The Phillies Don’t Really Expect To Win The World Series, Do They?

Shane Victorino in a cheerleader skirt graced the front page of Tuesday’s New York Post with the headline, “Gotham Trembles.”

The paper called the Phillies “The Frillies.”

The town’s other publication (save the New York Times), even picked on the Philly Phanatic, shown above.

New York Daily News writer Joanna Malloy called the Phillies top mascot a “green, pig-nosed monster” in a column today that trashed all things Philadelphia.

“Believe it or not, people down here in Silly-delphia actually think the Phillies will beat the Yankees in the World Series, which starts tomorrow,” Malloy writes.  “Mass delusion may be a better term for the phenomenon.”

The casual Yankees fan thinks it is a mere formality that the Yankees claim their 27th World Series title.  Wikianswers said that the Yankees have played in 39 World Series and have won 26.  That means they have lost 13 times in the World Series.

In baseball, it is not even close.  The St. Louis Cardinals, with 10 World Series victories, have the second most World Series victories.

“Who’se your daddy?” a catchy Yankee chant for future Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez chanted in 2003 may catch on in the new Yankee Stadium.  Phillies manager Charlie Manuel doesn’t mind: Martinez is slated to pitch Game Two in New York.

Martinez pitched seven shutout innings in his no-decision start against the Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS.

Martinez is 11-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 career starts against the Yankees in the regular season and was 8-4 with a 2.95 ERA in 16 career starts at the old Yankee Stadium.

Martinez is 1-2 with a 4.72 ERA in six postseason appearances against the Yankees and is 0-2 with a 5.93 ERA in his past five.

New Yorkers, to a man I imagine, expect fully to be knee deep in cheesesteaks (the official government bet) well before Game Seven, slated for Nov. 5.

But the Phillies led the National League with 43 come-from-behind wins.  The Yankees led the American League and the Major Leagues with 51 winning rallies.

The Phillies led the National League with 224 home runs.  The Yankees have 244, again tops in the majors.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels is married to former Playmate and “Survivor” Heidi Strobel.  Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez currently goes out with actress Kate Hudson.

Whew! I guess I should give up.  I should be happy with the Phillies’ two World Championships.

“Christ, they all stick in a lick,” said Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts on Monday at a Philadelphia Press conference when asked about the Phillies offense.

What does he know?  As a member of the 1950 Whiz Kids, his team lost four straight to the Yankees.  Roberts pitched Game Two and gave up the winning run on a Joe DiMaggio home run in the 10th inning for a 2-1 Yankees victory.

Philadelphia was the birth place of America, home of the Liberty Bell and where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

According to the web site, the Straight Dope: In 1626 Peter Minuit bought Manhattan island from the local Indians for a load of cloth, beads, hatchets, and other odds and ends then worth 60 Dutch guilders.  Otherwise $24 in trinkets.

Ouch.

I guess I will settle to my couch and watch my Phillies take a beating by the Yankees.

What was I thinking when I said I wanted to play the Yankees in the World Series?

I must have been delusional.

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

World Series Preview: Trying To Be Objective

Asked last April who were the last two teams I would like to see in the World Series, anybody and everybody who knows me well enough would have said the Yankees vs. the Phillies.

As a lifetime New York Mets fan and college student Red Sox, fan nothing in baseball could be worse than to have these two rivals competing for a world title. For close to 15 years, I hated the Atlanta Braves. They gave me so many ugly nights and subsequent nightmares it’s no wonder I still can’t get enough sleep.

In the last three or four years or so, the Phillies and their legions where I lived for 20 years, have crept past the Braves to receive my ultimate disdain.

As a kid growing up in Brooklyn during the late 40’s and right through 1955, the Yankees were to me, the “evil empire” long before that name became part of our lexicon.

Even after the Dodgers left in 1957, this 12 year old brain was already entrenched with loathing of the Yankees and they did nothing over the last 50 years to improve their lot with me. They always were, and will always be, the best team that money would try to buy ever since Curt Flood changed the landscape of the game with the advent of the free agency system.

These are and were the villains of baseball while my Mets were the lovable loser underdogs that I grew to love.

So now all that could be bad has finally happened in this first “Turnpike” series since 1950.

With all that said, I’m going to try and give a very objective preview of the coming series and will not let me personal feeling get in the way of solid reporting. At least I’ll try.

