Best Price: $49.95Philadelphia Phillies
It was hard to pick a winner when both teams were so evenly matched up. They have different areas of strengths.
The Phillies had extra time off to prepare for the Rays. The Rays played all 7 games in their last series with the Red Sox.
Since the ALCS ended the Sunday before last, talk has swirled over which team might be better equipped to bring home a World Series title: the Phillies or the Rays. And it’s a fair argument. Neither team seems to have any sort of extraordinary edge over the other.
The Rays have speed and youth. The Phillies have experience and one heck of a bullpen. And both teams have more than enough pop to win the World Series.
There are other small edges in various places around the diamond, of, course, which is why it’s crucial to look at every aspect of the game when determining who might have an overall edge. With teams as evenly-matched as the Phillies and Rays, even the tiniest of advantages could make a noticeable difference.
The Phillies know that. So do the Rays. And so, to that end, the following is a guide to precisely how these two teams compare.
The Rays have the edge at catcher. The Phillies have been praising their catcher, Carlos Ruiz, for his defense and game-calling prowess. The Rays’ Dioner Navarro is already an All-Star.
The Phillies have the edge at first base. Ryan Howard remains one of the game’s foremost power threats. He primarily carried the Phillies during September. During September he was hitting .352 and had 11 home runs.
The Phillies have the edge at second base. Chase Utley went unnoticed in the National League Championship Series. He was hitting .353 with a home run and five walks. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are a dangerous duo when both are hitting well at the same time. As Utley showed on multiple occasions during the NLCS, he’s also as good as it gets defensively.
The Rays have the edge at third base. Evan Longoria hit 27 home runs this year. He made the All-Star team, hit six home runs in the first two rounds of the playoffs and generally proceeds with the demeanor of a player twice his age. If Longoria is on a streak, then Pedro Feliz simply can’t match him offensively.
The Phillies have the edge at shortstop. Leave it to Jimmy Rollins to come through for the Phillies when it matters most.
The left field advantage goes to the Rays. Given Carl Crawford’s injury-plagued struggles at the plate this season, it would be easy to hand the edge to Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell, who hit 33 home runs in the regular season and another three in the playoffs.
The center field advantage goes to the Rays. It’s tough to argue with Shane Victorino, an MVP candidate in the NLCS who seems to save his best for the most critical games.
The right field advantage goes to the Phillies. Because the Phillies boast two left-handed starters, Rocco Baldelli might see more playing time than usual in right.
The designator hitter and bench advantages go to the Rays.
The Rays have the advantage when it comes down to the rotation.
The Phillies have the advantage with the bullpen.
With the Rays having the slight advantage overall, it’s sort of surprising that the Phillies are leading the series 3-1 in the best of 7.
John Anderson is a writer of SportsFanTreasures.com. Check out his Philadelphia Phllies merchandise or his New York Yankees Merchandise
