2 Is the Magic Number for the Phils!!

Almost a month ago the Philadelphia Phillies was the team leading the wild card and now that the month of September has came around the Phillies are the best team in baseball. On July 21th, the Phillies were 7 games out of the division to the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Two months later the Phillies lead the division 7 games over the Braves at the right time. With the Phillies beating the New York Mets on Friday night by a score of 3-2 that made their magic number 3 games to client their 4th straight division title but a lost from the Brave would push that number down to 2 games. The Braves indeed lost to the Nationals 8-3 and that means one more Phillies win and one more Braves lose the Phillies will have won their 4th division title and who better to do it in front of the New York "Mess".

In the month of September the Phils really turned it on big time with a record of 19-3 the best in baseball and have won 11 straight games the most in Phillies history since 1991. I mean to think that this team looked like they wouldn't even make the postseason due to all the injuries and not playing great baseball, they really turned on a light. You can never count this team out! Right now the Phillies have the best record in baseball (93-61) over the Twins (92-62) and the 2009 defending World Series Champs the New York Yankees (92-61). This just has to be one of the greatest seasons in Phillies history, 2 months ago everyone was talking about how the Braves this and the Braves that and now the talk is will the Braves even make the postseason? After getting swapped by the Phillies that really just put them in a hole and how things look for the Braves now, looks like they just lost all life, their pitching, their hitting, their bull pen everything.

Now the Phillies have probably the best pitching staff in baseball with Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt. We all know that the Phillies know what their getting out of those three big time pitchers, but where does Joe Blanton fall into place on this team. Last night against the Mets he went 7 strong innings with 6 strikeouts and thrown 74 pitches. Do you use Blanton in a 7 games series as you're 4th starter or do you use him out of the bull pen or both? That's that biggest question of all? Blanton who has pitched in both the 2008 and the 2009 World Series does know what it feels like to pitch in a big spot light. Should Blanton start at least 1 game in the NLCS or WS if they make both, only time will tell what happens.

So the Phillies tonight will have a chance to win their 4th straight division title only if the Braves lose this afternoon and the Phils would have to win. Pitching for Braves today will be Derek Lowe with an ERA of 4.18, 14 wins, and 12 losses. Pitching for the Nats will be Yunesky Maya with 6.32 ERA, no wins, and 2 losses. That game will start at 1:05 p.m. Then at 7:05 the Phils will send out Kyle Kendrick to help them win the NL East if the Braves loss this afternoon. Kendrick comes in with an ERA of 4.78, 10 wins, and 9 losses. Pitching for the Mets will be Dillion Gee who has an ERA of 1.80, 1 win, and 1 loss. The Team to beat in the NL East still stands!!