Hating to admit it, this World Series potentially has the makings of perhaps one of the all time greats. Great pitching, excellent defense and a truckload of power hitting will surely make this series a classic in the making.

For this reason, I will throw away the stats, because by and large they can be interpreted in many different ways and it’s been my experience that in a short World Series, anywhere between four and seven games, it’s hardly ever the superstar that makes the difference. It’s usually the hard nose guy who lays down a bunt, steals base, hits behind the runner and scoots home with the winning run on a passed ball or a wild pitch.

It’s almost November and adrenaline can only take you so far. Most of these guys are dog tired and the prospects of playing baseball into November with temps possibly dropping into the 20’s is, at least, in my opinion, no way to finish the season.

So throw out all the stats and take a pick. I have been mulling this over for almost two weeks and I started out by giving the edge to the Yankees because I thought their bullpen was deeper and I could envision C.C. Sabathia getting into three of the seven games if it went that far.

Then I watched the ALDS and ALCS and the vaunted Yankee bullpen looked very hittable to me. I can imagine Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth just licking their chops waiting to get a couple off swings against them.

The Phillies bullpen which was loaded with holes in September has closed ranks this post season and if Brad Lidge continues on his steady incline, the Phillies pen now gets the edge.

I still like the Phillies starters. I question Charlie Manuel’s decision to start Pedro Martinez in Game Two simply because if he had chosen Cole Hamels to go in Game Two he would have turned around all those switch hitters to the right side of the plate and Hamels best pitch, by far, is his change up which breaks in on the right handed batters and that would be a definite plus for the Phillies.

Pedro brings history end excitement to Yankee Stadium where he last pitched playoff baseball in the 2004 post season. Who could ever forget Pedro throwing 149 year old Don Zimmer to the ground. I loved it. There are risks to Charlie’s move here but if the Phillies outlast Sabathia in Game One against Cliff Lee, even if Pedro is not successful, Hamels will be ready for Game Three at Citizens Bank Park and Pedro, if necessary, would get another shot against the Yankees once again in a Game Six.

I would love to see the ball flying out of both parks which we know can certainly happen and although A-Rod is having an outstanding post season so far, unless he continues it on the biggest stage of the them all, he will not be accepted as a Yankee through and through. You wonder why I hate these guys.

I do admire and respect Derek Jeter to the utmost. I would still pick him to start up any team whether it’s for real of just fantasy baseball. He’s the one guy you can root for on this team of Gold Diggers.

I tried to keep my feelings out of this but it’s just too hard. I can live with the Phillies winning. Maybe a back to back will wake up my Mets front office to get off their collective behinds and get to work. To have the Yankees win and hear about the 27 championships is just way too much to bare. So here it comes.

Prediction: The smart pick would still be the Skankees in seven games, but no, that’s just not going to happen. The Phillies in seven games will mean they will have to win two games in the Bronx. No, that’s not happening either. What’s going to happen is the first two games will be split even Steven, but when the Yanks arrive in South Philly, it’s going to be good morning, good afternoon, and good night. The Phillies in Five. You heard it here first and while I’m at it, Game One, Phillies 7, Yanks 4.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Breaking News: Brett Myers Added to Philadelphia Phillies Roster

The Philadelphia Phillies have added Brett Myers to the World Series roster while dropping Miguel Cairo to make room reports the Philadelphia Daily News .

Myers, an addition to the bullpen that adds a bit of depth, is likely to lead the way in a set up role affording the Phillies a veteran arm that is capable of shutting down opposing bats.

In his last postseason appearance, Myers walked two and hit another batter, but this should be a distant memory as keeping Myers off the roster up until this point has allowed further rest and healing time for the hip injury that sidelined him for most of September.

The Phillies will have to decide between lefties and righties, and the speculation is that adding Myers to the lineup could free up J.A. Happ if the Phillies decide to mix things up in the rotation, before bringing the series home in Game Three where Cole Hamels is likely to get the nod.

This year, Myers has an ERA of 6.43 in relief appearances, but his command of his nasty fastball, and the additional healing time should go towards tightening things up a bit for the Phillies.

Remember, everyone thought it was a bad idea to play Lidge after his regular season performance, and Lidge is still undefeated in the postseason.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

The Series Pick: Why the Phillies Will Win in Six

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been hearing how wonderful it would have been had there been a Dodger-Yankee World Series.

