MLB FanHouse

Manny Ramirez Exercises His Option to Stay in Los Angeles

Tom Fornelli — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Transactions

In what wasn't much of a surprise, Los Angeles Dodgers left-fielder Manny Ramirez has decided to exercise his player option for 2010 and will return to the Dodgers next season. His agent Scott Boras let Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti know about Ramirez's decision on Friday night.

All of which means that Ramirez will make $20 million with the Dodgers rather than becoming a free agent, which is a smart move considering it's highly unlikely Manny would get that much money anywhere else next year. Manny didn't have the greatest season for the Dodgers in 2009, but Colletti is confident he'll bounce back next season.

"There was no doubt he had his struggles this past season," he said. "We still feel that he's a very good hitter and maybe with a winter off and a chance to regroup, he can come back with a better frame of mind and his confidence rebuilt."

Those struggles were no doubt aided by the 50-game suspension Ramirez had to serve midway through the season after violating MLB's drug policy. Before the suspension Ramirez was hitting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBI. After the suspension his average dropped to .269 with 13 homers and 43 RBI.

Since Ramirez will be returning you can expect Colletti will be trying his hardest to move Juan Pierre at the general managers meetings in Chicago on Monday. Pierre has two years and $18.5 million remaining on his contract, and that's a lot of money to pay your fourth outfielder. Especially when there are other holes on the roster that need to be filled.

Manny Ramirez Exercises His Option to Stay in Los Angeles originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vicente Padilla Shot by Instructor

Tom Fornelli — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, MLB Injuries, MLB Rumors

UPDATE: It seems that Padilla did not shoot himself, but was in fact shot by a shooting instructor. Full details here.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is back home in his native Nicaragua now his team's season has ended, and while there he's decided to do some hunting. Unfortunately for Vicente it seems his aim with a gun is a lot like his aim with his fastball. Sometimes he loses control of the thing and ends up hitting somebody.

Though this time it was himself.

Padilla was treated in a hospital on Tuesday after suffering what is being called a "minor" gunshot wound to his right leg.

[Padilla's agent Adam] Katz described the incident as a "hunting accident," saying that Padilla was grazed in his right thigh by a bullet. Katz said that Padilla spent 30 to 40 minutes at a hospital and was discharged.

"He's fine," Katz said.

News reports out of Nicaragua stated that Padilla was hurt at a shooting range. At least two news outlets reported that Padilla was accidentally shot by his "escort," who was trying to fix Padilla's malfunctioning gun.

Now Padilla is a free agent this winter, and there's no telling how this little accident may affect that. He has said he'd like to return to the Dodgers, who gave him a chance after he was released by the Texas Rangers in August. He went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA for Los Angeles to help them get to the postseason, and he started three games in the playoffs going 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said that he'd have to find out the extent of the injury before making any decisions on whether or not the team will bring him back.

Whether they do or not, Padilla should just be grateful he was hunting in Nicaragua and not a night club in New York. You end up in prison when you shoot yourself there. Just ask Plaxico.

Vicente Padilla Shot by Instructor originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jamie McCourt Called 911 on Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, MLB Rumors

While the Los Angeles Dodgers season may be over it appears that team owner Frank McCourt's divorce drama with his wife Jamie is going to continue for a while. The latest story being reported about the estranged couple is of Jamie calling 911 after being startled at home by Frank.

According to the police report that was filed, Frank did not attack Jamie in anyway, but rather came over to the house while she was swimming, which prompted her to make the call.

It happened Sept. 5 2009, at 10:10 in the morning. We're told Jamie was swimming in the pool of her Holmby Hills home when Frank suddenly and unexpectadly appeared. Jamie called 911, explaining that she was frightened because of previous incidents in which Frank had allegedly lost his temper and scared her.

Jamie then called the couple's private security for assistance.

By the time the LAPD responded, private security had already arrived to make sure Jamie was OK.

When cops arrived, the officers interviewed both Jamie and the couple's housekeeper -- who told police she had heard Jamie scream.

The story according to Frank's attorney is somewhat different. The couple hasn't been living together, obviously, with Jamie calling their Malibu residence home and Frank living in West Los Angeles. Frank's side of the story is that he was at his house and went out for a morning jog.

When he returned back to his house, he found Jamie swimming in the pool with her personal "security assistant" Jeff Fuller. Also, it seems that "security assistant" is the new term for "boyfriend." Jamie has been linked romantically with Fuller, whom she met while he worked as the Director of Protocol for the Dodgers.

As you'd expect, much like Jamie, Fuller no longer works for the Dodgers because he apparently forgot to read the Dodgers' protocol for sleeping with the boss' wife.

Jamie McCourt Called 911 on Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodgers Owner McCourt Fires Wife

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, MLB Biz

Frank McCourt, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has dismissed wife Jamie from her post as the team's CEO ahead of what is expected to be a bitter divorce battle between the separated couple, according to a report by SI.com's Jon Heyman.

McCourt, who has been married to Jamie since 1979, purchased the Dodgers in 2004 for $430 million, but the team is believed to be worth considerably more than that.

The firing of Jamie further complicates the fate of the franchise as the couple heads for divorce court, with Frank claiming that he has full ownership of the team and his spouse contending that she owns 50 percent of it.

SI.com: Read Full Report

Dodgers Owner McCourt Fires Wife originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: Common Ground

B. Thompson Stroud — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, The Dugout

The playoffs are almost over and the stage is set for the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies to face the dreadnought New York Yankees ... or the Los Angeles Angels Angels, pending a dead Christopher Lloyd-style miracle.

The bottom line is this: the World Series is like one block to our left, and we're going to have to start buckling down and making some declarative statements. Before we do that, though, today's Dugout features some pre-ALCS decision arguing and some sad realities.

The Dugout

	Online Host Welcome to the 2009 MLB Playoffs Chat!
	NeedsABathia: ...and then if we beat the Angels tonight, we go to the World Series. I can't believe it.
	ManuelLabor: that's great... it's gonna be the very best team in the AL against the very best team in the NL.
	BenFranciscoGiants: it's fun to hate on you because y'all are a bunch of greedy homosexual ingrate dirtbags, but "baseball success" and "Yankees" are pretty much synonymous
	ACliffLeeTiltingPlanet: And hey, if we're gonna win, we should win against the best!
	CarlNotLenny: well yeah they're good, but "best in the AL?" I don't know, I thought we had a real shot at it
	PeteRoseWentToBetancourt: the yankees won 161 1/2 of 162 games this year no offense to the twins but
	FightTheHerges: It doesn't matter! The Angels aren't out of this yet. The ANGELS are the best team in the AL.
	TheDefeatedVictor: yeah right, they're the best team because they're in the AL West, even the Orioles could win 80 games in the AL West
	InTheSpringBecomesDeRosa: dude, have you SEEN the Orioles?
	TheDefeatedVictor: not since I came to Boston, they wouldn't let me play, they've got me washing their dishes
	LudwickVanBeethoven: the AL West isn't so bad, you've still gotta beat the Mariners 55 times out of 60
	InTheSpringBecomesDeRosa: washing their dishes??
	FightTheHerges: Angels/Phils Angels win in 5
	TheDefeatedVictor: yeah I hear next season they're gonna sign David Eckstein and David Wright and move Fenway Park to Berlin
	PointBlake: we kept telling people to "think blue," but I guess we should've specified the shade
	PunchedYourBelliard: anybody still picking the angels is a dumb, i'm still picking the angels to lose in the first round i don't care what you say
	NeedsABathia: come on, guys, calm down, I can't tell where the conversation is going anymore
	ManuelLabor: Everyone here deserved to be here. We all had great seasons, win or lose, and we gotta remember that.
	ACliffLeeTiltingPlanet: maybe if we could all find some common ground
	NeedsABathia: I'm pitching my next two games on one day and twenty minutes rest respectively, is anybody else doing that
	CarlNotLenny: lol no
	InTheSpringBecomesDeRosa: well we all like 30 Rock, don't we? That's new tonight, we could watch that instead of the Yankees
	PointBlake: I find 30 Rock to be pedantic, overrated, and mediocre at best. Also, "underwhelming"
	LudwickVanBeethoven: give me a break, what kind of shows do you like then
	FightTheHerges: I bet he says "Scrubs"
	PointBlake: why yes I do like Scrubs, I like how they go from jokey to serious without any warning and I also love the use of low-distrubition rock songs to show emotion instead of dialogue or acting
	PointBlake: I also like "My Name Is Earl." Your point???
	PeteRoseWentToBetancourt: we should check and see if we all have the same birthday, in case we are merely fragments of an insane man's imagination
	BenFranciscoGiants: maybe we all been dead this whole time!
	ManuelLabor: What about baseball? We all love baseball, right?
	NeedsABathia: nah man I f***in hate baseball
	ManuelLabor: What!! Since when?
	NeedsABathia: when you get traded to New York they put you under and remove the part of your brain that thinks baseball is fun and happy and replace it with one that treats it like a stressful obligation
	NeedsABathia: it also makes you think Ed Hardy clothes and Affliction t-shirts are cool
	CarlNotLenny: come to think of it Ed Hardy is pretty bad ass
	TheDefeatedVictor: I guess we're never gonna find common ground
	ManuelLabor: Yeah, you're right. I mean, what could EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US have in common?
	Online Host Meanwhile, in the Los Angeles Dodgers Chatroom...
	WordUpThome: /sits on bench with head in hands
	MannyTheTorpedoes: nyah hee hee /makes bizarre scooping gesture with hands
	WordUpThome: WHAT ARE YOU DOING
	MannyTheTorpedoes: signelling to payro that we are oud of playoffs
	MannyTheTorpedoes: r u ok do u wan hifive
	WordUpThome: NO, I'M NOT FINE. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS JUST NEVER GONNA...
	WordUpThome: NEVERMIND, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABO
	WordUpThome: ABOUT IT
	MannyTheTorpedoes: what r u gona do neg season /puts entire sunflower into mouth
	WordUpThome: HEAD BACK TO THE AMERICAN LEAGUE, SEE IF ANY TEAMS NEED A NIGH IMMOBILE OLD MAN D.H. HOW ABOUT YOU
	MannyTheTorpedoes: gona get millons of dollar to be gray at baseball sometime an sometime not care go home watch spontchbob
	WordUpThome: ALL THAT WORK WE DID TRAVELING THE COUNTRY ON A TANDEM BICYCLE, AND WHAT DID IT GET US
	MannyTheTorpedoes: cople extra weeks of beisbol
	WordUpThome: I GUESS I SHOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED A BUNCH OF CLEVELAND INDIANS TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
	WordUpThome: SEE YOU NEXT SEASON, BUDDY
	MannyTheTorpedoes: bye jim tommy
	Online Host WordUpThome has left the chatroom.

