2006 World Series position-by-position breakdown

Baseball Betting Lines

10/20/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two of the most storied franchises in major league history will battle in the 2006 World Series, as the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers get the best-of-seven matchup underway on Saturday at Comerica Park.

If someone would have told you at the beginning of the postseason that these two teams would be the last two standing, you would have laughed them out of the building. And who could have blamed you? Both teams played below-.500 baseball after the All-Star break and both came into the postseason as cold as any team could be.

St. Louis, only the 13th winningest team in baseball this season with 83 victories, held a seven-game lead in the NL Central on September 19, but lost nine of its final 12 games to let the Houston Astros back into contention up until the season's final day.

Only one team in history -- the 1973 Mets (82-79) -- ever won fewer games than the Cardinals and made it to a World Series. No team, though, has ever won fewer games and won a World Series.

Detroit, meanwhile, also limped into the playoffs, as it became the 18th team since 1900 to fall out of first place on the final day of the regular season. The feel-good story of the 2006 season, the Tigers were in first place since mid-May and were up by as many as 10 games at one point before relinquishing it to the Minnesota Twins in heartbreaking fashion on the final day of the regular season.

Needing only one win, Detroit lost its last five games and blew a six-run lead to hapless Kansas City at home on the final day of the regular season, as the Royals rallied to complete a three-game sweep with an extra inning win.

Those late collapses seem like distant memories now, as the Tigers have steamrolled their way into their 10th World Series and their first since winning it all in 1984, while the Cardinals will be playing in their second Fall Classic in three years and their 17th in franchise history.

These teams are no stranger to each other, as St. Louis and Detroit have met in the World Series twice, with the Cardinals winning in seven games in 1934 and the Tigers raising the trophy in similar fashion in 1968. St. Louis actually held a 3-1 lead in the '68 series, but Detroit rallied to win the final three games, culminating with a Game 7 victory over the legendary Bob Gibson.

Detroit also swept a three-game interleague set from the Cardinals at Comerica from June 23-25, outscoring the Cardinals 21-13 in the series.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the matchups at each position.

CATCHER

Ivan Rodriguez has brought veteran leadership to the Tigers and should be given a great amount of credit for his ability to turn this young staff into one of the best in baseball. Although not the hitter he once was, Pudge can still get it done at the plate when it matters. However he is hitting just .172 (5-for-29) this postseason. Rodriguez is still one of the best defensive catchers in the game and is one of the few backstops in baseball that can turn an opponent's offense upside down with his defense.

Yadier Molina is also known more for his prowess behind the plate than at it. However, it was his two-run ninth inning homer that launched the Cards into the World Series. Molina has enjoyed a great postseason at the plate, hitting .333 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI.

EDGE: TIGERS

FIRST BASE

Sean Casey had an outstanding ALDS (.353, 4 RBI), but injured his calf in Game 1 against the A's and was sidelined the remainder of the ALCS. He is supposedly ready to go, though, which would be a big boost to the Tigers lineup. When Casey is right he is one of the toughest players in the league to strike out.

There is not a better player in the game than Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. The reigning NL MVP, who has been bothered by a balky hamstring, was a big part of the Cardinals NLDS win, as he was 5-for-8 in the first two games of the series with the Padres, but was held hitless over the final two contests. He went 7-for-22 against the Mets, but managed just one home run and one RBI in the series.

EDGE: CARDS

SECOND BASE

Placido Polanco, one of the best No. 2 hitters in the game, has been absolutely sensational for the Tigers this postseason and was the MVP of the ALCS after hitting .529 (9-for-17). He makes the team go, as evidenced by the team's 13-21 record late in the season without him.

Ronnie Belliard has hit .316 for the Cardinals in the playoffs, but has traditionally struggled at Comerica Park, where he is just a lifetime .205 hitter.

EDGE: TIGERS

SHORTSTOP

Carlos Guillen carried a torrid September at the plate into the postseason and was the best player on the field in the first round. The All-Star shortstop cooled off in the ALCS, getting just three hits in 16 at-bats, but is still hitting .367 this postseason. Guillen is one of the better fielders in the game at short.

While Polanco is the guy that gets the Tigers going, David Eckstein is the spark plug of the St. Louis Cardinals. An above average fielder, Eckstein has hit just .125 in the postseason, but is playing through a myriad of injuries.

EDGE: TIGERS

THIRD BASE

Brandon Inge is one of the unsung heroes on the Tigers, as he always seems to be in the middle of a Detroit rally. A converted outfielder, Inge hit .333 in the ALCS.

When he is right Scott Rolen is the one who should be providing protection for Pujols. The All-Star third baseman, who has traditionally struggled in the postseason, is apparently bothered by a left shoulder injury. Rolen, who is also reportedly feuding with manager Tony La Russa, is hitting just .188 this postseason with no home runs or RBI. However, he did swing the bat well in Game 7 against the Mets and had a sure home run robbed from him by left fielder Endy Chavez, who made one of the greatest catches in postseason history.

EDGE: CARDS

LEFT FIELD

Left fielder Craig Monroe, who struggled with just three hits in 16 at-bats in the ALDS, came back to life against the A's, as he hit .429 with a homer and four RBI. During the regular season, nearly half of his 28 home runs came in the seventh inning or later. He is an average fielder.

St. Louis has had trouble finding an everyday left fielder all season. Preston Wilson, Scott Spiezio and So Taguchi will likely all see action there against the Tigers.

