Both teams find themselves down 0-2 needing to win three straight to advance to the next round, so of the two which team has a better chance of getting to a game 5 and pulling off the upset?Location: Edge Brewers
Do you trust a team to bounce back on their home field with the fans cheering for their squad in the postseason for the first time in nearly 30 years or do you trust a team flying out to the West Coast to play on the road? Answer is simple.
Pitching: Edge Cubs
The Brewers have no Sheets and are going with Dave Bush (whom was platooning earlier this year) and Jeff Suppan. Which of those two guys inspires confidence? Meanwhile the Cubs are throwing out 5 innings of dominance aka Rich Harden and Ted Lilly. I think its clear that if either team is going to bank on solid pitching this weekend its the Cubs.
Opposition Pitching: Edge Push
The Phillies are bringing old man Jamie Moyer to the hill on saturday while the Dodgers are throwing Japanese import Hiroki Kuroda. I would not be surprised if either gets bombed. Meanwhile neither the Phillies or the Dodgers have declared their 4th starter. Do they bring back aces Lowe or Hamels on short rest? Or do they roll the dice with their 4th starters (Blanton for the Phils and either Maddux or Kershaw for the Dodgers). Either way both teams up 2-0 don't have the best pitchers for the weekend.
Bats: Edge Push
Both teams have essentially done nothing with the sticks so far. Neither has been able to put together hits. Both teams however are no longer facing staff aces so I expect both to start putting up numbers.
Overall More Likely to Get to a Game 5: Cubs
I don't think either team will force a game 5 but you have to at least be grateful if you're a cubs fan for throwing out two solid pitchers in the next two games. Harden if he's on could easily go 6 without giving a run and same with Ted. Meanwhile if you're a Brewers fan you have to be praying that the bats wake up big time this weekend against shat pitching and you can give CC his redemption time back in Philly. The Brewers are obviously the choice if the question is if both make game 5 who's in better shape. CC or Dempster is an easy answer. But I just don't see the Brew crew winning both home games despite the modest edge in pitching while I could easily see the Cubs sending it back to the Windy City.
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