At Least The Score Was A Little Closer

GAME RECAP: Braves Best Phillies 6-4

Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia owned Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. He went 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored in a 6-4 victory in 10 innings over the Phillies. He hit solo homers in the first and sixth, knocked in the game-tying run in the eighth then had a leadoff walk and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th. The Braves can sweep the series with a victory Sunday afternoon. The Phillies did not help themselves defensively. Maikel Franco's error on a dropped foul ball in the eighth led to the Braves' game-tying run when Chase d'Arnaud walked on the next pitch and eventually scored on Garcia's grounder. It was the second straight night the Braves have clawed away at an early deficit to win in the late innings. "It's almost like happenstance now," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It happens, then we just come back." "I called the ball too late and I dropped it," Franco said. In the 10th, the Braves scored twice on balls that did not leave the infield, with Ryan Howard's throw to the plate being just late on Tyler Flowers' grounder down the first-base line for the first run, and a fielder's choice off the bat of Jace Peterson plating the other. "That was a really good jump by Adonis," Snitker said. "That situation, you're kind of leery about getting doubled off and really didn't expect that from Tyler, the way he's been swinging the bat. So that was a great read by [Garcia]. We'll take it anyway we can get 'em."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Franco went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI. He singled and scored in the third, doubled to score a run in the fifth and doubled to lead off the eighth. But the third baseman's dropped ball proved costly. The error became a big moment in the game as it allowed d'Arnaud to score two batters later to tie the game at 4. Still, the Phillies hope Saturday's effort helps Franco finish the season strong. "Last year he hit .280," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I expect him to hit at least .280. He had a little bit of an off year in that respect, but he's an aggressive hitter and I like aggressive hitters. It was a great day to see from him." 
• Velasquez had been talking a lot lately about his high pitch counts, but he put together an efficient start against the Braves. He allowed five hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out eight in seven innings, throwing only 92 pitches. It was the first time he had pitched seven or more innings since July 19. It was just the third time it has happened this season. After the game it was announced that Velasquez would be shut down for the rest of the season. "It's not the end of the road," Velasquez said. "It's all about learning the game and knowing how to get better for next year. This game is fun to learn. That's pretty much all I'm going to do." 
• "These games we're losing remind me a lot of the games we were winning in the beginning of the season. We just weren't making mistakes then." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' recent struggles.
• The Phillies challenged a call at third base in the third inning. Ender Inciarte hit a chopper in front of the mound with a runner on second and one out. Velasquez fielded the ball and threw to third base. Franco caught the ball, but moved out of the way of Dansby Swanson, who appeared to beat the tag. But the replay official in New York saw Franco tag Swanson, overturning the call.
• The Phillies lost a challenge in the fourth when they thought Matt Kemp was out at third base trying to advance on a passed ball. Replay confirmed the call. He was safe.
• Each of the Phillies' six Minor League affiliates will finish the season over .500. It is the first time it has happened since 1953, when nine affiliates finished over .500. Four affiliates will play in their respective postseason: Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Double-A Reading, Class A Lakewood and the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. Class A Advanced Clearwater is just one game behind Dunedin in the Florida State League standings.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jake Thompson (1-4, 7.86 ERA) starts the series finale against the Braves on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Thompson struggled in his first four starts before allowing two runs in seven innings last week against the Nationals.

PHILS PHACTS:

See You Next Season – Vince Velasquez threw his final pitch of the 2016 season Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies and his agent had been closely monitoring his workload since the beginning of the year, and it was determined that Saturday would be his final start. Velasquez made it count. He allowed five hits, three runs and struck out eight in seven innings in a 6-4 loss to the Braves in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park. "This is just the ending point for now," Velasquez said. Velasquez joined the Phillies in December as the key piece in the Ken Giles trade with Houston. He made the rotation out of Spring Training and opened his Phillies' career in dramatic fashion. He pitched six scoreless innings against the Mets on April 9 and struck out 16 in a shutout against the Padres on April 14. He finished 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA in 24 starts, striking out 152 batters and walking 45 in 131 innings. He spent some time on the disabled list in June with a strained right biceps. He struggled in the second half to pitch deep into games as he routinely racked up high pitch counts. "Things could have turned around a lot better, but things happen," Velasquez said. But he said he learned a lot. "I dealt with a lot of adversity and failure and managed to somehow pick myself back up and finish strong," he said. "On a serious note, I think I've matured pretty well." He said he plans to learn a lot more in the final month of the season, too. "Just sit down, watch the game and learn as I go," Velasquez said. "It's not the end of the road now. It's all about learning the game and knowing how to get better for next year. This game is fun to learn. That's pretty much all I'm going to do." In fact, Phillies catcher A.J. Ellis gave Velasquez a homework assignment for September. Velasquez has always enjoyed watching Zack Greinke pitch. In fact, he said he sees some similarities with their fastballs and power changeups, so Ellis has asked Velasquez to spend the rest of the month watching Greinke pitch last season when he was with the Dodgers. "With the Dodgers it was just phenomenal how he utilized his changeup that much and protected his fastball," Velasquez said. "I'm kind of like the same way. I think that's pretty much the objective. Just go back to last year's film and watch what he does and pretty much apply it to myself for next year." For Velasquez to take another step next season he will have to polish his secondary pitches and pitch deeper into games. He knows this. "He had a good season when you look at it, all things considered," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

