With the White Sox ahead two games to none, the Astros will turn to NLCS MVP Roy Oswalt to get them back into the series.Down two games to none, the Houston Astros will send National League Championship Series MVP Roy Oswalt to the mound in an effort to make the 2005 World Series competitive. Oswalt is 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA this postseason, and is 4-0 with a 3.10 ERA overall in his playoff career. Oswalt, who silenced the high-powered Cardinals offense twice this postseason, will likely receive most of the fanfare going into this game.
But don’t be fooled. The White Sox will send equally capable right-hander Jon Garland to the mound for Game 3. Garland won 18 games this season for the White Sox while posting a 3.50 ERA. He also made his first career All-Star appearance in July. Garland has made one career playoff start, a 5-2 Chicago victory in Game 3 of the ALCS. Garland may not possess the overpowering stuff that Oswalt does, but he manages a game as well as anyone, and will give Houston hitters fits.
Garland has spent his whole career pitching for a Chicago organization, just not the same one. Garland was the 10th overall pick of the Chicago Cubs in the 1997 June amateur player draft. Thirteen months later, Garland was shipped to the Southside for reliever Matt Karchner. Karchner hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2000. Meanwhile, Garland has won 64 games over a six-year stretch.
What did we Learn from Game 2?
Lance Berkman is the only hitter to fear consistently in the Houston lineup. Berkman is 3-for-7 in the series so far, including two doubles. Berkman has also knocked in five of Houston’s 11 runs. So far this postseason, Berkman has driven in 13 runs and has amassed a .333 batting average. Berkman did not have the gaudy regular season numbers this season, mostly due to missing the first month of the season and playing the whole year with a sore knee. Berkman looks healthier now, and is easily the most feared hitter in the Astros’ lineup.
Regular season home run totals mean nothing. Scott Podsednik, who this season became only the second man in MLB history to have at least 500 plate appearances in a season and not hit a home run, won Game 2 with a walk-off shot into the right field stands. What we should really learn from this is that any Major Leaguer can hit a fastball over the middle of the plate a long way.
Idiot fans are everywhere. Did you see the story about Craig Biggio’s wife being slapped in the stands by a Chicago fan? Apparently a fan smacked Patty Biggio in the head and then tried to run, only to be stopped by Biggio’s brother in law. Who does this? Is there a security problem in Chicago? That remains to be seen, buy White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen praises the security in Chicago. Guillen has issued an apology to Biggio on behalf of the organization, and suggested the man be brought to the dugout for Craig Biggio to take care of. You have to love Ozzie Guillen.
Questions Unanswered
Is there something wrong with Brad Lidge? Lidge, one of the games dominant closers, has been suspect as of late. The Podsednik home run in Game 2, and the dramatic Albert Pujols blast in Game 5 of the NLCS were not withstanding, Lidge has not been very dominant in these playoffs. Lidge saved three game in the Cardinals series, but the saves in Games three and four were nail biters. You may remember Lidge gave up an RBI double to John Mabry in Game three, allowing the tying run to reach second. The next day, Lidge needed a perfectly executed double play to save Game four. Since the division series, Lidge has seemed to find trouble every time he takes the mound. This is starting to look like a trend.
Does every game this postseason have to have some kind of controversial umpiring call? Dan Wheeler’s pitch in the 7th inning clearly (and Dye has admitted this) hit Dye’s bat. Yet somehow, he is awarded first base. Chad Qualls then came into the game and promptly gave up a grand slam to Paul Konerko. To the Astros’ credit, they have complained little about the call. Besides, Qualls, who had pitched 7 1/3 innings of hitless relief this postseason, still threw a pitch that Konerko could tattoo. Furthermore, why do the announcers on Fox need to show me 1000 replays of the ball hitting Dye’s bat, and two of the Konerko home run? The man just hit a grand slam in the world series. Who’s producing this stuff?
Keys to Game 3
Home field Advantage. The Astros, who were 53-28 at home this season (second best in baseball), return to the ultra-loud friendly confines of Minute Maid Park in Houston. You can expect Astros fans to be ready to shout during the first World Series game ever played in the state of Texas.
Oswalt has to dominate. The NLCS MVP has to be in top form to slow down the Chicago lineup, which hit over 200 home runs this season. With Minute Maid Park’s inviting short porch in left field (315 feet), it will be tough to keep the likes of Konerko and the now unbelievably clutch Joe Crede in the ballpark.
National League Rules. No designated hitter tonight, which means Jeff Bagwell returns to the bench for Houston. Expect double switches galore near the end of this one. We’ll get to see how Ozzie Guillen adjusts to the National League style of managing (here’s betting its not a big deal for him).
Prediction: Oswalt holds down Sox, Astros win Game 3: 4-1.