NLDS Thread

by ken on Sep 29, 2008 1:38 PM EDT

It's a couple of days early, but here's a quick rundown of the National League's upcoming series for anyone else that's bored at work.

Brewers vs. Phillies

MIL: 90-72. 750 RS (7th); 689 RA (4th). Pythag: 87-75.

PHL: 92-70. 799 RS (2nd); 680 RA (3rd). Pythag: 93-69.

Wednesday, 3:00. Suppan/Bush/Gollardo* v. Hamels

Thursday, 6:00. CC v. Myers/Moyer.

Saturday, 6:30. Suppan/Bush/Gollardo v. Myers/Moyer

Sunday, TBD.

Tuesday, TBD.

I sense that most around here are pulling for the Brewers. How soon we’ve forgotten the final series of the 1999 season, when Bud Selig’s former team played spoiler and knocked our best team since the BRM out of the wildcard. Philly, on the other hand, happily embraced our Pete Rose sloppy seconds and values GRIT like no other market outside of the Queen City.

I’m predicting Philly in 4. They’re peaking at the right time and enter the postseason without any significant injuries. Their biggest weakness – rotation depth – doesn’t matter in a best-of-five. The Brewers’ rotation, on the other hand, has serious questions after Sabathia. Sheets has said that he’s out for the year, which leaves Gollardo (just coming back from knee surgery), Suppan (poor year) and Bush as the likely starters for the other games. Milwaukee does have a potential matchup advantage because they hit lefties (806 OPS; 738 against righties), but that hasn’t translated into success against either Hamels (whom they’ve only faced twice, and done poorly) or Jamie Moyer (111 IP, 3.63 ERA career vs. MIL).

Dodgers v. Cubs

LA: 90-72. 700 RS (13th); 648 RA (1st) Pythag: 87-75.

CHI: 92-70. 855 RS (1st); 671 RA (2nd) Pythag: 98-63.

Wednesday, 6:30. Lowe v. Dempster

Thursday, 9:30. Billingsley v. Zambrano

Saturday, 10:00. Kuroda v. Harden

Sunday, TBD.

Tuesday, TBD.

This one looks like a mismatch, but the Dodgers finished the year strong in adding Manny Ramirez and riding their young pitchers like Billingsley, Broxton and Kershaw along with veterans like Lowe and Saito. I’ll say Cubs in 5, if only to set the stage for a Bartman-esque flameout in the LCS.

* Post-season rosters and rotations haven’t been announced, so these are my guesses

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I'm rooting for the Brewers because I relate to them as an organization

a team that sucked for so long and then found success gives me hope. As for 1999, the Reds went 4-2 against the Brewers down the stretch and they still made the playoffs. Just gotta tip your hat to them.

But if I had to rank the NL by my favorites, I’d say MIL, PHI, LA rank in that order. And Philadelphia is a close second. Secretly, I’m hoping that the LAD-CHC series ends up with both teams losing.

"You never want to give up a 7-0 lead, in your rival's ballpark, that would put them in first place. Never want to do that." - Ron Darling

by Slyde on Sep 29, 2008 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

EarthquakeEarthquakeEarthquakeEarthquake

City wide fire

by Brendanukkah on Sep 29, 2008 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions

You relate to a well-run organization?

Kidding, I know it’s easy to identify with the Brewers’ history and market size and hope that our draft record approaches theirs. But even with Philly’s relatively large payroll, it’s worth pointing out that nearly all of their major contributors were either drafted by the team (Howard, Utley, Rollins, Burrell, Hamels, Myers) or picked up on relatively modest deals (Victorino by Rule 5; Werth as a cheap FA; Moyer and Lidge for spare parts). Their model isn’t that different from what ours should be.

BTW, the 1999 schedule shows the Reds played their final two series against Milwaukee in early August and the final weekend. So really they went 1-2 against the Brewers down the stretch.

by ken on Sep 29, 2008 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he meant that we went 4-2 against them down the stretch this year

It should say something like, “As for feeling bitter about the events of 1999, the Reds went 4-2 against the Brewers down the stretch in 2008, and the Brewers still made the playoffs. Just gotta tip your hat to them.”

Personally, I forgave the shenanigans of 1999 in that game where we belted 7 homers against them, and looked like we had crippled their playoff chances. I forgot to factor in the Mets’ penchant for historic collapses.

And hell, battlekow brings us boobs every now and again. What have the Phillies ever done for us? Nuthin’!

by Brendanukkah on Sep 29, 2008 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

I gotcha

What have the Phillies ever done for us? Eh, nevermind.

by ken on Sep 29, 2008 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I too like the Brewers - If they win there is some 'long distance logic' consolation in the fact that we beat them a number of times at the end of the season.

We can say well we sucked all year but at the end of the season we beat the Champs (before they were Champs – that is if they go all the way)

Ibn Khaldoun and Hulrich Zwingli - now that's real reform, Mr. McCain.

by Madville on Sep 29, 2008 2:03 PM EDT reply actions

I hope Battlekow

is having fun with all of this.

Vote Pops in '08. I promise nothing and I'll do it!

by Pops Daniels on Sep 29, 2008 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

I'm no Brewers fan...

…and God knows I hate Bud Selig with an undying passion…..but I’m still cheering for them. I remember the last time they went to post-season play. I was in the 6th grade. That was a wonderful series and great contrast between the National and American League (and as an old NLer I was cheering for the Cards to beat them). Not only that, I can never respect a city’s fans who need a makeshift court underneath its sporting venues to prosecute unruly behavior.

by tonywf on Sep 29, 2008 4:23 PM EDT reply actions