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Common Ground originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: And the Beat Goes Dead?

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, Playoff Pulse, National League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

Bask in the baseball now, because if the Yankees beat the Angels Thursday night, there isn't going to be much to keep us busy until the World Series begins.

In the last three LCS rounds, one of the two series has either gone four or five games. The other half -- the 2006 NLCS and the 2007 and 2008 ALCS -- went the distance. That partially masked the big problem with Major League Baseball's ever-elongating postseason schedule, but if the Yankees wrap up their spot in the World Series, it'll be impossible to ignore.

We'll have five whole off days to think about what we're missing.

It's hard to argue with the changes MLB has made for the last, oh, decade and a half, at least when you look at the bottom line. But five days of hype? That doesn't help -- even if it's New York and Philly and all the fun that comes with that pairing. Baseball is built on its daily rhythm, one of the sport's most defining characteristics. If the Yankees eliminate the Angels, the beat will be lost.

In Their Own Words
"That's my home. ... That's where I live. I hope you understand that. ... [Play] the Yankees? You'll find out. Get your ticket." -- Pedro Martinez on a potential World Series meeting between the Phillies and Yankees
By the Numbers
1 The number of teams in playoff history to allow four home runs, hit three batsmen and throw a wild pitch all in the same game, as the Dodgers did in losing Game 5.
More From FanHouse
Price: Phils Ready for It All Mariotti: Heart of a Champion

Looking Back ...

So how about that Brad Lidge guy anyway? He went 0-8 and led the league in blown saves during the regular season, and as he kept repeating how the postseason was a fresh start -- how it was nice to see a 0.00 in the ERA column next to his name -- it all sounded a little bit hollow.

How was a man who struggled so much in the regular season going to suddenly turn it on pitching on the game's grandest stage?

There's still three zeroes next to his name and the Phillies are headed for the World Series, an achievement that seems even more impressive considering how many blown saves we've seen through the first two rounds.

Scout's Eye View ...

Good pitching will win you plenty of games, unless you are playing the Philadelphia Phillies that is. And that is the difference between a a good lineup and a fantastic lineup. It takes more than decent performances on the mound to shut down them down. They make adjustments and leave almost no room for mistakes over the plate. Take a look at the swings the Philadelphia hitters take throughout a game. Few teams take as few poor swings as they do. There are no wasted cuts and it seems like when that eventual mistake comes from the pitcher, they are always able to put their A swing on it.

That approach is a testament to a team-wide offensive philosophy and it's an underrated aspect of their offense. Clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox are praised for their patience, but the Phillies may strike the best balance of patience and aggression. Hitters like Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino have proved time and time again this October that they will not expand the zone, but also will not let that one mistake pitch get by. Whichever pitching staff gets the task of trying to stop this lineup is going to need to establish the fastball on the inside part of the plate early on; this is a lineup of hitters that can drive the ball to the opposite field as well as anyone in baseball.

Unified approach is perhaps the best phrase to use to describe how they go about their business. As a whole they seem to be on the same page on how to attack the opposing pitcher on a nightly basis, and they can likely thank an elite group of advanced scouts for that. There are no surprises when they step in the box, and any pitcher that intends to stop them will need to equally prepared.

-- Frankie Piliere

Wednesday's Tale of the Tape ...

Yankees (A.J. Burnett) at Angels (John Lackey), 7:57 PM ET: If you hadn't picked up on it already, Burnett can be dominant and he can be prone to stretches of inconsistency and ineffectiveness. His start was a distant memory by the time the Yankees walked off with a win in Game 2, but he was overpowering in his lone start in Anaheim this year, striking out 11 in 5 2/3 innings of work. Lackey made one good start against the Yankees during the regular season, but he wasn't crisp at the end of last week. His home and road ERAs were virtually identical, but opponents slugged 64 points higher against him in Anaheim than they did on the road, so he'll have to be careful with the potent New York lineup.

Playoff Pulse: And the Beat Goes Dead? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Half of Clash of Titans Is in Place

Ed Price — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, National League Championship Series

PHILADELPHIA -- As the Phillies celebrated the NL's first repeat championship in 12 years Wednesday, a fan at Citizens Bank Park held up a sign:

"Bring On The Bronx."

Oh yeah.

Asked about a potential Yankees-Phillies World Series, Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins whistled.

"Two big boys," he said.

Game 5: Phillies 10, Dodgers 4 | Box Score | Series Home

Said ex-Yankee Miguel Cairo: "If they win, it will be two big monsters against each other."

OK, Godzilla vs. Rodan, or Bigfoot vs. Yeti, or Frankenstein vs. Dracula, isn't a lock yet. There's still the pesky detail of needing the Yankees to wrap up the ALCS. But if they avoid a collapse, they may finally run into a team that will punch back.

As one Phillies person put it, the Yankees are "on cylinders, but so are we."

There's something else the teams have in common: the belief that only a World Series championship is acceptable.

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Dodgers-Phillies Photos

Nine year old Michael McNasby celebrates the Philadelphia Phillies victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies beat the Dodgers 10-4. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

FR109827 AP

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Fans, in Philadelphia, celebrate the Philadelphia Phillies victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Phillies beat the Dodgers 10-4. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Fans at a sports bar, in Philadelphia, react while watching Game 5 of the National League Championship baseball series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Phillies beat the Dodgers 10-4. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Fans outside a sports bar, in Philadelphia, react while watching Game 5 of the National League Championship baseball series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009, which is reflected in the window. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Philadelphia Phillies' Pedro Martinez celebrates after Game 5 of the National League Championship baseball series Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers 10-4 to win the National League Championship. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel accepts the National League Championship trophy after the Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-4 in Game 5 of the league championship baseball series Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Philadelphia Phillies Chan Ho Park sprays champagne on the crowd after the Phillies won the National League Championship baseball series with a 10-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Philadelphia Phillies' Pedro Martinez sprays champagne on Ryan Howard after Game 5 of the National League Championship baseball series Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers 10-4 to win the National League Championship. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

"We should be here," reliever Ryan Madson said. "That's how we felt as a team."

Said Jayson Werth, who homered twice Wednesday: "This is great and all that, but we got four games to win."

And then he repeated, over and over, "We got four games to win."

On the field, there's a few reasons to believe the Phillies match up well with the Yankees.

Philadelphia's left-handed power will play at Yankee Stadium. And even though the Yankees can run CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte at the Phillies' lefty-heavy order, Raul Ibanez and Chase Utley ranked 1-2 among NL left-handed hitters in OPS against left-handed pitching.

The Phillies play defense and have speed. They had excellent records on the road -- 48-33 -- and against left-handed starters -- 29-16 (although the same is true of the Angels).

Oh, and Philadelphia won two of three at Yankee Stadium in May.

Now, the pitching after Cliff Lee is a question, especially in the bullpen. While closer Brad Lidge showed a disappearing slider in getting the final three outs of Wednesday's game, his fastball still has a tendency to leak back over the plate.

But, oooh, wouldn't Pedro Martinez love to return to New York and rise to the occasion.

Asked if he'd like to pitch at Yankee Stadium, Pedro Martinez said, "That's my home. ... That's where I live. I hope you understand that. ... [Play] the Yankees? You'll find out. Get your ticket."

In any case, Philadelphia isn't afraid of a slugfest.

"When you bring a super-talented pitchers out there," Lidge said, "our guys are on their game. And they step up to the challenge."

"That's my home. ... That's where I live. I hope you understand that. ... [Play] the Yankees? You'll find out. Get your ticket."
-- Pedro Martinez (Remember, the Phillies beat Sabathia in last year's National League Division Series, scoring five runs on six hits and four walks in his 3 2/3 innings.)

Lee, who was in the AL until July, has called the Phillies an American League team playing in the National League because of their tough, deep lineup.

"We're going to be up for a good challenge," Lee said. "This offense is pretty powerful. The American League supposedly is a slugging league. this lineup matches right up with any of those teams.

"For us, playing American League-style baseball is not going to be that big a big deal. It'll be a little tougher on them, the pitchers having to hit [in the NL park]."

And the Phillies won't be intimidated by the Yankees' crowd, payroll or All-Star lineup.

"We're play anybody, anywhere, any time," manager Charlie Manuel said of his team's attitude. "I like that."

The Phillies also have a secret weapon in Manuel.

He doesn't have Joe Girardi's engineering degree or 4-inch-thick books of scouting reports, just the best postseason record of any current manager, 20-11.

Manuel has shown he understands the two biggest requirements for managing in the postseason: urgency (such as pulling Cole Hamels after 4 1/3 innings Wednesday) and flexibility (i.e., putting J.A. Happ in the bullpen and easing Lidge back into a ninth-inning role).

Because we've been pounded over our heads with Yankees propaganda, the obvious is somehow counterintuitive: the Phillies have more World Series experience than the Yankees.

"We were here last year," Werth said. "We know what it takes. We know what we've got to do."

And if it's against the Yankees, the Turnpike Tussle should be a dandy.

"It would be a lot of fun," Lidge said. "It really would. I really would love that matchup.

"It would be fun, for sure. You're talking about two pretty incredible lineups, and pretty good pitching out there too."

Said Manuel: "The Yankees are hot. A-Rod's hitting good. Actually, they're playing pretty good."

Right. And with 110 wins under their belts and $200 million in their Swiss bank accounts, the Yankees would be considered the favorites.

Except by those wearing red.

"We've got one more step," Manuel said as he addressed the Philly crowd, "and we're going to get it."

One Half of Clash of Titans Is in Place originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodgers vs. Phillies: Game 5 Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series

For the first time this postseason, there's a World Series berth on the line. Following their dramatic last at-bat win over the Dodgers Monday night, the Phillies will try to seal their second straight trip to the Fall Classic Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Standing in the Phillies' way is Vicente Padilla, who Los Angeles picked up off the scrap heap in August, but has excelled down the stretch.

Will it be joy in the City of Brotherly Love or a return trip to the City of Angels for Game 6? Join the MLB FanHouse crew, after the jump, for a LIVE chat starting at 7:45 PM ET.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=b78162088f" >NLCS Game 5 Live Chat</a>

Dodgers vs. Phillies: Game 5 Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colletti Agrees to Stay as Dodgers GM 'A Long Time'

Ed Price — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, MLB Biz, MLB Transactions

Ned Colletti hasn't been perfect in four seasons as the Dodgers' general manager. But he promises he has learned from his mistakes.

The team announced Tuesday that Colletti had agreed to a "long-term" extension.

"I think that some of the decisions we made that didn't work out particularly well were out of impatience on our own part," Colletti said -- referring to (not by name) -- contracts for Juan Pierre, Jason Schmidt and Andruw Jones. "I think the last year or so our deliberation and our thought process were keener, were a little bit more fine-tuned, were less impatient."

Instead, the Dodgers have blended acquisitions (Manny Ramirez, Orlando Hudson, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, Hiroki Kuroda) with a home-grown core.

The Dodgers have made the postseason three of the past four seasons and have the second-best record in the NL over Colletti's tenure.

"One of our core promises to our fans is championship-caliber baseball, year in and year out," owner Frank McCourt said in a prepared statement. "Ned has been instrumental in our going a long way towards fulfilling that promise. I couldn't be happier for him, both personally and professionally. The stability and continuity that extending his contract provides will further help us achieve the goal of being a consistent winner and I'm thrilled that he will continue to lead our baseball operations into the future."

McCourt and his wife are separated, raising questions about the stability of upper management. But Colletti said, "Had I
not believed that this was the right place to be, I wouldn't be here."

What went unspoken was the length of Colletti's new contract. Neither the Dodgers nor Colletti would get more specific than "long-term."

"I look forward to being here for a long time," he said. "It's a long-term deal. I'll be here for a long time and I may be here longer than a long time."

Colletti Agrees to Stay as Dodgers GM 'A Long Time' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodgers Feel Urgency, Lack Idiocy

Ed Price — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:42:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series

PHILADELPHIA -- Joe Torre met with the Dodgers for 12 minutes Tuesday in the visitors' weight room at Citizens Bank Park in an effort to convince his players they are Idiots.

It may not work. These are not the 2004 Red Sox.

Down 3-1 in the NLCS to the Phillies, the Dodgers will try to become the seventh team to come back from such a deficit in an LCS.

The kings of the comeback were the so-called "Idiots," who in 2004 wiped out the Yankees 3-0 lead in the ALCS -- sending Torre home for the winter.

Torre brought up that collapse in Tuesday's meeting, according to someone who was in the room.

"The only thing I try to do," Torre said later in an interview session, "is try to add perspective from the outside."

He can do that, but he can't transplant the heart of '04 Red Sox into this team.

The best he can do is point to a couple of the Idiots in his clubhouse.

"I don't want to talk about 2004," Manny Ramirez said Tuesday. "That's old."

OK, so don't go to Manny for the Knute Rockne moment.

That left it to Doug Mientkiewicz, not on the Dodgers' active roster but with the team, to make comparisons.

"Everybody expected some magical speech that we got in Boston," Mientkiewicz said. "We didn't really get a magical speech. We were too dumb to realize what we were up against. ... Sometimes knowledge, not having it, is a good thing.

"We were never accused of being very bright in Boston. This group, we've got some youth, we've got some guys that have some swagger."

But it's just not the same.

Who's the Johnny Damon, or David Ortiz, or Curt Schilling that can will the Dodgers to win?

There's not even a Kevin Millar, who would run from teammate to teammate during batting practice before Games 4, 5 and 6 of the 2004 ALCS, saying, "Don't let us win today!"

"We were never accused of being very bright in Boston. This group, we've got some youth, we've got some guys that have some swagger."
-- Doug Mientkiewicz on the difference between the 2009 Dodgers and 2004 Red Sox Meaning: Be careful, because if you open the door a crack, we'll bust it down.

And they did just that.

Who holds the battering ram now?

Ramirez?

"What can you do?," he said of the series standing. "The Phillies are playing better. So what can you do?"

Ramirez admitted Tuesday he didn't see Jimmy Rollins' game-winning hit in Monday's Game 4; having come out for defense, Manny chose a shower over watching the bottom of the ninth on TV.

"I slept like a baby," he said.

Asked if he felt pressure, Ramirez said, "Life is good."

