That’s the match-up everybody loves to see.

You read it, everybody was waiting for this match-up in the 2008 MLB World Series next only to the Yankees and the Mets, the Cubs and the White Sox, the Dodgers and the Angels and basically any other match-up between any two teams OTHER than the Rays and the Phillies.

STILL, the Tampa Bay Rays will still play the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-seven World Series everybody will probably just sleep through. After all, nobody thought these two teams will get this far but since they have, the rest of the world (other than Tampa Bay and Philadelphia of course…) still have no idea who to root for.

Game 1 of this best-of-seven series for all the marbles starts Wednesday in Tampa. Who has the edge? (I know most of you probably won’t care anyway but since this IS a gambling guide, we’re asking ourselves the question…)

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost more games than any franchise in professional sports, while the Tampa Bay Rays never finished higher than fourth place during its last ten seasons. These two clubs haven’t played since June 2006, when Tampa Bay took two of the three regular season games in Philadelphia and yes, we don’t know what to expect now.

The Tampa Bay Rays are a surprising 10-5 overall against the Phillies in interleague play. The Phillies, on the other hand, have experience and power from their bench. Including the playoffs, the Phillies are 86-0 this year when leading after eight innings but the Rays are still the guys who dethroned the defending champs, Boston Red Sox, from their pedestal.

With power and pitching, Philadelphia beat the wild-card Milwaukee Brewers three games to one in the first round before dispatching the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in the NLCS to win its sixth pennant and first since 1993. This is the Phillies’ 11th postseason appearance in their 126-year history. The 92 wins were the team’s most since ‘93.

A doormat since the team’s inception in 1998, Tampa Bay had never won more than 70 games in a season before this year. The young and athletic Rays (97-65) were definitely baseball’s biggest surprise in 2008, winning the rugged AL East and staying in contention for the best record in the majors until the final weekend.

They eliminated the AL Central champions Chicago White Sox 3-1 in the division series and held off wild-card Boston in Game 7 of the ALCS. The Tampa Bay Rays are trying to become the first team to win a championship after finishing with the worst record in the majors the previous season.

Can they do it? Would you care if they could?

Which team will win the 2008 MLB World Series? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Tampa Bay Rays 3.25

Philadelphia Phillies 4.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more baseball betting odds. Want to watch the MLB World Series live? Get MLB World Series tickets online now.

Tampa Bay Rays Philadelphia Phillies