Opinion

Let the shopping begin.

Twenty-five days have passed since the Cubs' final regular-season game, and the team has already begun to make moves. The Cubs started off by firing their manager, Dale Sveum, on October 1 merely hours after their regular-season finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The first two games of the 2013 World Series have been headlined by leather.

With the St. Louis Cardinals only three wins away from the 2013 World Series title, the team and its fans would obviously be disappointed if this October run ended without a championship.

Gather up the last 10 World Series champions, and you'll be holding a fascinating collection of narratives.

There were the slump-breakers. The 2004 Boston Red Sox, 2005 Chicago White Sox, 2008 Philadelphia Phillies and 2010 San Francisco Giants all snapped lengthy title droughts.

Grant Balfour has been a force at the back of the Oakland Athletics' bullpen for the last three years, but could be on his way out now that his contract has expired.

The fast-approaching end to the Philadelphia Phillies' television rights contract with Comcast is the team's best hope for a quick reversal of fortune.

The 2013 World Series is all knotted up after the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals split the first two games. With the series now shifting to St. Louis, both teams are in desperation mode, as a 1-1 series signals the opportunity for momentum to be won in Game 3.

The question is, which players are under the most pressure to lead their teams as the World Series progresses?

The World Series, like any league's championship playoff round, is a time for fans to bathe in the hype surrounding their favorite team. The 2013 World Series involving the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals is no different from any sport in that regard.  

The Free Agent Market could be open for business as early as next Monday, and while it had appeared to be shaping up late in the regular season, it turns out that it was far from settled. 

Pricey contract extensions for Hunter Pence and Tim Lincecum, as well as rumored $100 million asking prices for Shin-Shoo Choo and Jacoby Ellsbury, indicate that teams may have to ante up big dollars for the best players on the market.  

Wearing a pattern fashioned from my grandma's throw pillow, Ryan Dempster boarded a plane for St. Louis. 

Really, you don't need a runway when there is a charter flight to Game 3 of the World Series to utilize. Dressed in the season's most stunning and fashion-forward suit, Dempster moved the conversation of plaid into baseball's consciousness where it belongs.