MLB: NLCS and ALCS on their way

I watched the first game of the ALCS between the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians yesterday. It was marked the ultimate pitcher's duel with Cy Young candidates Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia taking the mound. Beckett was phenomenal against the Angels in the first game of the ALDS when he pitched a shut out complete game, giving up only 4 hits. Sabathia was struggling a little more against the Yankees in Cleveland's game one but also held his opponents in check. Last night was different for him though. He walked way too many batters and he never got control over Boston's dangerous one-two punch in the No. 3 and 4 slots of the batting order. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were all over Cleveland scoring tons of runs. Beckett gave up one run in the first, but the Red Sox counter attack scored 4 in the bottom of the first giving Beckett a comfortable lead. So today Curt Shilling and Fausto Carmona will be in the spotlight for game two.

In the NLCS the Colorado Rockies extended their streak to 19 wins in 20 games when they took a win in both games at the Arozona Diamondbacks. The Rockies are now in complete control with the series moving to Denver for the next game. Still it seems that all eyes are focused on the AL with the big names playing against each other there. I guess that people would have liked to see the Cubs and the Phillies play the Championship Series, but they both went down 0-3 in the NLDS. Colorado meanwhile look very convincing and I wouldn't be too surprised if they go through to reach the World Series. They look pretty compact and consistent and they will pose a threat to any team that has to face them. It's hard to name one key player since it's all a team effort, but their ace Jeff Francis and players like Kazuo Matsui, Troy Tulowitzki or Matt Holliday seem to be the names that come up. Matsui came up really strong over the past few games, his biggest hit being a grand slam hoemrun against Philadelphia in Game 2 of that series.