Red October: What Philadelphia fans have been calling the month of October since 2007, which is when the Phillies returned to the playoffs.
What a year 2007 was. The Phillies won their first division title since 1993 and the fans were hungry for a championship. However, being newbies to this whole playoff thing, and facing a red-hot team, the Phillies lost in the National League Divisional Series (NLDS).
2008: Phillies clinch the National League East division for the second year in a row, this time on September 27th. Welcome to the playoffs again. This time around we sweep through the NLDS and onto the NLCS, where we clinch the National League pennant. Onto the World Series. This is uncharted waters for most fans. The last time the Phils were here, we lost to the Jays in 1993. The last time we actually won a World Series? Why that was 1980, our only championship season. That is until now. Brad Lidge striking out Tampa Bay Ray's Eric Hinske and falling to the ground with Carlos 'Chooch' Ruiz running out to him. History made. Phillies win their second world championship. Major celebrating with a parade down Broad St. in Philadelphia.
2009: Phillies reach the post season for the third straight year, again capturing the NL East title. Breeze our way through the NLDS and NLCS. Why we make it back to the World Series. This time we are facing the devil...I mean the New York Yankees. (Sorry to any Yankee fans, but I have a deep deep hatred against your team, and in fact any NY team, although I do like the Jets). No one could believe we made it to the World Series in back to back years. Too bad we lost this time.
2010: Another clinch of the NL East. Only this time around we have a new leader on the mound. This would be one Roy 'Doc' Halladay. This is the first time in his career Halladay made the post season. He signed with Philly after leaving the only baseball home he had ever had, the Toronto Blue Jays. Halladay was hungry for a taste of the post season. Well...I don't think anyone could have scripted it any better. Doc throws a no-hitter in his first ever playoff appearance. Too bad we didn't make it to the World Series. No, Ryan Howard buried that chance by striking out looking to end our hopes. Chooch promises Halladay a WS ring the next season. And we all say Welcome Doctober.
2011: A new year and the Phillies have what is to be described as one of the best rotations in the history of baseball. Roy Halladay is back. Phillies re-sign Cliff Lee after he scourned the Yankees and decided to come back to the City of Brotherly Love after playing here for only half a season in 2009. He came here for less money because he felt he had a better chance of winning a title. Roy Oswalt is another veteran we have. Cole Hamels, former WS MVP and a number 1 starter on almost any other team, is our number 4 starter. Then we round out our rotation with Joe Blanton, the only other member of this rotation with a WS ring. Blanton goes down, and Vance 'Vanimal' Worley enters. No one would know what this kid (and yes I can call him that) could do. He only put up numbers to enter his name into the Rookie of the Year talks. Our lineup on the other hand...wow. Chase Utley was not in the opening day lineup. Hunter Pence was a welcome addition at the trade deadline. With Pence in place, our lineup was only together for less than two weeks this season. Yet Charlie Manuel led this team to the best record in baseball (102-60), the most wins in franchise history (102), became the Phillies all time winningest manager (646 wins), and another NL East title. Tonight begins what we call another Doctober. Halladay takes the mound in game 1 against the Cardinals, who won the Wildcard after the Braves historic collapse. Game number 162 of the season was a wild one for both the NL and AL.
All I know is the hunt for our third World Series appearance in four years starts tonight. Halladay will look to repeat his performance last year. He's ready to kill Cesar, not praise him. Tomorrow Lee takes the mound and I will get to experience my 1st ever in person playoff game. Hamels and Oswalt follow it up. Hopefully, we only need three games to destroy Cesar and the rest of the red birds.
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