[mdccclxix]

This is going to be a boss matchup. Latos v Cain. Wow. I want our guy strutting back to the dugout with his chest out 9 times today.

I think the thing the Giants have is they just need one ball to drop in the seats. A 2 run lead early, some fluky crap like yesterday where two soft hitters dropped some home runs. Then they're the team of destiny or something. Everything is magnified of course.

On the flip side, the Reds will be wanting to add on and add on. A 4 run lead early will be a tense journey through 9.

I think that's the effect of experience.

What I like about the Reds experience is they're deep in this now. By the end of the year they say "At some point your rookies aren't rookies anymore." I'd say that should hold up with the Reds. I don't think you'll see a lot of pucker from the Reds. What will help the most is a strong desire to finish. Finish plays, finish rallies, finish batters, finish innings, finish the series.

The playing at home factor has come up with the Reds. They do not seem to be a team that feeds well off of big moments at home...yet. Lots of their big moments do not come with the crowd going wild. For better or worse, they will have to lead themselves, and the fans, to victory. I suppose that makes the most sense.