Getting Pumped for Yankees-Phillies

First, on a side note, I wanted to thank Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News for featuring me in one of his Blogger Nine Innings, that was too cool! Also cool, Mark Feinsand, a reporter, being interviewed by a blogger. It all comes full circle

A bunch of stuff to get you fired up before the Yankees go win one for The Boss. Here's a picture to get you fired up. From the Sports Illustrated Photo Vault, it's a 23-year-old Don Zimmer throwing out Yogi Berra. Wow.

The next picture is the cover the New York Post today. Let's get to the stories (lots of fun stuff here) as we get pumped up with awesome old commercials for the World Series:

• As Ben pointed out last night, Jimmy Rollins picked the Phillies in 5 on Jay Leno last night. Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter were left to just laugh him away today.

• Jayson Stark does a great job comparing and contrasting the difference in these two franchises. The Yankees have played in 40 World Series; the Phillies in 32 World Series games. Derek Jeter has played in 132 postseason games in 14 seasons; the entire Phillies' franchise has played in 83 postseason games--in 127 seasons. Wow 

• "Rivalry Day" is set for Sunday in Philadelphia (via Baseball Musings): The Giants play the Eagles and the Yankees play the Phillies. There's a chance of a transit strike as well so that would just make it a swell time down in "The City of Brotherly Love"
  

• Jay-Z and Alicia Keys are going to sing "Empire State of Mind" and Keys will sing the National Anthem before Game 1 of the World Series. Not only is "Empire State of Mind" one of my favorite songs currently and Derek Jeter's at-bat song, but these lyrics should inspire Yankees fans: "Concrete jungle where dreams are made of/ There's nothin' you can't do/ Out of New York/ These streets will make you feel brand new/ Big lights will inspire you/ Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York"

• The Yankees are planning for a pep rally tomorrow afternoon in Times Square, according to the New York Post

• Why bet on a Philadelphia cheesesteak when you can get one for free? Grub Street has all the details for those Yankees in Philadelphia

• Slate looks at The Overmanager, Joe Girardi (H/T Jay) I feel like this iPhone app from U.S.S. Mariner is made for him.
  

• Baseball-Reference breaks down the regular season and post-season history between the Yanks and Phils. Wezen Ball has a funny smoking ad from the 1950s. Big League Stew points out that the New York-Philadelphia rivalry goes back a long, long time as evidenced by this New York Times article from 1854

• The average distance between World Series opponents in the past 20 years has been 1,040 miles, according to Darren Rovell. This year? 107 miles, the third shortest distance since 1988.

• According to the FOX Philly affiliate (say that 3 times fast), a women was arrested trying to trade sex for World Series tickets. Stay classy, Philly fans!

• Big League Stew is tickled by the thought of Pedro going in Game 2 and the Philadelphia Daily News breaks down the decision.

• Baseball Prospectus via ESPN tries to predict what roll the weather will have on the World Series and Tyler Kepner dissects the reasons why the World Series is ending so late

• The Yankees wives, one more time.
  

• And lastly two articles about how Mets fans are truly conflicted this World Series from the New York Times and SNY.tv
  

One last note: congrats are in order to David Appelman of FanGraphs who was named to the Huffington Post's list of the 100 ultimate game changers in new media. Bill Simmons, the person behind MLB.TV and the guy who led the acquisition of Stubhub are on there as well so we'll have a hard time picking a winner, but we use FanGraphs quite a bit here so we wanted to extend our congrats.