New York Yankees at Boston, not suprisingly, accounts for two of those, on April 22 and July 8, from Fenway Park.  The Yankees have one other Sunday Night appearance, April 15 vs. the Angels.  The two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers host Chicago in the April 8 SNB opener.

The World Series Champion Cardinals also have three appearances (May 20 and July 15, in addition to Opening Night April 4).

ESPN’s first seven Sunday Night games will feature at least one playoff team and several of MLB’s biggest stars will be on display, including the Angels’ Pujols; the Yankees’ Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano; Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury; Texas’ Josh Hamilton; Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria; Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard and Chase Utley; St. Louis’ Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman; Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp; Atlanta’s Chipper Jones and Brian McCann; Chicago’s Paul Konerko; and Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman.

This season will also mark the debut of analyst Terry Francona, who joins play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman and analyst Orel Hershiser in the Sunday Night Baseball booth. Sunday Night games are also available via ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile TV.

ESPN Radio’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team will again be play-by-play commentator Jon Sciambi and analyst Chris Singleton.  ESPN Radio, entering its 15th season of MLB coverage, will also broadcast a game of the week each Saturday during the regular season, the State Farm Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and every Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series game.

The Sunday Night Baseball schedule as selected to date follows (all telecasts begin at 8 p.m. ET).  Game selections for the remainder of the season will be made three weeks (June and July 1, 22 and 29) or two weeks (August and September) in advance.

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball Schedule
Date     Teams (all telecasts at 8 p.m. ET)
April 8     Chicago White Sox at Texas
April 15     L.A. Angels at N.Y. Yankees
April 22     Yankees at Boston
April 29     Tampa Bay at Texas
May 6     Philadelphia at Washington
May 13     Angels at Texas
May 20     St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers
May 27     Washington at Atlanta
June 3-July 1     TBD
July 8     Yankees at Boston
July 15     St. Louis at Cincinnati
July 22-Sept 23     TBD

Due to overwhelming response, here is an extended list, 11-20 top MILB players to follow.

A few things. A lot of these guys were considered for the top ten. The selection process is difficult because, whether you know it or not, there are numerous minor league players using Twitter. That led to adding an Honorable Ten list.

Reminder about how this was decided: frequency, interaction, humor, overall just compelling feed. Interacting with their fans/followers was big in deciding. Tweet frequency counted a lot as well. Humor matters. Every single guy that made these lists had a way with a joke or making fun of themselves. When their personalities shine through, the flow of the content is fun and interesting to read. For guys trying to make it to the big leagues, they experience a lot of transition and adversity. Every player named in the Twitter Ten and Next Ten shares a fascinating look into the unique life of baseball.

Starting with #11, a player whose use of Twitter gives him an important connection to fans. After being so protected by his team, that connection has been meaningful.

11. Bryce Harper @BHarper3407 – Washington Nationals
12. Cody Decker @Decker6 – San Diego Padres
13. Tyson Gillies @TysonGillies21 – Philadephia Phillies
14. Thomas Neal @TdaddyNeal – Cleveland Indians
15. Will Middlebrooks @16WMBrooks- Boston Red Sox
16. Mike Trout @Trouty20 – Anaheim Angels
17. LV Ware @LV_Ware – Atlanta Braves
18. Deck McGuire @deckmcguire – Toronto Blue Jays
19. Ryan Tatusko @RyanTatusko – Nationals
20. Michael Crouse @_crouse_ – Blue Jays

Honorable Ten Mentions:

1.Bryan Harper @BHarp45 – Nationals
2. Chris Swauger @cswag8 – St. Louis Cardinals
3. Matt den Dekker @UpperDekker – New York Mets
4. Bryan Longpre @BryanLongpre- Blue Jays
5. Jack Murphy @JackMurphy219 – Blue Jays
6. Justin Fitgerald @jfitgerald31 – Giants
7. Trent Mummey @trentmummey7 – Baltimore Orioles
8. C.J. Cron @CCron24 – Angels
9. Jordan Comadena @Funky2414 – Houston Astros
10. Kellin Deglan @keldegs – Texas Rangers

RHP’s Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole, catcher Derek Norris, and LHP Tom Milone – all top ten ranked in the Nationals system – were traded to Oakland in exchange for starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

Most of the focus has been on the considerable loss of Milone and Peacock. Cole has the least amount of minor league service time, and is still extremely young and unproven at 19. But he was a top five prospect in the Nationals system, spending 2011 in Class-A Hagerstown, and finishing with a 4.04 ERA. His journey has just begun and with Oakland, but the fallout can still be felt in Washington. Nationals fans have a heck of a lot to look forward to, with Bryce Harper on the horizon and Stephen Strasburg still waiting to achieve his full potential.

The Nationals get points for fearlessly pursuing the future, by trading guys thought to be a certain part of that future.

Note: The Nationals also received righty pitching prospect Robert Gilliam.

Five Questions With…

Phillies Brian Gump

Brian Gump spent 2011 with the Clearwater Threshers, his second stint with the Phillies Class-A affiliate. The outfielder finished the season hitting .286 in a career high 86 games.

He’s in the spotlight in the first installment of ‘Five Questions With…’

1. This will be your **third year at the pro level. What is your focus, what would you like to improve going into spring training?

I’m always trying to improve on my game across the board, inch by inch. This off season though, I was really focused on gaining strength as opposed to just being in really good shape. On top of that, getting more consistent with a few things in the hitting department that Mizerock and Hendu worked with me on last year. Mainly, finishing lower to stay through the ball/zone longer (which I would go in and out of and saw great results when I was consistent with it which is very promising) and working on shifting my approach to less of an opposite field approach first and more of a go ahead and be aggressive and pull the ball first mindset.

2. You had a strong 2011 at Clearwater. Did you make any adjustments or changes in your approach?

Although not being an everyday player is presents its own set of challenges and difficulties, in my mind that’s a generous assessment of my 2011 season if you’re looking strictly at batting statistics. With that being said, last season I feel like I matured the most as a ball player and as a man than I have in a while. **It was my first real full season because my initial full season I missed a chunk when I broke my arm. I learned a lot both physically and even more so mentally about the day in and day out approach you need to bring to the field and the importance of controlling your thoughts in game and off the field. Your mind can be your best weapon or your worst enemy, especially for a 4th outfielder type like I was last year where your last at bat can simmer in your head for a few days before you get another one. I did a good job at times and other times I admittedly did not do a good job of filtering my thoughts and using it for my benefit. Baseball is a game of failure so controlling your thoughts and attitude in the face of failure is paramount to a professional baseball players success.

Physically, I worked on pulling the ball a bit more (and still am) and felt I was much better about identifying and laying off changeups and other off speed pitches. I was also able to start to pick up on what the battery was trying to do each game to our offense as a whole and to myself personally.

3. Best advice you’ve gotten from someone within the Phillies organization?

That’s a tough one to isolate. As players in the Phillies system, we are pretty damn lucky to have so many high quality instructors around us on a daily basis helping us develop as ball players and men. I’ve received countless bits of wisdom and advice across the board so its tough to really pick one out. I guess the first thing that flashed in my head when I read the question though was from [Chase] Utley. Its strange how sometimes the smallest things resonate in your head. He told us in my first spring when he was talking to the hitters, “you hit a great off speed pitch by hitting the fastball that’s thrown before it”. There is nothing more true in baseball than that.

