The Yankees and Phillies appear to be on a collision course for a meeting and a rematch in the World Series. It's the matchup that everybody seems to want to see...everybody except Mets fans. Admittedly, a Yanks-Phils match-up would pit, arguably, the two best teams on the game's biggest stage, but, for most Mets fans, this is an awful match-up. By now though, a Mets fan should be used to seeing the Yankees take on an NL East rival; the Yankees faced the Braves in 1996 and 1999, the Marlins in 2003, and the Phillies in 2009. In 2003 it was easy to support the Marlins, I must admit, because the Marlins came from nowhere and it was 4 years before they would beat the Mets on the last day of the season in back to back years to eliminate the Mets on the season's final day. Now, there are some Met fans who will be able to choose a side and back the lesser of their perceived two evils; those who back the Yankees will be supporting the local nine, while those who back the Phillies will be supporting the National League. If you're like me, however, you won't be able to bring yourself to support either of these teams. Luckily, there are still two teams who could derail both the Yankees and the Phillies.
ALCS: Texas Rangers vs New York Yankees
The good news is the Rangers have a great pitcher named Cliff Lee who is 6-0 with a 1.44 ERA during his career in the post-season. The bad news is the Rangers won't be able to use Lee until game 3 of the series because he had to pitch game 5 of the ALDS. I expect CC Sabathia will outduel CJ Wilson and the Yankees will take game 1, which will make game 2 crucial. If the Rangers can go to New York tied at 1, they can send out Cliff Lee to go for a 2-1 lead in the series. A victory by Lee and the Rangers and the Yankees would most likely bring back CC Sabathia on 3 days rest to even the series instead of using the up and down AJ Burnett in game 4 up 2-1. If Sabathia has to go on 3 days rest, then I think that the Yankees would have to bring back Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte on short rest as well for games 5 and 6 before going back to Sabathia in game 7 against Cliff Lee, who would pitch on full rest. It's nice to think that this would happen, but that assumes that Hughes and Pettitte are pushovers, which, of course, they are not. Pettitte is one of the better post-season pitchers of his time and Hughes is an arm the Yankees have a lot of faith in as well.
Pick: Yankees in 5 or 6.
NLCS: San Francisco Giants vs Philadelphia Phillies
Alright, as much as I don't want the Phillies to win, I don't really want the Giants to win either, but they're the lesser of the two evils in this one. Why root against the Giants? Chris "Mad Dog" Russo. Yes, the former co-host of Mike and the Mad Dog is reason enough to root against the Giants, but WFAN listeners don't hear from the Angry Puppy since he left for Sirius, so it takes on the old question of "if a tree falls in the woods and nobody's there to hear it, does it make a sound?" I don't give the Giants much of a chance here. The Phillies starting rotation of Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels will overwhelm the Giants, who can't hit a lick. Don't discount Giants ace Tim Lincecum, though, he's capable of winning 2 games by himself. Halladay v. Lincecum in game 1 is a great pitching match-up and will most likely be decided by the bullpens, if Halladay or Lincecum actually relinquish the ball. Even still, the Giants are taking a step up in class in this one; beating the light hitting Braves in the NLDS is one thing, beating the two-time defending NL champs is another.
Pick: Phillies in 5.
So, to my fellow Mets fans, let's hope that at least the Rangers or Giants, but preferably the Rangers win their respective LCS. Otherwise, I hear that lobotomy's are back in style...
I had a $0.01 wager with one of my students that the Phillies would beat the Reds in the LDS. Easiest red cent I've ever won.
ReplyDeleteI also doubled the bet that the Phillies wouldn't lose a single game in that series. Game two aside, it was the easiest $0.02 I've ever won.
I'll be shocked if Philly drops more than a game. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see a sweep.
Philly's pitching is better, top to bottom, their lineup is exponentially more dangerous, and you can't discount their postseason experience.
I know I just regurgitated what you said, but that then makes me exactly like every NYC sports talk radio caller.....ever.
If you really wanted to be like every caller to the FAN, you would have included the "first time, long time" already! But do make sure you don't forget the 1, 877, 337, six six six six, the number to call for a Friday night schmooze on the FAN New York City!
ReplyDeleteI know it's only 2 cents, but how could anyone bet against the Phils and their pitching.
I agree with you all the way here in that it will be Yankees in 7 and Phillies in 5. My question then will be: who will you be pulling for in the Series?
ReplyDeleteYeah, yeah, I know that you said you won't be supporting either, but that is too much a cop out and I know you cannot help but root against one more than the other. So who will it be?
Ian, I really don't think I'd watch more than a few innings of a Yanks-Phils World Series, to be honest. If I were to wager on that series, I would go with the Phillies because of their starting pitching. That's probably the closest you'll get me to commit to either side.
ReplyDeleteIn a perfect world, however, the World Series between those two teams would be cancelled because of an influenza epidemic, a strike, or ANYTHING to save the world from such misery.
Totally understand. I have the liberty, not being a true Mets fan, to root for a side. I'm going with Philly because... well, I despise the Yanks and because I'm an NL guy.
ReplyDeleteBut they will have to win the NLCS unlike what they showed tonight. Meh, I could totally pull for the Giants. Truly, I like Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, and Bumgarner much better than C.C., Hughes, Petitte, and Burnett, so I think that even a Yanks and Giants series would still be winnable.