KEYS TO GAME SIX

The Yankees have their second chance to clinch the '09 World Series tonight. They will send rotation staple Andy Pettitte out to do just that. To counter them and to try to stave off elimination, the Phillies send out Yankee nemesis Pedro Martinez. It's such a classic match-up with so many variables.

First off the 3-days rest issue Pettitte will have to deal with. Andy wasn't sharp in his last start, and that was with 6 days off. Maybe this all balances out now, but honestly, I think too much is made of this. It's the World Series, and all of these guys are playing on fumes anyway. It's all up to adrenaline now. Pettitte's record on 3-days rest isn't favorable, but he's such a battler. To me, he's the guy you want out there. Many have said they don't expect him to do well, I disagree. Hearing his interview yesterday put a calm in me as a fan, and in return, I put my faith and trust in him.

Pedro is a battler as well, and maybe a more a crafty one at that, but as a hated rival I think he'll have a difficult time tonight. He's going to hear it louder than ever, and some of the Yankees are overdue. Maybe he'll be seeking revenge, but revenge can be blinding.

Once you get past these two, you have a battle of the bullpens. Tonight, the Yankees have a clear advantage here. Mariano Rivera will be available for at least two innings, and with the way he's pitched, that cuts the game down by a lot. Joba and Damaso Marte have also pitched decently, and can be trusted for an inning as well. A.J. Burnett will be available as well, and you can bet he'll be throwing gas after what happened in the last game. Charlie Manuel's bullpen, on the other hand, may get a little shaky past a couple of early guys like J.A. Happ, who they may hold for a Game Seven. Brad Lidge, and even Ryan Madson, can't be trusted to close, but will have to try. It's a dicey situation there.

The Phillies' line-up seemed to come alive in Game Five, which could be trouble tonight, but to fully turn it around Ryan Howard is going to have to do so as well. With a lefty on the mound, that may still not happen. The Yankees seemed to have swatted the momentum back to them with their late comeback, and now their line-up will be closer to full-strength, although the loss of Melky Cabrera to a hamstring injury takes away an important bat from the end of it. Like Howard, the Yankees first baseman needs to come alive as well. He hit a double in the last game, so that could be a good sign. If both of those guys wake up in this game, it'll turn into a slugfest, and even if they don't, there's a good chance that'll happen anyway.

The Stadium is the last factor I look at. The fans will be crazy tonight, getting on Pedro, and supporting their team. Being back home also means the Yanks will have last licks, huge in this game and with this team. They are never out of it. They also have the DH back, and that means a 4-5 at-bats for Godzilla.

I picked the Yankees in seven, but only because I respect the Phillies ability to carry it to that, and they surely could. That said though, I believe there's a lot aligning to the Yankees favor, and feel they can close it out tonight. Either way, I think this will be one hell of a game.