Jarrod Washburn with Seattle

There are quite a few veteran starting pitchers on the free agent market. One, Mark Mulder, has decided to retire instead of trying to make it back to the majors on a minor league deal. Injuries had derailed Mulder’s career since he was one of the Big 3 dominating with the Oakland A’s. Left-hander Jarrod Washburn had had a dominant career with the Seattle Mariners. He went 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA in 20 starts in 2009 before being traded to the Detroit Tigers to help their playoff run. However Washburn completely fell apart with the Tigers, partly due to a gimpy knee, posting a 7.33 ERA in 8 starts. At 35 years old, Washburn has had few teams interested and his horrendous second half may be the reason why. Many wonder which Washburn will show up in 2010 and many are not offering long-term deals. He reportedly turned down a 1 year, $5 million offer from the Minnesota Twins. Washburn has stated that he would return to Seattle in a heartbeat and negotiations have been underway. He has made a point to say that he is in no hurry to sign because he does not like spring training anyway. Washburn believes that retirement is an option because he does not need the money to play. The team must be a perfect fit for him and his family and since he still has a home in Seattle and loved his time there, the Mariners may be the fit.

Pedro Martinez in Lehigh Valley

Pedro Martinez is in an interesting position. Last year, he was dazzling in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, yet he still did not receive any serious offers until midseason. After signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in July and going through the minor leagues for seasoning, Pedro dominated until he seemed to run out of gas in the World Series. Pedro went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 starts (44.2 innings) with the Phillies. He walked just eight while striking out 37. He was also dominant against the LA Dodgers in the NLCS. Many believe that Pedro no longer has the stamina to complete a full Major League season so he most likely will be a hot commodity at midseason. He proved in 2009 that he still can pitch competitively without the blazing fastball. The Phillies remain interested in bringing Pedro back, especially if the fifth starter falters.

John Smoltz with St. Louis

John Smoltz found very few takers after his release from the Boston Red Sox as he pitched poorly as a starter with them (2-5 with an 8.33 ERA in 8 starts though he did not walk many: 9BB/33K). The St. Louis Cardinals took a chance and he pitched much better (1-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 7 starts with 9BB/40K). Now with just two days before pitchers must report to spring training, Smoltz sill has not signed. Smoltz is interested in returning to St. Louis but he may be in the same situation as Pedro. At his age (43), he may be best suited to sign at midseason and help with a team’s playoff pitch if he chooses to remain a starter. If he decides to return to the bullpen, teams may be more interested because almost every team needs a veteran reliever. Smoltz will not be the All-Star closer he was with the Atlanta Braves, but I am sure he can help some team in 2010.

Tags:

Detroit Tigers, Jarrod Washburn, John Smoltz, Mark Mulder, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals

Ryan Madson

Coming off their first World Series title in 20 years, the Philadelphia Phillies entered 2009 with virtually the same team as in 2008 (except for the addition of Raul Ibanez in left field). However getting to the World Series was a lot tougher in 2009. Injuries decimated the bullpen as everyone except setup man Ryan Madson spent time on the DL and Madson was hardly lights out (5-5 with a 3.26 ERA in 79 games and converted 10 of 16 saves). No one expected closer Brad Lidge to be perfect again, but he was hardly automatic in 2009 as he blew 11 saves in 42 opportunities. Lefty JC Romero missed the first 50 games due to a performance-enhancing drug suspension, but returned and injured his elbow. It seemed like every week someone was going on the DL and a new body was being called up from the minors.

