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Las Vegas - Hope you have your deep water dive certification because we're gonna take you places that you have never been on the pitching charts. First we'll look at L.A.'s game one starter Jack Flaherty. If you read that Flaherty has never given up an earned run against the Yankees, it's true. But now for the rest of the story. He was with St. Louis and started a game back on July 1, 2023. His numbers were gorgeous. We're talking about 6 innings, 4 hits, 0 earned runs, 2 BBs and 4 Ks. If you'll indulge me, here was the New York lineup he faced. DJ LeMahieu, Jake Bauers, Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Billy McKinney, Anthony Volpe, Oswaldo Cabrera and Kyle Higashioka. Not exactly Murderers' Row. NO Aaron JUDGE. NO Juan SOTO. NO Giancarlo STANTON. So, can you really say he faced the Yankees? NAH! And of course you wanna know what he has done so far in the 2024 playoffs. It AIN'T pretty. In three starts, Flaherty has lost two and won one. He has allowed 15 hits and 12 earned runs over 15 innings. That's a big PHAT 7.20 ERA.
Now for the other arm, New York's Gerrit Cole. The 2023 Cy Young winner will step to the mound against the Dodgers for the first time since June 3, 2023. Cole started that game in L.A., and picked up the win with a stat line of 6 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 BB and 5 Ks. He did not see Shohei Ohtani, but did battle Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy. Gerrit's career history against the Dodgers from his days in Pittsburgh, Houston and New York, tells us that he is 4-2 lifetime with a 5.01 ERA. If you need the exact numbers, of course, we gotcha. Cole has tossed 46.2 innings, allowed 53 hits, 26 earned runs, with 10 BBs and 41 Ks. Cole has been better than Flaherty in the post-season, but not fabulous, with one win and two no-decisions (both NY wins). He has allowed 19 hits and 6 earned runs over 16 innings for a 3.38 ERA.
Now you have everything you need to make a winning selection, but you AIN'T getting anything from Ecks. TOO nervous. TOO emotional. This guy will be watching from Dodger Stadium next to a doctor that will be monitoring my blood pressure!
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