Sports News
2008 World Series
The Tampa Bays Rays look to continue their unlikely 2008 season with a World Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies when the series starts on Wednesday. The Rays became the first team since the 1991 Atlanta Braves to reach the World Series a year after having the worst record in the game. They are also only the third team in history to make it the final after 10 or more consecutive losing seasons.
The Phillies are returning to the fall classic for the first time since they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the 1993 Series. Their only championship win was in 1980.
The two clubs have met 15 times in the regular season, with the Rays winning 10 of those games. With that in mind, we have broken down the match-ups at each position. The stats provided are this season's playoff numbers leading up to the World Series.
Catcher
Carlos Ruiz (.200 AVG - O HR - 1 RBI)
The 29-year old is known more for his defence and game calling ability than he is for his offence. During the regular season, Ruiz hit a paltry .219 with only four home runs. On the positive side, he did walk more times than he struck out.
Dioner Navarro (.268 AVG - 0 HR - 5 RBI)
The 24-year old was solid with the bat during the regular season, hitting .295, but as strong as he is with the bat, Navarro is better known for his defence, having thrown out over 38% of would-be base stealers during the regular season.
Edge: Rays
First Base
Ryan Howard (.258 AVG - 0 HR - 3 RBI)
The MVP Candidate struggled early in the regular season, but really picked it up when the Phillies needed him down the stretch, hitting .352 will 11 home runs in September. He only hit .251 on the season, but led the majors with 48 home runs.
Carlos Pena (.333 AVG - 3 HR - 8 RBI)
After his breakthrough season in 2007, Pena regressed a bit in 2008. His average fell to .247 and his home runs dropped from 46 to 31. Despite those declines, Pena is still a threat in the middle of the Rays lineup.
Edge: Phillies
Second Base
Chase Utley (.250 AVG - 1 HR - 5 RBI)
The 29-year old started the season red hot, but tailed off as the season wore on. Having said that, he finished the season with a .292 average and 33 home runs. He also plays exceptional defence and is a threat to steal bases once and a while.
Akinori Iwamura (.277 AVG - 1 HR - 4 RBI)
The 29-year old is an excellent fielder who brings experience to the Rays infield. He's not really a home run or stolen base threat and strikes out a ton, but he does score a lot of runs at the top of the Rays lineup.
Edge: Phillies
Shortstop
Jimmy Rollins (.243 AVG - 2 HR - 2 RBI)
Despite missing 25 regular season games, Rollins still set a career high with 47 stolen bases. While his power numbers dipped this season to only 11 home runs, Rollins is still a power/speed threat at the top of the batting order.
Jason Bartlett (.243 AVG - 1 HR - 1 RBI)
The 28-year old hits for a solid average and can steal a base, but his calling card is his defence. Manager Joe Maddon said during the season that Bartlett was one of the most valuable players on his squad.
Edge: Phillies
Third Base
Pedro Feliz (.192 AVG - 0 HR - 2 RBI)
After four straight seasons of hitting 20 home runs in San Francisco, Feliz didn't match those power numbers this season, but he did miss a total of 29 games. The 33-year old is feast or famine at the plate, but he does provide Gold Glove quality defence at third.
Evan Longoria (.262 AVG - 6 HR - 11 RBI)
It's not hard to find good things to say about the likely the AL Rookie of the Year. He hit 27 home runs in only 122 regular season games and has been on fire in the playoffs. He's also an outstanding defensive third baseman.
Edge: Rays
Left Field
Pat Burrell (.300 AVG - 3 HR - 7 RBI)
Pat 'The Bat' is earning his nickname this post-season, leading the Phillies in home runs. In the regular season, the free-agent to be only hit .250, but he once again clubbed 33 home runs. He's not good defensively and is often replaced late in games.
Carl Crawford (.302 AVG - 0 HR - 6 RBI)
The longest tenured Ray missed over 50 games with hand issues, and he's only now rounding his way into form. He leads all players in the playoff with six stolen bases and seems to be 100% healthy.
Edge: Rays
Centre Field
Shane Victorino (.281 - 2 HR - 11 RBI)
The 27-year old has been red-hot in the playoffs and is coming off career highs in batting average (.293), home runs (14) and on-base percentage (.352) during the regular season. He uses his speed very well on the bases as well as in the outfield.
B.J. Upton (.304 - 7 HR - 15 RBI)
After reaching the 20-20 plateau in 2007, there was a lot expected of Upton in 2008, but a shoulder injury seemed to sap him of his power, as shown by his nine regular season home runs. He looks healthy and focused in the playoffs, and his numbers are showing that.
Edge: Rays
Right Field
Jason Werth (.243 - 1 HR - 1 RBI)
Werth got a shot to be an everyday player this season, and he made the most of it, posting his first ever 20 - 20 season despite missing 28 games. While often overlooked in the Phillies offence, Werth has the ability to be a difference maker.
Gabe Gross (.063 - 0 HR - 0 RBI)
This spot could also go to Rocco Baldelli, but he's still recovering from mitochondrial myopathy, which leaves him fatigued. Despite his recent struggles, Gross did club 13 home runs during the regular season.
Edge: Phillies
Designated Hitter
Matt Stairs (.333 - 1 HR - 2 RBI)
The 40-year old Canadian makes his World Series debut as the likely DH for the Phillies. Stairs, who hit 13 home runs this season in Toronto and Philadelphia, is 1-for-3 this post-season, but his hit was a two run homer.
Willy Aybar (.367 - 2 HR - 7 RBI)
The versatile 25-year old played every infield position during the regular season, while hitting .253 with 10 home runs. The switch hitter has been on fire in the playoffs and has taken the DH job away from Cliff Floyd.
Edge: Rays
Starting Pitching
Cole Hamels has been the ace of the Phillies staff all season, and that trend has continued in the post-season where Hamels is 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA. After Hamels though, questions mount for the Phillies. After a terrible start to the season, Brett Myers looked to have things turned around, but he hasn't been great in the playoffs. Joe Blanton is a decent pitcher but not overpowering, while Jamie Moyer has been dreadful thus far in the playoffs, lasting less than six combined innings in his two starts.
Scott Kazmir will get the start for the Rays in Game 1, but it will be interesting to see if it's the Kazmir that pitched well in Game 5 of the ALCS, or the Kazmir that made two earlier and lesser starts. After Kazmir, the Rays will turn to their two trusted right-handers, James Shields and Matt Garza, both of whom have had great moments this post-season. Control pitcher Andy Sonnanstine will take the hill for Game 4. Of the four starters, Kazmir has the highest ERA with a mark of 4.02 in the post-season.
Edge: Rays
Bullpen:
With the struggles of the 2005 playoffs looking to be behind him, Phillies stopper Brad Lidge has been perfect in his save chances through the entire 2008 regular and post-seasons. Ryan Madson has been lights out in the playoffs and the duo has, in essence, cut the game down to a seven inning contest for their starters.
The Rays bullpen has had ups and downs during the post-season, but that could be an advantage. David Price closed out the Red Sox in Game 7, but Dan Wheeler held the role earlier in the post-season. The unit of Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell, Wheeler, Chad Bradford and Price could cause a lot of match-up problems for the Phillies.
Edge: Phillies
Prediction:
The series looks like it could be close, with the Phillies having a better infield and bullpen, while the Rays look to have a better outfield trio and superior starting pitching.
The Phillies have advanced thus far without much help from their best two hitters, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, while the Rays have been led by a pair of youngsters in B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria.
The series overall will be close, but a couple of games could easily turn into blowouts.
The Rays will complete their Cinderella season by winning the World Series in six games.
MLB
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