Gambo: Phillies no match for Yankees
Oct 28, 2009, 6:58 PM | Updated: Jan 14, 2011, 4:21 pm
Pedro Martinez, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton?
Are you kidding me?
Memo to the Philadelphia Phillies – this isn’t the Tampa Bay Rays you are playing in the World Series.
Just how people are picking the Phillies to win this series when after Cliff Lee they are sending that collection of junk to the mound is beyond comprehension.
Sure Martinez did well as a 5-inning pitcher in the National League where he got to pitch to the opposing pitcher. But he is 38-years-old, has nothing left on his fastball and he knows who his daddy is.
Cole Hamels – please. This guy couldn’t get lineups out in the NL this year how is he going to get the most feared lineup in baseball out when it matters most. Hamels has pitched three games in the postseason and his ERA is 6.75.
And Joe Blanton, that guy looks like he has been on a diet of cheese steaks and french fries ever since he got to Philly.
If the Phillies even had two pitchers they could do the old Spahn and Sain and pray for rain but they don’t. The Phillies only chance rests in the left arm of Cliff Lee who has been brilliant, but he can’t win four games in a series. So reality check Phillies fans – you have no chance. You might be better off going to the Pearl Jam concert Saturday night at the Spectrum rather than watch Hamels implode again. Or check out the Eagles and the Giants on Sunday rather than watch Ryan Howard (who is hitting a whopping .207 vs lefties) strike out four times against CC Sabathia.
And anyone who is wondering about the slump Mark Teixera is in need not worry. Lee is the perfect remedy as the Yankee first baseman is hitting .391 in his career against him. Let’s face facts as there is a reason the American League always wins the All-Star game and has a better interleague play record – 1) It’s a better league. 2)The teams are better 3)The players are better. Just ask Brad Penny or John Smoltz who both flopped badly in the AL this year and resurrected their careers once they went back to the NL.
I will say this though – Jimmy Rollins was right. Right about the amount of games that will be played in this World Series. Yankees in 5.
