World Series Buried Lead: Can We Have Vintage Pedro Back For One Night Only?

Tonight's Game 6 match-up is being branded as a barn-burner already.  The Yankees will send Andy Pettitte (28-22 over the last two years) to the mound in search of a title clinching win.  The Phillies will counter with Pedro Martinez, the Phightins' No. 3 starter and  he who has the most wins in playoff history, to the mound in search of one more win and one more World Series title. 

If allowed to go into an actual time machine, I would probably screw up that entire space-time continuum beyond repair.  I would invest a significant amount of money in something called The Facebook, warn Jim Hendry about why it would be a terrible idea to sign Milton Bradley to a three-year, $30 million deal and get on board and attach my bandwagon to Gawker Media and Deadspin.
 
I would also bring back a gift for baseball fans everywhere.

We'll start with classic Pedro -- the greatest pitcher to survive the Steroid Era.

Martinez's numbers from 1998 to 2003 are as follows:

• 101 wins, 28 losses -- all while losing no more than seven games in a season.
• 21 complete games, 7 shutouts
• He allowed 77 home runs in 1,164 innings of work
• 0.941 WHIP
• 2.26 ERA
• 1,456 strikeouts (only 248 walks)
  
• 2 Cy Young Awards

He did it all while playing in the American League, against the potent line-ups of the AL East in the heart of an era in which it seemed as if every power hitter was juiced beyond belief.

Andy Pettitte hasn't been a great pitcher since 2005.  I can't count the number of things that have changed since then on my fingers, toes and other appendages combined.  Since 2005, Milton Bradley has been on five different baseball teams.  Dusty Baker has sent three arms into surgery for two different teams.  And Roger Clemens has been an Astro, a Yankee and a liar free agent.

In 2005, Pettitte went 17-9 with a 2.39 earned run average in his second season in the National League.  Since then, he has gone 57-44 (.564 winning percentage) ... and that's coming off a 135-65 (.675 winning percentage) start to his career with the Yankees. It's a subtle decline -- one probably aided by ... you know ... not having HGH around.

And no, it's not the HGH David Wells is thinking of.  Contrary to whatever Wells tells you, taking his HGH (Ham-Gravy-Ham) diet will not make you a better ball player.

So while everyone will remind you that this will be an ol' time pitchin' duel ... don't be surprised if it isn't.

World Series Buried Lead: FOX Sports Chicago

(The Big Dead Sidebar will try to provide readers with a buried lead before each and every World Series game.  This is the second installment in a series.)

In an effort to pull in a third large market for the World Series, FOX Sports will present the World Series through the eyes of some of Chicago's most popular players and managers.  At least, that's my theory ... and I'm sticking to it.

And, really, who wouldn't want to appease a city like Chicago?  It is the home of great food, great nightlife and great sports fans.

Mark Grace is a Chicago icon on and off the diamond.  The three-time All Star and three-time Gold Glove winner was the last impact position player the Cubs have brought through their minor league system.  He led the 1990s in hits and posted an underappreciated .308/.386/.445/.832 line in his 13-year career in Chicago.  It was a career that came to an unceremonious end thanks to Andy MacFailure constant drinking of Haterade.

Off the field, Grace coined the term "slumpbuster" and is a legend in the Wrigleyville bar scene.

Now that he is in the broadcast booth, Cubs fans have pined for him to make his return but is currently blocked by Bob Brenly.  And thanks to new ownership, Grace's return could be more likely than ever ... once Brenly takes his next managerial job.

Knowledgeable and witty, Grace is an ace of FOX Sports' analyst staff.

Eric Karros will always be remembered for slamming Jose Acavedo's first pitch over the left field wall in the epic Kerry Wood vs. Roger Clemens match-up.  Of his 12 home runs that season, that effort might have been the most important.  Karros also owns an inside video of the Cubs' 2003 playoff run -- none of which has seen the light of day since the team fell apart in the NLCS against the Marlins.

However, Karros will always be more remembered for his Dodger career.  He is the team leader in home runs with 270.

Several people have asked me how Ozzie (Bleepin') Guillen got a spot on the World Series analyst crew.  It's very simple ... it's FOX.  Why did they have three seasons of Temptation Island?  Because FOX hopes a trainwreck can bring some new eyes.

And if all else fails, Ozzie will probably get a swear word or two pass the FOX sensors.

Am I the only one who is looking forward to a confrontation between former White Sox first baseman/outfielder/pick-up artist Nick Swisher and his former boss, Ozzie Guillen?

Joe Girardi is a great story of how one can overcome being an ex-Cub.  Girardi spent seven years with the big club, but went tot he Yankees and won four World Series titles.  He caught Doc Gooden's no-hitter and David Cone's perfect game.

As a Cub, his most memorable moment was delivering the "Daryl Kile is dead" speech to 40,000 fans at Wrigley Field on June 22, 2002.

He was runner-up to Lou Piniella as Cubs manager.  And I'm sure he's thankful for it each and every day.

When it comes to the Ex-Cub factor, it looks as if we've got a dead heat.  The Phillies have four former ex-Cubs with Paul Bako, Matt Stairs, Miguel Cairo and Scott Eyre on the ballclub.  The Yankees have four as well with Girardi, Eric Hinske, Jerry Hairston Jr., and Chad Gaudin.

