2013 World Series Preview

What a season. The 2013 MLB season has been a good one thus far, and the World Series looks to continue that trend. Two equally matched teams in the Cardinals and Red Sox look to take the 2013 crown and write their names among the greatest teams ever. The once that win the World Series. This series is going to have a lot of heart, hustle, and just about anything else you can imagine, as these two teams play baseball the way it's supposed to be played.

Batting:

The Red Sox and Cardinals feature lineups with pleny of postseason experience, as both teams have been here plenty times before. The Cardinals lineup is always clutch in the postseason, with that most recently occuring against Clayton Kershaw in game six of the NLCS. Their lineup rocked Kershaw for seven earned runs. The Boston Red Sox have been clutch as well, but in a different way. Numerous times the Red Sox could not tally a hit until about the fifth inning, but in some of those contests late timely hitting proved large for them. In the ALCS, David Ortiz and Shane Victorino each hit a grand slam to give the Red Sox the lead after being behind. That is clutch hitting. Finishing in first (Red Sox) and third place (Cardinals) in runs scored, this series could shape up to be a high-scoring affair.

Pitching:

The Red Sox have a proven pitching staff, with John Lester and Lackey, Jake Peavy, Clay Buchholz, and others. Although their staff is proven, they are not the nessecarily the better staff. The Cardinals have Adam Wainwright, Joe Kelly, Michael Wacha, and others. Their staff is one that has been awesome this postseason, posting a 2.34 ERA. The Red Sox have posted a 3.05 ERA this postseason. Their bullpens are just as good, but the Red Sox pen has been better, posting a 0.84 ERA to the Cardinals 1.80. If any of these games becomes a bullpen game, consider the Red Sox in winning that specific game, just because they have some awesome pitchers in their bullpen and are able to get hitters out.

Other:

The Red Sox slow pace of play could really effect the Cardinals fountain of youth pitching staff. They have kept pitchers off balance all year, and have been able to capitialize in the later innings because of it. The Red Sox baserunning is also better than the Cardinals, reading balls better, getting better jumps, and stealing more bases. Something as simple as baserunning could be the deciding factor in this series.

Prediction:

Although we have a close series here, some team have to prevail and takes the series. The Red Sox are able to play unbelievable baseball during times, and I love their style of play. They play tough, and they play dirty. But, in the end, those traits add up to victories. The Cardinals pitching staff has been an awesome thing to watch, but now they get tough hitters in Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, and the rest of the Red Sox lineup. I think they could escape unscathed, but those caliber hitters will "eat rookie pitching for breakfast". For those reasons, I'm picking the Red Sox in seven games.