Finishing Strong? – Maikel Franco hopes to take the good from Saturday night and carry it into the rest of the season's final month. He went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI in a 6-4 loss in 10 innings to the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. He doubled in the first, singled and scored in the third, doubled to score a run in the fifth and doubled in the eighth. But Franco also dropped a ball in foul territory in the eighth that eventually led to the Braves scoring the game-tying run. "I've been up and down too much," Franco said about his sophomore season. "I understand the situation. I have to just keep learning and get better. I'm trying to do everything I can possible." Franco is hitting .250 with 21 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, 73 RBIs and a .732 OPS in 534 plate appearances. He hit .280 with 22 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 50 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 335 plate appearances last season, so Franco has not taken the step forward many in the organization had hoped. But Phillies general manager Matt Klentak reminded people last month that Franco is just 23. "We have to remember he's 23 years old," Klentak said. "It's not just to quote an age. By itself that doesn't mean anything. But there are players making their Major League debuts this year that are top industry prospects that are already 24, and he's got parts of three seasons under his belt already. It's reasonable to expect players at that age at this level are going to continue to make adjustments and get better." That is what the Phillies hope for Franco because they are counting on him to be a big part of their future.

Looking For More – Pete Mackanin addressed his hitters in a brief meeting before Saturday night's game against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. A pep talk couldn't hurt. The Phillies' offense entered Saturday last in Major League Baseball in runs per game (3.70) and on-base percentage (.296). The Phillies are on pace to have their lowest runs-per-game average since 1988 (3.69) and their lowest on-base percentage since 1968 (.294). "I just want them to pay more attention," Mackanin said. "It's the little things. Take batting practice the same way you were going to hit in the game, instead of taking it nonchalantly to get loose. I want them to bear down. "I want them to try to take some of that discipline from BP into the game. A two-strike approach. As much as [hitting coach Steve] Henderson has been badgering the guys with this type of thing -- hunt the fastball, a two-strike approach, all these basic concepts of hitting -- I think by hearing it from me it might make a difference, it might help. I told them they're better hitters than they've shown." Mackanin hopes things improve in the season's final month because the past two weeks have been rough. The Phillies are 4-11 since Aug. 16, averaging a mere 2.8 runs per game in that stretch. "I'm clinging to the good parts of the season," Mackanin said. "Hopefully we'll have a good finish." Perhaps that good finish includes Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera, who has hit .235 with a .628 OPS in 191 plate appearances since July 7. Herrera hit seventh Saturday night, the lowest he has hit in the Phillies' lineup since he hit seventh on July 20, 2015. "He's just giving away too many at-bats," Mackanin said. "They started pounding him inside and he's become aware of the inner-half of the plate. And how he's getting caught on both sides of the plate. I think that he's guessing. That's my best guess. His plate discipline has not been the same."

Today In Phils History – After losing their 1^st 16 games to the Phillies, the Houston Colt 45’s finally got the win in 1962. 4 year later, Chris Short logged the 5^th straight complete game victory for the Phillies in a shutout against New York. 2 years later, the Reading Phillies finally beat Binghamton after a 19 inning, 5 hour and 15 minute marathon. In 1997, Bobby Estalella became the 1^st rookie to hit 3 homeruns in a game. 2 years later the Phillies surrendered a NL record 9 homeruns as the Reds trounced the team 22-3. 4 years ago, with a double down the right field line, Jimmy Rollins collected his 2,000^th career hit. Notable debuts on this day include those of Willie Montanez (1970) and Wayne Twitchell (1971) who both previously made their MLB debuts with other organizations. Finally, happy birthday to Eddie Waitkus who was born on this day in 1919.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-75 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 38-71-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

