World Series Redemption For Zito, Sandoval

When the San Francisco Giants last won the World Series, they did it with a lot of players who weren't stars playing over their heads, such as Cody Ross, Andres Torres and a past his prime Edgar Renteria. In the mean time, Bruce Bochy had Pablo Sandoval coming off the bench and Barry Zito off the postseason roster despite Zito making $18.5 million that season. Fast forward two years later and not only are both men starting, they led the Giants to a Game 1 victory last night.

We have to start with the Panda, since he tied a World Series record hitting 3 HR's last night. He forever will have his name right along side Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols. That's some company I'd like to keep. The best part for Sandoval is that he hit two of them against Justin Verlander, who might be the best pitcher in baseball, but he has his issues with the San Francisco Giants. When Sandoval had a chance to hit a 4th HR and only came through with a single, it was a letdown, sarcastically speaking of course, but it demonstrated how big a night he had that a single is just ho-hum. Consider this, Sandoval had three ABs in the entire 2010 World Series; his first three this year were HR's.

Barry Zito didn't even have AB's or IP back in 2010. However, pitching struggles forced Zito to pitch in Game 5 of the NLCS and pitched a gem and was called on to try to match Verlander. Fortunately for the Giants, he didn't; he went 5.2 IP giving up only a run and striking out three. He also knocked in a run off Verlander with an opposite field hit to make it 5-0. Staying in the game was the goal with Barry Zito; him flourishing against guys like Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder makes it even better.

Zito and Sandoval weren't the only stories of Game 1. Tim Lincecum relieved Zito and utterly dominated over 2.1 IP. Marco Scutaro continued his surprising play with a couple more hits and Angel Pagan did the same with a couple doubles. And you can't mention Game 1 without mentioning Gregor Blanco's spectacular diving catches. I know though that the history books will remember Kung Fu Panda and Barry Zito and for two guys who were in San Francisco in 2010, but not really, that's who deserves to have the glory after this result.

World Series Preview: Alburquerque-Zito

Tonight, the World Series begins in San Francisco as the Giants will face the American League Pennant winners Detroit Tigers. And I thought the best way to prepare for the start of this series to provide an A-Z guide to everything that we will expect to see.

Al Alburquerque: Mike Francesa's favorite Tiger has to begin this list. Alex Avila might have more impact, but I'm pretty sure that Alburquerque will pitch in a big spot at some point.

Brandon Belt: Hit a HR in Game 7 and will probably be counted on a lot more than most people realize since the Tigers are full of RHP's in both the rotation and the bullpen. Will need the lefty Belt to hit well.

Miguel Cabrera: The likely MVP (I say that Mike Trout should win, but I digress) will be appearing in his second Fall Classic. It's easy to say that the Tigers will go as he goes, at least at the plate.

Doug Fister: One of the major reasons the Tigers are in the World Series is because of their dominant starting pitching as a whole. Now, Fister battled in his last start against the Yankees and probably shouldn't give the Giants opportunities to score early on him again.

Errors: Back in 2006, the Tigers were undone by some horrific defensive play when they lost to the Cardinals. This can't happen again this time around; unfortunately with Delmon Young playing the outfield in San Francisco, an already weak defensive team becomes weaker.

Prince Fielder: Fielder hasn't been dominant thus far in the postseason and if the Giants pitch around Cabrera, Fielder is going to have to make them pay for such a strategy.

Avisail Garcia: When given a chance, the youngster has been impactful. Likely will play when Barry Zito pitches. Of course, I have him on this list to point out that his name is pronounced with four syllables. Four syllables for a seven letter name. Seems like too much.

Hunter Pence: He will likely remain as Buster Posey's protection and he needs to do a better job of that. Had a rough series against St. Louis and it doesn't get easier against the big 4 righties on Detroit. Hopefully, Game 7 is also a sign of better play from him like it might be for Belt.

Omar Infante: Important in his role as a table setter for Detroit since he came over from the Marlins back in July. Main reason is that him reaching base almost guarantees a pitcher will face both Cabrera and Fielder in a given inning. This will need to continue.

Austin Jackson: Also important as a table setter, but unlike Infante, Jackson is more of a given in terms of effective hitting, even though he can be a strikeout machine. We can see some long games should the Giants fail to get the first two hitters of the Tigers lineup out.

