Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 are home games for the higher seeded team in this best-of-7 series. Injuries are turned off for the playoffs, meaning a player can be injured only for that particular game, but can return for the next game. Pitching rotations are on a four-man skip, meaning the fourth starter will be skipped if the first starter is ready to pitch. Since there are off days after games 2, 4, 5 and 6, some game 1 starters will be available in game 4 on three days' rest. Benched starters can be moved to the bullpen.

For the fourth time in league history, it's the Newark Sugar Bears and the Vancouver Iron Fist facing off in the World Series. It's also the ninth time each team has been in the World Series, and the eighth time in league history that the World Series is a face-off between each division champion. (The two division champs had met every year between 2000 and 2006, until Marietta ended the streak by knocking out Morris Division champion Philadelphia.) It's the league-record eighth straight appearance for the Sugar Bears, while the Iron Fist are here for the second time in the last three years. If Vancouver wins, it will be their fourth title -- but their first since 1994. If Newark wins, they will add to two league records they already hold -- most consecutive titles (five) and most titles overall (eight).

This time it's a classic match-up of the league's best lineup against the league's best pitching staff. Will Vancouver prove that good pitching stops good hitting, or will the Sugar Bears crunch and punch their way to another world title?

World Series XVII: You Again?

Newark Sugar Bears (#1, 114-48) vs. Vancouver Iron Fist (#2, 104-58)

The 17th annual DMBL World Series is a rematch between two of the most storied franchises in league history: The Newark Sugar Bears and the Vancouver Iron Fist. These two teams have previously met three times in the World Series -- in 1997, 2001 and 2006 -- and each time the Sugar Bears have won. But not all the playoff battles have gone Newark's way: In their only other post-season meeting, the Fisters knocked out the Sugar Bears in the second round of the 1999 playoffs, 4 games to 2. A more timely stat: The Iron Fist went an impressive 8-4 against the Sugar Bears during the regular season, Newark's worst record against any opponent this year. The two teams split the six games in the Cereal Bowl, while the Iron Fist were a dominating 5-1 at home (and their only loss came in 13 innings).

The Sugar Bears, led by manager Don Mattingly, rolled past the Endzone Animals in five games in the second round. They won 114 games in the regular season courtesy of their phenomenal offense -- they scored 1,268 runs, second-most in league history. But their pitching staff also is pretty good, as they gave up just 795 runs, which was 6th best in the league. Their +473 run differential was the second-best in league history. They're a formidable team at home, setting a league record for best home winning percentage (.802).

Vancouver manager Darren Daulton counters with the league's best pitching staff. The Iron Fist gave up just 696 runs this year, but that doesn't mean they can't hit -- in fact, their 973 runs scored was third-best in baseball, and just three runs out of second place, for a second-best +277 run differential. They had the league's second-best road record and tied for the second-best home record, and as we noted earlier, they went 3-3 in Newark during the regular season, so they're certainly not intimidated by the spectre of playing four games in the Cereal Bowl.

Let's break down the teams position by position.

Catcher: The Sugar Bears have a strict platoon behind the plate with rookie Jarrod Saltalamacchia (.326/.362/.501 vs RHP) and Yadier Molina (.276/.328/.472 vs LHP). Molina is a terrific defensive catcher with a strong arm; for Salty, defense is not a strong point. The Iron Fist have an everyday catcher in Victor Martinez (.259, .746 OPS, 31 2B, 16 HR, 74 RBI), backed up by Ryan Doumit (.262, .773 OPS, 5 HR, 14 RBI in 107 AB). Neither one is much on defense. Advantage: Vancouver. Newark's two-headed monster can hit, but Vancouver's deep bullpen makes them vulnerable to match-ups. Martinez, on the other hand, is a switch-hitter who can handle any pitcher, and he'll be able to play every day for the next seven games.

First Base: The Sugar Bears have a bonafide Kevin Mitchell Award candidate -- even if most fans think he retired a few years ago. Matt Stairs had a monster season (.344, 1.029 OPS, 72 2B, 34 HR, 141 R, 161 RBI) and carried it into the post-season, hitting two grand slams against Philly. Stairs isn't known for his glove but he'll get the job done. The Iron Fist traded this off-season for veteran Todd Helton, an excellent defensive first baseman with solid if unspectacular numbers (.274, .824 OPS, 45 2B, 18 HR, 110 R, 90 RBI). Advantage: Newark. Stairs isn't the best-known slugger in the Sugar Bear lineup but maybe that's in his favor -- he was constantly coming up with runners on base in the Philly series and usually made pitchers pay.

