-Finally, I can enjoy my winter for the first time since 2000. I usually rate years of my life based on how the Yankees did. So, for me, 2009 will forever be known as "a good year".

-Sure I'm spoiled. I turn 22 on the 30th and have been lucky to experience five World Series championships. But don't assume that I have appreciated them any less. I'll never take them for granted. If I live to be a 100 and never watch the Yankees win another championship, I'll always have these five.

-It's going to be really interesting how the Yankees approach the whole resigning of Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. There are so many questions that need to be addressed. Do they want to stay in New York? How many years are they looking for? Does Matsui want to play left field? Do the Yankees want to employ a full-time DH? Aren't they looking to get younger? Obviously, all of these concerns will be ironed out over the next few months.

-The game was fun last night, but what was probably even more fun was watching the agents of Damon and Matsui as the night progressed. I'm sure after every Matsui RBI-hit, his agent was lighting cigars with 8,000,000 yen and yelling the Japanese equivalent of "Cha-Ching!" The same could be said for Damon's agent. That is until the third inning when Damon pulled his calf while scoring on Hideki's hit. My guess is general managers aren't necessarily salivating  over Damon's impending free agency. "OOOOOO, an aging left-fielder with no arm and a penchant for straining vital muscles!" Don't get me wrong though, I want Damon back. He was too valuable to THIS team. Which brings me to my next point:

-Damon's at-bat in the ninth inning of Game 4 will forever be known as "the most unheralded important at-bat in World Series history". Two outs and no one on base. In the previous inning, Joba Chamberlain surrendered a game-tying home run off the bat of Pedro Feliz. The series had shifted in the Phillies favor. If Lidge gets out of the ninth, there's a very good chance Philadelphia wins it in the bottom of the ninth and the series is tied 2-2. But up steps Johnny Damon. After looking silly swinging at two sliders in the dirt, Damon fouls off pitch after pitch until Lidge leaves a fastball up. Johnny knocks it into left and passes the proverbial baton to Teixeira. Surprisingly, Damon takes off for second. Since the Phillies had the shift on for Teixeira, no one was covering third. Knowing this, Johnny sprints towards third and makes it. Cue Teixeira hit-by-pitch and Arod double. Game, Blouses. Yankees take a commanding 3-1 series lead. That's why I want him back (for the right length and price).

-I'll say this once, if the Yankees don't put Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen next season, I'll lose it. Whatever "IT" is, I'll lose it. This post-season was clearly a glaring reason why they should do so. And if they didn't see it, they're either blind, stubborn, insane, or epically stupid. Both his velocity and location improved. Plus his slider was actually sliding, which it wasn't during the season. The man was born to relieve. He doesn't have the intelligence nor the attention span to start.

-Since the Yankees WILL be doing the above, this means its a perfect opportunity for Phil Hughes to start. Look, I lovedwhat he did for us in the bullpen this season. It was terrific. But unlike Joba, his pitching repertoire and overall mental makeup screams "STARTING PITCHER!!!!". He's calm, cool, calculated and smart. Once again, unlike Joba.

-Can we officially call the period between 2001 and 2008, "The Curse of Mike Mussina". Mussina arrived in New York in 2001, a year after they had won their third straight World Series championship. And retired in 2008, a year before they won their 27th world title. Bad luck? Coincidence? Was he as much of a douche as everyone said he was? I'll put my money on the latter. He was a terrific pitcher and a great Yankee, but from what I heard, he was a word that starts with a "pr" and ends with a "ick". And I'm sure his "winning personality" had some effect on team chemistry.

-Throwing aside blatant homerism, I think we can all agree that Mariano Rivera is not human. On his Baseball Reference page it says he turns 40 on November 29th. Does that mean anything really? Really? Every time he strikes out a batter, I'm reminded of a C.S. Lewis quote:

"I find in myself desires which nothing in this earth can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world"

Now? Really, now? C'mon anonymous ex-girlfriend. You couldn't have picked a better time to let this nugget out? As a Yankee fan, I'm trying to ignore the fact that Arod would rather have a threesome with his hand and a mirror than his girlfriend. For me, until the end of this World Series, he's a normal human being whose only focus is on winning. But this centaur story only reminds us of how "WTF" Rodriguez is.

