World Series Preview

So if I was doing a pool March Madness style for the playoffs, I'd be in pretty good shape right now. I missed one divisional series, got the championship series' right, and I don't think many people would have picked the Cubbies to blow it like they did. I'd get at least my 5 bucks back.

That being said, it's time to predict the winner.

I took the Phillies a while ago, and there's no turning back on that now. I say 5 games and they're World Series champions. But does it really matter?

If the Phillies win, Philadelphia's 25 seasons without a major championship is over, the fans' suffering is through, and a great team often overlooked will be crowned winners.

If the Rays win, they will have gone from the worst team in baseball to World Series Champions. They haven't had as many years of suffering, but let's face it...the Devil Rays were BAD. They were awful and couldn't do a thing right. This is an exciting young team of guys who collectively make less money than the combination of Jeter and A-Rod. That incredible starting rotation that brought them here? Less than $6,000,000 total, which is over $4,000,000 less than Josh Beckett's salary alone.

The Rays' pitching staff has the advantage in this series, but barely. As great as Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Sonnanstine, and their relievers (most of the time) have been, a lot of people don't talk about Hamels, Moyer, Myers and of course, Lidge. This is the sole difference between the two teams. If you can get to Tampa Bay's starting pitching and are losing late, you stand a chance of coming back against their relievers. If you see Brad Lidge on the mound, you might as well throw up a white flag and get it over with. The Phillies have yet to lose a game they've led with him on the mound this season. I'm in the "closers are overrated" boat, but Lidge is different. This year, he's been as sure a sure thing as you can have. 100% success in 72 games. Francisco Rodriguez blew 7 saves in 76 appearances. Yeah, he was given less insurance more often, but Lidge was perfect. David Price in Maddon's closer by committee is Tampa Bay's closest to a sure bet, and the only guy who I'd feel comfortable with going into the 9th of Game 7 with a 1 run lead, but he's still very very green.

As far as batting, there is not a single weak link in either lineup. There is no player in the batting order where the pitcher is thinking to themself, "If only we can get to ____, they're a sure out".

Ok, maybe Pedro Feliz on the Phillies and Gabe Gross on the Rays. I would hope for the Rays' sake that Rocco Baldelli is well enough to hit, because I really wouldn't want Gross to be relied on every night. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Gross stinks.

But Iwamura, Pena, Navarro, Longoria, Upton, Crawford, Floyd, Bartlett, and sometimes Aybar. Put them up against Rollins, Howard, Ruiz, Utley, Victorino, Burrell, and Werth. These are two very, very dangerous lineups who can hurt you in a lot of different ways.

So this is what Game 1 looks like...Kazmir vs. Hamels. I'd take Hamels, because if you've seen the guy pitch...well...I don't have to explain why if you've seen him pitch. The guy's stuff is nasty, almost as nasty as...

Brett Myers in Game 2. I'm still pushing for Manuel to put in Myers as a DH, or at least push his start to Game 3 so he can hit, but I don't have much clout in the Phillies' clubhouse. Myers has been downright dangerous with his bat these playoffs, and has been the subject of not one, but two blogs of mine. I haven't even written two blogs about Peyton Manning yet. Think about that. Anyway, he'll take on James Shields, who is also very good, but I would contend that as of right now, Myers is better.

Jamie Moyer is starting against Matt Garza Game 3. To give you an idea of how old Moyer is, he was alive for an entire year and 4 days before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He's three years younger than Terry Francona. Imagine Francona going out in 2004 and playing outfield or first base for the Red Sox. That's essentially what it's like for Jamie Moyer to be pitching, and pitching well. Interesting fact I just learned while researching that: Jamie Moyer and Terry Francona both played for the Chicago Cubs at the same time. I wasn't even alive for most of that season (the year was 1986, and I was born in September). This was Moyer's first major league season. His first win? Against the Phillies. On top of all of this, Jamie Moyer is an all-around good guy. He's been the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award and the Lou Gehrig Award.

I was a bump in my mom's belly when these two strapping young prospects played together.

Oh yeah, after so many years of service, Moyer has never won a ring. Not only has he never won a ring, this is the first time he's ever made the World Series. Essentially, if you're not, at the very very least, rooting for Moyer this series, you are a terrible person.

I haven't really gone in to a World Series in which I didn't care who won, but was still excited anyway, until this year. Mostly it's because I don't care about either team, but this year I really like both the Rays and the Phillies. It's like if someone gave me a High Life and a Pabst and told me to choose just one. Yeah, I'll take the champagne of beers (Phillies), but I love me some PBR (Rays) at the same time. However, you can hold on to your Budweiser Chelada (Red Sox) and Corona Light (Dodgers) thank you very much.

If you drank a thirty rack of Colt 45, vomited it into the shallow part of the ocean where 5 year old kids pee,
and then scooped all of that up and put the Budweiser logo on it, you'd probably come up with the Budweiser Chelada.

I'll post thoughts every game, because I don't think anyone else would care enough to. Also, I have nothing better to do.