I was thinking about the World Series and who is going to win and who will be important and what could happen here or there.¬† There are a lot of similarities and a lot of variables on both sides.The Phillies have a great ace that they rely heavily upon.¬† So do the Yankees.¬† After that, both teams have question marks in the starting rotation.¬† Will Pedro finally lay an egg?¬† Will Cole Hamels ever flash his post-season 2008 form?¬† Will A.J. Burnett skip his breaking ball four feet before the plate and have it shoot off past Molina (has to be him because Posada can’t catch Burnett) and allow runners on third to skip backwards to home plate?¬† Can Pettitte give you another solid outing?¬† What do you get out of Blanton or Happ?
In the bullpen, we know the Phillies issues.¬† Lidge has been good in the post-season, but he hasn’t really been thrown into a ninth-inning fire.¬† Madson has been spotty at best.¬† Mariano Rivera is one of the best pitchers – starter or otherwise – to ever play the game.¬† You really don’t want to find yourself in a hole against the Yankees in the ninth inning.¬† But what about the setup guys?¬† Not impressed by the Joba Chamberlain hype machine.¬† Phil Hughes was spectacular during the season, but lately?¬† Last night, the Yankees sent Mariano in for a six-out save.¬† You don’t do that if you trust the rest of your bullpen.
The lineups we know are nasty.  Both teams are filthy from top to bottom. 
But that brings me to CC Sabathia, the Yankees ace.¬† The Yanks have gone to a three-man rotation in the playoffs.¬† If CC dominates, it’s pretty much over.¬† Three starts, three wins.¬† The math is simple.¬† Sure, the Phillies are leaning quite a bit on Cliff Lee, but a little less so than the Yankees are on Sabathia.¬† If CC struggles, then this series could be over in five games…or less.¬†
This series is so tough to predict because both teams are so tough and evenly matched.  But, I have to believe that as CC goes, so goes the World Series. 
