World Series opens

NEW YORK, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Tonight the first pitch will be thrown at Yankee Stadium in the 2009 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. Chances are it will be a strike.

Cliff Lee, the Phillies starting pitcher, has a post-season ERA of 0.74, eclipsing the otherwise stellar 1.19 ERA of CC Sabathia, the Yankees pitching phenomenon, and Lee's former teammate with the Cleveland Indians.

The Yankees, perhaps the most revered and reviled sports franchise in the country, have tradition, stars and George Steinbrenner's well-financed ambition. They have won 26 World Series to date, more championships than any team in any sport in the United States.

But the high-priced bats have not swung their way to any rings recently. The last time the Yankees won the series was in 2000 and they have not been in it since 2003. Stars they may have in plenty, beginning with Alex Rodriguez whose batting figures this post-season have finally started matching his salary, but only four members of the team sport a Yankees World Series ring.

The Phillies only have two World Series wins but those include one last year. They are the team that has been there and won. And their bats have been crackling this post-season. If both teams deliver their best, it could be a series for the ages.