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With Major League Baseball’s 8-team and now 10-team playoff format, it’s actually become somewhat rare to see teams with the best regular season records reach the World Series. Fans of the 97-win St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox certainly aren’t complaining.

Both teams found a way to fend off opponents and reach the 2013 World Series, which will be a rematch of the 2004 Fall Classic. This time around the series will be decided by four names: David Ortiz, Koji Uehara, Allen Craig and Carlos Beltran. 

The clutch-performing role of David Ortiz hasn’t changed one iota since 2004. To take home the hardware, Ortiz will have to do more than his 2-for-22 line in the ALCS. Ortiz will be playing defense from the dugout as usual in Game 1 at Fenway, but the real challenge comes when the Sox travel to St. Louis. Ortiz will likely play first base.

Ortiz is an adequate first baseman, “I’ve seen Big Papi play a lot,” said Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes, via Danny Knobler, Baseball Insider for CBSSports.com “I mean, the guy can play first base. If you ask me, you can go #goldglove for Napoli, but Ortiz isn’t bad there.”

The main downfall is that the Red Sox will then have to pull Mike Napoli out of the lineup. Limiting his plate appearances, possibly disrupting his rhythm and removing protection in the batting order for Ortiz. Napoli has been a primary source of offense for the Red Sox hitting .300 with a pair of doubles and home runs in the ALCS.

Sitting Napoli is a hefty price to pay and that makes the production of Ortiz that much more important to the series. Farrell has left the door open saying Ortiz will get time over Napoli at first base, but not revealing the number of games he’ll start according to Alex Speier of WEEI 93.7.

Ortiz and his clutch hitting have been a constant for the Red Sox since 2004, but the role of clutch pitching has seen many names. The latest of said names is ALCS MVP Koji Uehara. The 38-year-old Uehara isn’t the typical overly animated gas-throwing closer, but he gets the job done with a fastball that sits around 90 mph.

To beat the Cardinals and the clutch hitting they always seem to find, Uehara will have to be the shutdown closer he was against Detroit. In the closer role one lapse or one bad pitch can lose a game making it a crucial position.

Uehara’s deception and control should continue to work in his favor. The Red Sox players certainly aren’t worried about Uehara, “Well, ‘invincible’ is not a word we use because we don’t ever like to take things for granted in this game, but you’ve got a lot of confidence in Koji, that’s for sure,” Red Sox Catcher David Ross said via Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald. “As a catcher, you’re just trying to get to the end of the game, and with a guy like that, you realize, if I can just get through the eighth with a lead, we’ve got it.”

One of the clutch hitters Uehara may have to face is Allen Craig, who sustained a foot injury on Sept. 4th. Before the injury Craig was the Cardinals’ primary clean-up hitter and he racked up a solid .315 AVG / 13 HR / 97 RBI line.  

Craig will likely be the DH in Boston and coming off the bench in St. Louis according to Anthony McCarron of New York Daily News. Craig does, however, boast a .454 clip with runners in scoring position. Production like that is sure to be a series changer. Luckily, Craig will have two games to prove his worth in Boston before moving back to St. Louis.

While Craig’s clutch regular season hitting and valiant return to the lineup earn him a mention Carlos Beltran needs no such validation. Beltran is in the debate as the greatest postseason hitter ever. A great performance in his first World Series would certainly help solidify that claim and fuel the existing conversation. Here’s what some analysts are already discussing:

To win a ring this year, Beltran will have to continue his clutch postseason hitting.

Thus far, Beltran has provided 12 RBI’s for the Cardinals, who have 42 runs in the 2013 postseason. For the Cardinals to be successful Beltran will have to continue receiving high fives after RBIs as he’s doing in the picture below.

If the Cardinals continue to rely on Beltran for over a quarter of their offense he’ll have to produce in a big way. The switch hitting Beltran may have a tough time in the series with Jon Lester taking the hill as the Red Sox starter.

Beltran was a much better hitter from the left side (.315 AVG / .509 SLG / .871 OPS) than from the right side (.252 AVG / .448 SLG / .729 OPS). Lefties Lester and Red Sox reliever Craig Breslow will likely force Beltran to take a good portion of his cuts from the right side.

