It's a rematch of last year's NLCS, and I'm not a Dodgers fan...but I really want a freeway series this year for the World Series. So, I will be rooting for LA in this NLCS.

The Phillies will not have the same amount of rest as the Dodgers, and I'm thinking they do have a good chance of beating the Phillies this time. What about the you guys? Who do you think will win the series?

My prediction:

The Dodgers in 6 games.

yeah, it is about time for another Dodgers - Yankees World Series.

It's a good matchup, and I'm obviously biased, but the Phillies are still way too offensively deep this year, even with weaker pitching than last year.

I guess I should do a match-up for the NLCS like I did for the ALCS.

Catchers:
Dodgers - Russell Martin
Phillies - Carlos Ruiz

Martin once was an up-and-coming star behind the plate, now he is a good defensive catcher that is decent when batting. Carlos Ruiz is nothing special. Advantage - Dodgers

First Base:
Dodgers - James Loney
Phillies - Ryan Howard

No need to get into detail here. Huge advantage Phillies

Second Base
Dodgers - Ronnie Belliard/Orlando Hudson
Phillies - Chase Utley

Each team asks their second sacker to be something different. The Dodgers are looking for matchups, get on base, and good defense. They get that with Belliard/Hudson. For the Phillies, Utley is their #3 hitter that drives in runs, hits with power and average. Advantage - Phillies

Third Base
Dodgers - Casey Blake
Phillies - Pedro Feliz

Both third basemen hit lower in the lineup and are not your classic men of the hot corner. They are not outstanding in any facet of the game. Push

Shortstop
Dodgers - Rafael Furcal
Phillies - Jimmy Rollins

Again, no detail needed here, Big advantage Phillies

Outfielders:
Dodgers - Manny Ramirez (LF), Matt Kemp (CF), Andre Ethier (RF)
Phillies - Raul Ibanez (LF), Shane Victorino (CF), Jayson Werth (RF)

If Manny can be the pre-suspension Manny he would tilt the advantage to the Dodgers alone. Kemp is a rising player and Ethier's numbers were just as good as the other Dodgers. Ibaez had the best year of his career. Victorino is a spark-plug player that can pull the team out of a funk. Werth is solid bat. Slight edge to the Dodgers.

Starting Pitchers:
Dodgers - Randy Wolf, Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Vicente Padilla
Phillies - Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ

Both staffs have some reclamation projects, young talent and former stars. If the Dodger left handers can silence the Phillie big bats they will have a chance to make this a short series. Cliff Lee is making his first real postseason. The defending AL Cy-Young can be dominating, Cole Hamels was the horse the Phillies rode to the championship last year. Happ is a young arm that can pitch well. Pedro is crafty and may give one good outing. Slight edge to Philly

Relief Pitchers:
Dodgers - Jonathan Broxton (Closer), George Sherrill, Hong-Chih Kuo, Ramon Troncoso, Guillermo Mota, Ronald Belisario
Phillies - Ryan Madson (Closer), Brad Lidge, Scott Eyre, Chad Durbin, Kyle Kendrick, Brett Myers

The Phillies bullpen is a wreck; the Dodgers is overworked. The biggest thing the Dodgers have is that Broxton is one of the best closers in the NL - if not all of baseball. Advantage Dodgers

Key Reserves:
Dodgers - Brad Ausmus (Catcher), Jim Thome (1st Base), Juan Pierre (of)
Phillies - Paul Bako (Catcher), Matt Stairs (1st Base/OF), Ben Francisco (OF)

Lots of old stars dot the Dodger bench, most with deep playoff experience. The Phillies have nothing super on their bench but they seem to come through when it matters. Advantage Dodgers.

You also can't look at this series without mentioning the managers. Joe Torre is always getting the most out of his players and has a 14 year post-season streak going and has lead his teams to four WS titles. Charlie Manuel is a gamer that did lead his club to the championship last year. Advantage Dodgers

Neither of these teams are super-clubs. Both had hot streaks and cold streaks during the season. Either team could win this series in a sweep or it could go seven. I think that with the Dodger bullpen and Torre manning the helm they should win it in six.

Ask me a few weeks ago and I would have said the Philles for sure. Now it is a push. I'll take the Phillies on a guess with the Angels beating them in the World Series.

