[rthoughton]

ya. I'd like to see the starting lineups for those games, I guess I could do some digging. The Phils lost what, 7/8 in a row, with no one on the field. And then they field the real lineup and put up 9 runs on the Mets and then sweep the Braves right out of the playoffs.
CLEARLY, the Phils are not concerned with the Cards. IF they were, they would have selected the youthful Diamondbacks. This is going to be 2-0 Phils heading to St Louis.
Im not saying that the Phils will sweep or that this wont be a great series, Im just saying every knock on the phils is off base and coming from people who don't know the team. This team has to win this world series to justify the era, and I dont see anyone (except MAYBE the Yanks in WS) beating this team. Not much of a chance. It has no weakness. And how great did Stutes look last night?!
And I still like the Tigers in the AL. REminds me of the 08 phils. Rolling September, perfect closer, great Ace.

I guess I should be asking everyone to lay big money on the CARDS! so I can get a nice line and make a shit load of coin.

[lakerboy]

The series price will tell us all we need to know.

[jjgold]

Phils in 4

Pitching will win, playoffs a little different than regular season

[smittysayz]

They roll in NLDS. I can see Greinke, Gallardo, Marcum and the Brewers O making a series of it in the NLCS.

After last night, this Mets fan is on the Rays bandwagon

[babyjesus]

Phillies sir. Phillies

[letsgo]

Looks like Holiday and Furcal could miss games.

[BigDofBA]

I love how people give opinions and don't even know how many games the series is.

The Cardinals were 6-3 against Philly this season and beat Lee and Halladay at Philly.

They have a shot here. It may be worth a gamble.

Saying Philly didn't care about those regular season games us a lame excuse.

Philly might be the better team but the Cards are hot and anything can happen in a short series.

[CrimsonQueen]

The series price will tell us all we need to know.

Well I don't see a series price, but I think this can already tell us all we need to know

14151 Philadelphia Phillies win World Series +175

14167 St Louis Cardinals win World Series +1500

[Ice House]

what is the schedule and pitching matchups?

[No coincidences]

A lot depends on if Lohse and Westbrook can give StL decent innings, which is a shaky proposition at best.

[flocko76]

This is where Doc and Cliff Lee step up their game. Its the playoffs!

[lakerboy]

Can't imagine lee doing what he did last year.

[dlunc3]

How about what he did two years ago?

[letsgo]

what is the schedule and pitching matchups?

Game 1 and 2 are Saturday and Sunday.

I don't think the Cards have their pitchers set but I see it like this:

Game 1 - Halladay vs Garcia
Game 2 - Lee vs Jackson
Game 3 - Hamels vs Carpenter
Game 4 - Oswalt vs Westbrook/Lohse
Game 5 - Halladay vs Garcia

[letsgo]

Can't imagine lee doing what he did last year.

He was lights out the last 2 years in the Postseason, except for the WS last year. How quickly people forget how good he was for the Phillies in 2009.

[letsgo]

Just found this:

Lohse vs Halladay
Garcia vs Lee
Carpenter vs Hamels
Jackson vs Oswalt

[dlunc3]

LOL at those looking at the Season Series, the Phillies didn't care for most of that last series they played the Cards, and for those saying the Phillies were on cruise control, they just swept the Braves in 3 must win games for the Braves on the road.

Garcia vs Halladay
Jackson vs Lee
Carpenter vs Hamels
Westbrook/Lohse vs Oswalt

This post tells the whole story. The phills have the better pitcher in every matchup... No need to even mention that the phills had the best bats in the nl from the time they brought in pence till the game they clinched. Better starting pitching, better bats, better bullpen, better bench, less injuries ---- phills in 3 or 4.

[neverstoppers23]

I think you are insane, and are really over valuing them. You have to remember they are ONLY IN THE PLAYOFFS BECAUSE OF ATL. Its not like they had some great Rockie 2005 run. Where they went like 27-5 in there last 33 games. They had a good September, not bad. Not great.

The phillies, have the best record by far for a reason, and I think people will realize how great of a team they are in the playoffs. Because that is when Great Pitching is of most importance. This one is a sweep.

