Very, very nice win. Werth and Burrell came through.

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Congrats. Certain Phillies fans have made supporting the team a bit more difficult, but I have no problem with seeing one of the two best NL teams advance.

Congrats Phillies fans. I was hoping the Brewers would win, but I'll be rooting for the Phillies here on out.

Congratulations to the Phillies. Clearly the better team.

Typically I congratulate BBTF fans of the team in question but will refrain from the recent effort to create a hostile and clearly contentious atmosphere at BBTF. I deem the silence from other known Phils fans as de facto approval of said behavior and as such will not encourage this destructive approach with words of good wishes.

It is disappointing that folks cannot simply appreciate the games but must seek to poison discourse as a means of added pleasure.

Disappointing at least and at its worst disturbing.

More disappointing is the unwillingness for any others Phils to step in.

Silence is acceptance.

Boooooooo

I was hoping to see Sabathia pitch one more time this year, but this is very exciting. If the Brewers had been playing anyone else, I would have been rooting for them. Joe Blanton finally gets credit for something good since arriving here, getting to 5-0 in the NL now.

Now the Dodgers...I was really hoping the Cubs would beat them, and even without that, it's never hard to hate the Dodgers.

Re: Harveys, #5: Did I miss something? What is this referring to?

The better team certainly won this series. The Brewers bats just didn't show up with much regularity the last month or so. It should prove to be an interesting offseason for the Brewers.

Harvey - Don't lump them all in with me.
Re #7: I expressed anger to Cubs fans about the cubs lineups the last week of the series against the brewers and mets. It got kind of ugly, and apparently I'm not allowed to hope for the Cubs to lose and rub the noses of Cubs fans in it when they do. Once again, these action are representative of Harris and not all Phils fans.

Harvey - see my comment at end of todays chatter. I like the Brewers. I was pulling against them at the end of the season for obvious reasons, but I like the nucleus of players on the Brewers.
Don't know where they go from here. I'm not aware of who's FA, other than the "CC" guy.

That Harris jerk, I'd wager.

Lackluster effort by the offense the last month or so, and the decision to start Suppan was inexplicable and Yostian, but I guess it was nice to finally be in the playoffs. Too bad they probably won't be back anytime soon (or is that too self-pitying? I mean, I guess it sounds like it, but I think it's justified to think that because of their FA situation).

It will definitely be interesting this offseason. I can't see Sveum being back, keeping him makes little sense. I guess Melvin could be gone, but I think Attanasio will give him one more shot. Sheets and Sabathia are gone, but at least one guy has to be signed (or traded for) to replace them. They'll probably be a mostly new collection of stiffs in the bullpen, though I would think Torres will be back (not as closer). We're condemned to another year of Kendall for whatever reason.

I don't know, I don't have much confidence Melvin will make the moves to fix the problems they have/will have. Just signing Kendall made my confidence in him plummet, and allowing Yost (and Sveum) to play him every goddam day really eroded any I had left in him. Maybe I'm overreacting to one horrendous series of moves, but I would like to see Jack Zduriencik get promoted to GM. The valuable pieces the Brewers have are all there because of Jack Z, not Doug.

I'm really sorry to see that the Cubs and Brewers spent six great months fighting day-in and day-out only for it to end like this. :(

Congrats, Brewers and Harv, let's do it again next year!

And Go Rays!

/man enough to admit when he's trolling

This played out pretty much as I had expected...it was good to see them get to the playoffs finally, but it's unlikely that a team depending on Jason Kendall, Brad Nelson and the zombified Corey Hart to spark a last-ditch comeback, and missing Ben Sheets, would go far in the playoffs no matter what the sample size.

Weird stuff.

Anyway, a great game. Not sure I ever thought Pat Burrell and Joe Blanton would be postseason heroes, but that's how it works.

I'm simply thrilled it's Phils v. Dodgers, a classic team in a classic park. Bad memories (for my folks, that is) of 77/78, but they have always been a second favorite team.

