WHAT FOX WANTS... 2009 EDITION

It is becoming an October tradition.

The staff at Sully Baseball tries to figure out which World Series match up has Fox salivating... and which ones they are dreading.

We did it in 2007...

We did it in 2008...

Now let's do it for this year.

I know one of the announcers at Fox Sports (I will protect his identity) who told me that when the Rays eliminated the Red Sox ensuring a Tampa Bay/Philadelphia instead of the Red Sox/Dodgers dream match up, the mood at Fox Sports was funeral-esque.

So which one of the 16 match ups do the suits at Fox want in terms of getting some national attention.

Well, first and foremost I am sure Fox wants an actually GOOD World Series.

The Series hasn't gone 6 games since 2003.

3 of the last 5 World Series were sweeps.

A heart stopping World Series a la 2001 could go a long way.

But short of that, let's figure out the dream and nightmare scenarios for the Nielsens.

1. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS

I wouldn't be surprised to see Fox executives sacrificing animals to the baseball Gods for this match up. The two biggest media markets make this a drool worthy Series. Throw in all of the clips of great Yankees/Dodgers series (Jackie steals home... Larsen's no hitter... Koufax shutting down the mighty Yankees... Reggie's three homers.) Throw in all of the New York celebrities and all of the Los Angeles celebrities. Throw in Manny Ramirez, A-Rod, Jeter and a galaxy of stars... and oh yeah. Joe Torre returns to New York. Could be the biggest series of the decade.

2. BOSTON RED SOX vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The allure of the Red Sox in the World Series is no longer as sexy as it once was... but there are still transplanted Red Sox fans everywhere. Plus the spectacle of Manny's return to Boston would be very interesting.

3. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Remember when Ali started taunting George Foreman with "THE CHAMP IS HERE!"? That would be the Yankees, swaggering into Philadelphia wanting the title the Phillies got last year. Plus Ryan Howard and company is the only lineup that can match the Yankees fire power.

4. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Remember how the NBA promotes the Finals as a Star vs Star match up? Magic vs. Michael. Michael vs. Charles. Ewing vs. Hakeem. Well this would be A-Rod vs. Pujols. I'd watch it!

5. BOSTON RED SOX vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The last two World Series winners stage a 1915 World Series rematch. Plus it would be a nightmare for New York fans from the north and the south.

6. BOSTON RED SOX vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The Red Sox blew out the Cardinals in a jaw droppingly lop sided 2004 World Series. But neither Carpenter nor Wainwright were on that 2004 Series roster. If the Red Sox win, they would be unquestionably the team of the decade. If the Cardinals win, they might lay claim to that title.

7. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. COLORADO ROCKIES

The Yankees have played the Giants, Cardinals, Pirates, Cubs, Reds, Dodgers, Phillies, Braves, Padres, Mets, Diamondbacks and Marlins in the World Series. Why not the Rockies?

8. BOSTON RED SOX vs. COLORADO ROCKIES

Sure the 2007 World Series was a bust and a rematch probably won't capture the attention of the world... but the fact of the matter is Fox wants Boston or New York in the World Series at any cost.

9. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

This might actually be the best match up, baseball wise. Good pitching, good hitting and one Hall of Fame manager in LaRussa up against a potential Hall of Fame manager in Scioscia. It will be confusing when they play in St. Louis as both teams will be wearing red hats.

10. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

You get the whole East Coast vs. West Coast thing. It's kind of the ugly step sister version of the Yankees/Dodgers match up.

11. MINNESOTA TWINS vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Hey! It's a 1965 World Series rematch! Just wait for all of the Twitter-ers to go crazy for THAT match up! 

12. MINNESOTA TWINS vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Twins try to become the only team to win the World Series in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s... and they'll need to take on the Defending Champs to do it. (Echo... echo... echo...)

13. MINNESOTA TWINS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

What better way to send off the Metrodome than remind everyone of the 1987 World Series... the Series that introduced so many people to the baggie in right field and the baseball colored roof? Ahhh tradition!

14. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Think of how thrilled Fox would be ratings wise with THIS match up. A city whose fan base is notorious for showing up late and leaving early... versus that city's suburbs!

15. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. COLORADO ROCKIES

Maybe Fox can convince the people of Denver that this is actually a Broncos game.

16. MINNESOTA TWINS vs. COLORADO ROCKIES

This World Series will only be shown regionally. The rest of the country will see reruns of So You Think You Can Dance

FOX can't be happy

A week ago I tried to figure out what matchup Fox wanted for the World Series and ranked them by desirability.

Want the good news first, Fox?
The two worst match ups for getting national attention are thrown out.
No Rockies/Angels nor Diamondback/Angels World Series to contend with.

Now the bad news?
The 7 best ones are thrown out the window too.

