October Baseball

Even during the period in the late 90s and early 00s when I didn't really follow baseball as much, I always watched the playoffs. I've seen some amazing things in October, but something tells me this October is going to be particularly memorable.

Both League Championship Series are shaping up to potantially be epic. The Texas Rangers offence which shredded the pitching of the Tampa Bay Rays could very well tee off against the Yankees struggling rotation. Of course the Yankees aren't slouches either when it comes to scoring runs, so it cold be the Rangers pitching that gets teed off on. Regardless, I have a feeling most games of this series will be, in typical American League fashion, a slug fest. It's also worth noting this is the first League Championship Series ever for the Texas Rangers franchise. While I am intrigued, it is the National League Championship Series I hope not to miss a minute of.

I believe this year's NLCS could easily go down as one of the greatest of all time. Look no further than the Game 1 pitching matchup, Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum, arguably the two best pitchers in the game going head to head; Halladay fresh off a no-hitter and Lincecum fresh off a dominating victory in which he struck out 14 and allowed only two hits. I can't for the life of me remember a watching a pitching matchup that comes even close to this in the post-season. Suffice to say, expect a low scoring affair.

And that's only Game 1.

It doesn't drop off much going forward, with Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels next in line for the Phillies and Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez waiting for the Giants. When Oswalt is on, he can dominate and Hamels' postseason resume speaks for itself. Cain and Sanchez may not have the experience, but they are a big reason the Giants are where they are. And the possible matchup of Joe Blanton and Madison Bumgarner in Game 4 isn't anything to sneeze at either.

The Phillies may have an edge in experience but the Giants easy dispatch of the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS leads me to believe that they will not lie down for the Phillies. It is going to be epic.

As a former pitcher, it goes without saying that this is the series I've been waiting for. I was rooting for the Giants to win Game 4 of the NLDS purely so I could see the matchup of Halladay vs. Lincecum. To see these two pitch against each other is going to be something special. I can feel it. Their contrasting styles of pitching, Halladay the ground ball pitcher and Lincecum the fireballing strikeout artist, it will be a battle of finesse vs. power, I suspect it will be a battle I will not want to end. And while I want to see Halladay and the Phillies win, I suspect the only disappointing outcome will be if one of these pitchers gets roughed up and the battle between them becomes moot.

But I'm confident that won't happen. These two guys are just that good.

I hope the Yankees and Rangers provide for an interesting game tonight. It might just be enough to hold me over until tomorrow when the real matchup starts. Suffice to say, I am not under any circumstances missing that game. Go Phils.

-matt