Second Base: Another platoon for Newark, with a couple pesky little guys in Mike Fontenot (.323/.368/.420 vs RHP) and Marco Scutaro (.259/.367/.374 vs LHP). Each is above average defensively. The Iron Fist have a superstar at second with Chase Utley (.299, .860 OPS, 54 2B, 19 HR, 120 R, 85 RBI), who pulled out the win in Game 7 against Las Vegas with his bat and his glove. (He also provided the game-winning hit in Games 4 and 6.) Advantage: Vancouver. Utley proved he's one of the best players in baseball in the series against Las Vegas, hitting .333 with a 1.049 OPS with 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 R and 5 RBI.

Third Base: Newark's team leader in every sense of the word is Chipper Jones, who polished his Hall of Fame resume with another incredible season (.385, 1.152 OPS, 45 2B, 29 HR, 127 R, 132 RBI). Jones may have lost a step from his early days as a shortstop, but he's still at least average on defense. The Iron Fist counter with a platoon of Mike Lowell (.317/.352/.515 vs RHP) and Maicer Izturis (.323/.375/.415 vs LHP). Lowell  has better range but can be erratic; Izturis doesn't get to everything but he has surer hands. Advantage: Newark. Lowell and Izturis are a fine platoon, but Chipper is one of the best hitters in baseball.

Shortstop: Newark's Carlos Guillen turned in another spectacular season (.322, .934 OPS, 33 HR, 150 RBI) -- terrific numbers for a corner outfielder, let alone a shortstop! Guillen's defense is average at best and he'll likely move to another position next season, but for now, he'll have to make up for any defensive miscues with his bat. The Iron Fist have Michael Young, who isn't quite as good as many fans think (.270 BA but a .632 OPS; 1 HR, 1 SB in 556 AB). Young doesn't have great range but he's usually reliable on the routine plays. Advantage: Newark. Guillen may not have a great glove, but Young would have to be the second coming of Ozzie Smith to make up for those numbers.

Left Field: The Sugar Bears welcomed back Hideki Matsui (.334, .967 OPS, 47 2B, 27 HR, 126 R, 123 RBI), who missed all of 2007 with a knee injury. Matsui doesn't have quite enough power for a left fielder and he's not a very good defender, but fans love him for his hustle, instincts and ability to hit in the clutch. The Iron Fist platoon in left with Andre Ethier (.302/.359/.457 vs RHP) and Jose Guillen (.308/.433/.616 vs LHP). Guillen has a cannon arm but doesn't have much range; Ethier is a more gifted athlete but isn't a top-notch defender either. Advantage: None. Neither team has the edge at this position.

Center Field: Newark's Nick Swisher enjoyed a break-out season at the age of 27, hitting .320 (1.023 OPS) with 52 2B, 38 HR, 155 R and 148 RBI. He strikes out a lot (169 Ks) but also draws a lot of walks (117 BB). He's yet another switch-hitter in the Sugar Bear lineup equally adept at facing lefties or righties. The Iron Fist have a platoon in center with the electrifying Curtis Granderson (.345/.399/.645 vs RHP) and the not-so-electrifying Ryan Spilborghs (.333/.373/.500 vs LHP). Granderson set the modern era record for triples this season (33), which doesn't include the two three-baggers he legged out in the second round. He also puts his speed to good use in center field, making his share of highlight reel catches. Granderson may get all the hype, but Spilborghs lives up to his end of the bargain, mashing lefties and playing solid defense. Advantage: Vancouver. Swisher has terrific numbers but in a short series, Granderson's rare combination of speed and power makes him a game-changer.