If the Phillie fans don't use this knowledge to their advantage tonight, I will be greatly disappointed.

Previews are pointless. Rarely do they offer any insight into what their actually previewing. Most fans already know who is who and what is what. It's the World Series. If you didn't know the specifics, you probably weren't going to watch anyway. Especially with baseball. This 2009 season has been going on for about 3 years. Even if you tried to avoid the sport, you probably accumulated enough knowledge about these teams by accident. That's just how baseball is formatted. It's so long and time-consuming that you become interested with knowing it. It latches onto your psyche and lies dormant in your unconsciousness. So when someone asks you who's the right fielder for the Phillies, you can say "Jayson Werth!" without batting an eyelash.

Previews may be pointless, but people love them. That's why I am going to do a full scale, "Hold on to your seat!" preview of the 2009 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. That's right, I'm going to do the whole "compare each facet of the game" thing. It's a newspaper/blog staple. It's quick, easy, and requires no real leg work or effort. It's the way life should be.

Starting Pitching

Advantage: Push

Obviously the Yankees right? No. I'm throwing out every game Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettitte pitched in these playoffs and looking at it from face value. I hate sounding like an ESPN talking head but "If Cliff Lee pitches like Cliff Lee, the Phillies have just as good a chance to win Game One against the Yankees". Cliche or not, it's true. The difference between Lee and Sabathia is essentially negligible. And the rest of the rotations for both teams is a wash. Ask any Yankee fan if he or she feels comfortable with Burnett on the mound. Ask any Phillie fan if  he or she feels good with Cole Hamels on the mound. And setting aside the insane atmosphere at Yankee Stadium when Pedro toes the mound in Game Two, he's going to keep the Phillies in the game. That I expect. The same goes for Pettitte who has been an absolute horse in his last three starts.

If you're going to look for a difference in the rotations, it's going to boil down to Game Four. Will CC throw the same on three days rest like he did in the ALCS? If CC throws well, can Joe Blanton match him? Until then, it's a push. Obviously, with the bandboxes these teams play in, the key will be keeping the ball within the field of play.

Lineup

Advantage: Phillies

I don't think I could have agonized over this more. Look at these lineups! Look at them! You trying telling me which team is more stacked. It's this close from being another push. Jeter or Rollins? Werth or Swisher? Howard or Teixeira? Ruiz or Posada? Cabrera or Victorino? Utley or Cano? Feliz or Rodriguez? Ibanez or Damon? I see significant advantages in some positions, but overall, it's too close to call.

So why am I choosing the Phillies? Experience

Sure the Yankees have some World Series experience. Jeter, Posada, and Damon all have been in World Series before. But those crazy Phillies are only one year removed from a championship. Excluding Ibanez, that whole offense has championship memories (and sugarplums) still dancing in their heads. I expect the Phillies to be loose and not press at the plate.

Bullpen

Advantage: Yankees

Let me sum up the bullpens for both teams. During the regular season, the bullpen for the Phillies (especially Brad Lidge) constantly imploded. Lidge blew something like 47 saves this year. New York on the other hand, had a terrific bullpen for a better part of the season. As soon as Phil Hughes was inserted as the set-up man for Mariano Rivera, all the tumblers clicked into place and the bullpen ERA plummeted.

Flash forward to now.

Suddenly Brad Lidge has transformed into the 2008 version of himself and Phil Hughes is pitching like me in 10th grade. Luckily, the Yankees have been able to mask his difficulties with...winning. Nothing covers up a team's weaknesses quite like the 'ol "W". Which brings me to the reason why I gave the edge to the Yankees. Mariano Rivera. If you're keeping track at home, Rivera will turn 40 years old on November 29th (A day before I turn 22). Frightening really. 40 years old and still the best at what he does, sigh...sorry (wipes drool), I lost my train of thought. Oh right.

