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The Series of the Week – Early Edition
Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies

We have been saying it for a while here, but it probably has not sunk in with most – the Rockies are alive and kicking in the playoff hunt, and they might be the team to beat right now despite not being the leaders. Of the seven teams within 6.5 games of the wild card, only the Rockies have had a winning record over their last ten games, at 7-3. The Rockies enter this series just three back of the wild card leading Padres and just one game back of the Phillies. The division is still in play for the Rockies too, as they trail the Diamondbacks by just 5.5 games.

The Phillies of course consider themselves in the race in the NL East too, trailing the Mets by six games. With games rapidly running out, though, the wild card is a far more realistic option, with just two games to make up there.

Regardless of the winner, this four game series could be the most important of the final month in determining both their respective divisions and the wild card. If either team is swept, they are done, and even only winning one might kill all hope.

The game to watch in the series is Tuesday’s matchup between Franklin Morales (0-2, 6.23) for the Rockies and Adam Eaton (9-8, 6.28) for the Phillies. Morales is a very talented young prospect thrust into the middle of a playoff hunt. He has yet to pitch more than 5 1/3 innings in a start, which he did in his first, and he has more walks than strikeouts so far this year while allowing four or more in two of his four starts. Morales is going to need to pitch a lot more like he was prior to his call-up than how he is now if the Rockies are going to leave him in the rotation. Adam Eaton is in the rotation because the Phillies, foolishly, awarded him a large free agent contract this past offseason that he never did anything to earn. Eaton has actually gotten even worse as the season has gone on, with his last quality start coming way back on July 3 and a record of 2-3 and 7.22 ERA in his last ten starts.

The hitter to watch for the Phillies is Aaron Rowand. Getting ready to leave Philadelphia as soon as the season ends, Rowand has done much to improve his stock of late, hitting .390 over the last ten games, with two home runs, six RBI, and eleven runs scored. With the extension just signed by Eric Byrnes and the outrageous money that Andruw Jones will demand this offseason despite his horrific season, Rowand might be the most desirable free agent outfielder this year. How he plays down the stretch could add a few more zeroes to his next big deal.

Our Rockies’ offensive spotlight shines on Willy Taveras, who has been productive when healthy, but health has been an issue for him. Since returning from his latest stint on the shelf, Taveras has hit .440 with two RBI, five runs scored, and four stolen bases in 25 at-bats over six games. Will he be able to stay healthy though when the Rockies most need him? Will he even be able to play every day if he is healthy?

The Series of the Week – Weekend Edition
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

So much was made of the Yankees’ three game sweep the last time these two teams met, in the Bronx, but little progress has been made in the standings since, as the Yankees sit 5.5 games behind the Red Sox as of this writing. Things look much better for the Yankees in the wild card hunt, where they lead the Detroit Tigers by four games. Seattle, meanwhile, chose the wrong time of the season to play some of their worst ball yet, and they trail the Yankees by five games.

The Yankees kick this series off with a sure bet, while the Red Sox counter with their biggest question mark of the season to date. Andy Pettitte (13-8, 3.78) has been close to unbeatable since the All Star break, with a record of 9-2 and a 3.14 ERA in 12 starts since, with 69 strikeouts and 27 walks in 80 1/3 innings. Against the Red Sox in six appearances, five as a starter, against the Red Sox, Pettitte is 2-1 with a 4.75 ERA, with just 19 strikeouts and 12 walks in 30 1/3 innings.

To say the wheels have fallen off the Dice-K Express would be a gross understatement. Daisuke Matsuzaka has been horrific of late, allowing at least five runs in four of his last five starts. Compounding matters heading in to this start has been his success, or rather lack thereof, against the Yankees this year. In three starts against the Bombers, Dice-K is 2-1, but he picked up both wins because of the Red Sox hitters, not his pitching, as his ERA against the Yankees is a robust 6.98. Lastly, most of Matsuzaka’s problems since the break have been in Fenway – in seven starts on the road since the break, he holds an ERA of 4.25, compared to an ERA of 8.06 in his four post-break home games. If there were ever a time to bench Dice-K, this is likely it, as all those numbers add up to a likely whooping.

The hitter to spotlight for the Red Sox is J.D. Drew. As if his season could get any worse, he has to face the Yankees one more time. The Yankees have owned Drew thus far, with him hitting just .136 against them in 44 at-bats this season. One could very easily envision Drew missing at least one game in the series, and manager Terry Francona coming up with a more diplomatic reason than I did as to why he is sitting.

The opposite is true of new Bronx favorite Melky Cabrera. Cabrera has established himself as a regular ahead of the much higher paid Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi, and he should be looking forward to playing in the Fens. In 36 at-bats against the Red Sox this year, Cabrera is hitting .361, with a .348 batting average, a home run, and four RBI in 23 at-bats in Fenway.