“We really feel like we’re constructed for these moments.” — Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto
PHILADELPHIA — He was puffing on a cigar that concerning the measurement of the Walt Whitman Bridge. The celebration drinks have been nonetheless dripping off each crevice of his clubhouse and its occupants. And on the gigundous scoreboard simply behind him, six phrases stated all of it:
THE PHILLIES — ON TO THE NLCS.
However as Realmuto roamed the infield of Residents Financial institution Park, hugging a procession of household and mates Thursday night time, he knew the massive baseball story throughout America was not: THE PHILLIES — ON TO THE NLCS. No, what America appeared far more targeted on was this:
THE BRAVES — NOT ON TO THE NLCS.
And …
THE DODGERS — ALSO NOT ON TO THE NLCS.
To not point out …
THE ORIOLES AND RAYS — NO LONGER SCHEDULED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ALCS
So right here’s our query — and his: Why are we so obsessive about who’s not nonetheless enjoying within the postseason when there’s such an apparent cause that groups like Realmuto’s October behemoths, the Phillies, are nonetheless enjoying?
And that cause goes like this:
Absolutely, you have to have seen by now that October baseball is virtually an entire completely different sport than April-to-September baseball.
So right here’s an concept: Perhaps we should always cease on the lookout for excuses for the groups which might be heading residence. As a substitute, let’s take a better take a look at why groups such because the Phillies — and their companions in World Sequence crime final fall, the Astros — maintain discovering methods to outlive and advance.
“I feel there’s one thing particular about October baseball,” Realmuto stated, nonetheless sporting the glow of the Phillies’ NLDS-clinching 3-1 victory over the 104-win Braves. “And to see the groups that thrive on this surroundings and thrive with this a lot stress, when the video games imply a lot, there’s a lot extra focus concerned within the postseason.
“It’s laborious to get that focus for a 162-game common season. So to see, in my view, the groups that thrive right here and play properly on this scenario, I imply, that’s what baseball is all about. That’s what you play for.”
Spencer Strider has dominated the Phillies within the common season. However the postseason has been a unique story. (Eric Hartline / USA At the moment)
However at the same time as he was uttering these phrases, there was an entire completely different dialog happening only a few hundred yards away, within the dejected clubhouse of the winningest group in baseball (April-September division), the Braves. You may most likely guess how that one went.
It’s regular to ask what went improper in shedding clubhouses right now of 12 months. What by no means was once regular was hopping on board with the conspiracy concept that this was one way or the other baseball’s fault, for devising a playoff system designed to “sabotage” the possibilities of the perfect groups within the sport (April-September division).
Nicely, you realize who wasn’t concerned about that conspiracy concept? The shedding pitcher for the Braves — their ace, Spencer Strider. And good for him.
“We’re not a bunch that makes excuses,” Strider stated. “I’m not an individual that makes excuses. I’m certain there’s a whole lot of Braves followers on the market that aren’t blissful, and so they have each proper to be that manner. We’ve acquired no one in charge however ourselves. Me personally, I wasn’t adequate.”
Nonetheless, Strider was requested, wouldn’t a unique postseason format be extra honest — possibly a best-of-seven Division Sequence as a substitute of best-of-five, for example?
“No,” he replied. “I feel that the individuals (who’re) attempting to make use of the playoff format to make an excuse for the outcomes they don’t like will not be confronting the actual problem. You’re in command of your focus, your competitiveness, your vitality. And if having 5 days off (means) you possibly can’t make that adjustment, you’ve acquired no one in charge however your self.”
In order we start to ponder the teachings of October (to date), we have to begin with the group America likes to hate however the group that places each one in every of these conspiracy theories to relaxation …
THE ASTROS — So if it’s The System’s fault that the perfect groups lose each October, how will we clarify the Astros? If these 5 days off that the highest two seeds earn earlier than the Division Sequence is such a buzz-killer (and season-killer), shouldn’t somebody inform the Astros?
They acquired the identical 5 days off as everybody else final October … and went out and swept their first two collection anyway, and by no means misplaced a postseason sport till the World Sequence.
