I felt like doing something different for the playoffs than my traditional pitching previews I have been doing all season long:
NLDS Schedule:
Game 1, Saturday 10/1 at 5:07 PM- Kyle Lohse vs Roy Halladay- Can Halladay kick off the playoffs by pitching a gem once again? Will Lohse get knocked out by the Phillies hot offense or will he silence his former team?
Game 2, Sunday 10/2 at 8:37 PM- Chris Carpenter vs Cliff Lee- Both pitchers hurled shutout outings against each other’s teams.
Game 3, Tuesday 10/4 at 5:07 PM- Jamie Garcia vs Cole Hamels- This will be a huge matchup of southpaws. Hamels has more postseason experience in his previous 4 years in the playoffs while Garcia has had the Phillies number in his career. Also with the weather forecast calling for sunny skies, and with the late afternoon start time, the shadows will play a huge role in this game.
Game 4, Wednesday 10/5 at 6:07- Edwin Jackson vs Roy Oswalt- Oswalt started the clincher against the same Cardinals last month, but he will have to step up again in this game.
Game 5, Friday 10/7 at 8:37 : TBA
After winning a franchise best 102 games this year by chopping up their division rival Atlanta Braves to eliminate them, the Phillies will begin their 5th straight postseason appearance by facing the Saint Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series. After getting swept by then hot Colorado Rockies in the 2007 NLDS, the Phillies have won their final 3 NLDSs against the Brewers, Rockies, and Reds. In addition, the Phillies have always had home field advantage in the NLDS. The Phillies are 9-5 in NLDS games which includes sweeping the Reds in a memorable series last season. This will be the Cardinals first playoff appearance since getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2009 NLDS. Therefore, the last playoff game the Cardinals won was the 2006 World Series at the hands of the Detroit Tigers.
Despite the Phillies success this year, the Cardinals are one of two NL teams the Phillies have a losing record against (the other one is the Nats). The Phillies were 1-3 at home, but 2-3 at Saint Louis. After the Phillies clinched the NL East against the Cardinals behind a big 8th inning, their offense went to sleep for the next 8 games until they finished the season strong by winning their final 4 games.
The Saint Louis Cardinals on the other hand finished with a 90-72 record and was hot in September to take the Wild Card away from the Atlanta Braves. After the Brewers ran away in the tight NL Central, the Cardinals were 67-63 and 11 games behind the Wild Card leading Braves. Since then, the Cardinals went on a 23-9 tear while the Braves were 11-20. Also in that stretch, the Cards lost back to back games only 2 times.
The Phillies offense will be led by Ryan Howard who has always hit his hometown team well, especially in Saint Louis. He had a subpar season against the Cardinals this year by striking out 7 times this year against the Cardinals (thanks mostly to Jamie Garcia) and by going 5-19 with a home run and a double. However, in 45 games played against the Cards, he is batting .360 (highest vs any team) with 9 doubles and 16 home runs. In addition in his hometown, he is batting .368 with 4 doubles and 9 home runs.
Lance Berkman has been a monster against the Phillies this year. He was batting .467 with a double, 2 home runs and 7 RBI. At the Bank, he was hitting .571 with a home run and 3 RBI. He is a lifetime .346 batter at Citizens Bank Park with 5 doubles and 6 home runs.
Phillies NLDS Roster: Joe Blanton has taken the final spot on the roster over David Herndon. Despite a disappointed Herndon earning his first career save on Wednesday, the Phillies liked what they saw in Blanton’s innings better instead of Herndon’s inconsistent appearances. Pete Orr and Erik Kratz are going to travel with the team in case of an emergency. Domonic Brown, Justin De Fratus and Joe Savery will work out in Clearwater to stay lpose if they are needed later on. Mike Schwimer, John Bowker, and Brandon Moss have been sent home.
