It is coming fast boys and girls, Christmas time. A time to spread joy and cheer, a time to share and care, give and receive. Every year I get so many great ideas in my head of things I would love to have, or see, and I was always told that, “if you are really good, Santa will make your dreams come true.”

Well Santa here it is, my wish list. Obviously being a blog site about sports, and pop culture and games, and yes even my added spice of female praising, you know what to expect. You won’t see things like Zhu Zhu pets, or I-Phones or stuff like that, but you will hear a grown man beg! I will also recommend some nice gifts for our sports world friends as well. So enjoy my little piece here, and enjoy your holiday season!

Dear Santa, this year for Christmas I would like to have:

Some nice bull pen help for the Phillies. Being a Philly guy, I can’t see how this team repeats with the current state of the pen. Getting Roy Halladay was nice, getting no one in the pen? Well that’s “coal worthy” Reuben Amaro.

Despite being a Philly guy, I’d like to ask for a ‘Battle of the Best” Super Bowl. Can you imagine the hype surrounding the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints going head to head. Brees vs Manning, Colts and Saints, and finally two number one seeds in the Super Bowl.

I’d love a Christmas day without Shaq vs Kobe. Come on NBA, it’s not the big sell it was some five years ago. Very few people care about the Cavs and the Lakers on Christmas day, so Santa, please find me a Hooters Girl Bikini contest or something!

Speaking of bikinis and such, Santa please allow the following girls to find my home on Christmas: Jessica Biel, Salma Hayek, Kim Kardashian, Shakira, Sofia Vergara. Too many? It’s ok, I have plenty of food!

How about a losing season for the Yankees? Just because they are the Yankees.

Santa, how about getting some elves to help Tiger Woods leave for Sweden tomorrow. Quite frankly im tired of hearing from countless girls he’s alledgedly slept with, and now I have to hear about HGH allegations? Isn’t it Christmas time?

Three words Santa: College Football Playoffs!

Let’s have Chris Johnson break Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. I don’t dislike Dickerson, but have CJ2K on 2 of my fantasy teams.

A nice set of golf clubs perhaps for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, he will be bored during the playoffs this year.

How about you find a new home for Gary Sheffield, a 43 year old major leaguer who came out and said, “I still feel I can play every day.”

Get a major network to carry NHL games on a regular basis. How can this game become more popular if nobody can find it?

Since we are talking sports and exposure, we need more tennis and more golf. Why you ask? More Sharapova, and more Natalie Gulbis.

Let’s have a new NFL Players agreement in place. I really don’t want to see what Jerry Jones would do with no salary cap. Really Santa, it would be the demise of football as we know it.

And hey Santa, how about a new way of paying NFL Rookies. You know it’s not very fair that I can stink at football and do it for free, while JaMarcus Russell makes countless millions.

Baseball using video replay!

I’d also like to see Villanova in the Final Four please.

Someone in the press or media to have the guts to say that Kovalchuk is as good as Ovechkin and Crosby, but on a small market team.

Hey how about a Super Bowl half time show with a band who’s NOT from the 60’s? (Editor’s Note: We may have a bathroom malfunction.)

Some tri-state area wins please. The Sixers, Nets and Knicks are stinking up the area.

The banishment of the Geico Caveman commercial. Enough already, im watching the game here.

Since they are now making Pole Dancing a sport, I want to be the commisioner of the first league.

I’d like to see the following teams play in their respective sports Championships:

St. Louis Blues
Cleveland Browns
Chicago Cubs
Minnesota Timberwolves

How much more agony can these fans endure?

A new sport, with no big money deals, and players playing for the love of it strictly, and no I don’ t mean like mens lacrosse.

Id like more college QB’s staying in school for four years, sharpen those skills, NFL quarterback is the hardest job to perfect in sports.

Let’s get all those military people that wish us happy holidays and are shown watching football games during the broadcast from their bases, home, and end this ongoing fight.

Most of all Santa, I’d like peace and happiness, some good games to watch and good people to watch them with. Nice sports jersey’s and sports games always do the trick. I’m never too picky, so if I can’t have everything I wished for up top it’s ok, as my friend Ralphie would say,  ”I was just kidding, Tinker Toys will be fine.”

Happy Holidays!

If you’d like to hear anything else from me on topics or ideas I can be reached at phillyphan1971@yahoo.com

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World Series:

Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees

This could quite possibly be one of the most evenly matched World Series in quite sometimes. Instead of breaking down the series like I have throughout the playoffs I thought we would spotlight each area of the teams when it comes to their pitching, hitting and defense. This is going to be on paper one of the best World Series to date; let’s hope that this transcends out on the diamond.

Pitching:

We start by looking at the ace’s of each staff when it comes to Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia, both former teammates in Cleveland. These two pitchers are the last two reigning American League Cy Young winners and a Game 1 start between the two is going to be a fun game to watch. This is going to be an “old-school” game as two southpaw aces takes the hill in the fall classic.

