Last night's game was thrilling. It wasn't so thrilling that it kept me awake for the entire game (even a game like that can't keep this tired father of an 18 month old awake past midnight), but thanks to TiVo, I got to watch the rest of it this morning and enjoy the victory as if I was watching it in real time.
What was especially fun was how the Phillies won thanks to several characters that I (and others here on the Good Phight) have openly mocked, derided, and criticized throughout the year. There's nothing truer though than the fact that as much as we might be furious over a particular player's performance (or a particular manager's or general manager's decision to use that player), we are always rooting for him to succeed for the sake of the Phillies. Last night was a great example of that.
Here are a few of last night's heroes and their recent performances to put into perspective how unlikely their coming through was:
J.D. Durbin last night: 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA
J.D. Durbin last 3 outings: 5.3 IP, 12 ER, 15 H, 8 BB, 6 K, 20.25 ERA
Jose Mesa last night: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA
Jose Mesa last 12 outings: 10 IP, 17 ER, 16 H, 7 BB, 7 K, 15.30 ERA
Clay Condrey last night: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K, 0.00 ERA
Clay Condrey last 2 outings: 1 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 K, 45.00 ERA
Rod Barajas last night: 1 AB, 1 H, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 GWRBI, 1.000 BA
Rod Barajas last 14 games: 29 AB, 7 H, 4 R, 0 RBI, .241 BA