Baseball

When Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn signed Jose Dariel Abreu, he instantaneously ignited the fan base.

Twitter timelines erupted in support, praise, admonishment and utter anger over Abreu’s signing. Like it or love it, though, Hahn and the White Sox signaled to everyone who is paying attention that they would like their return to relevance to be as quick as possible.

The 2013 World Series begins on Wednesday night as the St. Louis Cardinals head to Boston to take on the Red Sox in what promises to be a great series.

The matchup pits two of the most storied franchises in MLB history and two of the most passionate fanbases in the league against one another, as the Cardinals look to win championship No. 12 and the Red Sox push for title No. 8.

The Minnesota Twins have a lot on their plate this winter. As they ponder a dive into MLB Free Agency, general manager Terry Ryan needs to decide whether Joe Mauer is their 2014 catcher, if they really can trust Brian Dozier at second base and if some of the bright prospects in the organization are ready for the leap to Minneapolis.

However, there is one glaring need that must be addressed.

With the offseason just around the corner, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman may be presented with the opportunity to pull off a few trades to improve his squad.

Back in 2004, the Boston Red Sox made their glorious return to MLB's World Series and swept their NL opponents—the St. Louis Cardinals. 

There a zillion different ways for the St. Louis Cardinals to win the 2013 World Series, but trusting each step in this guide would put them in the best position to knock off the Boston Red Sox.

The 2013 World Series is set to begin on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, as the Boston Red Sox play host to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 109th edition of the Fall Classic.

Given that both clubs matched each other with the best record in the MLB regular season at 97-65 and that both have strong starting pitching and star-studded batting orders, this has the makings of an epic championship showcase.

I am a Philadelphia Phillies fan, so when the playoffs started, I decided that I would hope for either the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Tampa Bay Rays to come away with the championship. You can obviously tell how well that worked out, but the one kind of strange advantage that I have gained is some sense of objectivity regarding the World Series. I don't really have a vested interest in either team.

There is no question that excellent play from their superstars helped both the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox reach the World Series.

Role players, however, have a way of making a big difference during the Fall Classic, and both the Cardinals and Red Sox have plenty of role players who are just waiting for their opportunity to bust out.

For the fourth time in the last decade, the St. Louis Cardinals are in the World Series. They don't know whom they will play, but they have locked up a spot in the Fall Classic.

No matter whom they face, it will be a rematch of one of their recent World Series appearances. The Boston Red Sox swept the Cardinals back in 2004, and St. Louis beat the Detroit Tigers in 2006.