CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee began texting each other a week ago, but kept their notes private.
Now that the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are set to meet, the former teammates can share their message with everyone: See ya in the World Series, buddy!
It looks like Lee and Sabathia will face each other in Game 1 as starting pitchers, according to MLB.com.
Broad Street vs. Broadway, cheesesteaks vs. cheesecake.
The Yankees clinched their 40th World Series trip and first since 2003 by beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 Sunday night in Game 6 of the AL championship series. The Phillies were already waiting after dispatching the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in the NLCS.
On deck, a most juicy matchup: A pair of teams with bruising lineups led by locked-in sluggers, ALCS MVP Sabathia and Lee dominating this postseason and brewing drama in the bullpen. The rosters include former World Series MVPs Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Cole Hamels, and familiar October faces Andy Pettitte, Pedro Martinez and Jorge Posada.
Manager Charlie Manuel and the Phillies will try to become the majors' first repeat champs since the 1998-2000 Yankees, and the first in the NL since the Big Red Machine in 1975-76. The Yankees will aim at their record 27th title — when manager Joe Girardi was hired two years ago, he took jersey No. 27 with that crown in mind.
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"They're the defending champs. They're playing extremely well," Girardi said. "We know they're an extremely tough opponent."
Because the Yankees won the ALCS in six games, Sabathia is fresh for Game 1. Neither he nor Lee, however, have been especially sharp against the team they're about to face.
Sabathia is 1-2 with a 5.55 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies, including a loss with Milwaukee in Game 2 of last year's NL division series. Lee is 4-4 with a 5.02 ERA in nine career starts against New York.
That said, the former AL Cy Young winners with Cleveland will soon see each other again after a week of texting. As for those long-agonizing Indians fans, Sabathia had a message for them, too.
"It's not our fault," he said, laughing.