[neverstoppers23]

This post tells the whole story. The phills have the better pitcher in every matchup... No need to even mention that the phills had the best bats in the nl from the time they brought in pence till the game they clinched. Better starting pitching, better bats, better bullpen, better bench, less injuries ---- phills in 3 or 4.

Really did not know they had the best offense post all star break, interesting.
But when you have Halladay and Cliff lee as your top two guys in the playoffs, its almost unfair. Most times you would get all pumped up if you won game 1 as the under dog, yeah WE TOOK DOWN THEIR ACE. But nope the next day you have to play Cliff Lee, or then the next day you have to play Oswalt which would a number 1 guy on 75 percent of teams in baseball.

[JR007]

short series, hot teams going in...........

[d2bets]

Is there a series price yet? I'd make Phillies maybe around a -220 fave?

[stevenash]

People just assume the Phillies are an auto win due to having Lee, Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels and Worley. Things are different in the playoffs. The Cardinals can beat the Phillies.

Oswalt is nowhere near automatic, Phils line up is good, but not great, and overrated, for the Cards to have a chance, one of the big three aces from Philly needs to have a brain fart in the best of five.

Don't forget, Matt Holliday has inflammation in right hand, which is nothing if you play in the NFL, but it's a big deal when you need that hand to hold a 35 oz bat and make your living hitting balls over a fence 400 feet away.

Craig is a nice backup, but he's not Holliday.

When healthy, Pujols, Holliday, Berkman is the best 3-4-5 combo in the game right now, when not healthy, the Phils pitching can be selective to Pujols.

Cards chances become so much slimmer if the lineup has Craig and Punto in it, as opposed to Holliday and Furcal.

One of the posters mentioned the Cards bull pen suck.
They do, so you can't go toe-to-toe for the first six innings with the Phils pitching, you need to be up on the Phils after six, because the Cards bull pen more time than not make a 2-2 game into a 2-4 defecit.


Having said all that, would love to see St. Louis shut up the arrogant Philly fans, don't see it though.

Cards will get a game, could make a series out of it, will not roll over, but I don't see them winning

[SparJMU]

Is there a series price yet? I'd make Phillies maybe around a -220 fave?

It's not out yet, but it will be much more like Phillies -300. Everyone here can ramble all they want, but the bottom line is that the Phillies are heavy favorites, and the real experts who make the lines will give STL about a 25% chance to win. Of course STL can win the series. Upsets happen all the time. It sure as hell isn't going to be easy though when your first two games are on the road against Halladay and Lee.

As an enormous Phillies fan, this is definitely the team I wanted to face the least. You never want to start the postseason against a really hot team with huge bats, but in the end Pitching wins championships and the Phillies should handle this one. It could end up going five, but I just can't see the Phils losing one at home.

[PhillyFlyers]

There is no chance the Cardinals win against the Phillies.

Their best pitcher, Carpenter, pitched 9 innings last night and won't be ready until next tuesday.

Halladay and Lee are locks at home in Philly. I see a sweep for Philly. Get your brooms out.

[jimkotecki]

Nope, they suck

[linedrivr]

only 3 teams have a chance in these playoffs

phillies, yankees, and cards

winner here goes to the world series

No Texas? No Detroit? solid pitching and hot bats going into the playoffs for both of these teams. Neither of these teams are intimidated by the Yankees.

The Yankees may not make it past Detroit and if they do survive that series, the Texas / TB winner will give them hell. The Yankees have a tough row to hoe to get to the world series and frankly, I don't think they have the arms to make it.

[PhillyFlyers]

No Texas? No Detroit? solid pitching and hot bats going into the playoffs for both of these teams. Neither of these teams are intimidated by the Yankees.

The Yankees may not make it past Detroit and if they do survive that series, the Texas / TB winner will give them hell. The Yankees have a tough row to hoe to get to the world series and frankly, I don't think they have the arms to make it.

I actually see this as a problem for anyone playing the Yankees. The Yanks finished this season 2nd in runs, 7th in batting average, 2nd in on-base percentage, and 3rd in slugging percentage.