Crowd

Advantage: Yankees

Screw defense and bench, those things are boring. Granted, their usually the things that decide World Series (see: 2006 Tigers). Let's get to the intangibles! The things that can't be measured. The things that matter in life. Say what you will about how home-field advantage is largely gone by the wayside in baseball and in sports in general. I disagree wholeheartedly. Especially with these two stadiums and fans. They are both rabid, smart, dedicated, and know how to motivate the right players at the right times. Both stadiums are loud, intimidating, and produce camera shaking noise. It's terrific. Good crowds can make a series, regardless of actual play.

Look, I really respect the Phillies fans for their loyalty and enthusiasm for the team they love. They're "true" fans. But where do they earn a significant demerit in my book? Towels. Oh, don't get me started on towels. The towel has become the hallmark of the "new" fan. Recently, when a franchise enters the playoffs for the first time in a long while, their marketing people go a little crazy. "Let's give every fan a towel and they can spin it in the air like an idiot every time the game gets exciting!" (See: Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Philadelphia Phillies). Excuse me for sounding a little Yankee leaning (If it wasn't obvious already), you'll never see a Yankee fan twirling a towel over his head. We use our hands to clap and our throats to yell unrelentingly at opposing players. Those are our tools. We use them proudly.

Prediction: I'm not going there.

-The Phillies scare me.

MLB had issued a statement saying that Game 5 will be completed Wednesday night at 8:37 ET. So that means you can watch the Celtics take on the Cavaliers. Or watch Greg Oden make his opponents crap their pants. It's win-win either way.

Plus, today's scheduled finish to the game starts at 8pm on FOX. It makes a once unwatchable series to the casual fan, much more interesting. A game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, with one team on the verge of winning a championship. It's like FOX gets a mulligan on a joke World Series clincher. Last night, they have to go against the Colts/Titans Monday Night Football game. Tonight, they rival the NBA season openers. In my opinion, if given an option between the two, FOX would always take the latter.

However, to add more drama, the forecast for Philly tonight is more of the same. Rainy, thundery, lightningy. I guess its not always sunny in Philadelphia. Huh? Anyone?

In regards to the actual game, it should be suspenseful. The Rays could see this as a chance to start over. It will be tough though. If Manuel is smart, he will use Madson for at least the seventh and maybe the eighth. Leading into Lidge for the ninth. Longoria and Pena finally utilized the bats last night breaking out of their World Series-long slumps. Should be a drama filled, action packed, suspense laden, thunder game that no one will watch. Greg Oden's first professional game?! I'm there.

12:01-Lidge makes quick work of the Rays and the Phillies take Game 1. Now, the series gets interesting. Shields and Myers will go tomorrow. Advantage: Rays. Should be fun...

11:56-WOW! Has anyone ever hit that slider? Oh yeah, Pujols.

11:51-We're going to the bottom of the ninth. Lidge is coming in. 3-2 Phillies.

11:44-Mission Accomplished! For good measure he argues a called third strike that would have been at the center of ANY umpire's strike zone.

11:43-Ryan Howard up, looking to leave a small nation on the small base paths this evening.

11:36-Crikey! Balfour throws nothing but fastballs. And Jayson Werth catches on and rips a double down the right field line.

11:32-Upton strikes out. End 8th. 3-2 Phillies.

11:27-Why does every person in the stands have credentials around their neck? Is that how they distribute World Series tickets? Is everyone a VIP? Weird.

11:20-Grant Balfour yelling at himself for getting a 1-2-3 inning.

11:13-Excluding Jay Glazer's crazy stories, the Fox NFL Pregame show could be one of the best things on television. A bunch of easily mockable personalities who give pertinent information and seem to genuinely have a good time while working. On the other hand, you have the CBS NFL Pregame show. A bunch of easily mockable personalities who give unasked-for opinions and are constantly worried about the way each of them looks.

11:00-This could be the most boring 3-2 Game 1 World Series game ever. Whether it's the lack of superstar names or the feigned support from the Ray fans, I'm getting nothing from this game.

10:50-Fox should really do more of conversations between the players, coachers, and umpires thing. It's real insight into the game. Not Tim McGarver babble on about something he's been detached from for 40 years.

