Brewers Preview

Due to a weekend trip, a postponed Game 2, and the lack of Phillies radio in the state of Virginia, I can't comment too much on the "series" with the Marlins (Can we really call it a series? It was 2 games, and they weren't even back-to-back days). So I'll go right into a Brewers series preview (and just barely in time!)

Game 1: Shaun Marcum (2-1, 2.55 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (0-1, 10.45 ERA)
This game spells disaster to me. I don't want to say that I'm not confident in Joe Blanton, especially since he's only started 2 games this season. Yes, they have been just about awful, but it's still only 2 games. I just don't know that I can see him turning it around against this good Brewers team (and I am convinced that this is a good Brewers team). His career numbers against their guys aren't that scary, but also aren't that thrilling (Prince Fielder - .364, HR in 11 AB). And Shaun Marcum is a lot better than people may think. He pitched in a very tough AL East for the first 3 full seasons of his career and had a winning record in each of those, including going 13-8 with a 3.64 ERA last season. Marcum is good. Blanton will be. Just later.
Prediction: Brewers 7 Phillies 5
Keep an eye out for: a Ryan Howard home run. He's 2 for 3 against Marcum with 2 home runs

Game 2: Randy Wolf (1-2, 4.32 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (2-0, 1.23 ERA)
Randy Wolf comes back to town to face our reigning Cy Young winner. Once again, I feel Halladay is just too good, and look at some of our guys' numbers against Wolf:
Victorino - .333, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Rollins - .400, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Ibanez - .357, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Ruiz - .625, 1 HR, 5 RBI
If our 1, 3, 6, and 7 hitters can keep those numbers up, it won't matter how everyone else does. And I think the rest can manage a few hits anyway.
Prediction: Phillies 6 Brewers 0
Keep an eye out for: Roy throwing his first shutout of the season. It's about damn time

Game 3: Chris Narveson (1-0, 1.45 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (2-1, 4.19 ERA)
This game feels scary to me. I don't know what it is about Chris Narveson, but he makes me nervous. We could potentially have a tough time getting some runs off of him. I have little to no basis for this thought, seeing as he lost his only start against us and couldn't make it through 6 innings. And Cliff is coming off of a complete game shutout.
Prediction: Phillies 3 Brewers 2
Keep an eye out for: Prince Fielder hitting his 3rd home run of the series for the Brewers

Overall, this does not seem like an easy series. Although the Brewers have gotten off to a slow start at 7-8, they seem to have a pretty good team put together. Even if not in this series, I think they end up making a run for the Central or at least the Wild Card this season. With Marcum, Yovani Gallardo, and Cy Young winner Zack Greinke (currently on the DL), they have a very dangerous top of the rotation. Couple that with a batting lineup that includes Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, and you've at least got something to build off of. Rickie Weeks and Casey McGehee are both solid bats in that order, and, once Corey Hart comes off the DL, they have another threat added to the lineup. I think, with their injuries, we are at an advantage, but we had better hope that we're sitting pretty come September 8-11 when we need to travel to Milwaukee for a tough 4-game series. Like I said, they should be in a good spot at that time, and I doubt any of us will be looking forward to an important showdown with a team that has this much talent.