PHILADELPHIA – Shane Victorino cut the questioner off before the sentence was even finished.
“I hate talking about last year,” the Phillies center fielder said.
That’s because last year ended for the Phillies with a sweep in the NLDS at the hands of the Rockies.
Now, Philadelphia is back in the playoffs, and this time the Phils hope to stick around a little longer.
They open the playoffs this afternoon against Milwaukee with Cole Hamels on the mound.
“I think this year we definitely want to get off on the right page and start off the way we know we’re capable of doing,” Hamels said. “Last year we just weren’t able to do it. That was in the past and this year is a completely new year.
“And the way that we came into spring training, and we started playing from the very beginning, we knew we were going to do something tremendous.
“And I think this is the very moment that we’ve built ourselves up to, going out there and playing our game as best we can.”
The Phillies ran into one of the hottest teams ever last year when they faced Colorado. The Rockies outscored them 16-8 and won the first two games at Citizens Bank Park, flooring the Phillies right out of the gate.
For a different result against the Brewers, the Philly offense has to perform better. Last year they batted .172 as a group. The Phillies’ big boppers – Ryan Howard (48 HRs), Chase Utley (33), Pat Burrell (33) and Jayson Werth (24) – will be counted on to bash some long balls, especially at their home park, which is known as a bandbox.
“The bottom line is we didn’t score many runs [last year],” Utley said. “That’s not going to give us an opportunity to win. So this year I think we’re just going to go out and play.”
Yovani Gallardo presents an interesting matchup for the Phillies today. The Brewers starter made just four starts this season with no decisions. He returned from a torn knee ligament last week to pitch four innings.
It will be important for the Phillies to get to Gallardo in Game 1 because CC Sabathia is slated to start Game 2 tomorrow and a possible Game 5. The big lefty has been untouchable for Milwaukee and will give the left-hand heavy lineup of Philadelphia problems.
“Game 1 definitely is big, but at the same time we talk every day about how big the game is ever since the season started,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
“And to me, like if you get the jump in Game 1, like you’re ahead, but also just if something happens and you don’t, I mean, you still can win the series but it becomes much easier, of course, if you win Game 1. That’s how I look at it.”