Sigh of relief. The 2010 World Series will not feature an overpaid and bought-out All-Star group of men in pinstripes.

Instead, this year’s version of the biggest prize in baseball will feature the AL Pennant winner, which hasn’t been to the Fall Classic in its 49 years of existence. It dates back to its origins as an expansion team as the Washington Senators in 1961 after the original Washington Senators moved to Minnesota in 1960 to become the beloved Twins.

The other team was originally founded as the New York Giants in 1883. Despite its decorated history, this year’s NL Pennant winner hasn’t been to the World Series since 2002 and hasn’t won a World Series title since moving to San Francisco in 1958.

Indeed, this year’s World Series certainly features an unexpected matchup between the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants.

So how exactly did two underdog teams advance all the way to the World Series? Good pitching, timely hitting and just the right amount of confidence.

Both Championship Series included the two favorites to reach the World Series in the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. Consider that before the season, the Yankees were listed as 11/4 odds to win the World Series, and the Phillies were not far behind at 6/1 odds.

Instead, the San Francisco Giants upset the Phillies’ stranglehold on the NL Pennant after the Phillies had won the previous two NL Pennants. The Giants were considered 30/1 odds to win the World Series in April and 9/1 odds after the playoffs started.

Similar to the Giants, the Texas Rangers dethroned the defending world champion Yankees after being listed as 25/1 odds to win the World Series before the season and 10/1 odds after the playoffs started.

Guess you didn’t see that coming, Vegas.

After winning the AL West, the Rangers entered the playoffs for the first time since 1999 to face the best team in baseball: the Tampa Bay Rays. After a roller coaster five-game series in which the road team won every game, the Rangers escaped to face the Yankees. After losing to the Yankees in all three of its previous postseason meetings, the Rangers finally defeated the Yankees in six games.

After giving up a disappointing comeback victory to the Yankees in game one, the Rangers rebounded to take the next three games behind strong starting pitching and Josh Hamilton. Hamilton cracked four home runs in the six-game series, but the real hero of the series may have been the unknown Colby Lewis.

Lewis won both of his starts against the Yankees, including the decisive game six. While on pitching, it’s impossible to not mention the Yankee killer: Cliff Lee. Lee pitched a dominant game three, shutting out the Yankees through eight innings and striking out 13 batters. In just two postseasons, Lee is 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA, which includes three victories against the despised Yankees.

The Giants also relied on pitching to defeat the heavily favored Phillies. After splitting the first two games in Philadelphia, the Giants won the next two games at home with a great pitching performance from Matt Cain and a walk-off victory in game four after a sacrifice fly.

The Giants starting rotation out-pitched the favored Phillies staff of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

Cain along with Tim Lincecum, turned in key performances, while the black-bearded closer, Brian Wilson, contributed with a win and three saves in an unbelievably tight series. Three games were decided by one run.

So who has what it takes to win the World Series?

The Rangers have the high-powered offense behind Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero, Michael Young and Nelson Cruz to outscore the Giants offense.

The Rangers also may have the edge in pitching with Cliff Lee, Colby Lewis and C.J. Wilson, but don’t forget about the Giants staff of Lincecum, Cain and Jonathan Sanchez.

The Giants have home field advantage after the NL won the All-Star game, but that may not matter after the Rangers proved they could win on the road by winning three games in Tampa Bay to win the ALDS.

Prediction: The Texas Rangers win its first World Series title in the team’s existence:  4-2.