Kuzul

I am a firm believer that the Texas Rangers‘ 2014 offense is set for Opening Day. That means the club should turn away from making any further significant signings to upgrade the offense. 

Instead, the Rangers should be very pleased with the lineup they will field next season. There is a nice mix of high-paid star talent and value guys who outplay their contracts.

One of those high-value guys for the Rangers is Mitch Moreland, who figures to be Texas’ designated hitter. But Moreland is especially valuable to the Rangers.

For one, he is a dirt-cheap 20 and 60 hitter, who represents a legitimate power threat in the lineup. Secondly, he is an above-average defensive first baseman. His presence on the team provides manager Ron Washington with some options to fill the DH spot. If Wash wants to field a particularly strong defensive infield, he can pencil in Moreland at first while Prince Fielder is the DH. 

Meanwhile, I’ve heard many Rangers fans say that they’d like Jon Daniels to pursue Kendrys Morales and make him the full-time DH in the Texas lineup. If Morales were signed, it’s very likely that Moreland would be put on the trade block.

Texas should keep Moreland. Above all, his overall abilities help to balance the payroll. 

Let’s do a quick comparison of Moreland and Morales, and what each player brings to the club. 

Mitch Moreland

He’s almost two full years younger than Morales. The 28-year-old’s biggest plus to the team is his affordability—his extremely economic power and production. Granted, last year he really struggled at the plate average-wise. He posted career lows in both batting average at .232 and OBP at .299. That is an alarming number. 

But those were career lows that one would assume can really only improve. Especially with the patience and on-base skills of Shin-Soo Choo and Fielder, who will work to wear out the opposing pitcher by the middle innings. As a result, Moreland will usually be hitting against a pitcher who is slightly more worn down than he was facing the Rangers last season.

Again, the batting average and OBP can’t get any worse. Still, though, he hit 23 homers and 60 RBI in 2013, which was a bargain for just over $500,000 last season.

After the Rangers spent a combined $268 million on Fielder and Choo, it can easily be argued that Moreland‘s value to the team has increased because he is so cheap.

Defensively, Moreland is superior to Morales. He is a better athlete and has better range. He showed that on several occasions last season. He complements Fielder’s liabilities on defense beautifully. Still, I expect Moreland will DH around 90 percent of the time.

He’s arbitration-eligible in 2014, and he should definitely make less than Morales per year. Unless he makes $10 million in arbitration—he shouldn’t get even close to that—he’s an overall better value, all things considered, than Morales.

Kendrys Morales

Yes, Morales is a better contact hitter than Moreland. He’s also a switch-hitter. But their power ability is close to even. Signing the 30-year-old would be expensive in both cash and by surrendering a first-round pick—to the division rival Seattle Mariners. I don’t think that’s a wise option, considering Seattle seems like it’s poised to make at least one more major move this offseason. 

Last season, he hit .277 with 23 homers and 80 RBI with the Mariners. It’s true that his batting average was 45 points higher, while his OBP was 37 points higher.

But think about this: If Moreland is the DH the vast majority of the time, does he need to have superior on-base skills? It would be nice, but I think just the additions of Choo and Fielder will help trickle down a better OBP through the lineup.

As long as Moreland is hitting a home run here and there, and can drive in between 55 and 65 runs, that is completely acceptable. 

Morales is older, more injury-prone and a weaker defensive player than Moreland. He isn’t athletic and would be another slow body in the middle of the order hitting behind Fielder and hamstring-hobbling Adrian Beltre.

Remember most of the Rangers’ speed is at the top and bottom of the lineup. Moreland isn’t fast, but he can move well for being a fairly big guy. 

Put it this way: With the offense Texas already has, which might be the best in baseball, is just 20 more RBI worth the additional money and draft pick Morales would cost? I don’t think so.

Having another switch-hitter along with Jurickson Profar is a great advantage, but at what cost? Keep in mind that signing Morales means a Rangers’ first-round pick going to Seattle. I don’t like the sound of that. 

One thing is guaranteed here. Moreland, as long as he is making less than $2 to $3 million per year, will always be outperforming his contract. It’s no guarantee that Morales will outperform or even live up to what he could be paid this offseason. 

