MLB » World Series Game 1 • Wednesday, FOX, 8 p.m.
Baring a meltdown, the Yankees and the Phillies should be playing game one in the “new” Yankee Stadium come Wednesday night. If that is the case there will be no lack of home runs between what are clearly baseball’s two best teams.

Football » North Carolina at Virginia Tech • Thursday, ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

Hokie fans will get an early start on the weekend as the Tar Heels visit Blacksburg for a primetime showdown. Tech has been successful under the bright lights and Beamer Ball is always more entertaining to watch than “Grey’s Anatomy.” — Jim Williams

BOLD PREDICTIONS

1. Catastrophe in the crease » Whether it’s Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Miller, Marc-Andre Fleury, Cam Ward or Jose Theodore — some goalie is going to get hurt this season from an out-of-control run to the crease. Hits in the crease are on the rise and, in divisions and rivalries where intimidation plays as much a factor as actual stick skills, even the most padded player on the ice is going to find his way to a major injury. Right now the refs seem to be letting the players play and letting interfering with/knocking down the goalie slide. We’re not advocating that every time a goalie gets touched there be a penalty, but that the refs need to recognize when the intent is solely to knockdown the keeper. While NHL GMs have said they’ll examine crease crashing at their next meeting, it might not be in time to save a netminder from a senseless injury. — Leon Saffelle

2. The Yankees lose, the Yankees lose » Please, enough of the hosannas for the New York Yankees. The most free spending team in baseball has finally bought its way out of the first round of the playoffs. Don’t give them their “due.” They were overdue. And enough of the psychoanalysis of Alex Rodriguez. His clutch play in the postseason is not about Kate Hudson or Mark Teixeira or his steroid disclosure or his divorce. Here’s why A-Rod snapped out of his October funk: He’s a really good baseball player, destined for the Hall of Fame. Statistical probability is why he couldn’t continue to hit in the postseason like Bob Uecker. Despite their talent, their new stadium, and their strong postseason, the Yankees will fall in the World Series to the defending champion Phillies. The Bombers have become easy to hate again. So wouldn’t it be sweet comeuppance to see them lose game seven in their bandbox field, on a cheap home run down the right-field line by Chase Utley? — Kevin Dunleavy

3. Three quarterbacks will be taken in the first five picks of the 2010 NFL Draft » High-quality quarterbacks are a dime a dozen this year in college football, so it will be no surprise when the first-round of next year’s draft are littered with them. Current mock drafts are already stacked with quarterback-rich top tens. Jake Locker from the University of Washington appears primed to be next year’s Matthew Stafford if a team like the St. Louis Rams stays on their current course. Throw in the mix Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen — perhaps a possibility for the careening Redskins — and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford to a team like the Tennessee Titans and we have three QBs taken before the crowd at Radio City Music Hall even have time to catch their breath. Don’t forget about “The Chosen One,” Tim Tebow, the potential shining hope for Jacksonville to keep it’s franchise, to go early too. — Katy DeLuca

PLAYER TO WATCH

Cole Hamels • Phillies • SP
Perhaps lost in the shuffle of Philadelphia’s clinching win in Game 5 of the NLCS was another poor start from Hamels, who now has surrendered 11 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings during the 2009 playoffs. After being staked to a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on Wednesday, Hamels couldn’t make it out of the next frame, giving up a pinch-hit home run to Orlando Hudson and a bullet double to Rafael Furcal before Charlie Manuel came with the quick hook. Compared to last season, Hamels’ stats read like an unfavorable cholesterol exam — bad numbers are up and good numbers are down. We thought the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP would snap out of it in the postseason, but that hasn’t happened yet. The Phillies would love to get Hamels on track. Otherwise, they’ll likely need to slug their way to another world championship. — James Irwin

FIVE UP & FIVE DOWN


UP

1. London » Hosting the Patriots and Bucs this weekend at Wembley Stadium and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expects more games in England.

2. LaMarcus Aldridge » The Trail Blazers locked up their big man with a five-year contract extension.

3. Phillies » Will they become the first team since the 2000 New York Yankees to repeat as World Series champions?

4. Penguins » The Atlantic Division leaders have been winning because of players not named Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

5. Saints » Averaging 38.4 points per game — which is on pace to break the NFL single-season scoring record.


DOWN
1. MLB umpires » How many calls can the umpires blow? Instant replay is looking more likely after this postseason full of mistakes.

2. Allen Iverson » Could miss his revenge game vs. the Pistons with a hamstring injury in the Grizzles’ season opener against A.I.’s former team.

3. Michael Nylander » The Caps center was assigned to Grand Rapids of the AHL despite his $5.5 million salary.

4. Titans » After winning 13 games last year, they enter their bye week winless and off an embarrassing 59-0 loss to the Patriots.

5. Antawn Jamison » The Wizards forward will likely miss eight to 13 games of the regular season with a shoulder injury.

— Jeffrey Tomik