MLB World Series 2011: Matt Holliday's Absence Won't Impact Game 7

On Friday night, we'll see the first Game 7 of a World Series since 2002. What do you think is going to happen?

Did the Cardinals exhaust all of their energy in Game 6? Will the Rangers be so demoralized from blowing that game in such spectacular fashion?

Okay, think about your answer to that. Now, consider this.

Friday, October 28 at 1:38 p.m. EDT

Major League Baseball is reporting via its official Twitter page that Matt Holliday will not start in Game 7.

Actually, he's not even on the active roster, so he couldn't even be a late-inning, desperation pinch hitter.

So, think back to my earlier question. Who do you think will win? Does this information change your mind? It shouldn't.

If you thought the Rangers were going to win, Adron Chambers shouldn't exactly change your mind on that. It's not likely that he'd be anything more than a late-inning, pinch hit, pinch run, defensive replacement type of player anyway.

If you thought that the Cardinals will win, the lack of Matt Holliday and his .158 World Series batting average with no HRs or RBI shouldn't really change what you think. It's not like he was forcing the Rangers to pitch to Albert Pujols or Lance Berkman.

Holliday is a great player, but he's been a liability this series. There's really no way around that. He's just not hitting, not fielding, and now we might have a clue as to why.

If you're going to deactivate an All Star for a career minor leaguer (at this point, anyway) for the seventh game of the World Series, then you must have a sense that something is terribly wrong.

Honestly, watching Holliday play, I can't really disagree with this decision.

The injury news for Game 7 to stay posted to is whether or not Nelson Cruz and/or Mike Napoli will play for the Rangers. That could influence the game in a serious way.

As of now, nothing has been released about either.