Blog Exchange
Considering how rarely a K-Brother opinion turns out to be accurate, we decided it wasn't enough to simply offer our takes on today's NLCS series kicking off. Thus, we contacted Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Gonzalez for a perspective local to the City of Brotherly Love. In particular, Blue Notes readers may be amused by his answer to the final question, which could rally the L.A. masses around an unlikely hero.
1. Ryan Howard struggled at times during the season, came alive in
September, but was quiet in the NLDS. How should the Dodgers pitch to
him... assuming they should pitch to him at all?
I would prefer that the Dodgers groove several pitches right down the heart of the plate. Barring that, they can skip pitching altogether and set up a tee that Howard can attack at his leisure. At least until he gets going, I'd like the same policy adopted for Chase Ultey. In exchange, the Phillies promise not to intentionally walk Manny more than three times per game.
2. Who is the X Factor for the Phillies? The guy who when he's going, the team becomes a whole lot harder to beat?
Jimmy Rollins. He's such an integral part of the what the Phillies do offensively, not to mention that he's a wizard in the field. When he's playing well, he makes the Phillies a completely different club. When he's focused, when he's getting on base and setting the table for the guys behind him (and when he's not picking stupid fights with the fans), the Phillies are really tough to beat. One of my writer buddies in town says there are two versions of the Phillies shortstop. There's Jimmy Rollins -- hardworking MVP who can do so many amazing things on the baseball diamond. And then there's J-Roll -- the primadonna who primps and preens and worries more about his image than his production. Jimmy Rollins is perfect for Philly. J-Roll is perfect for Hollywood. Let's hope we see more of Jimmy Rollins than J-Roll during the NLCS.
3. Just how big an advantage does Philly get playing four games at CBP?
The reputation of Philly fans preceds them- Santa, rowdiness, jails at
stadiums, etc.- but does it give the home team a true edge?
Here's what gives the fans an edge, and by extension the team one, too:
Yuengling Lager. If you haven't tried it, you should. It's God's Beer
-- the kind of local liquid courage that turns an everyday
Philadelphian into a ready-to-rock, take-no-nonsense fan. If we can
pump three or four of those into everyone at CBP, the Dodgers stand no
chance.
(Note: I've had a Yuenglings in my day. Yummy.)
4. Key matchup of the series.
TJ Simers vs. Bob Ford. Judging by the nonsense that Simers wrote about
Philadelphia in today's paper, it looks like our guy is going to sweep
the series. Pity for you, but it had to be expected. You guys need to
get Simers back on his meds posthaste.
AK
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Yuengling is not that good of a beer in my opinion. If you guys want a good one try Alexander Keith's india pale ale or La Fin Du Monde. Beer debates can be on another blog though. Lets go Blue!
Posted by: poppinfresh | October 09, 2008 at 04:55 PM
Poppinfresh,
Well, those are some pretty high end beers you're naming. No doubt, they're better. But for a local, non-microbrew (I don't think "Y" is a micro, at least), Yuengling ain't all that bad, for sure. Similar to how I think Bud is good, for what it is. As opposed to MGD, which I think is crap, for what it is.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | October 09, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Yuengling's... isn't that a little Michael Jackson-ish??
Posted by: Benzo Jones | October 12, 2008 at 04:19 PM
Despite a youth spent acquainting myself with malted beverages, I didn't encounter Yuengling until I was 25 and living in Charlottesville. I have since concluded it is the absolute superior in cheap american beer.
My fondness for America's oldest brewery grew when I recently learned that Yuengling is the only beer allowed in historically accurate Civil War re-enactments.
Cheers. Go Dodgers.
Posted by: VA Blueblood | October 12, 2008 at 05:09 PM