Good Pitching Always Beats Bad Hitting - NLCS and ALCS Wrap Up

I know this report on the NLCS and ALCS is a little late but I am still in disbelief over how the Phillies let their best opportunity to win another championship slip through their hands. We always hear how in the playoffs good pitching beats good hitting, but in the NLCS you had inept hitting in the clutch. Each game the Phillies had their opportunities but more times than not the so called stars came up small in big moments. Prime suspects were Chases Utley, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, and Raul Ibanez. If I was Ruben Amaro, the general manager of the Phillies I would shake things up and trade the Teflon Don Chase Utley and resign Jayson Werth. This is the kind of move that will kill any complacency that may have seeped into that locker room since 2008. Some of you may think that this is a panic move, it is far from that. It is a move that will make that burning fire that use to permeate throughout that locker room return and bring back championship glory to the great city of Philadelphia.


Now news from the other league, Yankees lose in six and the dream match up of Cliff Lee vs. Roy Halladay will not happen. To quote Florida Evans from Good Times, 'Damn, Damn , Damn!!!'.

Live from the classroom, class is dismissed.

- Philly Educator

2010 MLB Playoffs - Yankees/Rangers and Phillies/Giants

Wednesday night we have two pivotal games and the results of one still has me puzzled.  

Yankees/Rangers

In the Yankees/Rangers game C.C showed why he is a great pitcher and put his team on his back and helped them live to see another day. Let's hope the Rangers are not getting complacent knowing that they have Cliff Lee waiting for game seven. If that is the case then the old saying 'Be careful what you wish for' may bite them in the butt.

Phillies/Giants



Now in the other series we have the game that has me puzzled. I saw consistent mistakes from the pitchers, former MVP's and a manager. Charlie Manuel is a World Series champion manager and his decision making at times must be questioned. Prime example, pitching a pitcher who has not pitched in 19 games in a big time game. Former MVP Jimmy Rollins in the 8th inning with a man on second and no outs refuses to play small ball and move the runner over. That sequence is inexcusable for a veteran like that. The game could have been won right there and maybe the series. Lastly, we have to look at some of the pitch selection of some of these pitchers in critical situations, you have to be able to make adjustments on the fly and all series the Phillies pitchers have not. Before the series started all we heard was that the experience of the Phillies along with their talent was the decided advantage. Well from my view the Giants look like the experienced and hungrier team with all their clutch hitting. Yes, the series by no means is over but it is getting very close.
 
Live from the classroom, class is dismissed.

- Philly Educator