The second Brian Wilson got Melky Cabrera, the least intimidating final batter of all time, to ground out for the final out of the Giants Braves Divisional Series match up, my mind raced ahead to the glorious pitching match up that is about to take place this Saturday Night.
This is the match-up that could save baseball. Saturday Night, prime-time, two of the best pitchers in the biz, at the apex of their games. In a league that is slowly transitioning from a hitters to pitcher dominated league, and craving some national attention, this is just what the doctor ordered. A showcase to a nation full of baseball atheist's, displaying what us baseball fans have craved and loved from our sport all these years; a classic pitchers duel.
Football loves their Quarterbacks, Basketball its late game scoring artists, but Baseball is the sport where one man can truly dominate a game. Where one player can take the mound, elevate his game, and single-handedly will his team to victory. Curt Schilling in game 7 against the New York Yankees, Josh Beckett for the Florida Marlins in 2003, Bob Gibson for all those great Cardinals teams in the 60's.
The list of legendary performances goes on and on, and will continue this Saturday night. Never before have two pitchers as ridiculously hot as Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum faced off in a playoff series. These guys have been unhitable, and in Halladay's case, that is meant literally, as he was the second man in MLB history to throw a no-hitter in a playoff game. As for Lincecum, his playoff debut was nothing to slouch at either, as he held the Braves to one hit over 9 innings, stiking out 14.
Yup, even Don King is drooling over this heavy-weight matchup.
So somethings got to give right? Someone has to win and someone has to lose, but which one will it be? Will the Giants anemic, yet timely, offense be able to sneak a run past Halladay? Will Lincecum be intimidated on the road by Philadelphia's murderers row of sluggers?
I, along with every other Baseball fan in America, sure can't wait to find out.
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