May 25 -- WORLD SERIES PREVIEW?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, in the June issue of Playboy (I read it only for the articles), Jimmy Rollins predicts a Phillies-Yankees matchup in the World Series.

Could it happen?

"We've proved we can put on a pretty good show," Rollins said.

No kidding.

You can't learn much from a three-game series in May, but here's one thing we know after watching the Phils and Yanks over the weekend at The House That George Built: We want to see more. The Phillies won the series with victories Friday (7-3) and Sunday (4-3), and they would've swept had Brad Lidge not coughed up Saturday's game in the ninth inning. Really, though, all three games could've gone either way.

The series had a little of everything. Seven home runs Friday night (four by the Phils, three by the Yanks). Back-to-back blown saves by Lidge. A series-opening homer by Rollins, already a villain across town in Flushing. No walks allowed by Brett Myers, J.A. Happ and Cole Hamels. More hits by Raul Ibanez. The sudden clutchness of Melky Cabrera. Proof that Johnny Damon can still play. A shattered-bat home run by Mark Teixeira. Home runs No. 559 and No. 560 for Alex Rodriguez. A seemingly cordial pregame conversation between A-Rod and Jamie Moyer. Two infield hits in one game for Ryan Howard. An offensive awakening for Carlos Ruiz. John Mayberry Jr.'s first major-league home run, and of course, and a random dude wearing a Panama jersey misidentified as Mayberry's father by FOX.

There was something for everyone.

Just imagine how exciting it could be in October.

***
The Phillies were 8-2 on the road trip, raising their best-in-the-majors road record to 16-6. The downside, of course, is that they're back home this week, where they're only 8-12. That needs to change if the Phillies are going to maintain -- and extend -- their lead in the NL East.

Here's your primer for the series with the Marlins that opens tonight. More in a bit from the Bank.

MARLINS (20-25) at PHILLIES (24-18)
Tonight, 7:05: RHP Chris Volstad (3-3, 3.64) vs. LHP Jamie Moyer (3-4, 7.62)
Tomorrow, 7:05: LHP Andrew Miller (1-1, 4.94) vs. RHP Joe Blanton (2-3, 7.11)
Wednesday, 7:05: TBA vs. RHP Brett Myers (4-2, 4.34)
Hot: Marlins RF Jeremy Hermida has a six-game hitting streak during which he's batting .370 (10-for-27); Marlins CF Cody Ross has 12 hits in his last 34 at-bats (.353); Phillies LF Raul Ibanez batted .395 (17-for-43) with seven homers and 17 RBIs during the 10-game road trip; Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has 14 hits in his last 38 at-bats (.368).
Not: Marlins OF Chris Coghlan was in a 2-for-27 funk before going 3-for-5 Sunday; Marlins INF Wes Helms has one hit in his last 11 at-bats; Phillies RF Jayson Werth batted .184 (7-for-38) with 12 strikeouts during the 10-game road trip; Phillies 1B Ryan Howard was 2-for-14 with two infield singles in the three-game series against the Yankees.