World Series 2011 - Let the Fall Classic Begin

Tonight begins the 106th World Series. The Texas Rangers look for redemption after a loss in last year's Fall Classic, and the St Louis Cardinals vie for their 2nd World Series Title in five years.

This is the first time since 1972 (when the A's beat the Reds in 7 games) that a team from the NL Central faces a team from the AL West (based off who is in what division currently). The Rangers have only made it to two World Series, both of them in the past two seasons. The Cardinals made the World Series twice in the past decade, losing in four to the Red Sox in 2004 and beating the Tigers in five in 2006. Both teams entered the playoffs with the best combined record in September in all of the majors.

The Rangers had little trouble winning the four-team AL West. The Angels had shown some life in late-July, but Texas plowed through them in series in August and September to soundly win the division by 10 games. The Rangers ended the regular season at 96-66, only a game behind the Yankees for the best record in the AL. They dropped the first game of the ALDS against the surging Rays, but promptly won the next three to win the series. They then defeated the Tigers in six games in the ALCS to make it here.

The Cardinals battled in two races in 2011: while trying to win the NL Central over the Brewers, they also struggled against the Braves for the NL Wild Card. The Cards flew by the Braves in September, clinching a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season. St Louis went 90-72, and defeated the 102-win Phillies in a tough five-game series. The Cardinals then beat the Brewers in six in the NLCS, making it to their third World Series in seven years.

Both the Cardinals and Rangers have similar teams and paths to the Fall Classic. They were both hot in September, have explosive offenses, underrated defenses, and have plenty of under-the-radar stars shrouded behind the hype of two bigger players (Texas's Josh Hamilton and St Louis's Albert Pujols). Expect a long a tough battle to crown this year's champions of baseball.