Phillies Baseball…The Year That Brought a Phillies World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies finally broke a 28 year drought by beating the Tampa Bay Rays in game five of the World Series. For Phillies baseball fans it was the end of a long wait as there last championship came in 1983 when the Dr J led 76ers won the NBA Finals. It was a great season for the Phillies as they won their second straight National League east title.

It was a great start to the season for the Phillies as they where able to post their first winning April month since 2003. At the end of May the Phillies showed they were going to be a true force to be recogned with as they posted sixty runs against the Colorado Rockies in a five game series sweep which resulted in the Phillies having a 14 and 4 record for the opening of June. Production began to drop off during June, and to no ones surprise the cries of a Phillies slump began, but as the All Star break came and went it wasn’t long before the Philles got back to their winning ways. A big part of that reason was due to closer Brad Lidge who had a perfect save record by the end of June. As August rolled around Philadelphia swept the Dodgers before the Dodgers returned the favor, but the Phillies where able to go thirteen and three over their last sixteen games, and as a result of a late season disaster by the New York Mets the Phillies baseball fans were celebrating again as the club took home the division pennant for the second straight season.

The Play Offs started with the Phillies battling the National League Wild Card winners the Milwaukee Brewers. After taking the opening two games of the division series the Brewers bounced back in game three before the Phillies closed it out to take the series 3 to 1. After the LA Dodgers upset the favorites for the World Series the Chicago Cubs the stage was set for an intriguing National League Championship series. Like the previous series against the Brewers, the Phillies were able to set the tone by winning the opening two games in Philadelphia before the Dodgers bounced back in game three after beating up veteran Jayme Moyer. Game three was full of tension as Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda threw a fastball at Shane Victorino which nearly took his head clean off. As Victorino made his feelings felt benches cleared but the Dodgers went on to win the game. Games four and five went the way of the Phillies and after a fifteen year wait the Phillies Baseball Club was back in the World Series to meet debutantes the Tampa Bay Rays.

As the World Series started there was no doubt that fan support was on the side of the Rays. After being perennial easy beats the Rays had rebuilt their organization and under the inspired leadership of the Godfather Joe Maddon the Rays turned around a losing season in 2007 to make the organizations first World Series.

Game one set the tone for how tight the struggle was going to be as the Phillies managed to squeak out a 3-2 win in Tampa and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Game two saw the Rays jump out to an early 4-0 lead and their relievers where able to get the job done in leveling the series as the teams headed to Philly for games three, four and five. Game three was much like game one with fans on the edge of their seats. Carlos Ruiz proved to be the hero in the bottom of the ninth as his hit scored Eric Burnett and the Phillies took home the game 5 to 4. Game four proved to be the series first blowout as Ryan Howard put the game away with two long bombs early in the game and behind the pitching of Joe Blanton the Phillies blewout the Rays 10 to 2 to take a three to one series lead. Inclement weather had swept through the Phiadelphia area as game five got under way. The Phillies took an early 2-0 lead before the game was called during the sixth with the score at 2-1. The following day the game was postponed due to rain and on Wednesday the game resumed with the Phillies batting in the bottom of the sixth. The Phillies scored to make the game 3 to 1. The Rays added a run in seventh but the Phillies answered yet again by putting up a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 4 to 2. After a scoreless eighth, Brad Lidge took the mound to close it out for the Phillies. Lidge gave up a single but was able to strike out Eric Hinske for his 48th save from 48 attempts and the Phillies took home the 2008 World Series ending their 28 year drought.

It was an oustanding year for the Phillies Baseball Club and it was capt with Brad Lidge winning the National Leagues comback player of the year and DHL Delivery Man of the year for his 48 from 48 performance. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino won Gold Gloves and Ryan Howard was awared the National Leagues Josh Gibson award for his 48 home runs more than any other National League player.