EDGE: TIGERS

CENTER FIELD

Heading into the postseason I stated that Curtis Granderson would be introduced to the baseball public, and he has yet to disappoint. The rookie centerfielder has hit .313 with three home runs and seven RBI. Granderson is excellent in the field and possesses tremendous range with an above average and accurate arm.

Jim Edmonds is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball history. He is capable of carrying the team when he is healthy, but he always seems to be nicked up. Edmonds is hitting just .257 this postseason with two homers and six RBI.

EDGE: EVEN

RIGHT FIELD

Magglio Ordonez, the hero in Game 4 of the ALCS, is the one batter in the middle of the Detroit lineup that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. Ordonez has three homers and a team-high eight RBI this postseason, but is hitting just .250 in the playoffs. He is a decent fielder with an accurate arm.

Juan Encarnacion is no stranger to Tigers fans, having spent the first five years of his career in Detroit. Due to Rolen's struggles, Encarnacion was moved to the cleanup spot and struggled, as he still chases too many pitches out of the strike zone. Through 10 games this postseason Encarnacion is batting a paltry .222 with four runs batted in.

EDGE: TIGERS

DESIGNATED HITTER

Jim Leyland seemed to have the Midas touch when it came to pencilling in a DH in the series against Oakland. Marcus Thames will likely get the Game 1 assignment, while Alexis Gomez and Omar INfante could see some time there.

St. Louis will probably use left-hander Chris Duncan in this spot. Duncan has hit just .143 this postseason, but hit a huge pinch-hit homer in the NLCS against the Mets. If it is not Duncan, Tony La Russa will likely use whoever is not playing left (Wilson or Spiezio).

EDGE: TIGERS

STARTING PITCHING

What has been the key for Detroit? Well the answer is simple. Pitching, pitching and some more pitching. Kenny Rogers, who always had the label of not being a big-game pitcher, has been absolutely incredible for the Tigers. The 41-year-old left-hander has erased his playoff demons and has not allowed a run in 15 innings of his two starts -- both wins.

Rogers had been brutal in his playoff career up until this point, going 0-3 with an 8.85 ERA in nine games.

Rookie Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman have also done their part. Verlander, the likely AL Rookie of the Year, is 1-0 with a 5.91 ERA this postseason, while Bonderman has posted a 1-0 mark to go along with a 3.00 ERA.

The only Detroit pitcher to lose a game this postseason was left-hander Nate Robertson, who dropped Game 1 of the ALDS to the Yankees. Robertson, though, rebounded in Game 1 against the A's, as he scattered six hits over five scoreless innings to get the win.

The big knock on the Cardinals entering the playoffs was that they did not have much to offer in the starting pitching department other than reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. Suppan and Jeff Weaver apparently did not get that memo.

Suppan, the NLCS MVP, allowed one run in 15 innings as the Cardinals won both his starts against the Mets, while Weaver, who was released by the LA Angels of Anaheim earlier in the season after going 3-10 for them, has allowed just four earned runs in 16 2/3 innings this postseason.

Carpenter was actually the one who struggled in the NLCS, as the 31-year-old right-hander posted an 0-1 mark against the Mets and allowed seven runs in 11 innings. However, he did win both of his NLDS starts and the Cardinals have lost just one of his seven postseason outings.

EDGE: TIGERS

RELIEF PITCHING

Detroit may have had the deepest bullpen in the postseason. Veteran closer Todd Jones saved 37 games, and while he may not be as dominating as some of the other upper-echelon closers in the league, he gets the job done. Jones is set up by 21-year-old right-handed fireballer Joel Zumaya, who regularly hits 100 mph on the radar gun when healthy. A wrist injury sidelined him for most of the ALCS, but supposedly he is ready to go. Fernando Rodney, Jamie Walker and Jason Grilli all give manager Leyland plenty of other talented options for the late innings.

St. Louis lost closer Jason Isringhausen to hip surgery and was in dire straights towards the end of the regular season trying to secure wins. Adam Wainwright, though, has done a remarkable job as the teams' closer and has picked up three saves and has not allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings this postseason.

Josh Kinney, Braden Looper, Randy Flores, Josh Hancock and Tyler Johnson also will be at La Russa's disposal in the bullpen.

EDGE: TIGERS

BENCH

The Tigers have capable bench players. Omar Infante is a strong-gloved infielder who can fill in at a number of spots and a capable pinch-runner. Overall offensively, Detroit's supporting cast is average at best, though.

St. Louis has a very talented bench with Wilson, Taguchi and John Rodriguez being the main characters. Taguchi is 4-for-4 with a pair of homers this postseason.

EDGE: CARDS

MANAGER

Jim Leyland, who already has a World Series title to his credit with the 1997 Florida Marlins, proved why he will undoubtedly win the AL Manager of the Year award with the way he has handled his team this postseason. After years of futility in the Motor City under other skippers, Leyland was the perfect manager to get the young Tigers back on track.

St. Louis' Tony La Russa, who skippered the 1989 Oakland A's to a World Series title, is in his 11th season as manager of the Cardinals. He has guided St. Louis to seven playoff appearances, including five in the last six years. This will be his second Fall Classic with the Cards.

One of these managers will become only the second manager (Sparky Anderson) to win a World Series in both leagues.

EDGE: EVEN