More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

6 days ago: Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz celebrates as umpire Dana DeMuth calls New York Yankees' Mark Teixeira, left, out on strikes to end Game 5 of the Major League Baseball World Series Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 8-6 to send the series back to Yankee Stadiuim with New York leading 3-23. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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Game 6 is the geezer matchup of Pedro Martinez vs. Andy Pettitte. We'll all the get the joy of hearing the Yankee fans chant, "Who's your daddy" at Pedro, because nothing is funnier than a five year old quote made in the year that Pedro Martinez's team came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees and go to the World Series.

Pedro pitched game 2 of the series in Yankee Stadium, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits in 6 innings but was out-pitched by A.J. Burnett.

Andy Pettitte is starting on three days rest, which may not be the best idea for the Yankees, not that they have a choice. Pettitte has pitched on short rest five times in the postseason, but not since 2003. He hasn't pitched on short rest at all since 2007. At 37 years old, Andy Pettitte is no CC Sabathia.

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

Two seconds after this picture was taken, Reggie Jackson cleaned A-Rod's clock. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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Game 3 of the World Series matches up Cole Hamels and Andy Pettitte. Hamels had a less than impressive regular season and his postseason has been pretty lousy as well. He's made three starts this postseason and has yet to pitch 6 innings. He's given up 4 runs twice and 3 runs once. In the three games he's given up a total of 6 home runs.

Andy Pettitte's regular season was pretty run of the mill but he's been pretty good in his three postseason starts. He's pitched into the 7th inning all three times. In game three of the ALCS he gave up 3 runs, but allowed just 1 in each of the other two.

Everyone's favorite duo, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, have gone a combined 1-15 with 9 Ks so far in the WS. Only Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui have managed multiple hits in the series. Jeter got 3 of the 6 hits off of Cliff Lee in game 1 and Matsui had 2 hits including a HR against Pedro Martinez in game 2.

After a balanced effort by the lineup in game 1, including two home runs by Chase Utley and two doubles by Ryan Howard, the Phillies were kept quiet by A.J. Burnett in game two, with only Raul Ibanez getting more than one hit.

Joe Girardi is sure to go out of his mind overmanaging now that the series has moved to the National League rules. I can't wait to see his wacky double switches. I hate the National League.

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

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I have this friend, and since the playoffs began he and I have been saying to each other, "There's just no way the Yankees can lose the World Series. They're just too good. I don't see any way around it." Then last night we were talking during the game and as Cliff Lee struck out Jorge Posada to secure the win he said to me, "I think the Phillies could beat them!"

Now, obviously the series is FAR from over, and I still believe the Yankees will probably end up winning the whole thing. But it's funny how it doesn't seem an imminent conclusion anymore. The Phillies have been playing and trash talking with confidence, so you know they believe they can do it. Those Phillies fans/Yankee haters who might not have felt the same way now have a reason to feel some confidence as well. And that's all based on one game, a game in which Cliff Lee pitched his way into my heart (check out Jayson Stark's ESPN.com story on him, it's great).

Another good postseason story begins tonight as Pedro Martinez takes the mound for the Phillies. I'm actually pretty excited to see how he does. Back when Pedro was on the Red Sox, which was back before I hated the Red Sox, I loved to watch him pitch. You know what I mean. He was brilliant. I lost track of him during his injured years with the Mets, but when he was sniffing around for a job before this season I hoped he might end up as an O (and for one awesome moment, he sort of did).

A.J. Burnett gets the start for the Yankees and honestly who knows what they'll get out of him. He could be great or awful, depending upon how the mood strikes him. The Angels knocked him around good in his last start but he was quite good the start before that. If he gets run out of the game early it'll be fun to see how the Yankees bullpen does.

Two last things. First, did you all hear about this chick who was offering sex for World Series tickets? Philly fans are hardcore! And second, I leave you with the Facebook status from a Yankee fan friend: If the Yankees are Pedro's Daddy, does that make Cliff Lee Pedro's grandfather?

More photos » AP

FILE -- In this Oct. 6, 1950, file photo, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Granny Hamner is tagged at the plate by New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra as he tries to score from third in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the World Series, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/File)

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As much as you might hate the Yankees, as much as you might hate the Phillies, as much as you might not even want to watch this World Series, remember that there are those out there who have it worse than us, at least tonight. For one second, imagine that you are a Cleveland Indians fan. Yeah, I feel sorry for those dudes.

That being said, this should be a hell of a game. CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee didn't win the Cy Young in back-to-back years for no reason. They're also apparently BFF, which is sort of cute.

The Yankees and Phillies last met in the World Series in 1950, a matchup that included 8 future Hall of Famers, including 23 year-old future Oriole Robin Roberts. The Yankees swept the series as their pitching staff allowed just 3 runs the entire series.

If you're in the mood to shake your head in disbelief, check out the headline at Pinstripe Alley today: "Finally! Our World Series Wait is Nearly Over" I read the article just in case, but the writer doesn't appear to be using irony in any way.

