World Series Showdown: Texas Draw Cards

Two franchises from completely different backgrounds, one rich in tradition and winning while the other still looking to find their place among baseball history. Two teams that took far different roads to get back here, one taking an improbable up the wild card standings, the other winning their second straight division title, convincingly.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers are set to square off in the 2011 Fall Classic in a series that should be one for the ages.

Texas Rangers at St. Louis Cardinals:
After feeling the bitter pain of losing in their first World Series appearance a year ago to the San Francisco Giants, the Rangers have come back with vengeance and find themselves in their second straight Fall Classic. With thirteen returning players from last year's World Series roster, Texas is determined to not let this one slip away.

Wilson has struggled this postseason, going
0-2 with a 8.04 ERA in his three starts

The Ranger's offense has been stagnant for most of the postseason, but came to life in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. They scored 15 runs on 17 hits that included a nine-run third inning. Nelson Cruz has six playoff home runs for the second straight postseason and was honored as the ALCS MVP. He along with Josh Hamilton, who has yet to hit a home run this postseason mainly due to his recent groin injury, will need to be the two that protect the middle of the order.

Many questioned manager Ron Washington's decision to keep Michael Young in the cleanup spot, but he silenced the critics after Young's big Game 6, tallying 5 RBIs. Offseason acquisitions Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli are both playing in their first World Series and will need to swing the bat like they have all season if Texas is overcome a unbelievably hot St. Louis team.

Texas' starting rotation hasn't fared well in this postseason and could be tested mightily by the best offense in the National League this season. It's the bullpen that holds the key to success in this series for Washington and Co. In their 42 and 2/3 innings this postseason they have accumulated a 2.34 ERA.

The Rangers have added starters Alexi Ogando and Scott Feldman, who won 17 games for Texas in 2009, to their 'pen to go along with 2010 Rookie of the Year, Neftali Feliz.

General manager Jon Daniels also traded for relievers Mike Gonzalez, Koji Uehara and Mike Adams during this season, giving Washington the ability to mix and match late in the game, something Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is famous for doing and could loom large with four potential games in the NL style of play.

In a baseball city that rivals all others, St. Louis will be roaring for Game 1 of the World Series. The Cardinals offense was not only among the best in the NL, but throughout the majors. They were in the top ten in runs (762), batting average (.273), on-base percentage (.341) and slugging percentage (.425), but have taken their game to new heights in the postseason.

Third baseman David Frees, who is fresh on his NLCS MVP honors, is leading the team with a .425 average, 4 home runs and 14 RBIs. Free-agent-to be, Albert Pujols, is second in all three categories, but it will be the bats of Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman that need to come alive. Berkman and Holliday are two of six Cardinals that have at least one home run this postseason, but will need to provide more pop to contend with the high octane offense in Texas.

Schumaker adds a toughness and different
dimension to La Russa's lineup.

While Holliday has batted .375 in his ten games this postseason, Berkman has struggled to find his stride, batting .237 in his 38 at-bats.

Skip Schumaker missed the entire NLCS due to an oblique tweak, but batted .600 in the NLDS, including driving in the only run of the decisive Game 5 against the Phillies. He has been added to the World Series roster and could prove to be a huge addition to this Cardinal team.

Much like Texas, St. Louis has seen their rotation scuffle, becoming the first team in postseason history to have win a playoff series without having a starter go past five innings.

Jake Westbrook has been added to the roster in favor of reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Kyle McClellan to help mend a struggling starting staff. On the other hand, the 'pen for La Russa has been unbelievable, posting a 2.55 ERA in their 42 and 2/3 innings of work and it could be better if it weren't for some rough outings in the Cardinals' 11-6 loss in Game 1 of the NLDS to Philadelphia.

Berkman and Texas' Game 1 starter C.J. Wilson were involved in some preseason controversy and now find themselves fighting for the right to call themselves the best in baseball. Who would have thought? This series could be a battle of the bullpens and with some inclement weather in the forecast this should make for an intriguing World Series.

TEX X-Factor: C.J. Wilson

STL X-Factor: Skip Schumaker

St. Louis in Seven.

On Their Way Back

Kemp Making MVP Bid

Return Of Berkman

A return to the National League has helped
Berkman reclaim his form.

The St. Louis Cardinals made headlines all offseason with the contract situation of their superstar slugger Albert Pujols and the injury to ace Adam Wainwright.

It's the move that didn't catch the attention of many that's paying the biggest dividends.

St. Louis signed first baseman Lance Berkman to a one-year $8 million contract this winter, hoping that possibly a return to the National League Central could re-energize the former first-rounder's career.

Berkman has done just that, having one of the best seasons of his thirteen-year career.

