MLB Oracles: The '09 Champion Phillies

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Collegian Staff

on October 5, 2009 4:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For MAKE PLAYS' MLB playoff preview, we decided to gaze into our crystal balls to see what every one of the eight postseason teams would need to do to take home the World Series. Here, Dan discusses how the NL East champion Phillies could win their second straight title.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Commissioner's Trophy will not move cities following the World Series.

The Philadelphia Phillies became the first team since the 1999-2000 New York Yankees to repeat as champions after finishing off the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game 6 Wednesday night at Angel Stadium.

World Series MVP Ryan Howard blasted his third World Series home run in the top of the sixth inning to put the Phillies ahead for good. His eight postseason home runs ties him with Barry Bonds and Carlos Beltran for the most all-time in a single playoffs.

Philadelphia rode the long ball to its second straight and third overall championship. Chase Utley's two-run homer in the 10th inning of Game 7 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers regained the lead after a blown save by Brad Lidge. In the NLDS against the Colorado Rockies, Jayson Werth belted home runs in Games 2 and 3 en route to a 3-0 sweep.

While last year's championship team was fueled by shutdown relief pitching, this year's staff relied on its starters. Led by 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and rookie sensation J.A. Happ, the Phillies' starters made it at through the sixth inning all but twice in 16 games. Righties Joe Blanton and veteran Pedro Martinez added valuable innings to a predominantly left-handed staff.

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Mug

Dave Miniaci is a senior majoring in journalism and is the Daily Collegian's sports chief. He has previously been sports night chief and a sports copy editor. He has also covered men's rugby, men's track and field and field hockey. He is from New Jersey and is a big Devils fan and proud of both, and he doesn't care if you hold that against him.

Mug

Adam Clark is a senior majoring in journalism and is the Daily Collegian's sports editor. He previously covered fraternity and sorority life, crime and courts and was the Collegian's summer 2009 news/sports editor. His favorite athlete died on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and his favorite football team is coming off the worst six-year stretch in NFL history. He does hold it against Dave Miniaci that he's from New Jersey.

Mug

Dan Rorabaugh is a senior majoring in sports journalism and minoring in English. He is the sports copy desk chief, and was previously a reporter for the men's rugby, men's cross country, men's volleyball, women's soccer, women's basketball and men's lacrosse teams. Last year, the impossible dream happened - one of his favorite teams, the Phillies, won a championship. Now if only the Eagles could catch some of that magic, he might be able to actually find peace with sports.

Mug

Michael Oplinger is a junior majoring in media studies and political science and the Collegian's assistant sports copy desk chief. He previously covered the men's tennis and men's volleyball teams. Even though he enjoyed the Phillies' World Series victory, he misses the days of Jose Mesa and David Bell.

Mug

Eddie Gentile is a senior majoring in journalism and minoring in history. He works on the sports copy desk and previously has covered the women's tennis team, the Lady Icers and the Penn State baseball team. Gentile is your stereotypical Philly fan - he considers every game a loss until they actually win... and even then he'll probably still be moaning. Go birds.

Mug

David Rung is a senior majoring in journalism and minoring in kinesiology. He works on the sports copy desk and previously has covered the women's swimming team and the men's rugby team. Rung isn't as die hard about pro sports as his sports staff brethren from Philly and Pittsburgh, but he does take pride in being a Red Sox fan before the bandwagon started.