| The Phillies Baseball Club took home the prize of | | | | clearly required recognition as they, for me, |
| 2008 World Series Baseball Champions and the | | | | where the two players that stood up during the |
| pitching of Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer was for | | | | key middle stages of the series. |
| me the difference maker of the World Series. | | | | Questions will always be asked did the Rays |
| Going into the series I thought that the Tampa | | | | choke on the big stage or where they simply just |
| Bay Rays pitching would be too strong. On paper | | | | out played. When a team doesn't lose a post |
| most felt that the Rays would win the match ups | | | | season game at home they are going to be |
| of Matt Garza vs. Jamie Moyer and Andy | | | | pretty tough to beat and when you look back at |
| Sonnanstine vs. Joe Blanton, with Kazmir and | | | | all three opponents for the Phillies their pitching |
| Shields winning a game each, but it didn't pan out | | | | was dominant. |
| that way. | | | | So now the question gets asked can the Phillies |
| Both Moyer and Blanton are not renowned for | | | | Baseball Club repeat? Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge |
| throwing strikeouts yet combined they managed | | | | are staying put and with Ryan Howard , Chase |
| to strike out twelve Tampa Bay rays batters | | | | Utley and Jimmy Rollins also coming back you |
| over 12 innings of pitching. When you couple that | | | | would have to raise a case that the Phillies have |
| with the fact they only walked three batters | | | | enough pieces in place to be more than a one |
| between the two of them it was no wonder the | | | | season wonder. Statistically the Phillies will be up |
| Phillies where able to win both games. Not just | | | | against it as only the Blue Jays and Yankees have |
| against Blanton and Moyer but through out the | | | | repeated in the last thirty years. |
| series the Rays top order seemed to be rushing | | | | Only Pat Burrell and Jamie Moyer will be free |
| too much and not waiting for the ideal pitch. The | | | | agents in the off season. Both will probably get |
| allowed Blanton and Moyer to get ahead, and you | | | | bigger offers to play somewhere else but the lure |
| just can't afford to do that against those two as | | | | of Moyer finishing hise career in the town he |
| their off speed pitches become more powerful. | | | | grew up in may give him a reason to stay for |
| Unfortunately for the Rays the bats got cold | | | | less. |
| during the World Series. This was a surprise after | | | | The Phillies will have a tough job of keeping their |
| they where able to overpower the White sox and | | | | payroll at $104.5 million with players such as |
| the Red Sox in the previous two match ups with | | | | Howard, Hamels, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, |
| their bats. During the World Series the Phillies hit | | | | Ryan Madsen and Chad Durbin all eligible for |
| nine home runs to the Rays four. Luckily for the | | | | arbitration. |
| Phillies this helped overcome their poor hitting with | | | | At the beginning of 2008 the players made a |
| runners in scoring position. | | | | statement by walking around the clubhouse during |
| I thought Cole Hamles was a worthy MVP | | | | spring training wearing t shirts that stated |
| recipient after his awesome pitching performances | | | | “Winning Starts Now”. The mindset was |
| in Games 1 and 5 against Rays ace Scott Kazmir. | | | | clearly where it needed to be for the Phillies from |
| The fact that Kazmir was unable to win either of | | | | start until finish in 2008. The question will now be |
| those two match ups was another key reason | | | | asked. |
| for the Phillies winning it all. Moyer and Blanton | | | | Can they do it again in 09? |