Ace Cole Hamels was hardly an ace and was inconsistent all season (10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in 32 starts with 24 homeruns allowed and more hits than innings pitched). A slimmer Brett Myers hurt his hip and missed a portion of the season. Joe Blanton had his typical average first half (6-4 with a 4.44 ERA with 19 homeruns allowed) and good second half (6-4 with a 3.62 ERA and 11 homeruns allowed). Chan Ho Park struggled in the starting role (but thrived as a reliever), opening the door for lefty JA Happ’s outstanding rookie season (12-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 23 starts). The struggles in the rotation led to the acquisition of CY Young winner Cliff Lee from the Cleveland Indians (and outfielder Ben Francisco), though the Phillies were linked to Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay (but the price seemed to be too high). Lee dominated in his time with the Phillies, even into the playoffs (7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts and 10 BB/ 74 K but in the playoffs, Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in 5 starts with 2 complete games and 6 BB/ 33 K). They also added free agent veteran Pedro Martinez, who also added a boost to the rotation (5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 starts)

The offense was typical for the Phillies, even with leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins’ lackluster season. Centerfielder Shane Victorino and rightfielder Jayson Werth had career years. First baseman Ryan Howard sizzled again when the summer heated up (.305 with 23 homeruns and 74 RBIs in the second half).

The 2009 Phillies made it back to the World Series, the first time since the 1995-1996 Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately the offense sputtered and the pitching just could not hold down the NY Yankees. Heading into the offseason, the Phillies had some holes to fill and question marks that needed to be answered. Members of the World Champion team that had major supporting roles were free agents like Matt Stairs, Eric Bruntlett, Myers, and Scott Eyre. Lidge, Romero, Ibanez, and Jamie Moyer had offseason surgery, with Lidge and Romero questionable for spring training and Moyer having complications. With a payroll set to bulge due to arbitration cases for Victorino, Blanton, and catcher Carlos Ruiz, GM Ruben Amaro was hoping to stay within a set amount. Here’s the Phillies wish list:

1. 

   Placido Polanco signing

   A third baseman: Despite his solid season, Pedro Feliz was a free agent and not expected to be re-signed due to his struggles in the playoffs (.167 in 54 at-bats with just 4 RBIs and 11 Ks). Ruben Amaro quickly signed former Phillie Placido Polanco, who was coming off a Gold Glove season with the Detroit Tigers at second base. Polanco hasn’t played third since 2005 but is a hard working veteran who will be excellent batting in the 2 hole (where he is the game’s best) in front of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez.

2. A backup catcher: Starter Carlos Ruiz has been a postseason hero for the Phillies the last two years. Late in 2009, the Phillies cut ties with backup Chris Coste (a fan favorite) and added veteran Paul Bako. However with Bako a free agent, the Phillies decided to go after a local free agent. Brian Schneider, who spent the last two years with the NY Mets, signed on to backup Ruiz. Schneider has been known to be a great defensive catcher though he tends to struggle with the bat.
3. Bullpen help: This is a major need as there are quite a few question marks with the health of the arms returning. The biggest hole is to add a left-hander to complement JC Romero and management hoped to re-sign Scott Eyre, but both sides are far apart. The Phillies seem fine with going to young lefties Sergio Escalona and Antonio Bastardo (who was on the postseason roster but was rarely used) in 2010. Rumors have the Phillies signing a mystery reliever with Danys Baez and Mike MacDougal being the leading candidates.
4. Adding another starter: Despite Kyle Kendrick’s resurgence at the end of 2009, the Phillies are looking to add a starter to compete with Kendrick, veteran Jamie Moyer, and Drew Carpenter. However the Phillies made a blockbuster deal to land Roy Halladay (who they coveted in July) but traded away Cliff Lee and top prospect Kyle Drabek. So yes the Phillies added a workhorse in Halladay, but still may need another starter.

Tags:

Brad Lidge, Brian Schneider, Carlos Ruiz, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, JA Happ, Joe Blanton, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Placido Polanco, Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson

The NY Yankees win their 27th World Series title

Yankees 7, Phillies 3: The Yankees celebrated their 27th World Series victory by jumping up and down like little kids. Even closer Mariano Rivera was jumping around in jubilation on the podium after hoisting the World Series trophy. It never gets old, as four of the Yankees have now won 5 World Series titles (Jeter, Rivera, Posada, and Pettitte). It is sort of surreal because every little kid who plays baseball dreams of winning the World Series. That’s the goal every year when spring training begins for all 30 MLB clubs.

Pedro Martinez of the Phillies began the game with a max fastball of 85 mph. It was not a good sign. After issuing a leadoff walk to Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui battled Pedro, with Matsui winning the battle by crushing a 2-run homerun into the right field upper deck seats. The Yankees held an early 2-0 lead. With one out in the top of the third, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz ripped the pitch from Andy Pettitte off of the left centerfield wall for a triple. Jimmy Rollins followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the Yankees lead to 2-1. After a misplay in centerfield by the Phillies Shane Victorino on a ball hit by Derek Jeter, Pedro then walked Johnny Damon and hit Mark Teixeira to bring up A-Rod. Pedro struck him out looking, but it brought up Matsui with the bases loaded. Instead of going to the bullpen, manager Charlie Manuel decided to stick with Pedro, which blew up in his face. Matsui was 8-for-18 against Pedro in the postseason before this at-bat. On a 0-2 pitch, Matsui laced a single back up the middle to drive in two more runs, increasing the Yankees lead to 4-1.

The NY Yankees hoist their 27th World Series trophy

The Yankees increased the lead to 7-1 in the fifth inning off the Phillies bullpen combination of Chad Durbin and JA Happ, highlighted by a 2-run double by Matsui. Matsui finished the game 3-for-4 with 6 RBIs, which tied a Major League World Series record for a single game). Ryan Howard tried to get the Phillies back into the game by hitting an opposite field 2-run homerun off of Pettitte to cut the lead to 7-3. This ended Pettitte’s night, yet the Phillies could do nothing against the Yankees bullpen. Damaso Marte continued his postseason mastery of lefties as he struck out both Chase Utley and Howard on just 6 pitches. Howard struck out 13 times in the World Series, which set a World Series record. This meant the Phillies would have to score against closer Mariano Rivera, who came in to record the final five outs. Though it took Rivera 41 pitches to get those final outs, he was the one on the mound in the celebratory moment when Victorino grounded out to end the game.

Hideki Matsui wins mvp

As the Yankees players ran around the new stadium celebrating with their teammates, coaches, fans, and family, the Phillies players looked on from the dugout in disbelief. Matsui, deservedly so, earned the World Series MVP. In the World Series, Matsui, the free-agent to be, was 8-for-13 with 3 homeruns and 8 RBIs. “They’re partying in Tokyo tonight,” teammate Nick Swisher said. “I know that. What a great job Matsui did for us, coming up in clutch situations all year long. He deserved that MVP trophy, no doubt about it.”

Tags:

Andy Pettitte, Carlos Ruiz, Damaso Marte, Hideki Matsui, Mariano Rivera, Pedro Martinez, Phillies, Ryan Howard, World Series Game 6, Yankees

Yankees 3, Phillies 1: The game began with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performing their hit song (and Derek Jeter’s entrance song) and most felt this was an omen that the Yankees would win. This was a game many felt would be high scoring with the bullpens battling it out, myself included. However both starting pitchers pitched gems like their Game 1 counterparts. The veteran for the Phillies, Pedro Martinez, entered the field to the expected “Who’s your daddy?” chants. He fed off the hostile crowd to, for the most part, dominate the potent Yankee lineup, a lineup most expected would kill the Phillies pitching. So far, that hasn’t happened. The Yankees are hitting .222, with the red-hot Alex Rodriguez going completely cold, 0-for-8 with six strikeouts. Pedro made just two mistakes, two sole homeruns by Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui, before being taken out in the seventh. Watching Pedro take the mound in the seventh, it reminded me of the 2003 playoffs when he was with Boston and manager Grady Little left him in the game too long (and got fired soon following). With double-barreled action in the Phillies bullpen, manager Charlie Manuel decided to stay with Pedro to start the seventh and it backfired as he gave up back-to-back hits, leading to another run.

Yankees starter AJ Burnett avoided the big wild inning, throwing first pitch strikes to 22 of the 26 batters he faced. Burnett’s curveball was working throughout the night, making the Phillies hitters look silly. He gave manager Joe Girardi seven solid innings, allowing him to go to closer Mariano Rivera for another six out save. Rivera looked hittable in Game 2, especially in the eighth inning when the Phillies had two men on and only one out. Manuel decided not to send the speedy runners (Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino) on a 3-2 count and the batter, Chase Utley, grounded into a double-play to end the inning. Utley meanwhile, extended his consecutive on-base streak in postseason games to 27 with a walk in the 3rd inning, continuing to add on to his Major League Baseball record.

