Kyle’s World Series Primer

By: Kyle Kettner

Ah, the World Series. A timeless baseball classic that begins tonight, brings as much anticipation as stubbing your toe on your bed frame. I mean, seriously, does anyone outside of Boston or St. Louis really care? Between the two teams they have won 4 of the last 9 World Series, so let’s just say it almost feels like the rich getting richer. I was really pulling for an Oakland/Pittsburgh series, just for the fact that neither of them had been there in so long. The one thing I will say about baseball, is there is something special about watching baseball playoffs. The energy and excitement is easily 5 times that of a regular season game, and for whatever reason, it seems as if every series has a few close games that make it worth watching. With that said, here’s 5 thoughts, some nuggets, and my prediction for the 2013 World Series.

5 Thoughts for the World Series

For the first time since 1999, the two teams with the best records in MLB will face off in the World Series. That at least makes this series truly the best of the best of 2013. It should prove to at least give us some good baseball.
Adam Wainwright against Jon Lester should be a good game 1 match up. Jon Lester has been good in the postseason, and Wainwright has been good all year. I can’t see Lester getting the better of the Cardinals in game 1.
I don’t know that I’ll watch this series for the games played in Boston. The Red Sox have the most obnoxious fans East of Wrigley, and in some cases are much worse. They are just like Cubs fans in the sense that in Boston it’s “cool” to be a Sox fan, even without the basic knowledge of baseball.
Boston has one of those teams that you love to hate, and now that they’ve won a few rings in the last few years, it’s even easier. It’s be ah wicked pissah to lose anotha saries.
I am really rooting for Carlos Beltran in this series. Talk about a guy getting the shit end of the plunger in his career. This is his first world series. He was a highly touted, five tool guy who started his career as a 2^nd round pick in Kansas City. As if starting your career as a member of the Royals isn’t bad enough, he landed in Houston for a year (the year before they went to the WS), then had 6 year stint in New York for the Mets. That stint was highlighted by (all his injuries aside) striking out with the bases loaded in the 2006 NLCS that cost the Mets the World Series that year. After his New York stay he went to San Fran the year after they won the World Series. Jesus, this guy is the Eric Clapton of MLB. Inbox me if you need an explanation on that one. He then signed a 2 year deal with the Cards in 2011. He’s been a class act his whole career, quietly put together a debatable Hall of Fame career, and has been an inspiration to this Cardinals team. Here’s hoping he gets that ring.
Is it me, or are the Cardinals like that one friend everyone has. You know the one I’m talking about. You’ll never hang out with him alone, but if there’s a group he’ll get invited. He’s dorky, sometimes embarrassing, and no one ever really says, “Damn, I REALLY like that guy”. He’s the guy who’s really good at his job, probably a computer programmer or some office job, and that’s all he ever talks about because he’s that boring. He never has a girlfriend, claims to be a ladies man, but never talks to a woman at the bar. He’s always referencing that one time in high school that the funny shit happened, even though you have no idea what he’s talking about. He’s the guy that that has three moods. Happy, Annoying, and Annoyingly Happy. After all this, he ends up being the one guy that is there for you when you absolutely need it, and he never lets you own, and considers you his best friend. He’s so consistent that you can’t bet against him for anything he sets his mind to. He’s probably the “best” guy you know. Yeah, that’s the Cardinals to me.

A Few nuggets to support my prediction….

The Red Sox can’t hit against starting pitching. The do very well against the bullpen, but the Cardinals bullpen is better than advertised.

The Red Sox are only batting .236 in the postseason, and the Cardinals always seem to wake up in October.

The main reason I’m picking the Cardinals to win this World Series? You can’t underestimate the Cardinals. They are always in it, always play well, and I’m picking with my heart here hoping that Beltran is the MVP.

Cardinals in 6 games.