 Beltran is, however 4-for-13 from the right side this postseason, but that’s a pretty small sample. Plus, both of his home runs have come hitting left-handed. No matter which side Beltran is taking his hacks from he will have to continue to be a primary source of offense for the Cardinals to revenge their 2004 World Series defeat.

One way or another these four players will decide how this series will be won. Will it be decided by brilliant pitching and a few clutch hits? Will both teams find their offense? Who will gain the edge? It all remains to be seen, but one way or another these four players are at the heart of which way the series goes.

Each of these four players will likely be at the crux of their teams victory or failure. Newcomers like Xander Bogaerts and Matt Adams might be the heroes. Or pitching performances from Michael Wacha or Jon Lester might steal the headlines. Ortiz, Uehara, Craig and Beltran are necessary pieces to their respective teams, will have opportunities to perform in the clutch and will be the deciding factors in the outcome of the 2013 World Series.

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The 2013 World Series begins on Wednesday night as the St. Louis Cardinals head to Boston to take on the Red Sox in what promises to be a great series.

The matchup pits two of the most storied franchises in MLB history and two of the most passionate fanbases in the league against one another, as the Cardinals look to win championship No. 12 and the Red Sox push for title No. 8.

On the eve of Game 1 of the series, here is a look at the 50 players who will make up the World Series rosters, ranked from No. 50-1 based on their potential impact in the series and overall production this season.

Begin Slideshow

Back in 2004, the Boston Red Sox made their glorious return to MLB‘s World Series and swept their NL opponents—the St. Louis Cardinals. 

As the Cardinals and Red Sox do battle in their World Series rematch beginning on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, it’s important to recognize the smaller matchups that will act as microcosms of this World Series. Who wins those matchups will go a long way in determining which team ends up winning baseball’s highest honor. 

Starting Pitching

One of the most important matchups in any series is the battle between the starting pitchers of each team. With the rotations of the Cardinals and Red Sox, it’ll be nearly impossible to ignore.

The Cardinals have an extremely solid starting rotation made up of studs like Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha. They will oppose Boston’s main aces, Jon Lester and John Lackey. Wainwright and Wacha both boast amazing postseason ERAs—Wainwright sits at 1.57 and Wacha at just .043. To put Wacha‘s impressive ERA into perspective, he’s given up just one earned run in 21 innings. 

The Red Sox aces aren’t too shabby either. Lackey and Lester have allowed just nine combined earned runs over 31 postseason innings of work, including against the Detroit Tigers’ star-studded offense. 

While both sets of aces are extremely solid, the true matchup will come between the other starting pitchers—Joe Kelly and Lance Lynn for St. Louis, and Clay Buchholz and Jake Peavy for the Red Sox.

For the Cards, Kelly has given up 18 hits in 16.1 innings in the postseason along with eight earned runs while Lynn has an ERA of 5.40 with seven walks. The Red Sox counter with Buchholz, who has given up 19 hits and 10 earned runs in 16.2 innings, and Peavy, who has only survived 8.2 total innings in his two games with an ERA of 8.31. 

A huge part of the 2013 World Series will not only come down to how the superstar starters pitch for both squads,  but more importantly, how the lesser starters perform with everything on the line. 

Carlos Beltran vs. Boston Red Sox Pitching

Carlos Beltran has been on an absolute tear this postseason. While he’s only batting .256, the hits he has gotten have been huge.

Beltran has two home runs, one triple and three doubles in the playoffs and has driven in 12 runs. When you’re thinking of just two playoff series, 12 runs makes a huge difference. 

However, Beltran won’t have it easy. The Red Sox pitching has been extremely solid and handcuffed some of the best batters in the league in the ALCS series against Detroit. The Tigers’ lineup was one of the most prolific in the league with the best team batting average during the regular season and ranked second-best in slugging percentage, on-base percentage and runs. Red Sox pitchers, however, were able to shut them out once and allow three or fewer runs in all but one game. 

The Red Sox have handled opposing big bats so far throughout the playoffs, but Beltran will serve as a worthy opponent in the World Series. 

Mike Napoli and David Ortiz against St. Louis Relievers

Another major matchup facing St. Louis will be the Boston bats of Mike Napoli and David Ortiz.

That might seem strange since Ortiz had just two hits in the ALCS, but not when you look at what he did. One of those hits came against the Tigers in Game 2 with the bases loaded. Ortiz hit one of two Boston grand slams in the ALCS, which essentially won the series for the Sox. 