10:44-End 6th. 3-2 Phillies.

10:41-Hamels balks his way out of a man at first. One out. (umpires never pay attention to that (same with check swings))

10:34-If i guessed what the President of Taco Bell looked like, that guy would be my pick. Did not expect the Australian accent though.

10:34-I never noticed Kazmir's playoff beard. He must have been growing it since spring training.

10:24-Iwamura doubles in Bartlett. 3-2 Phillies.

10:23-Jason Bartlett is now a hero to all fat, cheap Americans. I wonder if we can get a Volcano Taco?

10:17-I wonder what inning it is when they have the Rays Dance Team fire t-shirts into the stands like a Durham Bulls game. Pathetic.

10:08-I don't believe there are that many fans who are disgusted by the umpire's calls. I just think its one guy who's paying attention and his noises are resonating around the dome like a seashell.

10:00-Fox interview with Joe Maddon....oooo weeeee oooo I look just like Buddy Holly

9:54-Carl Crawford hit a homerun to right center. 3-1. Hamels will take it.

9:53-Carlos Pena has a dinner date at 11:00. Grounds out to first.

9:49-S-Kaz strikes out J-Roll to end the inning. 3-0 Phillies.

9:39-B.J. Upton should change his name to D.P. Upton. Too easy?

9:37-Bases loaded for the Rays. 1 out in the bottom of the 3rd. Upton up.

9:33- It's clear the Rays fans are only now experimenting with rally chants. "How can I effectively rouse the spirts of my team?" ponders the Tampa Bay C.P.A in row 1. 'I know "Lets Go Rays!"' Guys we are crushing it!-Guest Post.

9:31-I wonder what Cole Hamels thinks about the fact that Jeff Probst has seen his wife nude. http://survivor12.blogspot.com/2006/06/heidi-strobel-update.html  It must be what fires him up every time he pitches.

9:26-Is it just me, or have Joe Buck and Tim McCarver become white noise? Everything they say is so cookie cutter, it feels like a video game. "Strike three! And the visitors are coming to bat."

9:20-Jayson Werth doubles down the line. Is it time for David Price and his 7 innings of major league experience?

9:14-I feel like I'm watching a mid-June interleague game between two teams fighting for third place in their respective divisions. I know that both the Phillies and Rays defeated all comers, it just feels like this was a weak year for Major League Baseball. I mean, ANY other World Series winner over the past 20 years could beat either of these teams. Except the 2006 Cardinals.

9:08-Kazmir gets bailed out by B.J. Upton. 3 out. Mid 2nd 2-0 Phillies.

9:00-Looks like Kazmir is starting to unravel. I bet those Mets fans are happy they traded him now.

8:50-I'm Evan Longoria, leftfield, batting fourth, and my favorite player is Derek Jeter.

8:45-Utley, hits one deep to right, OUTTA HERE! 2-0 Phillies.

8:42-A heavy shift for Chase Utley. Boy that Joe Maddon is unconventional.

8:33-This amount of commercials is insulting. I mean who do these companies think I am? Some gullible, naive, lemming who.....Oh look, Frank Caliendo. That young man is talented.

8:31-Mike Schmidt got to Shane Victorino in the lineup and almost broke down. Phillies' fans are probably booing him in their homes.

8:20 — I've just been handed a note from Tropicana Field. "While the Backstreet Boys are singing the Star Spangled Banner on the field, beer and popcorn service in Section 213 will be suspended until they can get back up there."-VIA DEADSPIN

8:18-BACKSTREET'S BACK! I can't tell which one's missing. Where's Aaron Carter? Anyway, they are butchering the national anthem. I don't think they realize that the Trop isn't filled with 40,000 screaming girls. Or maybe it is? If they pulled this crap at Yankee Stadium or Fenway, they would be dead before they got to the dugout.

8:13-It's nice that most of the seats at the Trop will be used in the correct way and not in the upright and locked position.

8:09-Steal a base. Win a Taco. So I guess Fox has the "Fat" demographic for Game 1.