It's not much of a story since there aren't any changes (the only conceivable switch would have involved swapping out lefty J.A. Happ for righty Rudy Seanez in the bullpen), but here's the roster for the best-of-seven series with the Dodgers:

Pitchers (11): right-handers Joe Blanton, Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson and Brett Myers and left-handers Scott Eyre, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Jamie Moyer and J.C. Romero.

Infielders (6): Eric Bruntlett, Greg Dobbs, Pedro Feliz, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.

Outfielders (6): Pat Burrell, Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs, So Taguchi, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth.

Catchers (2): Chris Coste and Carlos Ruiz.

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As I write this, there is approximately nine hours and eight minutes until game time. That being said, there has already been a ton of talked and written about.

I picked the Phils in six, but made that prediction under the assumption that Brett Myers will be the ace-like Brett Myers, not the train wreck-like Brett Myers.

I'lm sticking my a point I made way back about this team - they key is Myers. If he's a top of the rotation starter, he complements Cole Hamels and gives this team a real shot at winning the whole thing.

If he blows up, the team very well could, too.

Of course tonight is important too, although Game 1 in a best-of-seven isn't as crucial as it is in a best-of five.

I'm assuming Hamels is dominant again. If he isn't, though, the Dodgers could suck the life out of Philly as they did in Chicago in the first game of the NLDS.

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As I just mentioned, a lot has been written about the Phils-Dodgers series, including:

-here's how the two teams match up, position by position.



- a look at the roles the two longest-tenured Phils have had in the team's turnaround.

- a recap of the eight games between the two teams in the regular season.

-Delco Times predictions on the NLCS

-Jack McCaffery, who picked a Phils sweep, by the way, columnizes on why Phils followers should continue to dig the long ball approach.

-More Jack, this time, ala Kurt Russell/Herb Brooks in "Miracle," saying the "this is your time" to the Phils.

-Former long-time Phils player/coach/manager and current Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa recalls Black Friday (and Davey Lopes tells him to quit crying).

-Manny will be being Manny again - with a father figure trying to stop him in the opposing dugout.

-a look back to 30 years ago, when the Phils and Dodgers playoff rivalry continued for the second straight season.

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Lastly, here's a look at the all-time playoff series results of the Phils and Dodgers.


PLAYOFF HISTORY – Today marks the 15th playoff series the Phillies have played in the 126 years of the franchise’s existence. Four of those series have come against the Dodgers.

Overall playoff series record: Dodgers lead 2-1



‘BLACK’ EYE OPENER – 1977
DODGERS IN FOUR

If Phillies faithful are hungry for a title now, imagine being a bleeding-red fan 32 years ago when the franchise broke through for its second postseason appearance in 27 years and fourth in 95 years.

GAME 1 – After getting swept by the Reds in 1976, the Phils won their first playoff game since 1915 when Bake McBride, Larry Bowa and Mike Schmidt all singled in the ninth inning to turn a 5-5 tie in a 7-5 win at Dodger Stadium
GAME 2 – The Dodgers evened up the series thanks to a complete game by Don Sutton and a grand slam by Dusty Baker in a 7-1 win.
GAME 3 – The decisive third game swung the balance of the series and has still never been forgotten in South Philadelphia.
On Friday, Oct. 7 – affectionately knows as Black Friday – the Phillies watched a 5-3 lead disappear in disastrous fashion in the top of the ninth. With two outs and no one on base, Vic Davalillo, Manny Mota, Davey Lopes and Bill Russell put together four straight hits off Gene Garber to push across three runs and give L.A. an eventual 6-5 win.
Lopes’ infield single – replays appear to indicate he was out – and manager Danny Ozark’s decision to not use a defensive replacement for Greg Luzinski in left field are still debated to this day.
GAME 4 – Tommy John outdueled Steve Carlton through steady rain and Baker homered for the second time in the series to lead the Dodgers to a 4-1 victory and send them to their third straight World Series.


WE MEET AGAIN – 1978
DODGERS IN FOUR

After reaching the playoffs two times in the first 94 years of existence, the Phils made it three straight in 1978 – but still couldn’t move beyond the National League Championship Series.

