Looking For A Miracle…
The Dodgers couldn’t pull out a win last night and fell to the Phillies by the score of 10-4. This means the Phils will be making their second straight trip to the World Series, and they are looking like one heck of a team with a great shot at repeating. Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and JA Happ are the best 1-2-3 punch I have seen in the playoffs since Zito-Hudson-Mulder for the Athletics. Their offense is strong up and down and their bullpen has really been stepping it up. After a horrible year, Brad Lidge looks great. I don’t think I will be picking against the Phillies next week.
As for tonight, the Angels are looking to push the series to a game 6 by getting a win tonight. The pitching matchup is AJ Burnett against John Lackey. In his last start, Burnett went 6.1 innings against this same Angels team, giving up 2 earned runs while striking out 4. Lackey went 5.2 winnings giving up 9 hits, 4 runs (2 earned) while only striking out 3 in his last start against the Yankees, a game the Angels lost by the score of 4-1.
I expect John Lackey to step it up for the Angels tonight, he has always come up big in pressure situations and I expect nothing less tonight.
While I can certainly see the Angels winning tonight, I do not believe they are going to win 3 straight and make a trip to the World Series, but that’s why they play the games, you never know.
If the series does indeed turn out being a matchup of the Yankees and Phillies, I am going to be quite upset. I hate the Yankees foremost, but I really do not want to see the Phillies win another World Series either. If I were to pick one of them, I would cheer for the Phillies in a second, I just can’t stand seeing the Yankees win.
In Pirates news, Mark Cuban told a bunch of Pitt students that he won’t be buying the Pirates. Shocker.
Jim from North Side Notch has been doing fantastic work in the offseason so far, keeping everyone up to date with the fall league baseball going down. I personally have his Arizona Fall League Tracker post bookmarked, and I think you should to.
Also, Brian and Tim from Raise The Jolly Roger and Bucco Fans, respectively, have been doing fantastic Pirates’ blogging work in the last weeks, be sure to check them out.
As for me, it’s time to head back to the grind of the college life.
Have a great day all, and let’s go Angels!
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