New York v Philadelphia for the "Amtrak" series.

Dodgers vs Yankees is the match up the networks really want. Two "old school" teams playing each other again for the championship

Phillies vs Yankees would be entertaining (lots of cold weather games too). Would be a better draw than a series without the Yankees.

Dodgers vs Angels not the worst match due to the Dodgers at least having more nationwide fans than the Angels. Not a favored math up due to both teams being in LA (I know the Angles are not IN LA but they claim to be so the casual fan would see LA vs LA)

Phillies vs Angels would also be a big meh from the casual fan. Both teams have strong local following but a very little national fanbase.


edit: Sorry, fixed spelling

agh. it causes an extreme amount of vexation when people seem to purposefully misspell the team name.

it's ANGELS not ANGLES.

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World of Warcraft: Kallaystra, Gweila, Steakumn, Tarathia [ Feathermoon/Horde ]

fixed

Err I was at the game tonight, and the Dodgers had bad pitching. If LA loses tomorrow, I'm not sure if they can come back from that. We will see tho

Yes, the Angels are no longer in Los Angeles, but for history sake, they were (are) the true LA team!

The Los Angeles Angels were a minor league baseball team based in Los Angeles. They played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957 at Wrigley Field (years 1925 to 1957, not the Chicago's ballpark btw).

In 1961, a brand new major league expansion team was named after the old minor league team. The Los Angeles Angels were founded (todays Angels). The minor league team was named after the City, so suck it up Dodgers fans because LA's true baseball team are my Angels lol not the punks from New York /grin

The modern day Angels home field was Wrigley Field in LA when they first started. Then, the Angels moved to Dodger Stadium in 1962 until 1965.

They have been in Anaheim CA since 1966 and it's a great place to visit to watch and enjoy a game. The reason why the Angels moved out of Los Angeles was because of the Dodgers' much larger market fan base, and they could not bring in the numbers like the former New York team. I always tease my Dodgers friends telling them who the real LA team is

I would like to see a Dodgers-Yankees series only to see all the story lines that would happen with it. Especially the Torre vs the old team one. Lots of drama there.

Of course the ideal baseball conditions would be a Dodgers-Angels series. Sunny skies, nice temperatures for all the games. I hear that the Yankees first pitch is going to be at 41 degrees. Really... is this good for baseball? To be playing in such temperatures?

Which is why I believe that baseball needs to shorten its regular season from 162 to 140 or somewhere around there. Get the World Series to end in mid September, not be stretched out to November...

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The series is tied 1-1

Wow what an ass rape tonight by the Phillies 11-0 and the Dodgers are now behind one game. The Phillies lead the series 2-1 and let's see if LA can win tomorrow.

Yeah that was pretty embarrassing for the Dodgers. How are you going to be on pitcher number three in the second inning?

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Or your closer handing over the win to the Phillies tonight? Did you see how bad Broxton pitched tonight? Two walks (one hit Carlos Ruiz). It's over for the Dodgers. They will be done on Wednesday. I can't see them making a comeback this year. The Phillies are playing better baseball right now and there is nothing LA can do to stop them.

The Phillies lead the series 3-1, and good luck to the winner of this series. They will need it because there is no way Philadelphia can be either AL team in the World Series

Yup. No way they can beat either AL team. It's not like they're the World Champs or anything.

Here's an idea, give credit where credit is due. What will it take for this team to finally get some respect for being the most explosive offense in baseball?

What do you mean? The Yankees get plenty of respect.

The Phillies go to the World Series again and win 4-1. As for respect, win back-to-back World Series, and then I think they will earn some respect.

I will be rooting for the Phillies because by the looks of it, they will be facing the Yankees next week. I don't want that prick A Rod (felt this way once he left the Rangers for NYY) to get a World Series ring! So far, the asshole does not have one, and I hope it stays that way.

Also, I used to respect the Yankees, and now I really can't stand them right now. Maybe because for the first time they are beating my team in the playoffs

Go Phillies! Please win the World Series to BITCH slap the fucking Yankees....I wish you the best of luck next Wednesday.

Maybe it will be 2001 all over again when the Diamond Backs won their title. I felt the same way back then too: "There is no way the D-Backs can beat the Yankees!"

I might be wrong again in 2009 lol