Comments on: NLCS Preview Part III : A Stacked Rotation

By: db

db — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:04:28 +0000

throw a RHP/LHP on the top roster for us newbs who dont know every name

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:56:34 +0000

MikeB…I think the Cubs were cold because the starters got rested for the last week of the regular season.

By: MikeB

MikeB — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:55:43 +0000

I was modestly surprised when the Dodgers beat the Cubbies in the NLDS but for them to do it in three games straight was a big surprise. After all, the Cubs had one of the best records in baseball. So then the question is, were the Dodgers the superior team or were the Cubs burned out and played their best baseball earlier in the year?

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:05:19 +0000

more or less? how about more than less… did rynho even have a hit in the series?! chase had one – although it was important for the game 1 win, it was also an error on cameron (not officially but hey, we all saw what we saw)…
i think 7 days worth of BP will help our duo tremendously, i hope at least… i think they are like, 75% the key offensively in this series but not the be all that ends all…

By: Mike N

Mike N — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:50:46 +0000

Squonk64- Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I meant that the Dodgers are much better than the *Brewers*. I think the Phils and the Dodgers are pretty evenly matched, it wouldn’t surprise me to see it go seven games. My point was, Utley and Howard have to pick it up since we cannot beat the Dodgers without them. We did more or less beat the Brewers without them.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:10:10 +0000

hahah donny great point… espn picks are as reliable as a 1972 pinto!
i’m nervous/anxious/excited for this series all at once… i mean, if we win this thing then we go to the WORLD SERIES! i’m trying my hardest not to get ahead of myself (well i sort of did when i bought WS tickets…) but as a fan i feel as tho i’m entitled to… as a phillies ballplayer i hope they can look at this series one game at a time… that i feel is our best chance to get through to the next step… come on phils! lets go!

By: Don M

Don M — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:03:29 +0000

It comes down to the fact that any of the 4 remaining teams have a legit chance to win the World Series..

The RedSox have the experience and the starting pitching.
The Rays have a lot of players who play for the team, and play great situational baseball.. along with good pitching.
The Dodgers have Babe Ruth.. I mean Roy Hobbs.. I mean Manny Ramirez.. to go along with the “best” pitching in the NL..

The Phillies have solid starting pitching, a strong bullpen, power and speed throughout most of their lineup.. very good baserunning and defense.. and the phillies phanatic..

really any team can win.. and if the ESPN crew is all taking the Dodgers, we should feel great about our chances, cause they can’t pick winners to save their lives!

By: Griffin

Griffin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:48:45 +0000

They should include a 5th question in that poll.” Have we hyped Manny Ramirez vs. the Red Sox enough that now everyone will pick those two teams to win?”

By: Squonk64

Squonk64 — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:30:33 +0000

Mike M: “the much better Dodgers?” Huh?

In all fairness, the Dodgers are a hot team, have done well lately. But so are the Phillies. Both the Dodgers and Phillies beat teams that weren’t hot to get to the NLCS, the Cubbies having lost 4 of 6 at the end of the season and the Brewers being, well, the Brewers.

That talk makes me laugh. Especially when you look at “polls,” like the only over at ESPN.com. See:

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/poll/index?pCat=46&sCat=181

Q1: Who will win the NLCS? 57-43 Dodgers. (As of this writing.)

Q2: Who has the better starting rotation: Even, 50-50.

Q3: Who has the better bullpen: Phillies, 58-42.

Q4: Who has the better top of the lineup: Phillies, 65-35.

I mean, what am I missing here? That the Dodgers are the better team, even though, when you break things down, The Phillies are better or even in every category?

By: Squonk64

Squonk64 — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:19:23 +0000

Here is my case for the Phillies. The Phillies’ rotation home/away stats is very telling on why the Phillies set the rotation the way they did, all that “lefty/righty” stuff aside.

Hamels: 2.99/0.227 home vs. 3.19/0.226 away. Myers: 3.01/0.232 vs. 6.21/0.301. (Ouch!) Moyer: 4.61/0.294 (Ouch!) vs. 2.92/0.232. Blanton: (Phils only stats not easily available, so I hope I did the math right) 3.55/0.234 vs 5.23/0.260 (Uh, oh…) My bottom line is Hamels is neutral home/away, Myers definately pitches better at home, Moyer definately pitches better on the road, and Blanton is the fourth wheel on a tricycle. The Phillies are making the most of their starting four by pitching their Ace first at home with a possible game 5 on the road, keeping Myers at home regardless in games 2 and 6, pitching Moyer away and praying his experience deals with a possible Game 7 at home, and throwing Blanton out there where he fits.

The only holes I see is Blanton in game 4, and Moyer in a possible game 7. Game 1 should be gimme. Games 2 and 3 and 6 have the Phillies as a slight edge. Game 5 should be tight. If it gets to games 6 or 7, you throw out all the stops if Myers or Moyer get into trouble or the opposing pitcher is doing extremely well. Looking at only the starting pitching match-ups, I don’t see how the Phils pitching matchups are not, at worst, even on 5 of the 7 days.