SPORTS BETTING

• World Series Preview

  Posted on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT by GetChalk

  
  

  This season's World Series is shaping up to be a Fall Classic to remember. Two of the game’s biggest and boldest clash for baseball's top spot when the American League champs, the New York Yankees, face the National League pennant winners and defending World Series champions, the Philadelphia Phillies.
   
  Game 1 of the 2009 World Series begins Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Oddsmakers have set the baseball betting odds, pricing New York as a -161 home favorite while Philadelphia is a live ‘dog at +151. These teams met in a three-game series in the Bronx back in May, where the Phillies took two of three matchups and outscored the Yankees 15-11 over the weekend set.
   
  At the time of that three-game series, Philadelphia's Game 1 starter, Cliff Lee, was struggling with the Cleveland Indians. But since joining the Phillies at the trade deadline, the former Cy Young winner has returned to his 2008 form.
   
  Lee has been even better in the postseason, posting a 2-0 record with an 0.74 ERA in three playoff starts. His most recent effort was an eight-inning, shutout showing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS. For his career, Lee has faced the Yankees in nine starts and has a 4-4 mark with an ERA just north of 5.00. He spoiled the opening of the new Yankee Stadium back in April as a member of the Tribe, pitching six innings and giving up just one earned run.
   
  Lee will go head-to-head with former Cleveland teammate CC Sabathia. The lefty is just as lights-out as his Philadelphia counterpart this postseason. In three playoff starts, Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA. His most recent trip to the bump was an eight-inning, one-run effort for a 10-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels in Game 4 of the ALCS. Those efforts earned Sabathia the ALCS MVP award.
   
  Sabathia has only faced the Phillies four times during his career; he has 1-2 record and 5.54 ERA in those appearances. He pitched against Philadelphia during their interleague series in May, going eight innings and allowing three earned runs for a 4-3 loss in extra innings, getting a no-decision. At home this year, the lefthander is 9-2 with a 2.93 ERA.
   
  Sabathia will stare down one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball Wednesday night. Philadelphia is hitting .261 this postseason but blistered the Dodgers for seven runs per game in the NLCS. Leading the charge on offense for the Phillies is NLCS MVP Ryan Howard, who is hitting .355 with two home runs and 14 RBI this postseason. However, versus the Yankees this year Howard batted only .143 and was held to just two hits and struck out three times.
   
  Luckily, Howard has a red-hot lineup around him if he does struggle against New York. Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz, and Chase Utley are all hitting over .300, while slugging outfielder Jayson Werth is crushing the ball with five home runs and 10 RBI in October. Even struggling leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins is beginning to find his swing and gives Philadelphia a threat on the base paths. Against the Dodgers, the Phillies stole just two bases after ranking seventh in the majors this season.
   
  For New York, Alex Rodriguez's 180 in October has helped the offense average over five runs per game. ARod, who has been plagued with poor postseason play during his career, is hitting .438 with five home runs and 12 RBI. But more importantly Rodriguez has registered these hits at critical moments late into games.
   
  Also doing damage at the plate for New York are outfielder Melky Cabrera and shortstop Derek Jeter. Cabrera is hitting .314 with four RBI while Jeter is hitting just under .300 and has three home runs and five RBI. Catcher Jorge Posada is over his issues with the management at the start of the playoffs, and is batting .258 with two home runs and three RBI.
   
  Wednesday's World Series opener could get a bit soggy, with the forecast calling for showers and temperatures in the 50s. Both the Phillies and Yankees used the chilly East Coast weather to their advantage against Los Angeles opponents. The cold and rain could keep the ball inside the park when the majors’ top two home-run hitting teams collide.
   
  Wednesday's total is set at 7.5 runs. Philadelphia has an over/under mark of 71-82-7 this season with a 6-2-1 count in the playoffs. New York is 77-77-8 over/under and has played under the betting total in six of its nine postseason contests.