The Rotation
Rich Dubee confirmed the Phillies rotation for the first four games of the NLCS.
The Rotation
Todd Zolecki
Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee confirmed the rotation for the first four games of the National League Championship Series.
It's not a surprise.
Game 1 at Citizens Bank Park: Cole Hamels vs. Derek Lowe.
Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park: Brett Myers vs. Chad Billingsley.
Game 3 at Dodger Stadium: Jamie Moyer vs. Hiroki Kuroda.
Game 4 at Dodger Stadium: Joe Blanton vs. Clayton Kershaw or Greg Maddux.
The Dodgers only have announced that Lowe will pitch Game 1, so the rest of the Dodgers rotation is an educated guess.
Comments (22)
Please give us Maddux Joe! PLEEZ!— Frank Lloyd Wrong- I guess I'm just prejudiced toward my team -- or dazed from the NLDS victory -- but I look at those match ups and feel pretty confident going into this series.— Jeffrey
- Might want to check the Phillies' numbers against Kershaw FLW.— jason14
- Yea, I would take either Maddux or Kershaw, we have hit both well this year, and if they throw Kershaw at us, then they will only have 1 lefty in their bullpen this round. I am really liking how our pitchers matchup against the dodgers. I can see us winning in 5 or 6 to be honest.— robm0202
This is the Phils' year. It was a foregone conclusion that the 2008 World Series would feature the Angels vs. the Cubs.— RAS- Rays vs Phils. How big is the NL losing the All Star Game now?— rockinrob
- I'll be seeing the toughest game of the series on paper, Billingsley has been awesome for the Dodgers this year... Can't wait for Brett Myers to get out there and strike those Dodgers out! Go Phillies I'll be there for the afternoon Game 2 at CBP!— phillywebcast
- Billingsley is one of the best RH starters in the NL. Don't overlook that guy.— Bake McBride
- Wouldn't it be (horribly) ironic if one of Brad Lidge's rare bad outings (the All-Star Game) cost the Phillies the WS after all he's done this year? But hey, let 'em get there first and then we'll worry about home field.— DDiceRC
Comment removed.- The reason this sports thread is so positive is - ITS NOT ABOUT THE EAGLES. Go Phillies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— Bama
- Bowa said yesterday they may go with a 3 man rotation because of the days off.— Gary Varsho
- With the days off though, they would still have to pitch someone on 3 days rest.— robm0202
- Unbelievable how sure everyone is that the Phillies are not only going to win, but are going to win easily (Anyone remember January 2003, when some little Eagles whipping boy named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were going to come to Philadelphia and lie down and die for the Eagles??). You guys are making me so nervous. Have any of you actually seen the Dodgers since they left Philly in August? They are NOT that team. They are a MUCH better team than that. They are playing better than the Phillies right now. The Phillies need to start hitting (this means YOU, Chase Utley... sorry if you are playing hurt, or playing tired, but if you are going to keep playing, then you MUST start contributing), and they HAVE TO win Game 1. This is not an easy series, and it is NOT a good match-up for the Phillies. Derek Lowe is the hottest pitcher in baseball, and he is a ground-ball machine who makes the Phillies' fly ball offense look silly when he pitches against them. In two games against Kuroda this year, they looked like a little league team playing the Boston Red Sox. This is a winnable series, but no sure thing. Don't mean to be negative... I love the enthusiasm and the confidence... but the over-confidence scares me to death, and there is a lot of it all over this town right now. They can win this series... I hope they do win this series. I am far from convinced they WILL win this series. The Brewers were easy, LA is not. Here's to Cole pitching another gem in Game 1... that will loosen me up a bit, and ensure that this series will be a fight the Phillies can win.— RollinsWasRight
- Oh yeah, and if they want to win, they better win in 6 or less, because they set up their rotation all wrong. The way it is now, Moyer is lined up to start a potential Game 7, and against this team, that is a disaster waiting to happen. They should've either had Moyer pitch Games 2 and 6, so Myers could go in Game 7, or else pitch Myers in Game 1, on short rest in Game 4, and on regular rest in Game 7 (actually, it would be preferable to do 1, 4, 7 with Cole, but apparently he is too breakable to pitch on short rest). Moyer vs. Manny, Game 7, is like a horrific nightmare come to life, like a Dario Argento film.— RollinsWasRight
- No one is sure they're going to win, they are excited and hopeful. Being 'scared to death' about it seems like a waste of energy. Whatever happens happens. Might as well enjoy it and root for the home team.— hayes9
- The pundits want to see Dodgers vs. Red Sox. I certainly hope not but once the monied interests want to see something 9/10 times it happens. I like the pitching match-ups but we really need Chase to DO SOMETHING I mean anything in this series to win.— Truth
- Comment removed.
- Being out here on the Left Coast and cheering for the Dodgers when I'm not cheering for the Phils (make no mistake, my loyalty remains decked in red pins), I HAVE seen 'em throughout the year, and RollinsWasRight makes very good points. This will be a close series that could go either way: and whether it goes 7 games, it probably deserves to do so. The Phils' pitching is probably marginally better than the Dodgers', but the Dodger bats have been much hotter than the Phillies'. Advantage Phils since good pitching usually beats good hitting, but only by the slimmest of margins. One place I disagree is about the rotation setup comment; their best pitchers are scheduled to go for 2 games each if the series goes 6, and that's the best situation they could have.— marty
- Bowa was on the 940 yesterday and said the Dodgers were more than likely going with a three man rotation with Kershaw and Maddox in the pen.— RobthePhilsfan
- I expect the Dodgers to give us a good battle, they're playing well right now. The Phillies, however, are also playing well, 16-4 in their last 20 games. I think the pitching is equal and the series comes down to whether one guy (Manny) can carry a lineup. I think he gets his hits but doesn't kill the Phils; I think our lineup, top to bottom is better. The great thing is we don't have to wait much longer to find out. GO PHILS!!!— KMG
- Game day is FINALLY here! Here's hoping that RED OCTOBER continues!— RollinsWasRight
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