Two Red, Hot Teams

With the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals playing in the 100th World Series -- a red October if there ever was one -- it’s impossible to ignore the history, star-crossed or otherwise, of these tradition-rich franchises from two of America’s best baseball towns.

The Cardinals, with the likes of Stan Musial, Bob Gibson and Enos Slaughter, have won nine World Series championships, including seven-game classics over the Red Sox in 1967 and 1946, and have been to the World Series 16 times, more than all but three teams -- the New York Yankees, Dodgers and the New York/San Francisco Giants.

The Red Sox, of course, are trying to erase their history, to reverse the Curse of the Bambino, which many New Englanders, hardened by the failures of their Old Towne Team, have blamed for the Red Sox not winning a World Series since 1918.

Though Boston’s pedigree includes stars such as Ted Williams, Carlton Fisk, Carl Yastrzemski -- and yes, Babe Ruth, who was sold to the Yankees for $100,000 in 1920, a transaction that changed the course of history for two franchises -- the Red Sox are mostly associated with failure, usually of the calamitous variety.

By the time Game 1 starts tonight in antiquated, charming and quirky Fenway Park, where Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will oppose Cardinal right-hander Woody Williams, volumes of copy and hours of air time will have been devoted to the historical ramifications of the Series.

But strip away all that history, and what’s left are two dynamic teams that should provide some compelling theater, especially if the past week and a half, when both teams engineered dramatic come-from-behind victories in the league championship series, is any indication.

“This,” Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar said, “is going to be a great World Series.”

Who’s to argue? The Series features the top two run-producing teams in baseball, each with a deep lineup that has plenty of pop from both sides of the plate, a couple of most-valuable-player candidates and no glaring weakness.

St. Louis seems to have a rotation of No. 3 starters; all effective, none dominant. Red Sox ace Curt Schilling might not be in peak form because of an ankle injury, Pedro Martinez is not quite as overpowering as he has been in recent years, and Boston’s rotation drops off after those two.

Both teams have good bullpen depth and can mix and match with left-handers, but neither closer, Boston’s Keith Foulke nor St. Louis’ Jason Isringhausen, is in the Eric Gagne/Mariano Rivera class, which could make for some interesting ninth innings.

With so much offense, and pitching that is deemed slightly inferior to all those booming bats, this series could be high scoring and as unpredictable as one of Wakefield’s knucklers.

“Every guy they have is going to be a tough out,” said Cardinal right-hander Matt Morris. “... They have guys who can put the ball in play, who hit for average, who hit the long ball, and some combine all those things in one player.

“Anything can happen, because the game is never over. When we’re down, we believe we can come back and win. That’s the beauty of our offense, and Boston can do that too. So it should be exciting for the fans ... but probably not the pitchers.”

The Red Sox have two table-setters at the top of the order in Johnny Damon, who broke out of his American League championship series slump with two home runs and six runs batted in against the Yankees in Game 7, and Mark Bellhorn, who homered in Games 6 and 7.

There are two sluggers in the middle, with Manny Ramirez, who seems due to break out after going seven ALCS games without an RBI, and left-handed David Ortiz, who earned ALCS MVP honors with three homers and 11 RBIs.

And the bottom half of the order features a variety of clutch hitters such as Millar, Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon, Bill Mueller and Orlando Cabrera.

“The mistake we’re not going to make is concentrating on Ortiz and Ramirez and forgetting the other seven guys,” St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa said. “One of Boston’s strengths is exactly what we do; we send eight or nine guys out there, and any one of them can beat you.”

Indeed, several Red Sox players described the Cardinals on Friday as an American League team in National League clothes. Leadoff man Edgar Renteria is followed by sluggers Larry Walker, Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds; the latter two hit game-winning home runs in the final two games of the NLCS against the Houston Astros.

“You’re talking about four legitimate MVP candidates in their lineup,” Schilling said of the Cardinals. “They’re stacked. But they can be pitched to.”

With the teams so evenly matched offensively, the series could come down to those things that don’t show up in box scores -- how aggressive and smart teams run the bases, or who comes up with the spectacular defensive plays, as Edmonds did Thursday night, when he saved two runs with a diving catch in center field.

It will not be decided by Bill Buckner or Bucky Dent or Babe Ruth.

“A lot of the past will be brought up, and I’m aware of The Curse,” Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe said. “But there are no ghosts here. The best team is going to win this series.”

The Red Sox, who haven’t played in the World Series since 1986 and haven’t won in 85 years, seem to be a sentimental favorite, but the Cardinals haven’t been to a World Series since 1987 and haven’t won since 1982.

“They want to win for all their reasons, but we have a clubhouse full of guys who have never had a World Series ring,” La Russa said. “So, you know, we’re going to try and be greedy and selfish, just like they are.”

Though not consumed by their past and certainly not overwhelmed by it, the Red Sox are mindful of their history. “We have no choice but to know that history,” reliever Alan Embree said. “The second you put on the uniform, you get a crash course on it.”

As unfair as it is for this group to carry the burden of 85 years of futility, it can also be inspiring for them to carry the hopes of their long-suffering fans, the so-called Red Sox Nation.

“In this park, you don’t go to the mound with 35,000 people,” Schilling said. “You go out with 20 million people who are living and breathing Red Sox baseball.”

As if that wasn’t enough motivation ...

“The guys realize we’re four wins away from one of the greatest parades in the history of sports,” Lowe said.

“You hear people talk about their 85-year-old mothers and grandfathers. That’s who we want to win for.”

One of those longtime fans is in their own clubhouse, 85-year-old Johnny Pesky, the former Red Sox second baseman for whom Fenway’s right-field foul pole is named. A special assistant on the team’s coaching staff, Pesky did not have to think long and hard Friday about what a World Series victory would mean to him.

“If the Red Sox win,” Pesky said, “I can die happy.”