4. A little fun. What is your favorite baseball movie character and why?

Ah man, its got to be between Crash Davis and Nuke LaLoosh. I love Bull Durham. Both of those characters are classic.

5. And, finally, what’s your favorite winter sport? A team you root for?

Football and then Basketball. I grew up a 49ers fan so this has been a really exciting season for me to see them finally getting back to being an elite team. Basketball wise, again, born and raised a Lakers fan. This year is going to be an interesting one for them after the CP3 fiasco. I’m really bummed to see Odom go like he did, but my man Kobe always has some tricks up his sleeves, and by sleeves I mean legs, even if those legs ARE starting to get older.

METS GCL TEAM FOLDS

The 23-year old Gulf Coast Mets have closed their clubhouse doors after the big club decided to not continue fielding a team in that league. While the move might seem small, there’s no mistaking that the decision is part of the bigger plan. The Mets need to cut costs in order to build a better club and this is a small step in that direction.

The bigger picture also includes an improved farm system, something the Mets are putting their efforts into. Shutting down one of their affiliates might seem counter-productive, but the focus shouldn’t be in question. Guys such as Zack Wheeler,  Matt Harvey, and Jeurys Familia – all RHP’s- are close to major league ready. There’s young pitching at the higher levels waiting to be plucked for a big league debut, and their development, though not without bumps, has gone very well. Wilmer Flores and Reese Havens are still question marks. And the Mets don’t have a young catcher in the wings. But the system is in overhaul.  Cutting the team could prove helpful in reorganizing a slowly improving system. Even more important is a front office that might be willing to spend more in the June Draft.

Consistency – Like their game on the field, this was of the highest importance. Consistent, fairly frequent content…

Content – Sharing updates and engaging with followers is what baseball fans are looking for from their team’s rising stars.

Humor – All the guys chosen get high marks in that area.

Finally, Personable – Sounds silly, but I see plenty of guys completely ignore compliments, recommendations, and questions. That’s not good Twitter etiquette.

These ten players utilize the social media tool to reach baseball fans, relating their unique experiences, and making even more of a name for themselves off the baseball field.

I also decided to include independent baseball players, despite not being affiliated with the major leagues, indy league has become more important to major league teams. And certainly more popular. And had I not allowed them, I would’ve had to omit the number one pick. And that would’ve been impossible.

1. Michael Schlact @michael_schlact Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (Atlantic League)

2. Ryan Westmoreland @RWesty25 Boston Red Sox

3. Deck McGuire @deckmcguire Toronto Blue Jays

4. Jiwan James @jiwan23 Philadelphia Phillies

5. Justin Jackson @JaxChillinONE Toronto Blue Jays

6. Richard Giannotti @JustMeGee Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

7. Brandon Douglas @BrandonDouglas5 Detroit Tigers

8. Ian Kadish @BearJew36 Toronto Blue Jays

9. Zack Wheeler @WheelerPro45 New York Mets

10. Kevin Rath @KRath702 Chicago White Sox

Twitter has been a source of controversy and debate in connection with athletes, but those ten players have successfully reached baseball fans on social media. It’s an interesting concept. Athletes, particularly young ones, are hotly protected by their teams and agents. But there’s a way to be themselves and socialize, as well as increasing their visibility, without embarrassing themselves or those invested in them.

In the future, more minor league players will surely join with the hope of creating a following before they’ve made it to the majors. They can look to these ten to know exactly how it’s done and the value of the experience.

All players were listed with team they were with in 2011. Free agency wasn’t taken into account.

I was the first player drug-tested in baseball, and I am the one who asked for it.” – Babe Dahlgren

The recent news that 2011 MVP Ryan Braun is appealing a failed “banned substance” test wasn’t expected, but after hundreds of failed tests for recreatiional or performance-enhancing drugs for baseball players, even the fact that a reigning MVP not thought to be the strerotypical behemnoth wasn’t all that’s shocking.

Let’s face it, we live in an era where its hard to imagine people choosing integrity over the millions that can be made with the popping og a pill or the injecting of a needle. Ryan Braun may indeed be innocent, and if he is, he will have the power, resources and platform to defend himself.

Some other players never got that opportunity.

There was another player who once took a drug test, the first one in known baseball history. It was paid for by then-MLB Commisioner Judge Kenesaw Moutian Landis, and it came back clean. For some reason, Landis and several of the commisioners that followed him, refused to make the results public, or provide ther player with some level of justice.

Instead, Babe Dahlgren, once considered the best fielding first baseman in baseball, was sentenced to a life as a baseball vagabond,  and even after his playing days, plagued with the inaction of a baseball industry that turned it back on him a long time ago.

The whole story is chronicled in the book, Rumor In Town: A Grandson’s Promise to Right a Wrong, written by Dahlgren’s grandson, Matt Dahlgren.

Sadly, two of the most respected figures in baseball history played a large role in Dahglren’s misery, and it is perhaps that reality which is responsible for the lack of coverage and discussion of these events.

From Gotham Baseball’s Spring 2011 Issue, “Going Nine: The Other Babe”

“The guy can do everything, and I have a hunch that he invents plays as he goes along. If an old-timer were to swear to me on a stack of testaments that there was every a greater defensive first baseman than Ellsworth ‘Babe’ Dahlgren of the Yankees I wouldn’t believe him.” John Lardner, The New Yorker, June 13, 1940

According to Matt Dahlgren, Babe was also the victim of a vicious rumor, that he was a marijuana smoker. Mike Lynch of Seamheads.com summarized it best, stating that the rumor was “started by a Hall Of Fame manager, perpetuated by a Hall of Fame executive, and buried by a Hall Of Fame Commissioner.”

Dahlgren started his career in the Boston Red Sox system and was poised to become the team’s first baseman until the Bosox got Philadelphia A’s slugger Jimmie Foxx. Babe hoped for a trade and got one, to the Yankees, where Lou Gehrig was entrenched. Determined to prove that he belonged, Dahlgren took his game to the Yankees’ top farm team in Newark in 1937, where he hit. 340 for the Bears, one of the greatest minor league champions in baseball history.

He would make the Yankees in 1938 as a utilityman, but played in just 27 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter. In 1939, he would make the most of an opportunity he desperately wanted, he just hated the way it happened.

Replacing Gehrig, Dahlgren hit a home run, a double off the top of the fence and two drives that were caught against the fence in a 22-2 rout over Detroit. “I especially admired Gehrig because he was a first baseman like me,” Dahlgren told Newsday’s Joe Gergen in 1988. “I never dreamed one day I’d be in New York to take the man’s place.”

He would hit only .235 that year for the Yanks, but he would hit 15 home runs and drive in 89 runs batting seventh or eighth in a powerful lineup. In the World Series that year, Dahlgren would hit his only World Series home run, helping the Yankees sweep the Reds. The future looked bright for the 27-year old Dahlgren. Then he went home to San Francisco, and his life would never be the same.

