Tuesday, October 27, 2009

2009 World Series position-by-position breakdown

By Chris Ruddick

The New York Yankees' quest for an unprecedented 27th World Series title begins on Wednesday when they face the reigning champion Philadelphia Phillies.

After winning a major league-best 103 games, New York had its way with the Minnesota Twins, sweeping them in the ALDS before gutting out a six-game victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALCS, putting it back the World Series for the first time since 2003 when it fell in six games to the Florida Marlins.

The Phillies, meanwhile, will be trying try to do something that no National League team has done since 1976, as they try to become the first repeat champion from the Senior Circuit since the Cincinnati Reds' Big Red Machine teams in 1975-76.

After capturing their third straight NL East title, the Phillies started their title defense with a four-game victory over the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS, before disposing of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second straight year in five games of the NLCS.

Unlike last year, though, when they ran roughshod over a Tampa Bay Rays team that was in the midst of their first-ever postseason run, the Phillies will be facing a franchise that is synonymous with baseball in October in the Yankees, who will be appearing in their 40th Fall Classic.

These teams have a limited history against one another, but did square off once in the World Series back in 1950 when the Yankees swept the series in four games from the Whiz Kids of Philadelphia.

The Phillies also took two of three from the Yanks earlier this season at Yankee Stadium. Philadelphia won the opener, before New York rallied off of closer Brad Lidge in the second contest. The Yankees got to Lidge again in the finale, but Philly managed to pick up an extra inning win in that one to capture the series.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the matchups at each position:

CATCHER

Jorge Posada has come up with some timely hits for the Yankees this postseason and is one of the best offensive catchers to ever play the game. However, despite all of that, he could be on the bench when A.J. Burnett pitches in Game 2. Manager Joe Girardi has had Burnett throw to light-hitting Jose Molina in the first two rounds, but don't be surprised if that changes here.

Runners also seemingly ran at will on Posada, who threw out 28-percent of potential baserunners this season.

If you think Carlos Ruiz is the weak link in the high-octane Phillies' lineup, think again. Ruiz has developed a knack for getting the big hit for the Phillies. Ruiz, who some felt should have been the World Series MVP a year ago, is having another fine postseason, hitting .346 with seven RBI, while playing stellar defense behind the plate.

EDGE: YANKEES

FIRST BASE

Two of the best first basemen in the game will square off in this series. Mark Teixeira has struggled at times in these playoffs, but has shown signs lately of breaking out of his postseason slump with five hits and four RBI in his last three games.

Teixeira, though, hasn't homered since his walk-off laser shot to end Game 2 of the ALDS. No matter how bad Teixeira has looked at the plate in these playoffs, he has saved the Yankees time and again with his glove.

Ryan Howard, meanwhile, has carried another incredible regular season (.279, 45 HR, 141 RBI) into the postseason, where he has put the Phillies on his back at times. In nine playoff games, Howard has hit .355 with two home runs and 14 RBI. His eight RBI in the NLCS helped earn him MVP honors.

The knock on Howard has always been that he was a first baseman in a designated hitter's body. However, his defense has improved by leaps and bounds since last year to the point where he is no longer a liability at the corner.

EDGE: EVEN

SECOND BASE

Chase Utley is quite simply the best second baseman in baseball. While Utley has hit .303 in these playoffs, he has only driven in two runs. Also, his defense has come into question, specifically his arm, as he had some trouble making the throw from second to first on double plays against the Dodgers.

You look at Robinson Cano's numbers and you wonder why you don't hear more about him. When you watch him play on a regular basis, you know why. As gifted a hitter as there is in the Yankee lineup, Cano struggled mightily with runners in scoring position this season, hitting just .207 in those situations, compared to his .320 overall average on the season.

Cano, though, has hit safely in his last five playoff games, but is hitting just .229 in the postseason.

EDGE: PHILLIES

SHORTSTOP

Another terrific matchup in the infield features again, two of the best at their position in New York's Derek Jeter and Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins, both of whom started the year as teammates in the World Baseball Classic.

Jeter had an MVP-type campaign for New York, hitting .334 with 18 home runs 66 RBI and 107 runs scored from the leadoff position. This is his time of the year though, and the Yankee captain has responded with another terrific postseason. hitting .297 with nine runs scored.

Like Jeter, Rollins gets the high-powered Phillies offense started, but endured a down year at the plate, hitting just .250. Rollins has also batted just .244 in the postseason, but always finds himself right in the middle of every Phillies rally and, of course, delivered the big hit in Philadelphia's Game 4 win over the Dodgers.

EDGE: YANKEES

THIRD BASE

While every other position in the infield is close, there is no argument who the better third baseman is in this series. Alex Rodriguez has exorcised his playoff demons, as he has come through time and time again for the Yankees this October, hitting .438 with 12 RBI and five home runs in the playoffs.

How Charlie Manuel handles him this series could go a long way in determining the outcome.