Like signing Masahiro Tanaka, this is a question of a need versus a desire. Moreland is sufficient for the role he’ll play this season. Morales, if signed, would likely be the full-time DH like Moreland. I expect Morales will command between $12 and $15 million per year for two to three years. Also keep in mind that Scott Boras is his agent. You know Boras will find a way to squeeze more money out of whichever club signs him. There’s no debating that. 

No, Texas should stand pat with what it currently has offensively. It would be a better option, if anything, to sign Jeff Baker and DH him against lefties. Moreland and Baker combined would likely cost less than Morales, while the Rangers would keep their draft pick.

All stats provided by ESPN.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

A few Texas Rangers fans have brought up the idea of another alternative starting pitcher to Masahiro Tanaka. I’ve already mentioned Ubaldo Jimenez as a possibility, although it’s somewhat difficult to see the club signing him since he has a compensatory draft pick attached to him.

Let’s go back over international waters and take a look at Korean-born starter Suk-Min Yoon. There has been no word concerning the Rangers’ interest in Yoon, but he is no doubt one of the better pitching prospects outside of Tanaka. 

Matt Sullivan over at MLB Daily Dish has much more detail on Yoon.

Additionally, Steve Sypa of Amazin‘ Avenue, the New York Mets‘ blog on SB Nation, has a full breakdown on Yoon. Here is some of what he had to say about the potential Korean star:

Yoon is on the small side, standing at an even six feet and weighing 180 pounds. He throws in the mid-90s, though, and complements his fastball with a hard, biting slider and a change-up that MLB scouts describe as above average. Though a starter, he has only thrown what we would consider an entire season’s work (~175+ IP) once, in 2011. As best I can gather, the average starter in the KBO throws around 150 to 180 innings, making 25 to 30 starts, per season, often supplementing those starts with relief outings here and there.

Here are some of Yoon‘s highlights from the KBO.

As you can see there, Yoon doesn’t have Tanaka‘s world-class, two-foot-breaking splitter, or an equally dazzling Yu Darvish slider and slow curve. Yoon‘s pitches seem to have a late, sharp break rather than an early, sweeping break. Late movement is tough to hit, no matter how you slice it. 

He does appear to have the making of a James Shields changeup.

Sullivan has reason to believe that Yoon could follow in the footsteps of fellow Korean Hyun-Jin Ryu, who went 14-8 with a 3.00 ERA in 192 innings last season as the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ No. 3 starter.

Ryu‘s single greatest attribute in his rookie season was his control. He posted a 3.14 strikeout to walk ratio.

Sypa points out that Korean players have a history of succeeding in their home leagues but struggling when they jump up to the majors. Obviously, Ryu, at least in his first year with the Dodgers, and the newest Ranger Shin-Soo Choo, are two glaring exceptions. 

As Sullivan and Sypa note, Yoon is a couple years older (27) than Tanaka. He has had a dramatically different role with his team, the Kia Tigers, in the Korean Baseball Organization. Over his nine-year career in Korea, he has moved back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen.

Sullivan says that this has saved a lot of mileage on his arm, compared to the remarkably heavy workloads of Tanaka and fellow Japanese star Yu Darvish before he signed with the Rangers.

Here are Yoon‘s career stats, courtesy of this report from Global Sporting Integration, with a hat tip to myKBO.net. 

2005: 3-4, 4.29 ERA, 53 G, 84 IP, 49 K, 1.476 WHIP
2006: 5-6, 2.28 ERA, 63 G, 94.2 IP, 75 K, 1.141 WHIP
2007: 7-18, 3.78 ERA, 28 G, 162 IP, 104 K, 1.358 WHIP
2008: 14-5, 2.33 ERA, 24 G, 154.2 IP, 119 K, 1.054 WHIP
2009: 9-4, 3.46 ERA, 27 G, 199.2 IP, 117 K, 1.287 WHIP
2010: 6-3, 3.83 ERA, 23 G, 101 IP, 94 K, 1.297 WHIP
2011: 17-5, 2.45 ERA, 27 G, 172.2 IP, 178 K, 1.048 WHIP
2012: 9-8, 3.12 ERA, 28 G, 153 IP, 137 K, 1.000 WHIP
2013: 3-6, 4.00 ERA, 30 G, 87.2 IP, 76 K, 1.357 WHIP

Career: 73-59, 3.19 ERA, 303 G, 1129 IP, 949 K, 1.198 WHIP

2011 was Yoon‘s best year, and he was the MVP of the KBO that season. He then proceeded to hire Scott Boras as his agent. 

