MLB WORLD SERIES
Philadelphia Phillies VS. Tampa Bay Rays
How can you handicap homeruns?
The Tampa Bay Rays are the popular pick, and it isn’t too hard to see why. The team is a force from top to bottom; they have an excellent lineup, a downright scary pitching staff with the emergence of Matt Garza to tack on to the 1 – 2 punch of Scott Kazmir and James Shields, and a bullpen that just got even better with David Price pulling an ’06 Adam Wainwright and stepping beautifully into the closer role.
But can you really shrug off the Phillies? Does Rollins / Werth / Utley / Howard / Burrell / Victorino / Feliz NOT strike fear into you? Not to mention, as good as Kazmir / Shields / Garza may be, it is hard to argue that Cole Hamels isn’t the best pitcher in this series, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we saw him more than just twice in this series if it goes long enough. Brett Myers started the season off rough, had trouble in the bullpen and even spent time in the minors, but he returned to form in the 2nd half with a 7 – 4 record with a sparkling 3.06 ERA. Moyer and Blanton aren’t nearly as electric, but both are capable of eating innings. This staff should definitely be able to keep Philadelphia close all series long… which brings me back to my opening question.
How can you handicap homeruns?
I think these teams match up very well, more so then what people seem to be giving Philadelphia credit for. What the Rays can do with smart base running and timely hitting, the Phils can do with one swing of the bat. And that isn’t to say that the Phils can’t manufacture runs the old fashion way or the Rays can’t hit the long ball; I’m simply pointing out these team’s strengths.
So once again, I provide you with another meaningless write-up, telling you how evenly matched the teams are. I’d love to tell you why one team is so much better than the other that this will be an easy series to predict, but I just don’t see it. I haven’t seen it all October; I’m 2 – 4 on predicting series so far this year. Just goes to show you how good and evenly matched the baseball has been.
This time, I’m going to have to go with the Phillies. While I think the Rays might be the slightly better team, I see Hamels taking game one in Tampa Bay. That means (assuming Myers loses, which isn’t an easy assumption) that the series goes back to Philly tied up at 1 – 1, and I just have to believe the championship-deprived-crazed-madman atmosphere is going to be so completely nuts there that the Phillies will find a way to grab 2 out of 3. That would give them two chances to put it away; but putting away the Rays isn’t going to be easy. Wait, who am I taking again?
PREDICTION: Phillies in 6
Philadelphia Phillies VS. Tampa Bay Rays
How can you handicap homeruns?
The Tampa Bay Rays are the popular pick, and it isn’t too hard to see why. The team is a force from top to bottom; they have an excellent lineup, a downright scary pitching staff with the emergence of Matt Garza to tack on to the 1 – 2 punch of Scott Kazmir and James Shields, and a bullpen that just got even better with David Price pulling an ’06 Adam Wainwright and stepping beautifully into the closer role.
But can you really shrug off the Phillies? Does Rollins / Werth / Utley / Howard / Burrell / Victorino / Feliz NOT strike fear into you? Not to mention, as good as Kazmir / Shields / Garza may be, it is hard to argue that Cole Hamels isn’t the best pitcher in this series, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we saw him more than just twice in this series if it goes long enough. Brett Myers started the season off rough, had trouble in the bullpen and even spent time in the minors, but he returned to form in the 2nd half with a 7 – 4 record with a sparkling 3.06 ERA. Moyer and Blanton aren’t nearly as electric, but both are capable of eating innings. This staff should definitely be able to keep Philadelphia close all series long… which brings me back to my opening question.
How can you handicap homeruns?
I think these teams match up very well, more so then what people seem to be giving Philadelphia credit for. What the Rays can do with smart base running and timely hitting, the Phils can do with one swing of the bat. And that isn’t to say that the Phils can’t manufacture runs the old fashion way or the Rays can’t hit the long ball; I’m simply pointing out these team’s strengths.
So once again, I provide you with another meaningless write-up, telling you how evenly matched the teams are. I’d love to tell you why one team is so much better than the other that this will be an easy series to predict, but I just don’t see it. I haven’t seen it all October; I’m 2 – 4 on predicting series so far this year. Just goes to show you how good and evenly matched the baseball has been.
This time, I’m going to have to go with the Phillies. While I think the Rays might be the slightly better team, I see Hamels taking game one in Tampa Bay. That means (assuming Myers loses, which isn’t an easy assumption) that the series goes back to Philly tied up at 1 – 1, and I just have to believe the championship-deprived-crazed-madman atmosphere is going to be so completely nuts there that the Phillies will find a way to grab 2 out of 3. That would give them two chances to put it away; but putting away the Rays isn’t going to be easy. Wait, who am I taking again?
PREDICTION: Phillies in 6
