The Duke Debates: The World Series

Thanks to MLB's subtle marketing campaigns, I know that October is when legends are born. If this is the case, this year we will remember the legends of Marc Rzepcynski, Octavio Dotel, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz.

The Rangers and the Cardinals World Series matchup pits against each other two trigger happy managers, Ron Washington and Tony LaRussa respectively, who love to hand the ball over to a revolving door of relievers.

In 10 playoff games, the Rangers averaged 5.2 pitchers per game. This could be skewed a bit because two games went 11 innings, but Washington used six pitchers in three other games. LaRussa has used a little more than five pitchers a game. No doubt mad that Chris Carpenter had the audacity to pitch a complete game, LaRussa made up for it by twice using seven pitchers in a game, including a 12-3 win against the Brewers.

The volume of pitching changes is uncalled for and should make for some games where it seems like baseball is the filler scheduled around commercials for Budweiser and House.

But relief pitching is necessary. Texas' starters average a tick above five innings pitched, and starters for St. Louis have averaged just below five innings pitched. Both teams' starters ERAs are in the mid-fives.

But the Cardinals are in a worse position. Carpenter, their frontline starter, struck out only eight batters in 17 innings. Putting aside his complete game shutout against the Phillies, a game where he struck out three and relied on 18 ground balls, Carpenter has been ineffective and has suffered from control problems. He lasted three innings in his first start against the Phillies, and five in his start against the Brewers. In those two starts, he put 17 men on base in eight innings and threw strikes only 53 percent of the time. He might be wearing down like Justin Verlander.

The St. Louis staff shares in Carpenter's inability to strike out batters this postseason. The pitchers average 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings, two strikeouts less than Texas.

That means the Cardinals will have to rely on balls in play, something you shouldn't do against the second best slugging team in the majors. The Rangers feature three hitters with 30 or more home runs this season. That group does not include Josh Hamilton or Nelson Cruz, the teams' best home runs hitters.

St. Louis doesn't possess the same number of power threats, but their offense is similarly potent with Albert Pujols, Matt Holiday and the emerging David Freese. Texas averaged 3.79 pitches per plate appearance in the regular season; the Cardinals averaged 3.75.

So, if starters are going to have short leashes, and both teams can string out at bats, the key to the World Series will be the aforementioned emerging legends from the bullpens. This favors the Rangers based on the defined roles.

The Rangers are going to pitch Mike Gonzalez and Adams, then send in their closer, Feliz. The Cardinals are enigmatic; their regular season closer, Fernando Salas, has been regulated to early inning work, and set up man Lance Lynn wasn't even on the roster against the Phillies.

Texas also has the edge in the front of their bullpen with Alexi Ogando. As a starter, he tired during the end of the regular season, but is rested and serves as their multiple inning swing man. He has excelled in this role, pitching 7.2 innings in four games of the ALCS, allowing only three hits and two walks. And Texas can even turn to Scott Feldman to complete the same task. If a Cardinals' starter stalls in the fourth or fifth inning, they don't have an Ogando of their own.

Nitpicking among the bullpens foretells a close series. It might not go the full seven games, but it would be hard to look at these two teams and point to an overwhelming favorite. The Rangers get the slight edge; I'd say they are 55 percent favorite, so Texas in six.