Everyone would have relived their Reggie Jackson childhood, both coasts would be covered in baseball interest, it’s iconic and yada yada yada.

It turned my stomach.

I get that the world hates repeat champions, but honestly? Rooting for Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez (aka, the faces of everlasting Yankee and Red Sox success) while they were wearing the laundry of the team that taught me crushing childhood sadness?

Garry Maddox, sunshine, center field. Greg Luzinski, night, wall, no. Manny Freaking Mota. Crying my eight-year-old eyes out while wondering why God hated my team, and vowing never to care this much about a team ever, ever, ever again.

Why, the Eagles are much more worthy of my devotion! They’re sure to win this playoff game against Atlanta…

Anyway, the Dodgers got pounded over the head and shoulders and lost for the second straight year in five short games, and I really hope there’s some eight-year-old in SoCal that’s learned a good and painful lesson about life and will grow up thinking the same bitter thoughts that I did.

On the other hand, he’s probably a Lakers fan. Crap.

Now, is it attractive to savor the tears of a theoretical child? Of course not. But let me speak frankly on the behalf of my hometown, Philadelphia, to the rest of the nation.

We get it. We understand that you don’t like us. As a matter of fact, we’re completely comfortable with that and respect your opinion. Most of the time, we don’t like ourselves that much, either, mostly because we keep hearing our fellow fans on the radio making a complete ass out of themselves.

I’ve been a Philly Fan living in Philly, Northern California, and now central New Jersey. It’s easier in Jersey, and a hell of a lot easier in NoCal.

And for the next four to seven baseball games, a very large chunk of America will be waving the red flag, wishing with all of their hearts for Ryan Howard to be clutch, and rooting for our laundry as if it were their own, simply because we’re The Not Yankees.

It’s deeply unsettling, really.

This is not how it’s supposed to be for a defending champion. You’re supposed to be enjoying your Us Against The World status, waist-deep in the glow from last year’s triumph. So long as you aren’t Boston Fan, you don’t write books about it. You just accept the rare respite from disappointment and try to remember as much of the ride as possible, because this is so much better than what normally happens.

Having all of these new people—especially, pah, Boston Fan—on the bandwagon is just wrong. It’s our bandwagon. We know you’re not going to be on it long. So go screw. (And you thought I was kidding about the Not Liking thing.)

For Philadelphia, this Series is perfectly/awfully designed to legitimize last year’s title, not that anyone ever throws these things back. No one outside of town will think any less of this team if they fail to repeat. Having left Jonathan Broxton’s career in a dumper, as well as denying TorreManny twice, is more than enough joy for the Hangover Year.

(And oh, Dodger Fan? You just keep sucking on that until it turns sweet. Thirty-year-old revenge is sweet.)

Last year, the Rays fell in five close games that no one outside of Philadelphia watched. This year, they get The Billion Dollar Beasts with the most famous baseball players in the world, and they’ll also have the road field disadvantage, thanks to MLB’s continued insistence on giving the All-Star Game undue weight.

And yet…I still want to pick them.

The real problem for the Phillies in this series isn’t a hitter. It’s Yankee ace CC Sabathia, who presents the very first dominant left-handed SP that the Fightins will face in this postseason. As the numbers show, southpaws with stuff turn Ryan Howard into something much less than helpful, and they also don’t do wonderful things for Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley, and the two switch hitters at the top of the lineup.

I could easily see Sabathia starting three games in this series and putting his team in a great position to win all of them. Cliff Lee, God bless him, just doesn’t have the same vibe. When they were both Indians, no one ever thought of giving Lee the top spot in the rotation, even when he was having the Cy Young year in the AL.

But here’s the dirty little secret about both of these guys: The opposing team has smacked them both around. In three lifetime games against the Phils, Big Ceec is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA. In less happy news, Cliff Lee is 4-4 with a 5.04 ERA against NY. No one else on the starting staffs has a huge chance at dominance, though a lot of competence is likely.

There’s also this: New York didn’t exactly steamroll through the first two series. They were tight against a Twins team that gave away games and had a spent (hurt) closer. They needed six games and sweat to take out an Angels team with more defense and baserunning issues.

There’s no doubt that the Fightins are the best team New York will face this postseason, and maybe they catch the Beasts in a bit of a paper tiger moment here.

