Phillies vs. Dodgers

Attempting to avenge last year’s loss in 5 games, the Dodgers once again meet up with the Phillies in the NLCS.  This time, however, things may be different.

After dominating and dumping the St. Louis Cardinals, widely considered by many experts to breeze through the National League playoffs, the Dodgers seem to have found their early season form, minus Manny on Steroids of course.  While we cannot imagine a pennant winning pitching staff comprised of Clayton Kershaw, Randy Wolf, and Vicente Padilla, the Dodgers already blasted through the best staff remaining in the National league in Carpenter, Wainwright, and Pinero. On paper, the staff of Cliff Lee (maybe the best trade deadline acquisition this year) J.A. Happ (although he may be moved o the bullpen for soft throwing Pedro Martinez), and last season’s post season stud Cole Hamels should be far superior.  Then again, that’s paper.  And while the Manny isn’t hitting .600 like he did last year, other players have stepped up.  Matt Kemp might be one of the 5 best young players in the league.  He can do it all: defense, speed, power, and hit for average.  The Phillies have a lot of punch in that lineup, and may have the best 1-6 in the league.  They should score minimum of 4 runs a game, but even that may not be enough to get past the Dodgers, especially with their home field advantage.

KEY:  The Bullpen

The Dodgers bullpen is far superior to the Phillies, which is the Phillies’ Achilles heel.  Any time you have two opponents where the same attribute is one’s strength and the other’s weakness, the one who has that strength should win.

Angels vs. Yankees

The improbable story of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim-I’m just going to call them Anaheim Angels from here on out-continues against the best team in the league.  However, what’s different this time for the Angels is the fact that they exorcised the demon that was the Boston Red Sox.  And it wasn’t just who they did, it was the way they did it:  On the road in a ballpark that has been their biggest kryptonite.  Against a team that has eliminated them every time the play in the post season for the last 23 years, including 12 of their last 13 games, and against the best bullpen and closer in baseball, all with nobody on, down to and down to their final strike.

The Angels, going back to the late 90’s, are the only team in baseball with a winning record against the Yankees.  This includes the Joe Torre years of glory, where they won 3 in a row.  Based on this, and the fact that they beat Boston, the Angels feel that there’s no one they can’t beat, including the Yankees.

For the Yankees, there’s no more question about whom the best in the East, or in baseball.  The Yankees racked up 103 wins, and after spending close to half a billion dollars on free agents-that’s right, BILLION-the dividends have immediately been paid. The Yankees downfall this decade has been their lack of starting pitching, and they addressed that by going out and getting C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.  Their ability to strike guys out, not just get ground ball or fly ball outs, is critical.  Keep the Angels off the bases, and they will be rewarded.  Mark Teixeira has earned every bit of his $188 million dollar contract in the first year, and after using the Angels last year as a bargaining chip, it should be competitive.  Most importantly, Alex Rodriguez is finally coming through in the post season, something other hated and steroid filled hall of famers never did.  But now he’s not o the juice, and after missing over a month still finished in the league leaders in home runs and RBI’s upon his return.  See our article “Red October”-we predicted him to have his first great post season, and so far he’s not disappointing. The Angels bullpen has been shaky at best, and against Mariano Rivera, the Yanks definitely have the advantage.  Then again, the “experts” said that about the Angels vs. the Red Sox too.

KEY: Angels on the base paths.  If the Angels are able to get on base, distract the pitcher and go first to third, as they do better than any team, they can pull it off.  If the Yankees are able to strike guys out and keep the Angels off the bases that will go along way in securing their first pennant in 6 years.

Predictions

Phillies/Dodgers

Our proud Irish Friend and baseball nut, Mr. Reeve O’Leedus, has offered his predictions against mine.  He should be out golfing, drinking, peeling potatoes or getting in a fight.  He may do it all in one night, but he knows baseball, and its fun to see who he picked.  If he’s right though, I have to stroke his shillelagh (sha-la-lee).

