Phillies Talking Points

From Slate Magazine's Playoff Primer:

After a slow start, Ryan Howard led all of baseball with 48 home runs and 146 RBI—including 10 homers and 28 RBI in September. Nevertheless, the Phillies are the only playoff team in recent memory that's built around its middle infielders. Lucky for the Phillies, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are really, really good—Utley hit .292 with 33 home runs and a .380 OBP while Rollins, although down from his usual numbers, nonetheless hit .277 and stole 47 bases. It doesn't matter that the outfield is mediocre or that the starting staff gets battered after Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer. As long as Utley and Rollins are in, you can't count the Phillies out.

Historical context: Just like in 2007, the Phillies came from behind in September to take the division away from the New York Mets. Unlike in 2007, it didn't feel like a fluke this year. And also unlike 2007, the Mets will never, ever, ever have the chance to win a playoff game in Shea Stadium again and will send that stadium to its grave not in a spirit of celebration but of defeat. Eat it, New York City! Eat it, Mets! Philly! Woooo!