World Series Preview: 1985 vs. 1986

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY: World Series Preview

The Royals last won the World Series in 1985. The Mets' latest championship came the following year. Now the two will meet in the Fall Classic, which begins with Game 1 at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday. The Mets boast a devastating rotation and are coming off a four-game sweep of the Cubs in the National League Championship Series. The Royals, who advanced with a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night, sport a balanced, battle-tested club looking to finish what it started last season. "It was a driving force for all those guys coming into Spring Training, knowing we want to get back in that situation and get that one extra out, that one extra run," said Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, whose team came within 90 feet of a potential World Series title in 2014. "They've been doing it all year, this team, and we still have a long way to go." The Mets announced that they'll go with Matt Harvey for Game 1, with Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz following in that order. The Royals haven't announced their rotation, but they'll likely turn to Edinson Volquez for Game 1, followed by Johnny Cueto in Game 2, Yordano Ventura in Game 3 and Chris Young in Game 4. The Royals have the home-field advantage by virtue of the AL's 6-3 win at the All-Star Game, meaning they'll host Games 1 and 2 and a potential 6 and 7. The two teams have never met in the World Series and haven't faced each other since the 2013 regular season, when the Royals took two of three at Citi Field. "Kansas City, they've got so much confidence that they're going to win," said Mets infielder Kelly Johnson, who was on the Orioles team that got swept by the Royals in last year's ALCS. "They've now done it two years in a row. That lineup is equally tough. They have some power, but they also don't give in. They're going to fight off pitches, make you work and try to just get guys on. And the next man up will try to get the job done." Boosted by a deep October run last fall, the Royals went for it all this year, acquiring Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist midseason and ultimately cruising to their first division title in 30 years. They won the AL Central by 12 games, won an AL-best 95 times, then beat the Astros in five AL Division Series games -- thanks largely to an epic comeback in the eighth inning of Game 4 -- and defeated the Blue Jays in six ALCS games. Now they'll face a Mets staff that threw harder, on average, than all but two teams this season -- with a lineup that made contact more frequently than anybody else. "They're very good," Zobrist said of the Mets. "They throw the ball really hard, they have a great staff all the way around. But we believe that we're capable of hitting anybody. We're going to come ready." The Mets entered the season with high hopes thanks to their young, talented rotation. The Mets were mediocre through the first four months, then acquired Yoenis Cespedes before the non-waiver Trade Deadline and took off, winning 20 of 28 games in August to finish with 90 wins -- 11 more than the prior season -- and run away from the Nats in the NL East. In their first postseason series in nine years, the Mets outlasted the Dodgers in a five-game NLDS, then stormed past the Cubs thanks in large part to Daniel Murphy, who has homered in a record six consecutive postseason games. They'll enter the World Series with five days off, hoping the long layoff does nothing to halt their momentum. "This team is kind of a combination of the 'Miracle Mets' and 'Ya Gotta Believe, '69, '86, 2000,'" said Mets third baseman David Wright, his team back in the World Series for the first time since 20000. "To be able to be mentioned in the same breath as those teams, we're going to go down in Mets history as one of the greatest Mets teams ever assembled. And I'm proud of that."

Three things to know about this game:

• Cespedes received a cortisone injection for his sore left shoulder Friday was expected to take batting practice on Sunday. He expects to be ready for Game 1. The long layoff has allowed Cespedes to get some rest, while letting Mets manager Terry Collins align his rotation.
• Murphy has the most experience against Volquez and has hit him well, going 6-for-15 with a double and two walks. Wright, meanwhile, is only 2-for-13 lifetime. Alex Rios (1-for-3) is the only Royals player who has faced Harvey, and backup catcher Drew Butera (0-for-3) is the only one who has faced deGrom.
• Here's a safe bet for the World Series: At one point or another, Alcides Escobar will probably swing at the first pitch. The Royals' leadoff hitter, fresh off being named the Most Valuable Player of the ALCS, has swung at the game's first pitch in nine of 11 postseason games. That approach, Escobar said, gives him the aggressive mindset that helps him thrive.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

New York at Kansas City

Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

More rumors... no news but interesting reading. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

We All Needed The Day Off

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

With the NLCS having concluded the previous day, we all had the opportunity to enjoy a momentary respite from the MLB postseason. It is one that is already guaranteed to be remembered for a long time as this marks the resurgence of many of the previously abysmal teams in baseball including the Astros, Cubs, Mets, Blue Jays, and a few others who are continuing to build upon their recent resurgences. As I have stated before, this looks to be the first trip of many for a number of these teams but again its baseball so the landscape could be completely different next year after many of the players still in action hit free agency. Only time will tell but for now it is time to rest.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

National League Championship Series

New York eliminated Chicago 4-0

World Series Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at TBD

American League Championship Series

Kansas City leads series 3-2

Game 6: Friday, October 23, at 8:00 PM

World Series

New York at Kansas City/Toronto

Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at TBD

PHILS PHACTS:

Nothing to report!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Murphy Proves To Be Greinke’s Kryptonite

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The NLCS Matchup was finalized last night thanks to Jacob deGrom putting up another solid performance and Daniel Murphy having probably his best game of the season if not his career. Those where the two players that lifted the Mets to victory over the heavily favored Dodgers who had 2015 Cy Young candidate, and previous winner, Zack Greinke on the mound. With the victory, the Mets will now face the Cubs who are equally young and equally talented. The first postseason matchup between the teams should be a series to remember.   

