The Five Faces Of Brett

If you were waiting to see which Brett Myers would show up last night I'd be willing to bet none of you were expecting his Eddie Yost impersonation!

Actually, five different Myers showed up. The first one did a reasonably good impression in the first inning of the pitcher who was sent down to AAA in mid-season to work on his mechanics and his confidence. He walked three, one intentionally and one with the bases loaded, and surrendered a double as Milwaukee threatened to blow the game wide open before CC Sabathia even took the mound.

The second one settled down by the end of that very same inning to nimbly start a 1-2-3 double play that stopped the Brewers' rally cold.

By the top of the second inning the third one resembled the pitcher who came up from AAA after the All-Star break.

The fourth Myers, the most improbable one of the evening, worked a walk off Sabathia after starting the AB in an 0-2 hole and fouling off several pitches. In all Sabathia threw nine pitches to Myers, one of the most inept looking hitters in all of baseball. On the first pitch, Myers was clearly looking fastball and he swung so hard he landed in the other batter's box, you know, the one used by left-handed hitters!! But Myers kept fouling off and taking pitches and worked a walk to keep alive a rally long enough for Shane Victorino to follow two batters later with a grand slam home run off the previously invincible Sabathia. (Myers would later have a ten-pitch AB against Sabathia and a single off reliever Seth McGlung. No word on whether or not Cooperstown has requested the bat he used last night.)

The fifth Myers then pitched well enough to hold the Brewers to one more run over seven full innings. Ryan Madson, JC Romero and Brad Lidge closed out the game as the Phils took a 2-0 lead in the NLDS.

Prior to the start of last night's game nearly everyone in the universe expected Sabathia to dominate the Phillies as he had done to the rest of the league since coming over in a mid-season trade. But let the record show the Phillies were familiar with Sabathia from interleague play and had more than held their own against him, splitting two decisions. Sabathia did make mince meat out of the left-handers in the Phils lineup, but the righties including Myers, beat him up.

The other hero of the evening was Victorino, whose play this season has clearly elevated his stature to co-catalyst along with Jimmy Rollins. The Flyin' Hawaiian generates so much energy and enthusiasm it drives the opposition nuts and his teammates wild.

Today is a travel day. The series resumes tomorrow night in Milwaukee where Jamie Moyer, aka 45-year old Jamie Moyer, takes the hill. Collectively, the Milwaukee lineup has never been particularly patient and with their backs to the wall it seems unlikely they will start now. Moyer will exploit their anxiety.