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Phillies Breakfast Links, October 26, 2009: The Bell vs. The Statue, SEPTA vs. The City, and Razors in Trenton

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Ugh. This guy again. via nymag.com

Yankees win. Yankees win. Duuuuh Yankees win. Oh, and the Angels just crumbled in the 8th inning when they erred on consecutive sacrifice bunt plays. This leaves the Halos to rue what might have been

Now that the matchup is official, let's review the neighborly animosity between the two cities. This kind of stuff is just going to get ridiculous for the next three days. The official border is the State Barbershop in Trenton. Look for a Regis and Katie standup on your morning TV this week.

If you're contrarian about your pre-Series hype, here's a nice piece in the Hardball Times about the worst World Series games ever. How did this one not make the list?

20 things to ponder about the Yankees. Jimmy Rollins once again demonstrates his eerie powers of prognostication when it comes to baseball and New York. And--better sleep tonight alert!--now we know why Joe Girardi wears #27. 

After Lee, Phillies rotation unsettled. Perhaps next year we'll have four off-days between each World Series game to make this pre-series chatter go away.

 

Lee is 4-4 with a 5.02 ERA in nine career starts against the Yankees, but is 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA in his past three against them. That included a 10-2 victory over New York in the opening of the new Yankee Stadium on April 16, when Lee still pitched for the Cleveland Indians.

SEPTA workers authorize city strike. The city will appeal to MLB umpires, who could rule the strike a ball, especially given that A-Rod is going to be at the plate. TWU 234 may walk out right before the World Series starts. How fun would another parade be without buses, subways and trolleys? Ah, SEPTA. We're getting there.

Ibanez may need off-season surgery. And Utley says he's not hurt. And wait, there's a Carlos Ruiz chest protector backpack? Gotta get me one of them there.

Scoscia wants schedule tightened. Too bad this critique will probably go nowhere and be criticized as sour grapes. He's right, you know that?

And I got the Hot Stove!

Manny Acta to the Indians. I always kind of dug his implacid but long-suffering expression in the dugout. I guess Cleveland did, too.

Mark McGwire to be Cardinals' hitting coach. Do as I say, not as I did? Commence the "needling" jokes.

L'Affaire Phillips. Update: Facebook is the new bunny in the pot.