Pedro Feliz has been an albatross for the Phillies this postseason, hitting just .161, while leaving a small country on the basepaths. Feliz is one of the best defensively at his position, but it wouldn't kill him to get a hit with a runner in scoring position at some point in this coming series.

EDGE: YANKEES

LEFT FIELD

Johnny Damon was one of the main beneficiaries of the hitter-friendly new Yankee Stadium, as he belted 26 home runs. Damon managed just one hit in the ALDS and consistently left men on base against the Angels. Not to mention it is always an adventure for him in the field.

Raul Ibanez was perhaps the best offseason pickup in all of baseball last winter. However, after a strong start to the playoffs, Ibanez's bat has gone cold, as he is just 3-for-his-last 23.

EDGE: PHILLIES

CENTER FIELD

Shane Victorino became a household name in baseball circles last postseason, and has done nothing to hurt his big game reputation this year. Victorino has a hit in all but two of the Phils postseason games this season, while scoring eight runs. He has also driven in seven runs.

Melky Cabrera came up with a number of big hits for the Yankees this season, but also disappeared completely at times. The Yanks, though, seem to be getting the good Cabrera so far this postseason, as he is hitting .314.

EDGE: PHILLIES

RIGHT FIELD

Jayson Werth was one of the unheralded stars for Philadelphia during the regular season, as he belted 36 home runs to go along with 99 RBI. He had struggled in the postseason up until the Phils' Game 5 clincher when he hit two home runs, upping his postseason total to five, and knocked in four runs to give him 10 RBI in the playoffs.

Speaking of struggling, New York's Nick Swisher has been awful in these playoffs, hitting a mere .125, while seemingly stranding someone on base each and every time he is up.

EDGE: PHILLIES

STARTING PITCHING

It is going to be rough to be a fan of the Cleveland Indians when this World Series kicks off on Wednesday, as New York will send CC Sabathia to the hill against fellow lefty Cliff Lee.

Of course, those two are the last two Cy Young Award winners in the American League, both won when they were pitching for the Indians.

New York will reportedly opt for a three-man rotation again in this series, as A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte will follow Sabathia. If the Yanks do need a fourth starter it would be Chad Gaudin.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, will pitch Pedro Martinez in Game 2. Last year's postseason hero, Cole Hamels, is not the same pitcher he was a year ago, and has been bumped back to Game 3.

While the Yanks' top-three are probably better right now than the Phils' top- three, Philadelphia has more depth and more options with lefty J.A. Happ and righty Joe Blanton also figuring into the mix.

EDGE: YANKS

BULLPEN

There has never been a better closer in the postseason than the great Mariano Rivera, who has saved three games in these playoffs and has pitched to a 1.16 ERA in with nine saves in 20 World Series games.

However, getting to Rivera, which was a huge strength for the Yankees in the latter part of the season, has been a problem. Phil Hughes, the best eighth- inning guy in the league in the second half of the year, could be running out of steam and you never know what you are going to get from Joba Chamberlain.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, entered the playoffs with perhaps the biggest question mark of all in closer Brad Lidge, but he has responded with three saves in as many opportunities. Let's not forget, though, that he blew a league-high 11 saves during the season, two of which came against the Yankees.

Ryan Madson seems to be at his best as the team's eighth inning guy, while Chan Ho Park, Scott Eyre and possibly Brett Myers are also up for relief duty.

I don't care how good Lidge has been the last couple of weeks, he is not Rivera.

EDGE: YANKEES

DESIGNATED HITTER

Hideki Matsui is one of the most dangerous hitters in the Yankee lineup. For one he is clutch, and two he hits left-handers as well as he does righties. Matsui's knees are shot and is normally removed for a pinch-runner late, but more often than not comes up with the big hit when the Yankees need it.

It looks as if the Phils will use Ibanez as the team's designated hitter in the first two games and play Ben Francisco in left. Francisco, part of the deal that brought Lee to Philly, hit .278 after the trade.

EDGE: YANKEES

BENCH

The Yankees enter the postseason with their deepest bench in years with the likes of the versatile Jerry Hairston, the speedy Brett Gardner and the slugging Eric Hinske, who will likely replace speedy Freddy Guzman.

The main reserves for the Phillies are Francisco, Greg Dobbs, Miguel Cairo and Matt Stairs. Eric Bruntlett could be used late in games for his defense, while Stairs has become one of the most feared left-handed bats off the bench.

EDGE: YANKEES

MANAGERS

In the postseason for the first time in his managerial career, Joe Girardi makes you scratch your head at times with his micro-managing style, but say what you want about him, his team won 103 games this year and has lost just twice here in the playoffs.

Charlie Manuel is back in the postseason for the third straight year with the Phillies and his fourth time overall as a manager. Manuel also led the Cleveland Indians to an AL Central title in 2001, but his team lost in five games in the ALDS to Seattle.

EDGE: PHILLIES

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