Kung Fu Panda: In 2010, Pablo Sandoval only had three AB's in their World Series win. This time around, he's much more important, as demonstrated in the NLCS. He has driven in 6 runs in the last 5 games of that series and it's safe to say that the Giants are where they are because of Sandoval's hitting.

Jim Leyland: This season saw Leyland make his seventh appearance in the playoffs, but only his third World Series appearance. Except for leaving in Jose Valverde in Game 1, allowing Raul Ibanez to homer off him, every move made by the skipper is paying off. That includes his recent addition to Coke; Phil Coke that is in closing situations. Now the Tigers were in the same situation back in 2006; sweep the ALCS and wait a week while the NLCS goes seven. Then, they lost in five games. Let's see if Leyland does anything different to avoid the same fate.

Madison Bumgarner: What, expecting Matt Cain here? Now that Bumgarner is starting Game 2, he needs to be mentioned first. Also, because the Giants might be in a must-win situation should Game 1 unfold like most people expect it to.

New Matchup: Can you believe that this is the first time that the Tigers and the Giants are World Series foes? Considering the fact that both these teams have played in a number of World Series, the fact their paths haven't crossed is pretty surprising. Closest we came to a Tigers-Giants World Series was in 1908, when Fred Merkle's boner kept the Giants out of the World Series. In their place, the Cubs. Need I go on?

Octavio Dotel: He's looking to win the World Series for his second straight year. This is now his 13th team that he's played for and probably will look to do the MLB tour before its all said and done. Though if he wins again, then you might have to start picking the next team he plays with as World Series favorites.

Buster Posey: The likely NL MVP hasn't hit well this postseason; yet that hasn't stopped the Giants for reaching the World Series. At some point, he will need to start hitting if they are to beat the Tigers (though with this team, who know if that will be true). Fun fact: this matchup might be the first to feature both league MVP's since 1988.

Quinton Berry: He's only here because his name begins with the letter Q. Still, he plays an important role in left field and on the base paths since the Tigers lack overall team speed.

Sergio Romo: After years of seeing Tony fail in the playoffs, it's nice to finally see a Romo who can handle clutch situations. I kid of course, but not about Romo's play as the Giants closer. He represents the Giants biggest advantage over the Tigers: bullpen. Detroit hopes to avoid the bullpen as much as possible, while the Giants will go to it quickly if need be (Guillermo Mota doesn't qualify for this topic, nor should he ever qualify for any topic).

Sanchez and Scherzer: The pitchers the Tigers will have when the arrive back in Detroit could be huge if their strong play of late carries over. This is where the Tigers might be in a disadvantage on the mound (facing Vogelsong and Cain, the Giants two best), and more than likely, a split will be needed. It's also imperative that both men go deep in their games, avoid extra outs by the bullpen.

Tim Lincecum: While the Tigers starters worry no one in Detroit, the Giants have some issues beyond Matt Cain and Ryan Vogelsong. The fact that Lincecum continues to pitch poorly in starts, while pitching well from the bullpen appears to be the most annoying. It appears though that Bruce Bochy will leave The Freak in the bullpen, unless another awful Bumgarner performance occurs.

Umpiring: Here are your umpires for the World Series. Yes, you see that right, Country Joe West will be prominently involved. Don't say I didn't warn you. Knowing baseball, Fieldin Culbreth or Dan Issaogna will make an awful call at some point.

Justin Verlander: The best pitcher in baseball is tasked with continuing his terrific postseason and takes away the home-field advantage from the Giants in Game 1. I say this because it becomes a must-win for Detroit to steal the first game in order to have any chance to win the series.

Xavier Nady: Just kidding, but I'll use my X for the X Factor of the series: Marco Scutaro. He was the story in the NLCS from get the hard slide by Matt Holliday, to his MVP performance after hitting .500. The Giants won back in 2010 because of the exploits of Cody Ross and Edgar Renteria out of nowhere and they are back in the Fall Classic because of Scutaro. It's hard to suggest they'd lose if he continues his hot play.

Delmon Young: From LCS MVP to another. Young was rightfully the winner after driving in runs during each game against the Yankees. Unlike Scutaro, Young had this long layoff which could be harmful to his hot streak. If Prince Fielder starts hitting more, Young can be an afterthought, but Young comes up with runners on and needing to save rallies from dying, he'll have to be up to the task.

