No complaints -- Baseball's best teams faced off in World Series

Oct 18, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran (middle) celebrates in the clubhouse with his teammates after game six of the National League Championship Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports and KSDK Sports -- Oct 20, 013

(KSDK Sports) -- One of the biggest complaints traditionalists have had ever since the postseason was expanded from four teams to eight teams in 1995 - and to 10 last year - is that there are too many possibilities for upsets, which often prevent the best teams from playing in the World Series.

The Red Sox and Cardinals were both 97-65 in the regular season, tying for the best record in the major leagues. Thus, the two best teams will indeed be going head-to-head.

The Cardinals and Red Sox have met three other times in the World Series. St. Louis won in seven games in both 1946 and 1967 while Boston swept in four games in 2004 for its first world championship in 86 years.

"It should be exciting," Red Sox left-handed reliever Craig Breslow said. "They have a great team and we have a great team, so it should be a great series. I don't know if the World Series can be any closer than this series was against the Tigers, but I imagine it probably will."

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/403601/3/No-complaints-Baseballs-best-face-off-in-World-Series

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Comment by Valentino Martinez on October 20, 2013 at 10:34am: GO CARDS!! GET 12 IN 13...

Comment by Valentino Martinez on October 20, 2013 at 11:36am: CBS EYE on Baseball

Cardinals-Red Sox World Series preview: Who has the edge?

By Matt Snyder | Baseball Writer

October 20, 2013 12:02 am ETMatt Holliday's Cardinals are set to take on Shane Victorino's Red Sox in the Fall Classic. (USATSI)

Prediction

The Cardinals have their starting pitching set up so that Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha can go in Games 1, 2, 5 and 6 respectively. Now, the Red Sox overcame dominant starting pitching in the ALCS due to getting to the Tigers bullpen and having John Lackey shut down a Tigers offense that is weaker than the Cardinals. If the Red Sox struggle to score runs against dominant starting pitching this time around, they'll be met with a stellar bullpen and a better offense. The odds of them surviving woeful early-game performances in the batter's box are much, much lower this time around. Let us also keep in mind that either David Ortiz or Mike Napoli come out of the lineup in St. Louis.

I'm going Cardinals in six, winning their second title in the last three years.

I seem to be in the minority, though.

See full comparative analysis at:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24108427/cardinals-red...-

Comment by Valentino Martinez on October 27, 2013 at 2:55am: Cardinals 5, Red Sox 4

In a Bizarre Finish, the Cardinals Stumble Into a Victory

The Cardinals’ Allen Craig, trying to score after a wild throw, tripped over third baseman Will Middlebrooks. An obstruction call against Middlebrooks gave St. Louis the winning run in Game 3 of the World Series.

By DAVID WALDSTEIN

Published: October 27, 2013

In one of the more confusing and disputed endings to a World Series game, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox, 5-4, in Game 3 on Saturday night, on a game-ending obstruction call on third baseman Will Middlebrooks, made by the third-base umpire, Jim Joyce, with two outs in the ninth inning.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/sports/baseball/in-a-bizarre-fini...