Bryce Harper, Phillies tout 'bigger goals' after clinching playoff berth

After the Philadelphia Phillies clinched a third consecutive playoff appearance Friday night, they shook hands on the field and walked back toward the dugout as though it were any other regular-season victory.

Moments later, manager Rob Thomson gathered his players in the clubhouse and thanked them during a tempered champagne toast acknowledging their significant achievement.

But no wild party, with grown men spraying booze and guzzling beer and soaking each other in glee.

Not just yet, anyway.

"Pretty calm and relaxed from what it usually turns into," All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm said with a chuckle.

Qualifying for the postseason is a long way from winning the World Series. Nobody knows that better than the Phillies these days — and they have much loftier goals than simply taking part.

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"You look around and you see all the talent, you see all the guys, you see the front office, the moves they make and things like that, you look at it on paper at the beginning of the year, and this team should be in the playoffs," Bohm said. "So it's good that we've stayed healthy throughout the year and done all the things we need to do to get to this point. Now it's just a matter of, keep going."

Bryce Harper and the Phillies punched their latest playoff ticket — this one long expected — with a 12-2 blowout of the New York Mets.

Assured at least a National League wild card, Philadelphia can secure its first NL East title since 2011 with one more win this weekend against the second-place Mets at Citi Field.

"It's hard to go wire-to-wire, and I think our team's done a great job obviously this whole season," Harper said. "We've got bigger goals and things like that, but this is a