Napoli had a similar series. He had six hits, including two doubles and two home runs to go with a .300 average and .700 slugging percentage. Napoli was a beast against the Tigers and will have to keep it up in the World Series for the Red Sox to survive.

Ortiz and Napoli both did their major damage in the later innings of the ALCS to dismantle the Tigers’ relief pitching. If the Cardinals want to have a shot at redemption for 2004, they’ll have to handle the big names in the Sox lineup late in games. 

The Cardinals have leaned on Trevor Rosenthal and Carlos Martinez thus far in the postseason to handle most of their relief work. Rosenthal has logged seven innings during the postseason and Martinez checks in at 6.2 innings. While Rosenthal still hasn’t allowed a run, Martinez is a bit different story. In his 6.2 innings of work Martinez has given up two earned runs, but only two hits. 

The Red Sox will rely on their big bats to show up late in games once again. If St. Louis wants to exact revenge, the Cardinals’ relief pitchers will have to be on their marks.

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There a zillion different ways for the St. Louis Cardinals to win the 2013 World Series, but trusting each step in this guide would put them in the best position to knock off the Boston Red Sox.

It will take a mix of strategy and plain ol’ execution to exact revenge on the Sox after being swept by them in 2004. The Rally Squirrel is also an essential piece of the equation.

If the Cards do wind up as MLB champions, it will likely be because they took advantage of particular matchups with the following suggestions.

1. Get Allen Craig back in the lineup

For Games 1 and 2 of the Fall Classic, manager Mike Matheny will be grateful for American League rules. They’ll allow him to insert Allen Craig back into the starting lineup alongside all the other reputable Cardinals batters.

As Bleacher Report’s Jason Catania explained, the Cardinals’ leading run producer from the regular season ought to be a lot more intimidating than soft-hitting Shane Robinson or Daniel Descalso. Matheny would likely choice his DH from that pair if Craig weren’t arriving the end of his comeback trail.

The 29-year-old’s dominance with runners in scoring position led the team to an MLB-best .330/.402/.463 batting line in such situations.

However, the once-elite offense has been barely recognizable in the playoffs. Four times during the NLDS and NLCS, St. Louis was limited to four hits or fewer. The club limped past the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers with a .610 OPS.

Even at less than full strength, Craig will bolster the roster. He’ll instantly become the No. 1 weapon off a terrible Cardinals bench once the series shifts to Busch Stadium. St. Louis pinch hitters have gone only 2-for-15 at the plate in October, a figure Craig could certainly improve.

2. Don’t push Adam Wainwright too deep

St. Louis will open the World Series five days after finishing off the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, which means all the bullpen arms will be fully rested.

Depending on what Adam Wainwright’s body language is telling Matheny during the middle innings of Game 1, the skipper shouldn’t hesitate to make a change.

Granted, the veteran right-hander has been fantastic over the past month-and-a-half. Waino boasts a 1.71 earned run average in eight starts dating back to early September, and his stellar strikeout-to-walk ratio has held steady.

Nonetheless, 264.2 total innings is uncharted territory for him. Actually, it’s insane by almost anybody’s standards.

You’ll notice that most pitchers on this list began deteriorating in their mid-30s (Justin Verlander isn’t quite there yet). Wainwright is signed to a lucrative contract for the next five seasons, so the Cardinals won’t be thrilled if he follows that same path.

But there’s also the question of whether leaving their workhorse in the game for the later innings gives the Cards their best chance to win.

Although Waino occasionally cruises from start to finish, he’s also prone to minor implosions. Even coughing up a couple of runs in Game 1 or 5 of this series could doom the team against Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester and Boston’s lights-out, late-inning relief.

Matheny has to have the courage to make an early switch if the 32-year-old is flirting with disaster.

3. Throw first-pitch strikes to Jacoby Ellsbury

Ideally, the Cardinals will uncover a loophole in the collective bargaining agreement that makes Jacoby Ellsbury a free agent immediately. That way, he’ll go out and search for his $100 million contract instead of wreaking havoc in the World Series.

Assuming that doesn’t happen, they’ll actually need to prepare for this speed demon.

The 30-year-old center fielder has been the best player for the Red Sox in the postseason, batting .400/.467/.525 with six stolen bases and 10 runs scored. Because St. Louis cannot prevent Ellsbury from tracking down balls in the outfield, the club must focus on minimizing his offensive impact.

That means regularly getting ahead in the count.

By throwing first-pitch strikes, you slice his odds of walking in half. During the season, he drew 31 free passes in 270 plate appearances when ahead 1-0 compared to only 16 in 297 situations when he fell behind. Keeping the MLB steals leader off base is so important because he’s one of the few players who can succeed against Yadier Molina’s throwing arm.

Ellsbury is generally patient, as he has swung at only 45.5 percent of pitches this year and 43.8 percent in his major league career. However, he might not be able to resist a Wainwright curveball or a Michael Wacha changeup if forced into a lousy count.

4. Embrace small ball later in the series

Red Sox skipper John Farrell plans to use David Ortiz at first base for some portion of Games 3-5 (h/t ESPNBoston.com), and the Cards better use that matchup to their advantage. Big Papi has 250 career starts at the position during the regular season but only 25 since 2008.

To be fair, he sometimes has himself a clean day, like this one from 2012: 

With that said, it’s likely the 37-year-old’s glacial running speed and laughable lack of range will lead to him faltering on one or more makeable plays.

With Ortiz out of his comfort zone, St. Louis should encourage struggling batters like Jon Jay and Pete Kozma to mess with the infield defense. This could mean bunts to the right side that test Ortiz’s athleticism and situational intelligence or grounders the other way that force Xander Bogaerts and Stephen Drew to connect with an inflexible target.

We noticed from the early playoff rounds that the Red Birds were frustratingly inconsistent when they blindly put balls in play. Just another reason to buy into this strategy.

5. Bring in power arms early and often

The Red Sox offense ranked atop the sport in numerous categories this summer. Farrell’s team is powerful, disciplined and situationally sound.

Thankfully for St. Louis, the American League Championship Series revealed their kryptonite: power pitching.

The opposing Detroit Tigers set an all-time record by racking up 73 strikeouts in a single postseason series (and it took them only six games to do it). There was a dry spell during which Boston had three hits in 16 innings.

Although the Cards starting rotation doesn’t feature swing-and-miss masters like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the pitching staff as a whole certainly does. Carlos Martinez, Kevin Siegrist and Trevor Rosenthal all possess that kind of ability out of the pen.

According to Baseball-Reference.com, typical 2013 batters produced at only 86 percent of their usual OPS against power pitching (see tOPS+). Boston’s guys were all the way down to 74 percent this season.

Feel free, Mr. Matheny, to ride your starters for awhile if they have healthy leads, but remember to exploit your opponent’s not-so-secret weakness whenever the outcome is in doubt.

Ely is a national MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a sportscaster for 90.5 WVUM in Miami. He’s hoping to deepen relationships with his fantastic online audience (that means you) via Twitter.

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The 2013 World Series is set to begin on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, as the Boston Red Sox play host to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 109th edition of the Fall Classic.

Given that both clubs matched each other with the best record in the MLB regular season at 97-65 and that both have strong starting pitching and star-studded batting orders, this has the makings of an epic championship showcase.

Boston has an innate edge in owning home-field advantage. In a series that should go down to the wire and be over in no less than six games, that is a massive asset.

However, St. Louis is fresh off lighting up what was arguably the postseason’s hottest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw to clinch the NLCS in Game 6. Now, it’s the Cardinals who have the hottest hurler in the postseason with rookie sensation Michael Wacha.

Here is a look at the World Series television listings, along with a brief preview and prediction for how the action will unfold.

Note: Schedule is via MLB.com. Starting pitcher matchups are courtesy of ESPN.com.

Preview and Prediction

This rematch of the 2004 World Series will be tighter than the 4-0 sweep that the Red Sox turned in against the Cardinals nearly a decade ago.

The Cardinals will send 19-game winner Adam Wainwright to the hill in Game 1 and have the NLCS MVP in Wacha behind him for Game 2 at Fenway.

Such a formidable tandem leaves Boston vulnerable to dropping at least one of the first two at home, which could be devastating with the following three games at Busch Stadium.

However, just as Kershaw did for the Dodgers, it’s conceivable that Wacha will cool off—especially since his experience, though positive, is minimal.

