First Look: Giants-Phillies in the National League Championship Series
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First Look: Giants-Phillies in the National League Championship Series
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Here's an early look at a preview box that is running in the newspaper tomorrow. I've been saying for a month that the Giants are the only team to fear in the NL. Now, we'll see just how much they should be feared.
2010 National League Championship Series
Phillies (97-65, 1st in NL East) vs. Giants (92-70, 1st in NL West)
Game 1: Saturday, October 11, Citizens Bank Park
History: The Giants haven’t won a World Series since moving to San Francisco from New York in 1958. In fact, they haven’t won one since 1954, which is the third-longest drought in the majors behind the Cubs and the Indians. They last advanced to the World Series in 2002, losing to the Angels in seven games. The Giants and Phillies have never faced each other in the postseason.
Recent History: Dating back to the start of the 2008 season, the Phillies are 9-10 against the Giants, including 6-6 this season. Of those 19 games, they have scored fewer than four runs in 12. They have struggled particularly at ATT Park, where they have lost seven of their last nine while averaging 2.8 runs per game.
Pitching: Both teams have some decisions to make with regards to their rotations. Cole Hamels started Game 3 of the NLDS for the Phillies, but he had better results (a five-hit shut-out) than Game 2 starter Roy Oswalt (four runs in five innings) and has struggled at AT &T Park, allowing at least four runs in all four of his career starts there (including a no decision in April when he allowed four runs in six innings with 10 strikeouts). Oswalt has pitched well in each of his last three starts in San Francisco, allowing six runs in 23 innings.
Meanwhile, Giants NLDS Game 2 starter Matt Cain allowed five runs (two earned) in six innings in an 8-2 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in August. That same series, Game 3 starter Jonathan Sanchez held the Phllies to one run on two hits in eight innings of a 5-2 win. One thing seems certain: a match-up of the ages in Game 1 between two-time defending Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and 2010 frontrunner Roy Halladay. The Giants also feature rookie lefty Madson Bumgarner, who could match up well with the Phillies.
Offense: The Giants have struggled at times this season, finishing ninth in the NL in runs scored and second-to-last in stolen bases. They do have some weapons, including rookie catcher Buster Posey (.305 average, .862 OPS, 18 home runs in 108 games), veteran first baseman Aubrey Huff (.290, .891, 26 HR) and, of course, former Phillie Pat Burrell (.266, .872, 18 HR).
Comments (76)
TJJ1000, the last game of this series, I want to see you posting on the message board of that game's recap. If the giants somehow win, then fine, enjoy your fun. but when the phills smack them around I want to see what you have to say then. just wait, i'll be calling you out then, and even if you don't answer, i'll know you're reading and knowing how dumb you were to post this garbage.— flyers70- Ha! Flyers70, I will be out celebrating after the Giants win the final game of this series, but sure, I will find a minute to stop by and get a few last jabs in.— TJJ1000
- TJJ1000 - before Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T opened, the Giants weren't selling out the stands in Candlestick. So don't try to use that line of bandwagon-thinking unless you're ok with being labeled a hypocrite, ok?— bdm155
- Looking forward to this great matchup of pitching, I give the edge to Phillies having a better offense than the Giants but a SF Fan can dream. p.s. love the cheese steak— SlackRanger
- Dodgers had way more hitting talent than the Giants have- Manny, Kemp, Ethier, Loney,etc. LA's problem was that they were intimidated by the Phillies.— djmarco
- I love the Giant fan talking "roids" who doesn't even know how to spell "Aaron Rowand". Remember a guy named Bonds? Enjoy watching R.O.W.A.N.D hit .230 for you for two more years.— SFPhillyphan
- Series comes down to oswalt and Blanton. Either one picks up a win SF watches WS.Phils dominate the hitting portion as Burrell will let in more hits than he gets. Posey Ross and Torres are legit but not "A" material (maybe Posey). How does this compare to Howard's 30 hrs and 100 rbis,Chooch 300,Utley healthy,Polanco 298,Werth's 28 hrs,Ibanez's 18 and 80 and 3 time gg Rollins??? ANS= Not Well Pitching could be a push .... Phils in 6— batmann1
- TJJ1000 - Lincecum has never won in Philly. Let's see how he fares facing Halladay and the Philly fans in the post-season. Full credit if he gets the win. I can understand your negative attitude toward Hamels. After all, he won his World Series MVP when he was younger than Timmy. You might want to ask the Reds and some of the other teams who have had to come through Philly in recent playoff years if the playoffs may be just a little different than the regular season, particularly when you're dredging up games played half a year ago. No comparison my man. May the best team win but we all know which one that is.— s
- For me the second game of the home series against the Giants was the most perfect game of the season, where the Phillies scored late to ice the game, followed the next day by Hamels being beaten, the last bad game he's pitched all year.
But that second game revealed a true Giants' weakness: their outfielders have no range, couldn't cut off hits or run down fly balls. And that game was in Philly, cozy CBP. That weakness will be magnified in cavernous AT&T Park.
Yes, the Giants' pitching must be respected, but I don't see the Giants winning a best-of-seven series from this Phillies team. The longer the series, the better the Phillies' chances. In other words, unless the Giants win it in four or five games, by totally shutting the Phillies down and winning close, low-scoring games, the Phillies will advance to the World Series. Phillies in 6.— PHANPHOREVER - Phils in 3. Giants can't score on the phil's big 3.
I hate: reading MB stuff from people like TJJ1000. Idiotic. An example of the worst part of internet conversation. I like: fans with mutual respect, or at least realism. Hopefully intelligence.— road515- Hey TJJ1000, we have listened to decades of garbage from New York people. In baseball from Mets fans, now Yankees fans. Don't think anyone here will do anything but *yawn* at you.
— road515 
It's OK. We've seen the likes of TJJ1000 the past few years. He'll join the rest of the burned-out shells of the past Phils' post-season foes. The Giants are one-dimensional: Tim Linecum. Not much after that for the Giants. The Phils during a slump hit better than the Giants at their best. But I'll throw a Giants a bone and say Phils in 5.
TJJ1000, Posted 01:08 AM, 10/12/2010: "Ha! Flyers70, I will be out celebrating after the Giants win the final game of this series, but sure, I will find a minute to stop by and get a few last jabs in."
And yet, you were here pretty quickly after the Giants beat the Braves last night. Sounds to me you're just a loser shut-in and if the Phillies go back to the World Series, we'll never hear from you again, just like the loser shut-in that you are.- i hope the umps can stay out of this one,...Phils in 5— SyddBarrett
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