The fun part about this Series, at least for those without undue emotional investment, is that it should actually be fun to watch. I don’t know about you, but when every single game in October is a four-hour stomach wrecker where the announcers can tell me how a single base hit is indicative of Character, Guts, and Greatness that mortal men rarely achieve, I kinda want to break the television.

In this series, where both teams have pitching staffs that can be had and hitters that don’t shrink in the spotlight, we should have 50-plus runs scored between the two teams over the course of the series. It won’t be pinball, but it won’t be soccer either.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, continuing his run of gutsy decisions that we all hope will continue to turn out aces, is going to go with Pedro Martinez instead of Cole Hamels in Game Two in New York. I love this move, if only for the theater of it; if Pedro can summon the old magic for this start, I think we’d have the perfect walk away moment for the man.

(Don’t count on that, BTW. Pedro likes money, and his lifetime win total could use another 20 to 30 more to make his Cooperstown plaque more impressive.)

Speaking of the managers, keep an eye on Yankee skipper Joe Girardi, who has shown a predilection for the overmanage this playoff with his shaky setup men. Luckily for Joe, Yankee Fan is just happy to be here and will cheerfully accept a Series loss so long as the team plays hard.

(I’m just receiving word that, actually, no, this isn’t the case. If they lose, Girardi gets vilified as Not Torre forever and ever. No pressure, Joe. Just make a few extra moves with the pitchers and try harder. Much harder.)

I hate the 2-3-2 format as well (what, New York and Philly are too far away? I freaking commute this on a daily basis), which means that the following pick is downright insane to make. But so is this year, where the team with better defense, a deeper bullpen, a much more productive outfield, and a defending championship is a strong underdog.

Phillies in six.

Now, go on out there and win it for Harry Kalas, men. We need to hear him sing some more.

http://fivetooltool.blogspot.com – The Sports Blog That Loves You Back!

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Interview: NY Times’ Tyler Kepner Discusses the Series

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Howard Versus Teixeira: Is This Even a Debate?

Recently, I wrote a preview to the upcoming World Series between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.  Since I wrote that I have seen other articles being written about the upcoming World Series too.

I have been curious to see what other people’s opinions have been, so I read most of these types of articles.  Most I have agreed with their match up selections until I came across one written by Greg Fertel. 

As I was reading through the article, one of his match ups I disagreed with was taking Jorge Posada over Carlos Ruiz.  Yes, I realize the history of Jorge Posada but come on Carlos Ruiz has been tearing it up this post season.  But I was like “whatever, I can see how that would go either way.”  I continued reading the article until I came to the first base selection.

“Edge: Yankees, but could be a push; Tex is a slightly better hitter and a better fielder.”

Wait, no, it couldn’t be.  Were my eyes failing me?  Has this guy been watching the postseason at all?  Has he seen what Ryan Howard was doing?  Did he just take Mark Teixeira who is batting a lowly .205 with 5 RBI over Ryan Howard who is scorching hot with a .355 batting average and 14 RBI.

No, it couldn’t be.  Even if he was a Yankees fan, everyone knows the two guys who have been tearing it up have been Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez.  Was this guy really trying to make a case for  Mark Teixeira over Ryan Howard? 

I originally thought it was just this one guy who was a homer for the Yankees taking Mark Teixeira over Ryan Howard.  And then to my bewilderment another Yankees fan commented, “I’d take Teixeira on his defense alone. I f Howard stops hitting, is he going to make the defensive plays Teixeira has in the field during the playoffs?  Probably not.”  Could these two guys honestly be serious?

So it started to get me thinking if I was the only one who thought Howard was the easy choice at first base. I couldn’t imagine how these two guys, Greg Fertel and Doug Rush, were trying to say Mark Teixeira was the better choice at first base than Ryan Howard.

They were trying to tell me that Mark Teixeira had a better batting average during the regular season meant he was the better hitter here and now.  They were trying to tell me that the batting average during the regular season was more important than the betting average of this years postseason.

Did they not realize guys can heat up during the postseason?  A prime example of this is Carlos Ruiz, who was batting .255 during the regular season and is now batting .346.  Are we supposed to just ignore what people are doing during the regular season? The fact is Mark Teixeira batted .292 during the regular season and is now just batting .205.  So are these two guys asking us to just ignore statistical information?

