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I like the fact that Colorado's Kaz Matsui has found some redemption in these playoffs. Isn't this the same guy who was trashed in New York for not being the other Matsui in the Big Apple? He was faulted for not hitting enough with the Mets and his range at second was suspect. I don't think the Phillies think he isn't clutch.

I like Josh Beckett (who doesn't?). Take a look at the 1988 World Series when the Dodgers upset the A's. That was the year of Orel Hershider 59 straight shutout innings. Hershiser won two games against the series, including the clincher, but his presence seemed to spook the A's in the other three games and allowed bit players like Mickey Hatcher to beat them.

I like the home teams in this series. As an A's fan, I know that Fenway Park can be a very intimidating setting. Things go horribly wrong at times and the rabid Red Sox Nation will let you know about it. Coors Field reveals disadvantages in the Red Sox defense at left and first. There's a lot of acreage out there for Manny Ramirez to flub a flyball and, because of the DH, David Ortiz will play first until it becomes necessity to put Kevin Youkilis back there. The necessity being the Sox trailing three games to two.

I like Matt Holliday being one of the guys who could get the Rockies off to a good start in Game 1. He's 6-for-14 against Beckett, including 2-for-3 with a homer this year. The best player should be the guy to lead and he's quietly hit four homers in this year's postseason.

I like the Rockies showing no ill-effects from their nine day layoff. They're are white-hot right now, but haven't really stolen a win, except for the one-game playoff. Colorado has played consistent baseball throughout the past month. You don't forget how to play excellent baseball in over a week.

I like Boston getting into the Colorado bullpen. The Rockies should not what befell Rafael Betancourt in Game 7 of the ALCS. He, like the red-hot Rockies bullpen, was untouchable until he allowed the clincher to get out of hand.

I like that Red Sox are becoming the new Yankees. They were always the Yankees. They played up the underdog storyline despite spending just about as much as the "evil empire".

I like the Red Sox winning their second World Series in four years only because they play four games at Fenway.

I like Jonathan Papelbon saving four games and winning the MVP.

Labels: Red Sox, Rockies, World Series

COLORADO ORGANIZATION ESPOUSES THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE

The Red Sox slayed the personification of evil, the New York Yankees, on the way to their first title in 86 years. Now, according to the New York Times, they will need to defeat Jesus Christ to do it again.

The role of religion within the Rockies’ organization first entered the public sphere in May 2006, when an article published in USA Today described the organization as adhering to a 'Christian-based code of conduct' and the clubhouse as a place where Bibles were read and men’s magazines, like Maxim or Playboy, were banned

General Manager Dan O'Dowd, a benefactor himself of the Rockies kindness by not firing him after an abysmal record, tries to sidestep the question of the Rockies religious bent, but not with much effort.

'Do we like players with character? There is absolutely no doubt about that,' O’Dowd said during a recent interview in his Coors Field office. 'If people want to interpret character as a religious-based issue because it appears many times in the Bible, that’s their decision. I believe that character is an innate part of developing an organization, and to me, it is nothing more than doing the right thing at the right time when nobody’s looking. Nothing more complicated than that'

It's interesting to read the small factoids the media reports when an unknown, western-based team with very little history to speak of becomes a national story.

Labels: Dan O'Dowd, Jesus Christ, Red Sox, Rockies

ROX PITCHING, NOT HITTING TAKE NLCS IN FIVE

That fast moving locomotive from Denver blew past me last week. In truth, I had no intention of ever jumping on that bandwagon, but now, it's a different story.

Move over! Here comes the latest bandwagon-jumper to the Colorado Rockies. Incorrectly predicting that the Phillies would sweep the Rockies instead of the other way around has proven to be one of my greatest misreads ever. I mean, I had the series called except the wrong team. I'm not going to make that same mistake twice, even if continuing a 17-1 streak seems like a tall order.

I'm reserving my World Series pick for later, but the American League champ best book a hotel in Denver in 13 days time.

It's not that Rockies have a leg up at every position except maybe the manager and the big ace Brandon Webb, but because during the wildcard playoff era a certain thing called momentum has proven more potent than three excellent starting pitchers and the best collection of hitters. Every World Series champion from 2001 on has been the benefactor of that certain mysterious substance called "mojo".

It could be many factors including parity or more succinctly because the dreaded Yankees have stumbled every year during this period. Whatever the reason, the Rockies have it starting Game 1 of the NLCS against Arizona.

