So if you have been following allsports in sports news or sports on the web, you will know that my predictions came true all the way through the 2009 MLB playoffs. The final piece was the New York Yankees winning the World Series, which they did the other night by a final score of 7-3.

It was the 27th World Series title for the Bronx Bombers. The most titles by one team in professional sports. The Montreal Canadians are second with 24 Stanley Cups.

Hideki Matsui was the World Series MVP and was the first full time DH to win it. He needed an interpreter when interviewed. Matsui’s stats for the six World Series games were a .615 batting average, 8 hits, 3 home runs and 8 runs batted in. He had a total of  13 plate appearances. Matsui had six runs batted in for the game with a single, double and a home run. This tied another World Series record held by former Yanks second baseman Bobby Richardson, who knocked in six in Game 3 in 1960 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pedro Martinez started for the Phillies and was not too sharp with his pitches appearing flat and lacking zip. He was gone after four innings and 77 pitches. He trailed at the time 4-1 with all the Yankee runs courtesy of Matsui’s bat.

The Yankees then got into the Phillies bullpen which was no where near the form it showed last year when they won the series. The Yankees pen, on the other hand was pretty solid and could have been one of the main reasons for the series outcome.

Mariano Rivera came on for the final five outs. With the appearance he became the pitcher with the most appearances in World Series history. As is the norm with Rivera in the game you could stick a fork in the Phillies cause they were done just like your Thanks Giving day Turkey.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

If your into sports news or sports on the web you may already know that the Phillies staved off elimination last night with what turned out to be an 8=6 victory. Brad Lidge never saw the field.

It had some of the same components as their game one victory. Cliff Lee although not as dominant as game one still pitched pretty well and Chase Utley banged out two home runs, one of which was a three run job in the bottom of the first inning to get the Phillies started. Lee was better than A.J. Burnett, who became only the second Yankee pitcher to give up six runs while only recording six outs. The other was Andy Pettitte, the starter for the Yankees in game six.

Utleys home run in the bottom of the 7th tied him with Reggie Jackson for the most home runs in a World Series. They both have five but Utley is going to get at least one more game to see if he can make the record his own.

On a negative note for the Phillies, Ryan Howard stuck out a 12th time to join Willie Wilson (1980) as the only players with 12 whiffs in a Series. If Howard could have shown even half the production of Utley in the series maybe the Phillies would be the team in the drivers seat.

It was a very nervous ninth for the Phillies before they held on for the victory. The Yankees battled to the very end and were down as many as 6 runs at one point in the game.

Pedro Martinez gets the game six start for the Phillies, facing Andy Pettitte as mentioned above.

So now it is back to New York to finish the series with  the Yankees lead cut to 3-2. The Phillies have a very up hill battle to overcome, having to win the next two in New York to claim the series. Never say never but that will be a tough task indeed.

“No Guts No Glory”

Wallt Webb

Game four of the World Series was played in Philadelphia last night and for those of you that don’t follow sports news or sports on the web let me tell you, the Phillies fans are not happy campers today.

The Phillies were down 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. Chase Utley got them closer with a solo shot off C.C. Sabathia and if your counting at home he is 4-6 off the big lefty and 0-9 against everyone else in the series.

The Phillies held the fort in the top of the eighth and then light hitting 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz tied the game with a solo homer to left off Joba Chamberlain.

Brad Lidge came on to pitch the ninth inning for the Phillies and got two quick outs. Then Johnny Damon came up and worked Lidge for a 10 pitch at bat, the 10th of which he deposited softly into left field. The Phillies then put the shift on for Mark Teixeira. Damon promptly stole second and then raced to third base when he realized no one was covering. With Damon at third, Lidge was reluctant to throw his slider for the fear of a wild pitch and proceeded to pluck Teixeira on the arm with a fastball. Alex Rodriguez then deposited a 0-1 fastball into the left field corner for what proved to be the winning run.

The Yankees scored three in the inning for a 7-4 lead. The ball was then handed to Mariano Rivera who got the Phillies in order for the 7-4 win. The Yankees now lead the series three games to one.

Tonight A.J. Burnett gets a chance to close it out but he is facing Cliff Lee for the Phillies and something tells allsports that with Lee on the mound there will be a game 6.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

So if you have been following the World Series with TV, sports news or sports on the web you will likely know by now that the Yankees wrestled home field advantage back from the Phillies last night with an 8-5 win in Philadelphia.

The Phillies jumped on Yankee starter Andy Pettitte for three runs in the bottom of the second. With the support, Cole Hamels started great and was cruising along with a no hitter until the 4th inning when Alex Rodriguez touched him up with a two run homer off the TV camera in right field. The umps had to use a replay to make the call but it didn’t take them long.