Has Girardi completely lost faith in his entire bullpen? I’m not sure Girardi can continue to go to Rivera for six out saves, especially if he continues to throw close to 40 pitches an outing. We will see as the World Series continues.

Neither team is tearing the cover off of the baseball and both teams RBI machines have cooled off. I mentioned A-Rod earlier, but Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts last night against the combination of Burnett and Rivera and never looked comfortable at the plate. Unlike in Game 1, Burnett only showed the fastball on the first pitch to most of the hitters and they were taking it for a strike, trying to be patient and run up Burnett’s pitch-count. That approach never really worked. The Phillies struck out 15 times in Game 2, yet only lost 3-1.

The Phillies left Yankee Stadium with a split, something they did last year in the World Series against Tampa Bay and something they just did in this year’s NLCS. They left smiling, with all of the confidence that they have retaken home-field advantage and can win three straight to celebrate in Philadelphia behind their wild and raucous fans. The Phillies have lost just one postseason game at home in the past two years (11-1).

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, NY Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, World Series Game 2

The 2009 World Series is truly a matchup of the two best teams in baseball. There is trash-talking, with each city’s media taking things to the extreme and trying to get the players involved. One NY newspaper depicted Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino in a cheerleading skirt and called the Phillies the “Frillies”. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins predicted the Phillies would win in 5 games. Both teams expect hostile crowds while on the road and Rollins loves to silence opposing teams’ home crowds. Plus he used to being hated in NY.

Both team’s ballparks are susceptible to the homerun as they were ranked in the top two in homeruns in Major League Baseball. Both team’s lineups are the two most-prolific homerun-hitting clubs in MLB. And as Nike stated in a 90’s ad, “chicks dig the long ball”. It’s not surprising that both teams sometimes live and die by the long ball. Both teams looked beatable in their respective league championship series, but both overcame their bullpen obstacles to win and advance. Both teams are led by their RBI machines: Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees and Ryan Howard of the Phillies. A-Rod has stripped the label of “postseason choke artist” and become the Yankees best postseason offensive threat. This will be A-Rod’s first World Series appearance. Howard has continued his usual late season hot streak into the postseason, earning NLCS MVP. Both tied the MLB postseason record for consecutive games with an RBI. It will be interesting to see how the managers elect to pitch to these two sluggers.

Both teams have a few questions marks in their lineups. The Phillies Chase Utley has a 25 straight postseason games of reaching base streak, which ties a ML record. Though he has been on base, he really has not been hitting (.211 against the Dodgers). The Phillies need more than just Victorino, Howard, and catcher Carlos Ruiz to produce. Rollins will need to be the fire-starter and put pressure on the pitchers and Jorge Posada behind the plate for the Phillies to be successful. Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher of the Yankees have been struggling throughout this postseason and some have talked about benching Swisher. The Yankees are relying on Swisher becoming the clutch hitter he has been all season long and Tex to be the power-hitting, RBI machine he was all season.

Both teams have question marks in the bullpen. Ryan Madson, the setup man for the Phillies has been inconsistent all season and has mostly struggled this postseason. Closer Brad Lidge seems to have found his 2008 self. Chad Durbin has been lights-out coming in to get out of jams and if his sinker is working, double-play balls will be common. Everyone else is either hurting or coming back from an injury (Scott Eyre, Chan Ho Park, and Brett Myers) or inexperienced (Antonio Bastardo, Happ). Yes the Yankees have postseason sensation Mariano Rivera as their closer, but he has been far from dominant in the last year or so. Getting to Mo has been a challenge and manager Joe Girardi has been using him for more than an inning lately. I think that the young bullpen pitchers have struggled lately mainly due to overuse throughout the regular season. Look at box scores and some pitched almost every day (like Phil Coke and his 72 games). Alfredo Aceves ended up with 10 wins, mainly out of the bullpen. Dave Robertson was in the top 5 in the AL in strikeouts per nine innings (12.98) and has been dominant. Phil Hughes has been struggling though he has been the 8th inning setup man for most of the second-half. Since Girardi seems to have lost some confidence in his bullpen, Brian Bruney has been added to the roster and could regain his role of setup man if he dominates.

