It's going to be wild.
Charlie and the players like to downplay it as just another game. They're right, in a way, that it's just one more baseball game. It counts the same as all the other games in this series. But the result of tonight's game, unlike any of the previous 166 games, could put an end to our baseball team's season.
There are two clear and distinct outcomes. Lose and experience incredible, massive disappointment. Win and Citizens Bank Park and the city of Philadelphia will explode with joy.
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And perhaps relief. Relief that the dream lives on. There's no doubt that expectations for this 2011 Phillies squad have been through the roof. That's why the Daily News' Paul Hagen says this might be "the single most important game the Phils have played" since they were created way back in 1883.
Yeah, tonight's Game 5 of the NLDS is going to be intense.
To add to the drama you have two former Cy Young winners who just so happen to be great friends going up against each other in a deciding game. Roy Halladay and Chris Carpenter are going to have some awkward conversations on their next fishing trip, that's for sure.
As Phillies scribe John Finger points out, this is only the third time in the history of the game that two former Cy Young winners have gone up against each other in a decisive game of a playoff series.
News
Much of the reactionary portion of the Phillies fanbase was a mess after Wednesday night's loss in St. Louis. Ryan Howard took the brunt of that anger, but what so many forget is what those inside the game repeat over and over: baseball is a failure sport. Yes, Ryan Howard did not deliver in Game 4, but the series and the season are not over yet. As Ben Francisco showed in Game 3, redemption is always just a swing of the bat away.
When asked about the Cardinals potent offense yesterday afternoon, Roy Halladay put things in perspective, reminding us all that this is a Phillies team that can win when they have to.
"I think it's important for us to realize what we have on our side, too," Halladay said. "You know, we feel like we have a team that can go out and win games when we need to win games, and I think that's important for us to keep in mind."
Now they just have go go out and do it.
We all know the story lines by now. The Phillies could really use some life from Placido Polanco or some power from Hunter Pence. It'd be nice if someone reminded Choochtober what month it is. Just for kicks, I'm calling Hunter Pence as the Game 5 offensive hero. I feel like he's the one that is bound to bust out.
Most importantly, they need a shutdown outing from Roy Halladay.
I've made the drive down to the sports complex to watch the Phillies play well over 50 times this season. I'll be making it again tonight and I don't want to have to wait another five and a half months to make it again. I'm attending tonight's game with my dad. The last time I went to a Phillies playoff game with him, Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter.
Tonight is one baseball game at Citizens Bank Park to see if the dream lives on.
And the ace of the aces is on the mound for the Phillies.
Roy Halladay.
"That's the reason he was brought up here," said Young James Calvin Rollins, "to come out and be The Man -- be Doc and perform a little surgery."
It's going to be wild.