Hamels got into trouble again in the 5th, giving up three more runs for a 5-3 Yankee lead. Pettitte helped his own cause, driving Nick Swisher in from second base with a single. From there on the Yankees never looked back.

Jason Werth hit a monster home run later in the game for the Phillies but it was a solo shot with no one on base.

So now three games are in the books with the Yankees holding a 2-1 series lead. Here is a recap.

Game one was all Cliff Lee. He pitched a masterpiece and the Phillies won 6-1. Lee got all the help he needed from Chase Utley who banged out 2 solo homers.

In Game 2, A.J. Burnett was solid for seven innings before handing the ball to Mariano Rivera for the final six outs. New York won the game 3-1.

So if you have been following along at home you will know from my previous post titled “Allsports Commentary: Angels throw series away”, wrtten on October 27th, that Allsports picked the Yankees to win the series. Let me clarify though. My head tells me the Yankees will win but the heart is hoping the Phillies can rally and win their second championship in as many years. Game four goes tonight in Philly.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

So your World Series opponents have been decided. If you looked for sports news or sports on the web you would have found out that the New York Yankees beat the Los Angeles Angels last night in New York by a score of 5-2. Winning the American League Championship Series four games to two.

The Angels just made far too many errors in this series and were at their worst again last night. Vladimir Guerrero started the gaffs for the Angels when he fell asleep on the base paths and was picked off 1st base by Nick Swisher.

The Angels managed to keep it close and scored a run off  Mariano Rivera in the top of the 8th inning to get within one run at 3-2. But in the bottom of the 8th Howard Kendrick dropped a routine catch on a sacrifice bunt while covering 1st base to start the wheels to come off the tracks for the Angels. The next Yankee batter sacrifice bunted again and this time, pitcher Scott Kazmir shot putted his throw to first base into right field. Two unearned runs scored in the inning and that was it. Game, Match and Series to the Yankees.

The Angels just gave the Yankees too many second chances with errors in the series and the Yankees took advantage.

So now the World Series opens in New York on Wednesday night. Allsports batted 1000 this year in picking what teams would advance. Cliff Lee gets the start for the Phillies, while CC Sabathia gets the nod for the Yankees.

This should be a great series with both teams having solid pitching and hot hitting. The series should go the distance and allsports thinks the Yankees will come out on top.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

Well did you watch the game the other night? Did you think when the Yankees had that big inning that it was all over for the Angels?

Even if you did not watch the game on the tube you have likely seen by now in the sports news or looking up sports on the web that the L.A. Angels forced the American League Championship series back to New York with a come from behind 7-6 victory.

Things were looking good for the Angels as they tagged A.J. Burnett for four runs in the bottom of the first. John Lackey was cruising along through 6 and two thirds innings, pitching a shut out but then the umpire called a ball on what Lackey thought was a strike. The call got under Lackey’s skin and he lost his focus. Next thing you knew the Yank’s had scored six runs with two out in the inning. It looked like game over for the Halo’s but to give them credit they fought back, scoring three in the bottom half of the inning and then made the one run stick for the victory and force the series back to the Big Apple with the Yankees leading 3-2.

The Angels have to win two in New York now in order to get to the World Series. Allsports thinks that will be a pretty tall order.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

Have you been following the Baseball Playoffs either on TV, in the sports news, or with a certain addiction to sports on the web? Well if your in the know from one of them you will agree that the crying towels will be coming out in the City of Angels before to much longer. The city has the Angels in the American League and the Dodgers in the National League playing for their respective league championships. But guess what, they aren’t having much luck.

The Phillies disposed of the Dodgers tonight with a convincing 10-4 victory to take the series four games to one. The Phillies repeat as National League Champions and move on to the World Series for the second straight year hoping to defend their title.

The Dodgers bullpen which was rated as better than the Phillies just did not product. In a nut shell, the Dodgers gave up way to many bases on balls and pretty well every time they did the Phillies capitalized on it. Usually with a home run. The Phillies hitters beat up on the Dodgers pitchers and cracked something like 10 homers in the series, usually after the Dodgers had walked a batter.

The way the Angels are playing it won’t be long before they join the Dodgers on the sidelines. The Yankees beat up on them to the tune of 10-1 last night to take a 3-1 series lead. The Angels have made far too many untimely errors in the series and you just can’t give the Yankees extra outs to play with. Alex Rodriguez is in the zone, hitting at a .375 clip with 3 home runs so far in the four games to date.

Yogi Berra once said “It gets late early out there”.  Well it is getting pretty dam late for the Angels now.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

If your following the Baseball playoff on TV, in the sports news or even sports on the web you will be aware of the updates that I am about to give.

