Who'da thought?

Rays-Phillies.

It doesn't exactly roll off your tongue, does it? I didn't think so. I am the most excited for tonight's Game 1 than I have ever been for a World Series. Maybe because the Phillies are my favorite team and it's been a while or maybe it's the pitching matchup. Who knows. What I do know, though, is that this pitching matchup has some amazing potential in it.

Cole Hamels-Scott Kazmir. Two young and dominant left-handers will take the mound for what is the biggest start of their career so far. They're under pressure. Hamels has the entire city of Philadelphia on his back and has showed up so far this postseason (3-0, 1.23 ERA) while Kazmir brings Mets fans to tears (Victor Zambrano, anybody?) anytime they see him and has fans everywhere hoping Tampa Bay can complete their Cinderella season.

The media is on the Rays bandwagon. With the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers out of the playoffs, ESPN jumps on Tampa Bay, hoping the little man can pull one it. The Phillies become shunned again for the "better" marketing tool. The Phillies have the players in Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Hamels, but get pushed to the back whenever another team comes up. They will look to buck that trend in this series.

That being said, I cannot wait until 8:35 tonight, when Kazmir delivers the first pitch.