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• Vote: ALCS: Yankees lead 3-1
• Chat: MLB with Keith Law, 1 p.m. ET.

A few years ago, the big story with the Phillies was the fact that they were the first-ever professional franchise to lose 10,000 games. Now, they may become the first back-to-back World Series winners in the new century.

Last night's NLCS Game 5 provided still more evidence that Philadelphia may be the most balanced team in baseball. With a lineup that features contributions out of nearly every player (even though Ryan Howard went hitless, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, and Pedro Feliz all homered), some shutdown starting pitchers, and a suddenly resurgent bullpen, the Phillies are sitting pretty. Surprised, SportsNation? Going by your judgments back in early July, late July, and even just prior to the series, you probably should be. Now, the only thing left for the Phillies to do is wait for the winner of the Angels-Yankees series, which SportsNation thinks won't take too long -- much like seemingly every other series this postseason.

• Your Rankings: Who are the best players in the ALCS and NLCS?

Sid Bream, Aaron Boone and Dave Roberts will attest that it's not always the biggest names who make the plays that get teams to the World Series. But it doesn't hurt to have the big guns on your side. The bad news is SportsNation's picks for the NL MVP (Albert Pujols), AL MVP (Joe Mauer), NL Cy Young (Tim Lincecum) and AL CY Young (Zack Greinke) are all home watching on television. At least we've still got one of the Molina brothers.

Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle are looking for your rankings on the best remaining players for Thursday's "SportsNation" (ESPN2. 4 p.m. and midnight ET), but voters have already made it known who they would least want to face with the game on the line.

• Rankings: Which team is MLB's best?

We hate to ruin your Monday with talk of philosophy, SportsNation, but have you noticed that fans in Pennsylvania are ensnared by a kind of Yin/Yang duality when it comes to baseball?

On the one hand, you've got the Phillies. World Series winners in 2008, the Phillies are blessed with a wide array of talented players. Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins form one of the best double-play combos in baseball, while Ryan Howard seems to be on pace for near-record numbers of home runs. Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino anchor the outfield, while Cole Hamels looks to have a long career leading Philadelphia's starting rotation. The team has won eight straight and 13 of their last 14 games. It's no surprise that they're atop the NL East as the second half kicks off. SportsNation has them winning the division easily.

On the other hand, behold the majesty of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They haven't won a World Series since 1979, which isn't a terribly long time to go without a championship, but their regular season record is most concerning. the team hasn't had a winning season since 1992, going through seven managers in that timeframe. They have seemingly finally realized the futility of their situation, and have begun selling off what few assets they have. Jason Bay was traded in 2008. Nate McLouth left earlier this season in a controversial deal. Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez (whom SportsNation touted as the Pirates' midseason MVP) rejected supposedly low-ball contract extensions, and may be traded shortly. Pirates fans have seen rebuilding plans fail before. Will this time be any different?

• Who is the Phillies' best position player? The answer may surprise you.
• Ryan Howard recently reached 200 home runs, but SportsNation thinks he's not even half done.
• Groups: Die Hard Phillies Phans | I'm not a frontrunner: I'm a Pirates fan!
• User sethsz3 thinks the Phillies will easily take the NL East, but sees them losing to the powerhouse Dodgers.

Ryan Howard broke a power-hitting record that withstood the worst of an era of bloated power numbers. Jamie Moyer continued a run of longevity that would put Larry King to shame. And Phillies fans just wondered when Roy Halladay would show up.

All right, so we're sure more than a few of the Philadelphia faithful savored a pair of historically significant performances against the Marlins, but talk of Halladay does seem to dominate the moment. Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bill Conlin waxes rhapsodic about Toronto's neighborhoods and Sam Donnellon wonders what impact adding Pedro Martinez will have on potential Halladay trade talks.

Then again, SportsNation doesn't think much of the Phillies' chances of winning the NL without Halladay. But add the ace to the mix, and it's a very different story.

