The Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays now hold 3-1 series leads in the NLCS and ALCS respectively, against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. It certainly seems as if we will have a Phillies-Rays World Series, but if any two teams can come back from 3-1 deficits it would be LA and Boston. Here is what each team has to do to comeback.
Phillies vs Dodgers
Joe Torre's team is in a big hole and faces a must win tonight in LA or their season comes to an end. The Dodgers are putting youngster ! Chad Billingsley on the mound against Phillies ace Cole Hamels. This certainly seems to favor the Phightin' Phils, but their backs are not against the wall. The game is in Dodger Stadium and you know they do not want to lose in front of the home crowd again. The key to this
game for LA is their starting pitching. The starters have just not done the job in this series. Hiroki Kuroda pitched a gem in game 3 which was the Dodgers only win. Billingsley was rocked in game 2 and Derek Lowe pitched decently in games 1 and 4, but not good en! ough for a win. Billingsley must give LA 6-7 solid innings ton! ight wit h only 2-3 earned runs. The bullpen must then come in and be solid. As for the lineup, we know Manny is going to hit, but it is time for these other guys to step up. Furcal and co. must be on base when Manny comes up. The Dodgers I think pull the upset tonight, but lose game 6. It does look inevitable that Philly will be playing the World Series.Rays vs Red Sox
You better start believing in these Rays because they have lit up Boston the last two games in Fenway Park. The Red Sox last three starting pitchers Josh Beckett, Jo! n Lester, and Tim Wakefield have all been rocked by the Rays lineup the past three games. Dice-K who piched a gem in game 1 pitches tomorrow night. The Boston bullpen has struggled as well. Mike Timlin blew game 2 in the 11th, Paul Byrd struggled in long-relief in game 3, and last night Manny Delcarmen got rocked. The Red Sox pitching just cannot seem to stop Tampa Bay. But, the lineup has struggled as well. David Ortiz has struggled all
postseason at the plate. He has been getting walked and pitched around without the threat of Manny ! Ramirez behind him. And in the few times he has got pitches t! o hit, h e has struggled. Big Papi has to get going or else Boston will not be repeating as World Series Champions. Jacoby Ellsbury is 0-14 in this ALCS and was benched last night. Coco Crisp who filled in did not fare any better. They need Ellsbury setting the table for the big bats. Pedroia has finally heated up, but everyone else has cooled off. The Sox seem to be dead in the water, but let's remember they were down 3-1 last ALCS to Cleveland and still came back and eventually won the World Series. I expect Boston to win games 5 and 6. But in game 7, I think Tampa Bay wins advancing to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
