With the regular season wrapped up and Wild Card matchups getting underway, it’s the most wonderful time of year for baseball fans, of which there are plenty here at WSN. After some heated debate and emoji usage in our staff group chat, here are our World Series picks.

Los Angeles Dodgers over Texas Rangers

The only reason I picked the Rangers as being my hometown’s opponent is because I Googled which team was the AL West champions, expertly demonstrating my knowledge that the Dodgers were recently crowned the NL West champs. I may have a limited understanding of baseball, but I’m forever rooting for our hometown heroes for three reasons: one, the boys in blue gotta do it for Vin; two, all of my grade school field trips to Dodger Stadium can’t be for nothing; three, I’d be shunned if I didn’t. Go team. – Jessica Martinez, Social Media Editor

Boston Red Sox

The 2004 World Series was the single greatest thing to happen to Red Sox fans in 86 years — and that’s a bit of an understatement. Of the entire 2004 Red Sox roster, only one player remains on the team: David Ortiz. Ortiz, who is set to retire after a 13-year career for the Sox, helped lead the team to victory in 2004, 2007 and 2013, and I can think of no better way for him to end his final season than with another win. Not to jinx it, though — even if the Red Sox don’t succeed in the postseason, their first place finish in the AL East is good enough for me. Go Sox. – Abigail Weinberg, Features Editor

Toronto Blue Jays

Because in America’s pastime, they are the pride of Canada. – Rachel Ruecker, Sports Editor

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants, after clinching the second National League Wild Card this week, are somehow going to the playoffs again after a trainwreck of a second half. It’s become kind of a joke, especially on Giants Twitter, of how ridiculous this team’s luck has been the last few years. But with some momentum and Bruce Bochy at the wheel, history has shown that the Baseball Gods favor the orange and black. Though for any Giants fan planning to be in New York this Wednesday, I’d keep the spirit more low-key for now, ya feel? – Emily Fong, Opinion Editor

Mets over Red Sox

Again, like last year, I’ll betray my brains. Thankfully last season it meant a pennant for the Mets. But it’s a long road, and the Red Sox are firing on all cylinders in the AL, looking poised for one final run with Big Papi. Coincidence or not, The Mets will play the Red Sox 30 years after their last World Series meeting (I hope). If only Vin Scully could call one more crucial error in favor of those Miracle Mets. I digress. – Mike Thompson, Staff Writer

Nationals over Red Sox

The Nationals? Good baseball team. The Red Sox? Also, a good baseball team. I’m partially picking these two teams because I think they can hit baseballs with bats and throw baseballs that other teams can’t hit with bats. But mostly I’m picking these two teams because I want to rub my bad karma off on them. I mean, I have a vested interest in a certain magical team that plays many of their games in Queens, and it’s somewhat sacrilegious to pick against them. But, as I demonstrated last year, it’s bad luck to pick your own team. I miss Matt Harvey. Please excuse me while I cry into a Mets beanie. – Bobby Wagner, Managing Editor

Cubs over anyone

The Cubs will win the World Series. It’s that simple. Remember how the Cubs started off really hot, then in July, they hit a rough patch and started losing handfuls of games in a row? And it seemed like they were still a Really Good Team but not a Great Team? Ha ha that was fun — they self-corrected and played .700 ball the rest of the way (I’m hoping it was thanks to another bizarrely great Joe Maddon tactic). A four man rotation through the playoffs means that the 37-year-old John Lackey, who FanGraphs sees as being the 28th-best pitcher in baseball and is probably a number two starter on half the other teams in the playoffs, is the worst guy they’re throwing out there. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo will both receive MVP votes (Bryant will probably win), Willson Contreras is the best rookie catcher not named Gary Sanchez and Addison Russell is already one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball at just 22 years-old. So go ahead, pick your underdogs or powerhouses. This year belongs to the Cubbies. – Alex Bazeley, Editor-in-Chief

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