Then as soon as once more this 12 months, they received the American League West on the ultimate day of the season, once more took the identical 5 days off as everybody else … and went out and beat the Twins in 4 video games. So apparently, it is doable to dig into that first-round bye and nonetheless go on to greater and higher issues? Huh. What have you learnt? That doesn’t match everybody else’s narrative in any respect.
The primary-round bye hasn’t stopped this Astros juggernaut. (Jesse Johnson / USA At the moment)
“Everybody can speak concerning the week off, however take a look at a group like Houston,” the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber stated. “They’re … again within the ALCS. So I feel there’s one thing to be stated about groups that may not have had a lot success all through the season, however once they get into moments like that, they’re discovering methods to win.”
And by that, after all, he additionally means … his group. So let’s take a look at a few of the October baseball classes the Phillies train us.
SOMETIMES THE RECORD DOESN’T REFLECT THE TALENT — The person who constructed the Phillies, Dave Dombrowski, has accomplished this earlier than. Once more and time and again, in reality. He constructed World Sequence groups in Florida, Detroit and Boston, and now a fourth in Philadelphia. So he apparently is aware of precisely what it takes.
“Nicely, initially, we’ve a superb group,” he stated Thursday night time, a Champagne-sopped baseball cap turned backward on his head. “And we even have performed properly for a very long time. As soon as we acquired previous that 25-32 begin, we’ve mainly been enjoying at a 100-win tempo, and our group has type of come collectively.”
Dombrowski’s team-building M.O. isn’t any secret. He has assembled a roster led by stars, a pitching employees filled with high-velocity arms and a clubhouse occupied by baseball nuts who like to play as a lot as they love being round one another. However when Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, was requested how a lot of this was by design, the product of regularly trying to find gamers who’re prepared for moments like this, he laughed.
“Nicely, I imply, it’s laborious to establish, particularly,” he stated, “as a result of if it was simple, everyone would do it.”
However it’s wonderful how usually, via the years, Dombrowski has used the phrase, “championship-quality participant,” to outline what attracted him to the newest star he’d signed or traded for. So he has spent a four-decade profession proving he is aware of that high quality when he sees it. And the 2022-23 Phillies have now spent the final two Octobers proving it.
On that observe, let’s take a fast intermission to remind you of a few of the issues this group has accomplished:
• It has now crushed Strider 3 times since final October. No different group within the sport has even handed him greater than one loss in these 12 months.
• The Phillies have fed off their stadium-rocking fan base to go 10-2 at residence in these final two postseasons — and an unbelievable 9-and-0 towards the opposite Nationwide League playoff groups they’ve confronted.
• The Braves simply hit extra residence runs (307) this season than any lineup within the historical past of the NL. Then the Phillies went and outhomered them on this collection, 11-3. Solely as soon as all season (in mid-September) did the Braves hand over 11 runs over any four-game span.
• And that additionally means the Braves hit fewer residence runs on this collection as a group than Nick Castellanos — a person who didn’t hit a single residence run for the Phillies all final postseason — pounded this week by himself, in a span of six at-bats.
• Then once more, that Phillies long-ball barrage didn’t merely begin this week. The Phillies have now mashed 24 residence runs over their previous 10 postseason residence video games courting again to final 12 months. And what number of different groups have bombed that many lengthy balls over a 10-game span in postseason historical past? That may be none, in accordance with our mates from STATS Carry out.
• Which implies, lastly, that the Phillies hit extra residence runs on this Braves collection (11) than they allowed runs (eight). And that’s the right transition to the following October lesson they’ve taught us …
COLLECT POWER ARMS (AND KEEP THEM HEALTHY) — Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez have began all six video games the Phillies have performed on this postseason. They’ve allowed a complete of six earned runs — in six begins. That’s a 1.54 ERA. That’s the way you win in October.
In the meantime, the Phillies have rolled out their meeting line of relievers pumping upper-90s warmth over these six video games — and given up a complete of two runs, each of them on Austin Riley’s game-winning two-run homer off Jeff Hoffman in Recreation 2 of the NLDS. That’s a 1.26 ERA. That, too, is the way you win right now of 12 months.
