Time to shift to my playoff team..go Phillies

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Roy Halladay started the Phillies' last postseason with a no-hitter, and he'll have the chance to get his team off to a great October start once again.

To the surprise of no one, the veteran right-hander and 2010 National League Cy Young Award winner was confirmed, in the typical homespun manner of Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel, as the Game 1 starter of the Phillies' upcoming NL Division Series against the Wild Card-champion St. Louis Cardinals, slated for Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

"I think if you're good baseball people, you should be able to see how we're setting it up," Manuel said. "I shouldn't have to answer that."

He shouldn't, because the numbers speak for themselves. Halladay, who went 19-6 with a 2.35 ERA this season, went 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA, including the opening-game no-no, in last year's postseason run.

He'll be followed by left-hander Cliff Lee, who went 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA and a Major League-leading six shutouts this year. The Game 3 and Game 4 starters are expected to be lefty Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.75) and Roy Oswalt (8-10, 3.86), respectively.

Halladay's last start of the regular season came last Saturday, Sept. 24, at Citi Field against the Mets. He earned his 19th victory by pitching six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk and striking out three. It was a strong tuneup for this coming Saturday, which gives him six days of rest before his team's 2011 postseason lid-lifter.

He expressed confidence in his team's chances after that win.

"It's nice to go in [to the postseason] on a strong finish, even though that doesn't always determine how things are going to work out," Halladay said.