Preview/Prediction

I know most people are calling for CC Sabathia on three days' rest, including some national sportswriters.

I am not a Yankees fan, but I truly believe in order to win this series, the Yankees have to pitch A.J. Burnett in Game 4 and hope for the best. 

There are several reasons why pitching Burnett is the right decision.

As if this series hasn't had enough big names on the hill, Cole Hamels will meet Matt Cain tonight in Game 3 of the NLCS in San Francisco. The Phillies overcame their past failures against Jonathan Sanchez to win Game 2, 6-1, and even the series at a game a piece. 

Hamels was lights out in his last start against the Cinncinnati Reds in the NLDS. He threw a complete game, five hit shutout — a nice bounce back from a disappointing 2009 postseason in which he had a 7.58 ERA in four starts.

Sometimes when making an effort to rebuild a team, many general managers make the mistake of choosing the best player available on the market rather than addressing one particular area where the squad is weak.

Instead of paying millions for a superstar, then trying to find out how or where a certain player will mesh with the team, the good general managers will first break down the specific needs of the club and make a checklist, then when considering any new additions, they check to make sure that each prospective player meet the required criteria.

The star-studded staffs of the Giants and the Phillies have been largely dominant in the series so far, despite Roy Halladay's ho-hum performance in Game 1; but Game 3 has the potential to become an offensive shootout even though a pair of elite pitchers are involved. 

It was unclear which starter would go in game three for the Yankees after the ace they courted in a trade earlier this year jilted them again with yet another magnificent playoff performance.

The worst shut out home loss in Yankee history came during a start for their left hander who is the most prolific winners in MLB playoff history: Andy Pettitte.

The opposing lefty laced them with cut fastballs and knuckle curves while taking a two-run lead into the top of the ninth.

Times are tough in Cleveland, Ohio nowadays. The local economy, seemingly on the rebound everywhere else, continues to stagnate near the bottom of the national conscience. 

It is the middle of October, and the Indians are left at home watching playoff baseball for the third straight season. The Browns, with their third string rookie quarterback, lost to the Steelers, again—only by 18 points this time.  

Due to timely hitting and a dominating pitching performance by Roy Oswalt, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-1 in Game 2 of the 2010 NLCS.  

Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies now need to focus on how to defeat the Giants in San Francisco in Game 3.   

Matt Cain will get the start for the home team, as he will try and lead the Giants to a 2-1 series lead. 

With the series tied 1-1, Game 3 may determine the winner of the series.  The losing team will face some daunting questions.  

Tonight is the night that you've all been waiting for...

Unless you're a Yankees fan.

Tonight will be a game to remember, in a battle between two of the greatest postseason pitchers in the history of the game.

Cliff Lee vs. Andy Pettitte.

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How many Major League Baseball pitchers can claim they own the New York Yankees?

Tonight, in Game 3 of the ALDS, the Bronx Bombers face crafty lefty Cliff Lee, who for the most part has shut them down over the last two seasons.

With the confidence that Andy Pettitte’s many successful postseason appearances afford, manager Joe Girardi is scheduled to start his wily southpaw in a bounce-back game.

Before the postseason started, I predicted that the Texas Rangers would make the World Series. I didn't write an article about it, but I did tell my friends. Everyone thought I was crazy. I got comments like, "Are you serious? There is no way they are beating the Rays!" Yeah OK.

Throughout the ALDS against the Rays, where the road team won every game, I was second-guessing my prediction. But it turns out I was right.

Fast forward to the ALCS against the Yankees. Well just continue reading.