In Recreation 1 of the NLDS, Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson orchestrated the primary nine-inning, seven-pitcher shutout in franchise historical past. In Recreation 4, he waved for his two most trusted bullpen weapons, José Alvarado and Craig Kimbrel, within the sixth and seventh innings, respectively — and nonetheless had sufficient depth behind them to navigate to the end line. And sure, that is the way you win in October.
“You already know, early within the season,” Realmuto stated, “we struggled a bit bit … however when you’ve gotten stuff like that, like we’ve on our employees, as soon as they figured it out later within the season, they began rolling. So I belief our guys’ stuff towards any group in baseball. That’s an unbelievable lineup we simply confronted for 4 video games.”
However yet one more factor: The Phillies additionally managed well being and workloads so successfully this 12 months that they one way or the other arrived in October with — miracle of miracles — each vital arm on their employees wholesome. Examine that with the well being (or lack thereof) of the Dodgers’ employees, or the Braves’ employees — and isn’t it apparent that this, too, is the way you win in October?
Zack Wheeler (pictured), Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez have given the Phillies robust outings this postseason. (Dale Zanine / USA At the moment)
COLLECT GUYS WHO LOVE THE MOMENT — October is a parade of game-defining, team-defining moments. Isn’t it laborious to recall a roster as filled with hitters who feed off these moments because the group the Phillies roll on the market each sport?
“You take a look at everybody on this group, and I feel everybody needs the quote/unquote ‘second,’” Schwarber stated. “However after we get put in that second, that’s a high quality that’s laborious to have, the place everybody’s in a position to relax throughout the craziness and actually lock into the at-bat.”
So the place does that calm emanate from in these moments? Nicely, it’s at all times useful to …
BUILD AROUND A SUPERSTAR — I’ve already written one column this postseason laying out Bryce Harper’s particular skill to rise to satisfy any second. And Schwarber’s concept is that watching a teammate soften the stress the best way Harper does can have a robust ripple impact on any group.
“Bryce is a good instance for everybody,” Schwarber stated, “to take a look at and watch when the second will be the greatest and the brightest it may be. And while you take a look at him within the field, there’s no giddiness. You take a look at the (pitches he) takes. There’s nothing that’s outlandish, the place you’re attempting to go get one thing.
“You’re staying inside your self. And that’s what this group does rather well is staying inside themselves. And while you keep inside yourselves, explosive issues can occur.”
Bryce Harper units the tone for the Phillies. (Invoice Streicher / USA At the moment)
SO IT’S NOT APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER ANYMORE — The season is a marathon — a take a look at of day-to-day grit, roster depth, system reinforcements, well being and luck. It takes a village to outlive the season. However it takes all of the qualities we’ve simply highlighted — very completely different qualities — to separate yourselves in October.
As Dombrowski stated, if it have been simple to seek out these qualities, each group would do it. However by now, we should always know them after we see them. And Braves supervisor Brian Snitker was the primary to confess he noticed them within the Phillies.
“We acquired beat by a extremely good membership,” he stated Thursday night time, “that has a penchant for this time of 12 months.”
So how ought to we outline that penchant? “There’s no magic method,” Realmuto stated. However we’re all the way down to 4 groups left in our October Insanity match. So doesn’t it make extra sense to review these groups and what acquired them right here than it does to understand for who’s in charge that eight different groups by no means made it this far?
The blame sport could also be rattling away, off within the distance. However the Phillies? They will tune out that speak — as a result of they’re on to the NLCS, to play a Diamondbacks group which may be as completely constructed for new-rules baseball as any offense within the sport. However now these D-Backs develop into the newest group to have each cause to worry the Phillies, as a result of as we’ve talked about, that is their time of 12 months.
“This group simply looks like we’re constructed for October,” Realmuto stated. “Look, clearly we’d like to win 100 video games within the common season. We might like to run away with the division just like the Braves acquired to do the final six years. However on the finish of the day, our objective is to win a World Sequence. It’s not essentially to beat the Braves. It’s not essentially to win the division. It’s to win a World Sequence.
“So now,” he stated, “we all know we’ve acquired two collection down — and two extra to go attain our objective.”
The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner contributed to this story.
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(High photograph of Kyle Schwarber, left, and J.T. Realmuto celebrating after the Phillies superior to the NLCS: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Photos)