Barry Zito: He likely will start against Verlander in both Games 1 and 5. He pitches anything like Game 5 against St. Louis, and it would be such a boon for the Giants. It would also make his 7 year, $126 million contract from 2007 worth every penny (okay, not really).

Prediction: Giants in 7, continuing the zombie act for one last series.

World Series Preview

Well, talk about unexpected World Series matchup, but we have the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The second year in a row that a World Series between two teams who have nicknames that are used in other sports (NY Rangers, Arizona Cardinals). For the Rangers, they've made it here on the back on the balance in their lineup and their bullpen, which has been particularly dominant, especially when you remove any appearance by Koji Uehara. The Cards, on the other hand, haven't really had a formula, as Tony La Russa seems to be able to make every move work. They also have had a great postseason by Albert Pujols, and the bullpen has done the job when called upon, which has been early and often for La Russa. Here's the top storylines of the series.

1. Will anybody watch this Series? No matter how much you like baseball, it's something that needs to be asked after another year of low LCS ratings. If baseball marketed their stars well, Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter, Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Neftali Feliz would be enough to get casual eyeballs to this series. Now, the only way you'll see casual fans is if the series goes 6 or 7 games (preferably 7). Since 2004, the only series to go 6 games is the Yanks and Phillies in 2009. So, let's hope for a long series.

2. Will Nelson Cruz continue his feast of famine approach to hitting? Do we see the Cruz who was 1 for 15 against the Tampa Bay Rays, or do we see the man who dominated the Tigers series with 6 HR's, 13 RBI's and a .364 average. If the latter, the Cards are in plenty of trouble. If it's the former, then the top of the Rangers lineup will have more pressure to hit, especially in St. Louis.

3. How much will DH/no DH make a difference for either team? It's a question that comes up in every World Series. Judging from Ron Washington's Game 1 lineup, expect plenty of Michael Young at first and Mitch Moreland doing pitch hitting. For the Cards, the answer for who plays in Texas is easy, as Allen Craig will play the outfield and I'll assume it's Lance Berkman who's in at DH. With Craig, the Cards have a guy who's a pitcher must be careful.

4. Can the Cardinals bullpen match the Rangers? Biggest question mark for the Cards. The Rangers, aside from Koji Uehara, are outstanding in the bullpen. The Cards have pitched above and beyond, but now it gets serious. The Rangers, though slightly, are a better hitting team than the Brewers and the masterful job Tony La Russa has done with his bullpen will say a lot if it continues.

5. How does the likes of Hamilton, Kinsler, Andrus, etc. handle their second straight World Series appearance? Last year, the Rangers made the World Series on the back of Cliff Lee, then he lost in the World Series, and no one really picked up the slack in the five game loss to the Giants. Now, Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus are all a year old and wiser. Adrian Beltre and Matt Napoli have added some pop in the Rangers lineup, an obvious need. C.J. Wilson has a payday to play for and his start could mean the difference from 15 million a year and 18 million (probably won't make a difference, but go with me). They were favored last year, how do they handle being favored this year?

6. Will Chris Carpenter pitch 3 games? Simple question, answer isn't as much. One reason, because we would need a Game 7 to happen. The main reason is because Carpenter is fighting some injury issues. Right now, it's Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Edwin Jackson scheduled to pitch. So it probably doesn't allow Carpenter to start 3 games. But in a Game 7, win or go home, you're telling me Tony La Russa won't call upon a former Cy Young winner in a big spot? I don't think so.

7. Is this the last we see of Albert Pujols as a Cardinal? Pujols has been great this postseason, best one from him in quite a few years (I'd say 2005 for him). We all know he's getting paid by someone, but will it be the Cardinals? I really don't think the choice is difficult. Jon Paul Morosi wrote this on the pending free agency of Pujols:

When the season began, there was a credible exit strategy for Pujols: If the Cardinals finished out of the money, and if manager Tony La Russa left for the White Sox or elsewhere, then Pujols could take stock of the situation and say, “Well, maybe it’s time.”

He can’t do that now. The Cardinals are in the World Series for the third time in his illustrious career. La Russa isn’t going to the White Sox, and he’s probably not going anywhere at all. Pujols is hitting in the best lineup in the National League, one that is deeper now with the emergence of NLCS MVP David Freese. As Laird said, this team should be as good — and maybe even better — next year.

I really don't see Pujols burning his bridge in St. Louis, win or lose. The Cards will pay and Pujols will stay.

