Phillies Talking Points

What we're talking about following the Phillies' win over Milwaukee that clinched their first trip to the NLCS since 1993:

-- Phils win! Phils win! By eliminating the Brewers yesterday at Miller Park, the Phillies have advanced to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 1993. Beginning Thursday night, they face a Dodgers team that won its first postseason series since 1988.

-- Blanton was big. Fans were underwhelmed when righthander Joe Blanton turned out to be the Phillies' big trade-deadline acquisition. And he was a huge X factor yesterday, having not pitched since Sept. 26. But he came through with six-plus strong innings, allowing just one run. The Phillies are now 10-4 when he starts.

-- Pat found his bat. After a hot start, Pat Burrell slumped badly the final 2 months of the regular season and didn't have a hit in the first three games of the NLDS. But he came up big yesterday, driving in four runs with a pair of homers. Now the longest-tenured Phillie is on his way to the NLCS for the first time. But will he be back in 2009 with the only franchise he's ever played for?

-- No, No, CC. By winning yesterday, the Phillies avoided extending the series to a decisive Game 5 tomorrow night, a game in which they would have faced the prospect of having to beat hulking CC Sabathia for the second time in less than a week. That would have been great theater, but the Phillies were wise to eliminate the drama.

-- No time to reminisce. Going up against the Dodgers in the NLCS will spark memories of 1977, 1978 and 1983. But all that matters this time is whether the Phillies continue to get quality starting pitching and whether the four home runs they had yesterday are a sign that they're starting to get hot after struggling to score runs in the first three games against Milwaukee.