We're 1-1 now in the series.
Posted on 10/15/2009 3:08:23 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
...Game 1 of the NLCS pits Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies against Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers in a match-up of dynamic young lefties. Both teams boast powerful offenses to challenge those starters. ...
Two big questions loom over Game 1, and in this series:
Will Joe Torre do what Jim Tracy wouldn’t? Ryan Howard went 6-for-12 vs right-handed pitchers and 0-for-4 vs. lefties in the Phillies’ first-round series. Over the course of his career, he’s put up Hall of Fame numbers vs. righties and utility-infielder numbers vs. lefties. Yet time and time again, Rockies manager Jim Tracy kept sending righties out against Howard in late-inning situations. Jonathan Broxton has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball, and the Dodgers have other good RH choices in the pen too. But if Torre’s doing his job, Howard shouldn’t see anyone other than George Sherrill from the seventh inning on, in any game this series.
Will the Phillies’ bullpen rise to the occasion? Brad Lidge showed off his lights-out slider of old to close out the Phillies-Rockies series, striking out Troy Tulowitzki. But Lidge’s performance remains a question mark against the powerful Dodgers. The supporting cast in the bullpen isn’t nearly as strong either, with Ryan Madson the only bullpen arm from last year’s killer quartet of Lidge, Madson, J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin that came back strong in 2009. The Phillies do hold an edge on the starting-pitching side with Hamels and Cliff Lee atop the rotation. But if the Dodgers keep tonight’s game, and the series’ other games, close for the first six innings, they’ll have a great chance to beat Philly with their superior pen.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
Do it here instead.
Go Phillies !!
No, go Dodgers! ;)
We're 1-1 now in the series.
What a game! Ethier at it again.
This one is going to go 7. 6 atleast
The two best teams in the National League. a classic
‘Dre is killa:) These cliff-hanger games are tough, but what a pitching duel.
Go Phillies !
..from a Reds fan
I hope it goes down as a series for the ages. Vin Scully deserves to announce another series like that. Hopefully LA wins the NLCS and beats the Yanks in 5!
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