A Letter to Dodger Fans

Dear fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers:

Your team is in the NLCS, one step from the World Series. One of the four remaining teams in all of baseball.

It's the ninth inning of the first game and your team is only down by two runs, and the Phillies have notoriously not-very-good-in-2009 Brad Lidge coming in, which is a golden opportunity for your team to make its move.

So why, exactly, are you leaving early?

I don't know what it's like in LA, but in New York even the cheapest seats are going for high prices--they've come down recently because there's a freaking nor'easter that has it snowing in New York in October--but the point remains, if tickets are that expensive you don't leave a playoff game early.

There shouldn't be any empty seats in Dodger Stadium.

Surely you realize this?

Please, do your team proud. If you show up for the game, and you don't have a major emergency or the apocalypse isn't just around the corner, stay till the end.

You never know what you might miss.

Cheers.

Rebecca

Pheelin' Phillie Phantastic

Congratulations are due to the Philadelphia Phillies for winning the National League title.

While you can argue all you want on the merits of Joe Torre, the reason the Phillies won is simple enough:

Better starting pitching and the ability to clutch--yes, I still believe clutch exists.

The ALCS has yet to conclude, but one more win from Tampa and we'll be looking at something no one predicted in April--A Rays/ Phillies World Series.

ALCS and NLCS Snapshot Previews

2008 ALCS

RED SOX

Pros: They've been here before, in 2004 and more recently, last year. John Lester looks like a true ace, and any one of their bats is capable of a clutch hit. And then there's that whole Fenway Park think.

Cons: Outside of Lester, their rotation is not unbeatable and their bullpen is not unhittable. The lack of a substantial bridge to Papelbon could be their downfall. And then there's that whole they-don't-have-home-field thing.


RAYS

Pros: Young, but proving that the playoffs are no obstacle. They have home field--and they've been great at Tropicana Field. Evan Longoria and BJ Upton are playing like this is their tenth time in the postseason.

Cons: Inexperienced. Trouble winning on the road. Starting pitching is good, but not unbeatable.


Prediction Rays in Six


2008 NLCS


PHILLIES

Pros: Scrappy, gritty team that never counts itself out. Lots of mashers. Have Jaime Moyer and know how to use him. Same with Cole Hamels.

Cons: Brad Lidge in a tight game that matters. Brett Myers. Not many guys that know how to pitch to Manny.


DODGERS

Pros: Manny Ramirez, Joe Torre. Oh, and that starting pitching staff--Billingsley, Lowe, etc.

Cons: When's the last time they had to play in cold weather? And Joe Torre is managing their Bullpen. And, if you believe in these things, there's the Curse of Don Mattingly.


Prediction: Dodgers in Five

Fearless Playoff Predictions, 2008

Brief LDS previews--I'll do LCS previews at the appropriate times.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Angels over Red Sox

To me it comes down to pitching--the Angels have the better rotation and the better bullpen. I can see this series going five games, because October is funny like that, but the Angels are a better constructed team, and unlike last year, they're not nearly as banged up.

Rays over White Sox.

While Bobby Jenks is the best pitcher in either bullpen, I think Tampa as a whole has a better team. The Sox barely scraped into the playoffs; they have momentum on their side, but let's see how that momentum carries away from the South Side.


NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies over Brewers

I like the Brewers well enough, and Ryan Braun is amazing, but outside of CC, what starters do they have? As much as the Brew Crew might want to, they can't pitch CC every day. The Phillies do have to worry, though, about putting Brad Lidge out there in a close game in the ninth--Albert Pujols still has a resonance.

Cubs over Dodgers

The Cubs are easily the best team in the National League. Whether or not this translates to postseason glory is yet to be seen, but if the Cubs can figure out how to pitch to Manny, they'll walk all over the Dodgers