If the Phillies don’t trade for Cliff Lee before the deadline then the Phillies don’t make the World Series. That’s how important Cliff Lee has been to this Phillies staff. The same can be said for CC Sabathia as the Yankees picked him up in the offseason and have helped take the Yankees from missing the playoffs last season to the greatest stage in all of Baseball starting Wednesday night.

When you look at the probable Game 2 starters this is when things can start to lean towards a direction of one team being better then the other. As it stands right now as of writing this, we will see AJ Burnett vs. Pedro Martinez in Game 2. There is history with Pedro, the Yankees and Yankee Stadium and should be a fun game to watch on Thursday night.

AJ Burnett has been shaky at best throughout the playoffs and has been the Yankees weak point in their starting rotation in the playoffs. Pedro Martinez on the other hand has had a great postseason pitching for the Phillies in what could be the end of a great career with this series. But what we tend to forget about Pedro is that he just started pitching in the big leagues again this past August. Both of these pitchers could be the weakness in their starting rotation because you don’t know what you’re going to get out of Pedro.

As for the potential Game 3 starters you have to look at another matchup of lefties as Andy Pettitte takes on Cole Hamels. Andy Pettitte has been masterful throughout the playoffs helping the Yankees clinch their ALDS and ALCS series victories. Cole Hamels on the other hand has been the weakness of the Phillies pitching staff, much like AJ Burnett has been for the Yankees. If Cole Hamels was the ace the Phillies thought he was then they would have never made runs at Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez.

You have to figure the Yankees & Phillies will both be going with three man rotations with Sabathia, Burnett & Pettitte and Lee, Martinez, Hamels. That puts Chamberlain & Gaudin in the bullpen for the Yankees and Blanton & Happ in the bullpen for the Phillies throughout the World Series. That’s the next area of the two League Championship teams that we would look at next.

The bullpens of these two teams have been where they have both struggled throughout the postseason. The Phillies came into this postseason with a struggling bullpen and a closer who was no longer lights out. As for the Yankees they had a bridge to Mariano Rivera with Phil Hughes in the 8th inning setup role.

Once the postseason hit these two teams flipped roles as the shut down 7th & 8th inning bridge to Mariano Rivera with Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes started to crack in the ALCS. The Phillies on the other hand saw their middle relief struggle at times with the Dodgers but Brad Lidge was “lights out” again. The Phillies were thankful that they had pushed a big lead over the Dodgers to hold onto their leads while Mariano Rivera had to pitch six out saves to hold onto the Yankees lead in the late inning games.

When it comes to the starting rotation and the bullpen you have to give the pitching edge to the New York Yankees. They picked up CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett up in the offseason for a reason, while Andy Pettitte could be a #1 starter in most clubs while he will be the #3 starter on the Yankees rotation. When it comes to bullpens the Yankees have Mariano Rivera who will go down most likely as being the best postseason closer of all-time. Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain should bounce back in the World Series with the pressure of winning the Championship being so close. Look for David Robertson to make a name for himself on the big stage for the Yankees.

As for the Phillies I will go back to what I said earlier that the Phillies aren’t in the World Series without Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez. They struggled with Cole Hamels being their ace and had to go out to improve their rotation. While Lee will be the foundation of their starting rotation you don’t know what you’re getting with Martinez or Hamels. When it comes to bullpens and the pressure of the World Series on you have to figure the Phillies bullpen will break eventually in this series.

Pitching Edge: New York Yankees

Hitting:

Just like their pitching these two teams are blueprint of each other’s lineup. They both have great leadoff hitters, a run producing core of the lineup and decent 7, 8, & 9 hitters to round off the lineup. As we go 1-9 we will look at the projective lineup for each team in this series.

At the top of the lineup you have the team’s two shortstops, Jimmy Rollins and Derek Jeter. Not only are they their shortstop’s but their team’s leaders in the clubhouse. Derek Jeter has been named Mr. November while Jimmy Rollins has won an NL MVP award. They have both been postseason heroes for their franchises since they came up to the big leagues. When it comes to both of these players there is no way you can say one is better then the other. When it comes to the leadoff hitters they are both even.

The #2 hitters are Johnny Damon and Shane Victorino. Victorino could be compared to a younger version of what Johnny Damon once was while Damon has evolved into one of the better veteran hitters in the postseason in the last decade. But when it comes to these two hitters you have to give the edge to Johnny Damon of the New York Yankees. He’s a veteran, a veteran in the postseason and has the potential to being clutch on the big stage.

Now onto the core of the lineup with the #3 hole on the team where the run production begins to develop off these players bats. For Philly its Chase Utley and for New York it’s Mark Teixeira. Both of these players have been hot and cold throughout the postseason. But when you matchup them up you have to look at giving it to Mark Teixeira. Teix is a potential AL MVP winner this year and has been criticized with his lack of play in the postseason thus far, look for Mark to show his critiques what he can do on the big stage.