Local legend Lefty O’Doul hated the fact the Joe McCarthy, and not he was the manager of the New York Yankees, telling anyone who would listen that “Ol’ Marse Joe” was a bush-button manager and that anyone could manage the Yankees. An Associated Press photographer took a picture of Dahlgren receiving batting tips from O’Doul at a off-season (the reality was that they barely talked that day). Combine the cracks that O’Doul made that day, “The Yankees have to send me their players to learn how to it.” a thin-skinned heavy drinker in McCarthy, and a now-veteran first baseman who was well-liked by his teammates and the local press, and you had the makings of a very bad situation.

Dahlgren had another solid year in 1940, hitting .263 / 12/ 73, and played a brilliant first base, but when the Yankees did not win the pennant. McCarthy seemed to blame Dahlgren, citing a key error down the stretch that cost the Yankees a ball game.

He was sent to the Boston Braves in 1941, and was dealt midway in the season to the Cubs, where he really played well, hitting .263 / 23/ 89 for the season. While he was having the best year of his career to date, McCarthy was telling the New York sportswriters – who all liked Dahlgren, thought he was a superb first baseman, and were watching Johnny Sturm hit just .235 with no power and nowhere near the glove – that Dahlgren’s arms were too short to play first base.

Really.

The longer the season wore on, the longer it looked like McCarthy had had a personal beef with Dahlgren, and the writers pressed McCarthy on the trade. Now, remember, it was the 1941 season, and Joe DiMaggio was setting his magical streak and Ted Williams was hitting .406 for the Red Sox. Dahlgren was happy in Chicago, playing well and finally getting the accolades he deserved.

Then, almost instantly, Dahlgren would spent the rest of his career, from 1942, getting traded from Chicago to St. Louis to Brooklyn (where Branch Rickey would accuse him of smoking marijuana, the first time Dahlgren would hear of the rumor) to Philadelphia (where he became an All-Star) to Pittsburgh (where he would drive in 101 runs and hit .289 in 1944) and finally back to St. Louis, where he would finally be discarded.

In the midst of the incredulous rumor, Dahlgren informed then-Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis of the rumor, and the Judge, according to the book, paid all the expenses for what would prove to be a “clean” drug test for Dahlgren. But Landis and every subsequent Commissioner – up until his death in 1996 – failed to address Babe’s cause.

Dahlgren also died not going who had started the rumor. He had always assumed that it was Rickey, because of the way the situation had played out. It wasn’t until his grandson Matt, who wanted to write the manuscript that would become “Rumor in Town” (Babe’s original manuscript, as well as a letter from Landis proving the rumor existed, were lost in a fire at Babe’s home in 1980), that the origin of the rumor surfaced.

Dahlgren was doing research for his book when someone suggested the aforementioned Marty Appel, arguably the preeminent Yankees historian, for stories about his father.

Appel told him about a conversation he had with New York Times sportswriter John Drebinger in 1973, recalling McCarthy talking to a small group of baseball insiders at the end of the 1940 season. McCarthy, Appel remembered Drebinger telling him, noted that the Yankees would have won the pennant in 1940 had it not been for an error that Dahlgren made in a late-season game against Cleveland. “Dahlgren doesn’t screw up that play if he wasn’t a marijuana smoker.”

Tired of being made a fool for suggesting that the obviously proportionally-limbed Dahlgren’s arms were more than long enough, McCarthy decided to spread a rumor so incredible, so scandalous that few would ever repeat it. But the ones that did cost a good man his career.

“Rumor in Town” might be a promise by a grandson to his grandfather to right a terrible wrong, but one would hope that it also motivate Major League Baseball to right a terrible injustice. To date, the case is one that MLB doesn’t feel needs to be reopened.. And that is a big a tragedy as was the rumor that cost Babe Dahlgren his career.

Our featured bloggers that provided us with the in depth Report Card series that has just concluded are back to give everyone an in depth look at what the off season holds for the major league teams they cover.  A look at what each team needs, what each team has already gained and lost, and some of the youth in each team’s system will be examined in these articles.  You can find all of the author’s information at the bottom of the article.

Coming off a season of unfulfilled expectations, the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves looking to build upon their existing strengths while addressing some familiar offensive deficiencies.  The end of the 2011 season marked the end of Roy Oswalt, Brad Lidge and Raul Ibanez’s time in a Phillies uniform.  All three of these players had been, at one time, key contributors to the Phillies past success, but now find themselves the first to depart the aging squad.  Additionally, the signing of closer Jonathan Papelbon also marks the end of Ryan Madson’s career with the Phillies.  Papelbon’s four-year, $50 million contract with a $10 million option in the fifth year is the largest contract ever for a reliever.

Even with Papelbon’s historic signing, the main free agent priority for the Phillies is addressing the team’s shortstop situation where club veteran Jimmy Rollins enters free agency looking for a multi-year deal (he has said that he wants five).  Even with management indicating that they would love to have Rollins back for next year, the club does not seem prepared currently to offer Rollins a guaranteed contract longer than two or three years.  With that being said, the Phillies do have a few options in this situation.  One option could see the Phillies sign a veteran free agent like Rafael Furcal to a smaller contract, however, at 34 years old Furcal’s desire for a three-year deal may be a little too long for the Phillies.  Another option is to push Freddy Galvis, the number one shortstop prospect in the Phillies organization, to the majors for next season.

There are many key pieces of the Phillies that are already in place and will provide a solid foundation in 2012.  The Phillies number one strength will continue to be their starting rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Vance Worley and Joe Blanton.  Backing up these powerful starters is a bullpen full of stable, young arms, something the Phillies have not had this early in the offseason in the past.

One prospect who is expected to see time out of the bullpen in 2012 is Joe Savery.  Building off several promising appearances at the end of last season, Savery is a much-needed left-handed reliever that will compliment the established Antonio Bastardo.  Boasting a nifty slider that tails away from left-handed hitters, Savery posted a 0.00 ERA in 4 games allowing only one hit during his September call-up.  Prior to that in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Savery was 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA over 25 innings with a 1.16 WHIP.  Savery’s .307 batting average in 205 AB’s in Single-A Clearwater adds to his overall attractiveness and value.

However, all is not rosy in Philadelphia.  There are some areas that the Phillies need to improve upon in 2012.  The most glaring deficiency for the Phillies is an inconsistent offense.  It is hoped that the addition of some younger position players to the major league roster can help bolster an at times stale offense.  Players like John Mayberry, Jr., Domonic Brown and the aforementioned Freddy Galvis may be able to add some energy to the established veteran nucleus of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Placido Polanco.  The addition of fan favorite Jim Thome to a one-year $1.25 million contract with $250,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances will provide additional clubhouse leadership the powerful left-handed bat off the bench that had been missing from the team in recent years.

In an attempt to give the Phillies great versatility in their day-to-day lineups and improve their depth, the Phillies acquired 34 year old Ty Wigginton from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later or cash.  The Phillies will be responsible for half of Wigginton’s $4 million salary in in 2012 as he is entering the final year of a two-year, $8 million deal that he signed with the Rockies in 2010.   With Ryan Howard starting the season on the disabled list recovering from Achilles surgery and the possibility of Placido Polanco missing some time at the beginning of the season as he recovers from sports hernia injury, Wigginton provides some insurance at both positions.  Wigginton, a utility man who batted .242 in 401 at-bats in 2011, played first base, third base, left field and right field last year with the Rockies.

Another area of concern is the impact of Ryan Howard’s contract on the Phillies ability to improve their team going forward.  The 30 year-old Howard will make $20 million a year in 2012 and 2013.  From 2014 to 2016, Howard is scheduled to receive $25 million a year.  Howard’s tailing offensive production and his recent Achilles injury at the very least gives one pause when contemplating the Phillies’ spending ability in the future.

Another contract that has raised some eyebrows is the recent one given to Jonathan Papelbon.  The fact that the Phillies have never had the same closer for longer than three years has led to speculation that the Phillies overpaid for Papelbon and further hamstrung the team for the future.

All things considered, the 2012 Phillies have fewer question marks headed into spring training than they have had in several previous years, but it will be interesting to see if the necessary synergy develops in the spring between younger players striving to contribute and veterans hoping for signs of resiliency.

Greg Duca (@DUCA_g) and Matt Buesing (@mbuesing) of
Fire and Ice Sports (@fireicesports)
with contributions from Van Cathcart (@vwcathcart)

These report cards were written by twenty nine talented individuals across the internet that keep a close eye on the team they cover.  It was the first of our “Featured Blogger” series.  The second part, an Off-Season Outlook, will be brought to you the remainder of this week.  The same writers will return in the Spring to provide a 2012 Season Preview about the teams.

This year’s Featured Bloggers are listed below along with their website and the link to their Report Card:

American League East
Baltimore Orioles - Austin Gisriel, Seamheads
Boston Red Sox – Michael Lynch, Seamheads
New York Yankees – William Tasker, The Flagrant Fan
Tampa Bay Rays – Yossi Feins, The Rays Rant
Toronto Blue Jays – Peter DeMarco, Some Thoughts On Baseball

American League Central
Chicago White Sox – Terry Keshner, Planet Back
Cleveland Indians – David Henderson, Tribe Cards
Detroit Tigers – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Kansas City Royals – Todd Fertig, I-70 Baseball
Minnesota Twins – Von Hendry, Seamheads

American League West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Bryan Grosnick, Roto Hardball
Oakland As – Jason Leary, Junk Ball
Seattle Mariners – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Texas Rangers – Dan Edmonson, Chicken Fried Baseball

National League East
Atlanta Braves – Andrew Martin, Baseball Historian
Florida Marlins – Eddie Gilley, Eddie Gilley Blogspot
New York Mets – AC Wayne, Mets Public Record
Philadelphia Phillies – Matthew Buesing, Fire And Ice Sports
Washington Nationals – Aaron Somers , District On Deck

National League Central
Chicago Cubs – Robert Harris, Blue Batting Helmet
Cincinnati Reds – Gary Schatz, Full Of Schatz
Houston Astros – Michael Barr, Fan Graphs
Milwaukee Brewers – Paul Heinz, Paul Heinz.com
Pittsburgh Pirates – Ryan Sendek, Analysis Around The Horn
St. Louis Cardinals – Daniel Shoptaw , C70 At The Bat

National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks – Patrick Lagreid, Baseball On My Brain
Colorado Rockies – Michelle Hoag, Rockies Woman
Los Angeles Dodgers – Paul F Sullivan, Sully Baseball
San Diego Padres – Michael Metzger, Padres Trail
San Francisco Giants – Julian Levine, Giants Nirvana

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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BaseballDigest.com aims to keep up that tradition.  This season, we bring you a Report Card on each team in Major League Baseball from writers that cover that team directly.  At the bottom of each write up, you will find the writer’s name, website, and any other pertinent information.  

The Philadelphia Phillies were on such a roll at times during the 2011 season that some of their most ardent and passionate fans even skipped a few games down the stretch, opting instead to save some energy for the postseason.  For once in Philadelphia’s history, winning was becoming exhausting as the Phillies raced to over 100 wins for the third time in their franchise history.  Life was good, and at the end of September, the Phillies appeared to be living up to their much-hyped “team to beat” moniker.  But, appearances can sometimes be deceiving.

Heading into the final series of the season, with home field advantage locked up, all that was left to be decided was the team that would have the “pleasure” of facing the Phillies in the NLDS.  A sweep of the Braves in this final series would eliminate Atlanta from the playoffs, but would also force the Phillies to play the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that two weeks earlier had taken three out of four games from the Phillies, in the NLDS.  Refusing to take his foot off the pedal, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel played his starters the entire series and swept the Braves.  Suddenly, Phillies Nation began to think that maybe it was a bad idea to welcome the Cardinals, a team with a winning record against the Phillies in 2011, to Philadelphia in the postseason.  The rest is well documented and still painful to recall for many Phillies fans.  The Cardinals beat the Phillies in an exhausting 5-game series en route to a historic World Series Championship.

Even with a new attitude and a world-class starting pitching rotation in 2011, some of the same problems that plagued the Phillies in recent years, notably a lack of timely hitting, injuries and an overreliance on the long ball, continued to surface at the worst possible times.  Now that the season is in the books, it’s time to break down the highs and lows of the Philadelphia Phillies 2011 campaign.

Rotation: A
The vaunted Phillies starting rotation went through a few minor revisions during the season, but three of these aces, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, were at times unstoppable.  They provided a reliable and stable foundation for the team all season that helped the Phillies win games even when their bats went ice cold.  The contributions of rookie Vance Worley to the rotation in the second half of the season was also an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

Statistically, the Phillies starters posted a 3.55 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and averaged 7 strikeouts per game.  Extended stretches of dominance by Halladay, Lee and Hamels helped accelerate the Phillies run to a team record of 102 wins and also kept Halladay and Lee at the forefront of the NL Cy Young discussion in the second half of the season.

Bullpen: B
After a solid “A” grade worthy first half of the year, led by the emergence of both Michael Stutes and Antonio Bastardo and anchored by Ryan Madson and Jose Contreras splitting closer duties, the Phillies bullpen struggled to maintain the same level of stability in the second half of the season.  The young arms of Stutes and Bastardo showed that they may not have been prepared for the rigors of a full season and Jose Contreras found himself riding out the season on the DL.

After many years of occasionally struggling when given the opportunity to close, Ryan Madson appeared completely at ease in the 9^th inning in 2011.  His 2.37 ERA and 32 saves will certainly fetch Madson a hefty contract in the offseason, but with the Phillies recent signing of Jonathan Papelbon, that contract will most likely be with another team.

BD Report Cards brought to you by Seamheads

Catchers: B-
Carlos Ruiz posted a robust season batting average of .283 with 6 home runs and 40 RBIs, but what makes many consider him an elite catcher is his ability to manage a game behind the plate.  Throughout the season, Ruiz was able to adeptly handle the pressure that comes with catching an all-star pitching staff with lofty expectations.

On Ruiz’s off days, Brian Schneider was able to handle the duties behind the plate adequately.  Even though Schneider’s offensive contributions were less than what the Phillies had hoped for, he was an invaluable component in the development of rookie pitcher Vance Worley.

Infield: C-
Several years ago, the Phillies infield of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco and Jimmy Rollins would arguably be ranked among baseball’s most elite, however, in 2011, that very infield looked as though injuries and age may have placed their best year behind them.  Howard, the Phillies best run producer, has seen his numbers steadily decline in each of his major league seasons.  Never one to hit for average, Howard’s high strikeout totals (172 K’s in 152 games in 2011) and low batting average are lessening his ability to drive in base runners.

