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The Phillies will Rock the Rockies

Week 4 Football Recap
Pick –Packers -1.5 over Minnesota Win
Chargers -11.5 over Chiefs Loss
Steelers -6 over Cardinals Loss

Result – Net Loss
Amount - 50 units
Season Bankroll - +$150

So for the 3rd straight week, I lost 2 and won just one of my 3 best football picks. It’s time to regroup with some playoff baseball. Tonight’s matchup features the 2 teams that caught fire at the end of the season, the Phillies and the Rockies, the two top offenses in the National League. Both clubs start their aces and I like the Phillies with Cole Hamels.

The Rockies begin the series less than 48 hours after beating San Diego 9-8 in 13 innings in a one-game playoff Monday to determine the wild card. They are making the franchise’s second postseason appearance and first since becoming the first wild-card representative in 1995.

In the regular season, the Phillies overcame injuries to their pitching staff and went 13-4 down the stretch to overcome a seven-game deficit, while the Mets suffered one of the greatest late-season collapses in major league history. Philadelphia finally took over first place in game 160, but needed to beat Washington 6-1 on the final day of the regular season to clinch its first division title since 1993.

Philadelphia scored 892 runs to lead the NL for the second straight year, while Colorado was right behind with 860. The Rockies led the NL with a .280 batting average, while the Phillies ranked second behind Milwaukee with 213 home runs. Colorado batted .327 as a team and hit 14 homers in going 4-3 against the Phillies this season, which included taking two of three at home in July and splitting a four-game September series in Philadelphia.

With each team boasting a strong offense in a hitter-friendly park, offense may dominate the series.

The series features two NL MVP contenders in Colorado outfielder Matt Holliday and Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Holliday won both the NL batting and RBI races and enters the playoffs red hot, hitting .407 in his last seven games. His teammate Todd Helton will make the first playoff appearance of his stellar 11-year career. The first baseman is batting .444 with two homers against the Phillies in 2007. Rookie of the year candidate Troy Tulowitzki is hitting .423 with two homers versus Philadelphia.

For the Phillies, Rollins hit .296 with 30 homers, 94 RBIs and 41 stolen bases in 2007. He also hit .344 with two homers against Colorado. Ryan Howard, last seasons NL MVP, hit just .241 with two homers and struck out 13 times in 29 at-bats against Colorado this season, but enters on a roll after homering in each of his final four games of 2007, giving him 47 for the year.

As I mentioned, both clubs will send their aces to the mound for Game 1. Colorados Jeff Francis, who posted a career-high 17 wins with only nine losses, will take the ball for the Rockies. The left-hander had a 4.22 in 34 starts overall, but struggled in two against Philadelphia, going 0-1 with a 15.12 ERA. The Phillies Cole Hamels had a breakout season, going 15-5 with a 3.39 ERA. The 23-year-old left-hander, who was 8-2 in 12 starts at home, has never faced the Rockies.

So for one day at least, I like the Phillies to win.

Good luck with your action tonight!


by Johnson