The Phillies will be compared with the best through the ages if they win just four more games this season. But those four are the toughest in baseball.

It’s hard to get my head around dynasty and Philadelphia in the same sentence after experiencing nearly a half a century of losing. The closest Philly ever came was the back-to-back Flyer Stanley Cups in the early 70’s, but that got overshadowed by the Islanders four-spot just a few years later.

I now get why Yankee fans never tire of winning – I used to say, just one, that’s all I need, but once you get a taste, it’s like crack and you’re hooked.

I knew we had a good shot to repeat back in April because the team was young and we hadn’t lost any key people. But none of the pundits picked the Phils and I had to assume that was because they thought last year was a fluke – we beat Tampa Bay – never mind that they’d beat the Red Sox and had given the Yankees fits – it was the Devil Rays.

The Mets certainly believed they’d win the division this year, and to be honest, after the money they spent in the off-season, it was difficult to see how they couldn’t – the Phillies added Raul Ibanez, a 37-year older from Seattle; nobody seemed to care.

My team doesn’t write the big checks, but they find the right players at a price that makes sense: Rollins, Utley, Hammels and Howard are home grown. Cliff Lee and Pedro -- pretty nice mid-season additions...

But I know all too well how much 'luck' plays into this. It’s a long season. Injuries happen, even now. Weather will play into it too. Last year, one World Series game was in a torrential downpour. And who knows what calls the umpires will blow?

And yet watching the Phillies in this post-season is different from any Philadelphia team I have ever seen. These guys play like winners – they know how to deal with the cold, wet conditions, the media circus, the pressure -- they are defending champions for a reason.

Still, the years of heartache linger, so I must remind myself that no matter what happens they’ve had a great year – there are only two teams left and one of them is mine. I’m going to enjoy the ride.