David Murphy wrote that line above. Murphy wrote it for this mornings paper, in a beautiful piece about the Phillies march to return to the World Series.

For those of us in New York long enough to remember the late 1990’s (has it really been 10 years?) we remember what it meant for a team to find its way back to the World Series.  Murphy’s piece seems like something written about the Yankees back then.  Derek Jeter was just beginning to learn to say things like “our goal is not to get to the World Series, but to win the World Series.”

And now those words come almost verbatim from Ryan Howard.

Murphy describes the momentum of the NLCS beautifully.  He builds through it, like Rocky running through the streets of Philly, and you can feel that though the Phillies have begun their ascent of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They reach the top sometime in the next two weeks perhaps.

That of course depends on their opponent.  Most likely the Yankees, though the Angels aren’t out of it yet.  Like the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that lost the NLCS, the Angels can’t seem to get out of their own way to really challenge the Yankees. Both Los Angeles’ teams were thought to have good chances in the LCS, but both seem to make errors out of nothing, and won’t capitalize on opportunities.  Both the Phillies and Yankees seem to just be playing their consistent brand of baseball, the others seem to be getting themselves out.

So, will the Phillies make it up to the top of the steps?  Will they be able to be the tough opponent for the Yankees- assuming it is the Yankees?  That could depend on when the ALCS finally comes to an end.  If the Phillies sit around for a week, without any kind of live baseball, and the ALCS plays to game 7, the winner will have a decided advantage.  Forget rotation orders, staying in the moment, focused on the game, seems to be much more critical.  If the Yanks finish the series tonight, and have the same layofff before the World Series begins- well it could be some post-season games that we have waited for.

The question is, do the Yankees hear the music yet?   Are they waking up this morning like Jason Werth, sure they will win tonight?  My bet is yes. And then look out.  Perhaps it is only the east coast that will care, but this World Series could be quite fun to watch.  And who, pray tell, is the Underdog?