Changing my prediction to Red Sox over Phillies in six. Silly me hadn't done much reading this week and didn't realize Sheets was out for the entire postseason... For the entire bracket, I'll go with: Red Sox over Angels Rays over White Sox Phillies over Brewers Cubs over Dodgers Red Sox over Rays Phillies over Cubs Red Sox over Phillies
If we can't beat the Yankees this year, I'd want to see the next best thing. Sox over the Dodgers. At least we can beat Torre and that ingrate Manny (who I still like oddly). Hopefully the guys can hold it together for another monthish. Under no circumstances can or should the Cubs win. More tragedy please.
Same here about Manny. Even though he didnt really leave Boston on the best of terms, I still like him. As I said before, I dont care how long the Cubs have suffered. Their prick fans are one of the main reasons I dont feel sorry for them. Hope LA sweeps 'em.
I hope I'm not jinxing him, but Cole Hamels is absolutely filthy. When I worked with the Astros, he's the only pitcher whom practically the entire clubhouse shrugged their shoulders and had no answers for. Usually, even if big league hitters don't get results, they have a good scouting report and can spell out on paper the approach to get good contact against a pitcher. With Hamels, when you combine a left-handed release, great velocity on the fastball, and the same exact slot on the changeup that he has on the FB... he's ridiculous.
What channels are all the first round games going to be seen in?? Is there a schedule anywhere that shows the channels??
Brad strikes out the side, but makes it interesting in the process. Ryan Braun is a stud, by the way. It's not just all the clutch home runs in the final month -- it's how he battles. The AB against Lidge -- on a two-strike count, he was sitting fastball, off-balance, and kind of flailed at the slider really... and still had the strength and bat control to land it just inside the RF line. Great hitter. Definitely like what the Phillies did with saving Hamels. A lot of folks wondered why they didn't let him get the CG, but with closers like Lidge, you can use them more in the playoffs because of the additional off-days. With your aces, give them the least wear and tear you can so they can come back on 3 days rest if you get in trouble.
Poor Cubbies. Gotta love it. By the way, not that it matters, but does anyone know why Lidge was charged with an earned run today? The run scored on an error from Utley, and the next three batters went strikeout, walk, strikeout... I don't get it.
