An epic battle begins

When I initially considered the PhilsandYanks World Series, my first thought was that it pitted the team of last century against an early contender for the team of this century.

But I might have been ahead of myself - Jayson Stark took a more measured look at the epic matchup:

... the winner of this World Series -- whether it's the Yankees or the Phillies -- will have a legitimate case that it is the Team of the Decade.

The winner, regardless of who it is, is going to have two titles to show for itself in the '00s. And that will tie that team with the Red Sox, who also won twice -- while obliterating curses, inspiring approximately 1.8 zillion New England poets and altering baseball life as we used to know it in the process.

(And you thought I'd have trouble working the Red Sox into a Game 1 post.)

Anyway, Stark concluded that if the Phillies win, the Red Sox get the title, but if the Empire wins, they get it. Have I mentioned yet that the fate of the free world depends on the Phillies?

I'll keep repeating it until Tony Massarotti gets the message. I know I've mellowed in my fandom since the Red Sox have won World Series(s), but my blood still boils at the sight of the pinstripes (black ones, not red ones). I don't need to win every time - just against the Yankees. I will never, like this joker, root for the Yankees in a World Series. (The only time it is acceptable to root for the Empire is if they're out of the playoff picture and playing a team we're competing with for a playoff slot.)

Today's game: The players were introduced to strains of Star Wars. The Yankees must really be oblivious to how they are perceived because they played Empire music for the Phillies and Rebel music for their own. Idiots.

After the pregame festivities, the Phillies loaded the bases against CC Sabathia in the first but couldn't capitalize. Cliff Lee looks good in the early going. The Phillies struck first with a solo home run by Chase Utley in the 3rd. The Phillies are currently up 1-0 in the 5th.

Look back at 2008: Holding pattern; we had no idea when Game 5 would resume.