The #4 hitter, the cleanup spot, the player who is supposed to put up the big numbers and when it comes to these two teams they may have the two best #4 hitters in all of Baseball. Ryan Howard of the Phillies and Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees, two former league MVP’s. Both of these players have put up huge numbers in the regular season and postseason and do their job when needed. When you match them up against one another you can not give the edge to either team, it is even. When it comes to these two it all comes down to who will produce more in the fall classic.

The #5 hitter in the lineups is where you give the edge to the Phillies. Jayson Werth of the Phillies and Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees will most likely be in the five hole for the World Series. Jayson Werth has had a heck of season for Philadelphia producing 36 homers and 90+ RBI’s. Not bad for a player who had signed a six digit deal when he first came to Philly after bouncing around with a bunch of teams. Matsui on the other hand is player with a bad knee still and is most likely appearing in pinstripes for the last time. The Phillies get the edge in this spot with the way Jayson Werth has played throughout the postseason.

Now there is something that most people aren’t talking about when it comes to a weakness in the Phillies lineup and that is in the probable #6 spot for Philadelphia. Raul Ibanez is battling an abdominal tear that will require surgery at the end of the season which can explain his lack of production in the postseason thus far. As for the Yankees they have veteran catcher Jorge Posada who will more then likely get the nod as the starting catcher throughout the entire World Series. When it comes to this spot in the order you have to give it to the Yankees with the potential lack of production of Raul Ibanez due to his injury.

Robinson Cano and Pedro Feliz will probably make up the seventh spot in the order for each team’s lineup. While Pedro Feliz has developed into a great third baseman for the National League Champions, he does not compare to Robinson Cano who could be that “quiet” player on the big stage that makes a name for him self. I believe Robinson Cano could be the World Series MVP at the end of the series if the Yankees win it all. He fits the role player who comes up big perfectly giving the Yankees the edge in this spot in the order.

The eighth spot is where the Yankees have struggled in the postseason with many in New York calling for a change in right field, the position where Nick Swisher patrols this season. While Nick Swisher may be a great defensive right fielder as shown throughout the postseason, when it comes to hitting he has struggled with the New York media calling for a switch with Brett Gardner during the ALCS. As for the Phillies you have catcher Carlos Ruiz who has hit well throughout the entire postseason batting .300 in the NLDS and NLCS. With the struggles Swisher has been having you have to give the edge to the Phillies in the eight spot of their lineup.

Now to round out lineup I am placing the Yankees centerfielder Melky Cabrera up against who I would assume would be the Phillies designated hitter in the AL games. Then match the pitchers who will be more then likely hitting in the NL games. As for the AL side of the series you have to figure Matt Stairs will go up against the right AJ Burnett in Game 2 and Ben Francisco will go up against his former teammate and lefty CC Sabathia in Game 1.

This is all prospective and they may go with Stairs for both games due to the short porch in right or even go with Greg Dobbs. I’m not 100% sure and these are just clearly a prediction of what could be filling the DH hole for the National League Champions. Either way I’m going to give the edge to the Yankees, like Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera could become a household name after this series. He reminds me of a young Bernie Williams, coming through the Yankees farm system and developing into one of the league’s best Centerfielders. I have also always felt that unless you have a great bench player at DH (like the Dodgers had Jim Thome) you could be in trouble. Matt Stairs could be that guy for the Phillies.

As for the pitchers that will be hitting you have to give it to the Phillies. They have been hitting all season long and Cliff Lee has become a great hitter since coming to the National League. As for the Yankees, CC Sabathia is a great hitting pitcher and AJ Burnett spent time in the NL earlier in his career so he should be able to swing the bat as well. Either way this gives the edge to the Phillies when it comes to the NL ballpark. But since the All-Star game gave the edge to the American League, overall give the #9 spot to the Yankees.

Hitting Edge: New York Yankees

Defense:

Defense kind of goes unnoticed in Baseball. Like in Football, defense also wins Championships. Look at what poor defense did to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALCS. It gave the Yankees breathing room in almost every game they won in the ALCS, including a Game 2 victory that came off an error. The Yankees will not see the same poor Defense that they saw from the Angels.

The Philadelphia Phillies may be one of the best defensive teams in Baseball. They are a sound ballclub that has no holes in their defensive side of the ball. From Victorino to Ruiz they are a great defensive ballclub. Even a big guy like Ryan Howard can play defensive baseball like a shortstop. The Phillies will not be making the same errors that the Angels did against the Yankees in the ALCS.