Once considered one of baseball’s best second baseman, Chase Utley, has seen his body wither with injury the last two seasons.  His hard nose play and full-throttle mentality are not able to overshadow his lack of offensive production and limited defensive range.  It is clear that Utley is not the same player that we was three years ago.

Also fighting the injury bug all season, Polanco saw his batting average dip to .277, the second lowest of his career.  For a contact hitter with a career .300 average, he struggled to advance runners and play the type of “small ball” that has historically defined him as a hitter.  Despite his struggles at the plate, Polanco continued to display sure-handed defense at third base earning him is first Gold Glove Award as a third baseman.

Jimmy Rollins continued to show great range at shortstop and increased his batting average and stolen base total, but continues to struggle reaching base which is an imperative skill of a leadoff hitter.  Rollins will test the waters of free agency this offseason to see what the market has to offer for an aging shortstop leadoff man.

Outfield: C+
The addition of Hunter Pence at the trade deadline added a much needed spark to the Phillies defensive and offensive lineup.  Pence’s arrival meant the demotion to AAA for Domonic Brown.  Brown, the highly touted and seemingly untradeable prospect, struggled versus major league pitching and never looked comfortable at the plate or in the outfield.

Adding to the Phillies early season outfielding woes, 39 year old Raul Ibanez finished his final season with the team in inconsistent fashion.  Despite his 20 home runs and 84 RBI, Ibanez did not resemble the batter he was with Kansas City and Seattle, instead batting a mere .245.  One bright spot to come from Ibanez’s struggles was the increased plate appearances for John Mayberry, Jr.  Mayberry took full advantage of his playing time, hitting .273 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI in 104 games.  Expect to see John Mayberry seriously compete for an everyday roster spot in 2012.

Shane Victorino patrolled centerfield in his usual fashion, but at times struggled to stay healthy.  He is one of the emotional leaders on the team, often displaying his intense passion.

The most outstanding all-around member of the Phillies outfield was Hunter Pence.  In 54 games with the Phillies, Pence batted .324, hit 11 home runs and drove in 35 runs.  It is important to note that at age 28, Pence was the youngest everyday player in the Phillies lineup.  Under contract for two more seasons, expect similar levels of production from the free-swinging Pence in 2012.

Top Offensive Player
For a team that won 102 games, one would think that selecting a top offensive player would be easy, but that is not the case with the 2011 Phillies.  A lack of consistency across the lineup complicated by various injuries throughout the season makes it difficult to settle on a clear-cut winner.  However, it is tough to ignore the many ways that Hunter Pence at times rejuvenated an overall anemic offense.  From being a much needed right handed bat in the lineup to providing protection for Ryan Howard in the batting order to reenergizing a seemingly content midseason clubhouse, Pence stands out from the rest.

Top Pitcher
While Cliff Lee recorded two of arguably the best pitching months in history (June and August), it was the consistency of Roy Halladay that makes him the Phillies top pitcher in 2011.  Halladay’s 19 wins and 2.35 ERA provided an almost guaranteed quality start and likely victory every five games.  As a final argument, look no further than the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS where over eight innings, Halladay gave up one run on six hits and struck out seven.  Even in that loss, Halladay turned in a primetime playoff performance that left many major league baseball teams jealous.

Greg Duca and Matt Buesing of
Fire and Ice Sports
with contributions from Van Cathcart

Kershaw won the pitching version of the Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (tied Kennedy with 21), ERA (2.28), and strikeouts (248). Additionally, Kershaw had the lowest WHIP (0.972) and hits per nine innings (6.7), and won his first Gold Glove Award. A first time All-Star, Kershaw joined Sandy Koufax (3), Don Drysdale, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Eric Gagne (the last Dodger to win the award in 2003), Mike Marshall, and Don Newcombe (the only Dodger that was a member of the Brooklyn squad when he won) as Dodgers who have won the award.

Kershaw easily beat out second place finisher Roy Halladay, who in turn finished well ahead of teammate Cliff Lee. The key to the 23-yr old left-hander’s season was better control than he had shown in past seasons. His walks per nine innings was a career low 2.1, while he kept his strikeouts per nine innings over nine (9.6 to be exact). Kershaw made 33 starts, threw a pair of shutouts, and tossed five complete games.

The complete NL Cy Young voting:

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

Epstein fired manager Mike Quade on Wednesday after just a little over one season in Chicago. The Sun-Times has the story.

Dodgers fans are ecstatic that the McCourts are selling. The LA Times has the full story.

Is there anything that unites our country’s deep political divides more than post-season baseball? The traditional, and ceremonial bunting of red, white and blue stripes that adorn the ballparks of the teams participating in the playoffs serves as a symbolic reminder of our common goals, interests and passion for the game of baseball.

With the arrival of Major League Baseball’s post season, it means that October is here and the imaginative uncertainty of what these games have in store, has fans giddy in anxious anticipation of untold heroics. The saying, turned, cliche, “You can’t script October”, is true but there are certainly things you can expect, such as the certainty that a new set of elite players will have their names forever etched in the history books.

The post-season has been host to some truly memorable events, from Bobby Thompson’s “shot heard round the world” to Reggie Jackson’s 3 consecutive home runs, moments like these are forever immortalized in time. And with the recent remembrance of the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy of 9-11, who can forget former President George W. Bush, throwing out the first pitch of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium? As he took the mound and threw a picture perfect strike that galvanized a packed stadium to a standing ovation, reminded all of us that in the lights of the post season, we aren’t Republican or Democrat, but baseball fans and Americans first and foremost. The iconic images of our country’s leader walking into, what at the time, we all viewed as harms way, was captured atop a cardboard canvas by baseball card manufacturer Topps. Over the summer, the New York based card manufacturer paid tribute to this indelible memory in card #147 of their Allen and Ginter Set. It was easily one of the most poignant baseball cards produced by any company in recent memory. No where was this more evident then the secondary baseball card market. A shortprinted autograph variation of Bush’s 2011 Topps Allen and Ginter card sold on eBay for a whopping $1,393.88.

So, is there really anything more American than baseball? Family, God, love of country and apple pie are all worthy contenders but when it comes to making memories and uniting a country, nothing can compete with the boys of summer playing under the bright lights and the grand stage of the post-season. So let the kids stay up late, pop some popcorn and set the DVR, because unforgettable moments await as we countdown the hours to game time of the 2011 MLB Playoffs.

By Rob Bertrand

The teams turn to their respective aces for the deciding game.  Those aces happen to be friends and former teammates when they were in Toronto not too long ago.

Searching the web, here are some interesting tidbits of reading as we await first pitch.

- Matt Gelb of Philly.com has a breakdown of some important numbers, including how effective each pitcher is as the inning goes on.  It could give some early insight into how the game plays out and you can read all about it by clicking here.

- Derrick Goold at StlToday.com brings to light the friendship and continued support of Ryan Franklin and the guy that pitches the end of the games for St. Louis currently, Jason Motte, regardless of the manager not calling him a closer.  You can read about Franklin’s support of his friend by clicking here.

- Mike Metzger of the Baseball Digest affiliate site i70baseball breaks down how the two teams have fared in deciding games (five or seven) of post season series.  You can read about those games by clicking here.

- Sean O’Brien of Yahoo takes a look at each of the starters and their varying experience.  You can read his thoughts by clicking here.

- Rob Rains discusses the friendship of the two hurlers in detail.  You can read Rob’s thoughts on his website by clicking here.

- Finally, Carrie Muskat, who covers the Cubs for MLB.com, catches up with the guy that drafted both Carpenter and Halladay.  Read about Tim Wilken and his feelings about a big game for two guys he had a lot of confidence in by clicking here.

Game five is sure to be a classic, regardless of who is on the mound.  The fact that it is two of the game’s best just makes it that much better.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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The Cardinals, on the brink of elimination, come up with a big victory and live to fight one more game.

This time, it truly is the elimination game of the National League Division Series.  Not only are the Cardinals backed into a corner, but so are the National League favorites to win it all.  The Phillies, after dropping game four behind Roy Oswalt, head back to Philadelphia to face the Cardinals in a one game, winner takes all format.

The American League seen the epic pitching matchup of CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander.  This time, the spotlight falls on the senior circuit as Roy Halladay will take on Chris Carpenter in game five.

The two aces on their current staffs once shared a locker room in Toronto, from 1998-2002.  While there, they were both starting to come into their own when Carpenter had to have Tommy John surgery and ended up signing with the Cardinals.

The two would go their separate ways yet realize dominant performances as they did so.  Halladay would win his first Cy Young Award in 2003 while Carpenter was on the mend and win a second one as a member of the Phillies in 2010.  Carpenter, meanwhile, would win his only Cy Young Award in 2005 and come close to winning a second in 2009.  Carpenter would however add the one piece of hardware that Halladay still seeks, a World Series Championship, in 2006.

This season, Halladay has been dominant, winning 19 games and posting an ERA of 2.35 over an amazing 233+ innings.  Carpenter struggled early in the year, surging when the Cardinals needed him down the stretch.  He ended the season with 11 wins and an ERA of 3.45 over 237+ innings.

Fans should keep an eye on how Halladay approaches a game against a team that has shown some level of success against him.  They should also take note of how Carpenter pitches on full rest after struggling in game two of this series pitching on short rest.

Stay tuned for an off day notebook and an article of key points for game five just prior to game time, 7:30 CDT, on Friday.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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Sometimes, however, you want to double check and make sure you are not watching a game on a Classic station instead of the live game you expected to tune into.  Stop me if you have heard this one:

The Phillies will move on to the next round of the playoffs with a win.

You have heard that?  What about this one:

The Cardinals, backed into a corner, need to win today to continue their 2011 season.

Heard that one too, huh?  I assure you, this is no rerun.  After an entertaining and suspenseful game three, these two teams will once again square off on the grass of Busch Stadium, this time with the Cardinals’ season hanging in the balance.

The Cardinals have faced three of the four aces and will take on Roy Oswalt on Wednesday evening in an attempt to stay alive.  Not a team to be intimidated, the Cardinals have taken Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, and Roy Halladay to task.  Scoring runs and forcing pitch counts to grow quickly, the team has found a way to score off of each of the starters and also found a way to get into the bullpen to challenge the Phillies.  On Tuesday, it simply was not enough and the Cardinals fell just short of a thrilling comeback.

I take a look at the Cardinals rollercoaster ride and what they deserve on Baseball Digest’s affiliate site, i70baseball.  You can read that article by clicking here.

Philadelphia will face Edwin Jackson on the hill for the Cardinals in what may turn out to be the deciding game of the series.  EJax was acquired in the trade that sent troubled outfielder, and disgruntled person, Colby Rasmus north of the border to the Toronto Blue Jays.  Jackson has shown signs of brilliance down the stretch but has not been lights out by any means since joining the National League.

Game four starts at 5 p.m. CDT live from St. Louis.  Don’t worry if it seems like you have heard or seen this before.  There is a good chance that the story, as it unfolds, will be entertaining and fresh.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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Tony LaRussa Shocked Me
I have to admit, there is not a lot that happens in baseball that shocks me anymore.  I also have to admit that I am not a fan of dugout interviews during the game, especially in the post-season.  There is a game going on, I will take my manager’s thoughts afterwards, if you don’t mind.

That being said, when the camera turned to LaRussa in the dugout and he proclaimed that Carpenter did well even though he was “pitching to two different strike zones” you knew there was a fine on the way soon.  While Major League Baseball would not release specifics and LaRussa has refused to comment, a fine of “four figures” was levied on Monday afternoon in a phone call with Joe Torre.

Third In The Rotation Is Misleading
When you have a rotation that features four top of the line starters, it gets a bit misleading that you will throw your third best starter in a tie series.  Cole Hamels boasts somethings that Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Roy Oswalt can not:  he is homegrown playing for his original organization and he already has a World Series ring.

Hamels is far from a prototypical number three starter and the Phillies are very confident that he is the right guy for the job.

“I’ll take our guy, because I know he has been there and done it,” Phillies GM Ruben Amaro said. “No disrespect to (Cardinals pitcher Jaime) Garcia. He has had success and he is a very, very good pitcher, but I feel confident with our guys.”

Left Field Looks Strange In Game Three
Ailing outfielder Matt Holliday will not make the start once again for the Cardinals.  His place on the roster, and in the on deck circle, is being referred to as a decoy in some circles and a hopefully Gibson-esque presence in others (referring to Arizona Diamondbacks’ manager Kirk Gibson’s heroic postseason homerun for the Dodgers in 1988).

The Phillies seem to be leaning towards John Maberry Jr. in left field themselves tonight, playing the numbers against a left handed starter and sitting normal starting outfielder Raul Ibanez.  Ibanez has struggled against left handed pitching this year, despite showing some dominance in the NLDS thus far.

Who’s Home Field Is It Anyway?
Home field advantage has swung in the Cardinals favor with three games left in the Division Series, two of which will be played in St. Louis.  The tough thing is, they are not the only ones that consider the grounds at Busch Stadium to be home.

Ryan Howard, as is always over publicized in a series of this nature, is a native St. Louisan.  While his boyhood home is fodder for every television analyst and play by play man seemingly during every at bat, his numbers when he returns “home” are nothing short of remarkable.  Howard’s best production in any ball park occurs in St. Louis, and it occurs to the tune of a .368 batting average, nine home runs, 35 runs batted in, and a 1.207 OPS (on base plus slugging percentage).  Contrasting to that is his lack of production in (small sample size alert) 12 at bats against Jaime Garcia.  Howard has only produced 2 hits off of Garcia while striking out six times and walking none.  One of those hits did clear the wall, however.

Having a little fun with the fair-weather fans of the Cardinals, old friend Dennis at Pitchers Hit Eighth has put together a Cardinals Nation Penalty Box and spells out the rules for behavior while fans are in the box.  Read more from the always humorous writer by clicking here.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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Though Cabrera and Fielder, who both had home runs to help their teams to victories, were heroes for their teams, it was Tampa Bay’s Shoppach who overshadowed them all, blasting two over the fence in a 3-hit, 5-RBI performance in Tampa’s game one victory. His Rays teammate Damon also slugged a home run and drove in three runs in the win. Other Franklin stars making significant early contributions include Berkman (game one, 3-run homer) and Theriot (critical game two double, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI) of St. Louis, Ordonez (game two, three hits) and Cabrera (game 2, two-run home run) of Detroit and Moreland (game two, huge eight-inning home run) of Texas.

