Comcast SportsNet showed Game 5 of the World Series tonight, and it was fun to watch the game again without the white knuckles. A couple of observations:

1. The Phils left some runs on the table in the 1st. After Shane’s 2 out single plated Werth and Utley, Pedro’s single loaded them up for Chooch. Despite a very impressive World Series for Carlos, he left the bags full after getting under a pitch and lofting a pretty deep fly ball to left field. Imagine if he’s hit that one square.

2. Pat’s big noise came in the bottom of the 7th when he launched that rocket into deep left center, but don’t overlook his keen eye in the 1st and 5th. I don’t know how he laid off of balls 3 and 4 during his 1st inning base on balls. His walk in the 1st moved Utley to 2nd base, which was clutch since Victorino’s single wouldn’t have scored Utley from 1st.

3. It was scary to see Cole Hamels get hit on the left hand when he bunted in the bottom of the 4th. I’m sure Cole won’t be holding the bat with his left hand near the sweet spot next year.

4. It was a theme throughout the Fall Classic, but the Phils really let Scott Kazmir off the hook. His control was off, and the Phils could have tagged him several times for more runs. Phils pitchers bailed out the offense in the Series, with the Rays scoring only 15 runs over 5 games, after averaging 6 runs per game in the ALCS.

5. That bottom of the 4th took forever. The rain was already falling, and I remember myself praying that inning would move along faster than it did. It became even more frustrating when all of that time was wasted after the Phils didn’t score.

6. Geoff Jenkins may have had a disappointing year, and his place with the Phils is certainly in question as we head to 2009, but this guy has real character. He was relegated to a bench player once Jayson Werth became nearly an everyday player, but that did not diminish Jenkins’ passion. He was always involved in the dugout celebrations when one of his teammates came up big, and it was great to see him play such a huge part in Game 5 with that big double in the bottom of the 6th. He was seriously jacked up once he landed at second, around the same time my wife attempted to peel me off my living room ceiling.

7. How the hell did Rocco Baldelli fist that Ryan Madson offering all the way out of the park? I know Citizen’s Bank isn’t exactly Petco, but c’mon. That was impressive.

8. That run the Rays scored in the top of the 6th was so close to not even happening. Hamels got the first 2 batters in the inning, and then Upton found the one place in Rollins’ world where he couldn’t make a play, and a stolen base and Carlos Pena base knock later, the game was tied and we had to wait 48 hours to see our heroes bring it home. God, that run happened so fast.

9. Considering the stakes (it would have been the go ahead run), Chase Utley’s play on Jason Bartlett at home in the top of the 7th may be the best heads up defensive play I’ve ever seen.

10. 2 months later, with the outcome already cemented in Phillies lore, watching Game 5 still got the hair on the back of my neck to stand up.