2010 MLB Playoffs: Giants Vs. Braves NLDS Game 1 Viewing Guide
Time: 9:37pm ET
Starting Pitchers: RHP Tim Lincecum vs. RHP Derek Lowe
Series: 0-0
TV: TBS
TV Announcers: Dick Stockton and Bob Brenly
Radio: ESPN Radio
Radio Announcers: Chris Berman, Dave O’Brien, Rick Sutcliffe
Umpires: Dana DeMuth, Paul Nauert, Paul Emmel, Mike Winters, Jerry Layne, Ed Hickox
MLB.com Gameday: Link
Team Blogs: McCovey Chronicles, Talking Chop
Situation
The last series to get going is an appropriate one, as no other teams in the playoffs deserved a longer break than the Braves and Giants, each of whom were batting for their playoff lives on the final day of the regular season. Now that they've had a chance to celebrate, settle down, and focus on the task ahead, they'll get the nightcap time slot. The orange-clad Giants fans will be out in full force as they cheer on by far the hottest team in baseball, as San Francisco allowed just 64 runs over the final 31 games of the year. The Giants are hot, and the Braves are shorthanded. This one's got a clear underdog.
Three Keys
(1) Tim Lincecum remains an excellent young pitcher, but he pitched a little worse in 2010 than he did in 2009, and a big reason is that his performance declined against left-handed hitters. Why? One explanation could be that lefties swung through his curveball half as often as they did a year ago. Jason Heyward, Brian McCann, and Eric HInske are arguably Atlanta's top three hitters, and each of them is left-handed. Going against Tim Lincecum is never a good matchup, but there's reason to believe the Braves could exploit a little weakness.
(2) Derek Lowe's whole gameplan is getting hitters to beat the ball into the ground, and save for Andres Torres, the Giants don't really feature a lot of burners. Lowe will give up his hits and walks and try to survive by generating force outs and double plays. The Giants won't be able to counter by sending the runners. What they'll need to do is be disciplined enough to recognize when Lowe leaves a sinker a little up in the zone, and hit it with some air underneath.
(3) The Giants and Braves each featured exceptional bullpens during the year, and they'll carry those over into the playoffs. Unfortunately for the visitors, Takashi Saito will miss the NLDS, taking away one of their top weapons. Even so, one gets the sense that whoever's winning this game in the sixth inning will probably be able to come out on top. Look for both managers to play for one run. This could be NL ball at its most typical, with extra emphasis on moving runners and getting the right matchups.
