Is Philly getting nervous?

I was just sort of joking in the recaps this morning when I mused that the Braves could potentially overtake the Phillies for the division, but apparently some people in Philadelphia are a little uneasy. Maybe the Braves fan in me is reading too much into it, but is Charlie Manuel making excuses already?

“The schedule has been perfect for them. That’s definitely not an excuse, because I feel we have the best team in our league,” Manuel said. “But the schedule’s been good for them. [Bobby] Cox might have made that schedule up. He announced his retirement and they let him go ahead and make the schedule.”

Blaming the schedule. The last refuge of a scoundrel. And maybe a choker. But here’s a couple of things about the schedule: (1) Philly and Atlanta play in the same division, so they have basically the same schedule; (2) the only difference in interleague schedules is that rather than play the Rays like the Phillies did, the Braves were stuck with three extra games against Boston; and (3) if you really wanted to make this last week meaningless, Charlie, you should have done better than 8-10 head-to-head against Atlanta.

The upshot: If Philly somehow loses this thing -- and the odds are still really stacked in the Phillies favor, I don’t deny it -- they only have themselves to blame.

In the meantime, here is some reading material to tide you over until tonight’s game.