MLB playoffs: Phillies-Dodgers preview and pick

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Series price: Dodgers -125

Pitching

Los Angeles’ starters don't get credited with too many victories, but they always keep their team in the game. Despite the fact no Dodgers hurler won more than 12 games during the regular season, L.A. led the majors with a 3.44 team ERA.

Randy Wolf, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, Vicente Padilla and Jon Garland all sported ERAs under 4.00, while Chad Billingsley had an allowance of 4.02. Wolf, Kershaw and Padilla combined to limit the Cardinals to four runs over 17.1 innings in the NLDS.

Philadelphia's rotation has plenty of star power, led by lefties Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. Lee snapped out of a late-season slump by posting a 1.10 ERA in two starts against Colorado in the NLDS, but Hamels was knocked around in his only appearance. Rookie J.A. Happ was Philly's third starter against the Rockies and gave up three runs in three innings. Pedro Martinez might also make a start for the Phillies.

While the Dodgers have a slight edge in the starting rotation, they enjoy a huge advantage in the bullpen. Los Angeles was far and away the regular-season leader in bullpen ERA (3.18), while the Phillies were 13th (3.90). Late leads are a lot safer with L.A.'s Jonathan Broxton than Philly's Brad Lidge, though Lidge did record two saves in the NLDS.

Edge: Dodgers

Offense

Though the Dodgers had a higher team batting average than the Phillies during the regular season (.270 to .258), Philadelphia scored 34 more runs. The Phillies do most of their damage with the long ball. Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez all clubbed 30-plus homers, and Howard drove in 141 runs. Philly's offense carried the team in the NLDS, scoring 20 runs and collecting 40 hits in four games. Howard drove in six runs and Ibanez knocked home five.

The L.A. offense scored 13 runs and rapped out 29 hits in three games last round against some pretty good Cardinals pitching. Manny Ramirez, who struggled this season after returning from his 50-game suspension, had three doubles and two RBI in the series, while Rafael Furcal and Andre Ethier each contributed six hits. The Dodgers need more from Russell Martin (1-for-9 last round) and

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Posted by curtis12
3 years ago

dodgers lose series to angels
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Posted by _HighStakes_
3 years ago

Dodgers in Five!
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Posted by xar86413
3 years ago

The article has graded the Dodgers pitching better than the Phillies pitching. Starting pitching might be stronger for the Phils, but the Dodgers bully is WAY better than the Phillies pen. WAY better. That's why they get the nod. Dodgers in 6.
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Posted by dagrad
3 years ago

i do hope the LA teams make it. what is it...the "freeway" showdown?
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Posted by Bren1208
3 years ago

AND Hamels wife was 9 months pregnant!!!
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Posted by Bren1208
3 years ago

Hamels was not knocked around vs Colorado. Gave up a cheapie in the first inning on bad defense and made ONE bad pitch to Torrealba that went out... PHILS IN FIVE
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Posted by SmokeMyDog
3 years ago

What a piece of crap article. Dodgersd pitching better than Phillies'?
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Posted by IraiseAllin
3 years ago

The dodgers will win this series only if Manny goes back on roids and carries the team
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Posted by worldchamps08
3 years ago

i understand the dodgers have a better pen than the phils (which the phillies touched up last year) but the phils rotation is so much better than the dodgers. you don't think the phillies are stoked to get to see wolf and padilla? two guys that they sat and watched get roughed up for years wearing phillies red. i also don't understand how intangibles are even. the phillies are defending world champions and beat the dodgers last year and once again showed why they are so tough when they were down to their last strike vs the rox and came back and won. i think it comes down to whether or not cole hamels can keep up is mastery vs the dodgers. (1 er in 16 innings this year plus what he did to them last year in the nlcs)
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Posted by DOVJAK
3 years ago

phils
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Posted by Chezman
3 years ago

Phillies
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Posted by baller9566
3 years ago

Lol dodgers in 6
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Posted by madulamaximus
3 years ago

I said BIIATCH!!!!!!!! not girl and the filter should know a girl is NOT a female but a female dog. LOL.........So stereotypical of the filters programmed assumption.
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Posted by madulamaximus
3 years ago

Pay back is a girl. DODGERS then ANGELS. And expect to see more over play from this point on.
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Posted by Rocafella
3 years ago

ahahaha
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Top Response

Posted by Bren1208
3 years ago

"AND Hamels wife was 9 months pregnant!!!"

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Sports Betting Headlines »

Featured Free Play
MLB: Seattle vs. LA Angels
Pick:
LA Angels
Start:
May 21, 2013 - 10:05 PM
Capper:
Will Rogers
Offered at:
5dimes @ -154 LA Angels
Analysis:

I had some success over the weekend with the Angels (as well as the rest of my plays!), and will look to use them again Tuesday as they welcome in the Seattle Mariners for the start of a brief two-game set. 

Here are my keys to the game:

1.  Scheduling Favors Home Team - It will be tough for Seattle to get over Monday's loss to the Indians.  Despite homering in the 8th, 9th and 10th innings, the Mariners still lost the game 10-8.  It was particularly painful after reliever Wilhelmsen made a costly error with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.  The fact that the Angels had Monday off is a huge advantage, obviously.  With yesterday's loss, Seattle dropped to 9-16 on the road. 

2.  Harang Woes - Seattle starter Aaron Harang has not pitched well this season at all, particularly on the road. His ERA away from Safeco Field (two starts) is 8.43.  He has never beaten the Angels in four starts, going 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA and 2.037 WHIP.

3. X-Factor - While the Angels finally seem to have some momentum, Seattle was swept in Cleveland. 

Selection: The play is on the LA Angels (1*).

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