Kuzul

Philadelphia enters Game 5 of the 2010 NLCS looking for a cure, and they’ll turn to the good doctor Roy Halladay to find it as the Phillies get set to square off against the San Francisco Giants.

This game could be the last for the Phillies, so it’s “do or die” time, and that means several things for dem Phightin’ Phils if they want to bring this series back to the City of Brotherly Love.

In their first go-around, the Giants hit Halladay better than expected, as the doctor failed to treat the gaping wound caused by eight hits, two homers and four earned runs.

As the series has progressed, the Phillies’ bats have ominously gone quiet; with men on, they have failed to capitalize by not running the bases enough, and even their impenetrable defense has broken down a few times in the worst possible way.

So now what?

Well, it’s simple. The Phillies must get back to what has worked for them all year long: hitting, stealing bases, consistent defense and solid pitching.

Which leads us to Halladay.

Halladay rarely makes the same mistake twice, and tonight’s game is a perfect opportunity for some redemption as he gets set for his rematch against The Freak, Tim Lincecum.

That redemption can also be the fuel and guiding light for a team seemingly awestruck by the Giants, who have methodically picked them apart, and when your ace leads the way, winning just gets a whole lot easier.

Tonight the Phillies look to erase last week and rewrite the ending to another stellar chapter in their history, rather than close the book on a story with no sequel.

And it all starts with the good doctor.

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After four game into the NCLS, we have ourselves quite a matchup, but with contrasting results.

The Phillies have looked consevative, out of sync, and at times, without that fight that has made them who they are.

The Giants, on the other hand, have looked cool, crisp, and methodical which are the very tratis that helped them win the West.

Last night’s game was a little indicative of the aforementioned.

While it’s hard to put a grade on a game that was really based around well hit and placed balls, there are some specifics that could’ve made a difference.

Let’s take a look.= at last night’s report card.

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With the 2010 regular season behind us, and all the normal MLB trade rumors completed, why not take the opportunity to discuss who will be headlining the Trade Rumor department in 2011?

The free agency market next year is rather large, and there are a number of players that could be mentioned here, so I will simply take a look at who I believe will be some big names taking center stage.

I’ll try to look at each position, and throw in a wildcard player that could be the next diamond in the rough.

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It’s almost trite to ask what people initially think about when they ponder the New York Yankees and the postseason.

Some will say a team resting on the ink of a paycheck, while others will say an indelible mark on baseball’s identity.

But when you clear the air on a seemingly endless argument, you’re left with the only topic that is forward focus: The 2010 ALCS.

This matchup was almost written in the realm of possibilities a long time ago. Many fans began to realize the Rangers were not only running away with their division late in the summer but also that they were more legit than they have been in some 10 years.

The Yankees, on the other hand, were steeped in a divisional battle all year long with a Tampa Bay team that was considered one of only two teams that could actually beat the Rangers.

The Yankees were the second; the Rays failed.

And with that, we saw tonight why people believe the Yankees can, in fact, beat this high-powered Rangers team. They overcame last night’s drubbing and a collection of losses that, to some, were unexpected and rose above adversity with the injury to their power first baseman Mark Teixeira.

But in the dark lurks the Texas Ranger.

The Yankees are a well-oiled machine and a well-coached team. With that said, you have to believe that Girardi and company are now feeling the pressure of the torrent bats of Texas and their overpowering pitching staff.

Across the diamond, Texas manager Ron Washington is burning an indelible worry into the crawls of the Yankees coaching staff, as if to say: We aren’t going to go away; we’re just as good as you are!

But the Yankees have a stigma of their own: Just try and beat us!

And that, folks, is the new stage setting for Game 6!

All things considered, it doesn’t matter whether you are a Yankees fan or a Rangers fan because either side of the coin has to admit they couldn’t have asked for a better, more exhilarating series as we have on our hands right now.

The Yankees may be the perennial favorite, but the Rangers are that one history-making underdog that often gets underestimated.

The bottom line is: Is it another year of the inevitable for the Yankees, or has fate found a new friend in Texas?

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Just when we all thought we were getting our postseason fill with the NLDS, the approaching NLCS is about to open up the flood gates with a good old fashion civil war between the East Coast and West Coast.

It’s time to put on the gloves, get out your rally towels, and show those Giants draped in orange what Philadelphia is all about.

Who cares about that old Willie Mays statue, when you have Ashburn Alley!

Who needs the California Cookout when you have Bull’s BBQ!

How can you enjoy the beautiful sun filled California beaches when you have the Jersey Shore????

*cough*…Ok, San Francisco, you win that one.

The postseason engine just switched into its high gear, and Game One of the NLCS has all the makings of a historical event waiting to happen.

At this rate, even the World Series is going to wind up paling in comparison to not only what has already happened in the NLDS and ALDS, but what is about to transpire in the NLCS.

I am, of course, talking about the reigning Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum, about to take on the pending 2010 Cy Young Award Winner Roy Halladay.

I’m talking about two of the best pitchers in not only the NL, but all of baseball.

The Freak vs. The Doctor.

It really doesn’t get any better than this, unless you’re sitting in Citizen’s Bank Park with a Hatfield hot dog and an ice cold Bud Light.

But I digress.

Even as good as Tim Lincecum is, he’s only one man, whereas the Phillies tandem of Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels (H₂0) is more than any team has really been able to handle since the beginning of September.

And that could wind up being all the Phillies need once again.

They already beat the best defensive team in the National league, and one of the best hitting teams in the National League (the Cincinnati Reds), now they get set to face one of the hottest teams in the National League.

No problem, right?

You wanted drama? You wanted excitement? You wanted a thrilling postseason drive?

If this doesn’t get you excited, you may want to check your pulse.

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A show of hands: How many of you know who Yu Darvish is? Not many, right? Well that’s because here in the states most of us are still being consumed with postseason baseball, and haven’t really spent any time talking about potential deals for the 2011 season.

Yu Darvish is being touted as the next power phenom arm out of Japan, and is the latest trending topic in baseball.

Shortly after Dick-K left for the America’s, Darvish quickly became the poster child of Japanese baseball where he is still very much looked at as Japan’s baseball preservation.

And Darvish doesn’t come without his accolades.

He brandishes a 63-24 record with a 2.20 ERA and 752 SOs, and has a mile long list of career awards:

• 2× Pacific League MVP(2007, 2009)
• 2007 Eiji Sawamura Award
• 2007 NPB Strikeout Champion
• 2009 NPB ERA Champion
• 2× Best Nine Award (2007, 2009)
• 2x Mitsui Golden Glove Award (2007-2008)
• 2006 Asia Series MVP
• 3x NPB All-Star (2007-2009)
• 2007 Climax Series MVP
• 2006 Japan Series Champion

Yurvish is also highly coveted for his repertoire of pitches that seemingly needs very little work, including a 4 seam fastball, a dangerous slider, and he has even been known to deal out a screwball.

His complimentary pitches include a splitter, a curve, a changeup, and a two seam fastball more commonly known in Jap[an as a Shuuto; a pitch made famous by players such as Noboru Akiyama, Kenjiro Kawasaki, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Masumi Kuwata.

But what are the odds of Darvish—a player who hasn’t actually expressed interest in coming to America—actually playing for a MLB team?

We’ll take a speculative look at 10 teams who have been named as possible suitors, and look at the odds of each team possibly grabbing Darvish’s services.

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The Phillies entered into Game 3 of the NLDS with one thing in mind: Win and go home.

And they did just that.

Behind a dominant Cole Hamels and a constructed hitting squad that showed the value of both the long ball and the short ball, the Phillies dominated nearly every aspect of this game.

Let’s take a look at how the Phillies fared against not only the best defensive teams in the NL this season, but also against one of the best teams, in one of the most hitter friendly parks in the majors.

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After two exhilarating games the Philadelphia Phillies have more than shown exactly why they are not only the number one team in the National League, but  why there are the NLDS’ top “student’.

Being down four to nothing, and dealing with a Reds team that’s not only pulled out all the stops, but also debuted their “secret weapon” only to have him (Chapman) retired faster than his own 100+ MPH fastball.

The Reds seemingly crumbled under the pressure of a Phillies team that is as methodical as it gets when it comes down to getting back into a game.

They chased away the best defensive team in the National League, they blew away the blow away pitcher  Chapman, and took a crucial two games to none lead, as the series heads back to Cincinnati for a game three showdown on Sunday night.

Let’s take a look at the Phillies NLDS Game 2 report card, and how this game translates into a final grade of B+.

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With the MLB playoffs just hours away, many fans are inevitably experiencing their own version of postseason baseball butterflies.

But it isn’t just the fans that are trying to quell their nervousness; it’s also a handful of players who are playing for more than just a shot at the Fall Classic.

No pressure, really.

Lurking in the dugouts of the eight remaining teams are a collection of various players who are not only trying to help their respective teams advance in the playoffs but are also trying to prove their free-agency worth.

And what better stage than the postseason, right?

But we’re not just talking about your average, random player without a contract per say; we’re talking about some guys who already have some quality value as MLB players, whether it be as a pitcher or hitter.

Let’s take a look at who I want to highlight, and what exactly these guys are really playing for.

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It began in Washington on April 5, and fittingly, it has ended in Washington with the Philadelphia Phillies crushing the Washington Nationals, 8-0 en route to a divisional clinch.

And with every ending comes a new beginning.

Now, Dem Phightin’ Phils will begin the process of gearing up for their fourth postseason berth in as many years.

And they do it HEALTHY!

Jimmy Rollins will return as soon as today, and the rest of the musketeers are in good health and playing at an incredibly high level.

But the Phillies will have to utilize a couple of things in order to survive the bevy of teams that they could face.

Let’s take a quick look at what lies ahead for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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