As for Thursday night, Moyer became the oldest pitcher to go seven innings and allow one or fewer hits. That gives him 255 career wins, good enough for voters to put him in the discussion for Cooperstown (although the 4.22 career ERA isn't going to help). Howard hit career home run No. 200, passing Ralph Kiner, who he didn't know much about, as the fastest to the plateau.

• Vote on the Phillies, from Howard's homers to Halladay rumors.
• 'Nation can't decide if Moyer's longevity is more impressive than Howard's pace.
• Nearly two out of three voters expect Howard to hit at least 500 HR.
• Groups: What's the latest on Halladay? Ask Jerry Crasnick at 12 p.m. ET.
• Groups: Die Hard Phillies Phans | Philly Phans For Life | Curse of William Penn

Terry and Tito Francona need not apply. Tony Gwynn and Tony Gwynn Jr. can also save the application fee. No extra credit for the third generation, so the Bells are out.

And after last night's barren performance, Brandon Inge can bring Babe Ruth back and have the Sultan of Swat adopt him, and he's still not getting another go.

Fathers playing catch with sons is an American theme. But fathers and sons crushing the heck out of the ball is smaller, less universal club. One in which Prince Fielder emphatically staked his surname's membership in Monday's Home Run Derby. Sure, it wasn't Josh Hamilton blasting off or Bobby Abreu hitting 40-plus dingers, but Fielder gave us what we wanted -- a guy swinging with enough force to put Tiger Woods to shame and occasionally hitting the ball more than 500 feet.

He also did it far more consistently than his dad, Cecil, ever did in three appearances in the Home Run Derby. But whatever their current relations, how would the Fielders fare against two other families with almost 1,000 home runs between the generations? Since we're cruelly denied a chance to vote for Jose and Danny Tartabull, we're voting Griffey.

• It's not going to the Ivy league but the Derby gets a passing grade from the 'Nation.
• How many home runs will Fielder hit in his career? Vote on Derby-related issues.
• All-Time Derby: Barry Bonds fared well on his own against the legends.
• Chat: Ask Rob Neyer about Danny Tartabull's greatest hits (and more) at 12 ET

• Rank the field of eight for the Home Run Derby.

It's Nelson Cruz, Brandon Inge, Adrian Gonzalez and the greatest show in sports! All right, so part of the lineup for this year's Home Run Derby has almost as much star power as a Syfy Channel original movie (although on the plus side, much, much better special effects). But as long as guys like Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard are around, the field isn't completely barren beyond hometown hero Albert Pujols.

In fact, more people are picking someone else to win the Home Run Derby than are picking someone other than Tiger Woods to win the British Open.

And like the NBA's dunk contest, minus the props, it's the fun of the moment that makes the event. If you can name the last five winners of the event, you may have an unhealthy obsession with Miguel Tejada. It's all about hitting a lot of balls a long way. And as long as somebody challenges Pujols, and Carlos Pena doesn't try to draw a walk, we'll be fine.

• Pujols is good, but more people would rather see LeBron in the dunk contest.
• LeBron aside, only a few states prefer the dunk contest to the HR Derby.
• All-Time Derby: Roger Maris doesn't fare well against history's best sluggers
• Chat: Ask Ken Griffey Sr. about his All-Star memories at 4:15 p.m. ET

• Have your say in SportsNation's MLB Power Rankings.

Between stays in the hospital, Ryan Howard returned to the ballpark and hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run to put the Phillies ahead in the seventh inning of Saturday's game against the Orioles in Philadelphia. The Orioles promptly scored three in the top of the ninth for the win. So went a miserable 1-8 homestand for a team that gets tough love in the best of times from its fans.

The good news is a majority of voters in SportsNation, including majorities in both New York and New Jersey, still expect the Phillies to win the NL East. The better news? At least if you're the Phillies, it's that they don't play at home again until the Mets come calling next month.

• Elsewhere in baseball, we find a nation colorfully divided on the question of which division will produce the best race. At least someone is excited about the AL West.
• Are the Phillies in trouble? Are the Cubs really revived? Are the Dodgers for real? Why are we asking so many questions? Ask Buster Olney when he chats at 1 p.m. ET.