How are we supposed to say playoff statistics don’t matter?  History has shown some guys heat up during the playoffs and some go stone cold.  So far this postseason Ryan Howard has been the clear dominant first baseman.  And until someone can show me any statistical information that would prove otherwise, I don’t believe this should even be a debate.

Ryan Howard has turned red hot during October, while Teixeira has gone stone cold.  Why would anyone choose Teixeira over Howard?  Well unless you’re a biased, ignorant fan like most New York Yankees fans are, then you have no just reason to choose Teixeira over Howard.

So I want to know, Am I the only sensible one out here that believes Howard is the easy choice at first base?  Or are there other bumbling idiots who try to debate Mark Teixeira’s case as being better? 

This shouldn’t be a debate, right?  Ryan Howard is clearly and obviously the better first baseman in the 2009 World Series. 

 

 

 

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Fresh Take: Baseball Style

 

With the October Classic upon us, its time for SCL’s Fresh Take, a la Baseball!  It’s fitting that the New York Yankees with their 26 Championships and the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies square off in the World Series; on the flip side, how bad is it to be a Cleveland Indians fan? Past Indian pitchers CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee square off in Game One of the Series, while Indians fans get to wonder what if.  Not to mention, if you add in the Championship rounds with Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, and Charlie Manuel, it looked like a Cleveland reunion out there!

The Yankees and Phillies led their respective leagues in runs and home runs. With the right field jet stream in new Yankee Stadium and the short flower beds in Citizens Bank Park, will anyone be surprised if we see an new record for home runs in a World Series this year? The Phillies have four guys who hit over 30 home runs while the Yankees counter with five who hit more than 20. Get ready for the shooting gallery!

Is there a cold weather team bias to the World Series now?  Everyone talks about the “dog days of summer” and how lousy it is to play in Arlington, TX or Miami, FL in July and August with 100 degree days, but have you noticed that seven of the last ten World Series have been won by cold weather teams?  And this year the trend has to continue after Philly and New York spun out the boys from California.  As we extend the baseball year later and later, its seems less and less likely to see a team from the South or the West representing their leagues or at least winning the whole thing…

So time for the prediction!  It looks like the studs from each team, Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez are ready to rumble, but it’s still pitching that wins in the playoffs.  Both teams have Aces and Jokers in their rotations, offenses in high gear and this will be a great series to watch.  I’m tired about hearing how suspect the Phillies bullpen is, especially after they knocked out the LA Dodgers in five games. I think the Phillies October magic will continue and I’ll take Philadelphia in six!

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

MLB: New York Yankees-Philadelphia Phillies World Series Preview

Well folks, we are finally here; the World Series.  This has been a long season that has been filled with some pretty interesting moments.  Whether it was Alex Rodriguez admitting to steroid use, Randy Johnson winning his 300th game, or Ichiro collecting his 2,000th hit in only 1,402 games, it has been a great season.

Now that all is said and done, we have our two remaining teams: The New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Yankees will try and continue to re-write history as they go for their 27th World Series Championship.  The Phillies, on the other hand, will try to make history by being one of the few teams to win back-to-back World Series Championships. 

I decided to do a position by position analysis for both teams to see who has the upper hand.  I did this last year for the Rays/Phillies series and I thought it would be a great idea to keep up with the tradition.  So let’s get started.

Catcher

Jorge Posada – One of the four remaining Yankees from the Championship days of the ’90s and 2000.  Posada had a great bounce-back season after his 2008 season was cut short due to shoulder problems.  Jorge will be making his sixth World Series appearance and has plenty of postseason experience.  He is only a .238 hitter in the postseason, but does have 11 home runs; so while his average is not great, he can still hurt you with the long ball.

Carlos Ruiz – What a surprise Ruiz has been for the reigning World Champs.  He is currently hitting .346 this postseason and has come up with numerous clutch hits.  There are a couple drawbacks with Ruiz in the postseason: inexperienced in comparison with Posada, and does not have the pop in his bat that the Phillies would probably like.  While the postseason experience is kind of irrelevant in the sense that every player has to start somewhere, the lack of power could become an issue.

Advantage – Yankees

First Base

Mark Teixeira – The Yankees scored big with the offseason signing of Teixeira.  After a slow start, he got hot fast once A-Rod came off of the disabled list.  Tex has provided gold glove defense, but has not been the big bat in the postseason that the Yanks hoped for. 

