Cardinals vs. Rangers: How they match up

The coasts are clear this October with the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals meeting in a Heartland World Series, one that will be played entirely in the Central time zone for just the second time in 24 years.

And both teams reflect their Middle American pedigrees — they’re free-swinging, hard-working, blue-collar types that grind it out every night.

Oh, and here’s one other characteristic the clubs share — by baseball standards, they’re both solidly middle class, with neither team’s payroll ranking in baseball’s top 10.

SCHEDULE

Game 1: Wednesday, 5 p.m.

Texas (LHP C.J. Wilson, 16-7, 2.94)

at St. Louis (RHP Chris Carpenter, 11-9, 3.45)

Game 2: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Texas (RHP Colby Lewis, 14-10, 4.40)

at St. Louis (LHP Jaime Garcia, 13-7, 3.56)

Game 3: Saturday, 5 p.m.

St. Louis (RHP Edwin Jackon, 12-9, 3.79)

at Texas (LHP Derek Holland, 16-5, 3.95)

Game 4: Sunday, 5 p.m.

St. Louis (RHP Kyle Lohse, 14-8, 3.39)

at Texas (LHP Matt Harrison, 14-9, 3.39)

Game 5: Monday, 5 p.m*

St. Louis (RHP Chris Carpenter, 11-9, 3.45)

at Texas (LHP C.J. Wilson, 16-7, 2.94)

Game 6: Oct. 26, 5 p.m.*

Texas (TBA) at St. Louis (TBA)

Game 7: Oct. 27, 5 p.m.*

Texas (TBA) at St. Louis (TBA)

*-if necessary | All times PDT | All games Ch. 11

PROJECTED GAME 1 LINEUPS

Texas

Pos. / Player / Avg. / HR / RBI

2B / Ian Kinsler / .255 / 32 / 77

SS / Elvis Andrus / .279 / 5 / 60

CF / Josh Hamilton / .298 / 25 / 94

1B / Michael Young / .338 / 11 / 106

3B / Adrian Beltre / .29632 / 105

C / Mike Napoli / .320 / 30 / 75

RF / Nelson Cruz / .263 / 29 / 87

LF / David Murphy / .275 / 11 / 45

P / C.J. Wilson / .250 / 0 / 0

St. Louis

Pos. / Players / Avg. / HR / RBI

SS / Rafael Furcal / .231 / 8 / 28

3B / David Freese / .297 / 10 / 55

1B / Albert Pujols / .299 / 37 / 99

LF / Matt Holliday / .296 / 22 / 75

RF / Lance Berkman / .301 / 31 / 94

C / Yadier Molina / .305 / 14 / 65

2B / Ryan Theriot / .271 / 1 / 47

CF / Jon Jay / .297 / 10 / 37

P / Chris Carpenter / .155 / 0 / 5

KEYS TO THE SERIES

OFFENSE: The Rangers, at .283, were the best-hitting team in the majors during the regular season and finished a close second to the New York Yankees in home runs and slugging percentage. Texas did that with a deep, balanced lineup that had five players hit at least 25 home runs, five who drove in at least 77 runs and two who stole at least 30 bases. Second baseman Ian Kinsler made all three of those lists, hitting a career-high 32 home runs, knocking in 77 runs and stealing 30 bases. But with the Cardinals enjoying the home-field advantage, the Rangers will have to sit one of their bats during the potential four games played in St. Louis. The Cardinals were hardly easy outs, leading the National League in average, runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. And they were at their best when it mattered most, hitting .294 in September while running down the Atlanta Braves to win the league’s wild-card playoff berth. In 11 postseason games, David Freese and Albert Pujols have combined to hit .422 with six home runs and 24 runs batted in. EDGE: Texas.

PITCHING: First the bad news: The teams combined to get one win from a starting pitcher in the league Championship Series. Now the good news: The bullpens have been stellar in the postseason, with Rangers relievers holding opponents to a .193 average, and the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies hit only .177 against St. Louis relievers. The Rangers, especially, will need to get more out of their rotation in this series, especially since they’re scheduled to start three left-handers against a team that hit only .265 with a home run every 33 at-bats against left-handers during the regular season. The Cardinals will rely heavily on ace Chris Carpenter, who is 5-0 with a 1.89 earned-run average in his last eight starts. EDGE: Even.

BENCH: The Rangers’ bench will be one bat deeper during the potential four games in St. Louis with the loss of the designated hitter forcing Texas to sit one of its regulars. They also have a number of valuable role players in catcher Yorvit Torrealba and outfielders Endy Chavez and Craig Gentry. The Cardinals’ bench is a little more versatile, befitting Manager Tony La Russa’s penchant for making double switches. La Russa can call on the versatile Skip Schumaker and Ryan Theriot in the infield, and Allen Craig has become a regular late-inning defensive replacement in the outfield. But having a deep bench is only good if you know how to use it. And La Russa does. EDGE: Cardinals.

MANAGER: Only Connie Mack managed more big league games than has La Russa, a cunning tactician and master of the double switch who may have done his best work this season, guiding an injury-riddled team on a manic stretch drive in which it clinched a playoff berth on the final day of the season. Texas’ Ron Washington just finished his fifth season as a big league manager, the last two ending in the World Series. And though the patient Washington has spent his entire big league managing and coaching career in the American League, that hasn’t proved to be a handicap when his teams play under NL rules, since the Rangers are 18-11 in NL parks the last three seasons. EDGE: Cardinals.