In case you have forgotten, (I did and had to look it up) Sixto Lezcano started in right field for the Phillies in the 1983 NLCS. Jayson Werth will probably get the call in game one for this year's edition. Lezcano was traded to the Phillies at the Aug. 31 postseason deadline from the San Diego Padres for players to be named later. In 18 games with the Phillies he batted .282 and drove in seven runs.
Jayson Werth is coming off a career year in which he batted .275 with 24 home runs. As much as I like the name Sixto, I gotta give the start to Werth.
Catching
Bo Diaz is going to eek out a victory here for the Wheeze Kids.
Bo hit 15 homers and batted .236 in 1983. Carlos Ruiz struggled to a .219 average with just four dingers. In a battle of people with Zs in their names, Diaz reigns supreme.
Starting Pitching
1983's John Denny, Steve Carlton, and Charles Hudson is a much stronger threesome than 2008's Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, and Jamie Moyer.
The 1983's top three combined for 42 wins, which is comparable to 2008's 40. The real difference comes in the ERA. Denny, Carlton, and Hudson gave up less than three runs a game (2.94), almost a run per game less than the 2008 squad (3.88). The advantage is with 1983.
Relief Pitching
This is probably the best debate of them all. Do you want Al Holland or Brad Lidge closing out the games?
Holland saved 25 games and won another eight for the 1983 Phillies. Lidge was a perfect 41 for 41 in save opportunities and picked up two wins for the 2008 team.
Holland had a 2.56 ERA while Lidge sits at 1.95 in 2008. Holland pitched 91 innings compared to Lidge's 69. It's a close call but in the end I'm giving the ball to Holland as my closer.
Who knows what would happen if you could place the 1983 and the 2008 Phillies on the field for a seven-game series. Would Carlton and Denny stifle Howard and Rollins? Would Schmidt drive Moyer's slow balls into Ashburn Alley? Would the Hall of Famers smack around the future Hall of Famers.
We will never know for sure, but it is fun to think about. You've seen my picks. Feel free to let me see yours.
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