Not exactly, "Don't let us win today!"

OK, so we've established that the Dodgers can't look to their best player to set the tone. And the second-best hitter, Andre Ethier, just kind of goes about his business.

Mientkiewicz pointed to Matt Kemp for swagger and Rafael Furcal for energy but admitted, "I don't think it's humanly possible to duplicate" the attitude of the 2004 Red Sox.

"The heart, the energy of this team is the young players," Ethier said. "And the veterans kind of shape it."

That young core has been tested some. When Ramirez was suspended for 50 games for violating baseball's drug policy, the Dodgers went 29-21 and extended their NL West lead from 6 1/2 games to 7 1/2. And when the lead shrunk to two after an Aug. 25 loss at second-place Colorado, L.A. won the final two games of the series.

"Every question this team's been forced to answer, we've answered," Mientkiewicz said. "We've had a lot of minor setbacks, so to speak, and we've always responded. That's why this group is so confident today."

Monday's loss and a 3-1 deficit in the NLCS -- that's a major setback.

Perhaps we're wrong. Perhaps the only thing keeping the Dodgers from being a World Series is the talented and gutsy club in Philadelphia.

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Dodgers-Phillies Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, left, watches batting practice for the National League Championship baseball series with hitting coach Don Mattingly Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 Wednesday, trailing in the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Los Angeles Dodgers' Rafael Furcal, left, talks with teammate Manny Ramirez during practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 Wednesday, trailing in the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Ramirez tosses a ball during practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 Wednesday, trailing in the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Hong-Chih Kuo throws in the outfield during practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 Wednesday, trailing in the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla throws in the outfield during practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. Padilla starts for the Dodgers when they face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 Wednesday, trailing in the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel watches batting practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 Wednesday, leading the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Philadelphia Phillies' Shane Victorino stretches before taking batting practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 Wednesday, leading the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels throws in the outfield during practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. Hamels will start Game 5 Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Phillies leading the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Philadelphia Phillies bullpen coach Michael Billmeyer catches pitcher Antonio Bastardo during practice for the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 Wednesday, leading the series 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins is covered in shaving cream after his game winning two-run double off of Los Angeles Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton during the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Of the three previous teams that lost back-to-back LCS to the same opponent, two finally broke through -- the 1980 Royals and Phillies, who had been stymied by the Yankees and Dodgers, respectively, in 1977-78.

Then again, that was before the three-round division format.

The last team to lose consecutive LCS (to any opponent) was the 2000-01 Mariners.

No playoff games since then in Seattle.

And while the Dodgers are loaded with young talent, how long will their window stay open? Ramirez seems to be fading, the pitching staff lacks an ace (unless Clayton Kershaw claims the role that this week belongs to Vicente Padilla) and closer Jonathan Broxton is perceived as soft.

Then there's the impending divorce in the owning McCourt family, which could put a further squeeze on a franchise that has already shown it will depart with prospects as long as it doesn't have to add payroll.

Because the NL West is so mediocre, we can't say this is the Dodgers' last stand. But they are still seeking a defining moment.

"You're in postseason because you're tough-minded," Torre said. "We were tested a lot of times during the season. They showed up all the time.

"And I anticipate we'll have the same guys. It's not guaranteeing we're going to win, but it's guaranteeing that we're certainly not going to roll over."

Five years ago, to remind themselves of how close they were to ending their season, the "Idiots" brought something to the park every day to send home for the winter.

By the time they got to St. Louis, where Mientkiewicz caught the final out in a sweep, everything had been shipped.

These Dodgers seem like a team that will pack all at once.

Soon.

Dodgers Feel Urgency, Lack Idiocy originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phillies' Title Swagger Is Years in Making

Ed Price — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:31:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies' incredible victory in Game 4 of the NLCS on Monday started not with Matt Stairs' walk, but in the last week of the 2006 season.

That's when the team's confidence began to coalesce, and it eventually cemented into a feeling of near-invincibility that has manifested itself so often the past two seasons.

And peaked Monday.

"We believe in ourselves," Jimmy Rollins said after his two-out, two-run, ninth-inning double off a 99 mph Jonathan Broxton fastball put the Dodgers in a 3-1 series hole. "We believe in our ability. ... About the seventh inning is when we start really getting, I guess, locked in, if it hasn't happened earlier.

Game 4: Phillies 5, Dodgers 4 | Box Score | Series Home

"All it takes is a slip-up of a pitch, one swing of the bat, an error -- anything to get the ball rolling. And as long as you continue to believe in good things, I believe, and I think we believe, that good things will happen."

The Phillies have now won twice this postseason when trailing after eight innings, and another game by breaking a tie with a run in the ninth. During the regular season, Philadelphia came from behind in 43 of its 93 wins.

"We definitely have the resilience to know, hey, we're never out of a game 'till the last out's made," said Shane Victorino, who tripled and scored in the sixth to cut the Dodgers lead to one. "That's what this ballclub has done all along since I've been here, especially the last couple of years."

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Dodgers-Phillies Photos

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins waves to spectators after his game winning two-run double off of Los Angeles Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton during the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. Rollins' head is covered in shaving cream. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Philadelphia Phillies players celebrate after Carlos Ruiz (51) scored the wining run in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins (11) hits a two-run double off Los Angeles Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton in the ninth inning to win Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 19: Ryan Howard #6 the Philadelphia Phillies goes to pick up Jimmy Rollins #11 after Rollins hit a game-winning walkoff double to win 5-4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryan Howard;Jimmy Rollins;Shane Victorino;Jayson Werth

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 19: Jimmy Rollins #11 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a game-winning walkoff 2-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 5-4 against Jonathan Broxton #51 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jimmy Rollins;Jonathan Broxton

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 19: The Philadelphia Phillies pile on Jimmy Rollins #11 after Rollins hit a game-winning walkoff 2-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 5-4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jimmy Rollins

Getty Images

Closer Brad Lidge called it a "borderline extremely cocky" attitude.

Said Eric Bruntlett, who pinch ran for Stairs on Monday after Broxton walked him and scored the first of the runs on Rollins' double: "Everybody says it, but we really feel like we're never out of the game. We've had so many of these late-inning wins. ... Everybody says it, but we keep doing it, so it's hard not to believe we're going to win."

It helps, of course, to have the deepest lineup in the NL and a top six that stacks up with any AL team as well.

Ryan Howard called Monday's win the biggest of the year for the Phillies. Even bigger, Howard said, than Game 4 of last year's NLCS, when Matt Stairs homered off Broxton in a four-run eighth-inning rally. This time it was the ninth inning, and had the Dodgers forced a 2-2 tie, they would have had the extra boost of knowing they would get at least one more home game.

Now they may fly home Wednesday night to pack for the winter.

Because, like many other teams, they could not put away the Phillies.

"All it takes is a slip-up of a pitch, one swing of the bat, an error -- anything to get the ball rolling. And as long as you continue to believe in good things, I believe, and I think we believe, that good things will happen."
- Jimmy Rollins on the Phillies' resiliency But three years ago, it was the Phillies who could not close. With seven games to go, they had a 1/2-game lead over the Dodgers for the NL wild card. Then Philadelphia lost three of four and fell out of the playoffs.

"I've never been in our clubhouse and seen them so pissed off," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. recalled Monday.

The Phillies were angry at themselves, feeling they were good enough to win and hadn't.

A year later, they stormed back to overtake the Mets -- but lost to the Rockies in the Division Series. Another step.

"They grew up a lot" that year, Amaro said.

"That definitely kind of catapulted us," Victorino said.

Then, of course, in '08 came another sprint past the Mets and a World Series championship.

"After '07 it was just kind of a feeling of unfinished business when we went into last year," Howard said.

"We've kind of come into it [this year] with a business-like mindset -- just going in there, trying to handle your business, and try to get back there and try to do it again."

That's the chronological genesis of the Phillies' aura. From whom it sprang is less definitive.

"I think it's collective," Amaro said. "The guys just believe they're good."

Said reliever Scott Eyre: "I think it starts with Charlie [Manuel, the manager]. I really do. Charlie's attitude is, go out and play hard every day and the results will be what you put forth."

Said Howard: "I think it's just the core group of guys that have been here over the last three or four years. And then all the additions that come in pick up on it real quick and want to be a part of it. It's kind of what we're known for."

No one exudes (and talks) more confidence than Rollins. And this postseason he is 6-for-11 (.545) from the seventh inning on.

