• But At Least I Have A Husband. (2008-10-15 3:40 p.m., PST) I just want to tell you all good luck. We're all counting on you. [Dodger Thoughts]

• Farewell, Condolences And Many Happy Returns. (2008-10-15 9:55 p.m., PST) In a series in which not enough went right, on a night when almost nothing did, I still found myself nursing hope in the ninth inning. And then once again, a fly ball from the Dodgers went all the way to the wall without going over. And that told the story. [Dodger Thoughts]

• Your 2008 National League Champions. As hard as it may be to believe, the Philadelphia Phillies are the National League representatives in the World Series. Pinch yourself to validate that this is not a dream. [Crashburn Alley]

• Phillie Phun Phacts. So we’re here to introduce you to the Phillies with some fun facts about their entire roster. Enjoy. Cole Hamels — The youngest player on the team at 24, Hamels is married to a former reality show contestant, Heidi Strobel. Strobel, a former Survivor: The Amazon contestant, placed fifth on the show. She also agreed to get naked for peanut butter and Oreo cookies during one of the competitions and was featured in Playboy. By comparison, when Jamie Moyer was 24, Walter Cronkite was the world’s biggest reality TV star. [Rumors & Rants]

• The New Face Of The Dodgers. It ain't Manny... though this gentleman did have his number. I made the mistake of fist bumping him. Now my hand looks like I knocked out a smurf. [Sons Of Steve Garvey]

• World Serious. Dodgers fans are terrible. I actually saw a trail of tail lights in the parking lot in the fourth inning. No joke. Dodgers fans were leaving the game in the fourth inning. Even at their loudest, they couldn't match the enthusiasm I've heard in Philly in the NLDS and NLCS. [The Phillies Zone]

• Somewhere, Todd Hollandsworth Sheds A Tear. ESPN has erased him from history! [Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness]

• Mayor Nutter Celebrates In Style. I'm pretty sure the entire city is still drunk from last night's amazing celebration. You'll be happy to know Mayor Nutter was in on the activities and flashed some of his sick dance moves. Check out this FOX video of Philly's great Mayor Nutter busting a move. Much, much more throughout the day and email us anything and everything Phillies related today. [The 700 Level]

• Video: Shane Victorino And Matt Stairs. That may have been the most excited I've ever been watching a single swing of a baseball bat. If this Phillies team beats the Dodgers one more time and goes on to play for World Series glory, there's no question Shane Victorino could sit alongside the all time Philadelphia sports legends. But tonight, tonight belonged to Matt Stairs. His sixth hit as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies will surely earn him a free beer anytime he steps into a Philadelphia drinking establishment — not to mention immortality. [The 700 Level]

• Shane Victorino's Foul Favorite Food. Okay, hold the phone — during a recent Philadelphia Phillies/Los Angeles Dodgers playoff game, commentator Joe Buck mentioned that Phillies player Shane Victorino's favorite food is Spam musubi. A few reactions here — one: gross; I can think of a hundred different fillings I'd like for my onigiri, and canned meat ain't one of them. Two: Why? The Phillies' Citizens Bank Ballpark has been ranked the "Most Vegetarian Friendly Ballpark" two years in a row for its impressive vegetarian offerings, such as Philly faux-steak sandwiches, "crab-free crab cakes," mock-chicken sandwiches, and veggie dogs. We're giving Shane the benefit of the doubt here: He probably didn't know about the torments faced by the piglets destined to be slaughtered for Hormel and possibly end up as SPAM. But hey, knowledge is power, right? So PETA Assistant Director (and major sports fan) Dan Shannon has written him a letter giving some background info on Hormel and the way its suppliers and that Iowa farm treat pigs. We suspect that the cruelty in every can of SPAM will make Shane madder than a high Hiroki Kuroda fastball—and that a change in snack foods might be in order. [The PETA Files]

• Deciphering Simers. So notorious d-nozzle TJ Simers has thrown some written barbs towards Philadelphia and its fans. In response, Philadelphians have responded with "a bunch of angry e-mail." But should we really be mad at Simers? Shouldn't we take pity on the man? Consider that he has to write about sports in LA, a city that has second largest population in America but can't support a professional football team. Jacksonville has a football team for God's sake. So, why don't we take a closer look at some of Simers quotes and what he's really saying. I think you'll find he's just crying out for help. [We Should Be GM's]

