Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams I've dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
So sang Kitty Kallen of the Harry James Orchestra in the autumn of 1945 in the wake of America's final victory in the Second World War — and Phillies fans were singing the same tune last night after the team clinched their first National League East title since 2011 with a 6-2 win over the Cubs.
But the Phillies still have unfinished business: Their magic number to clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs is two (they won the season series vs. the Brewers), and they trail the Dodgers (over whom they also won the season series) by half a game in the battle for the top seed in the National League.
The Phillies got where they are by being quite possibly the most complete team in baseball, ranking third in the majors at this writing with a team batting average of .257 (the average BA is a rather anemic .244), and seventh in pitching with a staff ERA of 3.77 (the major league average is 4.08). Shortstop Trea Turner is the team's batting average leader at .298, while Kyle Schwarber leads the team both in home runs with 36 and in RBIs with 99. On the pitching side, Zack Wheeler is 16-7 and leads the starters in ERA at 2.56, while Jose Alvarado is the saves leader with 13.
In other words, no real superstars — just many solid players.
After completing their series against the Cubs with games tonight and tomorrow night, the Phillies will be idle on Thursday, and then end the regular season on the road versus the Nationals, against whom they are 8-2 this season.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers will host their closest pursuers in the NL West, the Padres, followed by a regular season-ending three-game set at Colorado, where the Rockies can be a tough out at Coors Field.
As for the Brewers, they travel to Pittsburgh for three games, then come home to take on the playoff-contending Mets.
According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Dodgers have a 53% chance of landing the NL's number one seed, with the Phillies at 47% and the Brewers on 99% for getting the 3 seed.
Seeding the playoff teams by record, which began only in 1998, has created so much more excitement in a season's final days — and since the Phillies are 53-26 at home, tops in the majors, home field advantage at least in the NLDS and NLCS is something that they would definitely want to have.
This will be especially true this year in the National League.
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