Who'd Make Your List?

October 2 , 2007 | By Ron Costello | Discuss

Before the Phillies take the field tomorrow against the Colorado Rockies, some decisions must be made. Playoff rosters are set at 25 players. The Phillies currently have a 35 player roster. So, who do you cut?

How about Adam Eaton (L), would you keep him on the roster? (10-10, 6.29 ERA) Would you start this guy in a playoff game, or make the call to the pen for him if Jamie Moyer faltered in the third?

Who would make your list?

How about catcher Rod Barajas (.230 avg., 4 HR) would he make your list? Carlos Ruiz was plunked on the elbow Sunday and is questionable. You've got to make a decision now. If you go with three catchers you are eliminating one other position player.

And what about Ryan Madson? He's been on the DL with a strained shoulder. Healthy, he'd be a shot in the arm for the Phillies, no pun intended. But is there time for him to get ready? Go ahead, you make the call. Can the team carry both Geoff Geary and Clay Condrey? Which one watches on TV? How about Tadahito Iguchi? Oh, you say, that isn't even debatable. He stays. But if you have to carry three catchers because one is injured, then a position player has to go. So get out your pencil and pad. Fifteen position players and ten pitchers: You make the call.

Box Seats
Are you ready for some baseball? The Colorado Rockies are on their way to South Philadelphia, and what a shoot out this will be. Both teams have high octane offenses. Last night in beating San Diego, the Rockies used nine pitchers. Perhaps that will put them at a slight disadvantage tomorrow.

The Rockies have won 14 of their last fifteen games and have momentum. They didn't have much time to savor the champaign. You can be sure that the NL MVP debate will heat up with Rockies leftfielder Matt Holiday (5, right) coming to town. Holiday hit .340, tops in the NL, and drove in 137 RBI, tops in the NL. But get this, if Ryan Howard doesn't miss 18 games because of injury, Holiday doesn't win the RBI crown.

This playoff matchup will result in high scoring, down to the wire games. The Phillies must get to the sixth inning with their starting pitching, or even with patch work pitching. If not, if the Rockies get to the middle relievers early, it may not be pretty.

But the Phillies will win in five and move on to the face the Cubs.

Note to my sister who asked about the festival my wife and I attended after the Phillies game on Sunday. You can read about it here: Festival