Ranking all 25 of the possible World Series matchups

As it stands right now, before the first pitch of the MLB postseason is thrown, there are 10 teams still alive. And any of them can make the World Series.

Sure, some have easier paths. The division winners have a much easier go of it — that’s the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals in the NL and the Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles in the AL. The wild-card teams could all be gone after one game — that’s AL’s Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals and the NL’s San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates. It’s a do-for-die when the wild-card round starts Tuesday.

Even considering their recent struggles, the A’s totally have the pitching to get them to the World Series. And the Pirates and Royals each have years of misery on their side, so maybe the universe is rooting for them? The Angels offense is stacked. The Dodgers are loaded too. The Tigers are built for the postseason. Point is, anything could happen.

So The Stew wondered: What’s the most interesting World Series matchup? What’s the least? We included anything and everything as we considered these rankings — stats, payrolls, regional rivalries, postseason droughts, uniform colors, facial hair and so on — and came up with the completely unscientific list below. 

Your objections are understood and expected. Especially you, Cardinals fans.

1. Angels vs. Dodgers: The Battle for L.A. with two great subplots: Mike Trout vs. Yasiel Puig and Trout vs. Clayton Kershaw. That’s the best player in baseball, the best pitcher in baseball and the most watchable player. It’s undeniable, this one. 

2. Orioles vs. Nationals: The Beltway Series! Also: The Wire vs. House of Cards.

3. Royals vs. Pirates: It wouldn’t be a rating bonanza by any stretch of the imagination, but the underdog stories would make “Rocky” jealous.

4. Angels vs. Nationals: A sexy World Series pick in 2013. Late, but worth the wait? Trout vs. Harper. L.A. vs. D.C. Lots to like.

5. Royals vs. Cardinals: Regional rivals, plus the Royals haven’t made the playoffs since 1985 when they beat the Cards in the World Series. 

6. A’s vs. Giants: It’s the 25th anniversary of their Bay Bridge series. Buy earthquake insurance pronto!

7. Tigers vs. Dodgers: The best series that money could buy (of these 10 teams, anyway).

8. A’s vs. Pirates: It would be a very colorful World Series uniform-wise. You’ll think it’s the 1970s. Also, the two lowest payrolls in the postseason.

9. Tigers vs. Nationals: Doug Fister knows, like, everybody there.

10. Orioles vs. Dodgers: Buck Showalter would just loooooove Puig.

11. A’s vs. Dodgers: The good news, Kirk Gibson is totally free to swing by. He doesn’t have much going on.

12. Tigers vs. Pirates: Highest AL payroll in the postseason vs. lowest NL payroll in the postseason.

13. Royals vs. Nationals: Royals haven’t been in the postseason in 29 years. Nats have never been to the World Series. One team would be REALLY excited to win.

14. Angels vs. Pirates: Trout vs. McCutchen. We’d like that.

15. Orioles vs. Giants: October and two black-and-orange teams? We can sort of dig it.

16. Angels vs. Giants: The other, other, other all-California series.

17. A’s vs. Nationals: Jayson Werth vs. Derek Norris beard-off instead of Game 2.

18. Royals vs. Giants: Danny Duffy vs. Matt Duffy. Oh yeah! Wait, oh no.

19. Tigers vs. Giants: Been there, done that.

20. Royals vs. Dodgers: “Our blue is better.” “No way, our blue is better.”

21. Orioles vs. Pirates: Dunno about you, but Edinson Volquez vs. Ubaldo Jimenez sure sounds thrilling.

22. Angels vs. Cardinals: Imaging the anti-Pujols rhetoric from Cardinals fans made up order a Voodoo doll to prevent this matchup.

23. A’s vs. Cardinals: Tony La Russa’s moved on to the desert, so … not even he would be too excited.

24. Orioles vs. Cardinals: The bird, bird, bird, the bird is the word. Meh is also the word.

25. Tigers vs. Cardinals: It just seems like they play in the World Series all the time. (The last time was actually 2006).

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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz