BY SCOTT CARSON
SPORTSNET.CA columnist and Blue Jays broadcast third-man-in-the-booth Scott Carson breaks down the World Series match ups and provides a non-binding prediction of which team will be crowned baseball's best for 2009.
The defending champion Phillies will have had a full week off after they disposed of the Dodgers in a neat and tidy five games in the NLCS. It took the Yankees six games to vanquish the Angels in a series also stretched out by weather.
On paper, these two teams match up quite well in all aspects of the game and this has the earmarks of a high-scoring affair played in two of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the Majors. And with the cities just two hours apart by car, both teams will have huge support from their fans in both ballparks.
With the Series scheduled to stretch into November thanks to TV, weather will undoubtedly come into play at some point.
PROJECTED STARTING ROTATIONS
| YANKEES | PHILLIES |
| Game 1: CC Sabathia | Game 1: Cliff Lee |
| Game 2: A.J. Burnett | Game 2: Pedro Martinez |
| Game 3: Andy Pettitte | Game 3: Cole Hamels |
| Game 4: CC Sabathia (not confirmed) | Game 4: Joe Blanton (not confirmed) |
Both have been outstanding to this point in the post-season. After that, some big question marks. Hamels has been a mere shell of his former self, especially when compared to his World Series MVP performance of a year ago. Burnett continues to be frustratingly inconsistent from start-to-start. Martinez, now getting by on guile, is no longer the fireballer that has faced the Yankees many times during his career. Among active pitchers, no one has a longer post-season resume than Pettitte. Blanton won two of his three starts during the Phillies' World Series run of 2008 so he is not overwhelmed by the playoff pressure.
The Yankees will continue to go with a three-man rotation meaning that ace Sabathia will make three starts if the Series goes seven.
ADVANTAGE: Yankees.
BULLPENS
| YANKEES | PHILLIES |
| RHP Mariano Rivera | RHP Brad Lidge |
| RHP Phil Hughes | LHP J.A. Happ |
| RHP Joba Chamberlain, | RHP Ryan Madson |
| LHP Phil Coke | LHP Scott Eyre |
| LHP Damaso Marte | RHP Chad Durbin |
| RHP Alfredo Aceves | RHP Chan Ho Park |
| RHP David Robertson | RHP Brett Myers |
| RHP Chad Gaudin |
The Phillies mix and match to get to him to end the game. The rest of their 'pen is solid, just not spectacular. Lefty Happ, the likely N.L. Rookie of the Year, started games most of the season and is learning on the job as a playoff reliever. Park has turned into a dependable once-through-the-order long man and could see a lot of work in this series. Former Blue Jay Eyre is a solid situational lefty.
For the Yankees, it's always a case of making many pitching changes, no matter how the game goes, to get the ball to Rivera, the greatest playoff closer in the history of the game. Hughes has flourished as the primary set-up man and Chamberlain is back in the post-season bullpen after being inconsistent in the regular season rotation. Coke and Marte make a lot of one-batter appearances. Aceves and Robertson have been solid providing the bridge between the starters and Rivera.
ADVANTAGE: Yankees
CATCHER
Phillies: Carlos Ruiz Yankees: Jorge Posada
Ruiz has been picking up some key clutch hits throughout these playoffs and is an underrated pitch caller. Posada is a veteran who still picks up big hits, but is brutally slow going about his business and the Phillies could run wild on his below-average arm.
ADVANTAGE: Phillies
FIRST BASE
Phillies: Ryan Howard Yankees: Mark Teixeira
In just four-plus seasons, Howard has turned into one of the game's marquee sluggers, having averaged 49 home runs and 143 RBI since arriving. He leads the Phillies with 14 RBI in this post-season. Hitting in front of A-Rod, Teixeira was the Yankees top run producer this season and is a perennial Gold Glover.
ADVANTAGE: Yankees
SECOND BASE
Phillies: Chase Utley Yankees: Robinson Cano
Over the past five seasons, Utley has driven in over 100 more runs than any other Major League second basemen, but his defence, especially in this post-season has been average. In what could be an offensive series, his bat will be more important. Cano is the American League's top all-round offensive second baseman and he is slick in the field. He provides a lot of production from the bottom of the lineup.
ADVANTAGE: Phillies
THIRD BASE
Phillies: Pedro Feliz Yankees: Alex Rodriguez
Feliz is a steady defender who will chip in the odd home run. But he's not even on the same planet as A-Rod who, after years of playoff failures in pinstripes, finally gets to play in the World Series. His .438 AVG with five home runs and 12 RBI are the main reason that the Yankees had a relatively easy run to their 40th American League pennant. But how will he handle the pressures of the Fall Classic?
ADVANTAGE: Yankees
SHORTSTOP
Phillies: Jimmy Rollins Yankees: Derek Jeter
When he's right, Rollins is one of the top multi-dimensional offensive threats in the game. But he's suffered through an uneven season and his speed may be his best asset in this series. Jeter put together one of the best seasons of his Hall-of-Fame career and while his defence has slipped closer to average, he is still the man that sets the table atop the Yankees high octane lineup.
ADVANTAGE: Yankees
LEFT FIELD
Phillies: Raul Ibanez Yankees: Johnny Damon
After years of relative anonymity with the Mariners, Ibanez switched leagues and continued to be one of the game's top clutch hitters. Damon is starting to show his age, but he is still capable of going yard at key moments in big games and can steal the odd base. His defence is starting to become a liability.
ADVANTAGE:Phillies
CENTRE FIELD
Phillies: Shane Victorino Yankees: Brett Gardner
Victorino was a key cog in the Phillies run to the '08 championship. His infectious smile and all-out style continues to find its way into the middle of many rallies. Gardner, when he's involved, can be that type of player as well, a lefty version of Reed Johnson. He brings plus-speed to the bottom of the Yankee lineup.
ADVANTAGE: Phillies
RIGHT FIELD
Phillies: Jayson Werth Yankees: Nick Swisher
Discarded by both the Blue Jays and the Dodgers, Werth got a free ride to Philly in '07 and is now their No. 2 power source and run producer. Is an average defender with a strong, accurate arm. Swisher, the Yankees slightly left-of-centre fun guy, has not hit well over his 19 career post-season games and might want to start putting performance over perception. Hit just eight of his 29 home runs this season at Yankee Stadium.
ADVANTAGE: Phillies
DESIGNATED HITTER
Phillies: Matt Stairs Yankees: Hideki Matsui
Veteran New Brunswick slugger Stairs still has one of the classic upper cut home run swings in the game and has a good shot at hitting one out in either park. Plus this Series can use some CanCon. Matsui, although slowed down by age and injury, still clutches from time to time and shouldn't be looked past with men on. Both are classic no-speed DH's.
ADVANTAGE: Yankees
STATSMAN'S PREDICTION: Yankees in six. The Yankees home dominance (62-24 in new Yankee Stadium) is a big advantage. They absolutely pound the ball at home. For the Phillies to have any shot they just win Game 1 or this could get away from them very quickly. It's all out there for A-Rod get. Is he up to it?.
