"This is the coolest thing I've been a part of," Halladay said.
It must have been. Here was Halladay, perhaps the most calculated player in baseball, running around the visitors' clubhouse at Nationals Park with goggles on, spraying his teammates with champagne.
The Phillies that have been around for all of these celebrations let Halladay, Mike Sweeney, and Brian Schneider pop the first bottles. Those three players, who represent a combined 40 major-league seasons, have never played postseason baseball until now.
"To let us to be the ones to pop the champagne," Sweeney said, "it's a tribute to the amazing men in this clubhouse."
Sweeney took off his pants and scurried around the room. He was caught from behind by closer Brad Lidge, who dumped champagne on his head.
"It burns!" he said
"Oh yeah," Lidge said, "it burns."
The Phillies will enter the postseason as the top seed in the league. They clinched that Monday, too, based upon tiebreakers with San Francisco and San Diego. For the first time since 1977, the Phillies will have the best record in the National League.
So for the final five games of the season, the Phillies can relax, reload, and prepare in their attempt to become the first National League team to win three straight pennants since the 1942-44 Cardinals.
Halladay will lead the charge. In 33 starts this season, his demeanor never changed. (Although Halladay did crack a smile the night of May 29 when he pitched a perfect game in Florida.) On Monday, Charlie Manuel handed his ace the ball, wanting an end to whatever drama remained.
"He was really wrapped up in the game," Manuel said. "He was wanting that game. Even when he was sitting down, he didn't say a word during the whole game."
