Cole Hamels

Well, it is finally official.

Cliff Lee is signed sealed and delivered to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Including all option years, Lee was offered a total of $148 million by the New York Yankees and $161 million by the Texas Rangers. Surprisingly, the Rangers offered MORE total dollars than the almighty Yankees.

Surprise, surprise...coveted free-agent ace Cliff Lee has signed with his former club the Philadelphia Phillies.  According to multiple media outlets, the 32 year-old All-Star hurler will make a return to the team who he helped lead to the 2009 World Series and reportedly has agreed to a five-year, $120 million deal with a vesting option for a sixth year.

I can say without a doubt that I am seriously spoiled as a Phillies fan. I admit it.

Ten consecutive seasons of at least 80 wins. Eight consecutive winning seasons. Four straight division titles. Two pennants. And a world championship.

I cannot even imagine being a Pirates fan. An Orioles fan. A Nationals fan.

The San Francisco Giants lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the 2010 NLCS. The Giants lead the series 3-2 but must now return to Philadelphia for Game 6 and Game 7 if needed. They are only one win away from from earning their fourth National League pennant since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. It would also be the team's first pennant since 2002.

Should Charlie Manuel and the Philadelphia Phillies start Joe Blanton or Roy Halladay in Game 4 of the NLCS? 

After the San Francisco Giants won Game 4, the Phillies are in danger of losing the series in San Francisco.   

The Giants will most likely stick to their scheduled starter, Madison Bumgarner.  

San Francisco could now possibly have Tim Lincecum pitching at home in Game 5 with the chance to advance to the 2010 World Series. 

After three games into the 2010 NLCS, we have already seen as many confusing turn of events as one could've imagined.

But for the Philadelphia Phillies, being down two to one in the series is a by-product of their own design in many ways.

This is not to say the Phillies are playing bad necessarily, rather, just making some key errors that favor the competition.

Let's take a look at how the Phillies have graded through three crucial games in the NLCS, since at this point, it becomes ever so important to really tighten any loose bolts.

Good afternoon baseball fans, and welcome to Game 3 of the NLCS.

Baseball superfan Evan Adrian here, guiding you through this pivotal matchup between the Phillies and the Giants in San Francisco.

Philadelphia will send Cole Hamels to the mound, fresh off his complete-game shutout of the Cincinnati Reds. Matt Cain will toe the rubber for San Francisco.

The star-studded staffs of the Giants and the Phillies have been largely dominant in the series so far, despite Roy Halladay's ho-hum performance in Game 1; but Game 3 has the potential to become an offensive shootout even though a pair of elite pitchers are involved. 

Due to timely hitting and a dominating pitching performance by Roy Oswalt, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-1 in Game 2 of the 2010 NLCS.  

Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies now need to focus on how to defeat the Giants in San Francisco in Game 3.   

Matt Cain will get the start for the home team, as he will try and lead the Giants to a 2-1 series lead. 

With the series tied 1-1, Game 3 may determine the winner of the series.  The losing team will face some daunting questions.  

Surprise, surprise.  A 2010 playoff game ended up being all about pitching.

Game 2 of the National League Championship Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants ended up being a story of the two starting pitchers:  Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Sanchez.

Oswalt pitched an absolute gem, throwing eight innings of three-hit baseball, allowing only one run while striking out nine and walking three.