Whoever plays them needs to have solid pitching performances because the Yankees can light teams up.

On the other hand, their starting pitching is their weak spot. If, however, the Yanks get decent performances from their starters, their offense is good enough to carry them.

I think the Phillies have the best chance for winning the World Series but I wouldn't be shocked if the Yanks pulled it off.

[PhillyFlyers]

I love how people give opinions and don't even know how many games the series is.

The Cardinals were 6-3 against Philly this season and beat Lee and Halladay at Philly.

They have a shot here. It may be worth a gamble.

Saying Philly didn't care about those regular season games us a lame excuse.

Philly might be the better team but the Cards are hot and anything can happen in a short series.

To be fair, the Cards at that time, were desperately fighting to have a chance to make the playoffs, while the Phillies had already locked best record and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Shortly after that series, the Phillies lost a season high 8 straight games where they just didn't care and were swept by the Washington Nationals and lost 2 out of 3 to the Mets.

Would you seriously suggest that because of those games and that losing streak that the Washington Nationals or Mets would beat the Phillies in a playoff series?

[letsgo]

LOL, Apparently Larussa is thinking about starting Jackson over Garcia in Game 2.

[MickeyMan]

Phillies opened at -240 for the series on Pinny, -275 now

[neverstoppers23]

Who cares what the regular season series w-l i dont care. Halladay is great in the playoffs, and like others aid your best pitcher can't go in game 1.

[stevenash]

*off topic*
I see the Brewers giving Philly fits if it's the Brews/Phils in the NLCS

[linedrivr]

I actually see this as a problem for anyone playing the Yankees. The Yanks finished this season 2nd in runs, 7th in batting average, 2nd in on-base percentage, and 3rd in slugging percentage.

Whoever plays them needs to have solid pitching performances because the Yankees can light teams up.

On the other hand, their starting pitching is their weak spot. If, however, the Yanks get decent performances from their starters, their offense is good enough to carry them.

I think the Phillies have the best chance for winning the World Series but I wouldn't be shocked if the Yanks pulled it off.

your splitting hairs in your Yankees edge analysis on offense. Here are the stats where the same case can be made for Texas. Detroit is not far behind in these categories. Either way, all 4 first round series should be competitive and fun to watch. looking forward to it.

TEAM BA
#1 TEX .283
#3 DET .277
#5 STL .273
#7 NYY .263
#8 MIL .261
#15 PHI .253
#19 AZ .250
#25 TB .244

TEAM OBP
#2 NYY .343
#3 STL .341
#4 TEX & DET .340
#10 MIL .325
#11 PHI .323
#12 TB & AZ .322


TEAM SLUGGING
#2 TEX .460
#3 NYY .444
#4 DET .434
#5 MIL & STL .425
#8 AZ .413
#13 TB .402
#17 PHI .395


TEAM OPS
#2 TEX .800
#3 NYY .788
#4 DET .773
#5 STL .766
#6 MIL .750
#9 AZ .736
#14 TB .724
#15 PHI .717


TEAM RUNS SCORED
#2 NYY - 867
#3 TEX - 855
#4 DET - 787
#5 STL - 762
#9 AZ - 731
#11 MIL - 721
#13 PHI - 713
#15 TB - 707

[d2bets]

It's not out yet, but it will be much more like Phillies -300. Everyone here can ramble all they want, but the bottom line is that the Phillies are heavy favorites, and the real experts who make the lines will give STL about a 25% chance to win. Of course STL can win the series. Upsets happen all the time. It sure as hell isn't going to be easy though when your first two games are on the road against Halladay and Lee.

As an enormous Phillies fan, this is definitely the team I wanted to face the least. You never want to start the postseason against a really hot team with huge bats, but in the end Pitching wins championships and the Phillies should handle this one. It could end up going five, but I just can't see the Phils losing one at home.

Good call. Looks like -280. Guess I was a little low. I like Philly too, just thought it might be a touch lower. Baseball, 5 game series, anything can happen.

[k13]

Baseball is such a crap shoot, best teams in baseball are only -135 and -260 to win a series.