I agree with everyone who says the key for the Diamondbacks is to get Webb to shutdown the Rockies tonight and in Game 4 and Game 7 on short rest if needed. Isn't this the same logic that many had for the Phillies to beat Colorado? Two Herculean efforts by Cole Hamels and the Phils advance? It didn't work out that way and assumptions like that rarely happen in baseball where anything can happen anytime.

Ironically, the most impressive part of the Rockies late-season run hasn't been their potent offense, but the excellent delineation of pitching roles. Starter Jeff Francis was impressive for six inning in the Division Series, but that wasn't a surprise he won 17 during the season. Having rookie Ubaldo Jimenez shine was, but you don't have to superstars in the rotation in a short series because there's precedent.

The 1987 Minnesota Twins, an unheralded postseason squad like Colorado, won the World Series ostensibly with one great pitcher (Frank Viola), an over-the-hill curveballer (Bert Blyleven) and a guy nobody heard from before or after the those playoffs (Les Straker). That team got the game to the late innings and brought in three excellent relievers--Joe Klink as the lefty, and Juan Berenguer setting up the closer, Jeff Reardon.

The Rockies are doing the same thing 20 years later with Matt Herges in the seventh, followed by Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas as the closer. None of them are household name but they were the key to kicking the air out of the Phillies' balloon.

Even though the Diamondbacks have Bob Melvin, who has been pushing all the right buttons all year for this young team, I still believe as I did in the Cubs series that this team could be prone to breakdown during the pressure of the NLCS. They're too young and a team led by the often times kooky Eric Byrnes is a bit disconcerting.
ROCKIES IN FIVE.

Labels: Diamondbacks, NLCS, Rockies

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA. 80 degrees, cloudy

COLORADO STARTING LINEUP
1. K. Matsui 2B, 2. T. Tulowitzki SS, 3. M. Holliday LF, 4. T. Helton 1B, 5. G. Atkins 3B, 6. B. Hawpe RF, 7. R. Spilborghs CF, 8. Y. Torrealbo C, 9. J. Francis P.

PHILADELPHIA STARTING LINEUP
1. J. Rollins SS, 2. S. Victorino RF, 3. C. Utley 2B, 4. R. Howard 1B, 5. A. Rowand CF, 6. P. Burrell LF, 7. W. Helms 3B, 8. C. Ruiz C, 9. C. Hamels P.

////1ST INNING////
COL: The Rockies went down easy in the first, but you get the sense that they were loose and still confident from their long winning streak. In the playoffs, you have to keep an eye on young pitchers. Philly's Cole Hamels looked satisfactory. He's going to have to get that sinker going, though.

PHI: We should be reminded that Colorado's Jeff Francis is also a fine young pitcher who won 17 games this year. I mention it because you can't start your postseason career any better than striking out the side in the first.

////2ND INNING////
COL: Somehow, the wheels fell off Hamels. In hindsight, he seemed to be nibbling in the first....You've got to be careful with veterans like Todd Helton who have been shutout of the postseason for their entire career. It's not surprising that his leadoff triple cracked Hamels concentration. ROCKIES 3, PHILLIES 0.

PHI: Francis struckout Ryan Howard for his fourth straight K. What a message to send to Philly. He struckout the Rollins, Utley and Howard, the main cogs to the Phillies engine.

////3RD INNING////
COL: It was important for Hamels to bounce back with a quiet third. It's possible that he's settled in and the pressure is going to be on Colorado to make due with three or four runs in this one.

PHI: The Phils finally got a hit against Francis, but Rollins--the leader of this team--bounced into a rally-ending double play. Rollins is going to have to shake this team in next few innings.

////4TH INNING////
COL: The Rox went down in order in the fourth. After Hamels walked in a run in the second, he's retired seven straight. If Philly can get something going offensively, that walk to Tulowitzki oddly could be the turning point.

PHI: TBS' Joe Simpson noted that the Phillies have behind in the count 0-2 six times through four innings. Sometimes that could portend for something good offensively because it means the pitcher is around the strike zone, but generally today, Francis is not getting the Phillies to bite on pitches outside the zone. A great debut for Francis.

////5TH INNING////
COL: That's ten straight retired since the walk in the second. A nice play by Phils 3B Wes Helms. On a play like that it's also nice to have a huge target in Howard at first.

PHI: The Phillies have awaken and the crowd is back into this one. Back-to back homers by Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell have the Rockies on the mat. Both homers had the hallmarks of Citizens Bank Park, short blasts that landing in the first row. Nowhere else other than Wrigley Field would those be out...Keep an eye on Rollins. Look at his facial expression--he's pressing already. ROCKIES 3, PHILLIES 2.

////6TH INNING////
COL: Fourteen straight down. Hamels's pitch count is getting up there. The seventh should be his last and the Rockies could take their chances with Philly's bullpen.

PHI: Rollins, Utley and Howard are 0 for 8 with six strikeouts. The rest of the lineup can't make up for their lack of production and have a chance in this series.

////7TH INNING////
COL: The Rox finally ran Hamels out of the game. After a shaky start Hamels stats look very, well, Hamel-like: 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 7 K. Philly reliever Tom Gordon did a nice job to strand Spilborghs at second. Gordon still has that signature 12-to-6 curveball.

PHI: Francis leaves the game. His stats: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K. Former Giant LaTroy Hawkins enters the game. Nice nine-pitch walk for Greg Dobbs, especially while pinch-hitting. Unfortunately, Ruiz grounded into an inning-ending double play.

////8TH INNING////
COL: The Rox strike first in this battle of bullpens. Matt Holliday hits a homer to left center. J.C. Romero enters the game. His slider is very crisp today as it was evident on Helton's pop up to short. Nice play by Rollins at short. It's amazing how he got off such an accurate throw on that play. ROCKIES 4, PHILLIES 2.

PHI: Set up man Brian Fuentes enters the game for Colorado. After walking the leadoff man and going 3-2 to Rollins, Fuentes retires the side and will give way to Manuel Corpas in the ninth. How can a guy like Utley who hit .332 during the regular season strikeout four times? Nerves? A burgeoning storyline in this series seems to be the pressing of Rollins, Utley and possibly Howard.

////9TH INNING////
COL: Brett Myers enters the game. Is this why Myers is such an enigma? After repeatedly flipping crisp breaking balls for strikes to the first two hitters, he suddenly stopped after giving up an infield single to Torrealba and a single to Cory Sullivan. Now he's missing badly to Matsui.

PHI: Manuel Corpas looked sharp in the ninth, but he did get three pivotal strikes from umpire Dale Scott, two way low and a called strike three clearly inside to Howard. The Rockies win to take a 1-0 lead in this series. Their 15th win in the their last 16.

----------------------
COL 030 000 010 - 4 6 0
PHI 000 020 000 - 2 4 0
----------------------
WP-Francis 1-0
LP-Hamels 0-1
SV-Corpas 1
HR-Rowand, Burrell, Holliday.

Labels: NLDS, Phillies, Rockies

PHILADELPHIA VS COLORADO (start Wed.)
------------
Something's gotta give in this series. The Phillies just exorcized the ghost's of their infamous 1964 collapse by passing it on to the Mets and the red-hot Rockies enter postseason play winners of 14 of 15.

Both have prodigious power and launching pads for ballparks and pitching with a steep decline past their number one starters. This series is screaming for one team to seriously falter and that team may be Colorado.

What gives?

In Monday's tiebreaker game against San Diego, the Rockies won despite shocking breakdowns on defense. They may be one of the National League's better defensive clubs, but the lack of range and aggresiveness by Matt Holliday and Garret Atkins in that game--the biggest of the year and maybe the franchise--was a concern. Even the impressive rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitzki flubbed a gimme groundball late in that same game.

Colorado has one of the most attractive lineups one to nine left in the playoffs, but Philly nearly equals it if not for quantity but quality. The threesome of Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley are a triumvirate that could lead the Phils to the World Series. To do that, Rollins is going to have to continue to personally will this team to victory. He could do that and, in fact, already put his money where's his mouth is by predicting the NL East title back in spring training.

Lack of pitching depth won't be a problem for Philly at least not in this round, but Cole Hamels is the type of pitcher who could dominate a short series. I would almost guarantee two wins from him in each series. Is that enough for Kyle Lohse or Jamie Moyer to pick up the slack? Yes. Many are predicting a Home Run Derby for every game in this series. I think not. PHILLIES IN THREE.

////LIVE BLOGGING OF GAME 1
[\\\\OF THIS SERIES BEGINS WED., 12PM PT

Labels: NLDS, Phillies, Rockies