As for the Yankees they do not get the credit they deserve when it comes to the way they play defensive baseball. Mark Teixeira has developed into a gold glove first baseman in the Postseason alone. His play at first has helped keep the teams the Yankees were playing at bay while Nick Swisher and Melky Cabrera provide great arms in the outfield. Where the Yankees have flaws is with Johnny Damon who does not have a good arm and Robinson Cano who at times can become a lazy second baseman.

When it comes to giving the edge you have to give it to the Philadelphia Phillies who have been defensively sound throughout the entire postseason while the New York Yankees have had some struggles. Even New York Yankees Captain Derek Jeter has had a tough time defensively in the postseason and he tends to be the most automatic defensive player on the Yankees. It’s going to be an interesting series from a defensive standpoint with little to no errors throughout the entire series.

Defensive Edge: Philadelphia Phillies

Overall:

After breaking down the pitching, hitting and defense of these two teams it’s safe to say that this could quite possibly be the most even World Series we have seen in sometimes. It’s going to take a mistake here or a double down the line there to determine who the World Champion is when it’s all said and done. This is what I consider in my opinion the best matchup we have seen in the World Series in the last decade and hopefully will come off that when we they start the series Wednesday night.

Both of these teams are evenly matched with slight edges in various categories. They truly are the two best teams in each league and we as Baseball fans will get everything they have in every game that is played. But when the dust settles there will be one team left standing atop the Baseball world.

That team that will be hoisting the World Championship above their heads at the end of the series will be the New York Yankees. This series can be compared to the 1996 World Series when the Yankees came into the series against the Atlanta Braves where the Braves were the defending champions, an even matchup and a good percentage felt would repeat as World Champions.

But just like in that series the New York Yankees prevailed and will do so in the 2009 World Series. There will be no blowout games and it should be close for the most part. These two teams are the most deserving franchises to be there and should give Baseball fans across the United States a show.

I see the New York Yankees raising the banner of their 27th World Championship at the end of this series. It is going to be fun to watch and could quite possibly be the best World Series we have seen in quite sometime. Let the games begin.

Prediction: New York Yankees win series 4-2

World Series MVP: Mariano Rivera

Jeff Peck is the producer for the “Wheelhouse Radio” program that airs every Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at http://www.wheelhouseradio.wordpress.com

You can visit The Wheelhouse’s official website where you can download “high quality” shows & see all the latest happenings with the show at http://wheelhouseradio.wordpress.com.

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Check out the video of one of the greatest post-season moments in Philadelphia Phillies history. The Phillies trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-4 at home in Game 4 of the NLCS. It is the bottom of the ninth inning and Jimmy Rollins is up to bat. Rollins is batting with two outs and two men on base. Rollins then nails a fastball to the right-center, two guys score, game over, and the Phillies take a 3-1 lead in the series. This is truly playoff clutch hitting at its best.

I don’t know what more I can say about this hit. As a Phils fan, I have to honestly tell you that I didn’t have much faith. It just felt like one of those games that no matter what the Phillies would do, it just would never be enough. Rollins was 3-18 in the series, so I just assumed that it was over. Man, I will never doubt J-Roll or this team ever again. The game was the total antithesis of what most Philly fans had to suffer through Sunday afternoon with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The bullpen is a huge worry, but what Phillies fan isn’t worried about the bullpen. As someone who was a big Phils fan during the 1993 World Series, the Brad Lidge-Mitch Williams dynamic is downright scary. I feel almost exactly as I did in 1993 when Williams would come in to close games. Charlie pulling Pedro Martinez the other night reminded me a lot of the Roger Mason moment in the World Series. However, in the end this is a much more talented team that has proven once again that they are never out of a game. It is a great day to be a Phillies fan.

You know, this Jimmy Rollins kid is pretty good!

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NLCS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Philadelphia Phillies and The Los Angeles Dodgers meet again in the National League Championship Series. One season ago it was the Philadelphia Phillies defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS in 5 games on their way to the World Series trophy. The magical run the Los Angeles Dodgers had was over, Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez were sent home a round earlier then expected by most.

Last season many people including myself had the Los Angeles Dodgers listed as the favorites in the 2008 NLCS series, now one year later and a World Series trophy in the case of the Phillies; it appears that Philadelphia is going into this year’s NLCS as the favorites. They have the pitching of Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez and Joe Blanton to take on the combination of a young/journeyman rotation that the Dodgers have put together of Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla and Jonathon Broxton.

It would be natural to select the Philadelphia Phillies to win the NLCS. They do have the “Big 3″ in Major League Baseball with Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins. Add Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez and Shane Victorino to the lineup and you have six solid hitters that can easily beat you with one swing of the bat whether by homerun or by a liner down the line. The Phillies lineup is scary, 2nd only to the New York Yankees lineup in the American League.

But the Dodgers are coming off of a three game sweep of probably the most impressive sweep in the entire playoffs by sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS. The St. Louis Cardinals were a team in my opinion that could have won the entire postseason and celebrated in Missouri with the World Series trophy. The Dodgers sweep of the Cardinals is by far the biggest shock of the entire playoffs.