Wacha seems oblivious to the big stage thus far, but even someone with his prodigious pitching skills and uncommon composure isn’t unflappable.

The Red Sox led the majors in runs scored this season and hit two key grand slams in the ALCS to spark their run to the brink of grabbing the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Joe Kelly will get lit up in Game 3 for the Cardinals, giving Boston a 2-1 series advantage with Jake Peavy taking the bump in all likelihood for Game 4. St. Louis club will rally to push the series to seven games by roughing up Peavy, who lacked control in his Game 4 loss in the ALCS.

Between setup man Junichi Tazawa and door-slamming closer Koji Uehara, though, the Red Sox have the premier relievers to boost them to another World Series crown.

The St. Louis bullpen has only yielded six earned runs in 19 postseason innings, but look for Boston to have the edge there.

Prediction: Red Sox win in seven

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There is no question that excellent play from their superstars helped both the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox reach the World Series.

Role players, however, have a way of making a big difference during the Fall Classic, and both the Cardinals and Red Sox have plenty of role players who are just waiting for their opportunity to bust out.

These two teams are so evenly matched on paper that this series could truly go either way, but something has to give. The emergence of an under-the-radar player or two on either side could ultimately be the difference. The star players for the Cardinals and Red Sox can only do so much before they need a little help.

Here are three players who will emerge as X-factors in the World Series to decide which team will hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Daniel Nava, Red Sox

Outfielder and first baseman Daniel Nava was a starter for the Red Sox essentially all season long and put up some great numbers.

The 30-year-old switch-hitter clubbed 12 home runs and 66 RBI to go along with a .303 batting average during the regular season. While most figured that he would be a regular for Boston during the playoffs. manager John Farrell has decided to go with Jonny Gomes instead, regardless of matchups.

Gomes actually hit for a higher average against righties than lefties during the regular season at .258, but he pales against right-handers in comparison to Nava, who hit an impressive .322 with 10 home runs against right-handed pitchers this season. Nava was initially tabbed as a starter for Boston with a .273 average in 11 postseason at-bats, but Farrell continues to go with Gomes despite his .200 average. Jonah Keri of Grantland offers as good of an explanation as any for Farrell’s decision-making:

Farrell very well may continue to roll with Gomes, but since all four of the Cardinals’ starting pitchers are righties, conventional wisdom suggests that Nava will get his chance at some point, either as a starter or a pinch hitter. While Nava won’t come out and say it, he has to feel slighted to some degree, as he did nothing to lose his spot. If Nava comes through when given the opportunity, though, he’ll prove that he should have been in there all along.

Randy Choate, Cardinals

Every team has a situational lefty out of the bullpen, but few are as good and experienced as Randy Choate.

The Cardinals sidewinder was a key figure during the regular season with a 2.29 ERA in 64 appearances, even though most of the opposing batters he faced were elite left-handed hitters. It has been a long time since the 38-year-old veteran has been in this situation, having last reached the World Series with the New York Yankees in 2001, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

Choate has faced a lot of batters and played for many different teams since then. He has truly honed his craft over the past dozen years and has become one of the league’s premier lefty specialists. That has been on display throughout this postseason where Choate has yet to allow a run or a single baserunner in five outings. There is little doubt that the Cards will need him to continue that run of dominance in the World Series.

The Red Sox may not have a ton of top-level lefty hitters, but one in particular who figures to have a major say in this series is David Ortiz. As a two-time World Series winner and one of the best clutch hitters in league history, Ortiz knows how to get the job done in big moments. Choate’s main job in this series will be to retire Ortiz each time he faces him. If Choate is able to execute and get the job done, it will greatly increase St. Louis’ chances of winning.

Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox

Aruban youngster Xander Bogaerts showed flashes of brilliance during a late-season call-up, but it was far from a guarantee that he would even make Boston’s playoff roster.

He did, however, and Farrell has to be thrilled that he chose to keep Bogaerts around, as the 21-year-old infielder has played a key role for the Red Sox in the postseason. Bogaerts has supplanted Will Middlebrooks as Boston’s starting third baseman in a move that Jon Heyman of CBS Sports calls one of the playoffs’ best.

It’s hard to argue with that assessment, as Bogaerts has been as good as advertised. Not only has he more than held his own at the hot corner, but Bogaerts has put together some incredible at-bats from the No. 9 spot in the order.

