2010 MLB Playoffs: Phillies Vs. Reds NLDS Game 1 Viewing Guide
Time: 5:07pm ET
Starting Pitchers: RHP Roy Halladay vs. RHP Edinson Volquez
Series: 0-0
TV: TBS
TV Announcers: Brian Anderson and Joe Simpson
Radio: ESPN Radio
Radio Announcers: Jon Sciambi and Dave Campbell
Umpires: John Hirschbeck, Bruce Dreckman, Ed Rapuano, Sam Holbrook, Gary Cederstrom, Rob Drake
MLB.com Gameday: Link
Team Blogs: The Good Phight, Red Reporter
Situation
The two teams in the NL who didn't have to sweat down the stretch meet up in the first round, with one of them already being treated as the league's hands-down favorite to take the World Series. The Phillies finished with the best record in baseball, claimed home field throughout, and boast a three-headed rotation monster matched by few through the game's recent history. The odds, it's safe to say, are in their favor. Standing in their way will be those scrappy underdogs from Ohio, and by ‘scrappy underdogs' I mean the NL leader in home runs and OPS. These are two teams with very different strengths.
Three Keys
(1) You can look everywhere, but you're never going to find a way to beat Roy Halladay. Not with any kind of consistency. He is as close to being the perfect pitcher as it gets. So the Reds will have to cross their fingers and hope they can push a run or three across the plate while Halladay is in the game. One trick that could help them is trying to lay a few bunts down the third base line. Placido Polanco is a very good defensive third baseman, but he's dealing with a bone spur in his elbow that might have an effect on his throwing. (updated note: Polanco is out of the lineup, replaced by Wilson Valdez. Bunting still seems reasonable)
(2) The Reds are putting a lot of trust in Edinson Volquez, who has the best stuff in the rotation, but who hasn’t had the best results. What Volquez has had is a very strong finish to the year, and the Reds need him to keep pitching like an ace to have a chance in Game 1. His fastball is back to where it used to be. So is his changeup, and so is his curve. He needs to spot and spot early, because the Reds can’t afford to turn things over to their bullpen in the middle innings. Volquez can’t nibble - not even against the strongest of hitters.
(3) This kind of goes without saying, but as long as the Phillies are intent on batting Chase Utley and Ryan Howard together, with Raul Ibanez not too far away, the Reds' lefty arms in the bullpen could end up being important. It's not just Arthur Rhodes. They also have this guy named Aroldis Chapman. Not that Baker ought to wait to use Chapman until there are lefties coming up, but the middle of the Phillies' order could make things even easier for Chapman than they already are.
