SPORTS ADVISORS
Philadelphia (7-2) at Tampa Bay (7-4)
Having dispatched of the defending champs in a wild seven-game American League Championship Series, the Rays now take part in their first Fall Classic when they host the Phillies, who are back in the World Series for the first time since 1993. Two solid lefties will be on the mound at Tropicana Field for Game 1, with Tampa Bay’s Scott Kazmir (13-8, 3.54 ERA in 30 regular-season and postseason starts) opposing Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels (17-10, 2.92 ERA in 36 starts).
The Rays blew a 3-1 advantage to the Red Sox in the ALCS, losing 8-7 in Game 5 in Boston after having a 7-0, seventh-inning lead, then falling 4-2 at home in Game 6 on Saturday. But Tampa Bay rallied from a 1-0 deficit in Game 7 on Sunday and held off the Sox 3-1 to advance to its first World Series. Tampa defeated the White Sox 3-1 in the best-of-5 divisional round.
Philadelphia easily dispatched of the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, prevailing in five games. The Phillies, who beat the Brewers in four games in the NLDS, have been idle since their series-clinching 5-1 victory at Los Angeles a week ago tonight, and they’re looking for their first world championship since 1980.
The Phillies are on runs of 35-16 overall, 8-3 on the road, 15-4 following a victory, 22-8 against winning teams and 13-3 after an off day. Meanwhile, the Rays are on streaks of 57-19 at Tropicana Field and 6-2 at home against southpaw starters.
These teams last faced each other in 2006, when Tampa Bay took two of three interleague games in Philadelphia. The Rays are 10-5 all time against the Phillies, including 5-1 in the last six overall and 4-0 in the last four at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay went 12-6 against the National League in 2008, batting .290 as a team and posting a 3.21 ERA. On the flip side, the Phillies tied the Padres for the worst interleague record this season at 3-15, batting .250 and posting a team ERA of 4.90. The Rays are on interleague streaks of 7-1 against the N.L. East, 8-3 at home and 7-0 when facing a southpaw starter, while Philadelphia is in interleague slides of 17-36 overall, 6-17 on the road and 1-4 against the A.L. East.
Hamels is 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in three playoff starts this month, including leading the Phillies to the World Series in last Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Dodgers. He went seven innings in that contest, giving up one run on five hits en route to being named MVP of the NLCS. Hamels has given up two earned runs or fewer in six straight starts and 12 of his last 13, and the Phillies are 8-5 during this stretch (5-1 in his last six).
Tampa Bay is 21-8 in Kazmir’s last 29 starts overall (2-1 in the playoffs) and 35-17 in his last 52 at the Trop. The southpaw is 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA in three October outings, and he had his best start in six weeks in Game 5 at Fenway Park on Thursday, scattering two hits and three walks while striking out seven in six scoreless innings. He left with a 7-0 lead before his bullpen imploded, giving up eight runs over the final three innings to lose, 8-7.
Including the postseason, Hamels is 8-3 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 road starts (Philadelphia is 10-7), while Kazmir is 9-2 with a 3.30 ERA in 16 home starts (14 of which Tampa Bay has won).
Hamels faced the Rays back on June 16, 2006, and he lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in a 10-4 home loss. The next night, Kazmir shut down Philadelphia in a 7-2 win, yielding two runs on six hits in five innings, walking three and striking out nine.
With Hamels on the mound, the under is on runs of 5-0 overall and 5-1 on Wednesdays, but the over is 5-1 in his last six interleague outings. For
Kazmir, the over is on streaks of 7-1 overall and 5-1 at home.
