The Lesser of Two Evils

While last week’s post-season drama made for exciting baseball for Mets fans, this week’s early league championship action has left much to be desired results-wise. This is not to say the games have been boring because aside from yesterday’s Phillies blowout of the Dodgers, all of the games have been close. They just, for the most part, haven’t had the final outcome most Mets fans would have hoped for.

Let’s face it folks, the two teams right now that Mets fans least want to see advance to the World Series are the Yankees and the Phillies. This puts us in an extraordinary pickle of who to root for. While we can admit both teams are good and well deserving of a potential Fall Classic appearance, seeing one or both make it just turns our stomachs – especially in light of the Mets debacle 2009 season. So if it comes down to these two teams, how will we decide whom to throw our “support” behind?

It’s really not a remotely simple decision…First you have the ever-present jealousy and disdain Mets fans have towards the Yankees. Our cross-town rivals lead a charmed existence. Winning comes easily for them. They have a huge payroll but unlike the Mets, they spend wisely and it shows on the field. Their fans are arrogant and possess a sense of entitlement that drives us completely insane. And the truth is, no matter how good the Mets ever hope to be, they will always be the “other” New York team. Plus, if the Yankees win another World Series, I will have to deal with the ridiculous amount of media coverage and fanfare that will be showered upon them for weeks on end. Thankfully, I no longer work in Manhattan so I won’t have to deal with morons enroute to a ticker tape parade, but avoiding television and print news is a huge inconvenience.

Then you have the Phils…Truthfully, I never had anything against the Phillies until they became competitive over the last 3 years or so. Now, while I can love the scrappy brand of baseball they play, I honestly am annoyed by the fact that over these past three years they have taken every opportunity to slam my Mets in the press. I also don’t care for some of the shady rough plays in the field, such as deliberately trying to hurt Mets players on slides. Add to the fact that the one game I went to at Citi Field when the Phillies were in town was a miserable experience of Mets fans being completely outnumbered. The fact that Phillies fans turned out in droves was not upsetting but the level of belligerence exuded from even before the first pitch was deplorable. It created an atmosphere where if you had taken small children to a game you would want to get them out of the stadium as soon as possible. For now, I will try to believe that what I saw that night was the exception and not the norm.

So with this in mind, if it comes down to a Yankees / Phillies World Series, I’m going to have to root for the Yankees to take it all. I rooted for the Yankees against the Braves in the 90’s so this is a somewhat similar situation of picking the lesser of the two evils. And truth be told, this 2009 Yankees team is definitely a more likeable bunch than those of the “stick-up-their-butts” late 90’s dynasty teams. Call me cheesy, but I kind of like those shaving cream pie in the face antics. Reminds me slightly of the ’86 Mets in a non-inebriated way. Regardless of who I root for, though, a Yanks / Phils World Series could make for a very exciting World Series if both teams play up to their potential. And the best part is, neither team is my team so I’ll be sitting watching from my warm, heated living room rather than having to brave 40 degree stadiums. See, Mets fans? There’s a positive in every situation. Sometimes you just have to look especially hard for it. Now enough with all of this crap…Go Dodgers and Go Angels (wishful thinking).
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Sorry Philadelphia, No Repeat

As the playoffs near while the division and wild card races heat up, the World Series begins to pop up in all fans’ heads. Every fan and MLB analyst has his or her opinion on who is going to make it and win the Fall Classic, but nothing is set in stone, and the unexpected is a common theme. For the fans of Philadelphia, 2008 was one of the most memorable years in franchise history, but a repeat this year would make these two years even more memorable. If you consider how hard it is to get to the final series, especially with the much-needed luck and how the game is played today, the Phillies road to another championship will not be so easy. The Phils definitely have the talent, which they have proven over the last two seasons, but that key factor, luck, could unfortunately get in way.

After the Yankees went on their back- to- back-to-back tear from 1998-2000, there were six different World Series winners up to last year. In major league history, there have been 13 different times in which the same team won two consecutive championships. If you exclude the Yankees, the same feat has only happened seven times since the Modern era (1901-Present) began. So, keeping these statistics in mind, it’s quite rare to find a talented enough team to repeat. I am not saying it is out of the question for the Phillies, but some luck and timing will be essential for this to occur.

Luck plays a large part in winning a world series, but it only makes such a difference. Plain and simply, you need to have the tools throughout your lineup in order to succeed, and do it consistently. The Phillies may have just that, but they are not the only ones. The overpowering Yankees, consistent Angels, (who haven’t lost more than three games in a row this season) and the stacked Dodgers, are just a few of the teams in both leagues that could easily be crowned the 2009 champion. My biggest fear as a Phillies fan are those Yanks. The Yankees may have started off a bit slow, but they are without a doubt one of the best teams in baseball right now. They have a 6.5 game lead over the Boston Red Sox, (another stacked lineup) and an almost sure spot in the playoffs. One may say that the Phillies have an eight game lead over the Braves in their division. While this is true, I must admit that they are not playing in the best division in baseball; the Yankees are. Even if the Phillies do win the National League Pennant, clinching the whole thing is going to be a lot tougher than last year.

Aside from the tough competition, the required luck, and everything else it takes to win a championship, the Phillies have some major issues looming over them as they enter September and the end of the season. I won’t go into much detail for I am sure everyone has heard multiple times about them, but if they aren’t cleared up and fixed soon, I am saying it right now, the Phillies will NOT win the World Series. Brad ‘Lights Out’ Lidge isn’t too “lights out” anymore, and without a consistent and reliable closer, it makes it 10 times harder to put away a team up by one run in the ninth inning. Speaking of reliable, last year’s Cole Hamels was the ace of the staff, but this year you never know which Hamels you are going to get. Usually, it’s not the good Hamels. If the Phillies want to go deep into the postseason, they won’t be able to do this if they only rely on Cliff Lee. Now, those are the two biggest issues concerning the Phillies right now, but some other minor problems include Pedro Martinez’s consistency and Raul Ibanez’s lost stroke. With all of this said, no one can’t be surprised, for we all know that all Philadelphia teams like to play “the hard way”.


Not everything has been negative as of late. The Phillies will be able to call up some minor leaguers in September when the 25-man roster increases. Off the bench power could be provided by Michael Taylor, though it is just a possibility. The return of Brett Myers could put a final statement in the bullpen, but after a long layoff from being on the DL, who knows what he will contribute to the ballclub? Aside from players internally helping out the club, the Phillies do have a seven game lead over the Braves as of August 30, so this gives them time and flexibility to fix their problems. If it were a closer race, the patience for Brad Lidge to return to form would be at a minimum, and the City of Brotherly Love would be going frantic. Let’s all hope we never reach that point.

Playoff baseball is the best thing in sports. The atmospheres, intensity, close ballgames, great pitching matchups, and walk off homeruns are something that no other sport can match. Of course, it makes it that much better when your team is in it. I believe the Phillies will make their third straight playoff appearance and they will make it far into postseason play. Just how far is the question. The Phils are a great team, but there are always teams that are better. As much as I hate to say this as a diehard Phillies fan, sorry Philadelphia, no repeat this year.

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