Congrats to the loyal Brewers fans for a good season. The team just couldn't hit for a few games. It happened to the Phils last year. You'll be back.

A Cubs/Brewers NLCS would have been epic. This is sad. Sorry Brewers fans. Hopefully Attanasio keeps up the payroll with all the sellouts they drew and we can fight it out next year.

You have my condolences Brewers fans. You guys had a hell of a run and with the Cubs eliminated, I was rooting for you. On the bright side, Aaron Rodgers looks like the real deal even if the Packers lost.

On the bright side, Aaron Rodgers looks like the real deal even if the Packers lost.

And the Bears are more decent than I thought they would be. We could easily carry this fight into football season and have it be meaningful.

Good God, BTF needs more Phillies fans. Our NLDS-win thread is being hijacked by NFC Central football.

Sorry 'bout that. NFC North football is an abomination that should never be let into the sunlight, let alone hijack a baseball thread. Carry on.

Joe:

But now the Brewers have a solid bunch of young catchers coming up so if Jason has to take a seat the team has options.

It's all but certain Escobar starts in Triple A to get his bearings and prove his bat travels to a tougher league.

I could see the Brewers taking the approach of "getting by" the first six weeks or so to see what injuries happen/see who hits and then make some changes.

As for the pitching staff I think McClung warrants a shot. So that generates;

Gallardo
Parra
Bush
Suppan
McClung

Agreed they need to acquire someone. Lowe is an obvious fit but 20 teams think the same thing.

As ridiculous as this may sound I can see a scenario where Ben comes back with an incentive-laden contract. I just have a hunch he will be disappointed by the response while the Crew will know exactly what they are getting.

A month ago I would have thought this crazy. But his last 3 weeks cost him 20 million. Easy.

On the bright side, Aaron Rodgers looks like the real deal even if the Packers lost.

The Packers defense, due to injury, is about as patchwork as the Brewers' pitching rotation is.

As ridiculous as this may sound I can see a scenario where Ben comes back with an incentive-laden contract.

I'm been saying the same thing since he admitted his elbow is ouchy. Possibly do the Millwood Manuever and accept arbitration, and attempt to boost his market value back up for next offseason.

A Cubs/Brewers NLCS would have been epic. This is sad.

The Chicago/Milwaukee axis is looking at 1-9 in the playoffs. (Doing a lot better than the Queens/Bronx, though...)

EDIT: D'oh!

The Chicago/Milwaukee axis is looking at 0-9 in the playoffs.

Nah, Brewers won a game, so there won't be a gooseegg.

And the Bears are more decent than I thought they would be

They are who we thought they were!!!

Bears I believe have the easiest schedule from here on out, they should go 10-6 and get bounced in their first playoff game.

The Cubs and Brewers #### the bed to the tune of 1-6, though. These were the two teams that spent July-August with the two best records in the NL. Sheesh.

The cheer at Lincoln Financial Field as word spread of Burrell's first HR was deafening.

Only the fact they have four more games in the Piece O' Crap (tm) Division will prevent the Lions from going 0-16. My pre-season prediction of 3-13 is lookin' good.

Good God, BTF needs more Phillies fans. Our NLDS-win thread is being hijacked by NFC Central football.

A division series win is the hardest to get excited about. Winning the division, the league or the World Series, that's something that will fly forever. There isn't a pennant flag in the world that properly conveys the emotion of winning the division and the first round but losing in the NLCS.

Congrats Phillies fans. It's nice to see some of these NL old guard teams back in the pennant race as opposed to last year.

But now the Brewers have a solid bunch of young catchers coming up so if Jason has to take a seat the team has options.

yeah, I'm very excited for Salome (and Lucroy, though to a lesser extent). I don't think he'll be called up next year to be Kendall's backup though.

Re: Harveys, #5: Did I miss something? What is this referring to?

Indeed--I've only been around sporadically in recent days due to work commitments. If someone was guilty of jackassery my silence does not mean approval--it meant absence.

At any rate, condolences Harvey (and the rest of the Brewers faithful). I'm more relieved than happy, I did not want to see Sabathia in a deciding game although it would've been a pitching duel for the ages with Hamels.

