THE WEEK IN SPORTS
World series time! Even if you are not a big baseball fan this time of the year has to be exciting as the October classic starts with two team who most people already probably knew were going to be there. The Yankees are certainly the favorite but it promises to be a fascinating series. We are going to start off our look at the week in sports with baseball and the world series but we have alot to talk about so lets get to it.
I knew it wasn’t going to 7 and with the veteran arms of Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera for the Yankees on the mound, the Yankees won their 40th American League pennant last night with a 5-2 victory over the Angels in ALCS Game 6 in front of a crowd of 50,173, a record for the new Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees will meet the defending world champion Phillies in the World Series beginning Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, looking for their 27th championship.
The 37-year-old Pettitte, in earning his record 16th postseason victory – breaking a tie with John Smoltz – allowed one run in 61/3 innings. It also was Pettitte’s fifth career series-clinching victory, which broke a tie with Roger Clemens, Catfish Hunter and Dave Stewart.
Despite allowing his first postseason run at home in more than nine years, Rivera pitched the final two innings for his 37th career postseason save, extending his record. He pitched a perfect ninth, striking out Gary Matthews Jr. to end it.
One guy who I was especially impressed with was CC Sabathia, who won Games 1 and 4 of this series and will start Game 1 of the World Series, and he was named MVP of the ALCS.
Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, the Yankees scored three times in the inning, highlighted by Johnny Damon’s two-run single that made it 2-1 and Alex Rodriguez’s bases-loaded walk.
Rodriguez went 2-for-2 with three walks in the game, making him 9-for-21 (.429) with eight walks and six RBIs in the ALCS and 14-for-32 (.438) with 12 RBIs in nine 2009 postseason games. This will be the first World Series appearance of his career, which began in 1994. Said Rodriguez, “It’s been my dream since I was 5 years old . . . All I cared about all year is winning games. It feels good.”
Rivera came in for the eighth and was met right off by Chone Figgins’ bloop hit to left. Figgins scored on Vladimir Guerrero’s two-out RBI single.
Robinson Cano led off the bottom of the inning with a walk off Ervin Santana, and when the Yankees went to small ball, it paid big dividends.
After Game 4 starter and loser Scott Kazmir replaced Santana, Nick Swisher dropped a sacrifice bunt and second baseman Howie Kendrick dropped the throw to first, which hit him in the heel of the glove. Melky Cabrera put down another sacrifice bunt, and this time Kazmir threw the ball well over Kendrick’s head at first, allowing Cano to score and putting runners on second and third.
One out later, Damon walked to load the bases for Mark Teixeira, whose long sacrifice fly to center made it 5-2. Game 3 starter Jered Weaver replaced Kazmir and walked Rodriguez to load the bases. But he struck out Jorge Posada to escape.
It was quite a game and quite a series for the Yankees, with the Yankees winning the American League Championship Series, four games to two. The talk began immediately of a possible 27th World Series championship for the Yankees, who will wait until Wednesday for the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies to drive up Interstate 95 for Game 1.
So what are my thoughts for the world series.
The Yankees haven’t won the World Series in nine years. The Phillies haven’t won the World Series in basically 12 months. A year ago, this matchup would have been seen as the team that always wins (26 World Series titles) against the team that never wins (one title, all the way back in 1980). the Phillies are the equal to the Yankees in power and they have and they also have Cliff Lee to match the Yanks’ CC Sabathia. This should be a thriller.
Odds supplied by Betus
951 Philadelphia Phillies Cliff Lee – L +1½ -150 +145
952 New York Yankees C.C. Sabathia – L -1½ +130
World SeriesSchedule
Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees Breakdown
Gm Date Site Time ET (TV)
1 Wed., Oct. 28 PHI @ NYY TBD (FOX)
PHI: C. Lee (2-0) NYY: CC Sabathia (3-0)
2 Thu Oct. 29 PHI @ NYY TBD (FOX)
3 Sat Oct. 31 NYY @ PHI TBD (FOX)
4 Sun Nov. 1 NYY @ PHI TBD (FOX)
5* Mon Nov. 2 NYY @ PHI TBD (FOX)
6* Wed Nov. 4 PHI @ NYY TBD (FOX)
7* Thu Nov. 5 PHI @ NYY TBD (FOX)
We get to see some ACC action on ESPN again as the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Virginia Tech Hokies will both be be looking for much needed victories on Thursday at 7:30pm EST when they meet at Lane Stadium for ESPN Thursday night football.
North Carolina was upset 30-27 by Florida State in week 8 as 2-point favorites. T.J. Yates threw one TD pass and ran for another in a losing effort for the Tar Heels.
It will be interesting to see what the sports handicappers pick for this game in week 9 after the meltdown by Carolina last week. The Hokies will be favored in college football picks probably around two touchdowns at home and the moral in North Carolina isn’t high right now. “It’s too frustrating,” said UNC cornerback Kendric Burney said. “I don’t know what to say or how to explain anything right now. It tears you apart.”
Virginia Tech was upset 28-23 by Georgia Tech in week 7 as 3.5-point favorites
Week 9 College Football Picks and Betting Trends
North Carolina is 5-5 when playing in October
The Tar Heels are 5-5 when playing on grass
North Carolina is 5-5 after being outgained
The Tar Heels are 4-6 when playing within the conference
Virginia Tech is 6-4 when playing in October
The Hokies are 9-1 when playing on grass
Virginia Tech is 8-2 after being outgained
The Hokies are 7-3 when playing within the conference
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of North Carolina’s last 5 games when playing Virginia Tech
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of North Carolina’s last 5 games on the road
North Carolina is 5-16 SU in their last 21 games on the road
The Tar Heels are1-4 ATS in their last 5 games on the road
Virginia Tech is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing North Carolina
The Hokies are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
Virginia Tech is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The Hokies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games at home
Finally tonight it is usually a safe bet to put great rivalry games on MNF. Even better, last year the Eagles were within a whisker of the Super Bowl. Good game right? It has not turned out that way. The Eagles are coming off an embarrassing loss at Oakland. Their problems pale in comparison to the ‘Skins.
This is looking like a typical black and blue NFC East defensive struggle. Philly learned last week that abandoning the run is dangerous. Washington has the front seven to terrorize McNabb if they become one dimensional. Meanwhile Campbell is on thin ice after it was announced their backup Collins was told to “be ready” in case he is called upon.
Odds supplied by Betus
437 Philadelphia Eagles -7½ -110 -335
438 Washington Redskins +7½ -110 +275
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