Just two teams remain. The Boston Red Sox are representing the American League after winning 97 games this year. The Red Sox are led by their high powered-offense, which ranked first in all the MLB in runs scored and on-base-percentage. The Red Sox have led the postseason in on-base-percentage, and will look to match up against the great starting pitching of the Cardinals. The Cardinals, who have arguably the best young team in the MLB, boast the leading ERA this postseason: 2.34. This matchup will include a young St. Louis pitching staff against a veteran Red Sox offense, which will set up a terrific series.
World Series
Game 1
St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Adam Wainwright 19-9 with a 2.94 ERA this regular season (2-1 with a 1.57 ERA in the 2013 playoffs).
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester 15-8 with a 3.75 ERA this regular season (2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in the 2013 playoffs).
Cardinals X-Factor: Matt Holliday .300 AVG, 22 HR, 94 RBI this regular season (.244 AVG, .261 OBP, 2 HR, 5 RBI in the 2013 playoffs).
Red Sox X-Factor: Shane Victorino .294 AVG, 15 HR, 61 RBI this regular season (.227 AVG, .261 OBP, 1 HR, 3 RBI in 22 career ABs against Wainwright).
Projection: Neither team has much experience against the opposing starting pitchers, so it will be Victorino, who has seen the most of Wainwright, who will be the X-Factor. Victorino has struggled this postseason, but possibly broke out of his slump with the game-winning grand slam in game six of the ALCS. The Red Sox at home, with an experienced starting line up, will have to wait until after Wainwright is out of the game to strike. Lester has been great at home this season (3.09 ERA), and has been even better in the postseason. Add in the great Red Sox bullpen, and game over.
Cardinals 0-Red Sox 1
Game 2
St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Michael Wacha 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA this regular season (3-0 with a 0.43 in the 2013 postseason).
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: Clay Buchholz 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA this regular season (0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in 16.2 innings this postseason).
Cardinals X-Factor: Trevor Rosenthal 2.63 ERA this regular season (3 saves, 0.00 ERA in 7 innings pitched this postseason).
Red Sox X-Factor: David Ortiz .309 AVG, 30 HR, 103 RBI this regular season (.200 AVG, 3 HR, 7 RBI in the 2013 postseason).
Projection: No hitters have faced these pitchers before, and both of them will be able to work into the fifth or sixth inning in this game. Wacha will likely have to turn it over to the bullpen, and this game could end up with four or five runs by each team. Ortiz is 15 years older than Wacha, and will likely be able to hit him, especially because Ortiz is a lefty matching up against the right handed Wacha. The Cardinals bullpen will need to beat out the Red Sox bullpen, but that will be hard to do, as the Red Sox will take an important lead in the World Series.
Cardinals 0-Red Sox 2
Game 3
Boston Red Sox @ St. Louis Cardinals
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: John Lackey 10-13 with a 3.52 ERA this regular season (2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in the 2013 playoffs in two starts).
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Joe Kelly 10-5 with a 2.69 ERA this regular season (0-1 with a 4.41 ERA this postseason in three starts).
Red Sox X-Factor: Craig Breslow 33 saves and a 1.81 ERA this regular season (1 win, 4 holds, 0.00 ERA in seven innings pitched this postseason).
Cardinals X-Factor: Matt Adams .284 AVG, .335 OBP, 17 HR, 51 RBI this regular season (.268 AVG, .333 OBP, 1 HR, 4 RBI in the playoffs).
Projection: Lackey will not be able to go the distance in this one, but there is a good chance that the Red Sox will have a lead late in the game, and it will be up to the bullpen. All the focus goes to closer Koji Uehara, but it has been Breslow who has been lights out this postseason, already appearing in seven games, but still has not allowed a run. Kelly has been good, but not great in the postseason, and the Cardinals need him to be great in the World Series. Losing one at home will put St. Louis into a massive hole.
Red Sox 3-Cardinals 0
Game 4
Boston Red Sox @ St. Louis Cardinals
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: Jake Peavy 12-5 with a 4.17 ERA this regular season (0-1 with an 8.31 ERA this postseason).
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Lance Lynn 15-10 with a 3.97 regular season ERA (2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in the 2013 playoffs).
Projection: Lynn will be the Cardinals’ hope to continue this season, and he has been bad in the playoffs this year. As bad as Lynn has been, though, Peavy has been even worse. Home field will go to St. Louis in this game, as they will feel their back against the wall. The Cardinals will live to fight another day in a game where they will be able to score some runs.
Red Sox 3-Cardinals 1
Game 5
Boston Red Sox @ St. Louis Cardinals
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Adam Wainwright
Projection: In an elimination game, the Cardinals could not be happier with Wainwright on the mound in Busch Stadium. Wainwright boasted a 2.53 ERA at home this year, and will again be extremely tough to score on. The Cardinals have enough offense to scrape a couple runs off of Lester in this one, and the Cardinals will be halfway to the comeback.
Red Sox 3-Cardinals 2
Game 6
St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Michael Wacha
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: Clay Buchholz
Projection: Rematch of game two. Boston still has the advantage, but Wacha will try to prove why he was the Cardinals first round pick of 2012. Buchholz (also a first-round pick) will have one of the best bullpens behind him, but first Buchholz will need to get them there. The Cardinals will force the game seven that everyone hopes for, on the back of Wacha’s pitching and the better offense.
Cardinals 3- Red Sox 3
Game 7
St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox
Cardinals Starting Pitcher: Joe Kelly
Red Sox Starting Pitcher: John Lackey
Projection: The season will come down to one game. Boston has not lost four games in a row all season long, and they have not even lost at home all that much, going 53-28 at home this year. Boston has “Big Papi” and a great bullpen. Boston is able to salvage the World Series, and win it in front of their home crowd.
WINNER: BOSTON RED SOX
And the Winner is…
