Your NLCS Position-by-Position Breakdown

The Cubs did the Phillies a small favor by not showing up for their Division series. With the Dodgers defeating the Cubbies, running Chicago's North Side failures to an even century, the byproduct for our favorite team was home field advantage. In baseball, home field can often be a huge advantage, with both the raucous crowd in your favor for four games and the luxury of last ups. There's always a chance when you have last ups.

So the Cubs did the Phillies a favor by losing. But maybe they could have won at least one game? Now the Dodgers come in to Philadelphia riding a three-game sweep and boatloads of confidence. From the echoing sound of many of the baseball pundits, the Dodgers seem to be the favorite heading into the NLCS. Everyone agrees that it will be a close series, but it seems that more people believe in Torre and Manny than Charlie and Big Brown.

So let's take a look, position by position, at the rosters to see who has the advantage in this series.

First Base:
James Loney is a good young player. You'll hear that a lot with this Dodgers team. They are good, and young. Loney hit .289 with 13 home runs and 90 RBI for the Dodgers. He hits the ball to all fields (although all his home runs are to right) and while he only hit .214 against the Cubs, did have a two-run double in the clinching game.

Howard is Howard. The Phillies beat the Brewers with very little help from the big man. But with the Dodgers staff dominated by righties, Howard will need to produce for the Phils to advance.

Advantage: Howard

Second Base:
This isn't even a contest. Jeff Kent's injury earlier in the year was a blessing in disguise for Joe Torre. Rookie Blake DeWitt played in 117 games this season, batting .264 with 52 RBI. Chase Utley is Chase Utley. And again, Chase has struggled at times lately, but I'll take my chances with Chase over any second baseman in the league...especially a rookie.

Advantage: Chase

Shortstop:
Jimmy Rollins is a big time player. JRoll hit .375 in the Division series with three extra base hits including the tone-setting home run to lead off game four. Despite just one hiccup in the field, Rollins has proven that he has not lost a step and is playing his position as good as anyone.

Remember when Rafael Furcal came up with the Braves? He had the best arm of all time. Ever. He was nasty. He's still nasty, but he's been out the entire year. It's almost a medical miracle (ahem, ahem) that he's even playing. But he's the catalyst for this Dodgers team and changes the entire lineup when he's in it.

This one is close, and it's easy to say push, but Furcal has played in just 37 games this year. And nobody knows if he'll be able to hold up. Rollins will need to show his worth by running when he gets on base, taking pitches and putting the ball in play. Easy, right?

Advantage: Rollins

Third Base:
Casey Blake came over from Cleveland at the deadline and has played solid third base while hitting .273 in the playoffs this year, getting three singles in 11 at bats. Hard to judge. Feliz is Feliz (noticing a trend at this point in the year). He'll give you a double with a man on second one time up, then ground into a soul-crushing double play on the first pitch in the next.

Advantage: Coin flip....let's say Blake just so it's not all Phillies

Catcher:
This isn't even close. Russell Martin is one of the top young players, let alone catchers, in the majors. He's thrown out just under 25% of potential base stealers this season so the Phillies should try to test him when speed gets on first base. Carlos Ruiz has played better lately. I personally don't think we'll see Chris Coste behind the plate this series. It just doesn't seem like Charlie trusts him. Maybe in a double swith-a-thon, but I'd have to think it wouldn't be by design.

Advantage: Martin

Left Field:
I'll let someone else dissect the numbers. Manny is the best right handed bat in the last 30 years. He changed this Dodgers team, both in production and in the clubhouse. Pat the Bat won game four for the Phils but was a liability in the first three games at the plate. And with the loaded right handers on the Dodgers staff, this could be a long, long series for Pat. Let's hope he carries over his game four success, as he is a streaky fellow.

Advantage: Manny

Center Field:
Matt Kemp is another one of these good young players. But he only had two hits (both doubles) in the division series. Shane Victorino has been the Phillies best player, batting .357 while knocking in five runs and stealing three bases in four games.

Advantage: Sugar Shane

Right Field:
I wonder if the Dodgers look at Jayson Werth as the one who got away. Werth has been great in the playoffs, but I'm not sure what to expect from him against this staff.

Meanwhile Andre Ethier had just one hit in 10 at bats against the Cubs (with four walks). He did hit .305 with 20 home runs and 77 RBI this season and is another one of those ball to all fields kind of guy.

Advantage: Ethier

Starting Pitchers:
Nobody is pitching better than Cole Hamels. Derek Lowe is a solid sinkerballer which will help him in CBP. Expect a low scoring game one. Brett Myers passed his first test but I think we're all still holding a big shoe hoping it doesn't drop. Chad Billingsley is good, but he's a righty, and the Phillies hit righties well. If the Phils can get a lead in game two, Brett may be able to settle in.

