Superb Starters
As with most playoff series, the outcome of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies will hinge largely upon starting pitching. Both clubs have gotten phenomenal performances out of their starters thus far in the post season, most especially the L.A. Dodgers.
Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda each started and got the victory in games one, two, and three of the NLDS series against the heavily favored Chicago Cubs. Even more impressive, Kuroda did not allow a run in the six innings he pitched, while Lowe and Billingsley allowed just two and one earned runs, respectively.
The Phillies' ace Cole Hamels was just as strong in his outing against the NL Wild Card Milwaukee Brewers, allowing no runs on two hits in an eight inning gem. Joe Blanton and Brett Myers allowed a combined three earned in runs in their two starts, and so it appears as though this series may eventually develop into a pitchers' duel.
Manny Being Manny
Delivering clutch hits in postseason series just comes naturally to outfielder Manny Ramirez. After all, the 36-year-old Dominican slugger has the most postseason home runs in history, and was crucial in capturing two World Series titles while with the Red Sox in Boston. Since being traded to the Dodgers on July 31st, Manny has hit nearly .400 and become a spark plug for the Dodger offense.
In the series against the Cubs, Ramirez went 5-for-10, scoring five runs and hitting two homers, while driving in three runs. Perhaps even more importantly, Manny was walked four times in a three-game series, a strategy that will almost certainly be adopted by Charlie Manuel and the Phillies at some point in the NLCS. Manny's presence has also allowed other Dodger hitters like Russell Martin and James Loney to see more hittable pitches in their at-bats, leading to more hits and better run production from top to bottom.
A Reborn Brad Lidge
Starting pitching cannot be fully effective unless the back end of a team's bullpen can shut the door and secure victory at the end of a game. While the Dodgers' closer Takashi Saito is coming off an injury and is not near his peak form, the Phillies' Brad Lidge is arguable the best closer in baseball. The 31-year-old right-hander is a perfect 43-for-43 in save opportunities this year, including two in the NLDS series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
After losing his edge and falling out of favor in Houston, Lidge signed with the Phillies in the offseason and was quickly put back in his normal role as closer. Lidge has not disappointed. Going a perfect 41-for-41 in the regular season, he showed the control and velocity that made a top-20 draft choice in 1999. If the Phillies have a lead going into the ninth inning, the Dodgers (Manny included) can pretty much forget about a rally and focus on the next game in the series.
Kevin D. Koeninger - I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Louisville with a degree in English in December of 2007. I am currently writing for ...