Let's play ball! I'm ready to get the hot stove cooking and that can't happen until this series is over.

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

Can you believe we lost to these west coast chumps, Alex? (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Does anyone else think that Brian Fuentes just wants to go on vacation already? The dude just loves to give away the game. He tried again in game 5 after the Angels clawed their way back to a lead in the 7th inning only to have him almost cough it up with an intentional walk, an unintentional walk, and a hit batter. But Fuentes' attempt at sabotage was unsuccessful, to the teams travel back to New York for games 6 and, if necessary, 7.

Andy Pettitte will start for the Yankees. Pettitte pitched game three in Anaheim on Monday, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits in 6.1 innings. He allowed HRs to Vlad Guerrero and Howie Kendrick. Pettitte has historically had trouble with Guerrero so that's a matchup to keep an eye on.

Going for the Angels is Joe Saunders, which, if I were an Angels fan, might concern me. Saunders last pitched on Saturday in the marathon game that the Yankees ended up winning in the 13th inning. He pitched well, allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings, with a home run to Derek Jeter. Saunders gave up 29 home runs in the regular season, which was 2nd in the AL to you-know-who. Between the Yankees power and homer friendly Yankee Stadium, if Saunders loses it the game could be over relatively quickly.

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

19 days ago: The New York Yankees' Johnny Damon rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. Angels pitcher Matt Palmer is seen at rear. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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The World Series starts on Wednesday, October 28th. That means if the Yankees win tonight to clinch the AL Pennant, there will be no baseball for 6 days. That's just ridiculous. If by a miracle the Angels can send this series to 7 games, the last game will be on Sunday, giving us two off days between the end of the LCS and the beginning of the WS. Oh, and if the WS goes 7 games? It will end on November 5th. Opening Day '09 was one week later than Opening Day '08. That had to do with the WBC but also the calendar. Opening Day is a Monday so there will be some years when it's later in April. You can't start in March after all (OD '08 was March 31st). So for the next few years Opening Day will be just a little later than I prefer, but that doesn't mean the playoffs have to last this late into the year.

Part of what makes baseball so difficult is the fact that it's a marathon. Teams sometimes go 20 games without an offday, traveling from place to place overnight between series. But for some reason, several years ago, the playoffs became a bit more leisurely. Remember when a 7 game series went like this: two games, travel day, three games, travel day, two games? I miss those days. Now there are off days all over the place. The Twins and Yankees had a day off between games 1 and 2 of the ALDS even though both games were in NY. Both the ALCS and NLCS had an off day between games 4 and 5 despite the fact that there is a travel day between games 5 and 6.

I know it's about television and ratings and all that, but it's ridiculous. Maybe in the years when the season starts on April 1st it wouldn't be as noticable, but we already lost a week at the beginning of the season. Every night we have to hear about the freezing weather well duh, it's almost November.

Maybe I only prefer it because I'm pretty die hard, but the postseason should just be a blitz of baseball. Multiple games every single day until the World Series. It should be wall-to-wall baseball. Not off days so that each game in the LCS can be a prime time event.

Ok, so that's my rant, and it really has little to do with tonight's game, but really what is there to say. John Lackey will try to keep the Angels from being eliminated so they can go back to New York and lose there, only with bonus coverage of Kate Hudson looking on adoringly from the stands and reverent speak about new Yankee Stadium's first time going to the world series, and maybe some talk of destiny or some such. And if they go back to NY where it's cold so we'll get to hear all about how cold it is this time of year again, and maybe some more about Derek Jeter having being all sneezy.

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

20 days ago: Philadelphia Phillies players celebrate as Carlos Ruiz (51) slides home with the wining run in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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The Phillies will try to wrap up their 2nd consecutive NL Pennant tonight at home by defeating the Dodgers (again). Cole Hamels will be making his third start of the postseason, and the first two weren't much to write home about. In game 2 of the NLDS, Hamels allowed 4 runs in 5 innings. In his first game of the NLCS he also allowed 4 runs, only in 5.1 innings.

The Dodgers counter with Vincente Padilla, who is also making his third start of the postseason. Going in, if you'd been asked who would perform better in the playoffs, Padilla or Hamels, who would have picked? Would anyone have gone with Padilla? Probably not, but he's outpitched Hamels significantly. Between his two starts he has gone 14.1 innings, allowing 1 run on 8 hits with 10 Ks and 2 walks. A game in line with his last two would give the Dodgers a good chance to get back to Los Angeles to continue the series.

The Dodgers lineup, which was one of the better ones in the National League during the regular season, has completely tanked this series. Raphael Furcal has been totally useless, Manny Ramirez doesn't look like himself, neither does Matt Kemp. The Phillies have looked much better, especially Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, and Shane Victorino.

I predict the Phillies take the series tonight despite Hamels' troubles so far.