Now that the calendar has flipped to November, it’s back to work for the Red Sox. While it has only been a little while since they won the World Series, there is work to be done. As shown in the disappointing years after Boston’s last two championships, 2005 and 2008, it is important not to forget about “the next season.”

What do you value when it comes to teamwork and being part of a team? Sox skipper John Farrell discussed this concept with the media, and when talking about the type of people the Red Sox looked for prior to this season, he said they strongly considered “how they respected the name on the front of the jersey more than the name on the back.”

The Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals may be the two best teams in baseball and are almost identical in every way. They are both looking to be the first team in the 21st Century to win three World Series titles. Both teams won 97 games in the regular season, and both teams have a great lineup, great starting pitching, and a great bullpen. Picking a winner will be very difficult for this series. There is no underdog. Talent and statistics don’t tell the entire story, but on paper, the Red Sox have a very slight advantage.

For the first time in six years, the Boston Red Sox are back in the World Series. After winning the American League (AL) East Division and finishing with an AL best 97-65 record, the Sox have completed their worst to first turnaround. Coming off their historical collapse in September 2011 and their disastrous 69-93 2012 season, the Bearded Sox are back at the top.