Your World Series Prediction

Like most, I think the Cardinals have no business winning against the Tigers. Detroit is better on offense, they have a wildly superior pitching staff, home field advantage, a Cinderella story X-factor that makes them seem so warm and fuzzy most people just want to give them a big ol' hug (careful about burning yourself on Jim Leyland's cigarette, though). They have the advantage of playing with a lineup built for the DH. They're healthy as opposed the Cards, who are pressing the limits of the team medical insurance plan. They have nobody on the roster wearing slightly grotesque dyed soul patches under their bottom lip, a'la Scott Spezio. I haven't gone through the rosters, but they're probably better looking, have hotter wives and girlfriends, and higher earning potential, too.

The Tigers will trot out Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson, and Jeremy Bonderman. The Cards counter with Anthony Reyes, Jeff Weaver, Chris Carpenter, and Jeff Suppan. This is full on "Yikes!" territory for Cards fans like myself. Yes, Carpenter and Suppan are solid, especially at home, but by the time the series reaches St. Louis, the Redbirds are likely to be down 2-0. Reyes wasn't effective against the Mets in the NLCS (or very many teams during the season, for that matter), and though Jeff Weaver's been money during the playoffs, am I the only one who thinks he could have some wicked AL flashbacks and totally implode at Comerica?

The Tigers lineup, while not as explosive as the Mets, is good enough, and more or importantly, is generally healthy now that Sean Casey is available to DH. Curtis Granderson isn't the greatest leadoff hitter in the world, but Placido Polanco is an ideal guy to hit in the second spot. Follow him with Casey, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen, and Pudge, and Tony LaRussa's bunch has a challenge in front of them. Craig Monroe and Marcus Thames down at the bottom of the lineup have a little pop and can cause some trouble too. The Cards, on the other hand, have a team of formerly-effective-now-wounded batsmen. David Eckstein, shoulder. Scott Rolen, shoulder. Jim Edmonds, basically everything. Albert Pujols, hamstring. Not that he'll get many chances to swing. I'd be shocked if, considering who will be hitting behind King Albert (beyond Rolen and Edmonds, other options include Preston Wilson and Juan Encarnacion), Leyland doesn't pitch around him at every opportunity. Why not?

Defensively, the teams are both pretty good, but I'll go ahead and give the Cards an edge, here. Considering how often balls will be in play — St. Louis hurlers aren't strikeout machines — that's a big deal. And the Redbirds do have a better bench. Managers? Call it a wash. But everything else — bullpens, starters, lineups, intangibles — go to the Tigers.

So this is the part where I say, "So the Cards have no business winning. Detroit is superior in every meaningful way... but..."

Nope. There's none of that. The Cards have no business winning. Detroit is superior in every meaningful way.

Tigers in six.

But I hope I'm wrong, and as you've already seen, I've been wrong plenty already.

—BK