This Dodgers team is coming into the playoffs with a new attitude and they are determined to win the National League Championship and head to the World Series. Don’t think Matt Kemp, Andre Either and Manny Ramirez have forgotten about last season’s quick exit in the NLCS by the Phillies last year. The Dodgers were supposed to be the team last year, Mannyland was taking off in California, Joe Torre brought this team to the top! But that wasn’t meant to be because the Phillies were the team of destiny.

One year later and the shoes are on the other side of the foot. The Phillies are the “it” team in the National League while the Dodgers are the team that doesn’t belong there, in the way of the Phillies chance to repeat. This Dodgers team is trying to play spoiler and spoiler they will play.

This series is going to be one of the most exciting series in the entire postseason in my opinion. Low scoring games with great pitching from the rotation and bullpen setting up late inning heroics to carry their teams to victory and the NLCS crown. One team is filled with a squad of veteran players that have tasted victory once before and want it again, while the other team is filled with young players with veteran guidance on & off the field.
This series screams 7 games to crown a National League Champion. Leaving every fan Philadelphia to Los Angeles and everywhere in between in a near heart attack state. The band-aid pitching rotation that the Los Angeles are piecing together to take on the Phillies will go toe-to-toe, eye-to-eye, pitch-for-pitch with the amazing Philadelphia Phillies rotation.

But when the dust settles and one team is left standing it will be the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the year for redemption in the Postseason for many franchises. Whether it is the Angels getting the Red Sox monkey off their back, the Yankees getting past the ALDS or the Dodgers beating the Phillies on their way to the World Series; this is the Postseason for redemption and storylines that Fox will be eating up. Setting up the final chapter of redemption between the Joe Torre led Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees in the 2009 World Series.

I’m sure Fox television network executives are praying for that World Series.

It will be a back forth series but the heart and determination the Dodgers have right now is unmatched and dangerous for any team that gets in their way in the playoffs. Torre is the most successful manager in Baseball history by doing what he has done with two completely different franchises and turning them into elite sports franchises. Add Matt Kemp and Andre Either, the two players that will become national stars in this series and you have the ingredients for a World Series run.

The Phillies have too many issues in their bullpen and in their starting rotation to combat this confident Dodgers ballclub. Cliff Lee is the glue holding the Phillies pitching together while Cole Hamels is losing confidence (and at the wrong time to do it) and Pedro Martinez is getting old. Pedro did not play entire season but he is also not the Pedro Martinez for the 90s and early 2000s. Joe Blanton has the best chance to be the dark horse in the Phillies rotation in the NLCS.

The Phillies bullpen is just to “hot and cold.” While Brad Lidge looked good in the NLDS and is starting to regain that shut down confidence that Phillies fans are hoping returns, it will only take one shot from a Matt Kemp, Andre Either or even James Loney to shake that confidence out of the once dominate closer in Philadelphia.

This series will go the distance but in the end it will come down to who is the team that is better managed and in this situation I have to go with Joe Torre. He can turn nothing into something and make it a success. This team does not appear as dominate as they were projected to be a year ago in October and I’m sure Joe Torre likes it that way.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will win the National League Championship Series in the allotted seven games needed. Both teams will push each other to the maximum point and put on a hell of a Baseball classic in October. Sorry Philadelphia, the chances of winning back-to-back Championships in this Baseball climate is hard to do. The Dodgers are on a collision course to the World Series and to the Bronx.

Prediction: Dodgers win series 4-3

NLCS MVP: Andre Ethier

Jeff Peck is the producer for the “Wheelhouse Radio” program that airs every Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at http://www.wheelhouseradio.wordpress.com

You can visit The Wheelhouse’s official website where you can download “high quality” shows & see all the latest happenings with the show at http://wheelhouseradio.wordpress.com.

If you would like to subscribe to “The Wheelhouse” on iTunes simply subscribe for free at iTunes by typing in “Wheelhouse Radio!”

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October is an amazing time of the year for sports fans. The NFL is getting into mid-swing, College Football is going through their conference games and the MLB is having their postseason. After 162 games (163 for the Tigers or Twins), we have narrowed down the field to 8 teams, 4 from each league.

By the end of November one will remain raising the all mighty World Series trophy above their heads. This is the first part of my Divisional series preview starting out with the National League and the NLDS.

NLDS:

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies

This is the 2nd time in three years that the Phillies & Rockies are opening up their postseason against one another. The first go around in 2007 saw the Rockies winning the series on their way to the World Series to take on Boston. In 2008 the Rockies missed the playoffs while the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series. The Philadelphia Phillies are no doubt looking to take what they would probably consider, a small monkey off their back with a series victory over the Rockies.

