Phils now play the waiting game

CINCINNATI - It was subdued outside, but there was still a celebration inside. No, it was not a crazed party like those before in the Phillies' clubhouse, but there were beer showers and enough champagne to burn plenty of eyes.

In a way, they went through the motions. Sunday night, for the third season in a row, the Phillies won a division series. There are bigger goals, ones that will have to wait until Saturday, when they play the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park.

But heck, they have almost a week off, so why not celebrate? There is plenty of time to work later.

"It is a long time," closer Brad Lidge said. "We have to throw our bullpen [sessions], keep working, and stay focused. It is a while. We've done it before. We're used to the layover."

At that very moment, reserve outfielder Ben Francisco sneaked up behind Lidge and poured a cold Bud Light down his back.

"Oh, that one's going down the pants!" Lidge yelled.

Francisco laughed and walked away. Lidge continued.

". . . And, uh, we're going to work hard the next six days to make sure we're ready for Game 1."

Yeah, obviously that was not a concern on Sunday.

But extended rest can mess with a pitching staff and throw off a hitter's timing. Then again, that's the explanation only if things go wrong in the next series. Still, prepare to hear plenty about this in the coming days because, well, is there anything else going on?

"I think you know us - I don't think we're going to start making excuses," Charlie Manuel said.

Then again, like Lidge said, the Phillies have done this before. The five-day layoff won't even be the longest the team has endured in the last three seasons. They had six days off before the 2008 and 2009 World Series began.

It is pitching coach Rich Dubee's job to be concerned with that sort of stuff, and as he slugged a beer Sunday, he already had some ideas for the week ahead.

Dubee has simulated games planned for Tuesday or Wednesday that will allow pitchers to stay sharp and hitters to see live pitching. He is actually pleased with the idea of some time off.

"I don't mind the rest," he said. "I really don't. When you look at our three horses, they've pitched a lot of innings and a lot of big innings. We haven't had a whole lot of blowout games. So they've pitched a lot of tough innings. I don't mind the rest. I think we can keep them sharp. The rest will actually be a help."

As if the Big Three need any additional help. Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels became the first teammates to throw complete-game shutouts in the same series since Oakland's Vida Blue and Ken Holtzman did it in 1974.

But the innings are piling up. Halladay is 61/3 innings away from matching a career-high 266. Hamels is still 45 shy of the 2621/3 innings he threw in 2008. Roy Oswalt is about 52 innings short of his career high in 2005. The workloads are heavy.

But the simulated games will benefit the rest of the pitching staff. Dubee singled out Joe Blanton as one who especially needs work. Blanton was on the roster for the division series but was never needed and didn't warm up in any of the three games.

Blanton, who made his last start Sept. 29, could pitch Game 4 of the NLCS unless the Phillies decide to stick with a three-man rotation and pitch the Big Three on short rest later in the series.

He could go 21 days between starts. But that's what happens when you play three games in the span of 12 days.

"We'll get him some work," Dubee said, "and make sure he sees hitters to stay sharp."