People love Hideki Kuroda, and Moyer didn't exactly instill confidence with his last outing. And Blanton was lights out, but may face Clayton Kershaw who will neutralize Howard and Utley.

This is so evenly matched. But Cole will pitch twice, which should take the pressure off the rest of the staff.

Advantage: Cole and crew

Bullpen:
Brad Lidge is great. But the rest of the bullpen is tired. The rest this week has helped, sure, but I wonder how much Durbin has left in the tank. And Condrey and Eyre aren't exactly shutdown guys. Romero is rested and could be used to get Loney or Ethier in a big spot.

But the combination of Broxton and Saito is pretty damn good. And Greg Maddux might be the long man, for whatever that's worth. The bullpen had a 3.34 ERA in the regular season with 498 strikeouts in 519 innings.

Advantage: Dodgers

Bench:
Juan Pierre. Nomar. Jeff Kent. That's like an all-star team...from 1995. But in a big spot, who knows? Add in Angel Berroa and Pablo Ozuna and I think the Dodgers have a few more options than Greg Dobbs and....who is the righty off the bench these days?

Oh, and did Andruw Jones die? Where is that guy?

Advantage: Dodgers

Coaching
I said before that Charlie would out-manage Dale Sveum and boy did he. Charlie pushed all the right buttons. Well, I would have left Moyer in, but the rest of his buttons were spot on. His decisions won the Phils at least one game.

That said, Joe Torre is, from what I hear, a good skipper. And he's got Larry Bowa barking along side.

Advantage: Dodgers

Overall:
This should be a great matchup. The teams look even on paper so the biggest question marks are:
• How will the Phillies starters fair against a well-balanced lineup?
• Will the lefty hitters be able to carry the Phils in this series?
• Will the pressure get to the Dodgers youngsters?
• Will Brad Lidge re-up his deal with the devil?

Prediction: Phils in six

A FEW LINKS:
• So the outcome of this series may in fact be on the bat of Manny Ramirez.
• Honestly, since it's later in the morning, just go here. Big League Stew has all the links I'd give you.
• Except this one. I interviewed Dan Le Batard for yesterday's show. Really good interview about a wide range of topics including the media industry, Emeril, Ricky Williams, Michael Phelps and a whole lot more.

Comments

[TK]

The national media seems to be favoring the Dodgers. Honestly I think the fact that media favorites Joe Torre and Manny are both there. Plus, apparently seeing the Dodgers playing the Red Sox in the World Series is a "better story". That being said I think the Phillies are getting disrespected. Lets not forget the Dodgers have a 519 winning percentage. I know recently that they are hot but everyone cools off sometime. Phils take it in 6

[MPR529]

the media loves a fucking story. how about this for a story...

NO PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 25 YEARS!!!!

I think that's much more magnanimous a story than torre vs. manny. but to fox, espn and all the other anti-Philly outlets out there, they'd rather focus on the small shit.

sometimes I hate sports for that reason alone. It's all about "the best story." why can't this ever be just about the game?

Phils in 5.

[T]

Can we please change name Ryan Howard's name to Pooh or Pooh Bear? I can't help but be reminded of Whinnie the Pooh when I look at him.

Ryan "Pooh" Howard. It has a nice ring to it.

[MPR529]

I'd name him POOH after the taste of that horrendous subway sammich he's peddling. I'm used to non-authentic cheesesteaks out in AZ, but that thing tastes like POOH no matter where it's made.

[MP]

I'd give the edge to our bullpen, but it's only my humble opinion. Phillies in 6.

[Mr. Bryan]

Is it THURSDAY yet??!

[HLH]

It's been such a long time since we made it this far into the playoffs i'm a bit confused. Some of you are predicting The Phillies with take it in 6 games? Isn't this 5 game series? Well either way I'm gonna say the Phils take it in 5 games.

[johndewar]

@T: The nickname "Pooh" has been locked in by former Philadelphia High School standout Jerome "Pooh" Richardson, who played at Ben Franklin high, UCLA, and for the TWolves, Clip joint, and the Pacers in the Association.

[Tie Manna]

J-Roll
Sugar Shane
Chutly
RoHo
JayWorth
The Bat
Dobbs
DP Ruiz
Fill in Pitcher here
???
any thoughts???

[HLH]

Ok I did the smart thing and googled it. I'm still sticking with 5 games.

@tie.....ummm...Cole Hamels....not to sure what your asking though?

[MPR529]

@HLH: NLDS is 5 games, the rest are 7 game series.

I'd like to see MLB adopt the NFL's playoff idea, 6 in, 2 byes.

