The 2013 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox has started off with two excellent games—each team has stolen a victory—and the rest of the series should prove to be just as intense.
Here are the keys for each team to bring home the championship hardware for their respective city.
All stats via MLB.com.
Boston’s Keys to World Series Victory
The series now shifts to St. Louis for Game 3, and that’s bad news for a Red Sox team that leans so heavily on the designated hitter position. While Red Sox DH David Ortiz will play first base, there are questions about his prowess in the field.
With errors playing such a huge role in the outcome of the first two games in this series, how Ortiz stands up to the pressure of playing the field will be a true test. He may be a liability on defense, but his two home runs and five RBI through the first two games are enough to get him in the lineup over fellow first baseman Mike Napoli.
The Red Sox will need to find some offensive stride against 25-year-old pitching phenom Joe Kelly if the team wants to secure a series victory. Led by Ortiz, the entire Boston batting order (batting .188 through two games) must step up on the road and steal momentum.
St. Louis’ Keys to World Series Victory
The St. Louis Cardinals are all about fundamental baseball, and that will continue as the team defends its home field against Boston for the next two games. With the DH position eliminated and the pitcher forced to swing the bat, the Cardinals have a distinct advantage.
Not only does St. Louis have Kelly ready to make the start in Game 3, but the starting pitching rotation that also includes Lance Lynn, Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright will provide the Cardinals with the edge on the mound as well.
Add in the fact that neither bullpen has distinguished itself as the clear-cut better unit so far, and the focus on starting pitching will be at a premium. St. Louis will hold the edge if the team can just continue playing fundamental baseball.
World Series Prediction
In the ultimate baseball battle, the pitching heavy National League champions are locked at one game apiece with the offensive juggernauts representing the American League. Both teams have failed to live up the billing, but these franchises are proving to be evenly matched.
As much as causal baseball fans love the high-powered Red Sox lineup, the fact that it has gone cold at the worst possible time against a stellar pitching staff in St. Louis is troubling for Boston fans.
The Cardinals are one of the best fundamental teams in the league, and with the pitching depth to back up the inconsistent offense, St. Louis has found the needed run support from anyone willing to step up.
This has all the earmarks of becoming an intense battle that goes down to the wire, but the Cardinals have the ability to hold off the Red Sox and bring home another World Series title.
2013 Champion: St. Louis beats Boston, four games-to three.
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