This Street is closed

Huston Street has been linked to the Twins year after year in trade rumors. He had a very good year for Colorado this season — the 3.06 ERA is no indication of how well he pitched — but tonight he took the loss for the second straight game.

The umpire shared the blame for Sunday's debacle, but Monday's was all on Street.

Meanwhile, Brad Lidge — perfect last season in save opportunities for the Phillies, and perfectly awful this season (7.21 ERA) — wound up with his second straight save. Go figure.

I wouldn't say Lidge (above) is back in form. His save Sunday was hardly impressive, and manager Charlie Manuel went with LOOGY Scott Eyre for four batters in the ninth inning Monday. Eyre faced four batters in all of September. So Manuel — who has been excruciatingly patient with Lidge's struggles all season — wasn't fully trusting him Monday.

You couldn't ask for a more glaring difference in pitching staffs in the NLCS. Los Angeles has no real ace starter, but boasts a deep and flexible bullpen. The Phillies have, in Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, two top-flight starting pitchers, and no real confidence in anybody in the 'pen.

Now we have several days without baseball so that Bud Selig can have his November World Series.

For what little it's worth, I'll pick the Phillies over the Dodgers in the NLCS, and the Yankees over the Angels. And I'll root for the Phillies and Angels.