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Phils Become Overly Hospitable Hosts
The Phillies are in a pretty good spot in the NL East standings right now with a three-game lead over the Mets, but there's a significant chink in the defending champs' armor:  for some reason, they can't win at home. 

It all started on December 20, 2001 when the Red Sox were sold to a group headed buy John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino for $660 million. 

These men were not only shrewd businessmen but also baseball insiders.  They fired their general manager immediately and hired an interim one so they could take time to find their guy. They also fired their manager and hired Grady Little. 

The most important hire they made that off-season was for their assistant general manager position which went to Theo Epstein. 

Baseball writers and Met fans in particular are quick to blame Jerry Manuel when things go wrong. Many are down on Manuel for the way the Mets have played this season, despite the depleted roster he works with every day.

Some of that criticism is warranted. A consistent lineup would be nice, Ryan Church playing every day would likely improve his numbers, and perhaps a rookie righty shouldn't be facing Chase Utley. 

The last time the Yankees won the World Series was 2000. That is over eight years ago, and an eternity in Yankee land. They made it back to the World Series in 2001 and 2003 losing to the Diamondbacks and Marlins, respectively. 

The 2001 World Series was an especially tough series, as they lost in Game Seven after blowing a lead in the ninth inning. After that game the dynasty that was the New York Yankees had effectively ended, but no one knew at the time. 

In 1998, the Yankees won 114 games in the regular season, which at the time was an American League record (it would be broken in 2001 by the Seattle Mariners). 

The 1998 Yankees were not the most talented team ever, but they were the most complete team. 

Each of the 25 guys on the team had a role, and they each executed it. The 1998 Yankees had a great combination of youth and experience, power and speed, and right-handed and left-handed pitching. 

It's hard to imagine that the player who held the all-time home run record for 33 years as underrated, but Hank Aaron has lived his life being largely unnoticed and underappreciated by the baseball world.

Aaron was voted the fifth "greatest baseball player" by The Sporting News when they ranked the 100 greatest players in 1999. Aaron ranked behind Ruth, Mays, Cobb, and Walter Johnson.

The Chicago players say that they try to approach this series the same way that they would any other, and I'll try to do the same old White Sox recapping I've always done.

With that said, no one can deny the added feeling of fire in their bellies when they watch the White Sox and the Cubs go at it.

Perhaps John Danks is no different. Having been sub-par this season, at least as far as expectations were concerned, the southpaw came out to Wrigley Field sporting his A game, as did the rest of the Sox pitching.

In the storied history of the Chicago Cubs franchise, there are very few numbers that are retired from use. Those players that have been qualified as the best of the franchise's history proudly have their numbers hanging on flags from each foul pole.

Ernie Banks is the first, and most obvious, name and number that come to mind. He's "Mr. Cub" and is still the face of the franchise.

Billy Williams and Ron Santo, Banks' partners in the middle of the Cubs' order in the 1960's, have their numbers flying proudly from the poles as well.

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