Let's Get The Show On The Road...

To me the worst thing about the MLB Playoffs, is having to wait so long in between series. I realize that the schedule is such because of team travel and all that, but LET'S GO ALREADY! I'm so used to having a game every night, or nearly every night, that my A.D.D. is starting to kick in and I'm ready to watch some baseball again....

We'll get the NLCS first, in a repeat of last year's match up the Dodgers and the Phillies. The only thing different is the Dodgers have the home field advantage this time around. Not sure we could ask for a better pitching match up in Game 1, two young talented lefties, as Rancho Bernardo's Cole Hamels goes for the Phillies against 22 year old Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers. Hamels is the reigning World Series MVP, and even though his season hasn't gone like last year, it's hard to argue against his post season experience. Hamels was 4-0, with a 1.80 ERA in 5 post season starts a year ago. Kershaw, out of Dallas, Texas and Highland Park High School, the same school that produced the Padres Chris Young, pitched well in his start in the NLDS against the Cardinals, but didn't figure into the decision.

X Factors...

For the Dodgers, I believe it's the starting rotation. Not a short series, can't ride 2 hot pitchers to the World Series. The Dodgers will need effective starts from the lefties, and then hope somebody like Vicente Padilla can step up.

For the Phillies, the choice to me is obvious. It's Brad Lidge. The biggest question begs to be asked, is Lidge back after picking up 2 saves against the Rockies? The Phillies have the offense, the defense and starting pitching to get back to the World Series, but will the bullpen be a help or hinderance to that goal?

Lineups...

From the Dodgers official Twitter page, @DodgertownUSA, we present the LA starting lineup for game one...1. Furcal - SS, 2. Ethier - RF, 3. Ramirez - LF, 4. Kemp - CF, 5. Blake - 3B, 6. Loney - 1B, 7. Belliard - 2B, 8. Martin - C, 9. Kershaw - P.

Don't have the Phillies lineup yet, but I'll try to find it out for you soon.

More Musings...

Congratulations to Cole Hamels and his wife, on the birth of their first child, Caleb Michael Hamel, delivered Friday.

If you are looking for an amusing, yet honest take on what it's like to be a Phillies relief pitcher, check out Scott Eyre's blog http://scotteyre.mlblogs.com/ Scott is a friend from our Chicago days, and a funny guy. Give him a read.

The Dodgers also announced their rotation for the series (again courtesy @DodgertownUSA), Kershaw, Padilla, Kuroda, and then former Padre Randy Wolf. Kuroda had been out with a disc problem in his neck. It was reported that he threw a five inning, 50 pitch game in Arizona today, then threw 25 more pitches in the bullpen.

Leadoff men...

How important is a good leadoff hitter? Here's the list of the final four team's leadoff hitters:

Jimmy Rollins - PHI, Rafael Furcal - LAD, Chone Figgins - LAA, and Derek Jeter - NYY. Pretty impressive stuff.

A look at more from the NLCS tomorrow and a quick preview of the ALCS then as well...

Til then....

Andy