Right Field: No one expected it to turn out this way, but Swisher's emergence and Matsui's health turned right field into the most expensive platoon in baseball with Bobby Abreu (.342/.419/.583 vs RHP) and Manny Ramirez (.328/.435/.525 vs LHP). Put them together and you have an All-Star (.323, .950 OPS, 28 HR, 119 RBI). Neither is known for his defense, but Abreu is probably a little closer to average. The Iron Fist have veteran Moises Alou (.328, .840 OPS, 19 HR, 123 RBI), rebounding nicely from a sub-par 2007. His most impressive number this year, however, is 0: the numbers of days he spent on the Disabled List. The oft-injured 41-year-old actually played all 162 games for just the second time in his career (and the first time was seven years ago). But his defense reveals that the years and the injuries have taken a toll on his legs and arm. Advantage: Newark. Abreu and Man-Ram make for a formidable combination.

Designated Hitter: The Sugar Bears found a soul mate in first round pick Jack Cust. The 29-year-old rookie personifies the "Three True Outcomes" approach favored by management, with 48 HR, 134 BB and 269 K. But Cust also gets his hits -- 204 of them, in fact. Overall, he hit .326 (1.075 OPS) with 163 R and 128 RBI. He can play outfield in a pinch, but the results likely wouldn't be pretty. The Iron Fist have Kevin Mitchell Award contender David Ortiz (.343, 1.198 OPS, 51 HR, 135 R, 156 RBI). Big Papi led the league in OBP, SLG, OPS, walks, intentional walks, rusn created, RC/27, total average, secondary average and isolated power, and was in the top 5 in HRs, RBIs, extra base hits, total bases, doubles, batting average and runs scored. His days as a first baseman are behind him, but with numbers like that, who needs a glove? Advantage: Vancouver. Cust does plenty of damage but Ortiz is in a class by himself.

Bench: Each team platoons at three positions, leaving little room for reserve players. The biggest bat on the Sugar Bear bench is Troy Glaus (.292, .957 OPS, 12 HR, 43 RBI in 185 AB), who did a fine ob mashing left handed pitchers (.304/.420/.616). The Sugar Bears try to find a place for Glaus against lefties, either by playing him at third to give Jones a breather, or at designated hitter to give Cust or an outfielder the day off. Newark also has an all-around utility man in Mark DeRosa (.217, .629 OPS in 60 AB), who can play 2B, 3B or OF, and a fifth outfielder in Luke Scott (5-for-21, 1 HR). For Vancouver, the top pinch hitter is probably Doumit (.262, .773 OPS), since Martinez is likely to catch every game. The utility infielder is Jose Lopez (0-for-6) while the reserve outfielder is Josh Willingham (.243/.307/.398 in 103 AB). Neither is likely to see much action in the series. Advantage: Newark. The benches aren't strong for either team, but Glaus's presence in the dugout will make Daulton think twice about bringing in a left-handed reliever.

Starting Pitchers: The Sugar Bears have a deep rotation, with five pretty good starters -- but in a seven-game series, quality is more valuable than quantity. The ace is probably James Shields (14-6, 3.99 ERA, 12.3 R/9), who got the start in Games 1 and 5 of the Philly series -- and won both of them. He's backed up by Javier Vazquez (21-5, 4.19, 11.3), who got the win with a strong performance in Game 3, and veteran Randy Johnson (13-5, 3.99, 12.8), who had a mediocre outing in Game 2. The secret weapon is Chien-Ming Wang, who went 18-6 this season despite a 5.06 ERA and 14.4 R/9. The Taiwanese sinkerballer knows how to pitch with a lead and has been deadly in the post-season -- he's now 6-0 in seven career playoff starts. Veteran John Smoltz (12-6, 5.12, 13.6) was left off the post-season roster in the second round, as were spot starters Joe Saunders (5-1, 2.86, 14.7) and Dave Bush (1-1, 4.50, 10.5).

Vancouver will likely start things off with Ben McDonald Award favorite Jake Peavy (24-4, 3.19 ERA, 9.8 R/9), who won the Pitching Triple Crown (wins, ERA, strikeouts) and led the league in almost every notable pitching category. Peavy had one good and one bad outing in the second round (averaging out to a 4.85 ERA and 11.8 R/9) and he'll need to bring his A game to shut down the Sugar Bear bats. Ben Sheets (9-9, 4.75, 11.3) actually out-pitched Peavy in the Vegas series, including a gutty performance to nail down a win in a wild Game 6. The Game 2 starter was Zack Greinke (15-5, 4.23, 12.2) but he was left on the bus after a rough outing (5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K in 6.2 IP). With Greinke banished, the team turned to 23-year-old Chad Billingsley (13-7, 4.51, 14.1), who got a win and a no-decision despite some ugly numbers (6 ER, 10 H, 7 BB, 6 K in 9.0 IP). The Sugar Bears hit righties much better than lefties this season, so don't be surprised if Greinke and/or Billingsley are left off in favor of Rich Hill (3-3, 5.19, 15.2) or even Scott Olsen, whose only start this year came against the Sugar Bears (3 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 2 K in 5.0 IP).

