That's the formula to upstage the much-anticipated, much-watched and historically concluded American League Championship Series.

The Boston Red Sox knocked off the New York Yankees for the AL title and now take on the even-more talented NL champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Here's how the teams match up by position:

WORLD SERIES

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• 1B: St. Louis' Albert Pujols is one of baseball's two- or three-best hitters (.331, 51 doubles, 46 HRs, 123 RBI). Boston's Kevin Millar is a solid hitter (.297, 18 HRs, 74 RBI) but not in Pujols' class. In the games in St. Louis, Millar figures to sit in favor of customary DH David "Papi" Ortiz (.301, 41 HRs, 139 RBI), a dynamite hitter but a poor fielder.

• 2B: St. Louis' Tony Womack, released by the Red Sox in spring training, had a career-best .307 batting average and brought speed to the top of the lineup. Boston's Mark Bellhorn led the AL in strikeouts (177) and lacks range defensively, but he walks a lot (88) and has good power (17 HRs) for the position.

• SS: St. Louis' Edgar Renteria (.287, 10 HRs, 72 RBI) is one of baseball's best all-around shortstops. He can hit for average and power, steal a base and has sure hands and range. Boston's Orlando Cabrera was an upgrade defensively over Nomar Garciaparra and he's an underrated hitter (hit .276 with 14 HRs and 96 RBI for Montreal in 2001).

• 3B: St. Louis' Scott Rolen (.314, 34 HRs, 124 RBI) probably was the NL's MVP for the first half of the season but he missed 16 games in September and still is somewhat limited with an injured calf. He's a Gold Glove defensively and a heady baserunner. Boston's Bill Mueller was the unlikely AL batting champion in 2003 (.326). He dropped to .283 this season. His only plus over Rolen is being a switch-hitter.

• LF: Boston's Manny Ramirez is an offensive machine (.308, 43 HRs, 130 RBI) and due for a productive World Series after driving in zero runs in the seven-game ALCS. He isn't as bad in the outfield as some people think, but he's not good. St. Louis' Reggie Sanders (.260, 22 HRs, 67 RBI) is a streaky hitter with decent power and plays better defense and runs better than Ramirez.

• CF: St. Louis' Jim Edmonds had one of his best seasons (.301, 42 HRs, 111 RBI) and still is an excellent fielder, as he proved again with a splendid, possible game-saving catch in Game 7 of the NLCS against Houston. Boston's Johnny Damon had his career year (.304, 20 HRs, 123 runs, 94 RBI, 19 stolen bases). His weak throwing arm is his only flaw.

• RF: St. Louis' Larry Walker no longer is a superstar but still is dangerous at the plate (.298, 17 HRs, 47 RBI in 82 games with Colorado and the Cardinals) and solid defensively. Boston's Trot Nixon is rounding into top form after being sidelined earlier this season with back and quadriceps injuries (.315, 6 HRs, 23 RBI in 48 games). His left-handed bat should be a factor against St. Louis' all-righty starting rotation.

• C: Boston's Jason Varitek is a productive switch-hitter (.296, 18 HRs, 73 RBI) and decent defensively (except when knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is pitching). Doug Mirabelli generally is Wakefield's "personal" catcher. St. Louis' Mike Matheny (.247, 5 HRs, 50 RBI) is excellent defensively but not much of a hitter.

• DH: Boston's Ortiz had a terrific regular season and was MVP of the ALCS. He figures to play first base in the games in St. Louis. The Cardinals could use John Mabry, Marlon Anderson or Roger Cedeno at DH.

• Bench: Boston has solid reserves in Mirabelli, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, INF Pokey Reese, OF Gabe Kapler and OF Dave Roberts. Millar will be a tough pinch-hitter in games in St. Louis (assuming Ortiz plays first). St. Louis' top subs include Mabry, Anderson, Cordero, INF Hector Luna and OF So Taguchi.

• Starting pitchers: Curt Schilling (21-6, 3.26 ERA) and Pedro Martinez (16-9, 3.90) are the only future Hall of Famers on either staff, but Schilling's ankle tendon injury remains a major concern and Martinez appears to have slipped considerably this season. Derek Lowe (14-12, 5.42 ERA), who started for the AL in the 2002 All-Star Game and finished third in Cy Young Award balloting, regained some confidence and respect with his brilliant work against the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS. Game 1 starter Wakefield is an inconsistent knuckleballer. He's tough to hit some days and gets crushed on days the ball isn't hopping.

St. Louis' best starter this season was Chris Carpenter (15-5, 3.46 ERA), but he missed the playoffs with nerve damage in his biceps and is unlikely to make the World Series roster. Woody Williams (11-8, 4.18 ERA), Jeff Suppan (16-9, 4.16 ERA), Jason Marquis (15-7, 3.71 ERA) and Matt Morris (15-10, 4.72 ERA) are average to slightly above average starters who have winning records thanks mainly to exceptional hitting and defensive support. Williams is an excellent hitter for a pitcher.

• Long relief and setup men: St. Louis has right-handers Julian Tavarez, Kiko Calero, Dan Haren and Cal Eldred and left-hander Ray King. Left-hander Steve Kline, who enjoyed an excellent season, is recovering from gout and a torn tendon in a pitching finger (Al Reyes could fill his roster spot). Boston has right-handers Bronson Arroyo, Mike Timlin, Curtis Leskanic and Ramiro Mendoza and left-handers Alan Embree and Mike Myers.

• Closer: St. Louis' Jason Isringhausen (4-2, 2.87 ERA, 54 saves) is very good but two notches below elite status and was shaky in the playoffs. Boston' Keith Foulke (5-3, 2.17 ERA, 39 saves) is one notch below elite but pitched like a top-shelf stopper in the ALCS (six shutout, one-hit innings in five games).

• Managers: St. Louis' Tony La Russa is a future Hall of Famer. He isn't afraid to make bold moves and they pay off more often than not. Terry Francona had some rough moments in his first season as Boston's manager but pushed all the right buttons in the historic ALCS victory over the Yankees.

• The pick: Boston in 7.

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