World Series 08 Predictions: Philadelphia Phillies Vs Tampa Bay Rays

You look at what the Phillies did pitching this year and you have to rub your eyes to make sure you're not sleeping. This is the first Phillies team I've seen with a team ERA of under 4.00 in um, well... I can't remember a team with an ERA that low, maybe 1993??

Cole Hamels stayed healthy all year and anchored the starting rotation with the maturity of a 30 year-old at the age of 24. Granted he did not meet his goal of 20-wins this season, but the Phillies are playing in the World Series- there's always next season to get 20 wins. Winning NLCS MVP isn't a bad consolation prize to say the least.

With Hamels at the helm followed by Myers, Moyer, and Blanton, the Philles have a solid contrast of lefties to righties and power pitchers to crafty ones to baffle opposing hitters for six or seven innings before turning the ball over to the teams sterling bullpen.

Brad Lidge has been perfect in save situations since donning a Phillies uniform in both the regular season as well as the playoffs. Pencil him in for the ninth and then support him with good pitchers like JC Romero, Scott Eyre, Rudy Seanez, Chad Durbin, and Ryan Madson and it's no wonder the Phillies are like 100-0 when leading after the eigtht inning. Ok, they're actually 87-0 if you include the playoffs, but at this point who's counting? They don't lose games in which they lead after the 8th, that's all we need to know.

Tamba Bay isn't a team of slouches either. The Phillies have seven players who have hit 10 or more home runs, so does Tampa Bay. Tampa also boasts five starters with 10 or more wins this season. And they have Troy Percival and Dan Wheeler in their bullpen.

With a lineup that consists of Akinori Iwamura, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, Eric Hinske, and BJ Upton- Tampa Bay has shown themselves to have just as good an offense as the Phillies.

The Phillies scored 799 runs during the regular season- Tampa Bay scored 774. That's not much of a differential.

The Rays allowed 671 runs, 618 of which were earned this season. The Phillies allowed 680 runs, 625 of which were earned. Not much of a differential there either.

So we look at both teams and see they both have good offenses, good starting pitching, and good bullpens. How are we to make a determination as to who's gonna win this thing?

Every game is going to be determined on solely who executes better in every facet of the game. Who wants it more?

If the Phillies hit and pitch to their potential they are unbeatable, but the same applies to the Rays.

Despite having a good bullpen Tampa Bay also has a more vulnerable one than the Phillies, though not by much. Their pen does not boast a closer who's been perfect all season, and it's not as deep as the Phillies.

The Phillies haven't played a competitive game in almost a week- so while they're rested they may also be rusty from the layoff. Tampa Bay clinched their berth in the fall classic this past Sunday, their layoff is only 3 days- they're rested but not overly so. They will come out ready to play tomorrow night and the Phillies have to do the same.

Both teams will be nervous, so it'll be interesting to see which team that effects more.

My prediction, if the Phillies and Cole Hamels go out and win game 1 tomorrow night they take the series in 6 games. If Tampa Bay wins game 1, then the series goes 7 and it's up in the air who takes the prize. Either way, it should be a very exciting and memorable fall classic- for Phillie fans, for Tampa Bay fans, and for all baseball fans.

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