The World Series Competitors Will Be

Now that the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants have all won their divisions, as predicted previously, now who will make it to the World Series. First things first, we have to name those Wild Card winners, with a simple choice in the American League as it would not be too surprising for this to be the second best record in the AL, in the Boston Red Sox who were narrowly edged out for the division by the Yankees. In the National League it is a heated battle between the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves as the Los Angeles Dodgers trail off down the stretch, with Atlanta being led in by phenom Jason Heyward.

With the four teams being set it is now time for the match ups. In round one of action the pitching of the White Sox force a game five with the Yankees, but C.C. Sabathia and the Bronx Bomber bats are too much and they make it to the American League Championship series. They will be met by the Wild Card winning Boston Red Sox, as they are able to outduel the young talent that Texas provides at the top of the rotation with playoff veterans Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and John Lackey.

The Phillies have no trouble with the Cardinals in the divisional round, making quick work of them in a sweep by avoiding the bats of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, making the other guys try and beat them. In the other series the pitching of the Giants gets them to a game five that they are able to pull out because of their solid bullpen and its experience.

So comes the ALCS and the NLCS, with three teams from the eastern divisions, and the San Francisco Giants being the lone representative west of Pennsylvania. Sabathia is able to do his job and win game one, but Lester goes in game two and is able to steal one at the Bronx. With A.J. Burnett struggling in Fenway again the Red Sox are able to take a 2-1 series lead. That is when manager Joe Girardi uses Sabathia again on three days rest and restarts that rotation, and they are able to come back and win it in six.

The Phillies face a snag in that first game as Tim Lincecum is able to win that pitchers duel with Roy Halladay and steal one in Philadelphia. Unfortunately for the Giants the rest of the rotation does not match up well as Cliff Lee makes short work of them in game two, starting the run a game late, but not too late and the Phillies are able to win in five, as Halladay refuses to lose two games in one series.

So here it is again, what happened in 2009. What was supposed to be the rematch in 2010. What is now going to finally take place in 2011 in the northeast United States, Philadelphia Phillies versus the New York Yankees. The Yankees have the misfortune of not having home field advantage thanks to the All Star Game, and find themselves entering Philadelphia to face Halladay and Lee in the first two games, and they then leave down 0-2 after those first two games. The Yankees and Burnett are able to turn it around however, getting on the board at home, and continuing that strong play to tie the series up 2-2 behind Sabathia on three days rest again over Cole Hamels. Then comes the two headed monster again though, and the Yankees bats are not able to keep up with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and the rest of the Phillies bats and Philadelphia goes on to win the series in six games. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee haunting Yankees fans with thoughts of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in winning co-MVP awards for the series.