Quick World Series Preview

Someone asked me for my prediction for the World Series. I can’t go into a whole breakdown as I have been busy with my new job, but I figured I’d go position by position and say who I think has the edge. So, here goes:

1st Base (Phillies – Ryan Howard; Yankees – Mark Teixeira): Phillies
2nd Base (Phillies – Chase Utley; Yankees – Robinson Cano): Phillies
Shortstop (Phillies – Jimmy Rollins; Yankees – Derek Jeter): Push
3rd Base (Phillies – Pedro Feliz; Yankees – Alex Rodriguez): Yankees
Catcher (Phillies – Carlos Ruiz; Yankees – Jorge Posada): Yankees
Left Field (Phillies – Raul Ibanez; Yankees – Johnny Damon): Phillies
Center Field (Phillies – Shane Victorino; Yankees – Melky Cabrera): Phillies
Right Field (Phillies – Jason Werth; Yankees – Nick Swisher): Phillies
Designated Hitter (Phillies – Francisco/Stairs; Yankees – Hideki Matsui): Yankees
Starting Pitching: Phillies
Relief Pitching: Yankees
Bench: Yankees
Managers (Phillies – Charlie Manuel; Yankees – Joe Girardi): Phillies

That gives the Phillies an edge as I see it in the different phases of the game 7 to 5 with 1 push. The push at SS is based on Jimmy Rollins defensive abilities in comparison to Jeter’s. Rollins has so much more range. He is also the emotional leader of the team and he seems to be getting his bat back too. If Jimmy continues to hit well, SS could become an advantage for the Phillies. At catcher, if Carlos (Señor Octobre) Ruiz continues to hit the way he has this post season, catcher becomes an advantage for the Phillies. The Phillies also have a clear advantage all across the outfield.

However, as is always the case with baseball, it comes down to pitching. I give the Phillies the edge at starting pitching because they go deeper than the Yankees. CC Sabathia is a great pitcher, but his numbers against the Phillies have been less than impressive. In 5 starts against the Phillies, including one in the NLDS last year for the Brewers, he has a 1-2 record with a 5.51 ERA. If he pitches Games 1 and 4, the Phillies will probably only have to beat him once to win the series. As for relief pitching, I give a slight nod to the Yankees because I am still concerned about Brad Lidge. Mariono Rivera is a Hall of Fame closer and Lidge has still been shaky. If Lidge finds his 2008 form, then this becomes a push at worst for the Phillies.

All in all, I like the Phillies chances. My prediction: Phillies in 6.

Eagles-Chiefs Preview

I didn't have a full opportunity to do a full preview this week, but knowing what I know about the Eagles and the Chiefs, I don't think a full breakdown is needed. As long as the Eagles don't take the same haphazard approach in preparing for this game as I'm doing for this blog, they should have little difficulty with the young, rebuilding Chiefs no matter who lines up at quarterback.

The one trend I will point out that works against the Eagles is the fact that Andy Reid has a losing record (3-7) on the week before the bye, which is what this week is. The Eagles have also not fared well against the AFC during Reid's tenure. All that said, unless the Eagles beat themselves, I don't see how they lose this game.

My prediction: Eagles 30, Chiefs 12.

Review of Eagles Week 2

Unfortunately, I was correct in my prediction that the Eagles would lose Week 2 to the Saints. I know a lot of people point to the fact that the Eagles had back up quarterback Kevin Kolb in the game instead of the injured Donovan McNabb, but I believe the Eagles would have lost that game even if McNabb would have played.

Instead the special teams I feel deserve most of the blame for this loss. Obviously the easy goat is Ellis Hobbs for fumbling the opening kickoff of the second half. The two Eagles turnovers at the start of the second half turned a close game into a runaway. I want to focus on a special teams blunder that I thought actually may have been bigger. It was by one of my favorite players too. With a few minutes left in the 1st half and with the score tied 10-10, DeSean Jackson decided to try and return a punt from the 5 yard line. Veteran punt returners know you are better off letting those punts go into the endzone and let the offense take over at the 20 yard line. While DeSean got a great return, a penalty got called which meant that the Eagles got the ball half the distance to the endzone from where he caught it - the 2 1/2 yard line.

That blunder set up a situation where the Eagles had to play conservative being so close to their own endzone. This gave the Saints great field position which they converted into a touchdown, leaving the Eagles with some, but limited time. As a result, the Eagles were able to move the ball, but with time running out they had to settle for a field goal. Score at the half: 17-13. That misplay by Jackson set that whole string of plays up. Had he let the ball go into the endzone, the Eagles would have gotten the ball at the 20 and would have been able to play their full offense and at that point, they were having success moving the ball. Between those possessions at the end of the first half and the turnovers at the beginning of the second, the Eagles were in a hole from which they were never going to recover.

Despite the poor result, I would also like to just talk about the experience I had on opening day. There's no game quite like the home opener. The season is still fresh (although there was a bit of a downer this year with McNabb's injury) so anything is still possible. The weather is usually nice (Sunday was absolutely beautiful) which makes for great tailgating and a lively atmosphere. The opening festivities with the full field flag for the anthem and the jet fighter flyover can make your hair stand on end. Finally, I get to be reacquainted with 68,000 of my closest friends. While that last one is a hyperbole, since this is the 7th year at the Linc, I have gotten to know many of the people around me and it was good to see all the familiar faces again.

This season was a little different for me though. My usual "partner-in-crime" at all these games was not going this year and I wanted to find someone extra special to take & experience the magic of a home opener. Knowing that Jen would NEVER go to an Eagles game with me, there was only one other person I could think of taking - my dad. He took me to my first ball games as a kid & although I turned into a more die hard fan than him, he was willing to feed into my passion and take me to more games when I got older. Some of my best childhood memories were going to games with my dad, so it made sense that I would take him to the opener.

Earlier this year when I was selling the bulk of my season tickets on eBay, I realized that I had no pictures of the Linc past the 1st season. So I decided I would take my camera this year. It then dawned on me that in all the years of going to games with my dad, I had no pictures of the two of us at one. So I made sure that got corrected as well. The picture below is that shot & it is one I will cherish the rest of my life. Dad, I love you.

A bit of trivia for my family: do you notice anything about my dad in the picture? (Kristel can't answer as we already discussed it).