NL Wild Card Showdowns

There aren’t any real compelling story lines in the American League on Tuesday. I guess you could watch the Angels beat up on Baltimore, or hope for a good outing from Philip Hughes against the Blue Jays. Maybe Alex Rodriguez will hit another homer or three.

Moving to the league that isn’t afraid to let its pitchers hit…

National League

• Rockies at Phillies, 4:05 p.m. PT — Both teams are fighting for a wild card berth, although Colorado remains a long shot. Franklin Morales and his 6.23 ERA go up against Adam Eaton, MLB’s worst pitcher this year, so if too many runs aren’t enough for you, this is the game to watch.
• Padres at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. PT — If the Dodgers have any shot at reaching the post-season, they need to sweep this series. Jake Peavy makes his first start since getting shelled at Arizona last week on short rest. Several Dodgers hitters — notably Rafael Furcal (32 PA, .281/.281/.688), Luis Gonzalez (58 PA, .353/.431/.686), and Shea Hillenbrand (24 PA, .368/.500/.737) — have enjoyed success against Peavy over the years. Los Angeles counters with Esteban Loaiza, who makes his second start since coming over from the A’s.

One game? If you like offense, watch the Morales/Eaton Fireworks Display™; otherwise, go with the Padres and Dodgers. Happy watching…