The Phillies have without a doubt the best rotation out of the entire Postseason rosters in the Divisional Series. You have three veteran pitchers in Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee & Pedro Martinez who all have playoff experience, with two of the three pitchers named playing in a World Series. We talk about it every October, pitching wins Championships. Seeing the names of Hamels, Lee & Martinez rounding out your Divisional Series rotation will intimidate such a young offense like the Rockies.

While the offense of the Philadelphia Phillies mainly Utley, Rollins and Howard, make one of the better “Big 3″ in all of sports (sorry Celtics). Despite bullpen issues as of late I like the Phillies chances heading into this series and they should too. They have done this once before tasted the World Series trophy and want to do it again making the first back to back franchise to win a Championship since the ‘98 & ‘99 New York Yankees.

The thing that the Colorado Rockies have going for them is the lack of attention they receive since they don’t play in an ESPN loving – big city market. Now before you go off and say well “Denver is a big market,” let’s be honest when you think of Colorado do you think of their Baseball team like you would in Philly, Boston or New York? No. You think of skiing and the Denver Broncos. “Rocktober” only begins when the Rockies actually play in postseason ball, then the fans come out to Coors Field to support their team.

This team has the ‘97 Marlins, ‘02 Angels, ‘03 Marlins and ‘07 Rockies aura about them. Ask the everyday once in a while Baseball fan to name one player on the Rockies and they might say Matt Holliday which should tell you how much people pay attention to this team. And that right there is what can carry that “underdog attitude” past the defending Champs. They need to show no fear against this pitching staff and that lineup to take down the Phillies.
But to me this Colorado Rockies run has been nice to watch, it’s great to see a team that you never expect to make the playoffs and crash the party. But unlike the ‘07 Rockies I really don’t see this team taking down the Phillies in the NLDS. This is a different Phillies team clearly that has one thing that really defines them when it comes down to comparing these teams, Postseason experience. While it’s nice that Todd Helton, Brad Hawpe, Troy Tulowitzki and Jason Giambi (if you actually count the times he played in the Postseason as being an active participant) have Postseason experience, a good portion of the Phillies are the core team from 2008 (minus Pat Burrell).

The Phillies have the pitching to carry them beyond and despite winning the Championship last year still haven’t received any respect from sports writers or fans alike. The Phillies are still playing with a chip on their shoulder which makes them a dangerous team to play against in October baseball. I like the Phillies moving on this series taking it 3-1 with the Rockies winning one game at Coors Field thanks to a more then likely blown save from Brad Lidge.

Prediction: Phillies win series 3-1

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

This is a matchup that TBS will eat up when it comes to the ratings game. You have Manny vs. Albert, Torre vs. LaRussa, and Dodgers vs. Cardinals. TBS is thanking the Baseball gods for having this matchup land on their network for the Divisional Series.

To start out the preview I first will look at the NL West Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. A team that was heavily favored in the preseason as being one of the favorites to win the entire thing in October. And frankly who could blame them for thinking that way? You had Joe Torre who has not missed the playoffs in 13 years (now 14) coming into this season and you had Manny Ramirez as preseason pick to be this season’s NL MVP. Add the young talent that makes up the Dodgers core and you have potential World Series winner written all over it.

But come May your star player is suspended for 50 games for a Performance Enhancing Drug violation and you’re left for with your back up against the wall for the beginning of the season, or so we thought. Despite not having Manny in the lineup the Dodgers still played top-notch Baseball for 50 games with Juan Pierre essentially reviving his career. Joe Torre has dealt with adversity in the past whether it is the cancer he was diagnosed with, his brother’s heart surgery or George Steinbrenner.

This Dodgers team has been compared to the 1996 New York Yankees where Joe Torre guided a fairly young team with a couple veterans on the roster to the holy grail of Baseball. The good thing that the 2009 Dodgers have going for them is they are playoff experienced now. Their cherry’s have been popped and can get used to playing in the Postseason.

But the one draw back from this Dodgers team that is alarming as you enter October baseball is that they just plain stunk in September. For most of the season they had the NL West wrapped up in a little bow while the Rockies & Giants put on a Wild Card show for Baseball fans. Come the end of the season and their 3 game series with the Rockies all of a sudden has a playoff like feel to it with the NL West Championship on the line. You do not want to enter the postseason stumbling and bumbling as Chris Berman might say during an Adrian Peterson highlight.

The Cardinals like the Phillies have tasted the glory of a World Series Championship. They have without a doubt the best player in all of Baseball with Albert Pujols and have what I consider one of the best natural born hitters in the game with Matt Holliday. Add Ryan Ludwick as well as the rest of that decent hitting lineup in St. Louis and you have a very complete team showing up to play.

