About a year ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers swept my Chicago Cubs out of the playoffs. The Cubs went out with a whimper after finishing the regular season with the best record in the National League. In a blog right here, I pledged to be on the Phillies bandwagon in 2009 — and I kept that pledge.

Last week, I ventured out to Global Traveler‘s World Headquarters for some work and fun. A bunch of us would be attending the Phillies vs. Florida Marlins game that night. Immediately upon my arrival, Kim Krol presented me with a cool Phillies shirt, which I will wear with pride. Later in the evening, I procured a Phillies cap from Fran’s car.

I had never tailgated at a baseball game before. Fran packed a cooler of beverages (including Coke for me), Swiss cheese, crackers and other munchies (okay, maybe he needs to work on this, but it was last minute); and we hung outside chatting and playing bags. Fran and I took the GT bags title, edging out Fran’s wife Michelle and Kim (actually, it was pretty much a solo effort as Fran also needs to work on his bags playing).

The game didn’t go too well as the Phillies lost to the Marlins, but it didn’t really matter. Unlike the Cubs, my Phillies had clinched a division title and were resting several of their regulars for the playoffs. The Phillies start their playoffs today against the wild card Colorado Rockies. So, while sports radio talk in Chicago is filled with talk of next year, I will be watching my Phillies as they try to repeat their 2008 World Series run.

I am also cheering for the Minnesota Twins, perhaps even a Phillies-Twins match-up. In a few weeks, if the Phillies win the World Series, I will be watching the final outs wearing my Phillies shirt. I will celebrate vicariously from afar with some of the GT staff (sorry, Alex, the Mets were worse than the Cubs). At last, I would have backed a winner.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist