The 2013 World Series is almost here and everyone is already pumped up for what could be a very explosive series between the American League champion Boston Red Sox and the National League kingpin St. Louis Cardinals.
The Red Sox returned to the biggest stage in baseball after waiting over half a decade while the Cards will try to win their first World Series crown since parting ways with former All-Star batter Albert Pujols.
How did they get here?
Red Sox: ALCS 4-2 win vs. Detroit Tigers; ALDS 3-1 win vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The Red Sox booked their first Fall Classic appearance for the first time since 2007 after pulling off a hard-earned 4-2 victory against the Detroit Tigers. Koji Uehara's emergence as a potent bullpen pitcher might have helped the Red Sox get over the hump, but their slugging unit (Mike Napoli, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, Shane Victorino and Jarrod Saltalamacchia) is the heart and soul of the team.
Prior to their American League Championship Series conquest, the Red Sox had to go through the resilient Tampa Bay Rays. In the series, the Rays unleashed their full roster of pitchers to give the Red Sox's explosive batting unit all kinds of looks at the plate. However, Boston still finished the job in four games thanks to its efficient small ball game.
Cardinals: NLCS 4-2 win vs. Los Angeles Dodgers; NLDS 3-2 win vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Cardinals earned their trip back to the World Series for the second time in three years, but this time, they want to win it all without manager Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols.
The road to the World Series has been tough for the Cardinals, who needed to survive the Pittsburgh Pirates in 5 games and the star-studded Dodgers in 6 games.
Rookie hurler Michael Wacha has been the star of the postseason, allowing only one run and eight hits with 22 strikeouts through 21 innings. However, no one should discount the contribution of the Cards sluggers, who put up immense work every single night.
Carlos Beltran finally made it to the World Series after coming up with a performance like no other. The veteran outfielder boasts an On-base Plus Slugging percentage of .944 in the National League Division Series and .899 in the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers, putting him in seventh place all-time with a 1.173 playoff OPS in 198 plate appearances.
TV Schedule, Format & Roster
The World Series will employ a 2-3-2 format, with the Red Sox taking home court advantage in the first two games of the series and the Cards hosting the next three. If necessary, Game 6 and Game 7 will be held at Fenway Park on the strength of the AL All-Stars' 3-0 win over the NL All-Stars in the 2013 MLB All-Star Game.
Game 1: Wed., Oct. 23 St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX
Game 2: Thurs., Oct 24 St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX
Game 3: Sat., Oct. 26 Boston Red Sox @ St. Louis Cardinals 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX
Game 4: Sun., Oct. 27 Boston Red Sox @ St. Louis Cardinals 8 p.m. EST on FOX
Game 5: Mon., Oct. 28 Boston Red Sox @ St. Louis Cardinals 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX*
Game 6: Wed., Oct. 30 St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX*
Game 7: Thurs., Oct. 31 St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX*
*If Necessary
World Series Roster
Boston Red Sox
Batters: Mike Napoli 1B, Dustin Pedroia 2B, Xander Bogaerts 3B, Jarrod Saltalamacchia 4B, Stephen Drew SS, Jacoby Ellsbury CC, Shane Victorino RF, Jonny Gomes LF, David Ortiz DH
Starting Pitchers: Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront, Jon Lester, John Lackey and Jake Peavy
Bullpen: Koji Uehara, Brandon Workman, Junichi Tazawa, Franklin Morales, and Craig Breslow
St. Louis Cardinals
Batters: Mike Adams 1B, Matt Carpenter 2B, David Freese 3B, Yadier Molina C, Pete Kozma SS, Jon Jay CC, Carlos Beltran RF and Matt Holliday LF
Starting Pitchers: Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright
Bullpen: John Axford, Randy Choate, Seth Maness, Carlos Martinez, Trevor Rosenthal, Edward Mujica, Kevin Siegrist
Odds & Predictions
Betting Odds: Red Sox (5/7 favorite) vs. Cardinals (6/5 underdogs)
Fearless Forecast: In a matchup between two teams loaded with talent and rich baseball history, the World Series is expected to come down to the wire. The Cardinals might boast the better pitching rotation (Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright, Shelby Miller and Lance Lynn), but the Red Sox counter with a prolific batting unit.
When everything settles down, the Red Sox will end up hoisting the 2013 World Series in six games behind consistent slugging and another game-changing play by David Ortiz, the projected MVP of the Series.
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