For the Phillies, the under is on streaks of 7-3 in the playoffs, 5-2 on the road, 7-2 in interleague play and 4-1 after an off day. For the Rays, the under is on runs of 4-1 at home, 20-8-1 in interleague home games and 19-7 at home against lefty starters. However, the over is 6-2-1 in Tampa Bay’s last nine against the N.L. East.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Philadelphia (7-2) at Tampa Bay (7-4)
Having dispatched of the defending champs in a wild seven-game American League Championship Series, the Rays now take part in their first Fall Classic when they host the Phillies, who are back in the World Series for the first time since 1993. Two solid lefties will be on the mound at Tropicana Field for Game 1, with Tampa Bay’s Scott Kazmir (13-8, 3.54 ERA in 30 regular-season and postseason starts) opposing Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels (17-10, 2.92 ERA in 36 starts).
The Rays blew a 3-1 advantage to the Red Sox in the ALCS, losing 8-7 in Game 5 in Boston after having a 7-0, seventh-inning lead, then falling 4-2 at home in Game 6 on Saturday. But Tampa Bay rallied from a 1-0 deficit in Game 7 on Sunday and held off the Sox 3-1 to advance to its first World Series. Tampa defeated the White Sox 3-1 in the best-of-5 divisional round.
Philadelphia easily dispatched of the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, prevailing in five games. The Phillies, who beat the Brewers in four games in the NLDS, have been idle since their series-clinching 5-1 victory at Los Angeles a week ago tonight, and they’re looking for their first world championship since 1980.
The Phillies are on runs of 35-16 overall, 8-3 on the road, 15-4 following a victory, 22-8 against winning teams and 13-3 after an off day. Meanwhile, the Rays are on streaks of 57-19 at Tropicana Field and 6-2 at home against southpaw starters.
These teams last faced each other in 2006, when Tampa Bay took two of three interleague games in Philadelphia. The Rays are 10-5 all time against the Phillies, including 5-1 in the last six overall and 4-0 in the last four at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay went 12-6 against the National League in 2008, batting .290 as a team and posting a 3.21 ERA. On the flip side, the Phillies tied the Padres for the worst interleague record this season at 3-15, batting .250 and posting a team ERA of 4.90. The Rays are on interleague streaks of 7-1 against the N.L. East, 8-3 at home and 7-0 when facing a southpaw starter, while Philadelphia is in interleague slides of 17-36 overall, 6-17 on the road and 1-4 against the A.L. East.
Hamels is 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in three playoff starts this month, including leading the Phillies to the World Series in last Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Dodgers. He went seven innings in that contest, giving up one run on five hits en route to being named MVP of the NLCS. Hamels has given up two earned runs or fewer in six straight starts and 12 of his last 13, and the Phillies are 8-5 during this stretch (5-1 in his last six).
Tampa Bay is 21-8 in Kazmir’s last 29 starts overall (2-1 in the playoffs) and 35-17 in his last 52 at the Trop. The southpaw is 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA in three October outings, and he had his best start in six weeks in Game 5 at Fenway Park on Thursday, scattering two hits and three walks while striking out seven in six scoreless innings. He left with a 7-0 lead before his bullpen imploded, giving up eight runs over the final three innings to lose, 8-7.
Including the postseason, Hamels is 8-3 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 road starts (Philadelphia is 10-7), while Kazmir is 9-2 with a 3.30 ERA in 16 home starts (14 of which Tampa Bay has won).
Hamels faced the Rays back on June 16, 2006, and he lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in a 10-4 home loss. The next night, Kazmir shut down Philadelphia in a 7-2 win, yielding two runs on six hits in five innings, walking three and striking out nine.
With Hamels on the mound, the under is on runs of 5-0 overall and 5-1 on Wednesdays, but the over is 5-1 in his last six interleague outings. For
Kazmir, the over is on streaks of 7-1 overall and 5-1 at home.
For the Phillies, the under is on streaks of 7-3 in the playoffs, 5-2 on the road, 7-2 in interleague play and 4-1 after an off day. For the Rays, the under is on runs of 4-1 at home, 20-8-1 in interleague home games and 19-7 at home against lefty starters. However, the over is 6-2-1 in Tampa Bay’s last nine against the N.L. East.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
