World Series 2013: Biggest X-Factors for the Red Sox and Cardinals

With two historic franchises facing off in the 2013 World Series, each team will need an edge in order to capture the coveted title of World Champion. Both the Red Sox and Cardinals have deep rosters but each of them has an X-factor that will be a key in whether or not they capture the Commissioner’s Trophy.

The X-factor for the Red Sox is their starting pitching. John Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Jake Peavy have pitched well all season, especially in the playoffs. Their performance will be an integral key in order for them to win the World Series.

Starting pitchers have struggled all season dealing with the Cardinals’ high scoring offensive attack. The Cardinals are averaging just under four runs per game in the playoffs, including 3.3 runs per game in the first six innings.

The Red Sox, due to the comeback seasons of Lackey and Peavy, have had one of the strongest pitching rotations in the MLB.

The Red Sox also have a strong offense. If they can stop St. Louis from taking early leads, they would be in a good place to win their third World Series in the last decade, and their first since 2007.

The X-factor for the Cardinals is shutting down the top half of the Red Sox batting order.

The top of their lineup consists of leadoff hitter/center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, right fielder Shane Victorino, second basemen Dustin Pedroia and designated hitter David Ortiz.

Ellsbury, who has a .467 on-base percentage in the 2013 playoffs, is one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball. Ellsbury has scored 10 runs in the playoffs, which has been a huge part of the Red Sox success.

Victorino has a .341 on-base percentage, but that number is moderately inflated. In the ALDS, Victorino was getting on base 56 percent of the time. He struggled to maintain that average in the ALCS, getting on base just 13 percent of the time.

Pedroia hasn’t been slugging as effectively as he did during the season, but he has been driving in plenty of runs when given the opportunity; he has driven in six runs in Boston’s two postseason series. 

Ortiz isn’t the same power hitter he once was, but without his grand slam in the late innings of Game 2 in the ALCS, the Red Sox might not be in their current position. After coming up big in some of the biggest moments of his career, Ortiz has taught us at least one thing, and that is to never doubt the abilities of David Ortiz.

The Cardinals' three starters throughout the playoffs, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright and Joe Kelly have done a good job in shutting down the opposing starting lineup. 

In 21 innings pitched, Wacha has maintained an 0.43 ERA and has allowed only eight hits. As a right-hander, he might be at a slight disadvantage against the switch-hitting Ellsbury and the left-handed-hitting Ortiz. 

Wainwright, also a right-handed pitcher, has been pitching lights-out for St. Louis. His playoff ERA in 23 innings is 1.57, and opposing batters are hitting .207. He only made one appearance in the NLCS, which was a loss. Wainwright will need to mirror his NLDS performance in limit Boston's run output.

The only starting pitcher for the Cardinals that has struggled this postseason is Kelly, who has a 4.41 playoff ERA in 16.1 innings pitched. Kelly will need to return to midseason form, especially being a right-hander against a Red Sox lineup with multiple left-handed batters and switch-hitters. 

If the Cardinals want to continue their reign of dominance, it is extremely important that their starting pitching shuts down the top half of the Red Sox lineup. Limiting Ellsbury’s opportunities to get on base would drastically hurt the Red Sox’s run production and would force other players to fill the void.

Due to the Cardinals' deep batting rotation and pitching staff, the Red Sox's X-factor will be the most important in the series. They have the lineup to produce runs, but if their pitching staff can't limit the Cardinals' offensive output, it will be a very short series.