NLDS Walk-up Music: Rockies Try to Stave Off Last Dance of 2009

The Rockies’ lineup is loaded with tough line-drive hitters, but Charlie Manuel’s slew of lefthanded starters has minimized the impact of the walk-up tunes of lefthanded batters like Ian Stewart (“All the Above,” by Maino feat. T-Pain) and Seth Smith (“Jesus Freak,” by DC Talk). Smith is the National League’s strongest pinch hitter, with a heavenly .472 batting average, but he’s also a capable power stick in the lineup. With the Phillies’ Lord-praising J.C. Romero shelved for the season, Smith’s walk-up music is a clear ploy for getting God on his team’s side.

Righthanded hitting third baseman Garrett Atkins has taken advantage of his increased playing time against the Phils’ lefty starters. His walk-up music is Timbaland‘s “The Way I Are,” the title of which is as grammatically unsound as is Atkins’ glovework. Based on his performance to date, this tune actually blows a hole in my theory that walk-up music plays a significant role in the outcome of postseason baseball games. However, check out this video, and you’ll see why I’m confident that Atkins will eventually play down to his music.