• What Was That Look In Broxton's Eyes?. We can look at the Cub sweep and talk big about our chances but it is a false hope. The only thing left to do is wait for the inevitable celebration of the Phillies National League Championship. We can win game five and the only thing it will mean is that the Phillies will have to celebrate on home court. Thank you Paul Depodesta for not only giving away a a cheap centerfielder for the last three years but now we had to watch him kick our ass in the playoffs. I'm not sure where he rates on the Depo oops meter but it ranks right up there. [True Blue LA]

• Stairs-Way To Heaven. People who follow baseball know Matt Stairs. Though I’m not sure anyone besides Blue Jays fans even knew he was still in the league four years ago. But he’s been in the majors since 1992. Let’s put that in perspective: That was the year Boris Yeltsin said he would stop targeting U.S. cities with nuclear weapons. The Redskins and Mark Rypien beat the Bills in Super Bowl XXVI. George H.W. Bush lost his bid for a second term to Bill Clinton. The English Premier League officially started. Sir Mix-A-Lot gave us his lovely ballad on large assed women with “Baby Got Back.” EuroDisney opened in Paris. Rodney King became a household name. Jay Leno took over for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” Amy Fisher shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco. Dan Quayle “corrected” a young student during a spelling bee on the spelling of “potato.” [Rumors And Rants]

• Matt Stairs! The Dodgers were alluding that because of Citizen Bank Park's dimensions, some of the Phillies home runs there may have been cheap. Well, as we all know, the Dodgers weren't able to take advantage of those same dimensions. But now, you have to ask Russell Martin, was Stairs home run cheap? [Balls, Sticks And Stuff]

• Jamie Moyer: Chasing A Ring Or Just Dislikes Spending Time With His Wife? . It’s nights like Sunday that make me wonder exactly what keeps Jamie Moyer coming out to the ballpark. Weeks away from his 46th birthday ... what’s left for him to prove? Is it something as simple as the nagging pursuit for personal records or World Series glory? Maybe it’s man’s common denial of his age and the changes it accompanies. Could it be a staving off of weekend farmer’s markets and couples getaways in the orchards of Vermont with the spouses they’ve spent nine-plus months apart from annually for the better part of twenty years? [Bugs And Cranks]

• Moyer More Unlucky Than Bad In Game 3. One look at his pitching line in Game 3 of the NLCS in Los Angeles against the Dodgers and you’re forced to conclude that Jamie Moyer was absolute garbage. He’s no stranger to the garbage start either, as he tends to have one every once in a while: September 16, August 26, and May 10, for instance. But if you look a little deeper, you’ll see that Moyer’s failure was due less to his lack of “stuff” and more to bad luck and a successful aggressive approach by the Dodger offense. [Crashburn Alley]

• Dodgers Pounce On Moyer Early. The dirty little secret so far in the post-season is that the Phillies’ offense hasn’t been very good, and tonight was no exception. Dodgers pitching held the Phils down, including an 0-for-8 from the top of the order. Jimmy Rollins is now 1-for-13 with 6 strikeouts in the NLCS and has suddenly turned into a complete wimp at the plate. [Beer Leaguer]

• Top 10 Things That Are Almost As Manly As A Baseball Fight. In honor of tonight's remarkable ugliness in the third inning of the Dodgers-Phillies game (Kuroda threw over Victorino's head and then both benches cleared and guys looked mad and everything! Then, braying jackasses talked about Bad Blood for the rest of the evening! Oooh, scary!)... [Epic Carnival]

• Fox: Redefining Sports Broadcasting. Obviously the weekend ended poorly for Phillies fans after the Dodgers won, 7-2. Perhaps the Los Angeles nine was inspired by the cry of, “Remember Aug. 30!” Clearly, that was the second biggest Built Ford Tough Key to the Game. The Phils’ pregame meal having to come from Losers Only Pizza instead of the proven hometown winner was the biggest part of their loss. Reminds me of a Key to the Game in the last World Series: “If hands were made of metal, he’d be affected by powerful electromagnets buried underneath the field.” [Philadelphia Will Do]

• Dodgers Blast Moyer; Phils Lead Series 2-1. Call this one decided almost before Mary Hart’s grating, seizure-inducing squeak could escape my head. Kuroda posed huge problems for the lineup, while Moyer was the kind of pitcher this patient team could tee off against. It didn’t look good in scouting; it didn’t look good in the result. [Phillies Nation]

