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TV: TBS. Radio: WPHT (1210-AM), WUBA (1480-AM), ESPN (950-AM).
2008: 0-0, 1.88
Vs. Phillies: 0-0 2008, 1-0 career)
Last start: Sept. 25 vs. Pirates, 4IP, 1ER
Phillies LHP Cole Hamels
2008: 14-10, 3.09
Vs. Brewers: 1-1 2008, 2-1 career
Last start: Sept. 23 vs. Atlanta 7IP, 2ER
1. Yonavi Gallardo, 22, who injured both knees this year - the right one more seriously. He has made only four starts this season, one since May 1 - four innings, three hits, one run on Thursday against the Pirates. He faced the Phillies on Aug. 3 last season, won, 2-1, and so thoroughly shut them out for the first 6 2/3 innings that the only baserunners through 5 1/3 were eventual NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and pitcher Kyle Kendrick. Remember, the Phillies lost their last playoff game to tough, young Rockies righthander Ubaldo Jiménez.
2. The perception doesn't equal reality: Since getting rocked July 26 against the Braves, Hamels, in his second full season, has gone 5-4, but with a sparkling 2.71 ERA with nine quality starts in 11 outings, allowing no more than two runs each of those nine outings. He has allowed more than four earned runs three times in 33 starts. He's top-five Cy Young Award quality, especially pitching home games at Citizens Bank Joke. Look at Hamels' stats and consider that, in 2006, Brandon Webb won the Cy at 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA and 178 K's.
3. Yeah, Ryan Howard is hot, NL Player of the Month, and all that ... but Jimmy Rollins is smoking, too. In his previous 31 games, Rollins is hitting .352 with 17 RBI, 15 extra-base hits and a whopping 19 walks, which arcs his on-base percentage to .439, and 16 steals, which helped him hit 47 total this season, a career best - in a year in which he missed 27 starts because of an ankle injury that affected him most of the season. Rollins went 2-for-11 and scored once in last year's sweep by the Rockies. Factor in that Gold Glove, and he's the MVP every time the Phillies play.
Looking ahead to Game 2: Brewers LHP CC Sabathia (11-2, 1.65) vs. Phillies RHP Brett Myers (10-13, 4.55)
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