Previewing the World Series

Lineup

Yankees: In what should be a homer-happy series, the Yankees will present a tough test for the Phillies’ rotation, even more so now that Alex Rodriguez has brought his postseason production up to his stellar levels of the regular season. The group might be the deepest in baseball, and it’s almost impossible to contain in a seven-game series.

Phillies: With a run of dangerous left-handed hitters in the middle of their lineup, the Phillies are perfectly built to steal a game by bombing the Yankees out of their home ballpark, especially if Ryan Howard replicates his stellar National League Championship Series performance. With Greg Dobbs, Ben Francisco or Matt Stairs, they’ve got a deep enough bench to staff the DH spot in games in New York.

Edge: Even

Rotation

Yankees: CC Sabathia has been borderline unhittable the entire postseason. The Yankees will get two starts, possibly three, out of him, and they have playoff horse Andy Pettitte as well. A.J. Burnett is the unknown — he has been wild in stretches during the postseason, and he’ll oppose Pedro Martinez in what should be a charged atmosphere in Game 2.

Phillies: The addition of Cliff Lee transformed this group — particularly in the playoffs, where Lee has been as tough to hit as Sabathia, his former Indians teammate. The Phillies have to be worried about Cole Hamels, and they’ll need him to perform if they want to match the Yankees.

Edge: Yankees

Bullpen

Yankees: Joe Girardi fielded questions Tuesday about how setup man Phil Hughes will handle the Phillies’ dangerous lefties. That has to be the chief concern for a bullpen that, apart from Hughes, has been nearly flawless in the playoffs. The Yankees still have the best postseason stopper in the game in Mariano Rivera; as Rivera has proved time and again, that can be a tremendous edge.

Phillies: For as much talk as there has been about Brad Lidge’s struggles this season, there certainly hasn’t been evidence of that in the playoffs. If he’s as good as he was in the first two rounds, it could change the complexion of the series. The Phillies’ bullpen was probably the best in the game during their 2008 run, and it will have to be again.

Edge: Yankees

Bench

Yankees: A group that doesn’t have much pop will get a little help in the games in Philadelphia, when Hideki Matsui likely will be used as a pinch hitter. Brett Gardner is a valuable pinch runner and defensive replacement, but the Yankees could get stretched beyond their level of comfort, particularly in Philadelphia.

Phillies: Utility infielder Eric Bruntlett will show up plenty, as will Dobbs and Stairs. With those three and Francisco, the Phillies have a handful of players who have proved they can come up big in a late spot.

Edge: Phillies

Manager

Yankees: Girardi has relieved some of the pressure on him by advancing to the World Series, but in a way he’s about to face a new set of it. Managers and players in New York are measured by what they do in the World Series, and Girardi seems aware of that. He has been guilty of overmanaging his bullpen, and how he handles those decisions could be a key to the series. One bonus for the Yankees, though, is that Girardi managed a year in the National League with the Marlins, so he’s well-versed in the double switch.

Phillies: As much as Girardi is accused of having an itchy trigger, Charlie Manuel is the opposite — and not just in that regard. He’s often portrayed as a Southern simpleton, but he’s the first NL manager since Bobby Cox to get to back-to-back World Series. Entering with the defending champions against a team whose season will be judged solely on this series, he has no pressure on him. The only caveat? He pulled Martinez too early in Game 2 of the NLCS, and mismanaging Pedro’s workload at Yankee Stadium can have disastrous consequences.

Edge: Phillies

Predictions

Ben Goessling: It’s going to be a series full of high-scoring, drawn-out games, but I’m looking forward to it. These are the two best teams in baseball, and the Phillies (as evidenced by Jimmy Rollins’ Monday prediction of a Series victory) are just confident enough to avoid the mental lockdowns that plagued the Angels in New York in the ALCS. That will keep it close, but in the end, the Yankees will have a little too much.

Yankees in 7

Mark Zuckerman: This really is an evenly matched series when you break it down. Both teams have stacked lineups with power from top to bottom. Both teams have aces at the top of the rotation and veterans backing them up. This series could hinge on depth, especially in the pitching department. The Yankees don’t have a No. 4 starter, which means CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte will have to pitch on short rest. The Phillies have Joe Blanton or J.A. Happ, and that’s an advantage. Philadelphia is better-positioned in the bullpen, another slight advantage in an otherwise even World Series.

Phillies in 7

Thom Loverro: I don’t think the Yankees played all that great in the ALCS. They were helped by the Angels, who probably played their worst baseball of the year, committing eight errors and numerous baserunning mistakes. The Phillies won’t beat themselves. They also have the feel of a championship team, and I still think the Yankees are one bad back-page headline away from falling apart. You have to like Pedro Martinez on the mound for Game 2 in Yankee Stadium. If he has one game left in him, you know this is it.

Phillies in 7