Broxton, though, is a tough task. He had never blown a postseason save and had gotten out of an eighth-inning jam by throwing 101- and 99-mph fastballs to Jayson Werth.

"It's one of those situations where I wasn't afraid," Rollins said. "I've faced him a number of times before, and that always helps when you're familiar with the guy, his movement, what his ball is going to do, and he's pretty much thrown me all fastballs. I've fouled off a couple sliders in the past. But the fact that he's a closer, 100 mph, he's going to give you his best. If he's going to lose, he's going to lose with his best.

"I was able to catch one in the gap perfectly. They were kind of squeezing the gap, but that ball just came out far enough to beat everybody."

As Rollins rounded second, he saw Carlos Ruiz score the winning run and raised his arm in victory. Another celebration was on.

"We're just hoping he can come through and just get a base hit," Howard said. "He exceeded expectations.

"He likes to be in that moment. He just likes to be in that situation."

None of the Phillies really mind it.

Phillies' Title Swagger Is Years in Making originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angels vs. Yankees, Phillies vs. Dodgers: Monday Marathon LCS Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series

It's a pivotal day in both League Championship Series, with the Angels looking to avoid falling into a (nearly) insurmountable 3-0 hole against the Yankees this afternoon and the Dodgers and Phillies grappling for control in the NL this evening.

Will we have two teams on the brink of the World Series? Or will both LCS ratchet up the drama and go long?

Either way the MLB FanHouse crew will be here to take you through it all in our second marathon live chat of the second round of the postseason. Join us after the jump starting at 3:45 PM ET.

ALCS Game 3, NLCS Game 4 Chat

Angels vs. Yankees, Phillies vs. Dodgers: Monday Marathon LCS Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: That Nagging 9th Question

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, Playoff Pulse, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

So what exactly will Mike Scioscia do if the Angels take a lead into the ninth inning Monday afternoon? Brian Fuentes became the latest closer to blow a save this postseason when he surrendered a home run to Alex Rodriguez in the 11th inning of Game 2.

The guess here is that Scioscia will handle Fuentes much the way he handled him down the stretch and the way Charlie Manuel has handled Brad Lidge -- he'll let the situation dictate his decisions. Scioscia has used Fuentes (a left-hander) and top setup man Kevin Jepsen (a right-hander) depending on the opposing hitters, so it'd be no surprise if he continues to do so now, just don't think of it as a slap in the face or a lack of confidence in Fuentes.

Don't expect anyone in Anaheim to be feeling safe and secure if the situation arises.

Said Torii Hunter of when he saw the 0-2 fastball call to A-Rod in the 11th: "I thought 'Oh no' and wanted to call time."

In Their Own Words
"Eight [runs] wasn't enough, but 11 was I guess." -- Jayson Werth on the decision to let Cliff Lee hit for himself in the eighth and then pull him in the ninth after Philly tacked on three more runs.
By the Numbers
10 Strikeouts by Lee in his Game 3 win, a total which tied him with Curt Schilling and Steve Carlton for the Phillies' postseason record. Not bad company. -- Ed Price
More From FanHouse
Price: Howard Carrying Phils

Looking Back ...

We've got plenty on Cliff Lee's dominant Game 3 showing here. With three starts in the books this postseason, his run is beginning to compare favorably to Cole Hamels' last year.

Hamels went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched last October.

Lee is now 2-0 with a miniscule 0.74 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings.

Wow.

Hamels' brilliant 2008 postseason ended with a World Series championship and an MVP award. Lee and the rest of his teammates still have some work to do for 2009 to end that way, but the left-hander has been a marvel.

Scout's Eye View ...

When someone says a pitcher mixes his pitches well, it is typically used in a complimentary fashion. Well, saying that Cliff Lee mixes his pitches well doesn't even do his "pitchability" -- a term scouts use to describe a pitcher's feel for pitching -- even close to enough justice. Lee threw 114 pitches on Sunday night and very few of them were predictable. He threw 62 fastballs, 23 changeups, 19 sliders, and 10 curveballs, and he did so with pinpoint command.

Look around among the elite pitchers in baseball and you'll find that very few, if any of them, can bring such a diverse mix of pitches that they can command the way Lee does. Just how unpredictable was he? In the eighth inning, still sitting at 90-92 mph with his fastball, Lee did not throw the same pitch twice in a row to any of the three hitters he faced. Of the 11 pitches he threw that inning, four were fastballs, three were changeups, two were sliders, and two were curveballs. Don't fret, Dodger fans. There was little that Los Angeles could have done against a man with such a feel for four different pitches on this night.

-- Frankie Piliere

Monday's Tale of the Tape ...

Yankees (Andy Pettitte) at Angels (Jered Weaver), 4:13 PM ET: Current Angels hitters have a collective .307 average against Pettitte, but only a .391 slugging percentage, suggesting it might be difficult for Los Angeles to deliver a knockout blow. If Vladimir Guerrero can't get going against Pettitte, he probably won't at all this October. Guerrero is hitting .391 off the left-hander in his career. Weaver was torched in two starts against the Yankees this year, allowing 12 earned runs in 19 1/3 innings. The Angels will be hoping that his strong home splits -- he was a almost two full runs better in Anaheim this year -- and his good history against New York (current Yankees are hitting .215 career against him) counteract that.

Dodgers (Randy Wolf) at Phillies (Joe Blanton), 8:07 PM ET: Wolf wasn't what anyone would call crisp in his Game 1 start in the Division Series, unfortunately his numbers against the Dodgers don't offer much optimism that his second career playoff start will go much better. Current Phillies are hitting only .255 against him, but he's allowed seven homers in 98 at-bats against this group, a ratio in line with Albert Pujols'. Pedro Feliz has three of those big flies. Blanton's had relatively good success against these Dodgers, but he should look out for Manny Ramirez, who is 14-for-25 in his career against the right-hander.

Playoff Pulse: That Nagging 9th Question originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Triple Threat Pacing Phillies in October

Ed Price — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:36:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series

PHILADELPHIA -- So far this postseason, Ryan Howard has as many triples as home runs.

That's not a bad thing.

"Ryan's a lot of fun to watch," Phillies teammate Jimmy Rollins said after Sunday's biggest beatdown west of Foxborough, Mass.

"We don't have the power-hitting Ryan Howard right now, but we have a great hitter in Ryan Howard, delivering, driving in RBIs."

A lot of RBI.

Game 3: Phillies 11, Dodgers 0 | Box Score | Series Home

With a two-run triple in the first inning and a run-scoring groundout in the second, Howard drove in three of the six runs the Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda allowed in 1 1/3 innings.

The Phillies -- slightly tougher than the Instructional League team Kuroda faced last week as he convinced the Dodgers to use him in the NLCS -- went on to win 11-0, matching the Dodgers' worst-ever postseason defeat and wiping away memories of Friday's Game 2 meltdown.

"Pitching wins championships, defense wins championships, hitting wins championships," Jayson Werth said. "And we were able to do all those things tonight."

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Dodgers-Phillies Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers' James Loney hangs his head in the dugout after the Dodgers lost 11-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Championship baseball series Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre watches from the dugout in the eighth inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship baseball series against the Philadelphia Phillies Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies beat the Dodgers 11-0 to take a 2-1 series lead. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' catcher Carlos Ruiz catches a foul pop by Los Angeles Dodgers' Ronnie Belliard to end Game 3 of the National League Championship baseball series Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies beat Los Angeles 11-0 to take a 2-1 series lead. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz celebrates after catching a foul pop by Los Angeles Dodgers' Ronnie Belliard to end Game 3 of the National League Championship baseball series Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies beat Los Angeles 11-0 to take a 2-1 series lead. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Shane Victorino is congratulated by Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, right, after his three-run home run in the eight inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship baseball series Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies beat Los Angeles 11-0 to take a 2-1 series lead. (AP Photo/David J. Philip)

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 18: Cliff Lee #34 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates their 11-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 18, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cliff Lee

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 18: Chad Durbin #37 and Carlos Ruiz #51 the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate their 11-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 18, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chad Durbin;Carlos Ruiz

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 18: Chad Durbin #34 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 18, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chad Durbin

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 18: Shane Victorino #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 18, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shane Victorino

Getty Images

Surely. The Phillies outscored the Lions, Redskins, Eagles, Seahawks and Titans on the day.