Overall, Yoon has had a solid career in Korea, but he is obviously not on the same level as Tanaka. Those are nice numbers, but the biggest question surrounding Yoon is if he’ll be able to hold his own in a major league rotation for any length of time. But because of that uncertainty, he could be available at a very affordable price.

Sypa projects that Yoon, even with Boras as his agent, would get a contract similar to the three-year, $10.7 million—with a $4.75 million option for a fourth year—that Wei-Yin Chen signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2011. Considering he has been pitching in the AL East, Chen has done alright with the Orioles over two years for that contract. He has a career 19-18 record with a 4.04 ERA and a career opponents’ batting average of .259.  

So, Yoon seems like the cheapest rotation option available. According to these reports, Yoon is believed to be able to slide into a No. 4 or 5 rotation spot. No. 5 on a good team. But he has experience in the bullpen and could perhaps help out a major league team in that area. 

Again, I’m not advocating for the Rangers to sign Yoon, just throwing out some additional potential options for rotation or pitching depth in general. He is one of those low-risk, at least medium-reward pitchers. 

* All stats, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of ESPN.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There are still several miles to go in what has surely become one of the most exciting major league baseball offseasons in recent memory. 

But the Texas Rangers got most of their business done before Christmas Day. Barring a major signing of Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka or maybe one or two smaller depth-related signings, they appear just about ready to head into 2014.

Here, I’m grading each player on the Rangers projected 25-man roster for 2014. While you progress through the team, note that I am assuming that the team will not make any more signings this offseason. That of course, seems unlikely, but for now I’ll grade based on the players the Rangers actually have right now who could be on the 25-man roster.

The grades are evaluated on the basis of the particular player’s importance to the team in his specific role as well as how much the player can contribute to the 2014 team.

Arrangement is not ordered from best to worst grade. I’ll start with the Rangers’ projected Opening Day lineup and then move to the bench, starting rotation and bullpen in that order. 

Enjoy!

*All stats, unless otherwise noted, are provided by ESPN.com.

Begin Slideshow

According to a source who has confirmed the deal to Greg Johns of MLB.com, free-agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo will be the newest Texas Ranger.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports also confirmed the deal through a source, in this tweet:

MLB.com’s report also indicates that Choo agreed to a seven-year deal worth $130 million. 

Earlier this week, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reported that Choo had turned down a seven-year, $140 million deal from the New York Yankees. The tweet seemed to leave many Ranger faithful doubtful that the team could sign Choo.

But despite any sour feelings, the Rangers were indeed able to grab one of baseball’s premier leadoff hitters. It was widely thought that general manager Jon Daniels would continue his waiting game a bit longer in an attempt to lower Choo‘s price. I certainly didn’t expect JD to make this move for at least another couple of weeks.

This was a situation of true compromise for JD and agent Scott Boras. It appears that both parties were able to get at least one advantage in the contract, while conceding another to make the deal work.

In the end, JD was able to bring Choo‘s price down by between $10 to $15 million, based on the figures reported by Passan, while Boras was still able to squeeze out a seven-year contract for his client. 

Last week, Morosi reported each team’s apparent limits quite clearly:

I know what many of you are thinking: $130 million is a steep price for a 31-year-old.

Remember, though, if the Rangers were going to sign Choo, it was going to take huge money. There was simply no way around that. In the end, this is a better deal for Texas than many of you might think.

Of course, JD having to go to the seventh year is not ideal. Five or six years would have been the best-case scenario. But like I said, both parties had to bend a bit, and Boras‘ concession appears to be less money per year.

Keep in mind that Boras is as tough as nails with contract negotiations. JD held his own admirably here.

Additionally, the Rangers will lose a first-round pick to Choo‘s former team, the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds extended Choo a qualifying offer earlier in the offseason, and a compensatory pick is attached to his signing with any other team.

Texas will get that pick back when Nelson Cruz signs elsewhere. 

But make no mistake: Choo was an absolute need for the Rangers. His signing not only gives Texas likely the best leadoff hitter in the American League, but it also puts the team in direct position to compete for the World Series for the next few seasons.

