How The Phillies Can Still Win

So, once again, how happy would they have been if you had told the Phillies before the World Series started, that after four games, all this would have been true:

- CC Sabathia would be winless against them in two starts?

- Chase Utley would have hit three homers against Sabathia?

- Two Philly sluggers would have produced two-homer games and seven blasts total?

- Joe Blanton would have produced a five-hit, two-walk, seven-strikeout performance?

- Cliff Lee would have pitched a complete game?

- The Phillies would have rallied off the Yankee bullpen in the eighth?

- Ryan Howard would have stolen a base and then scored the tying run thanks to his daring base-running?

- Mark Teixeira would have held to 1-for-14, Melky Cabrera 2-for-13, Robinson Cano 2-for-14, and Alex Rodriguez, 2-for-15?

- Joe Girardi would have had to bench one outfielder and might have to replace another one due to injury?

These are the little things that usually put a team ahead three games to one, not behind by that margin. While Johnny Damon has rightly been lionized (and would be the Series MVP to this point), there are two totally under-reported secrets to the Yankees' success. Consider the last outs Sabathia got last night: Jimmy Rollins lined a one-bouncer directly to Alex Rodriguez, and Shane Victorino flied right to Nick Swisher. Throughout the Series, particularly last night, the Yanks' major league scouting - coordinated by Gene Michael - has positioned its fielders nearly perfectly, exploiting pitch selection and a thorough knowledge of where each Philadelphia hitter is likely to hit a given pitch. I've always thought somebody could get a PHD calculating just how little Yankee fielders had to travel to get balls hit by the Braves in the 1999 Series, when Michael's charts were at their maximum value.

The other hidden headline: Damaso Marte, a pitcher who before the Series would have been ranked somewhere behind the Phillie Phanatic in likely impact on the outcome. All he has done thus far is strike out Utley and get Howard on a fly while the first game was still close, punch out Howard and Werth and get Ibanez on a liner in the third game, and retire Howard on another fly last night. He has been flawless after a 9.45 ERA and just five holds during the regular season.

But by no means are the Phillies dead. One of the realities of those "Advantage Phillies" stats listed above is that they either won't last, or that if they do, they are likely to suddenly start producing dramatic results for Philadelphia, and possibly in sufficient supply to produce three straight wins. And Joe Girardi has opened the door for that slim hope with the decision to go with A.J. Burnett on short rest tonight.

Rather than risk Chad Gaudin, with Burnett available on extra rest in Game Six, and Andy Pettitte on the same (or Sabathia) for Game Seven, he will pitch Burnett with a line-up behind him that could lack not just a DH, but also perhaps Cabrera and Jorge Posada. As it lays out now, Burnett, Pettitte and Sabathia will all go on short rest in pursuit of one win. Or it won't be Pettitte in Game Six - it'll be Gaudin anyway.