Chiefly because of Lee and Sabathia, the 2009 World Series holds the possibility of being an epic confrontation remembered for generations. Each has been virtually unbeatable: In three starts apiece this postseason, Lee is 2-0 with a 0.74 ERA, while Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA. Both have struck out 20 batters while walking only three. But neither has yet faced a lineup like the ones they will be facing Wednesday night.
Understand how rare a treat this is. Even one great pitcher in Game 1 is no given. In this decade alone, Game 1 has featured — no offense — Woody Williams vs. Tim Wakefield and Jason Schmidt vs. Jarrod Washburn.
How long has it been since Game 1 delivered a matchup with anywhere near this much anticipation? Arizona's Curt Schilling vs. the Yankees' Mike Mussina in 2001? Not really: Mussina was the Yankees' No. 3 starter that year, behind Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
San Diego's Kevin Brown against the Yankees' David Wells in 1998? Close, but neither pitcher had a Cy Young Award on their résumé, either before or after that series, and neither pitcher had been as dominant during that postseason as Lee and Sabathia have been during this.
By our accounting, you would need to go all the way back to 1996 to find a Game 1 matchup as good as this one. That year, the Atlanta Braves sent John Smoltz to the mound against the Yankees' Pettitte. Combined, they had won 45 games in the regular season; Smoltz would later be awarded the NL Cy Young, while Pettitte, just 24 at the time, would finish runner-up in the AL. . . .
If everything falls just so, Wednesday's Game 1 could be just the first installment of a trilogy Lee-Sabathia duels in this World Series. Neither team has revealed their rotation beyond Wednesday night, but it is possible both Lee and Sabathia would return on short rest to start Game 4 in Philadelphia — and maybe even do it again on short rest in Game 7, if the series lasts that long. . . .
As long as he [Sabathia] and Lee are taking turns ascending and descending the Yankee Stadium mound on Wednesday night, this World Series will be wonderful.
Pity poor Cleveland who 15 months ago had BOTH pitchers on their team, BOTH with Cy Young awards. But the economics of the game meant Cleveland couldn’t keep them.
I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Sabathia, who put the Brewers in the playoffs last year. Can I pull for the Yankees? I guess I can try. When I was a kid, I was a fan of fellow-Okie Mickey Mantle. I have been to a Phillies game, though, so that has to count for something. I just don’t know. Maybe I can approach the games with cold, total objectivity.
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