World Series Set
The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies meet in the World Series for the first time since 1950.
The Phillies are attempting to become only the fourth NL team in history to win back-to-back World Series. The Chicago Cubs did it in 1907-08, The Giants were in New York when they did it in 1921-22. Cincinnati did it in 1975-76.
The Yankees had the best record in the regular season, but there hasn’t been a team that had the best regular season record win a World series since the 1998 Yankees, who were 114-48.
Who’s your pick?
I’ll take the Phillies in five. Philadelphia has enough depth in its rotation that it can move J.A. Happ into the bullpen, giving them a second lefty to count on in late innings. With Happ and Scott Eyre from the left side and Ryan Madson and Brett Myers from the right side, the Phillies have bullpen depth to ease the demands on closer Brad Lidge. The Yankees are scratching to come up with their rotation and that challenge will only increase if Game 1 is rained out on Wednesday night, which would put the World Series in position for the two teams to play five consecutive games.
I’d like to see Philly win, just to validate my two favorite teams (Rockies & Dodgers.) But, I’ve got to give a slight edge to the Yanks. I think Philly has had a long enough layoff to mess with their hitters timing. (See 2007 Rockies.) Add that to C.C. in game one and that one goes to NY. Pedro will pitch well in game 2 but the Yankee hitters will work the count and have enough innings agains Philly’s bullpen to win it. Philly’s only hope is to take advantage of NY’s lack of starting pitching depth.
Then again, Tracy may be correct and Philly rolls through this series too.
Erik, my real prediction is that either Yankees or Phillies will win it in fewer than eight games, but dang that wouldn’t create much conversation.
My only argument for the Yankeess is the longer layoff of the Phillies. If they don’t come out strong in the first two at Yankee stadium and win one, then I think it’s Yankees in five. If however the Phillies get the split, the edge does go to the Phils and their bullpen. Then I think the Phillies win in six.
I am trying to get excited about the series, but it just isn’t there for me. Not that I am mad about the Rockies being done, it’s just later in the month and the playoffs have had too much spacing between games since the LDS series’.
Yankees in 6. The way the playoffs go now, with all the time off in between games and series you only need a 3 man rotation. You can then move your starters to the pen. My heart would like to have the Phillies win as a way to feel better about the Roxs! MLB needs to shorten the post season season. Why do they not even play 3 games in a row?? The players are geared to basically play 162 games with little timeoff and then come to a screetching halt come playoff time. What gives Tracy?? I too am not to excited about the WS.
I am pulling for the Fightin’ Phils, and yes it’s because I want the Rockies to have lost to the eventual winner. JRoll, Victorino, Utley, Howard and Werth match up well with the NY top five, but as the Rockies discovered in the LDS, the bottom of the Phillies order has to contribute to beat NY. I think they will. Cliff Lee knows CC, and should give the Phils some insider info. Pedro Who? I think NY will feast on him. So Cole Hamels is the key starter for Philly to me. If he rights his ship, and the bottom of the Phillies’ order produces like they did in the LDS, I say Philies in 6. They need to find a way to get to the NY middle relievers.
Konaman, I’m a big believer in having no off days during a post-season series. That would make the team’s depth, a key to it’s regular-season success, matter. It also would get the post-season over quicker. With my approach, post-season would have started Oct. 7 with five days for the Division Series. They would have ended Oct. 11. LCS would have begun Oct. 13 with seven days alloted they would have ended by Oct. 19. World Series starts Oct. 21, and is over with Oct. 27. Fox even gets World Series Game 1, 2 and possible games 6, 7 on week nights, which is what the networks want.
So what’s the logic for all the days off then? If in the end it would have worked out like you said? The fiasco that was the time frames for the LDS was just plain dumb in my opinion. This was a WBC year so that’s another reason for the length of the season, but it just seems that things are getting closer to coming to a head. Personally I think we will see more instant replay besides HR’s before we see a schedule change.
The logic is that (surprise) the networks have discovered they have better ratings and therefore make more money if the games are during the week in prime time. So the big delays are to accommodate TV.
I wish MLB would step in and put an end to this part of the scheduling issue. Like Tracy wrote (and Mike Scioscia said during the Angels’ series), baseball is about consistently playing on a day-in, day-out basis.
Of course, if Fox would just figure out that most everyone hates listening to Tim McCarver, it could raise ratings by a simple change in the booth, and not worry about the game schedule.
Phillies in Six. The Phils are clearly the more talented team. And that’s surprising considering they’re playing the Yankees, who are usually the team stacked to the rafters with talent.
The Yankees are good, but the Phils are just better in every facet of the game, with the exception of the closers. Nobody’s better than Mariano. The Yanks have less speed, a weaker defense, a weaker lineup (Swisher is hitting .150 in playoffs), a weaker outfield (who in their outfield is half as good as the Phils outfield?), and less starting pitching. In fact, the Yanks have such weak depth at starter that there’s talk they might start Chad “four teams in one year” Gaudan in game 4.
Just a side note: I feel really bad for Cleveland Indians fans! both of the game 1 WS starters, Lee and CC Sabathia, used to pitch in Cleveland, as early as last year as a matter of fact.
Also, I agree with CThistle about the off days. Those decisions, like so many other absurd ones, are purely made for TV ratings.
Well, I write this during the 7th inning stretch of Game 1, with the Phillies up 2-0.
But I have to say that while I’ll pull for any team playing the Yankees, I can’t see how anyone seriously favored the Phillies. I do think the Phils are the second best team in baseball, and I do think they benefit from the off days. But if these clubs play 162 games a year against each other, I think the Yankees go at least 86-76.
Tracy, I do agree with you on the off days. And that’s the ace in the hole for the Phils, as it should have been for the Cards. Clubs with really good 1-2 pitchers (or 1-2-3 pitchers) are advantaged in the postseason as opposed to the regular season.
I should never have doubted you Tracy!
“I can’t see how anyone seriously favored the Phillies. I do think the Phils are the second best team in baseball, and I do think they benefit from the off days. But if these clubs play 162 games a year against each other, I think the Yankees go at least 86-76.”
I think you answered your own question. The series is best of 7. What are the chances a .469 team wins 4 of 7?
Mike, you are absolutely right — the lesser team has a very good chance of winning a best of 7 series.
But to favor them before the series begins? Begs the question of what “favorite” means.
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