He is hitting an abysmal .205 this postseason, but has come up clutch when the Yanks have needed it.  He hit a walk-off home run against the Twins and had a bases-clearing double against the Angels in Game Five.  It is just a matter of time before Tex gets the bat going, but until then it is hard to give the Yanks the advantage here.

Ryan Howard – The Phillies slugger has been a beast this postseason, as he is hitting .355 with two home runs and 14 RBI.  He was so good that he was named the NLCS MVP and in the process tied a major league record for most consecutive postseason games with an RBI (8).  Howard is a .295 career postseason hitter and has more experience in the playoffs than Tex. 

Advantage – Phillies

Second Base

Robinson Cano – Where to start with Robbie Cano?  Some days this kid looks like The Natural, other days he looks like Tony Womack (when he was with the Yankees).  Cano is only a .238 hitter in the postseason throughout his young career; however, we all know he is capable of hitting about 100 points higher.  His defense was always a question mark, but this year he greatly improved his play in the field.  It will be interesting to see how Cano plays in his first World Series.

Chase Utley – Utley has become the best all-around second baseman in the game.  Whether you want defense or offense, he delivers.  While he is only a .245 career hitter in the postseason, like Cano, we know he is capable of much more.  The thing that concerns me is that Utley has more protection before and after him in the lineup.  Cano generally hits in the seventh spot, so he has Posada and Swisher around him, which at times can be great, but not always the case.

Advantage- Tied

Third Base

Alex Rodriguez – Is this the same guy at third base from the last few postseasons?  A-Rod has been on a tear in the playoffs and has been the hero for the Yanks, who have needed several clutch hits.  A-Rod is much more relaxed with Tex in the lineup to take some pressure off of him.  He is hitting .438 this postseason, with five home runs and 12 RBI.  A-Rod will be making his first World Series appearance and hopes to finally exorcise his demons and help the Yanks win a championship and finally become a ”Yankee.”

Pedro Feliz – .161 postseason average thus far, enough said.

Advantage – Yankees

Shortstop

Derek Jeter – The Captain is a career .308 hitter in the postseason and has been the face of the Yankees franchise for well over a decade now.  Jeter had a great bounce-back season and even made a case for AL MVP this year.  He is hitting .297 this postseason and has surprised many by adding in three home runs.  Jeter is one of the remaining four from the glory days and will try to get his fifth World Series ring.

Jimmy Rollins – The NL MVP from 2007 seems to take a step backward when the postseason comes around.  He is a career .234 hitter in the playoffs and is hitting .244 this postseason.  Those are not exactly the numbers the Phillies want to see from their leadoff hitter.  It is his job to get on base for the rest of the guys behind him, something he has not done.

Advantage – Yankees

Outfield

Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher – After a terrible ALDS, Damon responded nicely by hitting .300 in the ALCS to go along with two home runs.  The Melk Man has had a great postseason by hitting .314.  He hit an astounding .391 against the Angels and any team will take that from their number nine hitter.  Nick Swisher has been a headache this postseason for the Yanks.  He has hit only .125 and has not even been drawing the walks that he usually gets.

Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth – Ibanez was on pace to win the NL MVP until a groin injury sidelined him for about a month.  He has not been very effective this postseason, as he has only hit .226.  Victorino has been such a boost for the Phillies offense, as he has hit a whopping .361 this postseason along with three home runs.  Werth has hit .281 this postseason with five home runs thus far and has an OBP of .395.  Yankee fans would love to have that type of production from their right fielder.

Advantage – Phillies

Designated Hitter (Only Games in NY)

Hideki Matsui – Godzilla had a great season as he was the full-time DH for the Bombers.  He hit 28 homers and drove in 90 RBI.  He has struggled so far this postseason, but is a career .292 hitter in the playoffs and should turn it around in the World Series.

Matt Stairs – In limited playing time this year, Stairs only hit .191 and has yet to get a hit this postseason.  He is a career .125 hitter in the playoffs and has not been productive at all, to say the least.

Advantage – Yankees

Starting Pitchers

CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte – The Yanks will once again go with a three-man rotation.  Sabathia was almost unhittable in the ALDS and ALCS and was named the MVP of the ALCS.  Burnett has been a wild card all year for the Yanks and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the pressure of a World Series game.  He pitched great in his first two starts this postseason, but was knocked around in his final start. 

