Another lame NLCS

Even losers know the scent of victory.
          In a must win game 5 yesterday it seemed that the Dodgers rolled over and die. This series had 2 good games, 2 blow outs and a game that the Dodgers shouldn't of won. Basically it could of been a 4 game sweep if not for Chase Utley's error in game 2. So here it is again another 5 game victory for the Phillies over the Dodgers in the NLCS, for the 2nd straight year.
         In a somber clubhouse Wednesday night, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp -- eyes reddened with tears of sadness -- began to smell champagne on the clothes of several reporters who had first been in the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse. He had continued to speak to reporters, until the scent, and what it represented, was too strong and he had to stop mid-sentence. Soon after, Kemp smiled for the first time.
          With a core of players who are in their mid-20s, the Dodgers will surely continue to contend for several more years, yet the sting of a second consecutive NLCS loss -- this time with a 10-4 defeat in Game 5 -- to the Phillies was too great for many of those players to take. For several moments, catcher Russell Martin sat slumped in his chair and could hardly say a word. Others dressed slowly and deliberately. Veterans such as Mark Loretta and Brad Ausmus -- who likely may have had their last legitimate chance at a championship -- were somber. For many Dodgers, last year's postseason had been a surprise. This season they expected more. The Dodgers, for all their worries about Manny Ramirez's suspension and their late-season collapse, were in first place for all but 12 days this season. Los Angeles looked formidable in sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the Division Series.
       There will be questions about Ramirez and whether he is the slugger who carried the team into the 2008 postseason, or the aged and shamed slugger who was suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs this season and could barely muster four extra-base hits in two playoff series. Ramirez's home run in Game 1 against Philadelphia was his only extra-base hit of the NLCS.
           "I feel empty right now," Ramirez said. Philadelphia fans mercilessly booed and taunted Ramirez with chants of "Take a shower" in reference to Ramirez's much-publicized admission that he had been in the Dodgers' clubhouse during Game 4 when Jimmy Rollins struck his game-winning double against Los Angeles closer Jonathan Broxton.
Ryan Howard would take home the NLCS MVP. With 2 HRs, 8 RBIs and batting .385. Phillies became the first team to reach consecutive World Series since the New York Yankees in 2000-01.

I thought that this year we were ready to do something big," Kemp said.

The Phillies wait for the winner of the American League.
The Yankees play game 5 tonight in LA, New York is winning the best of 7 series so far 3 games to 1.

Turn Away Met Fans