Lincecum v. Halliday, need I say more?

The anticipation to this match-up is building to frothy levels. One of the most anticipated pitching match-ups in playoff history is how it is being billed.

They don't always match the build up, but the build up is merely to get eyeballs to the screen.

As far as pre-game build up, I liked the Gooden - Ryan 1986 match-up personally. The young gun versus the the older veteran. And it only made #7 on Fox's list:

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpps/sports/top-10-playoff-pitching-matchups-dpgonc-km-20101016_10141775

7. 1986 NLCS, Game 5 -- Dwight Gooden (Mets) vs. Nolan Ryan (Astros)

This taut encounter featured two of the blazing-est fastballs anyone’s ever seen. The game went 12 innings (pretty notable until you consider that Game 6 went 16 innings), and Gooden went 10 of them. Ryan, however, worked “merely” nine frames. Combined they struck out 16, walked three and gave up two runs. Ryan was more dominant on the day (12 of those 16 Ks and just two hits allowed), but Gooden’s Mets won the game and eventually the series.

This is a much better list, but only #1 and #2 were really built up to this level.

http://blogs.delawareonline.com/philledin/2010/10/16/best-pitching-matchups-of-the-postseason/

2. 2003 ALCS, Game 7: Pedro Martinez vs. Roger Clemens

I’m a huge Cubs fan, and I was still working off the hangover of the blown NLCS against Florida, but this matchup managed to convince me to watch baseball again despite my depression. And if misery loves company, this game provided me with many Boston fans to share my pain. The Red Sox touched Clemens for three runs in the third inning to bounce him from the game while Pedro was solid through six. And then came the seventh. And Grady Little. And Pedro stayed in the game. And Aaron F’ing Boone.

1. 2001 World Series, Game 7: Roger Clemens vs. Curt Schilling

Roger Clemens’ numbers in 2001: 20-3 with a 3.51 ERA and a Cy Young Award.
Curt Schilling’s numbers in 2001: 22-6 with a 2.98 ERA and finished second in Cy Young balloting.

Schilling was starting on short rest after allowing just one run in seven innings in Game 4. Clemens had won Game 3 after allowing just three hits in seven innings. But Game 7 was for a World Series title, and the two lived up to the hype. Clemens struck out 10 and allowed just one run in 6.1 innings. Schilling threw 103 pitches and allowed just two runs and six hits in 7.1 innings. Neither ended up figuring in the decision as the Diamondbacks finally found a chink in Mariano Rivera’s armor in the ninth, and Randy Johnson ended up collecting the win after 1.1 innings of relief.

In the Giants corner, Lincecum historically does well against the Phillies and Halliday, surprisingly struggles against the Gigantes. At least according to fangraphs.com review:

http://www.fangraphs.com/

If this were the mainstream media, it would be so easy to say something semi-resolute and catchy about this matchup. Tim Lincecum has a 3.17 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in seven career games against the Phillies. Roy Halladay has a 7.23 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in three games. OMGz! Don't count the Giants out! They have Halladay's number!

Hardly. Of course. Those numbers are career splits, and what do starts against other iterations of these lineups even mean? Diddly. And then, if we try to boil it down to splits in this season, we get one poor game for Halladay against the Giants (seven innings, ten hits, five runs, five strikeouts and no walks) and one excellent game for Lincecum (eight and a third innings, three hits, two runs, 11 strikeouts and one walk).

However, I concur with the authors citing of Grant's comment from The McCovey Chronicles as well.

"Every pitcher is Roy Halladay to the Giants. You know what kind of pitchers do well against the Giants? The ones with noses." - Grant, from the McCovey Chronicles in his post called "Sizing up the Phillies' starting rotation"

Here's hoping that the reality does not match the build up and the Giants strangely pile up enough early runs to drive Halliday from the mound. Lincecum gives six or seven strong innings and then hands it over to the bullpen and hope for the best.

I sensed a little bit of "fear of the moment" in Brian Wilson's eyes as he struggled to close out the series versus the Braves. If he goes all Robb Nen -- or worse, Armando Benitez -- on us, we are cooked.

GO GIANTS!!!