In my piece two days ago, I laid out the intricate details of how Choo will immensely add to this Rangers lineup. Take a look at that to get a complete breakdown of why Choo could very likely be the one missing piece for Texas.

Choo figures to slide into left field for the Rangers. That is obviously the primary benefit. But don’t underestimate the value of the secondary benefits in play here: Michael Choice is no longer in a potentially high-pressure situation. It was believed that he was the team’s top candidate to play left field, if Choo or Cruz wasn’t signed.

Now that an established and proven outfielder is roaming left, Choice has the advantage of possibly starting the year in Triple-A Round Rock and continuing his development.

Also, Choo‘s signing solidifies Mitch Moreland‘s role with the team. Especially after handing out a contract of that size, having a power source like Moreland for dirt cheap is a beautiful thing for the payroll.

I do believe that manager Ron Washington will call on him to give first baseman Prince Fielder a rest for a few games if needed. But I’m not expecting that to be often.

This signing should move center fielder Leonys Martin down in the batting order. As I’ve said in the past, he has a lightning uppercut swing, which gives him impressive bat speed but also opens up holes in it. He has a power stroke that could really be maximized hitting lower in the order. 

As it does for Choice, Choo taking over the leadoff spot puts Martin in a much more comfortable situation to continue developing as a hitter.

Finally, JD has eliminated the positional logjam, or potential for one, from every position. Every player now has a clear role and position.

I see this deal as one that addressed several team needs, just like the Fielder trade did. Here’s one way to look at it: For seven years and $130 million, JD solved every one of the Rangers’ remaining positional issues, whether it be personnel-related or just clearing out the lineup in general.

If you are still a bit shell-shocked for the worse, here’s what the Ranger lineup could look like in 2014: 

• LF Shin-Soo Choo, and his .423 OBP from last year
• SS Elvis Andrus
• 1B Prince Fielder
• 3B Adrian Beltre
• RF Alex Rios
• DH Mitch Moreland
• C Geovany Soto
• CF Leonys Martin
• 2B Jurickson Profar

Bench:

• C JP Arencibia
• UTL Adam Rosales
• OF Engel Beltre

At first glance, the 7-9 portion of the order may appear a bit weak. The important thing to remember here is that the Rangers are counting on the development of both Profar and Martin. I fully expect both to make significant jumps at the plate this season.

In general, this lineup has the look of one of the most complete in baseball. Speed at the bottom and top, and a nice power element with Choo. Speed is also in the middle with Alex Rios. There is an impressive barrage of power in the heart of the order with Fielder, Beltre and Moreland. Rios also has some pop in his bat.

If Profar and Martin play even close to their expectations for 2014, this team can seriously contend for a World Series. That isn’t quite as a big of an “if” as you might think. Martin showed inspiring flashes in 2013, as did Profar.  

Hitting at the bottom of the order allows those two guys to succeed in a position they are comfortable in. That’s the key with this team now: Choo may have a plethora of roles, and he does, but every player is now cemented into his spot offensively. Each guy brings something to the table.

The mantra of this club should now really be: just get on base. 

The “Choo Choo Train,” as he has been called, does that better than almost anyone on the planet. Everyone else simply needs to follow suit.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the shocking Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder trade on Wednesday night, the Texas Rangers took the baseball world by storm.  

Finally—and let me emphasize that—Texas has a premier power bat at first base.  Since GM Jon Daniels traded Mark Teixeira to the Atlanta Braves in 2007, the club has tried desperately to fill the position on a trial-and-error basis.  

Prince Fielder is a huge offensive upgrade over Mitch Moreland at first. He will boost the Rangers’ offensive output immediately.

But Daniels has made it clear: he’s not done. Not at all. He’s been open about his search to fill the two remaining needs for his club: another catcher and an outfielder.  

With that said, here are the moves I think Daniels needs to make to fill out the 2014 Texas Rangers roster.

1. Sign Brian McCann

According to The New York Daily News’ Anthony McCarron’s piece, the Rangers and Yankees are the front runners for McCann’s services. 

This was once an obvious “YES!!!” for just about every Ranger fan, but many seemed to have shied away from him a bit since the Fielder acquisition. There is a school of thought that both Fielder and McCann—because of body type and injury history respectively—will eventually need to DH during the back years of their contracts.  

