WORLD SERIES GAME 1 PREVIEW

TALE OF THE TAPE: GAME 1 STARTERS (from www.yankees.com)

YANKEES - CC Sabathia

"I'll go out and try to do the same things I've been doing all year."

BREAKDOWN

• 2009 Regular Season - 19-8, 34 GS, 3.37 ERA
• Sabathia is in the midst of a solid postseason posting a 3-0 record with an impressive 1.19 ERA.
• CC has faced the Phillies once this year, it was a no decision and CC posted an ERA of 3.36. He is even through 3 games for his career against Philadelphia with an ERA of 4.35.
  

KEY STAT: Opponents batted .223 against him at home.

KEY MATCHUPS

• Jayson Werth, 0-for-6
• Ryan Howard, 3-for-7
  

PHILLIES - Cliff Lee

"I don't think I ever doubted myself."

BREAKDOWN

• Don’t be fooled by the numbers, the 2009 season record for Cliff Lee is unimpressive at first glance: 14-13, 34 GS, 3.22 ERA. Remember this includes a rough beginning in Cleveland before his transition to the National League with Philadelphia.
• He has proven his mettle this postseason, going 2-0 through 3 games with a miniscule ERA of 0.74
• It was in the season opener at Yankee Stadium that Lee began to look like the dominating Cy Young winner of 2008, allowing just 1 run through 5 2/3 innings and securing a win against Sabathia. Nevertheless his has posted a career record of 4-and-4 through 9 games against the Yankees with an ERA of 4.04.
  

KEY STAT: Opponents batted .272 overall against him this season.

KEY MATCHUPS

• Johnny Damon 2-for-22
• Derek Jeter, 11-for-27
  

TV: FOX 7:57 PM ET

COMMENTARY: The battle of the former Cleveland Indians starters is set to go off tonight in Game 1 of the World Series. The teams have gone through their preparations, the managers have carefully modified their lineups and implemented a game plan, the players have faced the media, and the media has methodically broken down every facet of this game. Now it is time to play, and for all the charts, all the Q&As, all of the analysis about the advantages of each team position by position, there are somethings that are abundantly clear: there is not a lack of confidence on either side of this series, and ultimate success will come down to pitching.

And what a pitching duel we have in store for us in game 1. Two former teammates, the American League’s last two Cy Young winners, alike in personality and style, and both having a post season for the ages. It’s almost like they are looking at each other in a mirror, that’s why it is hard to give an edge to either one of these pitchers. It is also the reason why their performance tonight may have a lot to say about how this series goes. One game does not a series make, but there is no doubt that the stakes of this duel in baseball’s cathedral tonight are incredibly high.