To me what really puts the Cardinals ahead of the Dodgers in this one is the pitching. Like the Phillies you need that good 1-2 or 3 punch in the playoffs, just ask the ‘01 Diamondbacks. Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter could be the best Game 1 and Game 2 starter in the entire playoffs. After two seasons of injury prone Baseball Chris Carpenter cemented himself back atop the NL as one of their most dominant pitchers this season. A Game 1 & 2 matchup of Carpenter vs. Wolf & Wainwright vs. Kershaw gives the Cardinals the edge without a doubt.

Pitching wins Championships great rotations, 1-2 punches and amazing bullpens win Championships. That’s where the Cardinals outmatch the Dodgers. The Dodgers offense is still young and will continue to mature into an amazing ballclub. I’m rooting for the Dodgers in this series but I have to give it to St. Louis in the full 5 games. Albert Pujols could beat team’s singlehanded and adding Matt Holliday to your lineup was the protection Pujols needed in playoff time. Their pitching outmatches the Dodgers and their hitting does as well but just barely.

Prediction: Cardinals win series 3-2

Let me know what you think of my picks for the NLDS! You can e-mail me at wheelhouseradio.jp@gmail.com or comment this blog! Coming out soon will be my ALDS preview and check out The Wheelhouse every Sunday – Thursday LIVE @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at www.blogtalkradio.com/thewheelhouse or at http://wheelhouseradio.wordpress.com.

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I hope I’m not emasculating anyone here with an article that alludes to a “love story”, but if you’ve made it this far, then you may as well see it through to the end. Besides, it’s not your typical “love story”. You won’t find Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw in a bittersweet romance on this page, nor should you expect to. But what’s written here is love of a different sort.

It is the type of love that is born out of loyalty, one that comes from a shared experience that can never be forgotten. Particularly, it’s the story of Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and his talented, but troubled, closer Brad Lidge. If you’re a Phillies fan, the basics of this tale are easy to recollect: a courtship that began after the 2007 season ended, yielded a World Series title in 2008, and has, in 2009, been the touchiest subject in regards to the defending champions.

To understand its touchiness, you have to understand what the 2008 season was all about. After tasting the playoffs the previous season, the Phillies made an immediate move to bolster their roster, trading for closer Brad Lidge of the Houston Astros. Lidge, while erratic during his final season with the team, was immediately given the keys to the car in the form of the closer’s role. Charlie Manuel has proven to be a patient, faith-based manager. He encourages his athletes to make their own plays, including his unwavering green light for Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino to steal bases. This liberal approach extends to his bullpen, trotting the pitchers out to the mound in crucial situations, even if they’ve been shaky in recent outings. In 2008, there was nothing shaky about Lidge. Sure, he allowed base runners at times, but when you go 48 for 48 in the saves column (including 7 in the playoffs), that’s a fine accomplishment. Allowing just 15 earned runs in 72 regular season games for a 1.95 ERA, he was the ultimate security blanket. If the Phillies led after eight innings, they were certainly going to lead after nine. With his strikeout of Eric Hinske in the World Series, Lidge capped off an incredible season, one that’s going to be extremely hard to top.

The biggest problem with achieving perfection is that it’s expected every time henceforth. Even the most die-hard Phillies fan would be asking for the moon and stars if they believed Lidge was going to duplicate 2008’s astonishing performance.

2009. We’re still astonished….but in a completely different way.

Eleven blown saves. A record of 0-8. His ERA is 7.48. The batting average of his opponents is a shade over .300. The numbers do not lie. As nice as the 31 saves are, the stat is equivalent to having to reach into your septic tank to pull out a $20 bill. A stint on the disabled list for a sprained knee was hoped to be the answer to these issues back in June, but, before long, he was back to his lackluster performance. Manuel has tried other players in closing relief, particularly Ryan Madson, to let Lidge try and work through a mental block. Hasn’t helped. Yet, the skipper is still content to bring him in late in the game to try and save the day, hoping that the Brad Lidge who chugs in from the bullpen gate is the same one whose name is on the receipt of the 2008 World Series trophy.

It’s almost inconceivable that Lidge could have such a fall from grace this fast. It brings to mind the story of the man who won the lottery, only to watch his loved ones and personal life go down the crapper at an alarming pace. It almost seems as if Lidge sold his soul to have one Hall-of-Fame worthy season, and now is paying his debt to the Devil from here on out. When a Phillies fan like myself watched him play in 2008, none of us questioned whether Lidge would falter, or not, under the pressure of closing out the game. Even in the final World Series game, with the score 4 to 3 against Tampa Bay and a man on second base with one out, the collective thought was still “He’ll git em”. He did. Our faith in “Lights Out” Lidge was rewarded every time he came in relief. Now in 2009, everyone groans when his name is called. How do you go from being the heroic cowboy who comes over the hill to save the town at the end of the movie, to being a disoriented invalid that you’re hoping doesn’t have a debilitating stroke just walking out to pitch? As I said, it’s almost inconceivable.