Pettitte is now the all-time leader in postseason wins.  He pitched a gem in Game Six against the Angels and will have a chance to cement his legacy as one of the greatest big-game pitchers of all-time this year.  Like Jeter and Posada, he has seen this all before and should step up and be the beast the Yanks need him to be.

Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ – Lee has been unhittable since being traded to the Phillies at midseason.  He has been even better this postseason.  Hamels has struggled so far and it will be interesting to see how he does against a potent Yankee lineup. 

We all remember Pedro calling the Yankees his daddy a few years back when he was with the Red Sox.  Add a few years onto a shoulder that already had quite a few miles on it and let’s see what we get.  Happ was a great surprise this year and will most likely be the NL Rookie of the Year.  He has not pitched well thus far, having an ERA of 7.36.  He could be writing his own death-wish, as he will face a monstrous Yankee offense in the World Series.

Advantage – Yankees

Bullpen

Yankees – The Yanks’ bullpen was their biggest strength once they put Phil Hughes in the setup role.  He has struggled during the playoffs to the point where Joba Chamberlain was given the 8th inning spot in Game Six.  Alfredo Aceves was a huge surprise as he won 10 games out of the pen.  The Yankees still have the great Mariano Rivera, who you can always count on for a save in the postseason.

Phillies – With the struggles of closer Brad Lidge this season, you have to think that the Phillies have a backup plan just in case he struggles again.  He does have a great track record in the playoffs, but anything can happen.  Joe Blanton has pitched decent out of the bullpen, but is really a starter; and many starters do not like coming out of the bullpen, as they say it messes with their mechanics.

Advantage – Yankees

From the looks of it, the Yankees have the clear advantage.  While this is just a preview, as we all know anything can happen, it still just seems as if it is the Yankees’ year to win it all.  I am looking forward to the start of the series and I also look forward to anyone’s comments or concerns.  I will also make my World Series prediction. 

Yankees Win Series 4-1

World Series MVP: A-Rod

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Is a Good World Series Too Much to Ask?

Like many baseball fans, I spend the entire year waiting for playoff season.

To me, the stretch from July to November is a nonstop crescendo of euphoria. The flurry of rumors at the trade deadline gives way to the end-of-season dogfights for playoff spots, which in turn lead to four weeks of primetime match-ups between the best teams in the league.

Unfortunately, the baseball season doesn’t always end on a high note. After months of anticipation and excitement, the last few World Series have been incredibly anticlimactic.

We haven’t seen a World Series go more than five games since 2003. In eight of the last 11 years, you could count the number of World Series games on one hand.

During that span, there have been five four-game sweeps against just two seven-game dogfights.

Think back over the last decade. How many of the most memorable plays came in the World Series? Sure, the Angels’ Game Six rally in 2002 is certainly one for the history books, and it doesn’t get any better than the Diamondbacks’ comeback in Game Seven, 2001.

But, fair or not, Troy Glaus and Luis Gonzalez are not the first players most fans think of when describing a postseason legend.

Think Grady Little sticking with Pedro. Think Steve Bartman grabbing the ball and Alex S. Gonzalez missing it. Think Dave Roberts swiping second and David Ortiz swatting homers. Think of Jim Edmonds’ big fly in ‘04 and Albert Pujols’ in ’05.

Think Cleveland’s insectoid army descending on Joba Chamberlain. Think Evan Longoria’s wild throw as the Red Sox completed the biggest postseason comeback in 79 years.

None of those plays came in the World Series.

It’s incredible how a nerve-wracking set of first rounds can lead to a snoozefest of a Fall Classic. After an epic NLCS overshadowed by the Red Sox’ historic comeback, the Cardinals froze like deer in headlights in the 2004 World Series.

After the Astros got their revenge a year later, they faced the White Sox and also got swept.

The Rockies came into the 2007 Fall Classic with 21 wins in 22 games; they got steamrolled by Boston. And while they weren’t quite blown out, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Cinderella story last year ended with an abrupt turn for the worse in a series that will be remembered more for the abundance of mud than the skill of the players.

That’s not to say that blowouts can’t be fun to watch. But unless you’re a big fan of the team that’s making its opponents wonder how they even made it that far in the first place, you’ll probably finish the game feeling a little unsatisfied.

