Phillies Nation

54 Responses to “ESPN Universe Says Rays Will Beat Phils”

1. Keith Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

   ugh, when will the Phillies get respect?

   another thing I don’t get, isn’t Philly a major city? so shouldn’t that mean its a big market?

2. Chutley Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:15 pm

   I guess baseball seasons is over, the Red Sox are out of the playoffs so why even bother watching. As long as the Phils will i don’t care who watches.

3. Ben Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:16 pm

   Would the Phillies want it any other way than to be the underdog? I think this whole series sets up well for the Phillies. All the talk will be about the Rays until the Phillies start out and win the first 2 games. Then the whole world will realize just how good this Phillies team is. As of right now the only weak spot the Phillies have is the depth at starting pitching, but they do have the best pitcher in the series. So take that as you want. The Phillies just have to be patient at the plate and have good at bats and I see nothing but a World Series victory in their future.

4. SJ Mike Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

   The ESPN ‘experts’ to pick the Phils are Gammons, Kruk, and even Steve Phillips.

   Everyone else is picking the Rays.

5. Chase Mutley Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:21 pm

   They all picked the Dodgers to win too.

6. Go Blue! Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

   Teams Tampa Bay beat to win the AL East:

   1. The defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox.
   2. the New York Yankees.
   3. Toronto Blue Jays

   Teams Tampa Bay beat to win the ALCS:

   1. AL Central Division Champion Chicago White Sox.
   2. Defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox

   Teams Philadelphia beat to win NL East:

   1. Mets
   2. Florida Marlins
   3. Atlanta Braves
   4. Washington Nationals

   Teams Philadelphia beat to win the penant:

   1. wild carders Milwaukee Brewers
   2. the 84-78 Los Angeles Dodgers

   …That’s why everyone thinks the 2008 Philadelphia Philles = 2004 St. Louis or 2007 Colorado. Good team from a deficient league.

   The Rays had a much tougher year and schedule in the toughest MLB divsion. Philadelphia played teams in the postseason that, had they been in the AL, wouldn’t have made it at all.

   game Four projected starter Jamie Moyer is 45 years old. 45 friggin’ years old…

   One decent pitcher (Hamels) and two good offensive players (Howard and Utley) does not make a WS champion, especially considering the talent on the Rays.

   “nuff said.

   I hope you Phillies fans enjoy the WS as much as i enjoyed the NLCS. You deserve it.

   I’m just glad my Dodgers aren’t going to lose to a ten-year-old team.

7. SJ Mike Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

   Caple picks a Rays 4-0 sweep.

8. Michael S Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:23 pm

   I hate this talk of everyone tuning out this series

   Let’s look at the facts: http://www.nielsen.com/pdf/2008_09_DMA_Ranks.pdf

   Philadelphia: 4th largest media market
   Tampa/St. Petersburg: 13th largest media market

   2007:

   Boston: 7th
   Denver: 18th

   2006:

   Detroit: 11th
   St. Louis: 21st

   2005:

   Chicago: 3rd
   Houston: 10th

9. Manny Says:
   October 20th, 2008 at 1:25 pm

   I’m happy they don’t pick us. So far, it’s worked to our favor…

10. J-Man Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:25 pm

    Remember these same idiots picked the Dodgers to beat the Phillies and how’d that work out?Although i heard too Kruk picked the Phils and he hasn’t been that good with his picked because he picked a Dodgers/Red Sox World Series.

11. Chase Mutley Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:26 pm

    Go Blue sounds like a sore loser.

12. Jeffrey Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    That poll is less an indicator of who people think will win than it is an indicator of what team they’re casually rooting for. In addition to actually being a good baseball team, the Rays are trendy.
    Plus, people dislike the generic “Philadelphia fan” even though they have no idea what that means.
    I also think that 70% of people who said they’d watch every game includes a large contingent of liars.

