How's that New York-Philadelphia World Series Working Out for Ya?

The center of the universe got crushed this past weekend and was shifted a couple of thousand miles to the West. The expected re-match between the Yankees and the Phillies did not materialize because the two best teams that East Coast money could buy stopped hitting.

The Yankees limped into the postseason and were carried out on a gurney after being beaten about the head and neck by the upstart Rangers. Yankee pitchers turned Benjie Molina, a 36-year-old journeyman catcher with a lifetime .274 batting average into a cross between Carlton Fisk and Johnny Bench. Yankee hitters, save Robinson Cano, decided to extend their September vacation into October and can now relax with their millions in warmer climates. The Yankees also suffered from being led by a robot instead of a manager who understands human emotions. In game four, if me and Sal could see from the second deck (good seats, but still the second deck) that AJ Burnett had run out of steam, why couldn't Joe Girardi? With the Yankees ahead 3-2, a runner on first and two outs, the Manager could have easily taken AJ out and allowed the struggling pitcher to walk off the field to a thunderous standing ovation. Instead, he orders him to put the go-ahead run on base and has him pitch to the aforementioned CarltonFishJohnnyBench. Instead of a winter on a high note for his number two starter, he has to assign Yankee staff to suicide watch.

The Phillies, whose fans had already reserved room on the mantel for the 2010 Commissioner's Trophy, supported their superb pitching staff with a couple of singles here and there. The team's leading hitter in the NLCS, Ryan Howard, had zero RBI's - nada, zilch, none. The Philadelphia pitchers did what everyone knew they would do - they pitched like aces. But it is expecting a bit much to think that they are going to throw shutouts every time on the mound.

So it is "better luck next year" for both of the anointed ones.

At least the Yankees know where their holes are: They need pitching - either a couple of frontline starters or a shrink to glue AJ Burnett's head back on. They also need "chemistry and clutch." Sure, they did not need or miss Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui during the regular season, but it sure would have been nice to have their intangibles during the postseason.

The Phillies on the other hand are hard to figure out. They are in danger of becoming the Atlanta Braves: Pretty darn good, but not great. Almost, but not quite. Perhaps if Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson in their primes are available, they can improve the pitching staff, but only marginally. The offense needs consistency. Who is Chase Utley? Is he Jackie Robinson or Davey Johnson? Right now, I am leaning towards Johnson - a few great years but just slightly above average for the career. And is Jimmy Rollins always going to be boon or bust?

Although an American League fan, I will be rooting for the Giants, who last won the Series the year I was born, 1954. It was during that fabulous season, in August, that my parents decided to name me after New York rightfielder Don Mueller, who finished second to Willie Mays in batting in 1954 and hit .389 in a four-game sweep of the Indians in the World Series. He could teach the Yankees and Philies a thing or two about coming up big when it counts.