Mets Eliminate Dodgers 6-3

The carpet in Dodger Stadium's visiting clubhouse was soaked so thoroughly that a pool formed in the center of it. Mets players ditched their spikes and eventually even their shower sandals, wading through the beer-soaked muck in bright blue socks. They gathered around at one point as pitcher Jon Niese, with a running start, slid on his belly along the length of the puddle. The Mets were celebrating. Again. Their Daniel Murphy-fueled 3-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 5 gave them a National League Division Series victory, clinching their date in the NL Championship Series, which begins Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, TBS) against the Cubs at Citi Field. They donned goggles and sprayed champagne for the second time in three weeks. "This champagne tastes even sweeter having gone through what we've been through as an organization these last nine years," third baseman David Wright said, referring to the Mets' last NLCS appearance in 2006. "This city, this fan base, the guys that put this uniform on, it's very rewarding to be here now, having experienced everything we've experienced." Four years after the Dodgers attempted to trade for him, Murphy slugged his third home run of the series and stole a critical base, propelling the Mets to victory in the best-of-five series. It was their third win in six winner-take-all games, while the Dodgers lost a sudden-death game for the first time in Los Angeles history (4-1) and are now 5-4 in franchise history. "We came into a five-game series and you saw [Clayton] Kershaw twice and [Zack] Greinke twice," said manager Terry Collins, whose team beat both of the Dodgers' top two starters. "That may not be fair. But we'll take what we got. We got the wins that we needed, and we're going to go party for a little while, and take a day off and get ready for the NLCS. And it will be a lot of fun." Murphy homered off Game 2 winner Greinke with one out in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie, after doubling in New York's first-inning run. He then singled and added a heads-up steal of third base when the Dodgers' defense fell asleep while shifted, en route to scoring the second run in the fourth inning. "For the entire ballclub, this is unbelievable," Murphy said. "This is such a lot of hard work. From the top of the organization to the bottom, from what [general manager] Sandy [Alderson] was able to give us at the Trade Deadline to the way guys have played, everybody has gotten a piece of this at some point. That's what makes it so special." On the home run, Greinke worked out of the windup until the crucial 3-2 pitch, which he delivered out of the stretch, and Murphy lined it into the right-field box seats. Murphy hit .333 with five RBIs in the series. The Dodgers, who led the league in home runs, were outhomered by the Mets in the series, 7-2. "I was trying to do something different," Greinke said. "I did [it] earlier on [Lucas] Duda and it worked. But it didn't work that time. I was pitching good out of the stretch, so I felt confident both ways. If he was seeing something from me in the windup, I wanted to switch it up." Game 1 winner Jacob deGrom was the winning pitcher for New York, even though he was so shaky early that Collins had starter Noah Syndergaard warming up in the second inning. deGrom lasted six innings with seven strikeouts, and he was relieved by Syndergaard and then Jeurys Familia, who pitched two innings for the save. "If he didn't show you tonight, he had command of nothing, and all he did was battle and battle and battle to give you six innings," Collins said of deGrom. "It's unbelievable. I don't know. There were four times in the game he was one hit away from coming out of the game. Ended up giving us six innings, so I'm real proud of him." The Dodgers had runners in scoring position in each of the first five innings, but they went 2-for-13 in those at-bats, scoring twice in the first inning on consecutive singles by Corey Seager, Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Turner and Andre Ethier. With runners in scoring position, the Dodgers struck out six times and grounded into a double play. "That always scares you in a game, and you hope it doesn't come back to haunt you later in the game that if you leave some runs out there that we had a chance to get," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of the wasted chances. Turner, the former Met, continued to be the toughest out, adding two more doubles to bring his franchise record for the series to six, plus a single. He hit .526 in the series.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

National League Championship Series

Chicago at New York

Game 1: Saturday, October 17, at 7:30 PM

American League Championship Series

Toronto at Kansas City

Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

A Lot To Prove In 2016 – The morning after the Phillies traded Chase Utley in August, and shortly before he boarded a flight to join his new Dodgers teammates in Houston, the iconic Phillies second baseman sat in the clubhouse one final time to sign a few bats for people. A short time later, his locker was empty. Cody Asche lost his clubhouse neighbor that day, and he also lost one of his biggest supporters. Utley, like many inside the Phillies' organization, had an affinity for Asche, and it seems everybody wants him to succeed. They hope it happens next season because it might be Asche's final opportunity to prove himself in Philadelphia. Asche hit .245 with 22 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 39 RBIs and a .689 OPS in 456 plate appearances this season. If he had enough plate appearances to qualify, he would have ranked 121st out of 143 players in OPS. "If you're not improving in this game, it's kind of a loss," Asche said on the final day of the season. "It's always a goal as a player to improve every single day. You can sit and say what you are, and who you think you are, but until you do it, it's really just talk. It's going to be a long offseason for me. I just have to stay disciplined to make sure I'm doing everything I can to get better. "It's just the overall consistency of at-bats. The best hitters don't have those 10 to 12 at-bat lapses, where you kind of look lost. I think I have the ability to be a good hitter. It just comes down to being disciplined on a daily basis, being disciplined in every at-bat and every game over a long season." If Maikel Franco never existed, Asche would still be at third base, and the Phillies could afford to be more patient with him. But Franco established himself as the team's everyday third baseman, which forced Asche to the outfield. And the Phillies' outfield is getting more and more crowded. Odubel Herrera is the team's center fielder, following a strong rookie season. Aaron Altherr has earned a longer look with a combined 71 extra-base hits this year, including 20 in 161 plate appearances with the Phillies. In fact, Altherr's performance and potential probably will have Domonic Brown playing elsewhere next year. Top prospects Nick Williams and Roman Quinn could open next season in Triple-A, which means they could be in the big leagues at some point in 2016. The Phillies also figure to resign Jeff Francoeur or sign another veteran outfielder. That means if Asche is in Clearwater, Fla., in February for Spring Training, he will need to produce. "That's an unanswered question," Asche said, when asked if he knows where he stands entering the offseason. "I really think the answer lies within myself, and how I come out and play in Spring Training. It's up to me to take advantage and force my way back into the lineup."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Only The Blue Survive This Postseason