Since Fielder is signed for seven years, and it will likely take six years to sign McCann, there could be a logjam of DH candidates. These fans aren’t counting on McCann catching full time over the life of his contract. I agree that he certainly won’t.  

Is $100 million or more for McCann worth that potential knot in a few years?

Also, these Rangers fans will point to 20-year-old catcher Jorge Alfaro in the minors. He’s drawn Pudge Rodriguez comparisons with his big arm and elite power.

He could be truly ready to start with the Rangers by 2016, by which time McCann would still have three remaining years on his contract.

These are all fair points, and could ultimately be the reasons Daniels doesn’t sign McCann.

But here is why he should.

a. McCann will be 30 for all of next season.  Since his birthday is on February 20, he’ll never turn a year older during a season.  Maybe it doesn’t make a difference.  Just a thought.

b. Geovany Soto cannot be this team’s best catcher. While he is a quality backup with some pop and a decent arm, that’s about it. I do not believe he is capable of catching 130 or more games.  He’s only signed through 2014, and isn’t a long-term option behind the plate.

c. All of last season, the Rangers had a serious deficit of left-handed hitting.  A.J. Pierzynski was really the only consistent lefty hitter, and it’s very likely he isn’t returning.  Mitch Moreland only hit .232 and carried a .299 OBP, per ESPN. Leonys Martin showed flashes of potential, but seemed like a roll of the dice at times.

McCann would provide a consistent, power and average presence in the middle of the order. 

d. Take a look at McCann’s resume. Seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, led the National League in fielding percentage in 2012 and has finished top five in the NL in number of games caught in six of his eight career years. Three times, he finished top three in the NL in catcher assists, per baseball-reference.com.

e. Of any catcher available, he’s the best combination of offense and defense.  While he doesn’t feature an impressive caught stealing percentage—just 23.8 percent for his career, per ESPN—he blocks the plate very well.

f. He has shown he can effectively handle a pitching staff over a whole season.  His catcher’s earned run average last season was 2.98 per ESPN, meaning that when McCann was behind the plate the Braves’ team ERA was under three.  That’s pretty impressive.

With Texas, Soto started just under half the games McCann did in 2013, yet his CERA was 3.67, per ESPN. 

g. Rangers fans: can you imagine a 3-6 of Alex Rios, Prince Fielder, Adrian Beltre and Brian McCann? Whoa. That’s a loaded mixture of power on both sides of the plate. Balance of lefty and righty hitters is key. 

h. As you can see in that video, McCann is also a stand-up guy.  This makes for a special addition to the clubhouse and team chemistry.  He’s a hard worker and wants to win.

2.  Sign Shin-Soo Choo 

Choo, 31, is perhaps the most complete player on the free agent market.  He really does it all—hits for average and power, gets on base, steals bases and is an solid defender in right field.  

The price of all of these tools? In his cost projection of Choo, Jay Jaffe of SI.com suggests the right fielder could receive a five-year, $100 million offer.  

I’d be all in on a five-year deal for Choo. And I don’t mind paying a little more per year if it shortens the length of the contact. This, instead of say a six-year, $115 million deal.

The years and dollars could vary slightly off of that projection, but the fact is that Choo‘s agent is Scott Boras. You know what that means: Choo will get max money for his skill set.  If Jon Daniels signs him, it would be Texas’ fourth $100 million plus contract.  

I might get some backlash for this, but here’s why Daniels should sign Choo.

a. He is an IDEAL leadoff hitter.  Per ESPN, he took 112 walks last season, good for a whopping 19.6 percent of his at bats.  This was a huge part of his mind-boggling .423 OBP.  Once Choo was on base, he stole a respectable 20 bases. 

b. He has power—both to the gaps and to the fences.  If he played in Arlington, it’s fair to assume he would increase upon his 2013 home run total of 21.  He hit 34 doubles last season, and that figures to remain consistent. His 2013 .285 batting average is no slouch either.

c. He is at least an average defender in right field, and would join a speedy corps of Leonys Martin and Alex Rios in the outfield.  Rios could conceivably move to left, with Choo taking over in right. In 588 career games in right, Choo has a solid .985 fielding percentage, per ESPN.