Advantage: Vancouver. The Sugar Bear starters are better than most people think, but they don't have an answer to Peavy, who went 2-0 in three starts against the Sugar Bears (and Vancouver eventually won that third game).

Relief Pitchers: Once upon a time, the Sugar Bear approach to team building was simple: Killer lineup, lights-out closer and then fill in the gaps with whoever's available. But John Wetteland is now their bullpen coach and John Smoltz is back in their rotation, leaving a gaping hole in the 9th inning. For a couple years now the Sugar Bears have tried to get by with a bullpen-by-committee approach. The closest thing this committee has to a chairman is second-round pick Manny Delcarmen (3.10 ERA, 12.0 R/9), who has 8 wins, 12 saves and 17 holds. Rookie Jared Burton (2.71 ERA, 14.5 R/9) also plays a key role. The setup work is divided between righties Rafael Soriano (4.55, 11.2) and Joaquin Benoit (5.33, 13.7) and lefties Scott Downs (4.68, 13.3) and Brian Shouse (5.50, 18.0). Veteran Chris Ray is the long man (5.18, 14.0).

The Iron Fist employ a more traditional approach with a deep and talented bullpen led by closer Manny Corpas (2-4, 24 SV, 2.41 ERA, 9.5 R/9). Corpas was nearly perfect in the second round, allowing just one baserunner -- but erasing him on a double play anyway. In fact, Corpas saved all four of the Vancouver victories against Las Vegas. He's backed up by a veteran closer in left-hander Billy Wagner (4-3, 9 SV, 4.53 ERA, 14.0 R/9). The setup work is performed by a couple of Japan League veterans: lefty Hideki Okajima (2.10, 9.0) and righty Akinori Otsuka (1.42, 9.0). For depth, there's long-time Phoenix Dragon closer Troy Percival (4.34, 11.9) and veteran Matt Herges (2.85, 10.7). How good is this bullpen? They led the league in save percentage (.759) and inherited runners stranded (.244).

Advantage: Vancouver. Last year the Sugar Bears made up for not having a closer by loading up the 'pen with tough relievers; this year there's a lot of guys, but they're all mediocre. The Iron Fist have a terrific closer and two of the league's top setup men. If the Fisters can get a lead, they should be able to hold it, even against Newark's lineup.

The bottom line: The Sugar Bears came out ahead on offense, 5 to 4 (with one tie), while the Fisters have the edge in both starting pitching and relief pitching.

Advantage: Vancouver? The Iron Fist won the regular season series, quite handily too, at 8 games to 4. And they've got momentum on their side after dramatic wins in Games 6 and 7 of the Las Vegas series, while the Sugar Bears have been idle for nearly a week after taking out the Endzone Animals in five games. The Iron Fist have been waiting a long time -- 14 years! -- for that fourth World Series victory, and they'd love nothing better than to knock off the four-time defending champions. There's also the little matter of avenging the 1997 World Series. The Iron Fist, winners of a then-league record 118 games that year, appeared poised to claim the title of Greatest Team of All Time -- only to be shocked by the upstart 97-win Sugar Bears, in just their second year of existence, in a thrilling seven-game series. Denying Newark a league-record fifth straight title might be the only way to erase that painful memory. But it certainly won't be easy. The Sugar Bears were unbelievable at home this year, going 65-16, and four of the games will be played in the Cereal Bowl, where any game can quickly turn into a World War I-style nightmare of home run barrages and shell shocked pitchers. Still, if anyone has the pitching staff to come out of Newark alive, it's the Iron Fist. We know this pick will make it look like we're kissing up to the commish, but we really believe that the Vancouver Iron Fist will finally put an end to Newark's reign of terror and win their first league championship since 1994.