That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one way to mark your postseason debut.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Listening to the Reds-Phillies game via the WPHT Phillies radio commentary, I had \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcno-hitter\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 on the mind as soon as Jay Bruce grounded out to end the top of the second inning.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSix up, six down\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 would normally leave you thinking that the pitcher had got off to a good start.\u00c2\u00a0 With someone of Halladay\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s calibre on the mound, history was waiting to be written even before he had passed through the whole batting order once.<\/p>\n
Halladay\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s strong start appeared ominous after watching both David Price and Cliff Lee struggle to find their rhythm early on in the Rays-Rangers game.<\/p>\n
Buck Martinez on the TBS coverage was throwing out the old line of teams needing to get to good pitchers early before they settle in.\u00c2\u00a0 The Rangers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 batters did that against Price, the Rays\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 batters couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite do it to Lee (despite putting some good swings on the ball)\u00c2\u00a0and the Reds\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 batters were not given the chance to do it to Halladay.<\/p>\n
The Reds held Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth hit-less and that may be something they can hold onto to give them confidence heading into Game Two tomorrow.\u00c2\u00a0 On the flip side, the Phillies have to feel good about getting a win despite their batting core being held in check.<\/p>\n
Swinging on 3-0<\/strong><\/p>\n The most notable moment in the Rangers-Rays game came in the third inning when Nelson Cruz launched a bomb on a 3-0 pitch from David Price.\u00c2\u00a0 It was a textbook case of a pitcher expecting the hitter to be taking all the way and just grooving a fastball down the pipe.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s incredible how often that approach works.\u00c2\u00a0 There are valid reasons to be patient on a 3-0 pitch and to see if the pitcher can finally find the strikezone, but whenever you see the offering pass harmlessly over the plate, you get the sense that the hitter has missed out (or was pushed that way by his manager instructing him not to swing).\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n