8. Will Nolan Ryan be proven right about his "Rangers in 6" prediction? No, I have the Cardinals winning a thrilling 7 games, with Matt Holliday as your MVP, since I hardly mentioned him until now. For those watching, enjoy a great series. For those not, enjoy watching the Colts and the Jaguars on primetime football games this week.

Babe of the Week and Week 9 Picks

In honor of the N.Y. Yankees World Series victory (and due to the fact that there isn't an alumnus from LSU or Alabama that belongs here), our Babe of the Week is the hottest of the Yanks long list of girlfriends/wives, Minka Kelly, Derek Jeter's main squeeze. Since I don't use this space to showcase a whole bunch of photos (unless I personally take them), here's a link that shows the Kate Hudson's and the Joanna Garcia's that date/married Yankees, plus other teams and sports. It's also the perfect opportunity to write my World Series review.


For the Phillies, this season will be remembered for one of the better title defenses in recent memory. Last year, Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge were the difference between them winning and losing; this year, both players had subpar years, yet still won the National League and took the Yankees six games. They were the first defending champ to return to the World Series since the 2001 Yankees, and despite suffering the same fate as the last dynasty team did, they have changed baseball in Philadelphia for the better. They will be back in contention in 2010 as they keep Cliff Lee and their vaunted 1-6 batting order and if they can get bounce back years from Hamels and/or Lidge, they will be the favorite to return to the World Series a third straight year. Kudos to the Phightins.


As for the Yankees, they won this World Series for five reasons. First, signing CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, two players in their prime and among the best at their positions was a change from recent Yankee spending (bonus points for swinging the AL East when it seemed Tex was headed to Boston). Put it this way, the Yankees passed on Vlad Guerrero for Gary Sheffield in 2003 and Carlos Beltran for Randy Johnson in 2004; this team didn't make Derek Lowe and Manny Ramirez as their top two free agent choices (and if George Steinbrenner was still running things, I have to think the Yanks sign Manny, something that could have imploded the team). Second, none of their veteran players had extensive injury time. When you consider that A-Rod's hip injury in the first month was the longest injury to a major player, it's pretty remarkable; then add the fact that no player played like their age, even Matsui. Third, both the Twins and the Angels came into their series with the Yankees feeling like they needed to be both perfect and aggressive to beat them and turned out to be neither. The Twins had no chance, but blew every opportunity the Yanks gave them with boneheaded baserunning and a Joe Nathan meltdown. Meanwhile, the Angels committed errors (which they never do), couldn't hit consistently (which they usually do against New York) and had no pitching (at least no shutdown starter).


I'll use the last two for the actual series. The fourth reason was that the Phillies unfortunately were not much different than the Angels, except Cliff Lee was a legitimate starter who if he could of pitched Game 4, maybe we have a Game 7 and with Lee starting, who knows. Their bats never hit at the same time and while the Yanks didn't hit well statistically, they seemed to have at least one inning from Game 3 on that they did damage. Which brings us to number five, the turning points of this series. Pedro Martinez twice was left in too long as he should of never started the seventh in Game 2 (allowing the insurance run the Yanks needed to feel safe) and although Shane Victorino should have played Jeter's single into an out, Pedro should have never faced Matsui, the one man who was hitting him hard. Game 3 was Cole Hamels becoming a Section 8, giving up a 3-0 lead in a matter of two innings. If Hamels can get through the fifth still in front, perhaps the Phillies get some runs and change the outcome of the series. The last one was the Johnny Damon at bat against Lidge, who was dealing until Damon worked the count and got a hit. Then, in the overmanaging moment of the series, Charlie Manuel plays the shift against Tex and Damon steals two bases to get to third. We all know that Alex Rodriguez knocked the winning run in and we don't get to know if Phil Coke can keep that game tied in the bottom of the 9th.


The Yankees proved to be the best team in baseball, and earned this 27th World Championship, something I didn't think they were really close to last year (for the record, I believe the Yankees weren't overly concerned with making the playoffs a year ago, just so they could clear house). I should have known better, since the Yanks will spend their way to make a turnaround and because the Rays were destined to fall back after the high of 2008, opening the door for the Yanks and Sox to make the playoffs. Now, next season will be interesting because with the economy continuing to widen gaps between big-market and small-market, the Yankees will not only have it easier in the regular season to win, but I'd say a little more difficult since other big-market teams will gun for them.


