ESPN's World Series predictions

Updated: October 28, 2009, 12:44 PM ET
ESPN.com

  PREDICTION WHY?
Jorge Arangure Jr.
ESPN The Magazine
in 7		 I will appease the astute reader who has noticed how badly I've picked this postseason and wrote: "Please take the Yankees. Sincerely, Phillies fans everywhere."
Jeff Bradley
ESPN The Magazine
in 5		 Because the Phillies are using Pedro Martinez -- with all of Yankee Stadium chanting "Who's your daddy!" -- in Game 2, you have to think their starting pitching is in deep trouble in this series.
Howard Bryant
ESPN.com
in 7		 Two lineups=even. Cliff Lee vs. CC Sabathia=even. Pedro Martinez vs. A.J. Burnett=even. Cole Hamels vs. Andy Pettitte=even. Mariano Rivera? Checkmate.
Dave Campbell
ESPN Radio
in 7		 I still think Brad Lidge or Ryan Madson could have a meltdown that could make the difference, although I didn't think the ball came out of Rivera's hand with as much late movement in Game 6 of the ALCS as it had been earlier in the series.
Jim Caple
ESPN.com
in 6		 I pick the 13-time World Series losers, the New York Yankees, to overcome their championship drought and win in six.
Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com
in 7		 The Phillies are awfully tough, but Sabathia, Pettitte and Rivera are the difference for the Yankees.
Peter Gammons
ESPN
in 7		 The team that scored the most runs in baseball from the seventh inning on wins it there.
Pedro Gomez
ESPN
in 6		 The Phillies have the NL's only AL-style lineup, in terms of depth and power. It should be a tightly contested series, but Philadelphia has too much going for it at the moment to lose.
Jason Grey
ESPN Fantasy
in 7		 In what I expect to be a series of close games, it comes down to trusting the Yankees' bullpen just a little bit more.
Eric Karabell
ESPN Fantasy/
Baseball Today
in 6		 Both teams can hit, and there's little point predicting who will and will not, but it's all about the pitching, and I think in the middle three games in Philly, the home team will have more of it.
Tim Kurkjian
ESPN The Magazine
in 7		 I like the Yankees in seven because it just seems like their year, and they have CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera to make sure it happens.
Keith Law
ESPN Scouts Inc.
in 6		 Beating Sabathia three times and holding up despite a bullpen disadvantage will be very difficult for the Phillies.
Eric Neel
ESPN.com
in 7		 Offenses are a push, starting pitching is a push, but the closer edge goes to Rivera, so the Series goes to the Yankees.
Amy K. Nelson
ESPN.com
in 6		 Torii Hunter cited the Yankees' pitching and Alex Rodriguez as the best weapons New York has, and they're why the Yankees will win in six.
Rob Neyer
ESPN.com
in 5		 The Yankees would have won 110 games if they had played in the NL East.
Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine
in 6		 I think the Yankees have more rotation depth.
Peter Pascarelli
ESPN/Baseball Today
in 6		 These are two very well-matched teams except for one big matchup that makes the difference -- Mariano Rivera vs. Brad Lidge.
Karl Ravech
Baseball Tonight
in 7		 Because of Mariano Rivera.
Enrique Rojas
ESPNdeportes.com
in 6		 Like the Yankees, the Phillies have a lot of offense and three reliable starters, but New York has a better bullpen, one that includes the great Mariano Rivera.
Jon Sciambi
ESPN Radio
in 6		 The Yankees' lineup is even better than the Phillies'.
Dan Shulman
ESPN Radio
in 6		 Too much depth in their lineup, and CC Sabathia at the front of the rotation gives them a slight edge.
Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
in 7		 These two teams are very close, but I'm not sure that mix-and-match Phillies bullpen can get through the depth of that Yankees lineup game after game.
Gene Wojciechowski
ESPN.com
in 7		 Finally, a World Series worthy of the hype. If not for New York's homegirls advantage, it'd be a coin flip.

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