Best Regards

John

Not much to add. Had a lot of fun at both games. Phillies were the better team. I think we (Brewers fans) all knew this going in, but were hoping for some small sample magic. It should be an interesting and exciting offseason.

I'm sorry to see the Brew Crew exit, and I appreciate HW's comment.

Harris's trolling remains reprehensible. For shame. It is right there with Sarah Palin's BS about Bill Ayers and Obama.

BBTF can be a place for lively discourse without degenerating into a squabble that would embarrass 11 year olds.

All it takes is folks recognizing the obvious and SAYING SOMETHING.

Silence not only equates to acceptance but the death of reasoned thought.

Silence not only equates to acceptance but the death of reasoned thought.

I note that the aforementioned squabble was taking place DURING GAME 4, when any right-thinking Phillies fan was watching the game and was unavailable for defusing flame wars on the internet. I came to the thread shortly after the game and tried to be fair and evenhanded.

Post 35:

This dates back 2 weeks. Your compadre in post 9 has spent a great deal of time working mightily to alienate all within reading radius.

Hence my being a bit surprised that so many are professing surprise.

My hope is that folks aren't pulling a Claude Rains.

"Shocked, SHOCKED that this poster's comments bothered anyone!"

Oh, I hadn't noticed that it was a consistent theme...until the resentment boiled up in the CUBS SWEPT thread.

Many years of playing games where it was clear that the proper outcome would be a tie, and yet SOMEONE had to win, leads me to not get flustered about a situation where any number of things out of our control dictate whether we win or lose. Unless you win by a lot, the outcome is subject to chance. Because unless you win by a lot, the eventual identity of the winner is within the margin of error....it's basically a tie, but someone has to win.

"If it's not close they can't cheat".

This had to have been restricted to Game Chatters only, because I've been back around the last two weeks, and I reiterate my question from early on in the Cubs thread: Who the hell is Harris? Never seen nor heard that name on a post before today, and I have a very good memory for those things, even if I'm terrible at remembering actual people's names.

I don't really think HW should tar all Phils fans with Harris' brush, but I do emphatically agree with him that Harris has behaved loathsomely over the last few weeks. As has "Fred Dobbs."

EDIT: I did a bit of anti-Mets trolling myself back in the day, and after a few polite complaints (from the likes of Russlan and Sam M.) I realized how immature I had been. I still have no love lost for that franchise or its general manager, but I'll never troll like that again. It's just boorish. Unbecoming of a community of intelligent baseball fans.

Esoteric:

My contention is that other Phils fans should have stepped forward and made THEIR feelings known.

I regret that I didn't work harder at the beginnings of the steroids nonsense.

Won't sit idly by again.

congrats phillies fans and i will root root root 4 brad lidge

and i'm sorry harveys and brewers fans because i was hoping there might could be a miracle even though i know better

and i think i was guilty of bad manners on the cubs thread and i apologise

What I found most surprising watching these games was that this Brad Nelson character was trusted in very big pinch-hit appearances, complete with career stats (at the bottom of the TV screen) of 2 hits (both doubles) in 7 career plate appearances.

I was hoping he'd do well, he looked like a nice guy and very nervous, but that didn't happen. Why this guy? Where was Branyan? I would have been very afraid of Branyan in those situations. Did injuries keep him off the playoff roster?

Also on the Brad Nelson front, according to Wikipedia he was a utility infielder in his first three years of high school ball. I found that surprising since he is now 25 years old and looks like he weighs 300 pounds, at 6'2".

Branyan was injured, yes, as was Kapler, who had a very good season. Weeks was injured in yesterday's game as well.

Go Dodgers. Hope Manny hits a screaming liner off that wifebeater Brett Myers's temple.

I deem the silence from other known Phils fans as de facto approval of said behavior

HW, people don't read every threads, and usually not so closely when it turns to taunts. Never, on an internet board, equate silence with approval. That just doesn't fly. Laughing along is approval.

