The Examiner didn’t let you down with our American League Championship Series pick: Tampa Bay Rays in seven games, we wrote (it’s right there in print — we swear).
And so it was. Of course, we left out the part about the Boston Red Sox overcoming a 7-0 lead in Game 5 at Fenway Park and eventually forcing a decisive Game 7. But, really, isn’t the final result all that matters?
Anyway, now we’ll try our hand at the World Series matchup between the Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. Baseball fans in Baltimore and the District saw more than enough of these two clubs this season.
The Orioles played the Rays 18 times, including nine meetings at Camden Yards. Tampa Bay went 15-3 against Baltimore and won the final 12 games of the year. But don’t snicker, Nats fans. Baseball’s worst team did only marginally better with a 6-12 record vs. Philadelphia, losing six of nine games at Nationals Park. The Nats also got to watch the Phillies clinch the NL East in person for the second year in a row — which was nice.
The Rays are a phenomenal defensive team with confidence in all four starters and a pair of elite, young hitters in Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton. Philadelphia led the National League in home runs, is also a fine defensive club and has an excellent bullpen. But Tampa will use just one lefty starter — Scott Kazmir in Game 1 — and the Phillies’ best hitters, especially slugger Ryan Howard, are far more vulnerable to left-handed pitching.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels has destroyed any notion that he isn’t tough enough to win in the postseason: 22 innings pitched, three earned runs, 22 strikeouts. Oh, and three wins. Tampa needs to beat Hamels at least once.
But it won’t happen. Hamels wins both of his starts, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins wrecks havoc at the plate and on the bases to earn series MVP and Philadelphia celebrates its first pro sports title since 1983.
The pick » Phillies in six.