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The ALCS is now set with the Blue Jays and Royals overcoming some determined opposition in their

respective five game series. For Toronto it all came down to a pivotal 7^th inning when the Rangers defense went to sleep, the Blue Jays bats came alive, and Cole Hamels post season magic began to fade. For the Royals it was all about stringing hits together and hoping that Jonny Cueto could find his early season form in October. Both came to fruition as they eliminated the Astros making the Minute Maid orange look more like a pumpkin. And now there is only one division series remaining as the Mets and Dodgers determine who will host the Cubs in the NLCS in one of the best pitching matchups of the postseason.   

Blue Jays Eliminate Rangers 6-3

The Blue Jays are heading to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1993, and it was one of the biggest home runs in franchise history that got them there. Jose Bautista's three-run homer capped a frenzied seventh inning and allowed Toronto to dispose of the Texas Rangers with a 6-3 victory in Game 5 of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on Wednesday evening. The Rangers had a 2-0 series lead, but the Blue Jays became just the third team in history to win a best-of-five postseason series after losing the first two games at home, joining the 2001 Yankees and the 2012 Giants. Both of them advanced to the World Series, and the Giants won it all. The Blue Jays will face the Royals in Game 1 of the best-of-seven ALCS on Friday night at 7:30 ET (FOX/Sportsnet) in Kansas City. The whole series boiled down to a 53-minute, insane seventh inning with the highest of highs in one dugout and the polar opposite across the diamond. The dramatic twists and turns of events in that span were unlike any other in postseason memory. Toronto tied the game, 2-2, on Edwin Encarnacion's home run in the sixth, but Texas reclaimed a 3-2 lead on a fluke play that started the seventh inning on a bizarre path that would define the series. "I've never seen anything like that in 19 years in baseball," said Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey. "It was like a novel that you don't want to put down." Rougned Odor was on third base with two outs when Shin-Soo Choo took a fastball for ball two. Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin tried to throw the ball back to relief pitcher Aaron Sanchez, but it hit Choo's hand, holding the bat, and ricocheted toward third base. Odor broke home and scored. Umpire Dale Scott called a dead ball and sent Odor back to third, but Rangers manager Jeff Banister asked Scott to convene with the other umpires to discuss the play. They reversed the decision and allowed Odor's run to count, calling a crew-chief review for a rule check in a sequence that prompted Blue Jays manager John Gibbons to initiate an official protest, which Toronto withdrew after its victory. "I really didn't see his hand out there," Martin said of Choo. "I just caught the ball and threw it back very casually and it hit his bat, and next thing you know a run scores.” "It never happened in my life before. I don't really know what the rule is. He was in the box. I mean, it's just one of those moments and it created an opportunity for us to do something special. Jose, the hero. My college teammate picking me up right there. Unbelievable man." The Blue Jays didn't waste time grabbing back the momentum, however, thanks to a series of miscues in the bottom half of the inning. Before recording an out, the Rangers became the first team in postseason history to make three errors in a single inning of a sudden-death game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, loading the bases. Two batters later, the tying run scored on a little blooper off the bat of Josh Donaldson that barely went over the head of Odor at second. Bautista then followed with Toronto's biggest home run since Joe Carter hit a walk-off shot in Game 6 to win the 1993 World Series. It was a no-doubter that Bautista admired as it hit off the facing of the second deck, much to the delight of the sold-out crowd, but it led to the first of two bench-clearing scenes in the inning after Bautista flung his bat high into the air. "I was looking for something up," Bautista said. "He throws hard with a sinker. He threw the first one down and I just said tee it up, and I put a great swing on it and it felt great." The loss went to Texas ace Cole Hamels, who began the seventh inning but was pulled after Toronto tied the game at 3-3. He allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman took the no-decision after he came through with six strong innings that saw him allow two runs on six hits and a walk. "I'm not ready to go home," third baseman Adrian Beltre said. "I can't process it. I'm not ready for it to be over. It's not supposed to happen but it did."