Lefty Cliff Lee was the biggest star of the game, striking out 10 and walking none in eight scoreless innings.

Howard has brought his usual second-half, carry-the-team thing to the postseason from the beginning.

"He's just a big-game player," Werth said. "He drives in a ton of runs every year and he comes on strong late in the year. If you're ever going to pick when you play good, you want to be playing good down the stretch and in the postseason. And Ryan's been pretty true to form here."

In the Phillies' seven postseason games, Howard is 10-for-26 (.385) with six extra-base hits and 12 RBI. He has driven in a run in all seven games, setting an RBI-streak record for a single postseason.

"Ryan's been up with the opportunity to drive in a lot of runs," Rollins said, "and he's been doing it. That's what he plays the game for.

"He gets paid a lot of money and he's living up to every dollar of it."

A relaxed and productive Howard, with the quality hitters he has batting in front of him and behind him, seems enough to make up for the unpredictable throws by Chase Utley and the Phillies relievers.

Even if Howard doesn't homer.

"If you're ever going to pick when you play good, you want to be playing good down the stretch and in the postseason. And Ryan's been pretty true to form here."
-- Jayson Werth on Ryan Howard's playoff performance "He doesn't try to hit home runs," Raul Ibanez said. "He doesn't hit home runs in batting practice. He's a professional hitter."

Howard's hot streak actually dates back to early August; he finished the regular season with a .322 average, 19 homers and 62 RBI in his final 54 games -- 1/3rd of a season.

"For some reason I just went up there and just started seeing more pitches," Howard said. "Just told myself to relax and try and see as many pitches as I can and just wait for a mistake."

Howard has reached base safely in 16 straight postseason games, the longest such streak since David Ortiz in 2004-07.

"I think it's more just the experience that I've gained from last year to this year," he said, "Just the entire feel of the playoffs. And just kind of taking a step back and looking at last year, at what kind of happened last year [a tough Division Series], and just ways of maybe being able to change that going into this year. I just kind of gathered that experience of just being more relaxed, going up there and being loose and having fun playing the game."

Said Ibanez: "He's a great hitter. Not only a powerful hitter, but a great hitter who can hit the ball to all fields and hurt you to all fields. So it's a lot of fun to watch."

Especially when he chugs out a triple.

"For a big guy, he runs better than people think," Werth said. "He gets around the sacks pretty good."

Howard hit a ball down the right-field line, and he saw Andre Ethier had to go a long way and the ball slow down.

"I said, 'All right, here we go,' " Howard said.

So what's left this fall, other than repeating as World Series winner -- and, you know, a few homers?

Perhaps a stolen base?

"That," Howard said, "might be next."

Triple Threat Pacing Phillies in October originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phillies vs. Dodgers: Game 3 Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series

The National League Championship Series resumes Sunday night, and it'd be hard for Game 3 to get any bigger.

The Phillies broke out the bats in Game 1, then their bullpen broke down in Game 2, leaving the series tied at 1-all and bringing extra meaning to the first game in Philadelphia. It's Cliff Lee for the Phils and Hiroki Kuroda for the Dodgers from Citizens Bank Park, and the MLB FanHouse crew will be here to take you from first pitch to final out.

Join us after the jump, for a LIVE chat beginning at 7:45 PM ET.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=6e58c07e26" >NLCS Game 3 Live Chat</a>

Phillies vs. Dodgers: Game 3 Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: Yankees Dodge Catcher Controversy This Time Around

Andrew Johnson — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, Playoff Pulse, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

Controversy? What controversy? We won't know officially until Saturday afternoon if backup Yankees catcher Jose Molina is once again paired with scheduled Game 2 starter A.J. Burnett, though it seems highly likely that Molina will once again get the nod.

Manager Joe Girardi told reporters before Game 1 that the pairing "worked pretty well last time," about as strong a hint as he could give that it will be an encore for Molina.

ALCS: Goats Galore | CC Delivers | Yanks Set Tempo
NLCS: Dodgers Get 'Dumb Luck' | Utley Tarnishes Pedro's Gem

Kudos to Girardi for playing possum on the decision and deflecting attention away from Molina, Burnett and regular catcher Jorge Posada, the latter of whom caused a stir before the ALDS by expressing -- gasp! -- mild disappointment that he wouldn't get to start a playoff game. (Why was this a big deal again?)

But kudos, mostly, to the Yankees. This -- above all else -- is the power of winning, and the Yankees have looked totally unstoppable so far this October. When you're undefeated in the postseason and three wins away from the World Series, it's awfully hard for anyone to second guess you, even the New York media.

In Their Own Words
"They have supported me from the beginning, and they have embraced me since I came." -- Pitcher Vicente Padilla on the difference between the Dodgers' clubhouse and ones he has inhabited in past seasons.
By the Numbers
73 Consecutive postseason games played by the Yankees without getting a complete game from a starter -- a tribute to Mariano Rivera's brilliance. Roger Clemens in Game 4 of the 2000 ALCS was the last Yankee to go the distance in a playoff game. The all-time record is 81. -- Ed Price
More From FanHouse
Price: Goats Galore in October Fletcher: 'Dumb Luck' for L.A. Mariotti: Philly Says Ut-Oh Piliere: Scouting Notes

Looking Back ...

So he isn't cementing a clutch reputation on par with David Ortiz or Derek Jeter. Maybe Andre Ethier should be, though. He had four walk-off home runs and six walk-off hits during the regular season, then hit .500 with two homers and five extra-base hits in the Dodgers' NLDS sweep of the Cardinals.

And there he was again on Friday afternoon, digging into the batter's box in the bottom of the eighth inning with Los Angeles knotted at 1-all with the Phillies and the bases loaded.

This time around it was what Ethier didn't do with the bat -- swing. He worked a walk off of J.A. Happ, the Dodgers took the 2-1 lead, and just like that manager Joe Torre was able to hand the ball to fireballer Jonathan Broxton in the ninth inning.

With a few more clutch hits and Dodger wins, it'll be time to start penning the Ethier Legend.

Scout's Eye View ...

It's usually pretty clear in the early part of the game when CC Sabathia is poised for a dominant outing. Friday night was no different.

Here is a good indicator for anyone watching Sabathia starts: If he's getting the fastball to the inside corner on righties, you know he's getting that downward angle through his delivery that can make him so difficult. It also tells us that he's finishing through his delivery well, and therefore able to get that late tailing action on his fastball and changeup.

-- Frankie Piliere (Full Scouting Notebook)

Saturday's Tale of the Tape ...

Angels (Joe Saunders) at Yankees (A.J. Burnett), 7:57 PM ET: Current Yankees are hitting .284 off of Saunders, but he's handled most of them well, with the exception of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez who have worn him out. Rodriguez is 7-for-14 with a pair of homers lifetime against Saunders, so the Angels' left-hander will want to handle him with care. One other thing to watch out for: Saunders was a creature of habit this year, posting a 3.91 ERA on normal rest, a 5.72 ERA with an extra day and a 4.50 ERA with two extra days or more. Saunder's last started 13 days ago in the Angels' regular season finale, so rust could be a factor. Burnett has good numbers on the whole against the Angels, limiting current Halos to a .258 average. Bobby Abreu, Chone Figgins and Mike Napoli have had good success against him. You can be sure Napoli, who sat in Game 1, will be in there in Game 2. He's 4-for-11 with two home runs in his career against Burnett.

Playoff Pulse: Yankees Dodge Catcher Controversy This Time Around originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With a Little 'Dumb Luck,' L.A. Pulls Even

Jeff Fletcher — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:25:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers apparently have the whole waiting-for-a-mistake thing down cold.

Last week against the Cardinals, after getting bageled by Cy Young candidate Adam Wainwright, they simply waited for the Cardinals bullpen to come in and for Matt Holliday to drop a fly ball, and they walked off with a win.

On Friday afternoon, after faring worse than the Netherlands against Pedro Martinez for seven innings, they simply waited for the Phillies' bullpen to come in the game. This time, Philadelphia made enough mistakes in one nightmarish inning to leave the Phillies shaking their heads all the way across the country.

Mariotti: Utley Goat as Pedro's Gem Spoiled
Game 2: Dodgers 2, Phillies 1 | Box Score | Series Home

"It would have been nice to go home 2-0," Jimmy Rollins said after the 2-1 loss to the Dodgers left the National League Championship Series even at a game apiece. "This time of year, good teams don't let you get away with mistakes."