If Choo isn’t signed, it will certainly be because of the hefty contract he is seeking, and that’s understandable.  He may also scare some potential suitors off with his lefty-righty batting splits.  He struggled against left-handed pitchers mightily in 2013, hitting just .215, per ESPN. 

But don’t let that taint his .317 batting average against right-handed pitchers. 

Signing Choo would cost the Rangers a draft pick, since the Reds extended him a qualifying offer. This shouldn’t be the tipping point in a decision not to sign him however. The Rangers will get that pick back when Nelson Cruz signs elsewhere.

The Rangers can afford both Choo and McCann. It’s just a matter of the front office wanting to. This ownership group is aggressive, has deep pockets and a burning desire to win after being so close to glory in 2010 and 2011. Signing both of these players is entirely possible.

Here is the lineup I’d like to see in 2014 if Daniels hauls in both of these players.

RF Shin-Soo Choo

SS Elvis Andrus

LF Alex Rios

1B Prince Fielder

3B Adrian Beltre

C Brian McCann

DH Mitch Moreland

CF Leonys Martin

2B Jurickson Profar

I truly believe that is a World Series-contending lineup. Look, I know it’s ideal to be successful while not spending boatloads of cash.  But we’ve seen how Billy Beane’s system works out in Oakland. With cheap, cost-effective talent you can only make it so far.  

That Athletics team had problems when it ran into the Tigers, who flat out had more talent.  

The Rangers should be ready to spend money to win now.  

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Major League Baseball’s Fall Classic has a way of bringing out the best in some players, but the worst in others.  St. Louis Cardinals’ starters Joe Kelly and Lance Lynn and Boston Red Sox’s starter Jake Peavy and shortstop Steven Drew, are four players who will collapse in this year’s World Series.  Each one of these players is making their first World Series appearance in their current roles.

Joe Kelly 

Kelly hasn’t been great in October.  In three postseason starts, he is 0-1 with a 4.41 ERA. In those starts, he’s pitched 16.1 innings, allowed 18 hits and eight earned runs.  

Per espn.com, the Red Sox hit .277 as a team this year.  They are first in the American League in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging percentage.  That’s a nasty combination for Kelly, who mainly pitches to contact.  

Kelly figures to be either the Cardinals’ third starter or long reliever.  Making your World Series debut against the American League’s best offense isn’t a recipe for success.

Lance Lynn

Lynn was a member of the Cardinals’ bullpen in their 2011 title year.  But he’s never started a World Series game.  Lynn’s .304 opponents’ batting average in two postseason starts is a nightmare.  He walks his fair share of batters—seven in 11.2 postseason innings—and is prone to spurts of control issues during games.  

Per espn.com, the Red Sox lead all playoff teams in walks with 38.  That combined with their .325 on-base percentage—tops among playoff teams—leaves a razor-thin margin of error for Lynn.  He’ll put runners on base, and Boston will capitalize.  First-time jitters will get the best of him against the Red Sox.  He’ll make things too easy for Boston.

Jake Peavy

Until this year, Peavy hadn’t started a postseason game since 2006.  He now has four postseason starts and a whopping 10.31 ERA to show for it.  That doesn’t bode well against the Cardinals, who led the National League in batting average with runners in scoring position this year.

Like Kelly and Lynn, Peavy has never started in the World Series.  It will be tough for him to step into the fire against an elite Cardinals team.  He’ll surrender runs and will have to rely on the powerful offense behind him.

Stephen Drew

Drew, another World Series first-timer, is one of the weak links in Boston’s lineup right now.  In 35 at-bats, he is hitting .086 with a .111 on-base percentage, according to espn.com.  He has struck out 12 times.  After the Detroit Tigers, things get easier facing Cardinal pitching—but not by much.  

Drew will be up against Adam Wainwright in Game 1 and likely Michael Wacha in Game 2.  His batting average and OBP probably won’t like that too much.  I think his numbers rise a little bit, but not enough to have a truly productive series at the plate.

Check out Buster Olney and Jayson Stark’s World Series prediction podcast via Olney‘s tweet, here:  

In the end, Lynn and Kelly will cost the Cardinals the series.  They will come very close, but Lynn will have a rough go in his start, and Kelly will lose his regular-season magic. The Boston offensive machine will be too much to handle.

The Red Sox will win this series in seven games.  Expect an even more epic finish than the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series against the Texas Rangers.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com