A.J. Ellis went home to Wisconsin this week, where he would no longer live out of a suitcase. He will regain lost time with his wife, his two daughters, his son, and it will all still feel bittersweet. Six weeks ago, Ellis was bound for the postseason as the Dodgers' popular backup catcher, until the swap of two veteran catchers dropped him in Philadelphia.

He enjoyed his time with the rebuilding Phillies. But that did not lessen the sting of being discarded by his only employer at a crucial moment. Postseason baseball will not be appointment television for the 35-year-old Ellis.

Those probably aren't the names that would first catch the eye of a Phillies fan looking over this year's postseason rosters. The 10 teams left standing after Sunday offered no shortage of opportunities to relive our past. Cole Hamels, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ - heck, throw in Hunter Pence, Ben Revere and even Jake Diekman. But as the Phillies enter the offseason looking to build upon the modest progress they made this season, it's those three names at the top that we should consider.

Conventional wisdom suggests that championship teams are built by drafting well, spending big, or swapping old for young. That's not a heartening thought for those who yearn for an October that involves the Phillies.