2010 Chachi #70 NLCS Game 6/Ryan Howard

Giants 3, Phillies 2
NLCS Game 6 - Saturday Night, October 23rd in Philadelphia

This one was tough. 

I've adopted renowned psychiatrist's Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' five stages of grief model to try to make sense of this loss and to prepare myself for the offseason.  In her research, Dr. Kübler-Ross claims these five stages don't necessarily need to occur in order, nor is each stage limited to just one turn.  The stages could occur rapid-fire, or one stage could linger longer than another stage.  This was helpful to know, as I believe I bounced around between the Shock, Anger, Bargaining and Pain stages several times throughout Game 6.  She describes this as a "roller coaster" effect in her research, and my notes below document my progress through the stages.

Shock
Wait . . . what?  Ryan Howard just struck out looking to end the NLCS?  Looking?  What do you mean we haven't been able to score since the first inning?  Where's the offense?  How is it possible that Chase Utley's double in the first inning was the first time the Phillies had a first inning hit all series?  How does Jimmy Rollins not score on Howard's double in the fifth?  But Ryan Madson has been pitching so well . . . I can't believe he hung that meatball to that meatball.  Is it really over?

Pain
The Giants are celebrating on our field.  Pat Burrell looks as happy as he did when the Phillies won in 2008.  This is awful.

Anger

But we have the best record in baseball!  We're supposed to go to the World Series again!  I have tickets to Game 6!  That closer's jet-black pirate lumberjack beard looks ridiculous!  How dare you drill Utley in the back and then have the gall - the GALL - to shout something in his general direction, Mr. "Knocked Out in the Third Inning" Sanchez!  Swing the bat, Ryan!  Swing the ratz-a-fratzin' bat!  AAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!

Bargaining

They've got to be playing hurt, right?  I mean, there's no way this offense could have 55 strikeouts in the series or go just 8 for 45 with runners in scoring position.  If we just had one more inning to try again.  If Carlos Ruiz' liner was just a few inches to the left of Aubrey Huff's glove and if Shane Victorino hadn't wandered so far off second base, we could have avoided that double play to end the eighth and it would have resulted in a huge rally.  I call do-over.

Depression

This blows.

Acceptance

It's only a game.  The Big 3 will be back in 2011.  We're probably going to lose Jayson Werth to free agency, but the rest of the line-up will be back.  At least we're not the Cubs.  We'll be fine.  It would have been awesome to go to World Series Game 6, but now there's $300 towards my 2011 partial season ticket plan in my account.  Not to mention I'll actually get some sleep this week.  Is anyone on the East Coast actually going to watch this World Series?  Whatever.  Spring Training's not that far away.  Maybe we can sign Cliff Lee.

And repeat.