Truthfully, the best thing you could say about the Dodgers on Friday was that they didn't beat themselves. Starter Vicente Padilla pitched brilliantly into the eighth, his only mistake a hanging curve that Ryan Howard hit into the seats, and then the Dodgers waited for the Phillies to implode.

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Dodgers-Phillies Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers' Vicente Padilla throws during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship baseball series against the Philadelphia Phillies Friday, Oct. 16, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Andrew Gombert, Pool)

EPA, Pool

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders Juan Pierre (9), Andre Ethier (16), and Matt Kemp (27) celebrate after the final out of Game 2 of the National League Championship baseball series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Oct. 16, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 2-1. (AP Photo/LA Daily News, Hans Gutknecht) ** NO SALES MAGS OUT, LA TIMES OUT, VENTURA COUNTY STAR OUT **

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Jim Thome singles against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning of Game 2 of the NLCS. The Dodgers defeated the Phillies, 2-1, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, Friday, October 16, 2009. (Yong Kim/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

MCT

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Jim Thome high-fives his teammates after he was pulled for a pinch runner in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers defeated the Phillies, 2-1, in Game 2 of NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, Friday, October 16, 2009. (David Maialetti/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

MCT

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Jayson Werth #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies comes up close with the fans in an attempt to catch a foul bal that got away in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jayson Werth

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Chase Utley #26 and Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies look on in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chase Utley;Ryan Howard

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Rafael Furcal #15 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first base against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rafael Furcal

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Starting pitcher Pedro Martinez #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Pedro Martinez

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Pitcher Scott Eyre #47 of the Philadelphia Phillies exits the game in the eighth inning as Phillies manager Charlie Manuel #41 and teammates wait for a relief pitche against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Scott Eyre

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Pitcher Chan Ho Park #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies exits the game after giving up a run in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chan Ho Park

Getty Images

Their first mistake, however, was not made by manager Charlie Manuel when he lifted Martinez after those seven innings and 87 pitches. Martinez had allowed only two singles, but Manuel said he had zero regrets about taking him out, and he shouldn't. First, Martinez's spot in the batting order came up with a runner at first and one out in the top of the eighth, so it was an obvious pinch-hitting situation. Second, Martinez had barely pitched over the past few weeks, so pushing him would have been a gamble.

"He was gone," Manuel said. "I think he was spent. We got seven innings out of him. When the game started, I think I told you guys that I was looking for anywhere from 70 to 85 pitches."

Besides, if you are looking for a 37-year-old starter to get key eighth-inning outs because you don't trust your bullpen, you've got problems. So Manuel went to Chan Ho Park, which was an obvious choice given how well he had pitched the night before. Park did his job, but it didn't work out, as the mistakes and bad luck started to pile up.

Casey Blake led off with a hard shot off the glove of third baseman Pedro Feliz, who was playing toward the line to prevent a double. When asked if he should have made the play, Feliz said: "I didn't make it. I tried my best."

No excuses.

"He was gone. I think he was spent. We got seven innings out of him. When the game started, I think I told you guys that I was looking for anywhere from 70 to 85 pitches."
- Charlie Manuel on his decision to pull Pedro Martinez after seven shutout innings Then came Ronnie Belliard, whose bunt was hit hard, so hard that it rolled past Park and into no-man's land in the middle of the infield. A hit. File both of those under bad luck, balls that could have been outs, but weren't.

Next was Russell Martin, who also attempted to bunt, but couldn't get it down. Instead Martin swung away and hit what should have been a routine double play ball to Feliz. Feliz threw to second, and Chase Utley chucked the ball toward the Phillies dugout, allowing pinch-runner Juan Pierre to score the game-tying run. It was the second time in two nights Utley had blown the same play. Dodgers manager Joe Torre called the whole sequence, the failed bunt and the would-be double play gone bad, "dumb luck."

"It was just a bad throw," Utley said. "He gave me a great feed. I just made a bad throw. ... I had plenty of time to turn it. I just didn't."

No excuses.

Next was pinch-hitter Jim Thome against Philles lefty Scott Eyre. Thome was 0-for-7 in his career against Eyre. This time, Eyre threw a slider that didn't slide. It just spun. Thome lashed it into right for a single, sending Martin to third.

Ryan Madson then walked Rafael Furcal and struck out Matt Kemp for the second out, bringing up the Dodgers' best clutch performer: Andre Ethier. Manuel brought out lefty J.A. Happ because Ethier had hit .194 against lefties. Ethier fouled off three pitches and eventually took the ninth pitch of the at-bat for ball four, bringing in the go-ahead run.

"I came in and felt good," Happ said. "That's the situation I want to be in. Hopefully I get the chance again. I got ahead of him and unfortunately, I let him go."

No excuses.

To review: A hit off the third baseman's glove. An infield hit on a bad bunt. A blown double play ball. Two walks. The Dodgers certainly didn't plan it that way, but so far half of their four postseason victories have been gift-wrapped.

If there is any silver lining for the Phillies, at least they have experience bouncing back from this sort of thing. You don't ride into the playoffs with a closer who blew 11 saves without the ability to be resilient from a late-inning loss.

This blown save came without any contribution from Brad Lidge, though. It was simply a collection of mistakes and bad luck spread around.

"You know what I call that?" Manuel said. "I call that baseball. I call that just the way the game goes. Those are things you've got to live with. Sometimes it comes out our way. Sometimes it goes the other team's way.

"The team that gets a break and the team that capitalizes or gets a big hit or a guy that makes a big pitch, that's the team that wins the game."

So far this postseason, the Dodgers seem to be that team.

With a Little 'Dumb Luck,' L.A. Pulls Even originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phillies vs. Dodgers, Angels vs. Yankees: LCS Marathon Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series

Pedro Martinez makes his official return to the postseason. Weather pending, the Angels and Yankees will renew their fascinating rivalry in the postseason. It all goes down Friday night in one of the final doubleheaders of the 2009 baseball season.

Jeff Fletcher will be on-site at Dodger Stadium as the Phillies try to take a 2-0 edge in the NLCS, while Ed Price will be at Yankee Stadium waiting out the cold and rain and hoping to take in the ALCS opener. The rest of the MLB FanHouse crew will fill in the blanks.

Join us after the jump at 3:45 PM ET for a marathon LCS live chat.

NLCS Game 2, ALCS Game 1 Live Chat

Phillies vs. Dodgers, Angels vs. Yankees: LCS Marathon Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: With Lee Looming, Game 2 Has Extra Urgency for Dodgers

Andrew Johnson — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

Start to size things up, and suddenly you understand why only three teams in the last 17 years lost the opening game of the NLCS and went on to the World Series.

To parrot Yogi Berra, "It gets late early out there." That's the reality facing the Dodgers as they head into Game 2.

This isn't about losing home-field advantage already in the series, though that doesn't help matters. It's about the long shadow of Cliff Lee, who was terrific in two starts in the Division Series for the reigning World Series champions. Lee will return in Game 3 and probably make life very difficult for Los Angeles, which makes Game 2 even more paramount.

Even without Lee looming, the Dodgers would want to avoid a 2-0 hole, but its especially so with the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner a part of the equation. We hate to use the adjective must-win, but Joe Torre's crew is just about there ... already.

Buckle up, Mannywood -- your team's season may very well ride on the right arm of Vicente Padilla.

In Their Own Words
"It looked like the Chan Ho Park of 1998." -- Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins on the reliever who blew through the heart of the Dodgers' order in the seventh inning of Game 1, touching 98 mph on the radar gun.
By the Numbers
3 The numbers of teams in the last 17 years that lost the opening game of the NLCS and went on to the World Series.
More From FanHouse
Fletcher: Kershaw's Lesson Mariotti: Lidge a Good Sign Piliere: Scouting Notes

Looking Back ...

In the Division Series we marveled at Yorvit Torrealba, the Rockies catcher who seems to turn into a fabulous hitter right around the time his team is making a postseason run.

Here's another super-human October backstop for your consideration -- Carlos Ruiz.

The Phillies catcher set the tone in his team's Game 1 win with a three-run homer off of Clayton Kershaw that gave Philadelphia a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Dating back to the beginning of last year's NLCS, Ruiz has quietly been one of the Phils' offensive stars. He's hitting .354 with two home runs and 10 RBI over that 15-game span, numbers made all the more impressive coming from a guy with a career average of .246, an adjusted OPS well below average and 22 regular season home runs ... spread over four years.

Ruiz is known for his defense, but the damage he's done with the stick the last two Octobers has been key to the Phillies' run.

Scout's Eye View ...

As quickly as he seemed to find his groove after a stumble in the second inning, Cole Hamels ran into even bigger trouble in the fifth. And that, in a nutshell, is what seems to be the difference in the Phillies' lefty this year. His mix of pitches and ability to stay unpredictable with the changeup just does not seem to be there like it was last year. The stuff, including the good fastball velocity, does not seem to be an issue. Location of course plays a factor, but it is when Hamels becomes too predictable that he begins to get hit around.

While he has the breaking ball in his arsenal, Hamels makes his living on his fastball-changeup combination. That is not a secret. Using primarily two pitches and having success means you'll need to work even harder to stay unpredictable. Also, to continue to produce those off-balance swings we typically see off the Hamels changeup, the good differential needs to be there. This became an issue in the fifth inning where, at least temporarily, Hamels' fastball appeared to be running out of steam.

-- Frankie Piliere (Full Scouting Notebook)

Friday's Tale of the Tape ...

Phillies (Pedro Martinez) at Dodgers (Vicente Padilla), 4:07 PM ET: Martinez has had plenty of success against current Dodgers hitters (for what team isn't that true?), limiting them to a collective .245 average and 14 extra-base hits in 145 at-bats. The major concern with the right-hander will be how he bounces back from such a long layoff, since he last pitched on Sept. 30 and hasn't thrown more than four innings in an outing since Sept. 13. Padilla, on the other hand, is enjoying one of the finest stretches of his career since joining the Dodgers in late August. Including his start in Game 3 of the NLDS, the right-hander has made nine appearances -- eight starts -- for Los Angeles, going 5-0 with a 2.72 ERA. Padilla has been knocked around by a few Phillies, particularly Raul Ibanez (9-for-28, two home runs), but given the way he's pitching it may not matter.

Angels (John Lackey) at Yankees (CC Sabathia), 7:57 PM ET: The good news for Lackey? Alex Rodriguez has a ton of trouble with him, hitting .176 against him in 51 career at-bats. The bad news? The rest of the Yankees' big guns have had their way with him. Derek Jeter is hitting .341 against him, with Mark Teixeira coming in at .388 and Jorge Posada at a whopping .414. Those numbers go a long way toward explaining his 5-7 record and 4.66 ERA against New York in his career. Things aren't much better for Sabathia. Current Angels are hitting a collective .297 against him, and he'll have to watch out in particular for Chone Figgins, who has a .421 OBP against him in his career, and Torii Hunter, who has 11 extra-base hits off the burly left-hander in 68 at-bats.

Playoff Pulse: With Lee Looming, Game 2 Has Extra Urgency for Dodgers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Predictability Doomed Hamels in Game 1

Frankie Piliere — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:36:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, Scout's Eye View, National League Championship Series

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down the playoffs from a scouting perspective.

In a matchup of elite lefties, both Clayton Kershaw and Cole Hamels appeared to run into brick walls in Game 1. Kershaw, as dominant as he looked early on, was exposed by a good lineup as an immensely talented, but ultimately inexperienced pitcher. Hamels, on the other hand, took a little different path to his problems in the middle innings.

Out of the gate, Hamels looked amped up. It showed very early with his velocity topping out at 96 mph and sitting around 93-94. However, the location was not there and he was quickly burned by a second inning home run off the bat of James Loney.

While it looks good on the radar gun, pitchers like Hamels do not make their living off of gaudy velocity numbers. Quite often when the velocity is up, the way it was for him in this game, you will see his command suffer.

Thankfully for Philadelphia, his spotty fastball command and early adrenaline appeared to fade away by the middle innings. Settling into a 91-93 mph range with his fastball and spotting his changeup, Hamels suddenly looked like the playoff ace we knew in 2008.

But, as quickly as he seemed to find his groove after a stumble in the second inning, Hamels ran into even bigger trouble in the fifth. And that, in a nutshell, is what seems to be the difference in the Phillies' lefty this year. His mix of pitches and ability to stay unpredictable with the changeup just does not seem to be there like it was last year. The stuff, including the good fastball velocity, does not seem to be an issue. Location of course plays a factor, but it is when Hamels becomes too predictable that he begins to get hit around.

While he has the breaking ball in his arsenal, Hamels makes his living on his fastball-changeup combination. That is not a secret. Using primarily two pitches and having success means you'll need to work even harder to stay unpredictable. Also, to continue to produce those off-balance swings we typically see off the Hamels changeup, the good differential needs to be there. This became an issue in the fifth inning where, at least temporarily, Hamels' fastball appeared to be running out of steam.

After sitting above 92 mph for most of the night, he threw four straight fastballs to Russell Martin, ranging from 87-91 mph. The final pitch of the at-bat, an 81-mph changeup, was lined to left field for a double. Martin was able to keep his hands back just enough, and one has to wonder what the result would have been if Hamels' had his typical changeup differential. Those couple of miles per hour off the fastball can be the difference between a swing-and-miss changeup and one that is yanked down the line. So, a little lull in Hamels' velocity may have opened the door for what became a big inning for the Dodgers.

The bigger issue at hand, however, is the pitch selection and predictability to some of the hitters that followed. In the fifth, Rafael Furcal saw two fastballs and fell behind in the count 0-2. The 0-2 pitch was also a fastball and it was lined into right field. Not only did the pitch get far too much plate considering the count, but not burying a changeup in the dirt is probably doing the hitter a favor. He may be trying to out-think the hitters, who must honor his devastating changeup, but as good as it is, getting beat on a 0-2 fastball over the plate just can't happen.

After surrendering the two-run bomb to Manny Ramirez on a changeup in the fifth, it was clear in the sixth inning that suddenly Hamels was determined not to get beat on his off-speed pitch again. The last man he faced before departing, Ronnie Belliard saw six straight fastballs before singling to left field on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. Now, there is obviously nothing wrong with being aggressive with your fastball, but a pitcher of Hamels' style can not afford to be this predictable. He thrives on changing speeds in unexpected situations and constantly keeping hitters on their front foot. If he has confidence and command of his two best pitches, Hamels keeps hitters and viewers of the game guessing all night. If you see unpredictability, you see a better pitcher.

Spotlight Moment

The Phillies came out on top in Game 1, but the at-bat of the night came in the fifth inning. Although he's proven time and time again this October that he's had issues catching up with the fastball inside, Manny Ramirez managed to see a changeup in a 2-0 count. And, as Manny tends to do when he gets a pitch he's sitting on, he deposited it into the left field seats. We can't be certain that he was sitting on the changeup, but Ramirez is a smart enough hitter to recognize his problems against the fastball and hunt the off-speed pitch.

What has to be questioned in this situation is, after falling behind with two straight changeups, why Hamels would go back to the well a third straight time. Hamels brought a better than usual fastball to the mound on this night, one that had Ramirez tied up earlier in the game, so it has to at least be asked why a fastball wouldn't be mixed in at some point in this count. Of course, some credit also needs to go to Ramirez for sitting on and jumping all over a pitch he was looking for. This is why he's still incredibly dangerous despite what the clear issue he has hitting the good fastball on the hands.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

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MLB Postseason Photos

Los Angeles Angels pitchers Jered Weaver, left, and John Lackey share a laugh as they walk off the field after baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Angels face the New York Yankees in the America League championship baseball series beginning on Friday in New York. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

2009 Baseball Playoffs

New York Yankees' CC Sabathia celebrates in the locker room after the Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-1 in Game 3 of the American League division baseball series Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Yankees swept the series. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre talks to reporters at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies starting Thursday in baseball's National League Championship Series. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre talks to reporters at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies starting Thursday in baseball's National League Championship Series. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre talks to reporters at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies starting Thursday in the National League Championship Series. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia talks to reporters before baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Angels will face the New York Yankees in the America League championship series beginning Friday in New York. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Angels pitchers Jered Weaver, left, and John Lackey walk off the field after baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Angels will face the New York Yankees in the America League championship series beginning Friday in New York. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Angels helmets are shown during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Angels will face the New York Yankees in the America League championship series beginning Friday in New York. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Bobby Abreu warms up during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. The Angels are scheduled to face the New York Yankees in the America League Championship Series beginning Friday in New York. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Predictability Doomed Hamels in Game 1 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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