The 2009 World Series: Phillies vs Yankees (A Sports Thread LIVE Special For 10/28/09)

The Philadelphia Phillies look to become the first National League team since the Cincinnati Reds 33 years ago to repeat as MLB World Series Champions, as they take on a New York Yankees side looking for a 27th championship in their glorious franchise history.

Both teams have obviously proven themselves to no question be the best two teams to reach the ultimate stage of professional baseball this year. There was no "timely peak at the right time" or "ride an ace pitcher on his shoulders" for neither side, as their play all season placed them in position to excel at the highest level in their league's playoffs.

Since June, the Yankees were by far the best team in the American league, as there bullpen was solidified with Phil Hughes emerging as the set up man already with lefty Phil Coke to cover the immaculate Mariano Rivera. It also helped that Mark Teixiera showed what a great off season acquisition he was as well as Alex Rodriguez getting over his hip surgery, and the unquestionable great chemistry of this team this year as evidence by the walk-off pie celebrations after dramatic comeback wins.

The Yankees consolidated their 100 + regular season with a sound sweep against a courageous Twins side in the division round before overcoming their boogeymen, the Los Angeles Angels, to win their 40th pennant in team history.

For the Phillies, despite being the defending World champions with a lot of star players, they were overshadowed throughout the course of the National League season by the great start the Dodgers had to their season and the second half power that the St. Louis Cardinals showed. Also hurting the Phillies perception of them repeating this year was the struggles of their bullpen, in particular, Brad Lidge.

But all of those feelings of doubt from outsiders on them changed the postseason started. Cliff Lee played an obviously key part in that, being dominant in all of his three starts in the NL postseason. And that explosive offense that can run, hit for power and do everything forced its will on the NL West stalwarts Colorado and the Dodgers, and showed to everyone why they are still the premiere side in the Senior Circuit.

Prediction: Believe it or not, but the next sentence I say as a non-partisan Yankee fan. It just has that feeling this year that it is meant to be for this team from the Bronx borough of New York City. The chemistry they have shown all year to overcome a slow start (where they lost all those games to the Red Sox this year in the beginning) and the pressure of this franchise for not winning a World Series title in 9 years has been something to see.

That does not mean that the World Champions have equal chemistry, because they surly do. But with the way Cole Hamels has pitched this postseason, and with how their bullpen is still very shaky at the end (outside of Ryan Madsen, who also hasn't looked formidable himself this postseason), I just think that no matter what Jimmy Rollins predicts, it will go the opposite way.

Yankees in 5

LIVE coverage, as the Phillies have loaded it up here:
Watch live video from ZERO 11 on Justin.tv