Saturday's Best MLB Mound Matchup
Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants (+154) vs. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies (-164)
Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA)
Pitching matchups don’t get much better than this. After all, when Tim Lincecum is going into a game as a considerable underdog, you know it’s serious.
Of course, Lincecum’s status as an underdog on Saturday has a lot more to do with the other guy (Roy Halladay) than it does with Lincecum, himself. The 26-year-old was not quite as dominant this season as he was in his previous two Cy Young-winning campaigns, but he still went 16-10 with a 3.43 ERA.
And if Lincecum’s Game 1 performance against Atlanta in the Divisional Series was any indication, it’s only getting better for him in the playoffs. He tossed a complete game two-hitter, allowing no runs and one walk while striking out 14 in San Francisco’s 1-0 victory. The Giants went on to win the series 3-1, thus not needing Lincecum for a Game 5 and allowing him to rest for the opener against Philadelphia.
Speaking of the Phillies, Lincecum was baffling in his lone start against them this season. On April 28 in San Francisco, he pitched 8 1/3 innings and gave up just three hits and two runs while striking out 11 batters. However, Brian Wilson blew the save in the ninth and Philadelphia went on to win 7-6 in 11 innings.
The only real question mark surrounding Lincecum is another blister issue on his throwing hand. However, he told the San Jose Mercury news that it should not be a factor in the wake of extensive treatment. “It's not a big deal, and we're taking care of it,” Lincecum assured.
Roy Halladay (21-10, 2.44 ERA)
If Lincecum was lights-out against the Braves, Halladay was even better in his Game 1 performance against the Reds. In fact, he was unhittable. Literally.
Halladay hurled the second no-hitter in postseason history, the first since Don Larsen’s famous perfect game with the New York Yankees in the 1956 World Series. He walked only one and struck out eight in a 4-0 shutout to set the tone for what proved to be a sweep of Cincinnati.
It had already been an incredible season for Halladay, one that was already highlighted by a perfect game. As a whole, the doctor compiled a 21-10 record with a 2.44 ERA to go along with a ridiculous strikeout-to-walk ratio of 219 to 30.
However, one of his worst starts of the year came in his only outing against the Giants; on April 26 in San Francisco, Halladay took the loss in a 5-1 game after surrendering 10 hits and five runs in seven innings.
Phillies heavy favorites behind Roy Halladay
By: Willie Bee
Get fresh batteries in the remote and have your thumb ready on the mute button. Joe Buck and Tim McCarver invade living rooms across the country starting Saturday night in the NLCS opener between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants.
Perhaps we will be able to eventually find betting odds in Las Vegas and offshore on how many innings of a playoff series will take place before Buck brings up McCarver stealing home in the '64 Series. Maybe there will be 'over/under' lines on how many times Timmy Mac mentions that Bob Gibson was an "intimidating presence on the mound."
Until then we're stuck with the more conventional baseball odds, and they aren't promising for the Giants either in Game 1 or for the series.
Philadelphia is a minus 250 favorite at Bodog to win its third consecutive NL flag. Giants backers can get their team for plus 210 at the same shop. The Phils are 27/20 (as of Thursday, Oct. 14) to go all the way, with San Francisco 5/1 to win its first World Series since 1954.
Bodog is listing the Phillies as 170 favorites in Game 1. Saturday's 'total' is a tiny six, with most shops offshore charging extra for the 'under.'
There's a good reason, no, two good reasons, make that three good reasons why 'under' six is favored. Reason #1 is Philly's starter, Roy Halladay. Reason #2 is San Fran's starter, Tim Lincecum. And reason #3 is the two lineups combined to hit .212 in their NLDS games, scoring just 24 runs in the seven total contests. Only 15 of those 24 runs were earned.
Halladay (23-11, 2.35) is worth the price of admission on his own. He certainly was in Game 1 of the NLDS when the big guy no-hit the Cincinnati Reds to get Philadelphia's series sweep underway. The 33-year-old showed no signs of nerves making his first postseason start, walking just one and using only 104 pitches for the complete-game gem. Halladay is headed for his second Cy Young and will become just the fifth pitcher to take the honor in both leagues. That he's facing the NL CY winner from the past two seasons truly does make this series opener a matchup for the ages.
One of Halladay's losses in the regular season was against these Giants, however. As 135 'dogs at AT&T Park in late-April, the Giants beat the Phils ace, 5-1. Halladay allowed all five SF runs, including a homer to backup catcher Eli Whiteside, and was raked for 10 hits in seven innings.
If the 6-run 'total' sticks it will be the lowest in a Halladay-pitched game this season. Five times the number closed at 6½, with the 'under' cashing in four.
Anyone who has paid attention this season will not be surprised to learn this (plus 150) is the biggest underdog line hanged on Lincecum (21-11, 3.29). He was a plus-135 money line dog twice, with San Francisco 1-1 in those games and the Giants 4-1 overall when Lincecum was getting plus-money.
Like Halladay, Lincecum is facing a lineup that came away winners the only time he faced the Phils in 2010. Lincecum did not earn a decision in the April 28 home tilt opposite Cole Hamels, an 11-inning affair Philadelphia took by a 7-6 count. San Francisco was 145 chalk behind Lincecum who started the ninth with a lead before he got in trouble and Brian Wilson blew the scoreboard advantage. It was one of just five blown saves by Wilson during the regular season.
Lincecum has made three career starts at Citizens Bank Park with a 3.66 ERA in 19 2/3 innings. The last came in Sept. 2009 with the Giants 1-2 in the three assignments.
The lineups wouldn't have been expected to do much against these starting pitchers even if they'd hit better against the Reds and Braves. Philadelphia obviously has the better group, and is less likely to see Lincecum for more than seven frames than the Giants will be spending time hacking against Halladay.
If it comes down to the bullpens, San Fran might have the edge statistically but its relief corps has far less October experience. Giants fans won't mind seeing Wilson, Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez come into a game. I can promise you that regardless of their stats, Phillies fans likely have a queasy feeling in their cheesesteak-stuffed bellies when Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson enter a game.
Extended weather forecasts are currently listing nice days both Saturday and Sunday in the Philly area. Keep an eye on updated wind listings for Saturday, however. First pitch will probably find the thermometer in the upper-50s with clear skies.
Umpire crews have been announced for both series, with Derryl Cousins the chief for the NLCS bunch. We'll assume he takes the plate in Game 1, his seventh LCS with the last coming in the 2008 ALCS between Boston and Tampa Bay. If you recall, he had to leave his plate assignment in Game 6 after getting hammered by a foul ball. The biggest trend Cousins owned in his 34 regular season games was a 9-2 'over' record in games lined at eight runs or less.
Game 2 is scheduled for a 5 p.m. PT start with Jonathan Sanchez going for San Francisco against the Phillies' Roy Oswalt.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start, including the postseason.