Pitching Matchups Take Shape

Dale Sveum announced on FSN a few minutes ago that Yovani Gallardo would be getting the ball in Game 1 of the NLDS. CC Sabathia will get the start in Game 2, and there is no word yet on who will start Game 3 at Miller Park on Saturday. Jeff Suppan would be the likely candidate, because he is a veteran with postseason experience. However, the Brewers could start Dave Bush, Seth McClung, or Manny Parra in Game 3 and save Suppan for a possible Game 4.

As for the Phillies, their star lefty Cole Hamels will start Game 1, Brett Myers will start Game 2, and the veteran Jamie Moyer will start Game 3.

Here are the numbers for all of the starting pitchers:

Game 1

Milwaukee - Yovani Gallardo

2008 - 0-0, 4 GS, 24 IP, 22 Hits, 5 ER, 3 HR, 8 BB, 1.88 ERA, 1.25 WHIP
2007 - 9-5, 17 GS, 110 1/3 IP, 103 Hits, 45 ER, 8 HR, 37 BB, 3.67 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

Gallardo has faced the Phillies once, back on August 3, 2007. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, and 1 ER, while striking out 7 batters. The Brewers won the game 2-1.

Philadelphia - Cole Hamels

2008 - 14-10, 33 GS, 227 1/3 IP, 193 Hits, 78 ER, 28 HR, 53 BB, 196 K, 3.09 ERA
Career vs. Milwaukee - 2-1, 5 GS, 34 2/3 IP, 28 Hits, 17 ER, 5 HR, 10 BB, 36 K, 4.41 ERA

Hamels made two starts against Milwaukee in 2008, going 1-1. In the combined starts, he went 13 1/3 innings, allowing 14 hits, 5 walks, 7 ER, and 2 HR, while striking out 15.

Game 2

Milwaukee - CC Sabathia

2008 (with Mil.) - 11-2, 17 GS, 130 2/3 IP, 106 Hits, 24 ER, 6 HR, 25 BB, 128 K, 1.65 ERA
Career vs. Philadelphia - 1-1, 2 GS, 12 2/3 IP, 13 Hits, 7 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 8 K, 4.97 ERA

CC will be making his fourth start on 3 days rest Thursday. He has made 4 career postseason starts (with Cleveland in 2001 and 2007). In those 4 games, he went 2-2, allowed 17 ER in 21 1/3 innings, gave up 27 hits and 18 walks, and recorded 19 strikeouts.

Philadelphia - Brett Myers

2008 - 10-13, 30 GS, 190 IP, 197 Hits, 96 ER, 29 HR, 65 BB, 163 K, 4.55 ERA

Myers made 1 start against the Brewers this year - a complete game, 2-hit, 1-run performance, where he recorded 4 strikeouts. Myers worked out of the bullpen for the Phillies last year in the NLDS, appearing in 2 games. He only pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up 2 hits, striking out 3 batters, and allowing 0 runs.

Game 3

Milwaukee - TBD, Suppan, Bush, Parra, McClung?

It will be interesting to see who Sveum goes with in Game 3. Of the four pitchers listed above, only Suppan has postseason experience. But he had a fairly rough September and was ineffective against Philadelphia this year (2 GS, 10 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 13 Hits, 7 BB). Seth McClung is coming off a good outing last Friday. This year, he pitched 3 innings in 2 games against the Phillies as a reliever (0 Hits, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 ER). Back in 2006, McClung made his only start against Philadelphia, giving up 6 ER in 4 2/3 innings.

Dave Bush is also coming off a strong relief appearance. He pitched 3 innings Saturday, allowing just 1 baserunner, 0 runs, and striking out 1. He made a start at Philadelphia on September 14, allowing 3 ER in 6 innings (5 Hits, 2 BB, 4 K). Bush has good numbers in his career at Miller Park: 23-14, 3.75 ERA, 229 K in 319 IP.

Finally there is Manny Parra who last pitched on Saturday (2 IP, 1 Hit, 0 ER, 4 K). Parra started against Philadelphia on September 13, but it was not a good outing: 1 1/3 IP, 7 Hits, 3 BB, 5 ER, 3 K).

Philadelphia - Jamie Moyer

2008 - 16-7, 33 GS, 196 1/3 IP, 199 Hits, 81 ER, 20 HR, 62 BB, 123 K, 3.71 ERA

Jamie Moyer is almost 46 years old, but he is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. Moyer faced the Brewers twice in 2008, going 1-0, and allowing 4 ER in 11 2/3 innings. He has 5 career playoff starts, including 1 start last year in the NLDS when he went 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits.