2011 World Series. 5 Reasons Why the World Series Is Already Over

Yes, it was a great Game 1.  Yes, it's only one game.  Yes, the Redbirds won by just one run. 

We submit, however, the Texas Rangers are now up against a bigger challenge than Tim McCarver at an all-night Scrabble tournament.There is a lot of baseball left to be played, but we already have a SPOILER ALERT for you--St. Louis wins it. 

Click to see five reasons why...

History: Been There, Done That, Got a Trophy

The Cardinals are going for the franchise's 11th World Series title.  It's the 18th time they've played for the title. 

The Texas Rangers have won just a single game in the World Series in the entire history of their franchise.  That was just last year. 

Tony LaRussa has already won the World Series in both leagues.  He's the third-winningest manager in MLB history. 

Ron Washington can surely outdance LaRussa, but can he shuffle past a Redbird roster in high gear?

Aces High

It's not a stretch to say that Chris Carpenter may need a cape.  He stepped up when St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright went down.  He out dueled Roy Halladay in the NLDS. 

Now, he just upped his all-time postseason record to 8-2 in 13 starts.  In doing that, he passed Bob Gibson to become St. Louis' all-time leader in postseason wins. 

Finally, Carpenter has never lost a postseason start at home.  Never. 

On the other side of the coin, C.J. Wilson is 1-7 lifetime in the postseason.  His recent ERA in innings pitched past the third inning has ballooned past 15.  With one win already on the board, the Cards have a huge advantage in the ace spot. 

Somewhere Nolan Ryan is saying, "Damn you, Cliff Lee!" 

Earflap Hats

Yes, Elvis Andrus can pull off the extended lid, but it really signals the beginning of the end for the Texas Rangers.  The Rangers are just 5-9 in games played below 60 degrees this year. 

Thursday's high will be just 57 in St. Louis with the mercury headed down to 35 degrees as the game unwinds. 

Nelson Cruz, Adrian Beltre, and of course, Josh Hamilton are nursing nagging injuries.  Cold weather further aggravates those injuries. 

It's almost painful to watch MVP Josh Hamilton wince after nearly every swing.  His current streak of 62 at-bats since his last home run may grow higher as the temperatures drop lower. 

3 More Home Games

Even more ironic than the Rangers paying most of St. Louis reliever Arthur Rhodes' salary, is the fact that C.J. Wilson is largely responsible for the Cardinals having the home field advantage in the World Series. 

Wilson's All-Star Game debacle allowed the National League to claim home field advantage in the Fall Classic.  Sure, you could argue that St. Louis had to win Game 1, but dropping temperatures, racing Rally Squirrels, and emerging role players make St. Louis a colder proposition than C.J. Wilson's cryotherapy sessions. 

Statistics

Texas doesn't want to know these numbers.  The winner of Game 1 has triumphed in seven of the last eight editions of the World Series.  The numbers extend to 12 of the last 14 and 19 of the last 23. 

What's more, the team hosting Game 1 has won 20 of the last 25 World Series.  Friendly advice for Ron Washington?  You need to breakdance on top of a calculator, smash it to pieces, and fire up your squad. 

You can enjoy more of award-winning writer R. Scott Murphy’s baseball stories in his latest book, Ducks on the Pond. Murphy's official home on the Web is www.officialmidnitewriter.com. Follow Murphy @MentalKickball on Twitter for daily Home Run Alphabet entries.