Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.Looking Forward ...
The rain made it feel like eons between Game 5 and 6 in the American League Championship Series, but in terms of setting up the World Series it worked out pretty well.
We'll have to wait another two days for the start of the Fall Classic, but had the ALCS gone seven games we would have had to anyway. Because the Yankees weren't forced to use CC Sabathia for a third time in the series, we get a dream matchup to open the World Series (and potentially twice more).
Sabathia and Cliff Lee will meet in Game 1. Both have Cleveland roots and an AL Cy Young Award in the trophy case. And both are having terrific Octobers. Lee, believe it or not, might have been better than his former teammate in getting Philadelphia to the World Series, allowing just two earned runs in three starts.
Go ahead, complain about the drawn-out schedule. Just don't complain about this doozy.
| In Their Own Words |
|---|
| "I couldn't be more excited. I feel like a 10-year-old kid." -- Alex Rodriguez on finally reaching the World Series. |
| By the Numbers |
The one (and only) year in which the Yankees and Phillies met in the World Series prior to 2009. Philly won only two pennants before 1980, and New York swept them in the '50 Classic. |
| More From FanHouse |
| Price: Like Old Times in Bronx Mariotti: Yanks Earn Pinstripes Olson: Haunting Halo Blunders |
The Angels had plenty of reasons to feel somber after the Yankees ousted them in six games, their uncharacteristically poor fundamental play chief among them.
Lower on the list, but still looming, is the imminent breakup of this bunch that has won the AL West three years running.
Leadoff man Chone Figgins, staff ace John Lackey, cleanup hitter Vladimir Guerrero and right fielder Bobby Abreu are all free agents, with only Abreu (and potentially Figgins) looking likely to return. Pitchers Darren Oliver and Kelvim Escobar will also hit the open market.
The West turned out to be one of the most competitive divisions in baseball this year, with all three teams that finished behind the Angels making significant strides. We won't say the window is closing on the Halos, not with what they've done this decade and the money owner Arte Moreno is willing to spend, but if they lose three of those four players, it's hard to see them not taking a step back.
Scout's Eye View ...
When an offense is struggling, particularly a power-hitting one like the Yankees', the problems can frequently be traced back to a pull-happy approach. Despite some early hits against Joe Saunders, New York struggled with runners in scoring position during the first trip through their batting order. Saunders has proved he can induce the back-breaking groundball by staying on the outside part of the plate with his sinking fastball, and much of the reason he has given the Yankees problems in his career is his ability to force their hitters to roll over that pitch. In the fourth inning, Johnny Damon finally made the adjustment.
After rolling over a 90-mph fastball from Saunders and pulling it foul, Damon took the next pitch to left-center field for a big two-run single. It was this adjustment, being able to stay back on a crafty pitcher like Saunders, that finally turned their luck around against him.
Speaking of adjustments, it was clear that the Yankees changed the way they went after the red-hot Jeff Mathis. Much of the damage the Angels catcher did in this series came on the breaking ball. That included his double in the third inning on a 75-mph Andy Pettitte curveball. Hitters who hover around .200 and show limited power as Mathis has in his career are not typically players that punish the fastball. It may have been a late adjustment, but he did not see anything off-speed in his next at-bat.-- Frankie Piliere
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-26-2009 @ 12:30PM
Ralph Garcia said...
Cliff Lee may pitch on the outside corner but Jeter and A-Rod have really good power to the opposite field to right. The ball will carry well for them. The only one really scary for the Phillies is Ryan Howard. However he's very undisciplined as he hit .207 versus lefties. 3B Pedro Feliz hit .208 vs. lefties. Sabathia should be able to easily handle them. A lot of Yankees have learned the cut fastball from Mariano Rivera. Phillies pitching is not as good as it was last year as Moyer is out. GO YANKEES!!!!
Reply
10-26-2009 @ 2:11PM
Stephanie said...
please the phils r way better than the yanks cliff lee will shut them down GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!
10-26-2009 @ 3:04PM
taguacipa said...
I looked at the pic of the Cr-Yankees celebrating but only one Cr-Yankee stands out its Jabba(the hut)Chamberlain drinking. I hope he doesn't rive again. Jeter and GAY-Rod broke up because they couldn't figure out who was the top man.
10-26-2009 @ 2:15PM
jstauff said...