13. Chase Mutley Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    The Orioles will probably be pretty disappointed to find out that you’ve kicked them out of their division. I’m curious why the Red Sox are the “defending champs” but the Dodgers are the “wild card” team.

14. Chase Mutley Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    * Brewers are the “wild card” team.

    Three weeks ago, CC Sabathia was going to lead the Brewers to the World Series, now they’re just the “wild card team”.

15. Don M Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    I said to my buddies… the Phanatic should come out for Game#3 dressed up as Santa Claus, and the crowd will go CRAZY!!

    Have a bunch of the groundscrew dressed in Rays gear and chase them around pelting them with snowballs…

    just a thought..

16. Cole Hamels Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:40 pm

    great quote from EPSN.com

    Rays-Phillies will be the series of a lifetime. Neither team bought their way to the WS. They got there by just being better baseball clubs.

17. Michael S Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pm

    Cole Hamels- Yea, awesome quote, I just saw that too

    No surprise here:

    Gammons: Phils 4-3
    Caple: Rays 4-0
    Law: Rays 4-2
    Kurkjian: Rays 4-3
    Neyer: Rays 4-1

    LET’S GO PHILS

18. bigmyc Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    That’s right, Goblue. You will be spared the indignity of losing to a ten year old team because you lost to a 125 year old team….

19. Chase Mutley Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:48 pm

    Wait, wait — Don M, I don’t get this Santa Claus incident that you’re referring to? I mean, I’m only 30 years old so I wouldn’t have much knowledge of anything that happened more than 30 years ago. That would be ridiculous right? The media wouldn’t continue to bring up something that happened, I dunno, say 40 years ago would they?

20. SJ Mike Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    I don’t know, I’d want to avoid giving Buck and McCarver more fodder to poke at.

21. Mike S. Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    Go Blue is a typical stupid dodgers fan.

    He rips the NL East…when “his” Dodgers won the NL West..THE NL WEST… with 84 wins….
    Those “wild card winners” the Brewers…yeah they had a better record than “your Dodgers.”

    Those AL Central champion White Sox? had 88 wins… 4 more than “your Dodgers.”
    The Yankees? Do you even watch baseball? They are old, and have NO pitching..they never once made a threat to make the playoffs.

    The Red Sox, sure, defending champs, who no longer have Manny, you know who he is right, he is the reason you became a Dodger fan…they have no Mike Lowell, David Ortiz didn’t hit, Ellsbury didn’t hit, Josh Beckett has a bum pitching arm.

    I wouldn’t talk about the NL East, because the Mets had more wins than “your Dodgers” and the Marlins had the same amount of wins.

    Only 2 good offensive players in Utley and Howard…are you serious? Did you watch any of the games? Howard hit about .170 and had 3 rbi’s in the series…
    they won because they had solid defense, big hits from the entire lineup, and solid pitching.

    Jamie Moyer is pitching game 3, not game 4.

    So ‘Go Blue’ if you want to talk about the Phillies, then bring an intelligent argument to the table, because right now you just sound like a sore loser who knows nothing what-so-ever about baseball….

    …”nuff said

22. Stuart Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    The Lets go blue guy doesnt really know what hes talking about and is just bitter because we easily handled the dodgers and took them out. The Rays are not all young. so 10 year old team is the wrong reference. Mets one of the best teams on paper so beating them out is an accomplishment. Marlins had a solid team. Also dont say howard and utley are the only ones hitting. Howard is not even hitting this post season and Utley not so much either. Its more liek Ruiz, Victorino, Burrell, Rollins and even our pitchers are all hitting, not just those two. You say the red sox were defending world champions, but they were also a wild card.

23. Don M Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:11 pm

    Go Blue’s Mom is at my house… she said she’s going to yell at him when she gets home!!! Mr’s Blue is actually pretty cool like that!

24. Manny Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    My big concern for game 1 is that Hamels’ main weakness throughout the season was, at times, the number of HRs allowed. This young, aggressive Tampa team can jump on him early, making him lose his groove. And with the rest of our starting pitchers being Myers, Moyer, and Blanton (all three question marks), every game with Hamels on the mound becomes much more precious.

