Winning just doesn't come easy for the Boston Red Sox. Fresh off the greatest comeback in major league history-four straight wins against the storied New York Yankees-Boston will face the powerhouse St. Louis Cardinals in this year's fall classic.
The Cardinals, who led the majors with 105 wins this season, clinched their National League record sixteenth pennant with a 5-2 win against the Houston Astros last night. Only one team-yes, it's the Yankees-has more.
This year's World Series will be a battle of the bats. The Cardinals' top four sluggers-Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Larry Walker-combined for 139 home runs, 405 RBIs and 580 hits this year, and the team had five .300 hitters. The Red Sox counter with Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, who batted .387 with 11 RBI against the Yankees, but the advantage goes to the Cards.
With proven postseason stud Curt Shilling in the rotation, the Sox gain the upper hand in pitching. Shilling shut down the Yankees in game six of the ALCS, and was the co-MVP of the 2001 World Series. He'll throw game two, and will be followed by three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez, an aging yet reliable big game pitcher. Knuckle ball specialist Tim Wakefield will take the mound in game one, while Derek Lowe finishes out Boston's rotation.
The Cardinals haven't set their World Series rotation yet, but with four fifteen game winners (Jason Marquis, Chris Carpenter, Matt Morris and Jeff Suppan) on the staff, they'll send out solid pitching in each game.
Jason Isringhausen led the NL with 47 saves this year, but that won't impress the Red Sox, who handed two blown saves to the seemingly immortal Mariano Riveria last week.
Game One will be Saturday night in Boston, with FOX's telecast starting at 7:30 pm. After two thrilling LCS', don't expect anything less than an epic fall classic.
