You Got Problems, I Got Solutions: League Championship Edition

Taking a break from the usual video game talk, today's topic is the "Keys to Victory" for the four teams remaining in the baseball postseason. The NLCS is a rematch of last year's NLCS (Phillies won against the Dodgers 4-1 and eventually won the World Series in five games). The ALCS is between two teams of destiny (Destiny's Darlings: Los Angeles of Anaheim and Destiny Because of Who We Are: New York Yankees). These are gonna be good games between evenly matched teams and with these keys (4 for each team), one team will be happy, the other angry that their season ended.



Being that the NLCS is tonight, I'll go with these guys first and since the Phillies are the champions, no reason to disrespect them but to let them go first.

Philadelphia's Keys to Victory

1. Get men on base: Common baseball wisdom is to have men on and use baseball smarts to get the runners in. The Dodgers pitching staff won't allow guys like Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, or Jayson Werth get on base because of their threat to steal bases. Also, L.A. doesn't typically walk many men. If you get a runner on, make sure that he scores by any means necessary.
2. Play to your advantage (Citizens Bank Ballpark): This ballpark is very hitter friendly (not new Yankee Stadium friendly), balls hit off the bats go launching. If the wind is blowing in, expect a couple of pitching duels. If it's blowing out, folks will go crazy (hitting home runs that is)
3. Cole Hamels must find himself: Last postseason Cole Hamels was the best pitcher in the playoffs. During the year, he's struggled to find that mojo that he had during October. We know that he's capable of silencing loud bats with that nasty circle changeup. If he wakes up and becomes Cole Hamels in game two, then the Dodgers will fall.
4. Don't let L.A.'s clutch guys (Furcal, Kemp, or Ethier) get in a groove: Ethier's bring guys in scoring effectively. Furcal's the guy who can get a team back in a game with his baserunning or making at-bats longer. Matt Kemp is a stud. He plays the game the right way and can change a game defensively. On the bench they've got a former Phillie, Jim Thome, who's prone to break-up a tie with one swing of the bat. There's also a guy named Manny Ramirez who's a great hitter due to a big hit soon.

That's the Phillies keys to victory, now the Dodgers:

L.A.'s Keys to Victory

1. Get Manny Being Manny: After having been suspended 50 games during the season, Manny hasn't been himself. Whatever planet Manny's on he's one of the best hitters in the game and if he can find time to reappear on Earth, the Dodgers will be grateful. L.A. doesn't need Manny, but the mere presence of Manny Being Manny will intimidate anyone.
2. Keep Philly's speed threats off base: As I mentioned in Philly's keys, if any one that I listed gets on L.A. pitchers will lose focus and then they're down 2 (or at least one if L.A. has a lead). If slow baserunners (such as Ryan Howard, Pedro Feliz, or Carlos Ruiz) are on, you can focus more on the batter. Pitching out and throwing over keeps runners honest, but with Philly's guys they have the green light whenever they feel.
3. Take Philly's big bats (1-7) out of the game: If there's no one on base when Ryan Howard's up to bat, walk him. You can't walk Chase Utley, because he's capable of stealing a base, but he's prone to striking out, same with Ryan Howard, and they can both get around inside pitches. Best solution, pick one guy and pitch to him (preferably Utley). Raul Ibanez is a pretty good hitter (made better thanks to C.B.P.) and Jayson Werth can turn things around with one swing. Any pitcher will have a tough time dealing with this line-up but with careful pitching (and a little luck) they can be beaten.
4. Don't pitch Chad Billingsley: I wrote my notes out yesterday afternoon while watching Around the Horn and then today L.A. announced he'd be in the bullpen. Chad has been average at best and lukewarm at worst. He couldn't pitch his way into trouble if he wanted to (that's how terrible this guy is). A few years ago, he was an effective pitcher that could give you 6+ innings, now he can't even do that. If I were Joe Torre, I'd bring Jon Garland back for the LCS and let Billingsley rot.

For the prediction: Phillies in 6. LCS MVP: Jimmy Rollins.

Now for the ALCS. First up is the Angels (because they won a championship more recently)

L.A. Angels of Anaheim Keys to Victory

1. Don't let the Yankee bats get hot: 1-9, the New York Yankees have one of the more potent line-ups in baseball. If one guy gets on a roll, the momentum will quick swing toward NY and next thing you know they've scored 5 runs in the inning and you have to face Joba and Mariano and that's lights out. If I had to take a bat away from the Yankees, it'll be Teixeira. He hasn't gotten started and why would you let him. Deal with A-Rod and hope he reverts back to A-Fraud.
2. Play Angel Baseball: These guys get runs on the board using old-school baseball tactics. Drag out at-bats, draw walks, steal bases, sacrifice fly, rinse and repeat. In new Yankee Stadium, runs will be scored by both teams, so it doesn't matter how you get them it's how many you get. When the scene shifts to Anaheim, both teams can score 4 or 5 runs and that'll be enough to win. If they can force Yankee pitchers into 8+ pitch at-bats that would nullify that 3-man rotation they plan on having.
3. Don't leave men on base: In the last series, the Dodgers left 30 men on base in a game. In the post season, efficiency is key and if you can put pressure on the Yankees, they will start pressing and doing things out of character.
4. Go with a 3-Man Rotation: According to Wikipedia, Yahoo Sports, and USA Today, the Angels are planning a 4-man staff. The Angels have a workhorse in John Lackey, who in the past works well on three days rest. Jered Weaver hasn't done it, but I think he'd be good early but not so much later (5th inning on). Scott Kazmir has pitched on 3 days rest and he does a good job, though he'll get tired at about the 80 pitch mark. If you go 3-man and get a 2-1 lead, I like my odds with Lackey pitching two of the four games to get to the World Series.

Now here's the Yankees.

New York's Keys to Victory

1. Go 4-man rotation: CC Sabathia isn't good at all on three days rest (looks at postseason last year for best example and 07 against the Red Sox when Cleveland gave those games away). A.J. Burnett, if I remember, hasn't pitched on 3 days rest before and he's injury prone also running him 3 times isn't the smartest idea. Andy Pettitte is the only guy that's been some what successful on 3 days rest (and he's a horse, though not as he used to be.) Why are the Yankees going 3 man - to protect their 'investment' Joba Chamberlain. I say get Phil Hughes on the mound and make it a 4-man. If the games rain out, they Yanks will be at a disadvantage (as would the Angels if they take my advice).
2. When the bats are hot; Lights Out: Simply put, refer to #1 for the Angels, replace A-Fraud with A-Bomb, and pray Teixeira breaks out his funk.
3. Don't let at-bats drag out: This is crucial. If the Yanks plan on going 3-man, they better limit their pitches otherwise the Angels will take advantage and you'll be in a hole. You'll rarely see an Angel at-bat go less than 6 pitches. They are selective and will not chase anything (except for Vlad Guerrero who's a involuntary selective hitter. I.E. he's a free-swinger).
4. If the game is in the Yankees favor Joba in the 8th, Enter Sandman, good night: The Angels are comeback kids, but dealing with Joba in the 8th and Mariano in the 9th is just too much for any team to handle. To quote Chad Ochocinco, if Rivera's in closing "Kiss the Baby."

This series is hard to predict, but I think the Angels will win in seven. Finished Uncharted 2 and I'll post the review this weekend. In the meantime here's a video with my favorite wide receiver Mr. Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson:




To quote Brett Myers, "Boom!! Outta Here!!" and I'm out.