The World Series is here

The Rays and Phillies kick off what should be an interesting and virtually unnoticed World Series tonight at 8 or 8:30 or whenever FOX feels like getting things started. I've done a video preview and a guide to the potential hyperbole in the Series at FanHouse already today, and we'll be running a chat tonight during the game.

We also did a roundtable where I gave some analysis and a prediction, but I'll go a little more in to that here. I just don't think the Phillies match up well with the Rays at all. After Hamels, their rotation has nothing on the Rays rotation. Their lineups might be a push with Howard hitting, but he's been rendered impotent by the Jason Bay pitch in these playoffs and the Rays have several lefties in the bullpen (Miller, Howell, Price), as well as Kazmir in the rotation to deal with him. The Phillies have an edge in the bullpen, but Lidge hasn't looked great and if Price takes some innings from Wheeler and Balfour, I think the Rays will be much improved over their near-debacle in the ALCS. As I said at FanHouse, I'm going with the Rays in five in this series. Agree? Disagree?

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