Major League Baseball

Left-handed relievers could be key for San Francisco Giants

Published Oct. 16, 2010 11:02 a.m. ET

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PHILADELPHIA -- It's not particularly sexy being the left-handed specialist out of the bullpen.

You don't get catchy nicknames like "The Freak" Tim Lincecum or "Doc" Roy Halladay, the starting pitchers when the Giants and two-time defending NL champion Phillies open tonight.

But don't be surprised if by the end of the night it comes down to how Bruce Bochy and Charlie Manuel manage the chess pieces coming out of the 'pen to assure the best matchups. Don't be surprised if Giants left-handers Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt play a pivotal role in the series, especially with Philadelphia sporting such a heavy band of left-handed hitters led by Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

"They're pretty potent," said Lopez, who posted a 1.42 ERA since coming over from Pittsburgh at the trading deadline. "Howard is a power threat, and Utley has plate discipline. ... I don't have great velocity. So I try to use deception and come in with a different look.''

That would be sidearm, a technique Lopez developed almost as a last resort in 2002 when he saw his career foundering in the Arizona Diamondbacks system. It has since taken him to Colorado for two years, back to Arizona, over to Boston for three-plus years and then to Pittsburgh before the Giants rescued him from baseball's losingest franchise.

"Obviously, I feel pretty fortunate to get to San Francisco," said Lopez, 33, who modeled himself after Mike Myers, a 13-year veteran left-handed sidearmer. "As long as I keep the ball down I can be effective.

"I'm not gonna punch guys out, but I can get them to hit it on the ground."

Affeldt has had considerable success against Howard (1 for 9), but not so much against Utley (3 for 8 with a home run). Right-handed hitter Jayson Werth has given him real trouble (3 for 3, five RBIs).

"You try to make your pitches on these guys and give it your best shot," Affeldt said of his approach. "Have respect for who they are, but believe if you make the pitch you're supposed to make, you'll get them out.

"I'm not really a lefty specialist. I can get right-handers out. We (he and Lopez) are two different pitchers who'll give them two different views."

The Phillies admit they don't see guys like Lopez very often. The one most similar to him, Pedro Feliciano of the Mets, usually gives Howard & Co. fits.

"Lopez is a sidearm guy, which you don't see many of throughout the year," Utley said. "So that can be difficult. ... Affeldt we've faced a bit more. They're obviously good left-handed pitchers. I imagine at some point in the series our lefties will face theirs, and we'll see what happens."

Raul Ibanez, another of the lethal lefties in the Philadelphia order, said the Phillies have been watching a lot of video. "But you can watch as much video as you want. It's different when you get in there."

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