Break Up The Phillies!!

Sporting a lineup they could only dream about a month ago, the Phillies rallied in Los Angeles to beat the Dodgers 3-2 for their fourth straight victory.

Those of you with fairly long memories may recall the Phillies began their march to the World Series in 2008 with a three-game sweep of the Dodgers in LA.  One can dream.  Honestly, though, it's just a dream.

It isn't as if the Phils are exactly rolling.  Chase Utley isn't hitting.  Ryan Howard has yet to find his swing.  Roy Halladay is just off the DL.  Cliff Lee remains the biggest enigma.  The offense isn't exactly killing the ball, but it is getting just enough and, in this series, getting a team that has its own offensive deficiencies.  Ah, but that's where the other part of the dream comes in.  Excellent starting pitching, good late relief, and stop- 'em-in-their-tracks closing sealed the second straight 3-2 victory.  That's more or less they way the alleged brain trust drew things up last Spring.

This modest little streak is going to make Ruben Amaro's job that much tougher in the next few days.  Unfortunately, because he bungled things early on, his job will be tougher but ultimately unsuccessful.  Hamels is gone and with his departure the pitching prospects look glum.  They will have few reliable starters and still no middle relief.

But for the moment at least, we can dream.