• Big Game Hunting. Despite being a card-carrying member of baseball's Pacifist Society, even I felt the Dodgers had to show some kind of retaliation in the third inning tonight. And the picture to the right is why. This one was heading for Martin's chin if not his eyes, and this was the one that moved the needle beyond intimidation into something worse. This was the one that passed the limit of making excuses, to the point where it seemed clear to everyone that the Phillies did not care whether a Dodger got hurt. Paramount for the Dodgers was to win the game on the field. But until the Dodgers sent a Phillie spinning to the dirt, nothing was going to stop Philadelphia from continuing to make the Dodgers duck and cover. [Dodger Thoughts]

• Ouch. Ouch, It Hurts. Oh, yay! Finally, a familiar face. Ah, Kevin Kennedy. Yay! Phew. Kevin and I became friends last season. He has become somewhat of a mentor in my never-ending quest for baseball knowledge. [Touch 'Em All]

What they're saying on the series of Intertubes about Philadelphia's 3-2 win over Los Angeles in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series ...

• Success! Phils Win Game 1. It wouldn’t be a Phillies victory without some curious strategy from manager Charlie Manuel. In the bottom of the seventh against “reliever” Greg Maddux, catcher Carlos Ruiz led off with a single deep in the hole, a tough grounder for Furcal. With the pitcher due up, Manuel could have sent up left-handers Greg Dobbs or Matt Stairs against the right-handed pitcher, but instead opted to go with So “Failure” Taguchi to bunt Ruiz to second base. A look at the Run Expectancy Matrix at Baseball Prospectus will show you why bunting in that situation is a losing play even if executed properly, so success or not, it was a dumb move. But Taguchi turned regular old fail into epic fail by popping up his bunt attempt, caught by Loney in foul territory. [Crashburn Alley]

• NLCS Game One Recap. You know, I just spent two hours driving home from the game on the NJ Turnpike thinking about what to write about this game. Lemme start with a little WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am of a particular generation that barely remembers the great Phillies playoff teams of the early 1980s but has by and large suffered with tons of mediocrity and general misery, 1993 excluded. Being in the NLCS, and getting to watch the game in person (a VICTORY no less) makes the drive worthwhile! Now that that's out of the way, it's hard to understate just how well Cole Hamels pitched tonight. His command wasn't at its best, there were some hard hit balls, but he still didn't walk everyone and give away baserunners, and he kept his head together in the face of adversity. His gutty performance made Chase Utley and Pat Burrell's 6th inning heroics possible and meaningful. [The Good Phight]

• One Rock 'N Roll Too Many. The Dodgers did do a lot that was right tonight, and even if they're mulling that Furcal error that might have cost them the game, they should still feel good about themselves. I still believe Game 1 was one the Phillies needed more than the Dodgers. So much for that luxury, though. Friday's Game 2 isn't do-or-die for Los Angeles, but things are a whole bunch of serious now. [Dodger Thoughts]

• I Love [Beating] LA. Worst Play — So Taguchi's bunt. Holy crap, I can't believe that guy got in the game. Why is he on the playoff roster? What can he possibly contribute to this team? Help me, somebody, because these unanswerable questions are driving me crazy. [We Should Be GMs]

• One Down, Three To Go. Three wins in six games and we'll all be running out to the store, the stadium, the back of some guy's van or wherever to buy World Series gear. Three wins. And the Phils have three left at home where they are 51-33 this season. Oh, and three left on the road, where they are 45-38...the best road team in the National League. [The 700 Level]

• By Popular Demand. Ozomatli, Can't Stop the Blue. [Sons Of Steve Garvey]

• Manny Makes Me Angry. But we do have one hope left. It’s called the Sports Illustrated cover jinx. Manny, AKA Greedy Baseball Playing Bastard, is on the cover. And this means the Dodgers are going to lose. At least I hope so. I’m angry, and I feel like I have every right. And I expect everyone else to be angry too, especially if we are forced to Boo Manny when he comes back to Boston in the World Series. [Red Sox Superfan]

• Bring On The NLCS!. On the eve of the NLCS, I am sitting here typing away as a nervous wreck. Everyone around me, is predicting a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series. I hold my breath when they speak of it. I knock on wood. I cross every limb. Funny how superstitious one gets when the thing you want so badly is completely and totally out of your hands. [Touch 'Em All]

