1. Latent stupidosity (a common medical condition)
2. Early onset Alzheimer's
3. Bribery and extortion
4. See #1.

I don't care if the Angels have regained the lead, that still was a bonehead move.

Are they trying to give the game to the Yankees?

The Angels, that is.

So did they mistakenly win?

The Angels, that is.

With ALCS game 6 delayed a day, should the Yankees pitch Sabathia on full rest tonight? While Pettite has the post-season track record, Sabathia gives them this post-season's best chance of winning and it's the same day as his possible game 7 start. It's impossible to be looking ahead to set him up for a WS Game 1 start when they haven't yet sealed the deal.

Well, we've got ourselves a World Series:

They're back: Yankees reach World Series

Best,

Geoff

OK, here it is, the series I'd hoped for. I won't be sure who I am rooting for until first pitch probably, but I will make a prediction: Yankees in 6.

I am scared to even touch this one with a prediction. I could see this being a contest in which the Yankees ultimately muscle out the win, and I could just as easily see this as being a nasty sweep ala the Rockies in 07.

I think the Yankees will likely win, but the Phillies could easily win also. Both teams are pretty evenly matched all around. The only real question mark I see is in the closer spot for the Phillies. Lidge has been up and down all season, although he's been solid so far in the postseason. The Yankees of course have Rivera, who has been lights-out in the postseason his whole career, and it could very well come down to the team that can finish off those late innings.

Eh... east coast vs. more east coast -

Exactly. You would have preferred Coors vs. Disney, I'm sure.

Agree on all counts, but the wild card is this: the Phillies are tough, tough-minded, tough at bats, fearless, prone to heroics. On paper, the Yanks prevail because of the pen, and, IMO, top 3 starting pitching too (the NL reinvented Cliff Lee as ace--he hadn't been faring so well in DH-land) but the Phils do have "that thing," the "thing" that the Sox were the last team to have, and the Yanks before them.

Bump for tonight. I'm excited for this pitching duel.

I'm going to make a bold prediction - if the Phillies win tonight, they'll win the series. I think they're very hard to beat at home, and I think of they can take down the Yankees at home with Sabathia on the mound, there's no way the Yankees can beat them. The Yankees have to win tonight.

Go Phillies!!!

dB

I think the Yanks are the better team and will probably win. I'll say in 6, but 5 or 7 wouldn't surprise me.

For me, starting pitching is the key--Happ, Pedro, Hamnels, Blanton--two of these four are going to need to suprise us for the Phils to have a chance. Hamels in particular, of course.

I think the other issue that isn't getting much play: Utley. He must be hurt! Hs numbers aren't bad, but the power production just isn't there. He's the second most feared hitter in that lineup and if he doesn't produce to expectations, that's a big break for the Yanks.

And again, I don't know who I'll be rooting for. Game time decision.

Happ is in the bullpen. You missed Lee as a starter, who has numbers as good as CC in the post season. I agree- Hamels is key, if he can come out strong, it'll be an interesting series. If he's inconsistent, then it might hurt them. But the Phils have some decent guys in the bullpen with Happ, Myers, Park and Durbin to eat up innings if one of the starters gets in trouble.

hitting wise, I think the Phils have the edge.

I didn't miss Lee; I excepted him from questions regarding effectiveness!

Both lineups are going to test the starters, i.e., niether team has played an offense remotely like their current opponent. I just think the Yankees have more pitching, top to bottom, and that will swing the series.

Mark Grace picked the Yankees to win in six. As a fellow Grace, how can I disagree?

It's stopped raining in NYC. Almost time for Game 1!

Best,

Geoff

And if he exceeds expectations?

Best,

Geoff

That depends...do you want to be right?

dB

Gentlemen, I give you Cliff Lee...

That's one...

dB

Well, we'll certainly have a chance to see if your bold prediction comes true now that Philly leads the series 1-0.

Congrats, Dave and Phillies fans!

Best,

Geoff

dB

...3,

dB

Cliff f*%king Lee!

Cliff Lee aside, Sabathia pitched a pretty solid game. The Yanks couldn't have asked for a much better start from him. He made a couple mistakes to Utley, which obviously cost him, but having allowed just those 2 runs, he still put his team in a great position to win. With the lineup the Yankees have, a two-run start is probably almost always good for a win. Lee was just plain better.

What may end up being the Yankees' Achilles heel is that unpredictable gap between their starters and Rivera. They don't seem to have a go-to middle man right now.

Anyway, definitely rooting for the Phils in this one. Lets hope Pedro brings the pain tomorrow so we can bring it back to Philly with a 2-0 lead.

The Phils did exactly what they had to against CC- make him throw a lot of pitches early and get to the bullpen, where they were able to put the game out of reach. Tonights pitching matchup seems to favor the Phils, hopefully they can get to Burnette early and Pedro brings his good stuff. He pitched a masterful game against LA even though the Phils lost that one 2-1. Coming home to Philly up 2-0 will be huge, but even earning a split pretty much negates the home field advantage for the Yanks.

Speaking of home field, what kind of fans bail out on their team and leave early in the freaking world series just because their team is down in the game? That'd NEVER happen in Philly!

It's funny--Yankee fans saw this coming a mile away: their season and hopes falling of the shoulders of the flaky, erratic A.J. Burnett.

The Yanks' pen is in a bit of turmoil now, mostly because Phil Hughes had been a ROCK since moving to the pen. Girardi is not sure how to deal with his sudden instability.

But anyway, yeah, last night was all about just bending over and kissing the shoes of Cliff Lee.

Of Utley's two HRs, the first was a patented Yankee Stadium shot--a simple out most anywhere else. The second was a studly HR and makes you think Chase's hip may have healed up a bit during the layoff.

And come to think of it, the failure of the Yankee pen might have have been a big factor in why Charlie kept Lee in the game and certainly why he let him ride out the rocky ninth. We know what Charlie thinks of HIS pen...