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| 7th October, 2008 - 11:13 am | Christopher Reina/RealGM - Manny Ramirez will determine how and how often the Dodgers score runs in the NLCS against the Phillies.
He went 5-for-10 with two homers, five runs and four walks in the three games against the Cubs.
He has now hit at least two homers in 11 of the 20 postseason series he has appeared in.
- Which pitchers have been successful against Manny?
Clearly not many.
There are 37 active pitchers that Manny has at least 30 plate appearances against and 24 of those pitchers have allowed an OPS of .900 or better and against 18 of those 24 he has an OPS of over 1.000.
The trinity who has given Manny fits?
Mariano Rivera (.211/.279/.289 in 43 PAs), Scott Kazmir (.159/.260/.273) and Pedro Martinez (.167/.194/.233) have all made Manny look very ordinary and mortal.
The majority of the Pedro at bats came back in the late 90s when Manny wasn't the only All-Star hitter he was dominating, but the common thread is getting out ahead early. In nearly every trip to the plate, Pedro made sure he controlled the count making Manny work from behind.
This is clearly easier said than done because Manny is one of the best first pitch hitters in history with 94 homers and an OPS of 1.135. The reward for getting out ahead 0-1 is an .824 OPS though, compared to a scary 1.165 when you get down 1-0.
Rivera has worked Manny the same way as Pedro, but Kazmir has chipped away at him in his at bats, a lot of seven and eight pitch at bats.
- How have the Phillies done against Manny?
Cole Hamels has faced him nine times and Manny has a .583 OPS against him.
Brett Myers has given up a hit to Manny just three times in 19 at bats (one homer) while striking him out five times, which adds up to a .713 OPS.
Brad Lidge struck him out in their one meeting.
But J.C. Romero (1.017), Chad Durbin (1.125) and especially Joe Blanton (1.320 in 30 PAs) and Jamie Moyer (1.379 and 10 homers in 60 PAs) have struggled.
Hamels and Myers will pitch Games 1 and 2 in Philadelphia on Thursday and Friday and if they can continue that past success against Manny and get out to a 2-0 series lead, then they can neutralize MLB's most dangerous hitter. [READ] |
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