Although he has yet to drive in any postseason runs, Bogaerts is hitting .500 with three doubles and five walks, which illustrates his amazing patience, especially for someone playing in his first postseason.

What makes Bogaerts so dangerous is the fact that he rounds out a lineup that features the likes of Jacoby Ellsbury, Shane Victorino, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Napoli and Big Papi among others.

It’s easy to forget about Bogaerts in the ninth spot after all of that firepower, and it leads to Bogaerts seeing some pitches that he can drive. If Bogaerts continues to be selective at the plate, he is bound to see some very hittable pitches in this World Series.

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The St. Louis Cardinals punched their ticket to the 2013 World Series on Friday night, and the Boston Red Sox will attempt to join them with a win Saturday. The Cards pounded Clayton Kershaw for seven runs in just four innings, while Michael Wacha and two relievers kept the harmless Dodger bats in check. When the assault was done, the Cards were victorious, 9-0. 

St. Louis will be looking for their second World Series title in four years. In 2011, the Cards outlasted the Texas Rangers to win in seven games. This year, they will either face the Red Sox or the Detroit Tigers.

The Red Sox and the Cards were tied for the best record in the major leagues during the regular season, so it would seem only right that the two teams would meet in the World Series.

Boston sits on the cusp of its first trip back to the Fall Classic since 2006, when it swept to Colorado Rockies. The Tigers will not go quietly, though.

Manager Jim Leyland will send 21-game winner Max Scherzer to the mound with the season on the line. He’ll be opposed by Clay Buchholz. Scherzer has been solid in the postseason, but his relief has been less-than stellar. In his Game 2 start against the Red Sox, Scherzer left the game after seven innings pitched, having allowed just two hits and one earned run.

Detroit led 5-1 at that point, but the Red Sox exploded for four runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth to win 6-5. Will he need to go deep into the ballgame to ensure the Tigers have a shot to force a Game 7?

Undoubtedly, Tigers star Justin Verlander would get the ball from Leyland with a chance to pitch his team into the World Series should the Tigers get to that point. He lost a tough 1-0 decision in Game 4 when he was outdueled by John Lackey and the Red Sox bullpen. We’d probably see a rematch of the two hurlers if the Tigers can extend the series.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens Saturday night.

Once things are settled, here is the schedule for the 2013 World Series. If it is anything like the postseason series that preceded it, fans should be in for a treat.

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With a systematic thumping of likely NL Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw, the St. Louis Cardinals dispatched the Los Angeles Dodgers and cemented half of our 2013 World Series field.

St. Louis got to Kershaw on Friday night, knocking through seven runs in four innings of work en route to an easy 9-0 victory. The Cards will now have nearly an entire week off, during which time they can set their rotation, nurse any ailments and prepare to become the fifth NL World Series champion in the past six years.

The American League’s side has yet to be determined. The Boston Red Sox are sitting pretty after their Game 5 victory over the Detroit Tigers, carrying a 3-2 series lead heading back to Fenway Park to close out the best-of-seven series. While Detroit’s powerful lineup reserves the right for anything to happen, it’s very likely that we’ll be seeing two of the game’s most storied franchises facing off come next Wednesday. 

But let’s cast the AL to the side for now. There’s no use in combing through hypotheticals when the reality is staring us in the face later this evening. Or the evening after that.

Instead, let’s focus on the team we know will be playing in the Fall Classic. The Cardinals’ run has included vanquishing the small-market darling Pittsburgh Pirates and deep-pocketed Dodgers—their portfolio is diverse, so to speak. There’s a ton of mineable content here while we sit on our hands waiting for the next shoe to drop.

So with that in mind, let’s check in on a couple major Cardinals storylines. Oh, and we’ll also give the complete World Series schedule since we already have all the dates and such written down on our foreheads. Or something.

World Series Schedule

Cardinals Storylines to Watch

Can Michael Wacha Be Wainwright 2.0 for Another Series?

There is absolutely no question that Wacha’s postseason performance tops that of any other player. The right-hander has won each of his three starts thus far, giving up a lone earned run over 21 innings pitched. Going back to the end of the regular season, that streak stretches to 29.2 innings.

