Phillies, Rockies Game 4 NLDS Preview
With Sunday night’s icy Game 3 finally in the books, and the books finally releasing their numbers for Monday's contest, the Philadelphia Phillies are a win away from their second-straight trip to the NLCS.
On a freezing night in Denver, Brad Lidge survived two walks in the ninth to complete the Phillies’ 6-5 win in Game 3 and give Philadelphia a 2-1 lead in their NLDS with Colorado. Now comes a possible deciding Game 4 in what should be a warmer, though still chilly Coors Field.
Phillies fans and backers had to have been on edge Sunday evening when Lidge gave two Rockies hitters free passes to the basepaths, putting the tying run in scoring position and bringing Colorado slugger Troy Tulowitzki to the plate. The on again, off again Philly closer got Tulo to fly out to left and end a frosty contest that lasted over four hours and no doubt has Phillies fans bleary-eyed today with the game ending after the final out was recorded after 2:00 a.m. Eastern.
Now comes the question can Lidge do it again?
Lidge may not see the mound tonight with Charlie Manuel sending Cliff Lee to the hill for Game 4. The lefthander was masterful in Game 1, going the distance with a six-hitter as Philadelphia eased out to a 1-0 lead in the series with a 5-1 win. This will be his first start at Coors Field, however, and the bundled-up Colorado crowd will no doubt be urging their Rockies on.
Jim Tracy counters with his Game 1 starter as well, Ubaldo Jimenez. The righthander started that contest back at Citizen’s Bank Park strong before hitting the wall in the fifth and sixth with the key hits off the bats of Raul Ibañez and Jayson Werth. There had been some talk that Jason Marquis might get the Monday assignment, but the veteran righthander will probably be the first arm in should Jimenez run into any early trouble.
Going with Jimenez in this home tilt makes the most sense for Tracy and the Rockies. If Tracy had opted for Marquis, he would have been forced to consider Jimenez for a possible Game 5 back in Philadelphia where in three career starts Jimenez has an 8.40 ERA with Colorado 0-3.
With last night’s game ending so late, tonight’s lines have been slow going up and currently make the game out to be a pick ‘em with either team available at -105 to -110 and the total set at 8½. As difficult as it is to think of the Rockies dropping both games at home, I see no reason to play against Lee at this time. Philadelphia -105.
STARTING PITCHERS
Game 4, Mon, Oct 12, 6:07 p.m. (ET): Cliff Lee (8-4, 3.39 PHI; 16-18, 3.22 Overall) vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (17-16, 3.47)
UMPIRE
Ron Kulpa gets the call to make the calls behind the plate in this one. The native of St. Louis has been calling MLB games since 1999 and this year sported a 12-11 Home/Visitor mark with a 9-13-1 O/U.
His last appearance as the plate umpire in a playoff game was Game 3 of the 2008 ALDS in Chicago between the White Sox and Rays. Down 2-1 in that one, the ChiSox avoided elimination with a 5-3 win over Tampa Bay.
WEATHER
There will be cloudy skies but only a 10% chance of rain and the thermometer should be in the mid-to-upper 40s at first pitch on Monday. Practically sub-tropical by Sunday’s standards. Nighttime winds are currently forecast out of the South at 5-10 MPH (out to center).
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they start games. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com and ESPN.com and of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
With Sunday night’s icy Game 3 finally in the books, and the books finally releasing their numbers for Monday's contest, the Philadelphia Phillies are a win away from their second-straight trip to the NLCS.
On a freezing night in Denver, Brad Lidge survived two walks in the ninth to complete the Phillies’ 6-5 win in Game 3 and give Philadelphia a 2-1 lead in their NLDS with Colorado. Now comes a possible deciding Game 4 in what should be a warmer, though still chilly Coors Field.
Phillies fans and backers had to have been on edge Sunday evening when Lidge gave two Rockies hitters free passes to the basepaths, putting the tying run in scoring position and bringing Colorado slugger Troy Tulowitzki to the plate. The on again, off again Philly closer got Tulo to fly out to left and end a frosty contest that lasted over four hours and no doubt has Phillies fans bleary-eyed today with the game ending after the final out was recorded after 2:00 a.m. Eastern.
Now comes the question can Lidge do it again?
Lidge may not see the mound tonight with Charlie Manuel sending Cliff Lee to the hill for Game 4. The lefthander was masterful in Game 1, going the distance with a six-hitter as Philadelphia eased out to a 1-0 lead in the series with a 5-1 win. This will be his first start at Coors Field, however, and the bundled-up Colorado crowd will no doubt be urging their Rockies on.
Jim Tracy counters with his Game 1 starter as well, Ubaldo Jimenez. The righthander started that contest back at Citizen’s Bank Park strong before hitting the wall in the fifth and sixth with the key hits off the bats of Raul Ibañez and Jayson Werth. There had been some talk that Jason Marquis might get the Monday assignment, but the veteran righthander will probably be the first arm in should Jimenez run into any early trouble.
Going with Jimenez in this home tilt makes the most sense for Tracy and the Rockies. If Tracy had opted for Marquis, he would have been forced to consider Jimenez for a possible Game 5 back in Philadelphia where in three career starts Jimenez has an 8.40 ERA with Colorado 0-3.
With last night’s game ending so late, tonight’s lines have been slow going up and currently make the game out to be a pick ‘em with either team available at -105 to -110 and the total set at 8½. As difficult as it is to think of the Rockies dropping both games at home, I see no reason to play against Lee at this time. Philadelphia -105.
STARTING PITCHERS
Game 4, Mon, Oct 12, 6:07 p.m. (ET): Cliff Lee (8-4, 3.39 PHI; 16-18, 3.22 Overall) vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (17-16, 3.47)
UMPIRE
Ron Kulpa gets the call to make the calls behind the plate in this one. The native of St. Louis has been calling MLB games since 1999 and this year sported a 12-11 Home/Visitor mark with a 9-13-1 O/U.
His last appearance as the plate umpire in a playoff game was Game 3 of the 2008 ALDS in Chicago between the White Sox and Rays. Down 2-1 in that one, the ChiSox avoided elimination with a 5-3 win over Tampa Bay.
WEATHER
There will be cloudy skies but only a 10% chance of rain and the thermometer should be in the mid-to-upper 40s at first pitch on Monday. Practically sub-tropical by Sunday’s standards. Nighttime winds are currently forecast out of the South at 5-10 MPH (out to center).
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they start games. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com and ESPN.com and of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