Royals Eliminate Astros 7-2

In the biggest game of his career, right-hander Johnny Cueto delivered, holding down the Astros for eight innings on two hits and two runs while helping the Royals secure a 7-2 victory in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday night, sending them on to face the Blue Jays in the AL Championship Series. The Royals, the defending AL champions, open the ALCS on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX/Sportsnet) against the Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. It's a rematch of the 1985 ALCS, won by Kansas City in seven games. The victory likely helped boost the mood of the local community in the wake of the heartbreaking news of the two Kansas City Fire Department firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty on Monday night. The Royals honored their memories in pregame ceremonies. A performance like Wednesday's is what the Royals had in mind when they traded with the Reds to acquire Cueto, who struggled during an awful late-season five-game stretch in which he carried a 9.57 ERA. But Cueto was nails when it mattered most, setting down the last 19 hitters he faced Wednesday, as he became the first to retire the last 19 he faced in a postseason game since Phillies ace Roy Halladay set down 21 Cardinals in a row in 2011. The 19 consecutive batters retired were the most by an AL pitcher in the postseason since Don Larsen's perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series. "Games like this is where you see Johnny Cueto, the real Johnny Cueto come out," Cueto said. "I told my teammates I was going to show up today and get this 'W' for them. I woke up today on the right foot. As soon as I woke up, I felt something magic that this was Game 5 and I had to show up for everybody, for my team and the fans." "He was unbelievably good," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "He didn't make a bad pitch all night. That pitch that [Luis] Valbuena hit was a good pitch. He came in after the eighth inning and was lobbying to go back out in the ninth. And I'm like, 'Look, I got the best reliever [Wade Davis] in the game down there; he's going to come in and close it out.'" The Astros' storybook season ended after winning the AL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser over the Yankees and having a 2-1 lead in this series over the Royals. Valbuena had given Houston a 2-0 lead on Wednesday with a two-run jack in the second inning. "It's very tough. There's not a man in that room that wanted the season to end," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "There's going to be 29 teams that go through what we're going through today. There's going to be one champion. So it hurts. It hurts to know that we put everything that we could into this season and it ends abruptly. Seasons like this end really quickly, and you're never ready for it. It never feels good." Alex Rios put the Royals ahead with a two-run double to left in the fifth inning. And Kendrys Morales, who homered twice in Game 1, sealed it with a three-run homer in the eighth off Astros ace Dallas Keuchel, who came on in relief. "This is a big step for us," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said in a postgame interview on FOX Sports 1. "We worked real hard to get back to this point. You've got to tip your cap to Houston right there, they played a heck of a series. It seemed like we were coming back or we were behind with our backs against the wall pretty much every single game. So just a great series overall. I'm glad we could come out on top."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

American League Division Series

Kansas City Eliminated Houston 3-2

ALCS Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

Toronto Eliminated Texas 3-2

ALCS Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

National League Division Series

Chicago Eliminated St. Louis 3-1

NLCS Game 1: Tuesday, October 13, at 4:30 PM

New York and Los Angeles tied 2-2

Game 5: Thursday, October 15, at 8:00 PM

National League Championship Series

Chicago at TBD

Game 1: Saturday, October 17, at TBD

American League Championship Series

Toronto at Kansas City

Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

MacPhail Takes The Reigns – A new era of leadership has officially begun. The Phillies announced Wednesday morning that Andy MacPhail has officially replaced Pat Gillick as team president. He had been introduced as the incoming president at a news conference in June, but with the caveat that Gillick would remain at the helm through the end of the season. "As the Phillies begin this new chapter in the club's history, we are confident that Andy is the right person to lead the organization," Phillies partner John Middleton said in a statement. "Speaking on behalf of the ownership group, we are pleased with the input Andy has provided over the past few months. His years of baseball knowledge, combined with his passion for the game, are important as he moves forward with his primary objective of developing a championship-caliber team." But MacPhail, 62, clearly has not been sitting and waiting for Wednesday to begin making changes. He was very involved before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He decided Ruben Amaro Jr. would not return as general manager. He also decided Pete Mackanin would remain manager. MacPhail has been interviewing candidates to replace Amaro, a group that reportedly includes Larry Beinfest, Kim Ng and Ross Atkins. Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo and Angels assistant Matt Klentak, among others, also could be candidates. MacPhail has said he hopes to announce Amaro's replacement before the end of the month. Gillick, who replaced David Montgomery as president in August 2014, said last month he did not know about his future with the organization, but Middleton said Gillick will remain. "I would also like to thank Pat Gillick for, once again, providing invaluable leadership to the Phillies for the past 14 months," Middleton said. "He will continue to assist the front office in an advisory role." Gillick, 78, has a small ownership stake in the Phillies, so if he wanted to join a different organization, he would have to sell his share.

Phils Officially In Rebuild Mode – The Phillies just finished their worst season since 1972, but they hope history repeats itself. The '72 Phillies hit rock bottom, but the organization had a talented farm system and talented young players already in the big leagues when it happened. They eventually formed a core that made the postseason six times from 1976-83, including winning the 1980 World Series championship. The Phillies hope they hit the floor in 2015, but they expect improvement in '16, with the idea they can compete for the postseason as early as '17. But first things first. The Phillies finished their season without a general manager. President Andy MacPhail said he would like to find somebody before the end of the month. Ruben Amaro Jr.'s replacement has plenty of work to do. Here is a look at what the team might look like when Spring Training opens in February: Arbitration eligible: infielders Andres Blanco and Freddy Galvis; outfielder Domonic Brown; right-hander Jeanmar Gomez. Free agents: right-handers Chad Billingsley, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams; left-hander Cliff Lee (club option); and outfielder Jeff Francoeur. Rotation: The Phillies need some serious rotation help. Free agents Billingsley, Harang and Williams are not expected to return and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez might not pitch again for the Phillies, considering his checkered health history. It means the Phillies will need to find at least a couple veteran starters to fill out the rotation. Do not expect the Phillies to commit to big-money contracts. It is too early for that. Instead expect them to sign starters like J.A. Happ or Doug Fister, potential placeholders until the team knows it truly has a core to reach the postseason. Of course, the Phillies will fill the rotation with internal pieces, too. Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff are heavy favorites to win jobs. Adam Morgan has a line on one. Matt Harrison, Alec Asher, David Buchanan and others will have the opportunity to win jobs, too. Bullpen: The bullpen struggled at times this season, with the exception of Jonathan Papelbon (traded in July) and Ken Giles. Gomez, Luis Garcia, Elvis Araujo and Dalier Hinojosa put together solid performances. It seems likely the Phillies will sign a few veteran relievers to stabilize the bullpen. But once again, do not expect them to pursue the highest-priced free agents on the market. Catcher: It would not be a surprise to see both Carlos Ruiz and Cameron Rupp back. If so, Rupp is the likely candidate to start Opening Day as Ruiz suffered the worst season of his career. Ruiz turns 37 in January, but he has value as a backup. (Not to mention he will be paid $8.5 million.) Chooch can continue to work with the team's young pitchers as well as mentor catching prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp in Spring Training. Don't rule out the possibility that Knapp, who the Phillies named their Minor League Player of the Year, sees time with the Phillies at some point. Teams rarely use only two catchers over the course of a season, and if Knapp is playing well he could get a shot. Alfaro is promising, but he missed much of the season with an ankle injury. He needs more seasoning in the Minors. First base: Will Ryan Howard return? He will make $35 million next season, which includes a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. Howard performed well against right-handed pitchers this year, but he struggled terribly against lefties. He essentially is a platoon player at this point. If Howard and Darin Ruf return they could form a pretty respectable duo as Ruf hit left-handers very well. Second base: Cesar Hernandez is expected to open next season at second base. The Phillies saw enough potential offensively to give him a longer look. But Hernandez is going to have to perform because there are prospects coming through the system that could force the Phillies to make some position changes. Shortstop: Galvis will open the season as the team's shortstop, but top prospect J.P. Crawford is breathing down his neck. Crawford finished the season in Double-A Reading, but he is expected to open next season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. If Crawford continues to progress, it will be difficult to keep him in the Minors. And if Crawford is promoted at some point next season he will be promoted to play shortstop and play every day. If that happens, Galvis could move to second base if Hernandez is not performing. Or he could fall into a super utility role. Third base: Maikel Franco has this job locked up, assuming he is healthy. He showed he can be a productive bat in the middle of the lineup, which the Phillies desperately need. Of all the positions on the roster, this is the easiest one to predict. Outfield: Odubel Herrera is expected to be the Opening Day center fielder. He earned it. But who plays the corners? It is unlikely Brown returns. Aaron Altherr has earned a longer look. Cody Asche will get another look, although he really must pick up his production. The Phillies see Asche as somebody who could hit 15-20 home runs with 75-90 RBIs. He fell woefully short in RBIs this year. The Phillies could bring back Francoeur, which makes sense. (If Francoeur is not brought back, the Phillies are likely to pursue another veteran outfielder.) The Phillies need a vocal veteran to show the team's young players how to act during a long season and how to react to adversity. Top outfield prospect Nick Williams finished his season in Double-A. Like Crawford, he is expected to open the season in Triple-A. He could join the team at some point.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Pitching And Homeruns = Postseason Victories

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

It was the AL’s turn on Sunday with both Texas teams heading into Monday with a one game advantage. Once again, Dallas Keuchel proved to be a prime performer for Houston continuing to add exclamation points to an already fantastic 2015 campaign. As for the Blue Jays, mid-season acquisition Troy Tulowitzki proved to be the key in preventing the sweep and breathing new life into Toronto’s postseason hopes. On Monday we find out whether the ALCS is locked in or whether these four teams will match up for a final contest.

Astros Thwart Royals 4-2

Ace lefty Dallas Keuchel turned in another fantastic effort before the home crowd, rejuvenated slugger Chris Carter bashed a home run and Minute Maid Park was rocking. It's becoming a way of life for the Astros. Keuchel held the Royals to one run in seven innings, and Carter had three hits, including his first postseason home run, to lift the Astros to a 4-2 win before a raucous crowd of 42,674 in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday afternoon.

Blue Jays Wrangle Rangers 5-1

The Blue Jays stayed alive and have renewed hope in the best-of-five American League Division Series after Troy Tulowitzki hit a three-run homer and Marco Estrada tossed 6 1/3 strong innings to prevent the Rangers' potential celebration Sunday night. Tulowitzki's first hit of the series was a huge one, and Estrada held Texas to five hits as the Blue Jays took Game 3 of the ALDS with a 5-1 victory at Globe Life Park.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

American League Division Series

Houston leads series 2-1

Game 4: Monday, October 12, at 1:00 PM

Texas leads series 2-1

Game 4: Monday, October 12, at 4:00 PM

National League Division Series

Chicago and St. Louis tied 1-1

Game 3: Monday, October 12, at 6:00 PM

New York and Los Angeles tied 1-1

Game 3: Monday, October 12, at 8:30 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Ultey Suspended For LEGAL Slide – Dodgers infielder Chase Utley was suspended for Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-five National League Division Series by MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre for his takeout slide that broke the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in Game 2 Saturday night. Utley will appeal the discipline, according to his agent, Joel Wolfe. The decision will be held in abeyance until the appeal process is completed, but according to a source, it was unlikely that the hearing would happen before first pitch. The Dodgers issued this statement: "The Dodgers stand behind Chase Utley and his decision to appeal the suspension issued tonight by Major League Baseball. The club will have no further comment at this time." The Dodgers won Game 2, 5-2, evening their NLDS with the Mets at one game apiece. "I recognize that there has been much commentary and many questions regarding the unfortunate play in last night's game in which Ruben Tejada was injured," Torre said in a release. "As I said after the game, the determination of whether a baserunner has intentionally interfered with a player attempting to turn a double play is left to the judgment of the Umpire on the field, and that judgment call is not subject to review. I should add that determining where to draw the line between an illegal slide and a legitimate hard play is an extremely difficult call for our Umpires. "However, after thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley's action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his Club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a)(13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base. "We have been in discussions with the Players Association throughout the year regarding potential rule changes to better protect middle infielders, and we intend to continue those discussions this offseason." The rule in question states: "A batters is out when: "A preceding runner shall, in the umpire's judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play. "Comment: The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this is an umpire's judgment play." Umpires reviewed the play and awarded Utley second base. A replay review showed that Tejada did not make contact with the second-base bag as he attempted to turn the double play, nor did Utley. The Dodgers parlayed that call into a four-run inning, taking a 5-2 lead. Had the play been interpreted differently in the moment it occurred, the seventh inning could have ended with the Mets leading, 2-1, regardless of how far up the line the runner heading to first had advanced. On FOX Sports 1 during Game 3 of the American League Division Series between the Blue Jays and Rangers in Arlington, Torre elaborated on his written decision. "I was sitting behind the first-base dugout last night," he said. "I know Chase plays very hard. From my angle it looked like a hard slide. It really wasn't until I looked at video later on that I saw how late the slide was and how he sort of followed Tejada, sliding into him. It was based on the fact that he slid very late and it appeared to me he hit Tejada and the ground about the same time. He was more targeting the player as opposed to the base. He certainly didn't want to hurt him. He was just breaking up the double play, but I just thought it was a little bit much." Wolfe, Utley's agent, was quick to announce an appeal and denounce the discipline. "A two-game suspension for a legal baseball play is outrageous and completely unacceptable," said Wolfe. "Chase did what all players are taught to do in this situation - break up the double play. We routinely see plays at second base similar to this one that have not resulted in suspensions. Chase feels terrible about Ruben Tejada's injury and everyone who knows him knows that he would never intentionally hurt anybody. We will be appealing this suspension immediately." Torre responded to Wolfe's criticism on FS1. "I can't worry about what's happened in the past," Torre said. "I'm just worried about what I saw and the fact that we're trying to have rules that will keep these players on the field. It's unfortunate. Chase Utley's a great player. He's always played hard. I've always admired that about him. Unfortunately this time his playing hard, it just happened to have a bad result." When asked about a possible rule change for runners sliding into second, Torre said: "I know you want to upend the second baseman or shortstop because he has the ball and to break up the double play, but I think we're more concerned about keeping guys on the field, so we're talking more. In fact, in the Arizona Fall League we're doing some testing on having the players go into second base as opposed to going for the infielder." The Mets issued this statement: "The New York Mets completely support the decision made by Major League Baseball to suspend Chase Utley for two games and feel this was the appropriate course of action. With this decision behind us, the team and our fans can now focus on playing winning baseball." The last time a Dodgers player was suspended in the postseason was reliever Jay Howell, who was suspended for three days after being found to have pine tar on his glove during Game 3 of the 1988 National League Championship Series against the Mets. The suspension was reduced to two days after his appeal.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 1-0-0 on this day.