“Ahh, to be sure, Phillies pitching is not as dominant as it were last year.  Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge have fallen back to earth to the peat.
Mr. Ryan Howard went 3-for-28 with 11 strikeouts against the Dodgers this year, and Utley and Jimmy Rollins both were a wee bit under 200.  Cliff Lee will be pitching on short rest, and the lads, Ethier, Kemp have grown up.  The Dodgers bench, their left handed pitchers against their left handed line up, and Manny’s a hittin again.  And the Dodgers have home field advantage”. –Irish Reeve O’Leedus

My Prediction:  Dodgers in 7                   Irish Reeve O’Leedus: Dodgers in 6

Starting Pitching        Phillies                   Phillies
Bullpen                      Dodgers                  Dodgers
Defense                      Phillies                   Phillies
Power                         Phillies                   Phillies
Run Production          Phillies                   Dodgers
Speed                         Phillies                    Phillies
Bench                         Dodgers                  Dodgers
Manager                     Dodgers                  Dodgers
Intangibles                 Dodgers                   Dodgers

Angels vs. Yankees

Irish Reeve O’Leedus offers his picks for the ALCS. The bet on this series is I have to bath him in a bowl of Lucky Charms if I lose.  I think I’d actually do the NLCS wager twice: stroking his shillelagh (sha-la-lee).

“ Mr. Sabathia is the only dominant pitcher the Yanks be havin’, Andy Pet it (please)  is below mediocre, so the pitching advantage goes to the Angels.  The Angels also have the “Do it for Adenhart story”.  The history of the Angels beating the Yanks does a wee bit further in helping them, to be sure that’s right.  Mr. Scoscia should outcoach Mr. Girardi
But can Vlad hit?  He has to in order for them to win.  However, Mr. Teixeira and his Portuguese blood is unstoppable.  If he were Irish he’d be puttin’ Shamrock Shake all over ya.”-Irish Reeve O’Leedus

My Prediction: Yankees in 7          Irish Reeve O’Leedus: Angels in 7

Starting Pitching       Push                        Angels
Bullpen                     Yankees                  Yankees
Defense                     Angels                     Angels
Power                       Yankees                   Yankees
Run Production        Angels                      Angels
Speed                        Angels                     Angels
Bench                        Push                        Angels
Manager                    Angels                     Angels
Intangibles                Angels                     Angels

Watch Your Team In Prime Time! Unless You're On The West Coast...

UPDATE: 10/19/2009

After the 11-0 pounding of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ryan Howard answered questions at a press conference.  Athletes and anyone involved in sports with half a brain will tell you that nothing is ever certain, especially in a 7 game series (Just ask the Yankees after losing the 2004 ALCS to Boston whjen they were up 3 games to zero).

But that didn’t stop one reporter, who didn’t identify herself, when she asked Howard something both presumptuous and ignorant.  The question, almost verbatim, asked Howard how it was going to feel to face C.C. Sabathia.

Last I checked, The Yankees were only up 2-0, and the Phillies were up 2-1.  Blatant and obvious disrespect for both L.A. teams, but to Howard’s credit, after letting out a stunned “Wow”, he stated that the Angels and Yankees looks like its going to be a good series, and that the Phillies still obviously aren’t done with the Dodgers.  He even rolled his eyes and laughed through his answer, knowing it was an irresponsible and horrible question.

Got more examples of East Coast Bias?  Post them here!

I just had to turn down an invite to Game 2 because it’s a 1:30pm afternoon game instead of a night game.  Oh, but wouldn’t you know, the people in Philadelphia get to see Game 1 just past 8 (perfect primetime) while we are either missing half of the game, or scampering to leave work early or sitting in massive traffic trying to get to game, let alone pick up kids from school, & get dinner started.  Then there’s Game 2, where the good people of Philly get to get off work just a little early on a Friday night & get home or to a bar or something, while we are right smack dab in the friggin middle of the work day.  We either have to use a vacation day or a sick day & either way, even being the home team, we don’t get to truly rage like a night weekend game would allow for.

And then there are the fine Yankee fans in NYC.  They get 7:30 start times for both Friday & Saturday nights.  Weekend night games for both Games 1 & 2.  No work day after either game.  How perfect & convenient. Plenty of time to get liquored up & rock that stadium.

They get a 7:30pm Friday night home game & I get a 1:37pm Friday afternoon home game that I have to TURN DOWN because I’m still at work!!!  How festive would I be & the rest of our fans be if our game got at least a 7:10pm start?  If the friggin regular season games in L.A. during the week against East Coast teams start at 7:10pm, then the friggin playoff games should be the same….OK fine……I’d even be ok with an early start by an hour.  6pm for us, 9pm for East Coast.  Still primetime.  Why can’t that work??

Son of a flippin beeotch

Yes, I’m angry.  I hope the Angels & the Dodgers kick the living sh** out of both of them.  Then we start EVERY WEEKDAY GAME of the FREEWAY SERIES at 7:10 Pacific Time, so we, the fans of OUR baseball teams can comfortably get to OUR own stadiums & bars ON TIME to watch OUR own teams play & screw everyone else & their flippin time zones…..

Signed—One angry Barbo