25. TJ Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    I expected nothing other than ESPN picking the Rays.

26. Jim Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

    Yeah just like they thought Manny and his team were going to beat the Phillies. Even Kruk picked against them for the Dodgers!

27. phloridaphilsphan Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    Kruk said this time though, that he thinks this team is better than his ‘93 team, and he even said he thinks they are better than the ‘80 and ‘83 teams. Now THAT is saying something! Let’s hope its true! (btw, this is according to my husband, who stayed up for the post-game hoopla… I passed out right after the last out).

28. Evrybuddy Hits woohoo Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:42 pm

    I remember seeing the predictions before the playoffs started. Nobody picked the Phils to reach the World Series. Now everyone is picking the Rays. Not a surprise. The Rays are in a superior league and have momentum. Old mo was with the Dodgers too. Remember that? Everyone predicted it would be a long, even series and most predicted a Dodgers victory. Phils made quick work of them. I expect much the same this series.

29. Mike S. Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    Manny..
    if Cole has hie change up working, he is nasty..and a young team like the Rays have, the kind of lineup Moyer eats up. So I think that Moyer can give us a decent start.

    Myers and Blanton aren’t question marks in my book.
    Myers was great against the Brewers…had an iffy outing against the Dodgers, but, he won

    Blanton was great against the Brewers and did his job and kept the Phils in the game in LA

    pithcing doesn’t worry me.

    wow…never thought I’d say that

30. TK Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    DC Phils fans, will there be another get-together at Capitol Lounge for game 1? I heard good things about the NLCS games there.

31. brett Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    @ Go Blue
    So what you are saying is both the cleveland indians and New york yankes suck because they lost to a team less that 10 years old? (in ‘97 and ‘03 to the Marlins, respectively) or the Baltimore orioles for losing the the ‘69 mets (around 8 years at that time) I dont get what the time in the league means, if your team had a top 3 pick for the first 10 years of its existence that means you should be good at some point in the near future. So do we suck because of the league we play in or because of the good opponent we are playing.

    Also we beat a divisional champion and a wild card team, just like the Rays. We have at least ONE other good player in your know LAST YEAR’S MVP rollins, and a perfect closer (Broxton/Saito can’t say that) And to counter your “inferior league” comment. 2006 Cardinals who won from the “quadruple A” national league according to Bill simmons

32. Bill Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    I am so sick of ESPN. They are like getting your news from the National Enquirer. The Phillies are stronger all the way around and I would challenge that the Rays rotation is not better. Between the lack of respect for our team and the BS comments about the city and fans (if I hear about snowballs and Santa again I am going to put my foot through the screen) I don’t know how anyone from Philly can watch them!

    http://phightinphils.com

33. Football Fanatics Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:04 pm

    Another reason ESPN may be picking the Rays is because of home field advantage.

34. Phillyguy Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    Even though Philadelphia is a major market, the Phillies don’t have a large national following like the Red Sox, or the Yankees. The only place Phillies fans are found is Philadelphia metropolitan area. Also since the media has made the Rays a darling team, people who watch ESPN favor them.

35. Manny Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:11 pm

    I see your point, Mike S. But I rather remain cautious and avoid unpleasant surprises. Pitching is the key to winning this and, even though I really like our pitchers, this is the WS..who knows what might happen? I’m very nervous for the first game, especially… Hamels has been getting too much media attention lately.

36. Don M Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:18 pm

    Again..

    the Phanatic should come out for Game#3 dressed up as Santa Claus, and the crowd will go CRAZY!!

    Have a bunch of the groundscrew dressed in Rays gear and chase them around pelting them with snowballs…

37. Dave Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    Phils playing the underdog against a ten-year-old team who’s only winning season is this one? Phils facing a Cinderella team just down the road from her castle?

