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.

NLCS Preview: A Rivalry Renewed

After one of the most exciting first rounds in recent memory with three decisive Game 5's, it's on to the League Championship Series with some of baseball's most historic franchise's.


St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers:
Two teams that have created one of the most interesting rivalries in the game today are set to square off with a trip to the World Series on the line. The Cardinals have been there as recently as 2006 when they defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games. Milwaukee has been represented the National League in the Fall Classic. Their only World Series appearance came in 1982 as a member of the American League and AL East. This two division rivals spilt the season series nine games apiece with this best-of-seven certainly going to be the tiebreak.

St. Louis heads into the series as a team that is not even suppose to be here. Their improbable run to even get into this year's postseason saw them tie a NL record. Eight and a half games behind the Atlanta Braves at the start of September, the Cardinals overcome the deficit and got into the postseason on the final day of the regular season much like the San Francisco Giants a year ago, they went on to win the whole thing.

A lot of St. Louis' series success will depend
on the health of Holliday

The red birds upset the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies in an epic five game series that saw one of the greatest pitching duels in postseason history. Chris Carpenter outdueled his former teammate Roy Halladay with a three-hit shutout on the road.


Tony La Russa's squad will need to continued and pitch well against another high powered offense in Milwaukee if they are to achieve their World Series aspirations. Left-hander Jaime Garica has been tabbed as La Russa's Game 1 starter at Miller Park.

Their bullpen was a key component as to why to the Cards are at this point in the season. Mixing and matching most of the NLDS, La Russa will need his pen to continue and outplay expectations if they want to have a chance against this Brewers club.

The real key to the series could be the health of left fielder Matt Holliday. The slugger did not start the first three games of the NLDS due to a finger injury, but it was his presence in games four and five that helped an ailing St, Louis offense. After scoring the most runs in the NL (762) this season, the Cards were a different offense without Holliday in their lineup and need him to play to be successful.

The hard-nosed Skip Schumaker, who batted .600 during the NLDS, will be left on the LCS roster after sustaining an oblique injury.

Albert Pujols batted .350 in the first round, but did not hit a home run and had only one RBI. He will need Lance Berkman, who batted .167 in the NLDS, to get going if they Pujols wants to make what could be his final postseason run in St. Louis a memorable one.

In Wisconsin, Brewer fans are coming off one of the most exciting moments in the franchises history. Their sometimes outspoken center fielder, Nyer Morgan, singled home the speedy Carlos Gomez in the bottom of the tenth inning to send Milwaukee to the NLCS and it will be their offense again that is the key to their success in the series.

The best three-four punch in the majors with Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder combined to bat .389 in the NLDS with two home runs and seven RBIs. Braun alone batted .500 going 9-for-18 in the series while playing a quality left field. He will need to continue and showcase his skills on October's biggest stage and show why is a perennial MVP candidate every year.

It was Cory Hart who really torched the Cardinals during the regular season with five home runs and 15 RBIs.

The acquisition of Jerry Hairston Jr. loomed large for first year manager Ron Roencike against Arizona. Hairston drove in three runs of his own in the first round with eight total bases and a .375 average. The veteran only got a chance to play due to the inconsistent play of their Opening Dat third baseman, Casey McGeehee.

Greinke will need to pitch better if he wants
to continue his first postseason run.

Yovani Gallardo was great in his two starts against the Diamondbacks, but NLCS Game 1 starter Zack Greinke, who was 11-0 at home during the regular season, did not pitch well in his only start of the series at Miller Park. They will need a big series from their talented right-hander especially after he called out the Cards'  ace Carpenter, calling his attitude sometimes phony.

Greinke could potenitally throw three games in this series, but it's highly unlikely. It will be the back end of the rotation of Shawn Marcum and Randy Wolf that needs to show up for the Brewers after two terrible outings on the road in Arizona.

As for Roenicke's bullpen, that continues to be a non-issue despite the recent blown save of closer John Axford. Francisco Rodriguez, who will be a free agent at seasons end, is auditioning for a closing job after being traded to Milwaukee mid-season and thrust back into his former role as a set-up man.

Emotions will be running high with a lot on the line and a baggage full of history. One thing is for sure, these two teams simply do not like one another and it will show on the diamond.

STL X-Factor: Matt Holliday


MIL X-Factor: Zack Greinke


St. Louis in Six. 

There is a Whole Lot of CarGo

Gonzalez showed signs of a superstar in
the 2009 postseason.

The Colorado Rockies have a young core of players that seem to have them set up for the future.

Yes, the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year runner-up, Troy Tulowitzki, is the face of the franchise, but it's another young player on the rise that caught the attention of the baseball world in 2010. Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is coming off a breakout season in '10 which was filled with a ton of individual accolades.

Gonzalez won both his first career Silver Slugger and Gold Glove, deeming him one of the three best outfielders in the NL with the bat and glove. Despite Gonzalez not being named to the All-Star Game in Anaheim, California he sure played like it.

This past season was the first chance Gonzalez got to be an everyday player in the big leagues and rewarded manager Jim Tracy's decision. Gonzalez played in a career-high 145 games, topping his previous mark the year before, appearing in only 89 games.

The native Venezuelan recorded 636 at-bats this past season, doubling any amount his previous two seasons. In those 636 at-bats, Gonzalez knocked out 197 hits, 34 of those leaving the ballpark. Gonzalez won the NL batting title, posting a .336 average and finished third in the NL Most Valuable Player voting. He also led the entire major leagues with 351 total bases. Gonzalez is the real deal and looks to have a real bright future ahead of him.

Gonzalez was original signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2002 as an amatuer free agent. He was then shipped to the Oakland Athletics for right-hander Dan Haren. He made his Major League debut in May of 2008, but his career in Oakland was short lived, playing in only 85 games for the A's that season. That winter he was dealt to Colorado for the power hitting left fielder Matt Holliday.

Some regard Gonzalez as a once upon time cast off after being traded twice in his career and still only 25.

Look at it this way, Gonzalez has to be highly revered throughout his career even despite being dealt twice. Between Haren and Holliday there is seven All-Star appearances, 183 home runs and 94 career wins. Every team that has traded for Gonzalez has seen his potential and he is finally reaching it in Colorado.

In the 2009 postseason, Gonzalez gave us a glimpse into the future by recording 10 hits in only 17 at-bats which accumulated to a .588 batting average. The Rockies would lose to the eventual NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies, ending his remarkable postseason run five games in.

Gonzalez was rewarded this offseason with a seven-year extension worth about $80 million. The future looks bright in Colorado with Gonzalez and Tulowitzki locked up for the long-haul. Gonzalez wears the No. 5, the number of their beloved former outfielder Matt Holliday, Gonzalez has done his best to put Hollday in the past and capture the love of the fans in Denver.

As his teammates call him, 'Cargo' has finally found a home and it should be a "Rocky Mountain High" soon for the five-tool player.

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.