This Should Be the Second World Series Championship for the Philadephia Phillies

While the Tampa Bay Rays took the 2007 World Series Champions The Boston Red Sox 4 games to 3, The Rays are going to find the Philadelphia Phillies a different kettle of fish.

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Brewers 3 games to 1. Philadelphia beat the Dodgers 4 games to 1. Going through the NLCS series is a bit different than playing the Tampa Bay Rays.

Both teams are more equal in hitting than many people think. I believe that this could be a seven game series and which ever manager can outsmart the other will be the winner.

First let's look at the statistics. Philadelphia had 214 HR, the Tampa Bay Rays had 180 HR. Tampa Bay had 142 SB and Philadelphia had 136 SBs. Philadelphia had a .332 OBP while Tampa Bay had a .340 OBP.

Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins were ineffective in the first game. Chase Utley and Shane Victorino were the best hitters and base runners that Philadelphia had in the first game. Probably the best player that Tampa Bay had was Akinori Iwamura who went 3 for 4 and had 1 RBI. Carl Crawford hit a home run in the 4th inning.

Pitching seems to be slightly in Tampa Bay's favor. Tampa Bay had 1143 Ks, and Philadelphia had 1084 Ks. The Phillies had a 3.88 ERA while the Rays had a 3.82 ERA.

Cole Hamels is the best pitcher that the Phillies have, and it was crucial that he won the first game, which he did. But after that the Phillies starting pitching is pretty average. Relief pitching is definitely in the Phillies favor. If the starting pitching can get to the later innings, the Phillies relief staff will shut the Rays down, especially with Lidge in the 9th inning.

What is interesting about these two teams is that more than half of either team was drafted by Tampa Bay or Philadelphia, and that they came up through respective team's organization. Maybe the teams that like to "Buy a Ring", should take notice, ie Yankees, Dodgers, etc.

I think that the series will go seven games, with Philadelphia winning in the seventh game. The Phillies are a little older, and a little wiser. It should be an exciting world series, especially given the 2007 World Series.