Red_october
Gino Ferretti also writes for PhillySportsDaily.com.  Follow him on Twitter: (@WooderCooler).

Ask the closest hipster walking down South Street where they heard the phrase "it aint over til it's over."  You will likely hear one of two possible answers.  Either, the Lenny Kravitz smash hit from 1991 or the infamous Yogi Berra quote.  Both versions of the phrase have been pop culture staples. For Lenny, the phrase nearly single handidly launched his career, wheras Yogi's quote has been used as a catch line in movies and as a motivational tool for leaders in the workplace.  But there's one group of people who could probably care less about that phrase.  Simply becasue they know a joke when they hear one.

With the Eagles dominating the media headlines this month, as they continue to pull at their weeds, the Phillies have quietly been pushing up roses.  They have gone 18-3 this month, amongst the Eagles quarterback controversy, and have won 10 straight games.  Sprinkle in a sweep of the Atlanta Braves, who one week ago were tugging on the Phillies' coattails in the race for the division lead, and the Phillies are making a case for their own controversy.

Who gets team MVP?

Raul Ibanez had possibly the most clutch hit of the regular season as he doubled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth of last night's pitcher's fest.  Entering the game, Ibanez had the NL's fifth highest batting average in the month of September (.361).  While the usual suspects have fought through injuries and less than usual numbers, there's been no hotter hitter than Carlos Ruiz and the red hot bottom of the order. Ruiz is hitting .321 with 4 doubles and 13 RBI. Chooch, along with Ibanez and the timely Wilson Valdez, have contributed a combined .338 average with 14 doubles and 34 RBI in Septmember.  Unlike the Eagles' quarterback controversy, you will find no division amongst fans.  Because if it was up to them, the whole damn team would win.  There's no team in baseball that boasts as many offensive valuable players as the Phillies do.  This goes without mentioning the aces amongst jokers.

While the West is still trying to be won, the real gunslingers of the NL are out dueling varmants from New York to Florida.  Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, affectionately nicknamed H2O, are a combined 12-0 in the month of September with a combined 2.70 ERA.  Eye-blink swift fastballs, sharp cutters and slippery sliders have left opposing hitters with stuttered bats and weak knees, buckling like a pre-teen Forrest Gump.  There has not been a more consistently effective trio of pitchers than H2O.  With the Phillies making a case for home field advantage throughout the postseason, there's little optimism for foes coming to wage battle at The Bank.  Not the Reds.  Not the Giants, Padres, or Rockies.  With the post season built around winning short series' with stellar pitching, the Phils are in the best position to hurt feelings. They will be tormenting Tulowitzki, vanishing Voto and pulverizing Posey. For years, the Eagles' front office has tried to swipe the Phillies' thunder by stealing headlines and fighting for the hearts' of the Philly faithful. There's room for two, but let's get this straight: It's RED OCTOBER, not REID OCTOBER.

Using statistics to describe the overwhelming dominance of the Phillies in September doesn't serve any justice.  Becuase to understand it, you have to feel it.  And as the final divisonal meetings escort September out the door, the smell of red October is beginning to cook.  You can feel it in the hearts and souls of each fan spreading the enthusiasm around with each swift twirl of their rally towels. Optimism is for other fans of other teams.  In Philly, the belief is in the power of reality.

Singer Lenny Kravitz got rich singing that "It Aint Over Til It's Over", an ode to a pessimistic lover needing to be convinced that there's still time left to win.  But rolling into their third straight October, the Phillies are in a position to re-write the tune and show the competition how wrong Lenny really is.  After all, the Phillies and their fans already know its over.