Harris's trolling remains reprehensible. For shame. It is right there with Sarah Palin's BS about Bill Ayers and Obama.

Good lord, stay away from a Red Sox board, or a Yankees one, or one where both are present. You'll spend the rest of your life scolding others.

Fellas-
I fully admit to harassing a pair of cubbies fans in McCoy and Retro-Shiite. Apologies if I debased the appearance of phils fans. Expressing your displeasure of how another team handles their lineups in games that matter is apparently as taboo as stealing when you're up by 8 runs.

Oh, you were harassing me? From the way this reads you have been a presence on several Cubs threads, sorry but I hadn't noticed you much. I found your premise for dislike towards the Cubs to be silly and immature. Your active rooting against the Cubs was just another voice in the crowd of people wasting their time hating something that really should have no bearing on their life.

I have a friend who is a Dodger fan and will be in Philly on the day of a potential game 6. Two questions: will there be a game 6 and will he get stabbed in the parking lot for wearing blue at the game?

Never been there for a playoff game so I can't answer for the playoffs. But generally if you go to a phillies game and you sit in moderately expensive to expensive (better known as not the 600 and 700 level at the VET) seats you will be fine. About the only time you might get a problem was on opening day when the people who would go to the game would actively look for fights.

Since the Phillies never made it to the playoffs when I was there I cannot comment on what they would do in the playoffs.

But why would anyone be dumb enough to go to an opposing teams stadium in a game 6 wearing their favorite team's garb? That never made sense to me.

There is no question he'll have his Dodger hat on but I can see what you mean. I guess worst case would be if the Dodgers clinched that night.

But why would anyone be dumb enough to go to an opposing teams stadium in a game 6 wearing their favorite team's garb? That never made sense to me.

Does it really matter what he's wearing? Unless you're suggesting he sit on his hands the whole game as well.

since when are baseball parks and gang territories governed by the same sartorial rules?

I guess it doesn't matter, by all means go ahead and puts some Ddoger gear on and walk into a crowd that is notorious for being violently belligerent to opposing teams fans. What's the worst that can happen?

I just can't believe Suppan/Kendall tried to go inside on P Burrell when Suppan was able to keep hitting that low and away spot that was barely a strike. Why?!? Burrell is there with Greg Vaughn being one of the best dead pull hitters out there. I blame the fact Burrell was able to step out of the box 3 times after falling behind with 2 strikes, he tried a 4th time and the up made him stay in there. The Brewers got too cute.

Attanasio does know the concept of cutting your losses, I think he will impart that wisdom on Melvin regarding Suppan.

since when are baseball parks and gang territories governed by the same sartorial rules?

What? Do you expect sports fans to realize it's only a game, and that the appropriate response to somebody rooting for another team isn't criminal behavior, or even behavior they should be ashamed of once they're sober?

What a wacky world view.

count me among the Phillies fans who apparently missed the referred to disparaging remarks. Chris is spot on regarding thread coverage; i do tend to move on quickly (in these days where small children lovingly eat up my time) if the tone is poor.

maybe next year, Brewer's fans.

Go Phillies!

Phils fans were fine. I was even at game 1 and nobody gave me a hard time other than a few jokes, all in good fun.

My contention is that other Phils fans should have stepped forward and made THEIR feelings known.

AH, I finally know what the heck was meant in post #5!

Add me to the list of fairly regular Phillies readers and posters who was completely unaware of whatever it was Harris was doing that maligned all our good names.

If I read it correctly, this took place during Game Chatters? About the Cubs? There are barely enough Phillies fans here to post a half dozen comments in our own chatters, let alone mount some defense or condemnation in a Cubs chatter!

i think harvey went a little overboard in his condemnation of me.

I think the Philly park is no different than any other. If you're respectful and go there to have a good time and enjoy baseball, people will leave you alone. If you hoot and holler and taunt the fans of the home team when your team is away, you are begging for an altercation. Cheering is fine, cheering in the face of others, not so fine (unless it's an obnoxious Cubs fan :) )

CBP is a fine place to wear an opponents jersey, so long as it's not the Mets.

