World Series blog

Well, well, well.

(Big ol' smile).

Look who was right: ME!!!

The coming world series match-up between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies not only reinforces my own sense of baseball smugness (which took a real hit during my regular season predictions), but promises (on paper) to be a real interesting match up.

Both teams can beat you to death, offensively. Rollins, Jimmy is only hitting .227, but Jeter, Derek is hitting .259. Both A-Rod and Ryan Howard are just punishing opposing pitchers, but other than Jason Werth of the Phils, none of the other big boppers have done a ton of damage.

The Yankees starting pitching has been fantastic, but other than Hammels, the Phillies don't really go for wanting either.

Brad Lidge has been getting the job done this postseason, just not as pretty as Mo has.

All of the 'battle-tested' arguments for the Yankees go out of the window because the Phillies WON the whole thing last year. This is going to come down to who plays better baseball. The Phillies do, however, have the better manager.

If I'm said better manager, Charlie Manuel, then there's no way I start Cole Hammels in Game 2. I use him at home in Game 3. I go to Pedro and ask him to scrap out whatever he has left to go against the Yankees in Game 2. The Phillies have to win at least one of the first two games in Yankee Stadium. Well, have to is a really strong phrase, but if they can split the first two games, they're in a much better situation than if they go down 0-2. AJ Burnett is certainly beatable, especially if Pedro can give you anything like what he did in the NLCS. Unlike Hammels, Pedro has played the Yankees on a huge stage before. He knows how to pitch to Jeter, Matsui, Posada and A-Rod. In a hostile environment. Cole just hasn't been good enough to justify starting in Game 2 in Yankee Stadium. He's a better bet in Game 3 at home, where you at least get to take away one of the Yankee weapons by forcing Andy Petite to bat in the lineup. Plus, you have a (slightly) better chance at getting Damon/Cano out, and you force Tiexiera to his less strong side (notice there I didn't say 'weak side').

I haven't really talked about Game 1 yet for a reason. As much as I like Cliff Lee (I think he's good at baseball and cute, which has gotten me into trouble in two very different circles of friends I have) and as good/great as he's been for the Phillies, he is not as good as his ex-Indian teammate CC Sabathia. The numbers show that, as does the eye test.

[By the way....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA towards the Indians. In back-to-back years you traded away Cy Young winners, who now are going head to head in the World Series. Mark Shapiro: any time you want to give the 2005 Executive of the Year Award to the guy who really deserved it that year, Kenny Williams, feel free. Dude, the only reason people think (THINK) you're good at your job is because of that trade you made with Montreal (Bartolo Colon for Lee, Brandon Philips & Grady Sizemore). Well, Montreal thought they were going to be contracted, you gave up on Philips (how'd that work out for you?), Grady's now hurt and Lee is gone. Plus, you've had two absolute flop teams the last 2 seasons after a huge choke job against the Red Sox in 2007. Shapiro....no flags!!!!]

Lee is, however, the Phillies best pitcher, and does actually give them a pretty decent shot to win Game 1. I have been amazed at how good Sabathia's been this post-season, given how terrible he was in the past with Cleveland and Milwaukee. It was most likely small sample size (the overall biggest problem with the playoffs), but I also believe that if one team can get to CC, it's the Phillies (although 'getting to' CC might only mean 3 runs the way he's thrown this post season).

My World Series record is pretty even keeled this decade...didn't know baseball well enough in 00 or 01 to make a pick, didn't care in 02, thought the Marlins had a shot in 03 but picked the Yankees, knew the Red Sox would do it in 04, picked the White Sox in 05, picked the Tigers in 06 but rooted Cardinals, picked the Rockies in 07 and actually called Phillies in 5 last year. The short of it is I don't know: I think these were the two best teams in baseball this year, so this should be an entertaining World Series between two pretty evenly matched teams. Though I don't like it (because of my reasons, not because of the pick) I'm going to go with the Yankees, but I think it'll take 6 or 7 games to do it. I'm actually rooting for the Phillies, not because I dislike the Yankees (I actually like them a lot, minus Nick Swisher), but because I really like the Phillies. The Flyin' Hawaiian...Big Bad Ryan Howard, Chase Utley...that team is just fun, lol. Should be good, but anything can happen.