National League Championship Series preview

Expect the Dodgers to take the NLCS in six

Tony Paul / The Detroit News

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Game 1: 8:07 tonight, at Los Angeles

Game 2: 4:07 Friday, at Los Angeles

Game 3: 8:07 Sunday, at Philadelphia

Game 4: 8:07 Monday, at Philadelphia

Game 5: 8:07 Wednesday, at Philadelphia*

Game 6: 8:07 Oct. 23, at Los Angeles*

Game 7: 8:07 Oct. 24, at Los Angeles*

* if necessary; all games on TBS

Dodgers Key player: Vicente Padilla, P

One moment, the Rangers were openly cheering this right-hander's release -- apparently, his act of checking e-mail during games, among other things, had grown old -- and the next he's a key player on a Dodgers' team primed for its first World Series appearance since Kirk Gibson had Jack Buck not believing what he just saw in 1988. In eight games (seven starts) down the stretch for L.A., Padilla, 32, was 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA, then he threw seven shutout innings in his postseason debut Saturday, when he allowed four hits in the clinching game of the NLDS. While Joe Torre's NLCS isn't set in stone yet, a rejuvenated Padilla is an option.

Projected lineup

Diamond digits

4-3 The Dodgers' season-series record against the Phillies. They were 2-1 in Philadelphia and 2-2 in Los Angeles.

6 Playoff sweeps by manager Joe Torre's teams, which, according to Elias Sports Bureau, is second in major league history behind the seven from Tony La Russa's teams. La Russa's Cardinals, by the way, became Torre's Sweep No. 6 on Saturday. Torre's other victims: the 1998 Rangers (ALDS), '98 Padres (World Series), '99 Rangers (ALDS) and '99 Braves (World Series) with the Yankees and the '08 Cubs (NLDS) with the Dodgers.

30 Scoreless outings in the 33 games left-handed reliever George Sherrill has pitched for the Dodgers since being shipped from the Orioles at the trade deadline. Including the postseason, his NL ERA is 0.90.

Phillies Key player: J.A. Happ, P

Nobody's really sure where Happ, a lefty, is better suited: the rotation or the bullpen. He made 23 starts (2.99 ERA) and 12 relief appearances (2.49 ERA, 1.062 WHIP) in putting together one of the better rookie of the year candidacies. But with the Phillies starting rotation in a serious state of flux -- Cliff Lee won't be fully rested until Game 3 in Philly, Jamie Moyer was hospitalized with a blood infection and Pedro Martinez hasn't pitched since getting shelled Sept. 30 -- Happ, who turns 27 on Monday, is Charlie Manuel's lone logical choice to pick up the slack.

Projected lineup

Diamond digits

0 Saves Phillies closer Brad Lidge blew last year, compared to 11 in 2009. The veteran's struggles have manager Charlie Manuel and fellow reliever/potential closer Ryan Madson on high alert, though Lidge didn't allow a hit or a run in two successful save chances in the NLDS.

12 Teams in MLB history with four players with 30-plus homers, including this year's Phillies: Ryan Howard 45, Jayson Werth 36, Raul Ibanez 34 and Chase Utley. The last to do it were the 2006 White Sox and the first to do it were the '77 Dodgers led by ex-MSU star Steve Garvey's 33.

129 Consecutive days the Phillies' spent in first place this season (May 30-Oct. 6), the third-highest total in MLB behind their NLCS opponent, the Dodgers (170, April 19-Oct. 6), and the Tigers (146, May 10-Oct. 4).

CHART: Who's second best?

Who's second best?

Orlando Hudson was hitting .332 at the end of May and earned his second All-Star appearance, but he hasn't started a single game this postseason. Why? It's simple. Just look at what fellow second baseman Ronnie Belliard has accomplished since being acquired from the Nationals in late August:

Hudson; Category; Belliard

23; Games; 24

4; Runs; 13

15; Hits; 27

0; Home runs; 5

4; RBIs; 17

13; Walks; 6

11; Strikeouts; 16

.227; Average .351

.354; On-base percentage; .398

.364; Slugging percentage; .6363

Note: Doesn't including postseason statistics

CHART: Left turns

Left turns

The Dodgers, likely right away in Games 1 and 2, are going to throw their 1-2 punch of left-handed starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Randy Wolf at the Phillies, and those two are super tough on left-handed hitters -- they batted just .159 against Wolf this season, and .173 against Kershaw. Meanwhile, three of the Phillies' sluggers bat left-handed, though the trio hit a respectable .255 against lefties this season. Here are the splits:

Player; AB; H; HR; RBI; SO; AVG

Ryan Howard vs. RHB; 395; 126; 39; 108; 103; 319

Ryan Howard vs. LHB; 222; 46; 6; 33; 83; .207

Raul Ibanez vs. RHB; 356; 95; 21; 53; 78; .267

Raul Ibanez vs. LHB; 144; 41; 13; 40; 41; .285

Chase Utley vs. RHB; 380; 106; 20; 60; 73; .279

Chase Utley vs. LHB: 191; 55; 11; 33; 37; .288