The Phillies got a ringing double with two men on from Jimmy Rollins last night to come from behind and beat the Dodgers 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning. The win puts the Phillies firmly in the drivers seat in the National League Championship as they are now up 3-1 in the series.

They would have swept the series if not for Chase Utley throwing the ball away on a tailor made double play in the bottom of the 9th, in game two.

The Angels crept back into the series yesterday to hand the Yankees their first loss of the 2009 playoffs. Jeff Mathis, who had watched from the bench for the first seven innings, hit a walk off double in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Angels a 5-4 win

The Angels now trail 2-1 in the series but the Mathis hit may have saved the season. It would have been next to impossible to come back if they were down 3-0 to the Yankees.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

So the 2009 Divisional Playoffs are in the books and four of the eight teams have moved on to their respective League Championship Series. If you have been following Baseball sports news or sports on the web you will know that the four teams are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the New York Yankees playoff against the Los Angeles Angels in the American League.

Allsports got the winners picked right this  time in the Division Series as you can see from my post dated Oct 8 2009. The post was titled, Allsports and the MLB Playoffs. I got the teams right but was out to lunch a little on the number of games it would take.

So now lets have a look at the respective League Championship Series. These are a best four games out of seven instead of the 3 out of 5 for the division series.

The Phillies travelled to L.A. to open the series last night and if you watched the game or followed sports news or sports on the web, you are aware that the Phillies wrestled home field advantage away from the Dodgers with an 8-6 win.

The Phillies have been there before, winning it all last year when no one, allsports included gave them a chance. They have a very good hitting lineup, hitting for power (as was seen last night) but also for average. The Phillies starting pitching is a bit stronger than the Dodgers and if their middle relief can keep things together I think the Phillies will take this series in 6 games.

Another bright spot for the Phillies is that Brad Lidge looks to have brought his game together just in time for the playoffs. That and the Phillies hitters likely means the Phillies will be back to the World Series “Show” again this year to represent the National League.

The LA Angels open in New York tonight and though allsports would like to see them beat the Yankees I don’t think it will happen. Top to bottom the Yankees don’t have a weak out in their lineup, they can all hit and hit with power. You can’t really pitch around anyone and Alex Rodriguez seems to have finally shown up to play in the playoffs.  Not to mention allsports pick as the best all round player in the game today Derek Jeter.Allsports thinks this one-two punch will be too much for the Angels pitching.

The Yankees could always hit the cover off the ball but where they fell down was with pitching. Not this year though as they have a very strong pitching staff to go along with the hitting. With this combination allsports feels they will take out the Angels in about 5 games and meet the Phillies in the World Series.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb

So its that time of year again folks. With the onset of October you don’t have to follow sports news or sports on the web to know that the Major League Baseball playoffs are starting. The Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers needed a 163 rd game and 12 innings at that to decide the American League Central Pennant. It was the second year in a row that this division needed the extra game to decide its representative. The Twins took it and for their trouble they get to play the New York Yankees who finished with the best record in baseball this year.

So with that said allsports will give you who he likes in the first round playoff match ups. Based on my previous picks from last year, the smart money would likely bet against me, lol.

The Yankees hosted the Minnesota Twins tonight and won the first game of the series by a score of 7-2. Allsports would dearly love to see the underdog twins win this series but I just can’t see it happening. The Bronx Bombers have always had a great hitting team but this year they have added starting pitching and good middle relief until they get to closer Mariano Rivera.

The Yanks finished with the best record in the league and should win the series in about 4 games.

The Boston Red Sox travel out to Los Angeles to play the Angels. The Red Sox won the wild card in the American League but more or less back into the playoffs, loosing more than winning down the stretch. Is this the year that the Angels, who have shown so much promise finally get over the division series hump and get past the Red Sox? Allsports thinks this year they will. The Red Sox have some injury issues and are a bit banged up. The Angels finished with the second best record behind the Yankees. Angels in 5.

The Phillies opened at home against Colorado with a 5-1 victory earlier today. The Phillies won it all last year and I think the experience will give them the upper hand because they know what it takes to win. Getting Cliff Lee from the Indians sure helped their chances. Lee by the way, was the winning pitcher today. Phillies in 4 games.

The St Louis Cardinals won the NL Central and opened tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers in LA. As I write this the Dodgers are winning by a 5-2 score in the bottom of the 7th. The Cardinals have maybe  a slight edge in starting pitching but the dodgers had the best relief pitching staff in the National League this year and boasted the best record in the National League although they did stumble slightly down the stretch and were almost caught by the Rockies. Allsports thinks the Dodgers will win in 5 games although you can never count out the team that has Albert Pujols.

So to sum things up

Yankess in 4

Angels in 5

Phillies in 4

Dodgers in 5

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb