really know how to create a distraction. There's now talk that Myers may have been trying to make a joke ... only he's just painfully unfunny. Either way, can you please take it outside boys? The guys who are actually still playing (and contributing) are trying to do their jobs.

After the tiff, Cole tried to distance himself from his Roberto Duran moment.

“I think I was more shocked because I didn’t even know what I said or put out there because it was not what I was thinking,” Hamels said.

“Sometimes you talk and you try to be as honest as possible and try to connect as much to people and sometimes you say the wrong things that you didn’t really mean and I think it shows because I would never be here if I ever quit on anything. And if I was ever too tired to not go through with any decision, I would never be standing here. Ever.”

Or in layman’s terms, “Anyway I can get a do-over?”

So what do you say, Philadelphia? Are you in a forgiving mood? Or will Hamels’ cry-uncle remark replace Ricky Watters’ “For who, for what” as the go-to punchline for fans’ spoiled-athlete diatribes?

Knowing this city, I’m guessing it will be the latter.

Hamels isn’t ready to supplant Ricky just yet. He still wants to pitch if this one goes the distance. "Of course I want the ball in Game 7," Hamels said. "It's something you dream about as a kid. Even though I haven't had the results, I'm geared up to do it."

Well, that sounds like a guy I want to rely on.

“I want the ball … I just probably won’t pitch very well.”

Sign me up.

Confidence is nine-tenths of this game, and Cole’s is shot. There’s no way in hell Manuel can go to him in Game 7 after this.

Hamels just admitted to the world he is looking for a 2009 reset button. Putting a guy on the mound who has already written this year off in Game 7 of the World Series is not a recipe for success.

Cliff Lee Is No Cole Hamels

If the Phillies can get the better of the Game 6 Pedro-Pettitte matchup, it will be CC vs. the Kitchen Sink in Game 7.

On paper that looks like a huge advantage for the Yankees. But Cliff Lee wants to close that gap a bit.

It will be just two days rest, but if Lee’s press conference is any indication, expect to see the Phillies' ace on the mound for at least a few innings in Game 7.

“You want to know about my availability? I’m available,” Lee said. “I'll pitch whenever they want me to pitch. That's about as clear as I can say it. I'm ready whenever. I don't really get that sore, so I'll be ready to pitch whenever they want me to. If it's going to help the team win, I'm in."

Rocky would be proud.

But before we get to any of that, the Phils need to win Game 6. That means relying on Pedro and finding a way to actually finish off Andy Pettitte (assuming he feels good enough to start) when you have a shot to put him away.

It’s still a long hill to climb, but it's an infinitely better position than they were in yesterday.

If they can find a way to win Game 6 … if Pedro can find a way to turn back the clock … if the Phillies can knock Pettitte out early … if they can avoid Mariano Rivera … anything can happen in the one-and-done scenario that would be Game 7.

That’s a ton of “ifs.” The Yankees remain comfortably in the driver’s seat. But New York still needs to find 27 more ways to get the Phillies out.

And as we learned Monday night, the Phillies aren’t going to make it easy on anyone.

Email That May Give You Hope of the Week

A buddy of mine sent me this email at 3:08 pm on Monday, hours before Game 5. Phillies fans, let’s hope he’s prophetic:

Remember I said this come Thursday night when Cliff Lee comes in with a Game 7 lead in the 5th inning on 2 days rest.

"Girardi is making an huge mistake not pitching Gaudin tonight..."

#1- Burnett is better pitcher at HOME ( a full run ERA and opp batting avg .264 vs .229 )

#2- Molina catching tonight and Melky out means a huge void at the bottom of their lineup (which has triggered their big innings)---and dually keeps Posada's bat out of the lineup

#3- I would be very afraid to deal with Burnett on full rest in a Game 6 -- vs. being ultra-excited about facing a tired Petitte on 3 days to force a Game 7.

#4- They would've been able to have Petitte in a Game 7 to back up CC (who clearly is not a lock-down guy against the Phillies and who will be pitching his third game in 8 days)

I am rarely an optimist---but this series will swing on this rotation error.

Game 7--Go Happ for 3+ innings, Cliff till his arm falls off...

You gotta believe.

I’m not as optimistic as my buddy is, but so far the email is spot on. Had Girardi waited until New York to pitch Burnett, A.J. would have been on full rest and would have had the support of a DH in his already weakened Molina lineup. But Girardi has decided he's going to go with his three horses. It's possible that decision could cost him the World Series.

Philly started this run Monday with a chip and a chair. Cliff Lee and Chase Utley got through one all-in hand and doubled up in Game 5. Can the Phillies press their luck twice more and defend their 2008 title?

The odds are still heavily on the Yankees … but so is the pressure.

Just keep Phightin for all 27 outs … the mighty Yankees have been cut, their immortality exposed. If the Phillies can take a few more shots on that iron jaw of theirs, if they can keep throwing counter-punches … hey, you never know.

After all, I didn’t hear no bell.

Your Feedback Are the Phillies really still in this thing? Can they take two in New York? Or did they just delay the inevitable? Sound off here.

Email me at russakoffrules@comcast.net; follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/russakoffrules.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.


Message Edited by Vito_Forlenza on 11-03-2009 09:45 AM