In the postseason, Wacha has struck out better than a batter per inning, offered only three free passes and barely allowed over a baserunner every two innings. He’s done so by all by following a similar formula every time out. He relies primarily on his four-seam fastball and changeup to record outs, mixing in an improved curve as an out pitch and completely abandoning the cutter he flashed late in the season.

It’s a simple formula yet an effective one because of how well Wacha has located his pitches. According to the wonderful Brooks Baseball, Wacha has thrived by keeping the ball on the lower left side of the plate—inside to righties and outside to lefties. Three of his five highest-usage locations are down and out of the zone, which doesn’t necessarily guarantee success but highlights a major theme of success.

Wacha just doesn’t miss up in the strike zone. At least not yet. And while he’s been pitching so well you almost wonder who is the 1a) and 1b) in his relationship with Adam Wainwright at this point, it’s easy to be dubious about whether this is sustainable. 

Sure, Wacha came into pro baseball with a huge pedigree. But he also came into pro baseball in 2012. He was Texas A&M’s golden right arm before Johnny Manziel came to town. We’re talking about someone with 12 major league starts under his belt heading into the World Series—less than a half-season’s sample size.

None of this is to say Wacha can’t continue performing. The sample we have shows a pitcher with a veteran nerve, great stuff and an acute understanding of his craft. The kind of guy you want tossing in a Game 6 or Game 7.

The problem here is that the Cardinals may need Super Wacha against Boston or Detroit. Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly have a combined one quality start between them. Kelly looked fine in Game 1 against Los Angeles, but no one would accuse him or Lynn of being sharp.

St. Louis can’t survive if Wainwright is its only consistent starter. Wacha has fit the bill thus far, but we’ll have to see if he can handle the World Series spotlight.

How Many More Millions Can Carlos Beltran Make Himself?

I feel like everyone watching Beltran play this season would give him a grade somewhere in the B to B-minus range. Outside of a few Beltrany moments, it’s felt like a rather nondescript postseason for the man who once belted eight playoff home runs in 2004.

And in some ways it has been. Beltran is sporting a .256 batting average thus far, which is 40 points lower than his regular-season number. He’s hit two home runs—a fine total, but one that also represents his career postseason-low rate. So…Beltran is terrible and should be benched, right? 

Of course not. For all of Beltran’s relative “struggles” this postseason, he’s still been the Cardinals’ most reliable offensive force. The 36-year-old outfielder still boasts a .383 on-base percentage despite his bad luck on batted balls and has knocked in a team-high 12 runs. We all should know by now that runs batted in is a circumstantial stat based on the accomplishments of one’s teammates.

It’s still worth noting, if only because Beltran’s 12 ribbies are more than double that of any other Cardinal. Only two of his teammates are batting above .250 thus far during the postseason. This is something we should take into account when judging Beltran’s October as a whole, and it’s definitely a fact his agent will bring up this winter.

When Beltran signed his two-year, $26 million deal in St. Louis, he was doing so out of a place of weakness. He missed more than half of his team’s games in 2009 and 2010, and despite being mostly healthy in his walk year, was on the wrong side of the aging curve with mounting injury issues. 

Two years later, Beltran will walk into this summer in a position of power. His injury issues are seemingly a thing of the past, and he’s regained the plate discipline and efficiency that he had at times with the Mets. Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York reported Friday that the Yankees have already put Beltran on their wish list as the club looks to spend upwards of $300 million to rejuvenate its aging and ineffective roster. 

Of course, performing on the biggest of stages is an easy way to convince Hal Steinbrenner and every other desperate owner that Beltran is worth the splash. 

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A series defined by great pitching met up Friday night in St. Louis for yet another duel—only half of the duel never showed.

The St. Louis Cardinals continued their ownership of one of the game’s greatest left-handed pitchers, Clayton Kershaw.

The Los Angeles Dodgers sent the right man to the mound—Hanley Ramirez fought through an extremely painful injury—but in the end this series belonged to the Cardinals.

Michael Wacha, NLCS MVP, threw seven stellar innings of two-hit shutout baseball—an overall microcosm of the series to date.

Friday’s win does assure that the Cardinals will face one of two very familiar fall classic opponents—the Boston Red Sox or Detroit Tigers.

While most fans remember the two series in 2004 and 2006, many don’t realize the Cardinals have faced each team in a World Series three times.

