PHILLIES vs. ROCKIES PREVIEW

by Andrew Buhr

As someone who happens to own almost all of the Phillies on my fantasy team this year, I feel very qualified in relating my experience with all of you. The Phillies won the season series 4-2. What does that mean? You guessed right: NOTHING! Also, have you heard how hot the Rockies have been as they have won 20 out of their last 31 games? That must mean that the Rockies have a lot of momentum going into this series. You guessed wrong again. OK, so what are the real issues in this series? I’m glad you asked.

Can a pitching staff more unpredictable than AIG’s stock provide stability?

This series is more about the Phillies’ issues than anything the Rockies can do. I cannot remember one team’s pitching staff going through so much turmoil. Cole Hamels is starting in Game 1 and Cliff Lee is starting in Game 2. I would assume that Joe Blanton would get Game 3 and Pedro Martinez would take Game 4. For all of Cliff Lee’s prowess after the trade from Cleveland, he is 2-4 with a 6.13 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Believe it or not, but Joe Blanton might be their most reliable starter. He had a streak of 13 straight quality starts snapped on September 10 and he is a workhorse. The Phillies are in a tough spot because Pedro Martinez is probably not going to get out of the fifth inning in Colorado and J.A. Happ has pitches 11.1 scoreless innings against Colorado this season.

Can the Phillies protect a three, two, one OK ANY LEAD?!?!?

One quick story: I went to a Phillies game versus the Mets a few weeks ago. The Phils had a 5-2 lead going into the ninth inning. Here begins the Brad Lidge experience. If you did not follow sports, you would have thought that the crowd noise would indicate the fans’ support for this guy. It was akin, however, to rooting for the Washington Generals or the Mets. You knew what was going to happen. After giving up two runs, the crowd couldn’t fake any more encouragement and “Lights Out” Lidge lived up to his nickname as Ryan Madson was brought in. After his perfect season last year, he has become the Vice President of the Shelled Closers Relief Fund along with Armando Benitez and Mark Wohlers. That is how bad it has become. The Phillies bullpen will be THE story of this series and I think it will end with Casey striking out.

Do the Rockies have enough pitching depth?

The Phillies, however, benefit from the Rockies’ shallow pitching depth. After ace Ubaldo Jimenez pitches, what is left are average starters and against a lineup that has the potential to score runs in a hurry, that is a scary proposition. The Rockies do not have many questions going into this series. Everyone knows what to expect out of them. They have an average lineup that cannot score enough runs to support their average starters after Jimenez. The Phillies have a huge advantage in power pitching because no one is going to be afraid facing the like of Marquis and Hammel.

Bottom Line

For all of the questions that the Phillies have, the postseason is about a good pitching staff shutting down lineups. While you would never bet the mortgage on any one Phillies game, you cannot discount what a huge advantage that Hamels/Lee/Blanton have over Jimenez/the pu pu platter. If the Rockies do not win Game 1, they are screwed. They need to win Game 1 and try to steal one of the next three. I am guessing Brad Lidge will never see the light of day in any game with a run differential less that seven. Wouldn’t it be great if Charlie Manuel decided to give J.A. Happ a chance to close since he probably will not start? But, hey, what the hell do I know?

Phillies in 4