Catcher: Jorge Posada vs Carlos Ruiz
Posada: .285 AVG, 22 HR, 81 RBI, .363 OBP, .522 SLG; Postseason- .258 AVG, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Ruiz: .255 AVG, 9 HR, 43 RBI, .355 OBP, .425 SLG; Post.- .346 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI
Posada was a great offensive catcher, like usual, during the regular season, in contrast to Ruiz, who wasn't. This postseason, it has been a different story. Ruiz has been tearing up at the bottom of the order for the Phils. Posada's been here more than Ruiz, and you can definitely expect him to snap out of it. Posada's obviously a better hitter, much more so than Ruiz is better defensively.
Edge: Yankees
1st Base - Mark Teixeira vs Ryan Howard
Teixeira: .292 AVG, 39 HR, 122 RBI, .383 OBP, .565 SLG; Post.- .205 AVG, 1 HR, 5 RBI
Howard: .279 AVG, 45 HR, 141 RBI, .360 OBP, .571 SLG; Post.- .355 AVG, 2 HR, 14 RBI
This is a tough one. Teixeira has really been in a funk in his 1st postseason with the Yanks, basically, with two big hits, that's it. Howard, has been his normal self. Huge numbers and he's the Phils' main power threat, even though they have a ton of them. Teixeira is far superior in the field, though. Hopefully Teixeira will turn it around at the plate, but right now, Howard it is.
Edge: Phillies
2nd Base - Robinson Cano vs Chase Utley
Cano: .320 AVG, 25 HR, 85 RBI, .352 OBP, .520 OBP; Post.- .229 AVG, 0 HR, 5 RBI
Utley: .282 AVG, 31 HR, 91 RBI, .397 OBP, .508 OBP; Post.- .303 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Another tough one, seems that there are going to be a lot of these here. Utley is a more power oriented hitter, but he can get his hits. Cano was a great hitter during the year, but that hasn't shown up during the PS, like many of the Yankee hitters. Cano's defense, though, seems to be light years ahead of Utley's especially in the PS. These are two really good players and there isn't much that separates them. Edge: EVEN
Shortstop - Derek Jeter vs Jimmy Rollins
Jeter: .334 AVG, 18 HR, 66 RBI, .406 OBP, 30 SBs; Post.- .297 AVG, 3 HR, 5 RBI
Rollins: .250 AVG, 21 HR, 77 RBI, .296 OBP, .423 SLG; Post.- .244 AVG, 0 HR, 3 RBI
Wow. I thought this one was going to be a lot closer than it was when I was about to write this up, then I saw Rollins' stats. Jeter had a career year, defensively and offensively, Rollins did not. I don't think there's much else to say.
Edge: Yankees
3rd Base - Alex Rodriguez vs Pedro Feliz
Rodriguez: .286 AVG, 30 HR, 100 RBI, .402 OBP, .532 SLG; Post.- .438 AVG, 5 HR, 12 RBI
Feliz: .266 AVG, 12 HR, 82 RBI, .308 OBP, .386 SLG; Post- .161 AVG, 1 HR, 1 RBI
A-Rod is having a historic postseason, he had a great season as well. Feliz is a very good hitter, it's just not showing up in the PS so far. They are very even in the field, but Rodriguez' fielding is just too much for Feliz to compare.
Edge: Yankees
Left Field - Johnny Damon vs Raul Ibanez
Damon: .282 AVG, 24 HR, 82 RBI, .365 OBP, 12/12 in SBs; Post.- .238 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Ibanez: .272 AVG, 34 HR, 93 RBI, .347 OBP, .552 SLG; Post.- .226 AVG, 1 HR, 9 RBI
Ibanez was in the MVP conversation until he got hurt and slowed down (hey that's what the NL will do for a aging outfielder!). Damon really took advantage of his new ballpark, and blasted a career high in home runs. They both aren't exactly what I'd call gold glovers in the OF, though. Damon has more speed than Ibanez by far, also.
