A Closer Look At The Familiar Faces Battling for MLB's Crown

The 2013 MLB season has produced memorable games for many and dismal seasons by some. New stars emerged as if from nowhere, while established names only added to their aura.

As the season comes to a close in October, four familiar faces are back, looking for that sometimes elusive World Series victory. Some are returning to a similar setting, others bouncing back after varying lapses of success.

Franchises are filled with familiar colors, names and history. Their seasons are not over, but their success can be measured in many different areas.

The Boston Red Sox (97-65) finished with the American League's best record, one year after losing 93 games and finishing last in their division. The improvement is due to new manager John Farrell, a coach with Boston from 2007-2010, and the addition of several veteran players. They won the World Series in the 2004 and 2007 seasons.

Detroit (93-69) won their third-straight division title and are currently playing in their third-straight AL Championship Series. The Tigers received another stellar season from AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera and Cy Young-caliber seasons from Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer. Without a Series win since 1984, they've made it back to the stage in 2006 and 2012.

St. Louis (97-65) is looking for its second World Series victory in three years, thanks to an influx of talented young pitchers. Their lineup also features six hitters with a .830 or higher OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), the metric used to rate a batter's best overall value. The Cardinals won it all in 2006 and a thrilling 2011 contest.

The Dodgers (92-70) return to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2009. Despite a very slow start, the emergence of electricfying rookie Yasiel Puig and the dominate demeanor of pitcher Clayton Kershaw has brought Los Angeles back to prominence. They haven't reached the big dance since their last Series win in 1988.

The "Moneyball" approach to baseball has its place, but big spenders still benefit most. The remaining teams payroll range from 10th in the league (St. Louis - $115 million) to second (Los Angeles - $216M). Boston and Detroit rank fourth and fifth, each with a payroll right around $150M.

According to Forbes, Detroit is the only remaining franchise to have an operating income in the red (-$0.4 million). Much of that can be attributed to a couple of max contracts to first baseman Prince Fielder (nine years, $214M) and 2011 MVP Justin Verlander (seven years, $180M).

Despite having a middle of the road metropolitan area, the Tigers (4.3 M, 14th in MLB) benefit from solid hometown support. Their average attendance of 38,000 at Comerica CMA Park comes in at sixth in the league.

Boston (4.6M, 10th) brought in just a shade under 35,000 to its famed Fenway Park.

Over in the NL, the league's unique fan bases are on display. Los Angeles is the league's second-biggest metro area with 13 million people, while St. Louis ranks 19th, with just under three million. They take the top spots in attendance, however, with over 41,000 each.

The Dodgers also have the league's best road attendance, a figure that can be attributed to the emergence of Puig and the loyal Dodger blue following. Despite featuring two MVPs, Detroit does not seem to draw as well.

The Tigers rank way below at 25th, but featured the league's highest cable ratings for the second year in a row. Their divisional foes abysmal seasons (Chicago White Sox) or lack of support (Cleveland Indians) also plays a factor.