Phillies in 5. Trust me.
Well, the TB Rays have proven that they can beat a team with an obviously injured DH, an obviously injured #1 starter and without their #5 hitter and starting 3B. Barely.
Even though it would have taken a minor miracle for us to win this series, I've been watching anyway. You never know with this team. But the injuries proved to be too much.
The Rays will be a team to beat in 2-3 years, presuming they don't lose their talent to free agency. But this year, they have been a fortunate team. Fortunate to play the White Sox instead of the Twins in the first round. Fortunate to win game 2 of this series. However, their good fortune is not going to carry them past the Phillies. That team has the ace (Hamels) that we lacked, which will guarantee the Phils two wins in his two starts. They have the healthy power hitters (Howard and Utley) that we lacked, which will punish the Rays for their pitching and fielding mistakes. They have the strong leadoff hitter (Rollins) that we lacked, which will put the Rays' pitchers in the stretch early in the game. Heck, they even have the bat off the bench (Stairs) that we lacked.
The Rays will get one game, because they have a deeper starting rotation. But only one. The Phillies will win their second World Series in their 125 year history, in 5 games. You heard it here first.
Even though it would have taken a minor miracle for us to win this series, I've been watching anyway. You never know with this team. But the injuries proved to be too much.
The Rays will be a team to beat in 2-3 years, presuming they don't lose their talent to free agency. But this year, they have been a fortunate team. Fortunate to play the White Sox instead of the Twins in the first round. Fortunate to win game 2 of this series. However, their good fortune is not going to carry them past the Phillies. That team has the ace (Hamels) that we lacked, which will guarantee the Phils two wins in his two starts. They have the healthy power hitters (Howard and Utley) that we lacked, which will punish the Rays for their pitching and fielding mistakes. They have the strong leadoff hitter (Rollins) that we lacked, which will put the Rays' pitchers in the stretch early in the game. Heck, they even have the bat off the bench (Stairs) that we lacked.
The Rays will get one game, because they have a deeper starting rotation. But only one. The Phillies will win their second World Series in their 125 year history, in 5 games. You heard it here first.