American Leaguers playing in the first round include: Cabrera (.344 avg., 30 home runs, 105 RBI), Brandon Inge (.197, 3, 23), Ordonez (.255, 5, 32), Jhonny Peralta (.299, 21. 86), Ryan Raburn (.256, 14, 49), Donny Kelly (.245, 7, 28), Omir Santos (.227, 0, 0) and Wilson Betemit (.285, 8, 46) of Detroit; Hamilton (.298, 25, 94), Moreland (.259, 16, 51), David Murphy (.275, 11, 46), Matt Treanor (.214, 3, 22), Esteban German (.455, 1, 4) and Endy Chavez (.301, 5, 27) of Texas; Damon (.261, 16, 73), B.J. Upton (.243, 23, 81), Shoppach (.176, 11, 22) and Elliott Johnson (.194, 4, 17) of Tampa Bay.

The Senior Circuit of Franklin players includes: Carlos Ruiz (.283, 6, 40), Chase Utley (.259, 11, 44) and Ross Gload (.257, 0, 8 ) of Philadelphia; Fielder (.299, 38, 120), Casey McGehee (.223, 13, 67), Josh Wilson (.227, 2, 4) and Rickie Weeks (.269, 20, 49) of Milwaukee; Aaron Hill (.246, 8, 61), Justin Upton (.289, 31, 88), Paul Goldschmidt (.250, 8, 26), Willie Bloomquist (.266, 4, 26), Geoff Blum (.224, 2, 10), Lyle Overbay (.234, 9, 37) and Ryan Roberts (.249, 19, 65) of Arizona; Berkman (.301, 31, 94), Skip Schumaker (.283, 2, 38), Daniel Descalso (.264, 1, 28), Theriot (.271, 1, 47), Tony Cruz (.262, 0, 6) and Yadier Molina (.305, 14, 65) of St. Louis.

Game two did not seem to suggest anything different as the Cardinals would waste leadoff extra base hits in both the first two innings and Cliff Lee appeared poised to dominate in the same manor as his teammate Halladay the night before.

A funny thing happened on the way to that victory…the league’s top offense stepped up.

Lee, who has now lost his last three post-season starts, was spotted a four run lead as his team took advantage of an ineffective Chris Carpenter, who was pitching on short rest for the first time in his career.  The Cardinals, however, would keep chipping away at the lead stringing together base hits and solid base running to keep the game within reach.  By the time Albert Pujols delivered his run scoring single, the Cardinals bullpen had already pitched through three innings and appeared to be poised to hold the Phillies right where they were.

Indeed, the bullpen that was the major scapegoat of game one had completely turned things around to be what most pundits are heralding as the “heroes” of game two.  Carpenter would only last three innings but it was the bullpen that would pitch the next sixth without surrendering a run and close down a much needed win for the Redbirds.

Lee, on the other hand, would surrender the highest hit total of his 2011 campaign, allowing 12 Cardinals to reach base via base hit.  He would also be charged with all five Cardinal runs, marking only the fourth time this year that the pitcher has surrendered five or more earned runs in a game.

“I take full responsibility,” said Lee in a postgame interview. “Any time you give a starting pitcher a four-run lead in two innings, he’s in a pretty good spot, and that’s the situation I was in. I somehow squandered it away. You’ve got to give their hitters credit. They got a ton of hits. “

The Phillies now have their work cut out for them as the series shifts to St. Louis for the next two games.  Jaime Garcia will take the mound for the Cardinals for the first game, set for Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. CDT.  Garcia has been impressive at home this season, with a 9-4 record, 2.55 earned run average, and striking out 76 hitters while only walking 26.  Garcia has averaged 6.2 innings in his starts at home and held opponents to a .230 batting average.  In two starts against the Phillies in 2011, one at home and one in Philadelphia, Garcia has surrendered only one earned run over a combined 15 innings.  The Cardinals would win both games, though Garcia received a no decision in both.

The Phillies will counter with left hander Cole Hamels.  The only time Hamels has faced the Cardinals this season was on September 18, a game in Philadelphia that would see Hamels suffer a loss after surrendering four runs over seven innings.  Hamels will hope for a better showing on the road where he has been as consistent as he is at home in Citizens Bank Ballpark.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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The top of the first went exactly how the Cardinals wanted it to and sent the statement that they belonged in the post season.  It was a single from Rafael Furcal followed up by a stolen base and a walk to Albert Pujols that set the stage for the Cardinals comeback player of the year candidate Lance Berkman.  The “Puma” did not disappoint, and the Cardinals found themselves with a somewhat comfortable three run lead and the ball in the hand of a surprisingly effective Kyle Lohse.

Halladay settled into a routine that only he seems capable of at times, surrendering a hit to Skip Schumaker in the second and retiring 21 straight hitters to round out his day.  His offense answered the call for support in the sixth.

Lohse had pitched well, battling Halladay inning for inning, but found himself in trouble in the sixth after surrendering base hits up the middle to Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence.  That put the game in the hands of Ryan Howard, and Philly fans were not disappointed.  Howard would launch a home run well into the right field seats ahead of a base hit by Shane Victorino and the inning’s second home run by Raul Ibanez.  In a stretch of three hitters, the Cardinals had lost the lead, and the game.

The wheels came off it from there and Philadelphia would put the finishing touches on a 11-6 ball game, taking game one.

The Cardinals head into Sunday hoping to even the series at one game a piece with the ace of their staff, Chris Carpenter on the mound.  Carpenter will pitch on three games rest for the first time in his career.  His outings against the Phillies in 2011 have been successful.  In two starts, Carpenter has only surrendered one run over 15 innings, yielding only 13 hits and two walks while striking out 12, winning both contests.

The Phillies will respond with Cliff Lee, who has faced the Cardinals twice this year and has split the decisions, winning one and losing the other.  Over 15 and 1/3 innings, Lee would hold the Cardinals to three runs and twelve hits while striking out seven and allowing an alarmingly high seven walks.  The Cardinals, in fact, have drawn more walks against Lee than any other team in baseball this season.

The Phillies can make a huge statement towards their dominance in 2011 with a win in game two and the Cardinals will need to win game two in order to come back to Busch Stadium with any level of hope.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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The Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander was the most dominant pitcher in the game en route to 24 wins. Jose Bautista didn’t match his 54 home runs of a year ago, but had another 40+ home run season. Lance Berkman looked like his career was done in 2010, but he hit 30 home runs this season and is an NL MVP candidate. Jacoby Ellsbury was the king of the AL DL a year ago, but this season was a candidate for both the comeback player of the year and AL MVP awards.

