LCS Preview "08"

Manny Ramirez and the Los Angles Dodgers will travel to Citizens Bank Ballpark for game one of the NLCS with the Philledalphia Phillies on Thursday night. The pitching matchup will pit Cole Hammels of the "Fightin Phils" against the Dodgers Derek Lowe. This should be a very intriguing series to watch. A few things to look at that could determine what happens in this series. The most obvious is the leadoff spot. Both leadoff hitters are the catalysts for their respective teams. As Jimmy Rollins goes so goes the Phillies offense and the same can be said for Rafael Furcal who is back for the post season after missing much of the regular year. The cleanup hitters will do their share as Manny Ramirez and Ryan Howard could be the two best 4 hitters in the NL. A couple of x factors in this series could be Jeff Kent? Will the Dodgers second baseman return after missing the series against the Cubs (my guess is no). Can Pat Burrell of the Phillies continue his torrid hitting he had against the Brewers which included a two homer ballgame. All of these things could play a part in this series.
Pick: In a we have Lidge and you don't pick, Fightin Phills in 7
The ALCS will begin tomorrow at Tropicana Field in St.Pete. As the defending champion Red Sox proved in the ALDS you can throw the regular season head to head out the window. The Rays did win 10 of 18 for those of you who were wandering. A few questions about this series are:
will the Red Sox defense suffer without Mike Lowell and having to shift Kevin Youkillis to third base and playing Mark Kotsay at first? How effective can Josh Beckett be in this injury plagued season? Will anyone be able to hit Jon Lester this October?
A few questions to ponder for the Rays are these: How will Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton and company react to there first trip to the LCS ever? will inexperience rear its ugly head or not? Can the Scott Kazmir the Rays had the first half of the season please stand up?
Pick: In a we don't know any better pick, Rays in 7!!