Tagged: Mariano Rivera
11/3 MLB Tonight – The Left Wing
The Phillies have had bullpen issues all season long, so it’s no surprise that going into Game 6, it’s still a danger zone.
Both pitching staffs are thin, but the Yankees have a clear advantage with Marte, Joba, and Rivera closing out games. For the Phillies, it’s not as easy as 1-2-3; it’s more like who in the pen can hold a 1, 2, or 3-run lead.
Going into Game 6, having the messy Phillies pen facing a confident comeback team like the Yankees is a bad situation. But this is nothing new, and the Phillies have made it this far without a lock-down closer to finish off wins.
Charlie Manuel was confident in Brad Lidge before his Game 4 meltdown, and now it seems like Ryan Madson is the guy to step in and put out the fires. We saw last night when Lee ran out of gas who can be relied on. Chan Ho Park did what he had to do, and Madson got the Phillies to a Game 6.
Cliff Lee has been more than what the Phillies hoped for when they traded for him. His consistency has boosted the Phillies entire pitching staff this season.
For the Phillies to get to Game 7, they will have to win around their bullpen. I’m confident in Pedro rising to the big occasion in this tough spot. The Phillies need him to pitch well into the 7th to stay away from the mess in their bullpen. Facing Andy Pettitte on 3-days rest, the Phillies offense should be able to generate a nice cushion for the bullpen to hold in the late innings.
If the offense can provide a safe lead, let’s say 3 runs or more, they can avoid the dreaded situation of having to close out a close game with the back end of that bullpen. -Dan Plesac
9/23 MLB Tonight – The Left Wing
Tonight we’re going to focus on teams that are postseason bound, mainly closer situations.
With the exception of Mariano Rivera, most playoff bound teams have some closer issues going into these last few games.
Ryan Franklin, Brad Lidge, and Brian Fuentes, have all been inconsistent this season, and going into the postseason, that’s never a good feeing in a managers gut.
What strikes me going into October this year is that any of the 8 teams in the mix will have as good a chance as any to win it all.
The Yankees are the best team right now, with the Cardinals right behind them.
Having a one-two punch of CC Sabathia/A.J. Burnett (who got back on track today) or Chris Carpenter/Adam Wainwright at the top of the rotation is solid, and adding those dangerous lineups into the mix is what makes them my favorites right now.
It’s important for teams like the Yankees and the Cardinals, who have their playoff births wrapped up to rest their players, but it’s usually the team playing their best at the end of the season that does the most damage. It’s time for them to turn it on.
To me, they’ve got some big targets on their backs this October; let’s see how they’ll handle that added pressure.
And how about Chad Billingsley tonight, taking a no-hitter into the 7th is a step in the right direction because the Dodgers really need him. Adding him to Randy Wolf and Clayton Kershaw will really step it up for them. – Dan Plesac
MLB Network 