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Sports reporters Kurt Rohrbeck and Daniel Kurzner talk about who will win the 2009 World Series in a discussion moderated by Steven Simon.

Regarding pitching, both teams are pretty even; each team gave up about 1.2 home runs per nine innings, each hit about 73 batters, and each posted a team WHIP, walks plus hits over innings pitched, of 1.352. The only differences were the Phillies team ERA, 4.16, was a bit lower than the Yankees, 4.28, and the Yankees struck out 100 more posing batters.

We all know the big names: A-Rod, Jeter, Howard and Utley but there are two other players poised to do great things this series.

The first is Andy Pettitte, starting pitcher for the Yankees. Pettitte has been around the playoffs a lot, posting over 230 innings pitched in the post-season. Over the course of his career he has handled the first four Phillies’ batters, Rollins, Victorino, Utley, and Howard, very well. In 79 at-bats, combined, they have gotten only nine hits, a home run and have only two RBIs against Pettitte.  That’s a combined .184 batting average against Pettitte; talk about ownership.

On the Phillies side, keep an eye on Raul Ibanez, the starting leftfielder. Against the three Yankee starters, Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte, Ibanez has combined in his career to go 21 for 76 (.276 batting average), with three home runs and 15 RBIs. This means Ibanez drives in a run every five at-bats; not bad since those pitchers combined to make over 35 million dollars this season.

In the playoffs, defense and walks always have game-changing effects. In 2009, the Phillies committed ten less errors than the Yankees, but the Yankees walked about 100 less batters.

Ultimately, it should be a good series, with a ton of souvenirs hit over the outfield fences. But I see the Yankees winning it in six games.  The power and patience of the Yankees line-up should continue into the World Series and with Mariano Rivera, pitching the ninth inning, the Yankees will secure their 27^th franchise championship.

A.J. Burnett needs to pitch well for the Yankees to win, and after two strong postseason starts, Burnett struggled in his Game 5 no decision to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, allowing six runs. (John Dunn/Newsday/MCT)

The ace

ALCS MVP CC Sabathia posted a 1.13 ERA over two starts in the last series, and he will enjoy seven days rest before Wednesday’s start. Cliff Lee lines up against Sabathia in Game 1, but while Lee has had a strong postseason, he is not as used as Sabathia is to the sandbox that we call Yankee Stadium. Add the fact that Sabathia is on fire right now, and the Yanks have the advantage.

The superstar

Alex Rodriguez has finally decided to be his Hall of Fame self this postseason, hitting .438 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in nine games. A-Rod’s hot streak has resulted in Barry Bonds-like treatment from pitchers, as he walked eight times (thrice intentionally) in the ALCS. Rodriguez’s presence in the lineup gives the Yankees a huge edge in the series.

The home-field advantage

The Yankees could host four games, including the possible sixth and seventh games. At Yankee Stadium, the ballpark in which more home runs were hit than any other stadium this season, the Yanks’ pitching staff has an enormous advantage because they are used to keeping the ball low on hitters. The intense New York fans would love nothing more than to welcome the new stadium with a championship.

The bullpen

Moving Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen for the playoffs bolsters the already-reliable Yankees bullpen. Damaso Marte and David Robertson have not allowed a run this postseason, and Phil Hughes has been a dependable bridge to Mariano Rivera. If the Yankees get to the ninth inning with a lead, the game is locked.

The old timers

Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera were all part of the Yankee Dynasty in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. This season, Jeter hit .334 (age 35), while Rivera posted a 1.76 ERA (age 39). Pettitte (37) and Posada (38) are known for their elevated performances in the postseason. Manager Joe Girardi was also part of the Dynasty, so a championship would mean equally as much to him. These five Yankees contribute to both the physical and emotional desire that will help the Yankees win.

The X Factor: A.J. Burnett

The Yanks’ $82.5 million investment was brought to New York for this series. Burnett has the stuff of a top-five starter in the league, but his performance in his next two starts will be crucial for a Yankee victory. Jose Molina has been his personal catcher, so the Yanks are without Posada’s bat for those games. If Burnett starts Game 5 in Philadelphia, there is no DH, so subtract Hideki Matsui’s bat from the lineup as well. Burnett will be facing revitalized 38-year-old Pedro Martinez, so Burnett must respond to the pressure.

Why you should care

For the first time in a while, the Yankees are a feel-good story facing the defending champions. They were dominant in the late 1990s, but they have not won the Series in nine years. Last season, Yankee fans were outraged, as the Yanks did not make the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but in Girardi’s second season managing the club, he has made the team into a World Series contender. This year is the Yanks’ comeback, with the core players from the Dynasty as hungry as ever.

Daniel Kurzner is a Yankees fan and wrote an intentionally slanted article. For an opposing argument from a Phillies fan, see Kurt Rohrbeck’s article “Phillies win” on studlife.com. Sports reporter Steven Simon provides a neutral perspective on the World Series on studlife.com in his article “2009 World Series showdown.” Simon also predicts that the Yankees will win in six games.