In 1934, the Cardinals’ Gashouse Gang defeated the Tigers in seven games. During that series, all four wins came behind the two Dean brothers—Dizzy and Daffy—who combined for 28 strikeouts and a 1.43 ERA.

In 1968, the Cardinals met the Tigers in the World Series again, but a win wasn’t in their future.

On the cusp of Bob Gibson’s 1.12 ERA season—a record that won’t easily be broken—the Tigers took down the Cardinals over seven games.

In 2006, the Cardinals returned the favor when they fully dominated the Tigers over five games for a swift 4-1 championship win.

The Cardinals’ history with the Red Sox is very similar. Once again, it is painted with some of the fondest moments in team history along with some of painful defeat.

In 1946, the two teams met in the World Series for the first time. The Cardinals won the series in seven games, but not before Enos Slaughter made his famous “Mad Dash” to score from first base.

Ted Williams wasn’t at his best that year due to injury, but in typical Williams fashion, he wasn’t making any excuses.

In 1967, the Cardinals and Red Sox met once again in the World Series. Bob Gibson did almost everything. He was responsible for three wins and even one home run.

Again the Cardinals won in seven games.

When they met for the most recent time in 2004, it was the Red Sox’s turn to make history. The Sox dominated the Cardinals in a four-game sweep and finally reversed the “Curse of the Bambino” by winning their first World Series since 1918.

So what does 2013 have in store? Is it the year of the rookie pitcher? Is it the year of the beard? Will Justin Verlander finally work his regular season magic in October?

HFour of the Cardinals’ 11 World Championships have come at the expense of these two teams.

While there’s no way to know what to expect, when these teams meet in October history tends to be made. Don’t look for this World Series to be any different.

All statistics courtesy Baseball Reference are current through Oct. 18, 2013.

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As Mick Jagger once half-sung, half-rasped as only he could, “You can’t always get what you want / But if you try sometime, you just might find / You get what you need.”

For baseball fans, that’s often true when it comes to the World Series matchups, especially if your favorite team hasn’t made it. But with all due respect to Mick, we’re going to be selfish and identify the matchups we really want to see for this year’s Fall Classic. 

We’ll happily take whatever we get, of course, because we love baseball. But we’ll be rooting intently for some matchups more than others.

4. Detroit Tigers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Sluggers. Excellent starting pitching. Veterans with playoff experience. A Midwest theme to the proceedings. The third year in a row that at least one of these teams reached the World Series. 

Without doubt, there would be a lot to like if these teams faced off. 

A potential Game 1 between Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright would be fascinating, as would be Justin Verlander potentially taking on one of St. Louis’ young pitchers, but as you’ll see, this series would probably be a harder sale than the other three possibilities.

It would still be an excellent series, just not quite as intriguing.

3. Boston Red Sox  vs. St. Louis Cardinals 

In the past nine years, both of these teams have won two World Series titles. If nothing else, this series would settle the score over which team has been the most dominant in baseball over the past 10 years. 

These teams have a fair amount of similarities. Both are led by experienced veterans that have plenty of postseason experience. Both are traditional and popular franchises. Both play in baseball-obsessed cities. 

But, the similarities end there. While the Red Sox run has been fueled by savvy free-agent additions from this winter like Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes and Mike Napoli, the Cardinals have filled out the roster with exciting young prospects like Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly and Matt Adams.

2. Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Oh, the storylines.

The return of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to Boston. East Coast versus West Coast. The best starting pitching duo (outside of Detroit) in the game against arguably the best offense in baseball. The antics of Yasiel Puig against the King of Clutch, David Ortiz. The outrageous television ratings these giant markets would provide. 

Behind players like Jacoby Ellsbury, Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia, the Red Sox have developed a scrappy, never-say-die style. Behind the exuberance of Puig and the bright Hollywood lights—and a huge payroll to boot—the Dodgers feel like a blockbuster movie being shot every time they play. 

Styles make fights, and contrasts generally make series. This one wouldn’t be lacking in that department.

1. Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The pitching matchups in this possible series are so delicious that, in comparison, other delicious things, like Nutella, would be reduced to tasting like Spam.  

You heard me—Spam.

On one side, Verlander, Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez. On the other side, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

On one side, superstars like Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. On the other side, Puig, Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. 

C’mon—this is the series we all want (outside of Boston, St. Louis and the makers of Nutella), right? 

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