My Yankees have heart, talent and courage. I still see the little league look on the faces of the players when they do well and when the other team does better. Either World Series team has what it takes to win the series. I shall root for the Yanks and leave the pontificating to the would be experts.
Reply
10-26-2009 @ 2:46PM
plaris96 said...
GO PHILLIES!!!
Reply
10-26-2009 @ 4:06PM
elpgolfer said...
congrats to both teams....i cant stand either but i hope the yankess kick the phillies butts....go yanks
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 12:04AM
Dale said...
Ok...you are a loser///goodbye!!!
10-27-2009 @ 1:08AM
Frank and Angela said...
HA HA. Somebody else knows you.
GO PHILLIES!
10-27-2009 @ 12:09AM
Dale said...
Ya right...keep drinking that koolaid...guess you didn't watch what the Phillies did to your cc last year....your team needs to win,,,,after all they did try to buy it AGAIN this year right?? Go ahead and pitch around Howard and watch Werth kill your team!!! Look forward to a great series between two great teams!!
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 1:24AM
ashleyz8604 said...
The Yankees should not be allowed to BUY a championship.
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 6:30AM
ca2474 said...
philles are a great great team, that said i do belive the yanks got the pitching to get it done, 50/50 shot for both teams , its a hard call on this one.......
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 6:33AM
ca2474 said...
honestly , sick of hereing how the yanks buy rings. they play by the same rules everyone else does.... if you think there payroll is high watch the phillies gm try to keep there team from not falling apart.....think howerd utly and the rest arent gonna want the sky if they win another? remember jeter alone makes 30 million. arod 30 milliion , posada 15 andy 15 , mo 15..... right there is prolly what almost 100 million? guys with 4 rings want to be paid trust me........blame the players p not the yanks.....
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 6:50AM
elpgolfer said...
They buy their championships?....ha ha ha ha. Tell me, when was the last "championship" that the Yankees bought? What an idiotic statement.....GO YANKS
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 9:54AM
psu74dl said...
Lee is 1-1 against the Yankees this season. He is hittable and the Yanks are playing at a much higher level now then they were when they met in the first half of the season. It will be a good game but the Yankees are taking the first 2 at home then they will win it all in game 5 and will celebrate in the Citizens Bank little league park you have in Philadelphia. #27 is around the corner
Reply
11-12-2009 @ 3:53PM
leolovesfreddy said...
LOLOLOLOL-- FIRST IS THE YANKEE PAYROLL.. THEN THE YANKEES NEW BALL PARK,,, TWIN IN 5? ANGELS IN 6? PHILLIES IN 5 OR 6 IF THEY WANNA BE NICE,,LOLOLOL.. THE NEW YANKEE STADIUM IS SAID TO BE A HITTERS BALLPARK? THAT MEANS ANY GOD PLAYER CAN HIT THERE.. IF THE YANKS CAN THEN ANY TEAM CAN... (ASHLEY8604) YOU COULDNT WRITE SOMTHING A LITTLE MORE BETTER THAN THAT? LOLOLOL VERY STUPID COMMENT..YOU PUT ALOT OF THOUGHT INTO THAT HUH? LOLOLOL. IF THE YANKS BUYING THE WS WHERE TRUE THEN WE SHOULD HAVE 37 INSTEAD OF 27 WS RINGS.. DONT YOU THINK? SOME OF YOU FANS ARE REDICULOUS.. THESE COMMENTS JUST SHOW THE SORE LOSER MENTALITY THAT YOU SUFFER FROM.. ANGELS BEAT THE YANKS IN THE REGULAR SEASON AND ANGELS FANS THOUGHT THAT WOULD DICTATE THE WS..SUPPRISE SUPPRISE... THE PHILLIES TEAM PAYERS ESPECIALLY ROLLINS STATED THE PHILLIES WERE FAR SUPIRIOR THAN THE YANKS? I DIDNT SEE THIS.. ROLLINS BATTING 213 MAKING COMMENTS ON WHO WILL WIN.. THE PHILLIES TOP HITTER STRIKING OUT 13 TIMES AMD MAKING PLAYOFF HISTORY.. DONT BLAME THE PLAYS ON THE FIELD.. JUST BLAME THE YANKEES PAYROLL???LOLOLOLOLOL IF MONEY WAS THE KEYS TO WINNING THE WS THEN THE YANKS SHOULD HAVE LIKE 80 WS TITTLES...
Reply