lenny-dykstraderek-jeter-a-rod-and-other-guysFormer Yankees and Phillies that should be discussed by Buck and McCarver at some point during the World Series: crazy Darren “Dutch” Daulton; broke Lenny Dykstra (at right lounging in a hotel room); Rickey Henderson. It would also be splendid if FOX broke out this old SI photo of a shirtless A-Rod and Jeter.

Here’s some bad news for Yankees fans – of the 22 ESPN staffers that picked the series, 20 went with the Yankees. That, plus Girardi’s overmanaging, may spell doom for the New York.

(Pause for dramatic effect.)

Ha! It has been 30 years since a National League team repeated, the Phillies still have shaky Brad Lidge in the bullpen, and they’re tossing Pedro and his 84-MPH heater (“low-90s” is laughable) in game two. Philly’s only shot is winning tonight and hoping that AJ Burnett chokes worse then Pedro will in game two. We’ll take the Yankees in six. But pay no attention to that pick – CRM is the only one who had the Yankees and Phillies getting to the World Series.

mike-schmidtSports Hernia: Philly’s beastly visit to the Bronx in late May included five moonshots off A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, and they would have swept rather quietly if not for two consecutive blown saves by Brad Lidge. Much has changed since, particularly with the Phillies starting rotation (Petie!), but their bats are the same. And they scare me. Lidge does not. However, quite sadly, I’m sensing the Phillies in six.

Cousins of Ron Mexico: Who would have thought picking the defending World Series champions and the team with the biggest payroll and most wins during the regular season would work out? (Just so you know, the Marlins were only 6 games out of the World Series.) Guess I should stick with Yankees in 5.

Ty Duffy: The Red Sox – Cardinals series did not materialize.  Neither did my spring training picks of David Ortiz for AL MVP and Daisuke Matsuzaka for Cy Young.  My predictions have been spectacularly wrong this season.  With that spirit firmly in mind, Yankees in six on a walk-off “A-bomb from A-Rod.”