MLB Playoffs: Philadelphia Phillies Seem Like NL Favorite, Can Others Challenge?

The initial champagne has been popped and the celebrations have come and past. Now that the playoff series are set, we can begin talking about matchups and how far each team will go.

Which National League team will play for all the marbles?

We have the Wild Card winning Atlanta Braves going to San Francisco to start their series with the NL West Champion Giants on Thursday.

The NL East Champion Phillies will host the NL Central’s Reds starting on Wednesday.

Three of the four teams have not been to the playoffs in some years. The Reds broke a 15 year drought. San Francisco had not been since 2003. Atlanta hadn’t been to the postseason since 2005.

Two of the teams have set their pitching rotations set and we will start with them.

Phillies vs. Reds

Game 1: CIN Edison Volquez (4-3, 4.31 ERA) vs. PHI Roy Halladay (21-10, 2.44 ERA)

Game 2: CIN Bronson Arroyo (17-10, 3.88 ERA) vs. PHI Cole Hamels (12-11, 3.06 ERA)

Game 3: PHI Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.76 ERA) vs. CIN Johnny Cueto (12-7, 3.64 ERA)

Game 4*: PHI Roy Halladay vs. CIN Edison Volquez

Game 5*: CIN Bronson Arroyo vs. PHI Cole Hamels

* – If necessary

The Reds get the unenviable task of facing the two-time defending National League champion Phillies.

Despite starting very slow, the Phillies have started to play to form. Much of this had to do with keeping players healthy.

Most of their starting lineup has spent time on the disabled list. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, etc.

Philadelphia has, quite possibly, the best 1-2-3 punch in their starting rotation. Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt create an imposing task when you consider the highest ERA amongst them is Hamels at 3.06.

The Reds game one starter, Edison Volquez has spent much of the season on the disabled list and struggled after coming back in July. Going into the month of September, he held a 6.17 ERA.

Since that time he has been very impressive. In his four September starts, Volquez has an 1.95 ERA.

The Reds have some guys on their roster with postseason experience.

Bronson Arroyo won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2004. Scott Rolen has been there with the Cardinals.

But the nucleus of the Phillies squad is the same as the team that won a World Series in 2008. Philadelphia feels they have unfinished business from last season.

The only weak spot to the Phillies would seem to be their bullpen. Not the case.

Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge did struggle for the first few months of the season. But since August 1, they have a combined ERA of 0.93.

Six runs since August 1.

Experience and momentum will play a huge role in this series.

Phillies in four.

Giants vs. Braves

The exact order of the pitchers has not been decided as they both clinched today.

Although one can assume the Giants will trot out Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathan Sanchez. The Braves will use Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, and Tommy Hanson.

Both teams have a lot of inexperience. Both teams have key offensive players who are rookies (Jason Heyward and Buster Posey).

They rely on contributions from every player to score runs. The leading RBI man on the Braves is Brian McCann with 77 and the Giants’ is Aubrey Huff with 85.

Both teams rely on solid pitching to keep them in games. The Giants and Braves are first and third respectively in team ERA.

This comes down to which team can be more opportunistic with their limited chances.

The Giants offense, though sporadic at times, has hit the most home runs in the month of September. They also have a pitching staff that has allowed more than three runs only four times since September 1.

Playoff veterans Pat Burrell and Juan Uribe have provided much of the pop this month and will continue it into October.

Power arms usually equal success in the postseason and the Giants have those from front to back of the staff. If the game gets to the seventh inning, the Giants bullpen takes over.

Their bullpen has an ERA of 1.04.

The Giants have been rolling and the Braves have been struggling.

Giants in four.

Phillies vs. Giants

Even no team would admit it, there is always that one team you do not want to see.

Think back to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs. They could have faced any team on the planet and felt confident.

But if your team gets matched up with the one team that worries you, it will shake your confidence.

There is only one team in baseball that can match the Phillies arm for arm and that is the Giants. San Francisco’s AT&T Park is probably the only park that can neutralize the Phillies’ powerful left handed hitters.

I’m not saying the Phillies are scared of the Giants. But knowing you have to face the two-time reigning Cy Young award winner and a pitching staff that has been on a historic pace could place some doubt in Howard & Co.

The Phillies are confident.

Raul Ibanez and Chase Utley started hitting back to form. Jayson Werth was also on fire, hitting eight home runs in September.

The Giants absolutely have to find a way to neutralize the Phillies bats and capitalize on opportunities. They will come few and far between from the Phillies.

Former Phillie Pat Burrell would return to his old stomping grounds to do what he did in 2008, go to the World Series. Burrell had six home runs down the stretch.

Rookie Buster Posey had seven home runs in September including the one on Sunday to give them a 3-0 lead over San Diego.

Philadelphia and San Francisco were the two hottest teams in the last month of the season. It should come down to them in the NLCS. It should come down to game seven at Citizens Bank Park.

Phillies in seven.

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