Both the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals had solid statistics on the offensive end in 2013, with both baseball clubs finishing near the top in batting average - Boston was ranked second in the American League (AL), batting .277, and St. Louis ranked second in the National League (NL) with a .269 hitting average, while testing opposing pitcher's patience with both teams finishing the year first in their respective leagues in on-base percentage (the Red Sox finished with .349 OBS average in the AL and a .332 OBS average for the Cardinals in the NL).
Latinos Post takes a look at the teams offense, by position, as they head into Wednesday's Game 1 of the the 2013 World Series:
CATCHER: Cardinals' Yadier Molina vs Red Sox's Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Saltalamacchia has been solid for the Red Sox, hitting .273 with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs for the year, including a huge walk-off hit in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, but Molina is one of the best catchers in the league, capable of hitting for both power and average on top of being one of the best fielding catchers in the game.
FIRST BASEMAN: Cardinals' Matt Adams vs Red Sox's Mike Napoli / David Ortiz
Cardinals rookie Matt Adams has done a good job replacing Allen Craig, who has missed six weeks with a Lisfranc injury to his left foot, hitting 17 home runs and 51 RBIs in 296 at-bats. Napoli, who will start at first base in games held at Fenway Park, is a power hitter who started heating up in the ALCS, hitting two big home runs against the Tigers. When the series moves to Busch Stadium, David Ortiz will play at first in place of Napoli.
SECOND BASEMAN: Cardinals' Matt Carpenter vs Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia
Carpenter has come into his own as a second-year player, leading the majors in doubles (55) and hits (199) while hitting .318 with 11 home runs and 78 RBIs. While Carpenter had a slightly better statistical year than Pedroia, the Red Sox's scrappy second baseman is a former Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player award winner who brings World Series experience and leadership that gives him a slight edge despite the numbers.
SHORTSTOP: Cardinals' Pete Kozma vs Red Sox's Stephen Drew
Both shortstops have good defensive skill-sets but have struggled offensively, with Kozma going 1-for-15 in the NLCS and Drew hitting 3-for-35 throughout the playoffs.
THIRD BASEMAN: Cardinals' David Freese vs. Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts/Will Middlebrooks
Freese, the 2011 World Series hero for the Cardinals, has struggled during the playoffs, going 7-for-37 in the postseason but went 2-for-4 with a walk in Game 6 of the NLCS, giving the team hope he will snap out of his slump. The Red Sox will platoon both Middlebrooks and Bogaerts depending on the pitching match-ups. Bogaerts has drawn five walks in 11 at-bats, doing a better job getting on base than Middlebrooks, who swings at bad pitches and is as likely to strikeout as he is to hit a home run.
LEFT FIELD: Cardinals' Matt Holliday vs Red Sox's Jonny Gomes/Daniel Nava
While not the same player he was with the Colorado Rockies, Holliday brings a dependable bat that hit .300 with 22 home runs and 94 RBIs for the season. Nava and Gomes platooned the position during the regular season, but Gomes has started four games for the Red Sox during the ALCS, going 3-for-16 and a double against the Tigers.
CENTER FIELD: Cardinals' John Jay vs Red Sox's Jacoby Ellsbury
Ellsbury is a patient hitter who is not picky about how he gets on base, whether he walks or hits the cover off the ball. Once on the base pads, he is a danger to get himself into scoring position, leading the majors with 52 stolen bases for the season. Jay has struggled mightily in the postseason, getting benched in Game 6 of the NLCS in favor of Shane Robinson, who finished the night going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs in a 9-0 elimination game.
RIGHT FIELD: Cardinals' Carlos Beltran vs Red Sox's Shane Victorino
Victorino has been clutch for the Red Sox, despite struggling while going 9-for-38 with a .237 for the playoffs; he did, however, end up hitting a huge grand slam over the Green Monster wall in the seventh inning of Game 6 of the ALCS, helping Boston eliminate the Tigers. Beltran has been playing on another level, trying to exorcise demons from past playoffs, hitting .337 in the postseason for his career, with 16 home runs, 37 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.173. Beltran could figure to be a dangerous bat for Cardinals as he makes it to the World Series for the first time in his career.
DESIGNATED BATTER: Cardinals' Allen Craig vs Red Sox's David Ortiz
Ortiz has struggled in the ALCS, getting only two hits throughout the series against the Tigers pitching staff, with one of those hits being a huge grand slam in Game 2 that gave Boston new life against Detroit. Ortiz will also play first base, during games at Busch Stadium, because the designated hitter rule is not in effect at National League parks, making him a liability playing defense in those games. Craig, who has been out with a foot injury since early September, led the Cardinals with 97 RBIs for the year, despite missing the tail-end of the season, and can be a lethal extra bat in games held at Fenway Park during the series, in which he'll DH for club.
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