But, like a faithful lover, Charlie Manuel refuses to dump Brad Lidge. He just can’t. Other than one time where Lidge put men on base and Chuck replaced him with Madson on September 8. After all of Lidge’s foibles, Manuel seemed to finally have enough. But it didn’t take long for it to become clear that Lidge still had the closer’s job. For one night, Manuel made Lidge sleep on the sofa, but returned to marital bliss rather quickly. Granted, the loss that Lidge incurred on September 23 to Florida is his first loss in two and a half weeks, and he does have three saves in between those losses, but it’s too close to the post season for comfort. What’s scary is that the Phillies don’t even have their berth for the playoffs locked up yet. What’s worse is that if Lidge had converted those eleven blown saves, the Phillies would already be in.

It’s likely that the Phillies will get in, however. But then what? In an ideal world, the bats will come to life and the Phils will have ten-run leads going into the ninth, but that sense of idealism is best left for LSD enthusiasts. There’s going to be situations where a save is needed. Does Manuel go with Lidge, knowing that the pressure of the playoffs far exceeds that of a three game road series in the middle of June? If Lidge is simply feeling complacent, then perhaps come playoff time, he’ll buckle down and show us the fire that makes him one of the deadliest closers in recent history. But if there’s a mechanical issue or a mental block that’s preventing him from being able to pitch at his best, then Manuel cannot take that risk. Chan Ho Park, Ryan Madson, Jamie Moyer, Brett Myers, and whichever starting pitcher (thinking JA Happ) doesn’t make the postseason rotation are all decent-to-good choices to be the executioner for the ninth inning. But it seems Manuel just can’t let go of Lidge.

Maybe it’s because Charlie knows that Lidge has been through this before. In the 2005 post-season, Lidge gave up a towering (and I cannot stress that word enough) home run to Albert Pujols that still might not have landed. The Astros would win that series, but something changed in Lidge after that. The way Pujols defiantly glared at him after his swing, because everyone knew it was a home run. Pujols didn’t have to watch the ball, and Lidge didn’t even need to turn around. When you put together all of the intangibles in this incident, they go a long way in explaining just how 2006 and 2007 became such disappointments. But once he was traded to Philadelphia, the slate was wiped clean. He was Brad Lidge, the sure thing, once again. All of the memories of failure in Houston were now past him, buried in a storage locker somewhere. Manuel knows that players can break slumps at any time. It just takes encouragement, patience, and a pat on the back. After all, he’s seen Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell all struggle at the plate at different times, only to come through when it mattered the most. Lidge can do it, thinks Charlie. He’s sure of it.

Manuel knows what it’s like to have someone lose faith in him, after all. When he managed the Cleveland Indians for two and a half seasons, he had a winning record. In 2000, they were 90-72, good for second in their division. A year later, they went 91-71, enough to capture the division title. His future seemed bright, but there’s a reason why his third year was just a “half”. After starting the 2002 campaign 39-47, Manuel was fired in mid season. It’s alleged that the termination came over a contract dispute, but the disappointing start likely played a role. The man had just made the post-season the year before, and was now looking for managerial openings on Monster.com. The fact that Manuel made a comeback in 2005 as the Phillies honcho, led them to two playoff runs, and netted them their first World Series win in twenty-eight years is proof that Cleveland may have made an error in judgment. If the Indians had let things be and kept ol’ Chuck around, they too could have tasted victory. But last year, Manuel made some people in that organization just a little ill when he won it all somewhere else. Vindication, certainly, tasted good for Charlie Manuel.

Manuel has seen what Lidge is capable of. We all have, right? That 2008 season isn’t going to leave our hearts anytime soon. Lidge, like Manuel was in 2002, has hit a slump. Charlie can either cut his losses, sit Lidge down, and go with someone else to finish off foes in the ninth, or he can keep telling Lidge “you’re my guy”. How would Charlie feel if, during this coming offseason, he dealt Lidge to another team and he suddenly renews his self-faith? If Lidge wins the World Series with his newest home, it would no doubt stick in Manuel’s craw for not keeping fidelity in his closer. We as fans would be crushed to see him do badly for us, and then do great for someone else. No doubt in my mind that it would crush Charlie Manuel the most.

With the regular season winding down, it remains to be seen what the conclusion will be. Will Lidge return to form? Will he fall apart in the key situation? Will Manuel stand by his man? Or will he go to somebody else? Manuel wants to be rewarded for his faith, and so, as of this moment, he’s keeping Lidge penciled in as the closer.

Let’s just hope that both faith, as well as love, haven’t rendered Charlie Manuel blind.

When he isn’t watching WWE, TNA, or his beloved Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies, Justin Henry can be found writing. It is his passion as well as his goal in life to become a well-regarded (as well as well-paid) columnist or author. He tweets at twitter.com/notoriousjrh and facebooks himself at http://www.facebook.com/notoriousjrh.

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