Phillies playing role for the first time

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA

The Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in a new role this postseason.

The two-time defending NL champions are no strangers to big games, having advanced this far in three straight years. The only difference between now and the last two trips to the league championship series is the Phillies are the favorites to win it all this time, thanks in large part to the three proven aces in their pitching rotation.

It’s World Series or bust in Philadelphia. Nothing less is acceptable in a city that’s become spoiled by its baseball team’s success.

Who would’ve thought the losingest franchise in pro sports would reach the point where it’s the one other teams hope to emulate?

The Phillies are trying to become the first NL club in 66 years to win three consecutive pennants, and they’re going for their second World Series title in three years.

Oddsmakers have made them an overwhelming favorite to beat the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS, and also give them an edge over the New York Yankees or Texas Rangers in the World Series.

“It’s a good challenge for you. Expectations should bring out the best in someone,” manager Charlie Manuel said on a rainy Thursday. “At the same time, I like players to have expectations of themselves. That’s even better. I like everything about our players and we think we can play and we think we can play in big, tough games. Last year when we got beat in the World Series, I said I want to go back and play the New York Yankees. That’s what I was talking about.”

For some, higher expectations increase pressure. But the Phillies are a loose, close-knit group that has plenty of experience playing important games in October. They expected to reach this point, even when they trailed Atlanta by seven games in the NL East in late July.

“When you get to talking favorites and what’s expected of you, that goes beyond the realm of what you can control,” left fielder Raul Ibanez said. “We don’t focus as a club on what’s expected of us. We focus on what’s expected of ourselves. We have high expectations of ourselves as a team, regardless of what’s being said outside the locker room.