The now-thirty-five-year-old veteran currently leads the National League in home runs with 28 with his 75 RBIs ranking fifth. And while some minor injuries have hindered those numbers from being even better, Berkman managed to be selected to his sixth career All-Star Game in Arizona this season and his first since 2008.

Berkman had been coming off the worst statitical year of his career, posting career lows in almost every major offensive category since becoming an everyday player in the big leagues. It got so bad that the switch-hitter, who is a Texas native and played his college ball at Rice University, was traded from his hometown Houston Astros to the New York Yankees midseason, thinking a change in scenery could do the trick.

An ankle injury hampered Berkman his first month with the team and he was unable to get acclimated with the American League as quickly as he'd hoped. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

New York hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Berkman during his time on the disabled list and he came back with a bang, surging into the postseason. He hit .312 with a home run and 4 RBIs in the five playoff games he appeared in for the Yankees and looks to have carried over into 2011.

As for the field Berkman, who had minor knee surgery back in March 2010, was asked to play the outfield on a regular basis for the first time since 2007 with first base occupied by Pujols. Berkman has made 5 errors thus far with 3 coming while playing his everyday right field. The other two have come at first when he has needed a spell from the outfield or Pujols has been needed at the hot corner.

It was a low risk, high reward deal for the Cards and when nobody else was willing to take a chance on the Big Puma, they were. Now they find themselves in the thick of a pennant race with not only the front-runner for the NL Comeback Player of the Year, but possibly the NL MVP.

Fat Albert MVP Inevitable

Pujols will be a hot topic most of 2011.

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols seems to be the preseason favorite for the National League Most Valuable Player Award every year, but that might be true even more so this season.

It has been well documented that the Cardinals and Pujols were unable to come to a contract extension prior to his arrival to camp earlier this month. Pujols has said there will be no talk of a contract extension until after the season due to not wanting to be a distraction to his teammates.

This means Pujols will hit the open market and have an abundance of suitors for his services this offseason.

Coming off a year where he hit at a clip of .314 with 41 home runs while driving in 118 runs, most consider it to be an under achieving year for the nine-time All-Star. Pujols is expected to have a monster year to prove his worth to the Cardinals and twenty-nine other major league clubs.

More pressure has amounted on Pujols with ace right-hander Adam Wainwright set to miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery to repair a torn ligament in his pitching elbow.

It seems almost inevitable that Pujols will win the NL MVP in 2011 given all the circumstances. With left fielder Matt Holiday and the acquisition of Lance Berkman this winter, there is added protection for Pujols to be even more dangerous. But if the Cardinal offense sputters at all this season, you might throw St Louis' playoffs hopes out the window.

They will need another huge season from Albert to contend in the greatly improved NL Central. 'The Machine' looks to capture his fourth MVP award in seven years for the Redbirds and lead them back to the postseason glory. 

All is No Longer Wright in St. Louis

Every fifth day could be a
nightmare for the Cards
without No. 50.

The St. Louis Cardinals now face an uphill battle in 2011.

After finding out ace Adam Wainwright will need his second Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his throwing elbow, the season ahead just got even more complicated.

The Cardinals, who are already having to face the fear of losing superstar first baseman Albert Pujols in the offseason to free agency, now, face another obstacle losing their ace for 12-15 months. Wainwright has been nothing short of spectacular since arriving to the show. The right-hander became the Cardinals closer in his rookie campaign, saving four of the five chances he was given in the postseason, not allowing an earned run and striking out 15, eventually leading St. Louis to the 2006 World Series crown. 

He was transformed into a starter after the '06 season and won 14 games that season, throwing 202 innings. Since then Wainwright has turned in a legitimate front of the rotation starter reducing his earned run average every year in the big leagues.

Wainwright won 19 and 20 games, respectively in the last two seasons and finishing in top three of the Cy Young voting of each of those seasons.

There is no question that Wainwright's presence will be missed in '11 and add pressure to right arm of Chris Carpenter. 

A former Cy Young Award winner, Carpenter is also considered to be an ace with some of the best stuff and command in baseball. The Cards will need another huge season from the three-time All-Star if they are to reach their ultimate goal.

Left-handed phenom Jamie Garica, who is coming off an unbelievable rookie season, will need to avoid a sophomore slump to fill the shoes that Wainwright has left. It's uncertain if they can be filled, but only time will tell. With manager Tony La Russa leading the way and the addition of Lance Berkman and Matt Holiday, who still has with six-years left on this current contract, the Cardinal offense should provide plenty of protection for "Fat Albert".

No matter what move the Cardinals decide to make none can replace a player the caliber of Waingwright. The road to dethrone the defending National League Central champion Cincinnati Reds just got a little more rocky.