My pick will come as the series gets closer and things like the pitching rotations are revealed. But World Series facts & figures are always fun to talk about. So, here are some nuggets to digest leading into the 109th Fall Classic...
- This is the fourth World Series matching up the Red Sox and Cardinals. The Cardinals won in seven in both 1946 and 1967, while Boston, of course, had that curse-breaking sweep in 2004. Red Sox-Cardinals is the fourth-most frequent World Series pairing, behind Yankees-Dodgers (11), Yankees-Giants (7) and Yankees-Cardinals (5). (Tigers-Cubs, Yankees-Braves and Giants-Athletics are all four-time World Series matchups, as well.)
- Looking back on that 2004 Series, there are only two players remaining, one on each team: Yadier Molina of the Cardinals and David Ortiz of the Red Sox. Molina was the Cardinals' backup catcher back then. The starter? Current St. Louis manager Mike Matheny.
- Boston's current eight-game World Series winning streak is the second-longest active streak. The Red Sox will have the longest streak if they win the first two games. Cincinnati has won nine straight World Series games (Game 7 in 1975, sweep in 1976, sweep in 1990). The all-time record is the Yankees' 14 straight from 1996-2000.
- The Red Sox and Cardinals finished tied for the best record in baseball at 97-65. That means we're guaranteed to have the team with the best record win the World Series for the first time since the 2009 Yankees. It'll be just the fourth time that has happened in the wild card era (1998 Yankees, 2007 Red Sox).
- It's also just third time ever that the two teams in the World Series finished with the same regular season record. In 1949, the Yankees and Dodgers both went 97-57, while the 1958 Yankees and Braves were both 92-62.
- This is the first time since 1999 that the top team in the American League is playing the top team in the National League in the World Series.
- If Boston wins, they'll be the first worst-to-first World Series champion since the 1991 Twins. The last team to reach the World Series the year after finishing in last place was the 2008 Rays.
- Red Sox manager John Farrell is in his first season with Boston. If the Red Sox win, he'll become the first manager to win the World Series in his first season with a team since one of his Boston predecessors--Terry Francona in 2004. The last manager to reach the World Series in his first season with a team was Jim Leyland with the 2006 Tigers.
- Farrell and Matheny are both managing in the World Series for the first time. The last time there were two first-time World Series managers, it was Charlie Manuel (Phillies) and Joe Maddon (Rays) in 2008.
- These two franchises have won a combined 18 World Series titles, the most-ever between the opponents in World Series that didn't involve the Yankees. Ditto on the 31 combined appearances. (When they met in 2004, their combined number of titles was only 14 and appearances was 26.)
- Fenway Park will be hosting its 10th World Series, the most of any current stadium and more than any stadium except for the Original Yankee Stadium, which hosted 39.
- Much like when the Cardinals played the Rangers in 2011, the first games the Red Sox ever play in the current Busch Stadium will be World Series contests. The stadium opened in 2006, and Boston's last trip to St. Louis during interleague play was in 2005. (The Red Sox are scheduled to visit St. Louis next year.) In fact, the Red Sox and Cardinals haven't played at all since 2008.
- The 2006 Cardinals started this current string where five of the last seven World Series have been won by the National League team. One of the two AL teams to win was the Red Sox in 2007.
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