There’s been plenty of postseason excitement already. We’ve seen several extra-inning nail-biters, and you could almost fill a whole bullpen with all of the closers who have collapsed. But I don’t think much of what’s happened so far will be of interest to the next generation of fans.

The potential is certainly in place for this Fall Classic to be special. It’s been nine years and nearly two billion dollars since The Best Team Money Can Buy has won the championship, and expectations are high.

The power-hitting Phillies will feel right at home in the bandbox of Yankee Stadium, and the long ball is always a great way to add some excitement.

Former teammates Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia will have their reunion in perhaps the most important game of the season.  And of course, the media loves New York.

Please, baseball gods, grant us a good World Series. Keep the games close, the pitchers warm, and the excitement high. Make it a show we’ll want to watch, make it an experience we’ll want to remember.

Oh, and my answer is Phillies in six.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Twas the Night Before Christmas and Charlie Manuel Is Santa

Twas the night before Christmas…

 

At least that’s what it feels like because the anticipation is killing me. But not in the way that little kids lie awake with giddiness at what Santa will bring.

 

This is the anxiety of a parent who hopes she came close to fulfilling a kid’s wishes on a limited budget to extend the belief in a childhood hero for yet another year.

 

But she won’t know until it’s over.

 

I imagine the Phillies are feeling the same way. Even when faced with a second consecutive World Series appearance, it’s almost a moot point to point to last year’s achievements.

 

We entered the 2008 Series playing underdog to a Cinderella team. This year we’re told we shouldn’t have bothered to try out—Hollywood’s Dodgers should have taken us out of contention like a blockbuster up against a lame comedy.

 

It’s like we’re the movie extra that got a spot because the star came down sick.

 

Do we dare dream of repeating?

 

I will. I’ve got sugar plums dancing in my head.

 

My husband says that’s not the only thing dancing in my head.

 

But sugar plums? Let’s be honest. No one really knows what a sugar plum is or does. I mean that could be secret code for dropping acid or something like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds .

 

And for years we’ve recited that beloved Christmas poem to kids on the night before a hairy fat man dressed in bright velvet scurries down a chimney to drop presents they wanted from a list he’s never seen.

 

What did parents used to take before they settled down for that long winter’s nap?

 

All I know is, in my world, visions of Shane Victorino dance in my head. And if Shane is made of sugar, I’m gonna find out how many licks it takes to get to the middle.

 

I’m sorry, was I thinking out loud?

 

It’s not my fault. I was just folding up my Jayson Werth blanket and got stuck in a hallucination about the Ladies Day giveaway at Citizens Bank Park next year.

 

I suggest the Jayson Werth thong. It would hug my hips so nice and cozy that the next time he steals home I could say I knew him in a biblical sense, and I’d only be half faking it.

 

My husband says he knows how that feels.

 

But like Carly Simon says, anticipation is making me wait. It’s as nerve-racking as watching my child start at second base for the first time. It’s knowing what the worst can be, but hoping for the best.

 

I still remember when my baby got his first force-out at second. For weeks we’d tried to convince him that when the shortstop fielded a ball, second base should be covered by, well—the second baseman.

 

So, of course, the inevitable happened. In the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the tying run on first, the shortstop fielded a grounder. But when position six turned to second base, we did exactly what he did—held our breath hoping my son wasn’t chasing butterflies.

 

But amazingly, the child I had just told to get his finger out of his nose was posed on second, foot abutting the base, glove raised to accommodate a throw. Simple toss, simple out; game over.

 

My child’s eyes—how they twinkled, his teammates how merry…

 

It was one play in a game of plays. It was one out in a game of outs. It was one child in a game of chance. It was a moment in time that will live forever in my mind.

 

So, no matter what happens on Wednesday night, it will be just like Christmas to a mom. Instead of opening presents, I will embark on a journey of collecting moments. A World Series appearance to me is simply an extension of time to collect them. And I will sit on my couch with my child under my arm and point out everything that exists about the great game of baseball and the team we call the Phightin’ Phils.

 

With players conditioned and swift

A course as defined as a Christmas list

And a skipper who looks like Saint Nick

This series will be a hit.

 

Sorry for the cheesy poetry—I just couldn’t help myself. This time of year always does that to me.

 

Go Phils!

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »