A strong front-end starting rotation has long been considered one of the keys to success in the postseason. Not surprisingly, all four of the teams participating in the League Championship Series have enjoyed strong performances from their aces. Through the first two games of both the ALCS and NLCS, the Yankees lead all teams with a starting rotation that has allowed just six runs in 33 1/3 innings. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte have combined for a 1.61 ERA in New York's five postseason games. The Yankees, not surprisingly, are 5-0 with their three starting pitchers recording four of the five victories. The Angels are next on the list. Their rotation as a 2.70 ERA in five games, with their starters posting a 2-0 mark. Turning to the National League, the Dodgers (3.03 ERA) and Phillies (3.19 ERA) have watched their starting pitchers deal as well. In terms of strikeouts per start and strikeout-to-walk ratios, the numbers look a tad different. The Yankees once again lead the pack with 32 strikeouts from their starters in five games (6.4 per start). The remaining order looks like this: the Angels (4.6 per start), Phillies (4.3 per start) and the Dodgers (3.8 per start). As we saw in Game 2 of the ALCS between the Angels and Yankees, control is extremely important. Had Burnett not been wild in the fifth inning, New York might not have needed 13 innings to knock off Los Angeles. Philadelphia's starters have posted a sparkling strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.3-to-1 in their six games. New York is second with a 3.2-to-1 ratio, while the two Los Angeles clubs bring up the rear. The Angels have gotten 2.3 strikeouts per walk from their starters, while the Dodgers have gotten a mere 1.46 thanks in large part to the five walks that both Clayton Kershaw (Game 1 of NLCS) and Randy Wolf (Game 1 of NLDS) allowed in short starts.