The pitching staffs are evenly matched. Both have seasoned playoff veterans in Andy Pettitte and Pedro Martinez. Both managers have decisions to make regarding their Game 4 starters.

Game 1: Cliff Lee @ CC Sabathia
This may be the best pitching matchup that the World Series has had in a long time. They are the last two American League CY Young award winners. They were teammates with the Cleveland Indians up until last July. Lee and his Indians opened up new Yankee Stadium this year against Sabathia and his Yankees, winning 10-2. Sabathia has pitched better than ever in this year’s postseason, rather than in year’s past and is earning every penny the Yankees are paying him. Lee has made other teams look silly for not pulling the trigger and adding him to their pitching staff. Lee has been dominant in his first experience in the postseason.

Game 2: Pedro Martinez @ AJ Burnett
Pedro is sure to hear “who’s your daddy?” throughout this game at Yankee Stadium. He was not well-liked in his Red Sox/Mets days when playing at Yankee Stadium, so it should be no different being with the Phillies. Pedro dominated the Dodgers in his lone playoff game this season for the Phillies (though the bullpen blew his win), and manager Charlie Manuel is hoping for Pedro’s continued playoff success. Burnett is known to be wild but can keep the damage to a minimum if he keeps his emotions in check. Burnett got lit up by the Phillies in back in May, but that was a long time ago. Manager Joe Girardi is hoping for an ALCS Game 2 type outing (6.1 IP, 2 R, 2BB, 1 HBP) from Burnett rather than ALCS Game 5 types outing (6+ IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP).

Game 3: Cole Hamels vs. Andy Pettitte

Pettitte is the seasoned playoff veteran and he continued his playoff dominance against the LA Angels in the ALCS, winning the deciding Game 6. That win was Pettitte’s 16th career postseason victory. Hamels was last year’s NLCS & World Series MVP. He has not been close to the same pitcher so far this year. The Phillies will need the 2009 version of Hamels to regain his 2008 form.

Game 4: Joe Blanton/JA Happ vs. Sabathia/Chad Gaudin/Joba Chamberlain
This is where the debate begins. Happ made his first start of 2009 at new Yankee Stadium back in May and dominated (though Brad Lidge blew the game). Blanton has been the most consistent starter for the Phillies and the backbone of the rotation. Both will be available out of the bullpen for the first two games and whoever pitched the least will probably get the Game 4 nod. Girardi has used the 3 –man rotation throughout this year’s playoffs, though Sabathia has been the only one to pitch on short rest. With only one guaranteed off-day (2 total) and inclement weather looming, can Girardi afford a 3-man rotation? Can all 3 pitch on 3 days rest? Gaudin only made one playoff appearance so far this postseason (1 inning) and Chamberlain has struggled out of the bullpen lately. Neither is stretched out for a long starting stint. Depending on the first three games of the series may dictate how Girardi chooses the Game 4 & 5 starters.

The Phillies won the season series in NY 2-1, though Lidge was not lights-out (2 blown saves and a loss). The Yankees are trying for their 27th World Series title (these reason Girardi wears number 27 on his jersey) and the Phillies are trying for their 2nd consecutive. Both teams have played loose throughout the postseason. On paper, the Yankees would be the choice to win, but the Dodgers on paper looked like the team to be in the World Series. It’s time to throw out all the stats and watch the two teams play ball. It should be exciting.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Brad Lidge, Brian Bruney, CC Sabathia, Chad Durbin, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Dave Robertson, JA Happ, Jimmy Rollins, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Blanton, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, NY Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Phil Hughes, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino, World Series