World Series Buried Lead: The Cleveland Factor

(The Big Dead Sidebar will try to provide readers with a buried lead before each and every World Series game.  This is the first in a series.)

Unless you're totally oblivious to playoff baseball, you know that former Cleveland Indians pitchers CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee are the Game 1 starters for the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.  The fact that they are no longer members of the Tribe could be one of the primary reasons Manny Acta has a job in Cleveland and Eric Wedge is somewhere in an unemployment line.

Lee went 22-3 with a 2.54 earned run average in a little more than 223 innings en route to a Cy Young.  In eight seasons with Cleveland, Lee posted an 83-48 record including 14-win seasons in 2004 and 2006, sandwiching an 18-win season in 2005.

Then there's Sabathia, who wile he was in Cleveland was known as C.C. Sabathia.  (Yes, he took out the periods after being traded to Milwaukee.)  Watching Sabathia start a World Series in a Yankees uniform has to be painful for fans of the mistakes by the lake.  It would have been different had Sabathia returned to Milwaukee, gone west to be closer to home, stayed in the National League or went west and stayed in the National League.  Instead, he took the money and pressure that comes with playing in the Bronx.  And he performed.

Sabathia went 106-81 in his eight year career in Cleveland, but really didn't put it all together until his 2007 Cy Young season.  He went 19-7 with a  3.21 ERA while making a league-most 34 starts and pitched a league high 241 innings.  Those numbers aren't eye-popping enough for you?  How about the ridiculous amount of hitters he faced, 975 in total.

After struggling in the playoffs, and out of the gate in Cleveland, Sabathia regained the magic touch in Milwaukee (I'm convinced it was the bratwurst) and went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA while racking up 128 strikeouts in a little more than 130 innings.  Sabathia single-handedly carried the Brewers into the playoffs.

Honestly, how often does a team develop two true aces who end up bringing home Cy Young Awards in consecutive seasons and then are traded away in consecutive seasons?  Not often?  How about not ever.  But if was going to happen anywhere, it would be in Cleveland.

But it doesn't stop there.  The Tribe could field a team of players they've cut ties with that happened to reach the playoffs this season.

The Indians could have had Manny Ramirez (Dodgers) in left, and Ryan Ludwick (Cardinals) in right field.  Casey Blake and Ron Belliard (Dodgers) could have been playing third and shortstop, respectively, with Mark DeRosa (Cardinals) at second.  Jim Thome (Dodgers) could have handled first with Victor Martinez (Red Sox) at catcher.  Out of the bullpen, Acta Wedge could have called upon Rafael Betancourt out of the bullpen.  Heck, they could have thrown Ben Francisco as the designated hitter.

Did I mention a healthy Grady Sizemore would have made the Indians an elite American League team?  It would have. 

Instead, Cleveland is back in rebuilding mode, even though they probably shouldn't be.

It's Phinally Over Pt. 3

Papelbon strikes one more time. In yo face!

There's a part of me that wants to congratulate the Philadelphia Phillies on winning a World Series title. Even though I have no idea how hard it is to win one (because my favorite team always seems to find a way to choke it up) I do know how EASY it is to f*ck it up.

And since the Phightin' Phils didn't do that, I've gotta tip my cap to them.

However, it doesn't mean that they're exempt from getting a championship worthy facial!

I can't wait 'til next year when Jim Hendry or Lou Piniella gets a load in the face!

It's Phinally Over, Part Two

25 years of pent up...stuff!

Since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim clinched baseball's first playoff berth, I've been enamored with these celebration photos. It's almost kinda sick. But can you blame me?

I didn't think so.

Honestly, if I won a championship I'd be spraying my fans all over the face too. You gotta share the love, dude!

Philles one win from championship, freeing Mitch Williams' soul

The Philadelphia Phillies are one win away from the World Series championship that the Chicago Cubs were supposed to win.

What? Did you not expect me to go there.

I have mixed emotions about this series ... and by mixed emotions I mean I don't care as much as an extreme baseball enthusiast should be, but I care enough to watch highlights on SportsCenter multiple times.

See, the Phillies have that whole tortured team/fan aspect that I can relate to. None of Philadelphia's four teams have won a professional sports title in 25 years.

That makes it an even 100 seasons since a championship banner has been waived in the City of Brotherly Love.

As for the Tampa Bay Rays, they've done two things no Cubs team has done since 1945.

Go to the World Series and win a game in the World Series.

And the Cubs spotted the Rays a head start of more than 100 years.

Ouch, that smarts.

From afar, I must admit to having a slight admiration for the Rays because they built their champion the old fashioned way: through the farm system.

Well, kind of.

The Rays get a lot of credit (and deservedly so) for building a productive farm system that has brought Evan Longoria, David Price and B.J. Upton to stardom.

However, to get those players, the former Devil Rays had to compile some of the worst records in baseball to do so.

Eventually, you're going to land some quality players when you've got more top-10 picks than you know what to do with.

Right, Elgin Baylor?

In the end, there is only one city that will be celebrating a championship by week's end. And since that city isn't Chicago (or Carbondale, or Chapel Hill...) I really don't care.