    I like those odds. Go on, continue to underestimate the Phillies. Haven’t gotten any respect all year, why should it start now……

38. Jamie Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    Phillyguy, I understand what you’re saying, but disagree. I grew up in the Midwest as a Phillies fan, and now live out west. There are several Phillies fans here too — you just don’t see them.

39. Manny Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    I like the Phanatic/Santa idea, Don!

40. MP Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:41 pm

    Yeah I am loving the Phantic dressed as Santa!!

41. Don M Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 4:22 pm

    I emailed MikeMiss and JodyMac at 950ESPN… I’m trying to see if we can get this to happen. It would stick-it to every lazy writer that ever felt the need to type jaded story..

42. ashley Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    It’s been us against the world for a long time. I don’t care what anyone else says. I have confidence in my team and do not need “expert” opinions to make me nervous. It’s not going to be a cakewalk for either team. It’s gonna be rough.

    BTW I love the Phanatic Santa idea!

43. brett Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    Good idea but doesnt Missanelli hate the Phanatic

44. Mike S. Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    Manny…
    I actually don’t think all the coverage Cole has been getting will get to him.
    He came out and said he wants to win 20 games. He wants to be an All-Star, he wants to win the Cy Young..He wants to pitch in big games….I don’t think a guy who can’t handle all that pressure would say those things. He has taken the ball in each series opener, pitched great, then shut down the Dodgers to clinch the pennant…he doesn’t worry me at all.

    Brett…I think he will pitch well…but pitching on the road makes me a bit uneasy. We all know how amped up he gets, and he feeds off the crowd at the Bank.

    However, with that said…it’s not like the fans in Tampa are known to get into pitchers heads…so I think he will pitch okay.

    Although, to me, the Phils best chance is to steal game 1

45. Brian Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 8:43 pm

    It saddens me to see ESPN take this path of journalism, but I am not surprised. Think about how many cubicles, how many offices, and how many break rooms, have been destroyed by the Rays beating the Red Sox. No World Series for them this year. They have no Patriots to cheer for, and basketball season is barely here, and it’s a long one. When they don’t get their dream matchup, and they have to travel to a place that isn’t a top their list, they throw a fit by accusing the upcoming series something not fit for their royal eyeballs. Since they have chosen not to enjoy it from the top of their mountain, they want to tell the rest of the country that it may not be worth watching as well. Although there are some awesome announcers, and wonderful personalities at ESPN that are outstanding in their feild, the vast majority of the employees at that company are terrible. Ultimately, it is becoming more and more clear every year that ESPN will ruin sports, the way that MTV ruined the music industry.

46. Clare Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    Phillyguy, not true.

47. Chris D Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    Joe Buck, et al had me fired up. FoxSports, the whole of the media were trying desperately to sell Dodger Blue to the world. When they weren’t doing that, we were sitting there watching the NL Championship Series getting commentary on how great the Red Sox and Manny were, on how great Joe Torre and the Yankees were and how each of these factors somehow made the Dodgers the team to beat. Oh, that’s right, they knocked of the NL’s best record, the Cubs. Or did they? How many errors did Chicago have in those 3 games? Seems to me Chicago imploded under the usual pressure of bearing the load of the most infamous record in sports history. None of this was really discussed. I felt like the Dodgers were constantly being shoved down my throat. I heard myself repeatedly asking Joe Buck, “Hey buddy, who are you trying to convince of the Dodgers’ worthiness?” I happen to realized that Chicago lost those games, that the Dodgers had the worst record of any playoff team and came from the worst division. The idea that this series won’t sellf is nothing more than the bitterness of these fat cat NY loving, Boston loving media dweebs. They wanted desperately to sell us Manny vs Boston, Torre thumbs his nose at NY. Good for us and TB for refusing to give that to them. Also, whoever thinks the AL is the better league is flat wrong. They play a different kind of baseball over there which I believe produces the perception of being better. You can’t say that. You are comparing apples to oranges, both fruits, but not the same. Eventually Selig will get around to fixing this travesty and doing away with the DH. You wanna hit then pick up a glove and get your butt in the field, plain and simple. That’s baseball.