Curtis Granderson had a bust out season, topping 40 home runs for the first time in his career. Teammate Derek Jeter picked up his 3,000th hit, while another, Mariano Rivera, broke the all-time record for career saves. Across town, Jose Reyes won his first batting title in what might be his last year as a Met.  Albert Pujols had an “off” year and still hit 35 dingers and Matt Kemp met and exceeded all expectations.  With all of that in mind, the finalists for the individual awards in each league should look something like this…

AL MVP – Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano (NY), Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Jose Bautista (TOR), Justin Verlander (DET)

AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander (Det)

AL Rookie of the Year – Jeremy Hellickson (TB), Ivan Nova (NY), Eric Hosmer (KC), Mark Trumbo (LA), J.P. Arencibia (TOR)

AL Manager of the Year – Manny Acta (CLE), Jim Leyland (DET), Ron Washington (TEX), Joe Girardi (NY)

AL Comeback Player of the Year – Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Melky Cabrera (KC)

NL MVP – Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder (MIL), Matt Kemp (LA), Lance Berkman (STL), Justin Upton (AZ)

NL Cy Young – Ian Kennedy (AZ), Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee (PHI), Clayton Kershaw (LA)

NL Manager of the Year – Kirk Gibson (AZ), Ron Roenicke (MIL), Clint Hurdle (PIT), Charlie Manuel (PHI)

NL Rookie of the Year – Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel (ATL), Danny Espinosa (WAS), Javy Guerra (LA)

NL Comeback Player of the Year – Carlos Beltran (NY,SF), Lance Berkman (STL)

But baseball isn’t about the individual, it’s about the teams.

Early on the Indians, Royals, and Pirates played beyond expectation. In fact the Indians held first place in the AL Central for 85 days. The three teams would eventually fade, but the Arizona Diamondbacks did just the opposite. They were six games under .500 in mid-May, but played at a torrid pace the rest of the season to win the division title. Meanwhile Boston and Atlanta entered the final month of the season as virtual locks to make the post-season only to be eliminated on the final night of the season.

The LA Dodgers and the Mets had ownership and money issues, the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds were huge disappointments, and the Baltimore Orioles, despite much promise, finished last in the AL East for the fourth straight year. In the end the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, Phillies, Brewers, and Diamondbacks captured their divisions while the Rays and Cardinals entered the playoffs as wild card entries.

What’s that? How did the Baseball Digest team do at predicting the post-season teams? Let’s take a look.

Well it appears, ahem, one person knew what they were talking about with the AL East. Yes, that would be me. Michael Maher, likewise, was the only one of our bunch who had the insight to pick the Tigers in the AL Central. He was also the only one to pick the Rays to win the AL wild card. Four out of seven dentist, er writers, chose the Rangers correctly in the AL West, while none of us had the Diamondbacks sniffing a title in the NL West.

Bill Ivie stuck his neck out picking the Braves to win the NL East, while everyone else selected the Phillies. Needless to say, his neck hurts. Bill’s beloved Cardinals didn’t win the NL Central as he had selected, but he was brought joy on the night of Game 162 when they made the post-season. Meanwhile Simon Sharkey-Gottlieb, Kirk Verner, and Matt Wilson all correctly chose the Brewers for the Central crown, but just like the NL West, no one got the NL wild card correct either. So the finally tally of correct predictions..drum roll please…four writers with 3 right each. Meanwhile Josh Landsburg, Mark Healey, and Bill Ivie…um, better luck next year. (In fairness, Bill did get 2 playoff teams correct, just in the wrong spots)

Michael Maher 3
Drew Sarver 3
Simon Sharkey-Gottlieb 3
Matt Wilson 3
Shai Kushner 2
Kirk Verner 2
Josh Landsburg 1
Mark Healey 1
Bill Ivie 0

Please check back after the league championship series for updated standings, and be sure to bookmark Baseball Digest to view all of our post-season coverage.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

It was a night filled with agony and anticipation mixed with a pulsating sense of dread, fear, and hope. Finally, exhalation, for the Rays and Cardinals. The Red Sox and Braves fell to earth and saw all hope shattered. Rookie Freddie Freeman’s face as he grounded into a double play to end the Braves chances, put the harsh period on what looked like a sure thing. The heartache etched into his young face as he watched the opponent celebrate.

In the mix of all the action young rookies and hopeful prospects such as Freeman were trying to make an impact, rising to the occasion  to show the team what they are capable of. For them it’s one part sports contest, one part audition.

For Yankees pitcher Dellin Betances it was a chance not to help the team clinch a playoffs spot, that was done, but it was to showcase a little bit more of his talent. He allowed one hit and two walks, striking out two Orioles batters. It looked good early for the Yankees and the game appeared to be in cruise-control. But Betances name will now be attached to one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history. The Rays rallied from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Yankees 8-7. Betances did what he needed to do, pitching two innings, allowing a hit and two walks. He also struck out two. Looking ahead to 2012, he can rest assured that he’s passed a very big test. The Rays were simply entering into some sort of unimaginable destiny.

On September 4th Tampa was nine games back in the Wild Card on September 3rd, trailing the confident Red Sox. On September 28th they were down seven runs going into the eighth inning and preceded to win the game 8-7 in the 12th inning. Evan Longoria was the star of the upset, but the bullpen had a one-run lead to protect. Rookie relievers Jake McGee and Brandon Gomes played a big part in the Rays holding on.  Gomes pitched a scoreless 11th and McGee did the same in the 12th when the ball was handed over to closer Kyle Farnsworth. McGee had pitched 33 innings for Triple-A Durham before his call-up in May, finishing with a 2.70 ERA and 38 strikeouts. His Durham teammate Gomes had put in 25 innings for the Bulls with a 1.07 ERA. The Rays called on him in May after sending McGee back to the minors.

The Yankees pen also brought out a few young arms including George Kontos, possibly the Yankees most major league ready reliever, and Andrew Brackman pitched in the loss. Kontos pitched 2/3 an inning allowing no runs and no hits. Brackman also pitched in short-relief , also scoreless in his 1/3 of an inning of work.  The Phillies were also not in a do-or-die situation, nothing more than winning a ballgame and setting a franchise record with 102 wins, they too put some of their young pitchers in the spotlight. Justin De Fratus picked up his first major league win when he pitched a scoreless 12th. Michael Schwimmer pitched two innings of one-hit baseball.  De Fratus made his major league debut on the day the Phillies clinched the National League East, add the 28th, a second non-pressure situation to his major league resume. Not a bad way to begin. Career milestones and Phillies milestones seem to go hand in hand for him.

The Phillies National League rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, called Allen Craig up in June from Triple-A Memphis with 42 at-bats under his belt between there and Double-A Springfield.  Playing the role of spoiler, the Houston Astros could do nothing with Chris Carpenter whose glittering start included eleven strikeouts. Craig went 2-5 with a home run in the Cardinals 8-0 victory. It was a comeback no one believed would happen. The Braves were in control with an 8 1/2 game lead for the wild card.

As the Cardinals fought their way back, Braves closer Craig Kimbrel was closing in on a most unfair destiny. Will people remember that the 23-year old rookie set a major league record with 54 saves in 79 appearances? Hopefully, but add him to the Braves disastrous ending. September was his undoing. He blew three saves in eight opportunities. Let it also be remembered that the Braves were not hitting and the Braves pen was worn out. It was a nothing game to the Phillies. Not a game they needed anyway. The Braves season ended in a 4-3 loss to their long-ago longtime rival.

Ryan Lavarnway was behind the plate for the Red Sox when Robert Andino hit the game-winning single that gave the Orioles, a team with nothing but pride to play for, the 4-3 victory. Lavarnway’s was another face in a crop of prospects that experienced that historic day in baseball. All Lavarnway can do is look forward to his bright future. One that all who watched that brilliant night of baseball got a good look at.