A lot of the postseason juice would have revolved around "Are the Cubs going to do it?"

Now if "it" meant "not even show up and be out of the playoffs before the Wrigley fans got even buzzed" then yes... they did it.

And any hope to get Yankee haters and Yankee lovers all across the country glued? Nope. They are toast.

You have two old school AL franchises, although, the Major League movies not withstanding, the Indians don't have a national audience.

Fox had better hope the Rockies start building up some interest (although TBS putting the games on at 11PM eastern isn't helping matters.)

The third worst match up (Indians/Diamondbacks) is still in play!

What does FOX want?

The Post Season starts in 15 hours and it seems like everyone is writing articles predicting what will happen or writing about how they feel emotionally about a series.

I am not going to waste your time with that.
Clearly my predictions suck (I had the Giants, Cardinals, Twins and White Sox in the playoffs for God's sake!)
And ALL predictions are just guess work (how many picked the Tigers and Cardinals last year?)

And my emotions are pretty easily defined... I want the Red Sox to win.

But what we CAN forecast is what match up does Fox want in the World Series.

Oh there are great stories in every team in the playoffs... all 4 National League teams are scrappy underdogs who could be a David to the big spending Yankees/Red Sox/Angels Goliath.

But remember Fox isn't trying to sell to hardcore baseball fans. They need to sell a World Series to people who are p*ssed off that Bones has been preempted.

There are 16 possible World Series scenarios... and seeing this is Sully Baseball... I need to list them in the order that Fox can sell it.

1. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. CHICAGO CUBS
There are Fox executives slaughtering billy goats to the baseball Gods to make this match up happen. The Big Bad Yankees with all of those rings in the Bronx... superstars galore... vs. the Cubs (even their name is cute) who haven't won a World Series since the Teddy Roosevelt administration... the passionate fans... Lou Pinella and Alfonso Soriano up against their old team... A-Rod in his first World Series... Jeter and company wanting to win one more for Joe Torre... and a chance to break out the cliches they thought they lost forever when the Red Sox finally won. Maybe even get poor Steve Bartman box seats.

2. BOSTON RED SOX vs. CHICAGO CUBS
Not as sexy as it would have been in 2003 when both teams were looking to lift a curse. But still, you get the two most beloved parks in baseball... and two of the craziest and most transplanted fan bases in baseball. Plus Big Papi and Manny aiming for Waveland.

3. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Or "The Battle for South Jersey's Soul." Yankees have the established stars. The Phillies have the stars on the rise. Lots of transplanted fans for both teams and for people who hate New York sports... the Phillies have slain one already... why not both?

4. BOSTON RED SOX vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
The two most insecure and New York obsessed fan bases square off. It was heated for the Patriots/Eagles Superbowl and those Celtics/76ers playoffs. Why not try baseball?

5. CHICAGO CUBS vs. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
You get the Cubs angle and Fox can pack the stadium with cast members of all their upcoming shows. No airfare or hotel needed... just a limo to Anaheim. Plus did you remember this was the World Series match up in the movie Taking Care of Business? I didn't think so.

6. CLEVELAND INDIANS vs. CHICAGO CUBS
My God! Someone would HAVE to win this one! The two remaining cursed franchises square off! The only reason this isn't higher is you lose the East Coast completely. (They didn't care about the White Sox either!)

7. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
The Yankees could take revenge for 2001!

8. BOSTON RED SOX vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
You get the Red Sox nation watching... and enough people hate us now that maybe they'd cheer Colorado on for a truly unlikely ring.

9. NEW YORK YANKEES vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
Beating the Yankees is practically the only movie cliche left for the Rockies this year. A-Rod in high altitude would be fun. (Remember the Rockies swept the Yankees! Remember how odd that sounded then?)

10. BOSTON RED SOX vs. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
When you think of traditional rivals for the Red Sox... you think of the Arizona desert!

11. CLEVELAND INDIANS vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Two tormented fan bases... united in their hatred of Jose Mesa. I would love to be the Fox executive who comes up to Simon Callow to ask him "Where do you want to go and sit outside at night in late October? Cleveland or Philadelphia?"

12. CLEVELAND INDIANS vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
First The Drive and then The Fumble. Denver couldn't torment Cleveland in baseball too, can they?

13. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
The good news is we got both coasts! The bad news is we don't have New York, Boston nor Los Angeles (I don't care what their name says... they are in Anaheim!)

14. CLEVELAND INDIANS vs. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
The Indians versus an expansion team? Great! It's 1997 all over again. There have been test patterns that got higher ratings than the 1997 World Series.

15. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
"The World Series will now be shown on Fox Family Channel... we now return to Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? already in progress."

16. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM vs. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Fox sports executives commit Hari Kari (the suicide technique... not the announcer.)