48. Chris D Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    Philly guy, not true at all. Better look a little closer at who is in the stands during those road games. That goes for any Philly sport. We travel well.

49. SuperJimmy Says:
    October 20th, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    Lets look at who the Rays beat this year shall we?

    Yankees – old beat up team with less than half of a proper starting rotation.

    Blue Jays – Decent rotation with one of the most deficient lineups in all of MLB

    Red Sox – Played for most of the year without either Papi, Manny, or Lowell. Bottom fell out in the playoffs when half the starting lineup went down to injury.

    White Sox – struggled down the stretch and had to win a sudden death to even make the postseason.

    The Phillies took out two young upstart teams anchored by the best hitter in the game (Manny) and the best pitcher in the game (Sabathia)

    They’ll take out yet another squad of young guns.

    3-1 Phillies.

50. Philly Fan from NY Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 12:35 am

    I don’t care what everyone else says. The Phillies will not care, it will just pump them up some more. The Rays on the other hand are nervous and once they start to lose momentium will fall apart. They are a young team. The Phillies have experience and are going to be less nervous.

    I predict that the phils win in 5 games. They have to win the first game to make them shaky. They will lose the second game. Then win the next three.

51. Lewisauce Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 3:12 am

    I’m surprised the “analysts” from ESPN aren’t still picking the Red Sox.

    Seriously, I am so freakin’ sick of the national media being sycophants to the Red Sox and the Yankees and, now, the Rays. If the Rays were in the AL Central, the national media wouldn’t give a shit. But the Rays are trendy because they play in the AL East — well, OK, and because they did win a bunch of games, but if they won those games in another division, in any division that didn’t include Boston/New York, the national media would barely care.

    I am happy the pundits are picking the Rays. I hope they all do. It’s like they don’t believe the poor, bellicose, passionate people of Philadelphia deserve a championship. Bastards.

52. J-Man Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 4:15 am

    Lewisauce-ESPN headquarters is in Connecticut,which is one of the New England states which the Red Sox represent,thats why their so Red Sox bias.

53. Phillies Phan SC Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    Let the media go on; Phillies have already proven them wrong in the NLDS and NLCS. What makes me laugh is that EVERY argument on why the Rays should win the equal argument could be made for the Phillies. Look, I love our Phillies and I WANT them to win, but if anyone can predict this, they are idiots. These teams are the best matched, and I BET the ratings will be higher than anyone imagines. Ratings are overused anyway and exclude multiple viewings (sports bars, etc). So screw ESPN, no analyst knows what is going to happen. It depends on two things: 1) Brett Meyers performance AND 2) Whether Rollins and Howard get hot – or at least if the rest of the offense can pick them up. Plain and simple. If those two things happen, Phillies get their second World Series. Bottom line, we DON’T KNOW, which is what will make this a high rated series.

54. Don M Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    PhillyGuy.. I just read up this post a little bit, so forgive me for being late on the subject.

    I understand what you mean.. you won’t find die-hard Phillies fans all over the country the way you would RedSox fans.. BUT. I have to agree 100% with Chris D, Clare, and others…

    I’ve been to both Boston and Chicago for Phillies trips in the past 3 seasons.. In Boston, at Cask-n-Flagon, the bar behind the Green Monster, I was told that NOBODY EVER COMES INTO BOSTON AND TAKES OVER THE WAY YOU GUYS ALL DID THIS WEEKEND!

    In Chicago, at Murphy’s Bleachers, we heard non-stop, PHILLIES FANS ARE AWESOME, I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME OUT FOR THIS SERIES!!

    Both cities hate the NY teams that played in their respective leagues by the way!!

    So, I FULLY expect Trop to have something like 1/3rd Phillies fans for both games.. due to Clearwater being so close, and Phillies fans traveling so well to support their team!!!

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