Late in the game, Phillies fans sit on the edge of their seats, eyes covered, and holding their breath. It takes awhile to breathe a sigh of relief (if at all). Why should the playoffs be any different?
Phillies 8, Dodgers 6: In the bottom of the 2nd inning, James Loney homered to give the Los Angeles Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. Dodger killer Carlos Ruiz hit a 3-run homer in the 5th inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. Ruiz is continuing his hot hitting against the Dodgers (.600 average). Still in the 5th inning, Ryan Howard pulled a 2-run double into the right field corner to up the lead to 5-1. All of this came against Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, who didn’t finish the 5th while walking five and giving up the five runs. With a four run lead, Phillies starter Cole Hamels got into trouble, but seemed to get out of it by inducing a double-play grounder by Andre Ethier. However, it was botched by Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, allowing Russell Martin to score and Ethier advanced to second on Utley’s throwing error. Three pitches later, Manny Ramirez homered to make it 5-4. Hamels left with one out in the bottom of the 6th with two men on base, giving the ball to Chad Durbin, who got Martin to fly out. JA Happ came on to face the pinch-hitter Jim Thome, who walked to load the bases. Happ then got Rafael Furcal to ground out to end the inning. Chan Ho Park, who hadn’t pitched since September 16th, pitched a perfect 7th, getting Manny, Matt Kemp, and Casey Blake, after Antonio Bastardo gave up a leadoff double to Ethier. In the top of the 8th, the Dodgers went to lefty George Sherrill, who wasn’t very sharp. After two walks in the inning, Raul Ibanez connected on a 3-run homer to increase the Philadelphia Phillies lead to 8-4. These were huge insurance runs, as Ryan Madson again imploded in the bottom of the 8th, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits. However, the Dodgers could not get to Phillies closer Brad Lidge in the 9th, giving the Phillies a 1-0 series lead.

Dodgers 2, Phillies 1: Did anyone expect a pitcher’s duel between the two veterans, the Dodgers Vicente Padilla and the Phillies Pedro Martinez? That is exactly what happened in Game 2 in sunny, hot LA. Padilla reached his first 3-ball count with one out in the 8th inning. Padilla left after his one-out walk to Carlos Ruiz to a standing ovation from the home Dodger crowd. Padilla’s one mistake was an opposite field homerun to Ryan Howard to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead, which held up until the 8th. Dodger reliever Hong-Chih Kuo threw just two pitches, getting pinch-hitter Ben Francisco to ground into a double play to end the inning. The rust didn’t show for Pedro (he hadn’t pitched since September 30th), as he went 7 shutout innings, limiting the Dodgers to just two hits. However, the Phillies bullpen let him down in the 8th inning. Another botched double play by Chase Utley cost Pedro the win (and Chan Ho Park a run), tying the game at 1-1. JA Happ came in to face the lefty hitting Andre Ethier (Mr. Clutch), who coaxed a bases-loaded walk, driving in the winning run. The fifth pitcher of the inning, Chad Durbin threw one pitch, in on Manny Ramirez’ hands, getting him to pop up to finally end the bottom of the 8th inning. During the 8th inning, Phillies relievers combined to throw just 16 of their 31 pitches for strikes. Dodgers closer Jonathon Broxton made quick work of the Phillies in the top of the ninth. The Dodgers and Phillies are now tied at 1-1 heading to Philadelphia for Games 3-5 beginning on Sunday night.

Tags:

Andre Ethier, Carlos Ruiz, Clayton Kershaw, Cole Hamels, George Sherrill, LA Dodgers, NLCS, Pedro Martinez, Phillies, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Madson, Vicente Padilla

This is a rematch of last year’s championship series. Will it come down to a rematch of Dodgers closer Jonathon Broxton versus Phillies pinch-hitter Matt Stairs? If Phillies closer Brad Lidge can stay on track, the Phillies will be in good shape. The Dodgers are seeking redemption after losing last year in the NLCS. The Dodgers also have home-field advantage with home games in Games 1, 2, 6, and 7.

