Those were the odds stacked against the Phillies winning the pennant going into mid-September (according to Baseball Prospectus). Just when the Eagles are becoming unwatchable, Philadelphia sports fans get the rare treat of seeing the home team play some October baseball.  Thank you Phillies for displaying perserverance and determination and a semblance of a legitimate pitching staff and giving us fans a (regular) season to remember. 

The Baseball writer’s did right by giving the MVP to Ryan Howard. Howard had better numbers than anyone else in the game last year. Plus, as Ryan Howard streaked so did the fightin’ Phils. His tear through the second half of the season directly correlates with the Phillies playoff push. Albert Pujols made it a close race, but no matter how you look at it, Howard’s regular season was superior, and he deserved the award.