At the Vet it would have been more of a problem because security guards were afraid to enter the 700 level, but the new park is a lot more family friendly. Some good-natured ribbing might be had, but that's all.

BBTF continues to grow and evolve. To encourage positive growth one needs to encourage and channel discussions so that they take place in a constructive manner. I think that is the unspoken commitment of the "regulars". Posters will come and posters will go as their life situations take them in different directions. But a 'core' group will always be present at some level. That is the nature of things.

So when things seem to be getting a bit off track straying from the "mission statement" of BBTF someone needs to write something to highlight that what is happening is WRONG.

I will be personally embarrassed should the administrators of this site ever have to step forward again and close threads or worse yet, remove someone's access as a disciplinary action.

So I wrote something NOW. In its early stages. To have people THINK. If I am wrong or overreacting then someone will explain why. But at minimum it may cause a few to STOP and say, "Hey, what's happening here?"

BBTF should welcome folks who want to THINK and QUESTION.

Let FoxSports cope with the nitwits...........

Yeah, but Harveys you weren't just making a proscriptive case for future conduct, you were condemning past actions, or more specifically, past inactions, of Phillies fans.

More disappointing is the unwillingness for any others Phils to step in.

Silence is acceptance.
...
My contention is that other Phils fans should have stepped forward and made THEIR feelings known.

As should be clear from the posts above, silence was just silence. No one was there.

Post 63:

If so then I sit here corrected as to the context.

But NOW folks know. And are better equipped going forward.

At the Vet it would have been more of a problem because security guards were afraid to enter the 700 level, but the new park is a lot more family friendly. Some good-natured ribbing might be had, but that's all.

I'll be at games 1 and 6 most likely and I would say that he should be fine, so long as he isn't a jerk about it. If he is standing up and cheering, taunting other people during a Phillies loss, I wouldn't be shocked to see someone at least threaten him with bodily harm. In fact, I might expect it. The Phillies crowd can be a little tough sometimes. It would also depend where he is sitting. The cheaper the seats the more I would worry about such a thing.

I've seen more than a handful of fights at Phillies games, but it has been much better at the Bank than at the Vet. The other issue is that with the Mets you have so many Mets fans that there is safety in numbers. For a Dodgers fan they are likely to be in a very distinct minority.

I'll be at games 1 and 6 most likely and I would say that he should be fine, so long as he isn't a jerk about it. If he is standing up and cheering, taunting other people during a Phillies loss,

Just to be clear, standing up and cheering for his team is not considered taunting Phillies fans, right? Because if it is, that's BS. He has to do both before the not being shocked at bodily harm being threatened kicks in?

Fair enough, and I agree with the sentiments, but I think whatever lesson was intended had an audience of one.

...he is standing up and cheering, taunting other people during a Phillies loss

All due respect to Sean, who deserves it, this is the problem here. If standing up and cheering is mentioned in the same breath as taunting and being an ass, it is pretty much how drunk and ignorant (neither of which Sean is, I would think) morons decide what's allowed. Lame.

Don't be an asshat in a visiting park/stadium/arena. Sports Fandom 101. Wear a cap or jersey, cheer for your team, ignore drunk trolls who try to taunt you and don't taunt anyone else directly. It's not rocket science and Philly is no better or worse than other cities I've been to. I've seen a fight in Dodger Stadium for chrissakes. Asshats can be anywhere. Ignore them. Or alert securty. Phillie has great security and a large ushering staff. Enjoy the games Dodger fans. Come out to the park, have a Tony Luke's cheesesteak or a Schmitter. Mingle with the Phils fans at McFadden's in your Dodger jersey. The hot shot girls will flirt with you and if you show a sense of humor you'll meet a lot of passionate baseball fans who are at the park to have a good time and will wlecome the chance to chat baseball.

Go Phils!

yeah let me clarify what I said earlier...

Cheering is fine, cheering in the face of others, not so fine

I meant like directly in somebody's face.