Dodgers, Phiilies Send Central Teams Packing: NLCS Preview

The NL Central, the division widely considered the strongest in the National League, has been sent home for the remainder of the season. The Cubbies, with an NL best 97 wins, were swept by the Dodgers and the Wild Card Brewers only managed to win a single game against the Phillies. Now, the Central is a mere afterthought for the season as the Phillies and Dodgers must focus on the series ahead. The Phillies have home-field advantage in the series, which could be a critical factor in deciding the winner. These teams met eight times this season, all in August, for a pair of four-game series.  The Dodgers swept the Phils at home and the Phillies returned the favor two weeks thereafter, splitting the season series at four games each. The Dodgers have shown they can win on the road in the playoffs thus far, and in dominating fashion too. Manny Ramirez has been batting a cool .500 and the fielding has been near perfect. They have been showing tons of confidence and have been producing in key ... (link)