Enough baseball, I'll write something about the hot stove soon, now let's do some football picks. Last week was a bloodbath and a reversal of fortune is needed. All of a sudden, a simple football season is turning upside down as teams I thought were among the best (Giants, Bears, Jets) have come down to earth. Fortunately, there still are a whole bunch of bad teams in this league and remember, whatever my Houston pick is, it means the other team will win, almost a lock (aside from the one push this season). As for college, I just haven't had any good weeks yet and I'll be happy when it's over (this has been a weak season anyway). Here are my picks; home team in CAPS.


Kansas City (+7) over JACKSONVILLE- Here's this weeks winner of "You Know You Have a Gambling Problem" Game. I think we have one for the rest of this year and another this week.
CINCINNATI (+3) over Baltimore- I don't think their Week 5 game was a fluke, the Bengals can run, they can pass and play defense despite the loss of Antwan Odom.
Houston (+9) over INDIANAPOLIS- This seems like the perfect week to play the Colts for the Texans, they are starting to gain steam for the playoffs and no Bob Sanders.
ATLANTA (-9) over Washington- After losses to the Cowboys and Saints, the perfect elixir is a visit from the Redskins, let's their defense puff its chest and their offense will too.
Green Bay (-10) over Tampa Bay- The Bucs have decided to wear their "creamsicle" uniforms this week, makes sense since the Bucs have been this bad since they wore them.
Arizona (+3) over CHICAGO- This is a week that I expect the Cardinals to lose, thus it makes sense to pick them here. They are the NFC version of the Texans.
Miami (+10.5) over NEW ENGLAND- The Pats should win, but a bye week and better competition than the Titans and Bucs will keep this closer than expected.
NEW ORLEANS (-13) over Carolina- Bad matchup for Jake, this is a ball-hawking, turnover-hungry defense, plus an offense that the Panthers must throw to keep up with.
SEATTLE (-10) over Detroit- Another game that show exactly how much you gamble, though I'm sure you know the Lions won't win a game in Qwest Field, too tough a home crowd.
SAN FRANCISCO (-4) over Tennessee- You have Vince Young on the road and a Niners team who should be encouraged and pissed off for losing by four up in Indy.
San Diego (+4.5) over GIANTS- Yes, I'm capable of picking against the Giants. This is a tough matchup for the G-Men; I expect Phil Rivers to throw five TD passes.
Dallas (+3) over PHILADELPHIA- Tony Romo gets his revenge at the Linc as he and Miles Austin combine for a couple of scores and the Dallas defense shuts down McNabb.
DENVER (+3) over Pittsburgh- I know the Broncos had trouble with the Ravens, but that was a flat performance against a desperate team after a bye. Plus, the home-field matters against the Steelers

NFL Record: 60-55-1


MICHIGAN (-6) over Purdue
South Carolina (+7) over ARKANSAS
Kansas (-2.5) over KANSAS STATE
STANFORD (+7) over Oregon
Florida State (+9) over CLEMSON
USC (-10) over ARIZONA STATE
CALIFORNIA (-7) over Oregon State
Oklahoma (-4.5) over NEBRASKA
PENN STATE (-5.5) over Ohio State
LSU (+7.5) over ALABAMA

College Record: 38-44-1

World Series Preview: The Turnpike Tussel

The World Series finally begins tonight and for the first time since 2001, you can say the best two teams in baseball are playing each other as the defending champ Philadelphia Phillies get ready for the many time defending payroll champ New York Yankees. Think about it, either there have been World Series that involved a less glamorous team (think '03 Marlins, '06 Cardinals) or the ALCS was the World Series that season ('04, '07). Now that we're all ready, let's breakdown the matchup.