• The Rockies Have Saved Me From My Wicked Ways. I shall never again doubt wild card teams that come from the NL West. Once again the Rockies made all the right moves, including a balls of steel move by Hurdle to bring in a rookie pinch hitter in the bottom of the 4th. Naturally he blooped a 1-2 pitch to left for a double. And you knew it was going to happen. It was like God preordained it, including the subsequent D-Backs error that led to 4 more runs. That's the weird thing about the Rockies. They're literally playing on another plane, and it's actually tangible. While Boston fans piss and moan and expect failure, this Rockies team exudes such a unreal level of confidence that even casual observers watching this team play have a firm belief that they'll win. And they do, over and over and over again.

And are they going to win the World Series? Hell yes they are. Forget the "they'll be off for too many days" excuse (besides, teams with 5 days off or more going into a World Series are 7 for 10 at winning it) or the "what if they lose a game?" question. It doesn't matter anymore. This team is winning it all. Period. [100 Percent Injury Rate]

• Colorado Rockies: 2007 National League Champions. This incredible season just got a flag to fly over Coors forever. We are one more crowning achievement away from the ultimate prize, four wins away from a parade through downtown Denver. [Purple Row]

• Christmas In Rock-tober — Rockies World Series Bound. "The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly fantastic, can ever be plausible again." - Red Smith. You may not dream it, but you always hope for it. And when it comes... boy, ol' Red had it right, as far as I can see. Simply inexpressible. Simply unbelievable. Fiction is dead. So let the truth ring out from the Coors Field clock tower. The Colorado Rockies are National League champions. [Up In The Rockies]

• Thank You. The 2007 baseball season is over for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not, perhaps, the way we wanted it to a week ago, but I think most of us would agree that it has surpassed expectations. Yes, the series against the Rockies was hugely disappointing, and the manner in which it ended was a real shame, which will take some time to heal. But I can not bring myself to look back upon the 2007 season with anything but fondness. [AZ Snakepit

• D-backs' Season Over. It was a great season, a fantastic division series, and a depressing league championship series. Our boys just couldn't get the hits they needed, and the Rockies beat us the way we beat people all season long. Set your clocks to March 31st. The Diamondbacks open the season playing against the Cincinnati Reds, and we get another shot at winning it all. [Out In The Desert]

• Goodbye, Frank TV. The Rockies' 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks ended the NLCS, and in turn forced us to bid farewell to TBS, and its partner in crime, Frank TV. Good luck to you, Frank and your litany of impersonations. It's too bad — Frank actually does a pretty good Madden and Robin Williams impersonation. But with all the promotion, all the ads, it won't be enough. See, it's over a month until Frank TV actually hits the airwaves. And by then Frank and his crew will be nothing but a distant memory. [Lion In Oil]

• This Just Plain Rox. The Colorado Rockies are one win away from a National League pennant. Eric Byrnes can call it luck. Rockies fans can call it destiny. Baseball analysts can try to explain the Rockies 20-1 run and yet fail to come up with the right word for it. Personally, I'll stick with absolutes. The Rox have a 3-0 lead on the Diamondbacks. They need one win for a pennant, five wins for a World Series championship. None of that seems out of the realm of possibility, despite the past 28 days seeming entirely beyond that realm. [Up In The Rockies]

• Gameday Thread 10/14. Quote of the Day: "I'm sure you guys are all probably writing us off; I don't blame you," he said. "We haven't done a whole lot to make you guys think we're going to win this series. I think we're a good team. I also don't think the Rockies have outplayed us, because they haven't. Not even close. They've had a little luck go their way. Definitely the ball has bounced in their direction. They've been the beneficiary of some calls." — Eric Byrnes [AZ Snakepit]

• Rockies Win! Up 3-0 In LCS!. In a game that should never have been a) scheduled as a night game and b) played at all given the conditions, the Rockies continued the RockStreak by beating the obviously disheartened Diamondbacks, winning the 20th of their last 21 games. Josh Fogg pitched way over his head, giving up only one run in 6 innings, no doubt aided by wet balls and turf. Yorvit Torrealba provided all of the offense needed with a 3-run homer in the 6th. [The Denver Baseball Observer]