This series is evenly matched. Both teams are very good defensively, though the Dodgers give up some defense when Ronnie Belliard is in the lineup over Orlando Hudson at second base. Both teams can pitch. The Phillies starting rotation has been its strong suit since acquiring Cliff Lee. The Dodgers rotation had been a question mark, though against the Cardinals, they were impressive (except for Randy Wolf). The Phillies bullpen has been a weakness all season though collectively pitched well in the NLDS. They need to get Ryan Madson back on track, while keeping Lidge steady. The Philadelphia Phillies have decided to go with 11 pitchers in the NLCS, so as to add an extra hitter off the bench. The Phillies added Chan Ho Park (who has been out with an injury) and lost Brett Myers and Kyle Kendrick. They will also have Joe Blanton and JA Happ available out of the bullpen for Games 1 & 2. The Dodgers bullpen has been one of the best in the league. Add in starter Chad Billingsley and it makes them better. The Dodgers starters need only go 6 innings with the backend reliever combination of Hong-Chih Kuo, George Sherrill, and Broxton. Both teams hit. The Dodgers have speed and power, with Rafael Furcal and Matt Kemp at the top followed by Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, and James Loney. The Phillies also have speed and power, with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino at the top followed by Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez (who is heating up at the right time). The Phillies need Rollins to snap out of his season long slump that he has carried into the postseason. Both teams have veterans off the bench: the Dodgers have Mark Loretta (NLDS Game 2 hero), Jim Thome, and Juan Pierre, and the Phillies have Stairs, Gregg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett (just added to the NLCS roster), and Miguel Cairo. Both teams have experienced managers: the Dodgers have Joe Torre and all his experience with the NY Yankees and the Phillies have Charlie Manuel and his 2008 World Series ring. This is a series I see taking seven games to crown a National League Champion.

Game 1: Cole Hamels @ Clayton Kershaw
Hamels has been dominant against the Dodgers in his career (4GS, 2-0, 1.50 ERA) and at Dodger Stadium (16 GS, 3-4, 1.83 ERA). However, the Dodgers have hit left-handed pitchers better than right-handers this year. Kershaw has been dominant at home this year (2 GS, 1-0, 1.12 ERA), though he hasn’t had success against the Phillies in his career (4 GS, 0-3, 6.64 ERA). Kershaw will need to be dominant against the lefty heavy Phillies lineup.
Game 2: Pedro Martinez @ Vicente Padilla
Pedro hasn’t pitched since September 30th and that was only a 4 inning outing. The coaches indicate that Pedro looked good in his bullpens and that he could throw anywhere from 70-100 pitches Friday night. Pedro wasn’t so confident, at least in his comments: “I threw on the side and in the bullpen, but that’s not enough,” he said. My two innings of BP were a little bit erratic, wild a little bit.” So he doesn’t think he was sharp. Padilla was sharp in his Game 2 NLDS start against the Cardinals, going seven shutout innings. In his ten previous regular season starts, Padilla didn’t go more than 6 innings. This should be an interesting game between 2 veterans with something to prove.
Game 3: Cliff Lee vs. Huroki Kuroda
Lee was masterful in his first two career playoff starts (both in the NLDS against the Rockies). Kuroda has been out since September 28th with a neck injury. If the weather is cold in Philly, this could hinder Kuroda’s effectiveness. Torre seemed confident in Kuroda’s outings in hot Arizona in an instructional league game.
Game 4: Joe Blanton/JA Happ vs. Randy Wolf
This start comes down to who doesn’t get used as much out of the bullpen for the Phillies. Happ only pitched once against the Dodgers in 2009 and that was 2/3 of an inning in relief. Blanton made one start against the Dodgers in 2009, pitching six innings and giving up just one run on five hits. Wolf, who pitched well in the second half for the Los Angeles Dodgers but struggled in the NLDS against the Cardinals, is familiar with pitching in hostile Philly. Wolf hasn’t faired well against the Phillies this year, at least against the right-handed hitters and at Dodger Stadium. The left-handed hitting Phillies have yet to score a run against him, with just one hit and nine strikeouts. Wolf won his start at Citizens Bank Park, going 6 innings while giving up just one run on three hits and striking out eight.
Key Matchups:
Jayson Werth vs. the Dodgers lefty relievers: Werth had 14 HR in 2009 against left-handed pitching with a .302 batting average. He also walked more than he struck out (37 BB/ 33 K). He will be key hitting between lefties Howard and Ibanez. Sherrill faced right-handed hitters in 17.2 innings with a 1.02 ERA, allowing 15 hits and 2 runs. He walked 9 and struck out 10. Kuo faced right-handed hitters in 20.1 innings allowing 16 hits and 7 runs with a 3.02 ERA. He walked 7 and struck out 16.
Clayton Kershaw vs. the Phillies left-handed hitters (Utley, Howard, Ibanez): Versus lefties this season, Kershaw has 41.1 innings pitched, giving up 24 hits and 10 runs (1 HR), with 11 BB and 72 K. Utley hit .288 against lefties with 11 HR, 14 doubles, and 33 RBIs. He also had 35 walks and only struck out 37 times. Howard only hit .207, with 6 HR, 13 doubles, and 33 RBIs. He walked 25 times, but struck out 83 times. Ibanez hit .285 with 13 HR, 10 doubles, and 40 RBIs. He walked 16 times and struck out 41 times. It will be key for Kershaw (and the other left-handed pitchers) to neutralize these Philly lefties in order to advance to the World Series. These Philly left-handed hitters will need to produce in order for the Phillies to advance.

