Try as one might, it is impossible to look past the two starting rotations when trying to decided who is going to take the Fall Classic between Philadelphia and Tampa. Everything else takes a back seat to the two groups of four pitchers who stand between their opponents and that big, gaudy, unusual World Series trophy that Major League baseball will be bestowing on someone in the next week or so.
Take a look at the four starting matchups, games one through four.
Wednesday
Game one
PHI: Hamels
TAM: Kazmir
Thursday
Game two
PHI: Myers
TAM: Shields
Saturday
Game three
TAM: Garza
PHI: Moyer
Sunday
Game four
TAM: Sonnanstine
PHI: Blanton
By the time Monday morning rolls around, and you know it galls me to say this, but the Tampa Bay Rays are either going to be World Series Champions or 3-1 up. This series is not even going to be close. How can one be so confident? The starting pitcher is the quarterback of a baseball team. His performance carries an unbalanced weight towards the result of the game. In the above four games, you could argue that Philadelphia really only have a chance in terms of starting pitching in one of the four, and that's in Tampa! Even if the excellent, young Cole Hamels finds a way to mute the Tampa retirement community crowd, the next three Tampa starters are wildly superior to their Philadelphia counterparts.
Cole, you are the Phillies only hope!
Folks, this isn't even going to be close. What odds 4-0 or 4-1 Tampa?
.
Take a look at the four starting matchups, games one through four.
Wednesday
Game one
PHI: Hamels
TAM: Kazmir
Thursday
Game two
PHI: Myers
TAM: Shields
Saturday
Game three
TAM: Garza
PHI: Moyer
Sunday
Game four
TAM: Sonnanstine
PHI: Blanton
By the time Monday morning rolls around, and you know it galls me to say this, but the Tampa Bay Rays are either going to be World Series Champions or 3-1 up. This series is not even going to be close. How can one be so confident? The starting pitcher is the quarterback of a baseball team. His performance carries an unbalanced weight towards the result of the game. In the above four games, you could argue that Philadelphia really only have a chance in terms of starting pitching in one of the four, and that's in Tampa! Even if the excellent, young Cole Hamels finds a way to mute the Tampa retirement community crowd, the next three Tampa starters are wildly superior to their Philadelphia counterparts.
Cole, you are the Phillies only hope!Folks, this isn't even going to be close. What odds 4-0 or 4-1 Tampa?
.
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