• Rockies Win It For Kids. Nothing can stop the Rockies anymore. Not rain, sleet or snow. They're a force of nature that doesn't even have time to touch home as they race on to victory. Plus they win for the kids. Anyway they've already won the NLCS, and I'd be surprised if Arizona manages to win tonight. [100 Percent Injury Rate]

• The Sky Is Blue, Water Is Wet And The Rockies Win. Colorado has now won 20 of 21, which is like running a four-minute mile and then beating Garry Kasparov in chess. Nobody has the — bad pun alert — Foggiest clue how the Rockies are doing it, but Eric Young, in between clichés, probably said it best last night on ESPN: "They know they good." [The Big Lead]

• NLCS Game 3. Lots of storylines for this one. You can try guessing Livan Hernandez's age, or his weight. You could try and list Game 3 starters for playoff teams up 2-0 less imposing than Josh Fogg. You can start speculating as to which long-dead god Clint Hurdle sacrificed his firstborn to in exchange for his sudden powers of divination. You can search for a reason Eric Byrnes' best efforts to prop back up the dying Diamondbacks clubhouse involved his shagging flyballs from the top half of the Rockpile at Coors Field (my guess: Byrnes wanted us all to get used to throws of his not quite making the infield dirt). [Bad Altitude]

• The Rockies sure looked good last night as they beat the D-backs pretty convincingly without getting a single extra-base hit. That means they've now won their last 43 road games in a row. This team is HOT! In all honesty though, the Rockies actually look like they can beat whoever wins the ALCS. The D-backs would have no chance against either Cleveland or Boston. Too little hitting, not enough pitching. But the Rockies resemble an AL team right now. Great pitching, great hitting, great chemistry. If they reach the World Series (they will), they'll have a better shot at winning it than most people will probably give them. [100 Percent Injury Rate]

• Always Something There To Remind Me. Thursday night's Game One of the NLCS featured a key play where Justin Upton got Augie Ojeda called out for interference on a slide at second base. Gee, does that look familiar to you? It's like Total Recall, except Sharon Stone isn't in your bathroom taking a shower. Damn you C.B. Bucknor. [The Musings and Prophecies of Metstradamus]

• Umps Get It Right; Hal McRae Rule Appears In NLCS. Second base umpire Larry Vanover called interference on Upton and Ojeda was out. Major League Baseball banned this in 1978 after Kansas City Royals designated hitter Hal McRae used the tactic on New York Yankees second baseman Willie Randolph in the 1977 American League Championship Series. [Sports and Ethics]

• Back In The Saddle. Not a lot of teams have a lot of success against the Diamondbacks' Brandon Webb. I think we just battle. If you notice, we didn't go out tonight and just crush the ball all over the field. We just got some timely hits and we were able to string some good at-bats together. [Todd Helton's Playoff Blog]

• With God On Their Side. Now that we know that the Colorado Rockies are essentially a religious cult, this gives the Diamondbacks the perfect opportunity to unnerve them in the upcoming Championship Series. Here are just a few suggestions that should give Arizona the upper hand. 1) The D-Backs logo behind home plate to be replaced by a pentagram. 2) Each batter walks out to Black Sabbath's "Nativity in Black". 3) The first pitch to be thrown out by Marilyn Manson. 4) "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" to be replaced by "Sympathy for the Devil".[Arizona Via Slough].

• The Slide. The extra effort by Justin was unnecessary. Matsui was backpedaling, reducing his chance of getting off a bad throw. The good part of the slide already broke up the double play. The HBP upset Upton, as did Tulowitzki's scolding. Justin probably had just a little too much adrenaline going into second base. A rookie mistake. [Baseball Musings]

• Inside Vegas: Championship Series Edition. OK, how many had money on Brandon Webb to win the NLCS MVP? [Vegas Watch]

• Live Blogging The NLCS: Kaz Matsui Will Beat You Up, Sucka! 10:59 Something's happening now! Unhappy with the interference call, fans pelt the field with water bottles and paper wrappers. Umpires halt the game, and of course, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle pulls his team off the field, heightening the spectacle. Very crass and tasteless D-Backs fans. ... 11:02 So the water-bottle pelters are getting booked. Perhaps if the fans showed some blood actually pumps through their veins earlier in the game, the D-Backs would still be in it. [UmpBump]