NLCS Preview Phillies-Dodgers

One shocking thing about the NL playoffs is that two closers helped pitch their team out of wins and out of the playoffs and none of them were Brad Lidge. Well....we got what we have last year, a rematch of the'08 NLCS.....what looked to be a possibly thrilling divisional series set was anti-climatic as 3 series were sweeps and the 4th one was deciding in 4 games....with that on to the NLCS Match-up...since I broke down the players seasons in prior posts, i'm going to list the match-ups and advantages up top and then explain my general thinking below the match-ups.

Catcher:

Russell Martin vs. Carlos Ruiz

Advantage: Phillies

First Base:

James Loney vs. Ryan Howard

Advantage: Phillies

Second Base

Orlando Hudson vs. Chase Utley

Advantage: Phillies

Shortstop

Rafael Furcal vs. Jimmy Rollins

Advantage: Phillies

Third Base

Casey Blake vs. Pedro Feliz

Advantage: Dodgers

Left Field

Manny Ramirez vs. Raul Ibanez

Advantage: Dodgers

Center Field

Matt Kemp vs. Shane Victorino

Advantage: Dodgers

Right Field

Andre Ethier vs. Jayson Werth

Advantage: Phillies

Starting Rotation:

Randy Wolf

Clayton Kershaw

Vicente Padilla

Jon Garland

vs.

Cliff Lee

Cole Hamels

Joe Blanton

Pedro Martinez

J.A. Happ

Advantage: Phillies

Bullpen:

Jonathan Broxton

Ramon Troncoso

Ronald Belisario

vs.

Brad Lidge

Ryan Madson

Clay Condrey

Advantage: Dodgers

X Factor: Phillies

The Phillies have a strong edge on the majority of the infield (third base being the exception)...the Dodgers are stronger in the outfield. Ethier vs. Werth was pretty much a push at right field.....Werth got the nod due to having a better body of post-season work. While the Dodgers starting pitchers were strong vs. St. Louis....I have doubts about a rotation headed by Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla being able to win every series. While Brad Lidge had a strong NLDS....i'm not quite sold that he can hold up his strong performance through the NLDS and World Series......The Phillies got the X Factor due to a) experience.....when these two matched up last year, the Phillies sent Manny-Wood home for the winter b) The Phillies late season acquisition Cliff Lee has more potential to carry a team through the playoffs than the Dodgers main pick-up (Vicente Padilla). I've learned my lesson from the Divisional Series and that any hope of these playoff series going 7 games just isn't happening....but the Phillies getting a chance to repeat is likely to happen

Phillies in 5