NLCS Preview: Phillies vs. Giants

Game 1: Today, 8PM, Philadelphia

Lincecum vs. Halladay

Game 2: Tomorrow, 8PM, Philadelphia

Sanchez vs. Oswalt

Game 3: Tuesday 10/19, 4PM, San Francisco

Hamels vs.Cain

Game 4: Wednesday 10/20, 7:30PM, San Francisco

Blanton vs. Bumgarner

*Game 5: Thursday 10/21, 7:30PM, San Francisco

Halladay vs. Lincecum

*Game 6: Saturday 10/23, 3:30PM, Philadelphia

Sanchez vs. Oswalt

*Game 7: Sunday 10/24, 7:30PM, Philadelphia

Cain vs. Hamels

Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter in his first career postseason start

Who’s Hot

PHI         RHP Roy Halladay – 1-0, 9 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB/8 K, 0.11 WHIP, 0.00 ERA

                LHP Cole Hamels – 1-0, 9 IP. 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB/9 K, 0.57 WHIP, 0.00 ERA

SF           C Buster Posey – 6-for-16 (.375), 3 R, 2B, 2 BB/5 K

                RHP Tim Lincecum – 1-0, 9 IP, 2 H, 1 BB/14 K, 0.33 WHIP, 0.00 ERA

                LHP Jonathan Sancehez – 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB/11 K, 0.41 WHIP, 1.23 ERA

Who’s Not

PHI         Phillies Offense – 21-for-99 (.212), 13 R (7 ER), 1 HR, 10 RBI, 10 BB/14 K

                RHP Roy Oswalt – 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB/5 K, 1.20 WHIP, 5.40 ERA

SF           Giants Offense – 28-for-132 (.212), 11 R (8 ER), 2 HR, 9 RBI, 13 BB/43 K

                RHP Sergio Romo – 1-0, 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4.50 WHIP, 40.50 ERA

The Rust Factor

                Just like the Yankees, the Phillies have been sitting for a while.  However, unlike the Yankees, the Phillies open their series at home.  As a result, they’ll have an easier time adjusting.  I don’t anticipate this being a factor in this series, but it needed to be noted.

Coming Back

                Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand return to postseason baseball in Philadelphia.  However, this time they’re in the other dugout.  Expect cheers for both when they are announced, and don’t be surprised if Pat the Bat launches a ball 450+ feet at some point.  Burrell could turn out to be the key player in this series.  He’s the one guy in the Giants lineup that can change the game with one swing of the bat.  Rowand is unlikely to play much outside of pinch-hitting.

Pat Burrell has been a monster since coming to San Francisco

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching

                All the talk coming into this series has been about the pitching.  3 (likely 4) Cy Young awards.  15 All-Star Games.  Lincecum vs. Halladay.  Sanchez vs. Oswalt.  Cain vs. Hamels.  It’s absolutely unbelievable.  Possibly the best matchup of pitching in the history of the postseason.  But let’s not discount the hitters.  I already mentioned what Burrell can do, but he’s not the only one in that lineup.  Posey is a strong candidate for rookie-of-the-year, having had a monster season.  Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross, Freddy Sanchez and Andres Torres are no slouches, either.  Then in red pinstripes you don’t have an easy out, from Shane Victorino to that guy they call “Chooch” hitting eighth.  We could see a all 2-1 games, or we could see a couple of crooked numbers.  Don’t just assume a pitchers duel.

Playing a Clean Game

                While both teams played well in the NLDS, it’s no secret they were helped out tremendously by errors committed by the opposing teams.  With the exceptional pitching featured in this series, it could be the team that makes the fewest mistakes—and does the most to create runs.

***There will be no prediction for this series.  I have a policy of not betting, voting or predicting when one of my teams are involved***