GAME 1 - Larry Christenson was hamered for six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings as the Phils dropped a 9-5 defeat at Veterans Stadium.
GAME 2 – Tommy John continued his postseason mastery over the Phils, firing a four-hit shutout while Davey Lopes went 3-for-4 with a home run in a 4-0 Dodgers win.
GAME 3 –The Phils staved off elimination at Dodgers Stadium. Steve Carlton hit a three-run home run and an RBI single while also pitching a complete game in a 9-4 victory.
GAME 4 – Despite the heroics of Bake McBride, the Phillies could not force a Game 5. McBride hit a pinch-hit, game-tying home run in the seventh but Bill Russell sent the Phils home for the second straight season with a two-out, game-ending RBI single in the 10th.



THREE TIMES A CHARM – 1983
PHILS IN FOUR

The Phils, now a collection of playoff-proven veterans, finally dodged their Los Angeles hurdle.

GAME 1 – Mike Schmidt’s first-inning home run was the only offense Steve Carlton needed at Dodger Stadium. Lefty blanked the Dodgers for 7 2/3 innings and Al Holland shut the door for the final 1 1/3 innings to deliver a 1-0 win.
GAME 2 – Gary “Sarge” Matthews’ solo home run in the second inning was all the Phils could muster off Fernando Valenzuela. The Dodgers lefty pitched eight strong innings while Phillie-killer Bill Russell collected a pair of hits and Pedro Guerrero knocked in a pair of runs in a 4-1 win.
GAME 3 – Sarge kept his bat toasty as the series moved to the Vet. Matthews went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs as the Phils rolled to a 7-2 victory.
GAME 4 – Matthews homered for the third straight game – rounding out his NLCS MVP resume – with a three-run shot in the first inning that proved to be enough for Carlton. Lefty held the visitors to one run in six strong as the Phils exorcised their Dodger demons.

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I had to add one more item to the blog after seeing the column written by L.A. Times hack/blowhard T.J. Simers.

He really mailed in his column today, deciding to write about the incredibly original topic of Philadelphia fans. I'm shocked - shocked - there's no mention of Santa Claus.

Here's an excerpt of his column, followed by a quick rebuttal.

Simers:

It's an angry place, all right, everything old here in Philadelphia, crumbling and in ruin. Even the city's main attraction has a crack in it.

So the prevailing opinion around here is you have to be an obstinate pug to make it in Philly, the football team tough, the hockey team a bunch of bullies and the Phillies rugged competitors like Larry Bowa.

This is supposed to make Philly an intimidating place to play, Bowa telling the media Wednesday that if the Dodgers thought Chicago was bad, "they're going to be in for a rude awakening" playing here.

"It was like a West Coast crowd in Chicago," said Bowa, the Philly in him unable to keep himself from slapping Dodgers fans, and apparently discounting the manner in which Nancy Bea Hefley can whip a Dodgers crowd into a frenzy.

But if a Philly crowd is so intimidating, as Bowa suggests, why do the Phillies lose here so often? A year ago, the Phillies became the first pro sports franchise in North American history to lose 10,000 games.

Philly has always been more bark than championship bite, so why should the Dodgers give a hoot about folks who paint their faces and then have to drive home looking like sad clowns?

The Dodgers have the better team, a destiny date in Boston, and while that might make the folks in Philly miserable, they don't know how to act any differently here.


- Painted faces? Yo dude, the Raiders used to play in L.A. and still compete (although they're not competitive, of course) in CA. They dress like it's Halloween eight Sundays each year.

- "If a Philly crowd is so intimidating... why do the Phillies lose here so often?" Um... last time I checked, the team's management assembles the roster, not the fan base. But I might have to doublecheck that, perhaps the fans are responsible for the team's losing history.

-last but certainly not least: the only "angry" person in Philadelphia yesterday was T.J. In a sweet bit of irony, Simers was the only person ranting and raving at Citizens Bank Park - and making a scene - when he became visibly offended in Bowa's defense of Philly fans and swipe at west coast fans.

Simers sniped at Bowa for a good minute, and got scolded by the press conference's moderator for not following the protocol of waiting for the microphone - let alone, his turn - to ask a question.

Weird, I thought Southern California was too laid back to have uptight columnists with anger issues.