Will the Rangers win the World Series?

Adam Crouch: NO

The 2010 Texas Rangers were pioneers, reaching the first World Series in franchise history.

The 2011 postseason will be different.  The Rangers will fail to reach the World Series and here's why.

To consistently win in the playoffs, you need an ace.  Since the departure of Cliff Lee in the offseason, the Rangers simply don't have one.  While C.J. Wilson won an impressive 16 games during the 2011 regular season, he hasn't been dominant in the playoffs, at least not at press time.

After an abysmal performance in a Game 1 loss to Tampa Bay, the left-hander has a 6.26 ERA, and the Rangers are a dismal 0-4 in his past four playoff starts.  Aces win the big games.  That's hardly an ace.

Defensively, the Rangers have a number of players with plus-athleticism and abilities.  Elvis Andrus has exceptional range at shortstop.  Mike Napoli has been phenomenal behind the plate.  The outfield is filled with speed and powerful arms.  The numbers just don't show it.  

The team committed 114 errors this season, the seventh-highest total in baseball.  These errors led to 70 unearned runs, the most among American League playoff teams.  While the defense is capable of being a weapon, the Rangers are vulnerable to defensive miscues, which can be costly in a seven-game series.

A lack of hitting could also derail the Rangers postseason run.  Yes, the team scored more runs than every team in baseball except for the Red Sox and Yankees.  However, the "‘daytime" Rangers and "nighttime" Rangers are two different beasts.

In night games, the Rangers have the most explosive offense in baseball, averaging a staggering 5.66 runs per game.  When the sun is up and the lights are off, that number plummets to 4.38 runs per game.   

Josh Hamilton alone sees his batting average fall from .324 at night to .220 during the day. With four weekend games on the schedule, daytime baseball is a probability, and, frankly, a liability for the Rangers.

The biggest reason the Rangers will not advance has nothing to do with the team, but their opponent.  Justin Verlander of the Tigers has been an unstoppable force this season and is a lock for the American League Cy Young award.  Since July 21, the Tigers have gone 13-1 in games started by Verlander.  Verlander will take the mound twice in the series, and potentially a third time in a decisive Game 7.

Reaching the World Series in consecutive seasons is statistically unlikely.  No team has appeared in consecutive World Series since the New York Yankees appeared in four consecutive from 1998-2001.  Injuries, human error and luck inevitably factor into determining the outcome of games.   The Rangers will need more than luck to get past the Tigers.

Anna Hernandez: YES

Your Texas Rangers are returning to the World Series. I know, first they must capture the American League pennant. And trust me, they will. Then they'll be crowned champions of the baseball world.

Last October took North Texans by surprise. The unimaginable happened, and the Rangers ousted the Yankees in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series to advance to the World Series.

While Rangers' pitcher Cliff Lee was said to have played a great part on that road to victory, Lee pitched in Games 1 and 5 of that series, losing both. The Rangers lost the Series to the San Francisco Giants in five games.

During the offseason, the Rangers lost Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies, Bengie Molina retired and Vladimir Guerrero moved to the Orioles through free agency.

The Rangers reloaded by trading for catcher Mike Napoli, signing third baseman Adrian Beltre and moving Alexi Ogando to the starting rotation. This marked the beginning of a season of new records for the Rangers.

These are not the Rangers of the past, and the changes made in the offseason made the team better, if not more complete.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler and Beltre both hit 32 home runs in the regular season. In game 4 of the ALDS, Beltre hit three home runs to finish off the Tampa Bay Rays, becoming only the sixth player to hit three home runs in a postseason game. 

Napoli also came in strong, hitting 30 home runs while outfielder Nelson Cruz overcame frequent injury to add 29. Last season's MVP Josh Hamilton hit 25 home runs this season, down from 32 last year.   And who can forget Michael Young?

This year, he entered the 2,000 hits club, proving why he's a fan favorite and MVP candidate.

If pitching wins championships, the Rangers have bragging rights with ace C.J. Wilson, who leads the club with 206 strikeouts, a 2.94 ERA and 16 wins this season.

Derek Holland also collected 16 wins and a 3.95 ERA.  Mike Adams, Mike Gonzales and Koji Uehara were added to the team, while Neftali Feliz and Ogando in the rotation for the regular season, return to the bullpen. Opposing teams face some merciless relief pitching, as both Feliz and Ogando are capable of triple-digit fastballs.