My Thoughts on the SERIES

[LVJimmy]

Starting Pitching - Advantage: Rays

Bullpen - Advantage: Phillies

Bats - Advantage: Depends on which Philly bats show up...if they continue to hit well as they did in Sep and so far in the playoffs, I give them the advantage, but this one is a toss-up IMO.

Coaching - Advantage: Rays (I admit these guys play well for Chalie, but he makes a lot of questionable decisions that make me shake my head)

Bench - Advantage: Phillies (close)

Normally, I wouldn't put much stock in homefield advantage in baseball, but playing the 1st 2 at home is obviously a big advantage for the Rays considering their ridiculous home record during the regular season. If the Phils can get 1 of the 1st 2 in Tampa, it will be ginormous! As far as playing at the Trop and using the DH, I actually think those are big advantages for the Rays. Who knows how these Philly OFers will see the ball with the white backdrop of the Tropicana roof. It's gonna be extremely loud and knowing how Hamels is sometimes jacked up early in big games, getting through the 1st 3 innings tonight unscathed should go a long way in determining tonight's winner.

I get the feeling this is finally the year, but in order to avoid the LVJIMMY jinx, I'm gonna predict the Rays win in 6 and hope that my usual pessimism proves me wrong once again.

Go Phils!

[BigWeiner]

IMO, on paper with J Roll, Utley and Howard, you'd think the Phillies actually have a good lineup, but if you watched any of their games, for some reason they don't. Howard can't hit a curveball, how is that possible, and J Roll just isn't what he was last year. I think the homefield advantage will be huge for the Rays, and their starting pitching has been unreal. Just my opinion, good luck with the Phillies

[Kaptain]

I think Phillies win Game 1, but Rays win Series, which goes against the norm, cause usually the winner of G1, wins the series....

This is a close one, and gonna be a good one....

I'd like to see either team win....New Faces

[mark30]

Phils win in 6.

[LVJimmy]

IMO, on paper with J Roll, Utley and Howard, you'd think the Phillies actually have a good lineup, but if you watched any of their games, for some reason they don't. Howard can't hit a curveball, how is that possible, and J Roll just isn't what he was last year. I think the homefield advantage will be huge for the Rays, and their starting pitching has been unreal. Just my opinion, good luck with the Phillies

This is kinda what I was saying until September and the reason I got so frustrated with this team. On paper, they are hands down the best lineup in this series. If 80% of these guys actually hit well at the same time, they would put up crooked numbers offensively. I am slightly worried about the Phils struggles earlier this season in IL play...I know it should have no bearing on this series so I'm hoping they don't revert back to the lack of hitting they had in those series.

[flarendep1]

I think Phillies win Game 1, but Rays win Series, which goes against the norm, cause usually the winner of G1, wins the series....

This is a close one, and gonna be a good one....

I'd like to see either team win....New Faces

My thoughts exactly, I like the Rays in the series but I love Hamels in game 1. If I lose game 1 bet, my series play is about a lock. If I win game 1 with Hamels, Rays have depth at starting rotation to come back from game 1 loss.


BOL Jimmy

[BigWeiner]

IMO, on paper with J Roll, Utley and Howard, you'd think the Phillies actually have a good lineup, but if you watched any of their games, for some reason they don't. Howard can't hit a curveball, how is that possible, and J Roll just isn't what he was last year. I think the homefield advantage will be huge for the Rays, and their starting pitching has been unreal. Just my opinion, good luck with the Phillies

Howard and Rollins 0-9, but Hamels, Utley and Lidge carried them. They needed that one.