1B: Mark Teixeria vs. Ryan Howard- This is probably the toughest matchup of all players and is seemingly a push because of Howard's power and Tex's defense. However, everyone overlooks that Howard is a better defensive first baseman than you think and I just can't ignore how hot he's been at the plate compared to Tex in these playoffs. Advantage Phillies


2B: Robinson Cano vs. Chase Utley- These two players are among the best second baseman in baseball. Utley hasn't been great in the playoffs, but he's not awful as well. Cano's in the same boat as Utley this postseason. Utley normally wins because he's a better hitter with runners on base, but the rumors of an injury are too great for me to ignore. Even


SS: Derek Jeter vs. Jimmy Rollins- If you look at the numbers, Jeter wins. However, Rollins is a clutch hitter and terrific fielder (probably the best fielding shortstop in baseball). In the big spot, both of these guys exude confidence that they will get the big hit. The one difference is that Jeter is more consistent in all situations and has played better defense this year. Advantage Yankees


3B: Alex Rodriguez vs. Pedro Feliz- The only way Feliz is even with A-Rod is that Feliz has a head, two arms and two legs. Other than that, nothing. Advantage Yankees


LF: Johnny Damon vs. Raul Ibanez- Tough matchup of aging hitters who still have a little left in the tank. Ibanez is the better fielder by default because I could run on Damon's arm. They have had similar postseasons, Damon I'd say is a little better. Ibanez also has rumors of an injury, but he's still dangerous at the plate. Even


CF: Melky Cabrera vs. Shane Victorino- Both players had terrific LCS' and can hit very well. Victorino has a slight fielding advantage and is more of an interesting cog in their offense than Cabrera is. Hey, Cabrera is a good hitter, but Victorino is much more dangerous at the plate and on the bases as well. Advantage Phillies
RF: Nick Swisher vs. Jayson Werth- Swisher has had some hitting troubles this postseason and I don't think Game 6 just magically means his slump is over. As for Werth, he's the reason you can't pitch around Ryan Howard because he's so dangerous at the plate. Add the fact he's the best outfield arm on either team and can steal a base and this is not even close. Advantage Phillies


Catcher: Jorge Posada vs. Carlos Ruiz- Ordinarily, this is an easy victory for Posada, but Chooch is a terrific catcher and a remarkably clutch hitter. I said it in the NLCS preview, but Ruiz is clearly the Pat Borders of the aughts, with his weak regular season, but strong postseason numbers. Let's also remember that Ruiz is a better fielding catcher than Posada and Jose Molina appears to be playing in a couple of games as well. Advantage Phillies


Starting pitching: It really depends on rain and if the Yankees use a three-man rotation. CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee are a complete wash and their starts could go either way. A.J. Burnett will face Pedro Martinez and anything can happen in their starts, except a complete game for Pedro. Andy Pettitte can handle Game 3, but I'm not sure about him in Game 6 on three days rest. Cole Hamels is the Phillies X-factor because if he can pitch like the ace who won all the awards last postseason, the Phillies will win. But I can't count on that. Even


Bullpen: Both bullpens have question marks. Can Ryan Madson be the setup man? Will we see continued struggles from Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes? Is Chan Ho Park the Phillies best reliever? One thing that you can't question is Mariano Rivera, while Brad Lidge is still a huge question mark, despite good play in the NL playoffs. Advantage Yankees


Bench: No DH matchup because the Phillies have none and Hideki Matsui won't play OF. The Yankees bench is better in this series as they have Eric Hinske instead of Freddy Guzman and particularly strong in Philly when Matsui comes off the bench. For the Phils, it's basically Ben Francisco and Matt Stairs as the major reserves, with a little Greg Dobbs to be sprinkled in for sure. Even.


Manager: Joe Girardi vs. Charlie Manuel- Let's just say Yankee fans get scared when Girardi walks out on the field. There is a legitimate possibility that Girardi could lose a game on his own. I have no worries about Manuel, since he knows his ball club and the world championship from last year is always a positive. Advantage Phillies


Intangibles: For the Phillies, it's the championship pedigree, which aside from the Core Four, is an advantage over the Yankees. Home-field is a big deal for the Yankees as they have lost only eight games there since the All-Star break. Even


The Phillies will win if: Lee outduels Sabathia; Hamels pitches well; the bullpen turns into a strength; Philly's offense is better than New York's; Girardi has a bad series; Burnett and/or Pettitte struggle; Howard keeps up his great play.


The Yankees will win if: Sabathia outduels Lee; the Phillies bullpen is as expected, while the Yankees' revert to 2nd half form; Yankees hit better than the Phils; A-Rod continues his hot bat; Burnett is the good Burnett.


Prediction: The Phillies have had the strongest title defense since the '01 Yanks who went to Game 7 in Arizona before the great Mariano Rivera (sorry to sound like Jon Miller here) blew his first postseason save since 1997. Just like those Yankees, I think the Phillies as well. Yankees in 7 MVP: Robinson Cano