Phillies cash in on 3-1 NLCS lead

Only a couple days late, I present my much-anticipated, theoretically epic Phillies-are-going-to-the-World-Series post! Of course, I wouldn't want you to hear my opinions before I gave you a summary, so here we are with the mandatory paragraph (or two).

Normally, the 4-run gap in the 6th inning between the Dodgers and the Phils could've been taken care of easily by the powerful Dodgers lineup - but not against the Phillies' Game 5 pitching staff. Their relief pitching is rock solid (right-handed closer Brad Lidge is a perfect 41-for-41 in save opportunities this regular season), and with a 1.88 postseason ERA and the 2008 NLCS MVP title, LHP Cole Hamels can hardly be taken lightly. (Chase Utley didn't really do anything, but I feel that as a Pasadena native and UCLA graduate, his traitorous qualities deserve a mention.) And so, despite Ramirez's solo shot to deep right field, the Fightin' Phils are going to the 2008 World Series and the Blue Crew isn't.

Cheer up, though (unless you're a Phillies fan, in which case I don't know why you're reading this blog, or how you even found it) - this is sports, after all, and there's always next year! And in the spirit of my NY-raised family, I will present the also theoretically-much-anticipated Rays-aren't-going-to-the-World-Series...yet post. It'll probably be slightly more emotional than this post, which is basically just a fact reel (case in point - you really needed to know what Hamels' postseason ERA is).

Also, I'd like to present the Arkham's Child Other Team NL MVP award to RHP Hiroki Kuroda, who had a perfect 2-0 record and an ERA of only 1.46 this postseason. No one knows about this award, it is not officially recognized, and it does not officially exist - therefore, if the Rays make it to the World Series, I have no obligation whatsoever to present this to any member of the Red Sox, no matter how valuable people think they may have been.