The Philadelphia Phillies easily had the best starting rotation in the playoffs as they headed into the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants. The betting public was having a hard time seeing how the Giants would be able to win a game against such a rotation. Sports fans were already looking towards NFL betting and trying to determine if the San Francisco 49ers could really make the playoffs. The problem is that someone forgot to tell the Giants to fear the Phillies starting pitchers.
Phillies starter Cole Hamels lost his only start of the series and Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt each went 1-1. The Giants were able to shatter that mystique of the Phillies starting pitchers and take the 2010 NLCS in six games. Giants ace Tim Lincecum was stellar throughout the series.
As impressive as Lincecum has been in the playoffs, the World Series betting experts are more interested in seeing how Rangers ace Cliff Lee performs in the Fall Classic. Lee is 3-0 in the playoffs and has been, for the most part, unhittable. Even the overpowering New York Yankees hitters could not get to Lee. Nothing could bring down Cliff Lee in the AL playoffs. But Cliff Lee never faced a team with the hitting resiliency of the San Francisco Giants.
Roy Halladay pitched only the second playoff no-hitter in history when he blanked the Cincinnati Reds in the opening game of their NLDS series. Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt looked equally as impressive in that first series. But the Giants got to Halladay and they got to him early. The Phillies were able to rally and win Halladay’s first start in the NLCS, but the World Series betting experts could tell that all was not well with the Philadelphia starting rotation for the NLCS.
Now the Giants bring their confidence to the World Series as they host game one against the Texas Rangers. San Francisco will need that confidence as the Rangers will be putting their ace Cliff Lee on the mound for game one. The Giants will respond with Tim Lincecum. In what is setting up to be one of the greatest pitching battles in World Series history, the deciding factor will fall to offense.
The Rangers smacked around the Yankees starting rotation, but they had problems with the Tampa Bay Rays starters. The Rays had a deep bullpen, and the change in pitchers throughout the games may have thrown the Rangers off. The bullpen in San Francisco is deep, and that may cause the Rangers problems. It may not matter in game one as Lincecum has been lights out all playoffs long. But the Giants bullpen will come into play as the World Series rolls on.
For game one, the fans just need to sit back and enjoy two pitchers who have responded well to the playoff pressure. The Giants stand the best chance of getting to Lee before the Rangers get to Lincecum just based on what has transpired so far in these playoffs. But it will not be easy for the Giants, and it may take more than just nine innings.
Pick: San Francisco Giants 1-0
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