Edge: EVEN
Center Field - Melky Cabrera vs Shane Victorino
Cabrera: .274 AVG, 13 HR, 68 RBI, .336 OBP, .416 SLG; Post.- .314 AVG, 4 RBI
Victorino: .292 AVG, 10 HR, 62 RBI, .358 OBP, 25 SBs; Post.- .361 AVG, 3 HR, 7 RBI
Cabrera has put up decent numbers in the PS so far, but Shane Victorino beats him out in about every way possible. Melky did have more HRs and RBIs, possibly because Victorino's a leadoff man, and Shane also is gold glove caliber in the OF and matches Melky's arm strength.
Edge: Phillies
Right Field - Nick Swisher vs Jayson Werth
Swisher: .249 AVG, 29 HR, 82 RBI, .371 OBP, .498 SLG; Post.- .125 AVG, 1 RBI
Werth: .268 AVG, 36 HR, 99 RBI, .373 OBP, .506 SLG; Post.- .281 AVG, 5 HR, 10 RBI
I think this is a very easy answer. As I said in the ALCS preview, Swisher has helped and helps the Yankees in other ways, just not offensively. He has been a liability at the plate this PS. Plain and simple. Werth, on the other hand, is having a monster postseason. He has been the NL's A-Rod. He had a great regular season and he is gold glove caliber in the OF.
Edge: Phillies
Designated Hitter - Hideki Matsui vs Matt Stairs/Greg Dobbs
Matsui: .274 AVG, 28 HR, 90 RBI, .367 OBP, .509 SLG; Post.- .233 AVG, 1 HR, 5 RBI
Stairs: .194 AVG, 5 HR, 17 RBI, .357 OBP, .379 SLG; Post.- 0/2, 2 BBs
Dobbs: .247 AVG, 5 HR, 20 RBI, .296 OBP, .383 SLG; Post.- 0/4
Philly is lucky they don't have to play every game with a DH. Back in May, when in Yankee Stadium, they used a better fielding outfielder twice and used Ibanez as a DH (Mayberry Jr. as the outfielder). Their DH/OF, in this case Matt Stairs in John Mayberry Jr. went a combined 3/13, with 1 HR, 3 RBI, and 3 Ks. Matsui is the more experienced DH, and obviously has better numbers than Stairs/Dobbs/Cairo/Mayberry (I don't know who they'll use or who they even have on the roster).
Edge: Yankees
Managers - Joe Girardi vs Charlie Manuel
Girardi: 3 years, 270-216, 06 MOY, 1 Divison Title, 1 AL Pennant
Manuel: 8 years, 667-553, 2 NL Pennants, 2 Division Titles, 1 WS Title
Manuel seems to be a good manager, I mean why else would he be here? I really don't know much about him, but from what I've seen he's handled the Lidge- Closer or not, situation very well and has gotten back his dominant closer. Girardi has been dissected by people like me his whole 2 years in the Bronx, but has brought back a pennant to NY. He still seems like he doesn't know how to run a bullpen, though.
Edge: Phillies
Bench: Yanks have so much depth off their bench, Hinske Guzman or Ramiro Pena as that last guy. Phillies seem like they rely on Stairs and Cairo to do most of the work off the bench, which isn't much.
Edge: Yankees
Pitching has been reviewed already, so I'll just leave it at this, the Yankees have much stronger pitching. Oustide of Lee, Lidge, and Madson, the Phils don't have much else. Hamels has been shaky, at best. Edge: Yanks
MY PREDICTION: Yanks in 6. I think the Yanks will do what they did to the Angels, take 3 at home, and 1 in Philly. But I would not be surprised if this series went 7 games.
I'm so pumped right now, can't wait for Jay-Z to hit the series off tomorrow, then gametime baby.
GET READY FOR THE WORLD SERIES, LETS GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!