Torey Lovullo, then a Red Sox coach, remembers the feeling of going into the 2013 American League Championship Series and facing a Tigers team with a rotation headlined by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
"It was a very strong Detroit Tigers team and not a lot of people were feeling like the Red Sox were going to get through that series," the Arizona Diamondbacks manager said Sunday before his team worked out at Citizens Bank Park in preparation for their National League Championship Series against the Phillies. "It was a heavyweight bout where teams were landing haymakers. I feel like (this NLCS) is going to be a very similar situation for us."
Boston, of course, won that series in six — taking all three games the two aces started — and then went on to win the World Series. A decade later, Arizona will hope to emulate that storyline with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola playing the roles of Scherzer and Verlander.
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The manager is also aware of how well the Phillies have played in front of their roaring, raucous home crowds, especially in the postseason. He was asked Sunday if he's curious to see how his team reacts.
"I'm less curious than I would have been probably 10 days ago," he responded. "We went into a pretty hostile Milwaukee Brewers stadium. I know it's a scaled-down version of what we're going to expect (Monday), but we didn't blink. Then going into Los Angeles, which can be a very hectic venue for us, and we came out and excelled.
"I don't want to compare and contrast the teams and the fans. I've played here and I've been in this stadium as a staff member when it's rocking. So if the Phillies are a 10, the Dodgers and Brewers are very close — 8, 9-ish — so we're prepared for the noise. It's a minimal concern. I don't think we're going to go out there glossy-eyed to the point where we can't execute."
Philadelphia Phillies
The Diamondbacks piped crowd noise into the stadium for their workouts before flying to Philadelphia.
THE 6 DEGREES OF TOREY LOVULLO
The Diamondbacks manager spent parts of eight seasons playing in the big leagues including his last year, 1999, with the Phillies. He spent the majority of that season in Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons but also appeared in 17 big league games.
Another connection is that he's known Phillies manager Rob Thomson for more than 35 years.
Lovullo signed with the Tigers out of UCLA in 1987 and, at the end of that season, was promoted to Class A Lakeland where Thomson was playing at the time. "I actually got to know him a little better as we got into the big leagues," Thomson said. "He coached in Toronto and then ended up being on Boston when I was in New York (with the Yankees). Just a great guy. He's a really good baseball man."
Said Lovullo: "I've always been a huge fan of his because I know how much he loves baseball. I'm happy for him every single day."
HERE'S THE PITCH
Righthander Zac Gallen, who grew up in Somerdale, will start Game 1 for the Diamondbacks on Monday night. "It's interesting for sure to start at the stadium you grew up coming to as a kid, coming to see the teams play," he said. "But, I mean, this is all about the NLCS. The external factors, I'll block them out as best I can."
Gallen, who was 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA during the regular season and is 2-0, 3.18 in the playoffs, didn't grow up rooting for the Phils, though. "I dreamed of pitching for the Cardinals," he said. "I wasn't a Phillies fan as a kid growing up. (Mark) McGwire was my guy."
He'll be opposed by Phillies righthander Zack Wheeler (13-6, 3.61 and 1-0, 2.08). "It's an honor to take the ball in Game 1," he said. "You take a lot of pride in that, setting the tone that first game. That's a big deal for me."
RHP Merrill Kelly (12-8, 3.29 and 1-0, 0.00) will face RHP Aaron Nola (12-9, 4.46 and 2-0, 1.42) in Game 2 Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park with LHP Ranger Suarez (4-6, 4.18 and 1-0, 1.04) scheduled to go against Arizona RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3-9, 5.72 and 0-0, 3.86) when the series moves to the desert for Game 3 Thursday.
The Phillies have not announced their Game 4 starter. RHP Taijuan Walker and LHP Cristopher Sanchez, neither of whom have pitched since the regular season ended, each threw two simulated innings before Sunday's workout. The Diamondbacks are expected to go with a bullpen game.