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I always look forward to October for one reason — the World Series. But the last few years have delivered terrible, uninteresting games.
I’m confident the 2009 World Series is going to be different. It’s going to be the best World Series in at least the last five years.
That’s not saying much since no World Series has lasted more than five games since the Florida Marlins beat the New York Yankees in 2003.
This year is going to be different because there are a lot of interesting things going on behind the scenes.
This World Series also has a slew of good storylines to pump up the drama. Fans get to watch a showdown between “the evil empire,” the Yankees, and the defending champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. This is also a competition between the best home run team in the American League, the Yankees, and the best home run team in the National League, the Phillies. Plus, there are former teammates Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia who are now on competing teams, which always amps up the competition.
My favorite side story, however, is that of Pedro Martinez.
Yankees fans may remember Martinez from the postseason but not just for the Boston Red Sox’ comeback in the 2004 American League Championship Series. He has an even more dramatic past.
On Oct. 11, 2003, Pedro Martinez grabbed 72-year-old Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer by the head and threw him to the ground. This happens to be my favorite assault on a coach beside Tommy Lasorda getting knocked off his feet by Vladimir Guerrero’s broken bat during the 2001 All-Star game.
It all started when Zimmer charged the mound after Martinez hit two Yankee hitters in Game No. 3 of the Yankees and Red Sox ALCS in 2003. The end result was Martinez totally owning Don Zimmer. Priceless.
Ironically that was the last year the Yankees reached the World Series, until now. The Martinez of today has definitely changed since the Zimmer incident. His play and speed are not the same, but he has definitely shown us he can still pitch.
There are a lot of great hitters in this World Series but no one is going to be watched and criticized as much as Alex Rodriguez.
Once a postseason goat, A-Rod has become the leading postseason figure of the “evil empire.” Oh, the things steroid admission can do for your career.
But this Yankee team isn’t going to win the World Series, A-Rod isn’t going to get his ring and the Steinbrenner family is going to have another headache because, in their minds, hell will freeze over before the Yankees lost a World Series.
It doesn’t matter how much the Steinbrenner family believes in their team, though, because the Phillies played well during the regular season and they play even better during the postseason. I’m predicting the Phillies take down the Yankees in seven games.
One key to the Phillies’ success is going to be how Sabathia pitches against them. Sabathia faced Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs last year and gave up five runs in just 3.2 innings. That also includes six hits, four walks and four stolen bases.
Even though he’s turned his postseason woes around this year, if the Phillies get to Sabathia they get to the Yankees.
The teams’ starting pitching is key to this series because both bullpens are shaky in certain areas. That means starting pitchers are going to have to go deep into the game and keep the offenses in check.
Brad Lidge has looked good but can he keep it up against the Yankees’ offense at the loud Yankee Stadium? Can Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes hold down their set-up roles after looking vulnerable lately?
Good offenses get you to the playoffs but pitching wins World Series. How well the bullpens pitch and how deep the starting pitchers go into the games is going to dictate the outcome of this series.
This is going to be a great World Series so, even if you’re not a Yankees or Phillies fan, just enjoy some good baseball and the first good World Series in a long time.
Besides, it’s always fun to root against the Yankees.
Phillies in seven.
Tony Faccenda can be reached at
tfaccenda@theorion.com
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