[Tie Manna]

Batting order

[Wilson]

I'm so anxious....

I don't know if the NFL format would work for baseball...look what they long off time did to the Rockies last year.

[MikeY]

@ tie:

No thoughts, a good line-up, just more like corrections, you're a little off on the nicknames.

It's :

ChUtley, Ryho, J-Werth, Dobbers (my nickname for Dobbs)/Dobey the something elf (I dunno what that is, but someone uses that nickname) and Chooch

...that's all.

Go Phils!

...and people, don't forget...the Flyers open the season Saturday @ 7pm vs. the Rangers. It's nice we don't have 2 games that night to be flipping between like on Sunday.

[MikeY]

@MPR:

If MLB adopted the NFL playoff format, they'd have to re-align the divisions to make 4 divisions in each league, which really wouldn't work in the AL since there are only 14 teams. The NL would be OK though, 4 division with 4 teams in each.

I'd like it too...more teams get in and the playoffs would be a couple weeks longer, but I doubt it will happen.

[Andy]

Great job on the whole, but I wonder why no mention at all of Mad Dog? He's been a huge asset in the 8th ever since that series of meltdowns by Romero and Durbin in LA in August. If we can get 7 from Cole and Brett, Durbin might only need to face a handful of batters in the series.

I think this series comes down to keeping Furcal off the bases ahead of Manny, assuming neither team takes a huge step backwards from how they played in the division series. He's batting .205 off Brett, Moyer, and Blanton (never faced Cole) and .214 in his career off the Phils' current staff. I say Phils in 6.

[Dan Levy]

Fair point. I should not have missed Madson who has been very good for the Phils.

Still think the bullpen edge goes to LA. Still think it won't matter as the Phils will win.

(and I'm interested to see if anyone on here thinks the Phils won't win).

[MPR529]

@mikeY: they COULD re-align the divisions, but honestly, I don't think that's necessary. Taking 2 more teams from the best records (wild card) rank shouldn't be too much of an issue, eh?

in order to get it done, I'd even cut out a couple weeks of the regular season if the player's union would bitch.

If we had 6 teams in the playoffs this year, the matchups would look like this:

PHI, CHI with byes
MIL vs. LAD
HOU vs. NYM

I get the too much rest argument, but as we see a 5 game series can royally fuck up the favored team. one small mistake is magnified in a short series.

I ain't sayin', i'm just sayin' could be interesting.

[jungle boy]

@MPR having byes in baseball would not be good.

I really would like baseball to have more teams in the playoffs but that is part of the lore of october baseball.

The only way that more teams would be in the playoffs would be like the NBA and NHL with 8.

I like the system as it is except the first series. the divisional series should be best of 7 as well.

[MPR529]

i worry with 8 teams we run the risk that the NHL runs with half the conference/league makes the playoffs. almost makes the regular season less important. plus you'd really have to cut back the regular season or you're moving into thanksgiving with 8 teams in the playoffs, all 7 game series.

it's fun to think about, but in the end, it'll never change. except maybe making all series 7 games.

[jnew]

The national media is definitely in favor of the Dodgers, but thats OK by me. There is a good article over on SI.com analyzing the assets and liabilities of each team in the playoffs. Anyone hear Steve Phillips this morning on Mike and Mike? He said his concern for the Phillies was that Lidge hadn't blown a save yet this year. While it does concern me a little bit, that should be a small concern.

[HLH]

How could the fact that Lidge hasn't blown a lead yet this year worry anybody? I think if he did blow some saves that would be a reason to worry. But it's not like there can be any more pressure on him if thats the worry.....As for the media and there love and want for a sox vs. dodger series.....It's gonna be funny when neither of those teams are playing. Hopefully they will get there big Manny story though. You know Manny being Manny when they realize they are not going the World Series and he freaks out on his teammates.

[jnew]

Hey at least in that matchup of left fielders pat the bat might finally be favored in defense. I hope he throws Manny out on the bases, although that would require Manny trying to take extra bases.

Re HLH: The only worry I have is that you know he has to blow one sometime, just given the odds I guess. But it doesn't seem to bother Lidge, and that's all that matters.

[Stevek]

Phils in 6. Fuck the national media.

[steverfredericks]

blake is so much better than feliz, its not really a question

but you didnt mention dobbs at all, and he will certainly start at least one of the first two games.

and if it were up to me, hed start both.

[will]

with two right handed closers, no.. i don't think dobbs will start either game. hope im wrong, but he fills the pinch-hitter role a lot better. plus, our best left handed bat on the bench besides dobbs is stairs. after that, i don't think any other options exists. although, feliz did hit a walk of on a sunday night game against broxton. he sits fastball, good matchup.