BigEd76 wrote:Joe Kerrigan and Seth Everett were on CSN just now and both said they're highly concerned with the week-long layoff but the only reason why Tampa Bay is favored in Vegas is because they have home field advantage.

....and from the Eagles locker room today:

-- Lito says Phils in 5
-- J.R. Reed wore a BJ Upton jersey since he's from Tampa

jr reed can't climb a fence.

lol pwnt

We're playing in the World Series tomorrow.

Almost a week later, and I am still not computing this.

jerseyhoya wrote:We're playing in the World Series tomorrow.

explain plz

VFB wrote:

jerseyhoya wrote:We're playing in the World Series tomorrow.

explain plz

zOMG World Serious will be a Phillies

Why no world serious t-shirt with face of utley half in shadow? WHY?

Houshphandzadeh wrote:

VFB wrote:

jerseyhoya wrote:We're playing in the World Series tomorrow.

explain plz

zOMG World Serious will be a Phillies

This is going to be a real challenge for the Phils. Tampa's starting pitchers are really good. And, although their bullpen can be erratic, they've got 3 LHP's who could give Utley and Howard fits. The Phils' starting pitchers have been iffy. Hamels has been great and Blanton's been very good. But Myers has been inconsistent and Moyer has been bad. They'll need to deliver decent starts and J-Roll, Utley and Howard -- esp. Howard -- need to show up. It's certainly doable, but the Rays will be tough. I can see the Series going in pretty much any direction, from a sweep by either side to 7 great games. I suspect we'll learn a lot in the first game.

Anyone think the forecast for fairly cold weather in Philadelphia this weekend could be an edge for the Phillies, or will that split both ways since it's not as if the Phillies have played much in that kind of weather lately.

If it's about 48 and drizzly at game time on Saturday, I'll bet Fox tries to build it up as a big edge for the Phillies.

BuddyGroom wrote:Anyone think the forecast for fairly cold weather in Philadelphia this weekend could be an edge for the Phillies, or will that split both ways since it's not as if the Phillies have played much in that kind of weather lately.

If it's about 48 and drizzly at game time on Saturday, I'll bet Fox tries to build it up as a big edge for the Phillies.

Maybe they'll just rerun the 2003 NFC title game pregame show, voicing over "baseball" for "football."

dajafi wrote:

BuddyGroom wrote:Anyone think the forecast for fairly cold weather in Philadelphia this weekend could be an edge for the Phillies, or will that split both ways since it's not as if the Phillies have played much in that kind of weather lately.

If it's about 48 and drizzly at game time on Saturday, I'll bet Fox tries to build it up as a big edge for the Phillies.

Maybe they'll just rerun the 2003 NFC title game pregame show, voicing over "baseball" for "football."

I was thinking about how the Bucs ended their below 40 degrees thing in the last football game at the Vet. Even though it has absolutely no bearing on the World Series, I think the Eagles/Bucs and Flyers/Lightning recent history was why I actually found myself thinking the Phillies might be better off playing the Red Sox. (Not that there's a lot of reasurrance in recent Philadelphia/Boston battles, either.)

Well, I've found the most likable Tampa Bay Ray who I will hate with a passion anyway two days from now.

JFLNYC wrote:This is going to be a real challenge for the Phils. Tampa's starting pitchers are really good. And, although their bullpen can be erratic, they've got 3 LHP's who could give Utley and Howard fits. The Phils' starting pitchers have been iffy. Hamels has been great and Blanton's been very good. But Myers has been inconsistent and Moyer has been bad. They'll need to deliver decent starts and J-Roll, Utley and Howard -- esp. Howard -- need to show up. It's certainly doable, but the Rays will be tough. I can see the Series going in pretty much any direction, from a sweep by either side to 7 great games. I suspect we'll learn a lot in the first game.

Yeah... this is just driving me crazy... the fear... the excitement... the fear... PLEASE OH PLEASE WIN.

The 2008 Rays remind me most of the 2003 Marlins, with much better hitting and only somewhat worse pitching. That's the problem I am having right now. I can feel my hatred rising... rising...

BigEd76 wrote:J.R. Reed wore a BJ Upton jersey since he's from Tampa

CUT HIM.

On another subject, I've been thinking about the whole first game DH thing, and I'm no longer very troubled by it. Playing Bruntlett (with Burrell as the DH), it's not something you'd want to do regularly. But it's only for 1 game in the Series. With Hamels pitching, if Bruntlett plays solid defense and gets a key hit or walk or SB or whatever, it'll be fine. And he strikes me as just the sort of guy who might do that for one game. OTOH, if Charlie decides to go with Coste as DH, the risk that Ruiz might get hurt and they'd lose the DH for the rest of the game doesn't strike me as much of a gamble either. If necessary, you just use PH's in the DH slot the rest of the game. Plus Hamels is no automatic out.

Hamels has to beat Kazmir twice. Given that, if Blanton can beat Sonnestine, I think the Phillies win.

Heh, Neyer thinks we're screwed. I love it!

momadance wrote:Heh, Neyer thinks we're screwed. I love it!

Why? Neyer was the only one to pick us to beat LA.