Philadelphia Phillies power into playoff contention with torrid September run

The Philadelphia Phillies have shown a knack of playing well in September during recent years.

This year it could get them a playoff spot or even a division title.  After sweeping the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night the Phillies have won 7 straight and 11 of 14.  They also find themselves at the top of the NL East a half game ahead of the New York Mets heading into this weekend’s action.

The recent vintage Phils have been a team that runs hot and cold.  At their worst, they’re a bumbling, mistake prone underachiever.  At their best—which they’re clearly exhibiting at the right time during the 2008 baseball season—they’re nearly unbeatable.  They’ve been at their best late in the season during the tenure of manager Charlie Manuel—the Phillies are now 63-39 in September since Manuel became manager in 2005.

Manuel is known as something of a grandfatherly presence, very relaxed, easy going and likable.  In theory, it’s not the recipe for late season superiority but in this case it definitely works.  The Phillies like him and play hard for him, a marked contrast to the notoriously bickering and backbiting atmosphere prior to Manuel’s arrival.

Thursday’s win over Atlanta placed an emphatic punctuation on the team’s late season tear, as well as further emphasizing the decline of the Atlanta Braves this season:  the win on Thursday earned Philadelphia a season sweep at Turner Field making them the first team to sweep the Braves at home in a season series of more than 4 games since 1909.

Led by superstars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard along with a pitching staff anchored by Cole Hamels and ageless southpaw Jamie Moyer (who leads the staff in victories at the age of 45) the Phillies are hoping to take the next step and make some noise in the postseason.  The Phillies ended nearly a century of frustration with a World Series Championship in 1980, and remain the only “original” MLB team to have only won once.

If they continue their torrid late season play, however, that could change in postseason 2008.