Tags:

Clayton Kershaw, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Huroki Kuroda, JA Happ, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, LA Dodgers, NLCS, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla

Phillies @ Rockies PPD: Game 3 between the   and Phillies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado was postponed until Sunday, with Game 4 on Monday and Game 5 (if necessary) in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The two teams were faced with temperatures in the 20’s and snow, so MLB decided it was best for players and fans alike to wait until Sunday to play. With the extra day off, Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has decided to go with lefty JA Happ in Game 3, instead of the veteran Pedro Martinez. In two outings against the Rockies, Happ has been brilliant going 11.1 innings and giving up just 5 hits and no runs with a .139 batting average against him.

On August 5th in Philadelphia, Happ threw a complete-game shutout against the Rockies. Also, the Phillies could start Game 1 starter Cliff Lee in Game 4 on regular rest, along with Cole Hamels (the Game 2 starter) in Game 5. For the Rockies, they are staying with Jason Hammel in Game 3, with a possibility of coming back with Ubaldo Jimenez in Game 4 and Aaron Cook in Game 5. Hammel has just 2 losses since the start of August.

Dodgers 5, Cardinals 1: With the games on the line, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre was not afraid to go to his closer Jonathon Broxton and his 100mph fastball. In all three games of the divisional series, Torre did just that. Broxton mainly threw just fastballs and was in to close out Game 3, finishing it out by striking out pinch-hitter Rick Ankiel.

Dodgers starter Vicente Padilla overmatched the Cardinals lineup, throwing seven shutout innings and giving up just four hits. On the other hand, Cardinals starter Joel Pineiro lasted just four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. The 3-4 hitters for the Dodgers (Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez) combined to go 6-for-10 with 4 RBIs. In the 3 game sweep, Dodgers pitchers held the Cardinals offense to just six runs. The Cardinals offense was just 4-for-30 with runners in scoring position.

This sweep of the Cardinals was similar to last season’s divisional series sweep of the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers were not picked to beat the Cubs, yet they did in dominating fashion. This year, the Dodgers were not picked to be able to compete against the Big Two of the Cardinals, yet they won all three. For the Cardinals, despite the loss, they had a successful season.

They won the NL Central in dominating fashion, with an 11 game lead. This in a division that they were not picked in spring training to finish in the top two. Albert Pujols had another MVP season, they have two CY Young candidates, Ryan Franklin turned into a fairly reliable closer, and they successfully moved Skip Schumaker from the outfield to second base. The Dodgers will now sit and wait to see who their NLCS opponent will be: the Rockies or the Phillies. The NLCS begins on Thursday.

Tags:

Albert Pujols, Charlie Manuel, Cole Hamels, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia, Rick Ankiel, Rockies, Ubaldo Jimenez, Vicente Padilla