Ignore the critics: Why this year's World Series matchup is actually great

This year's World Series matchup between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks seems to have its share of critics for a variety of reasons. From concerns over TV ratings, to the lack of big name star power, to the fact it features a 90-win team playing an 84-team win that both made it due to an increased playoff field and new format. 

But some of those criticisms are actually valid reasons for why this matchup can be fantastic and actually help baseball.

Let's dig into it. 

One of the biggest talking points in this year's playoffs has been whether or not the new playoff format is any good due to the number of favorites and top teams that lost early in the playoffs. The argument against the format is that it has devalued the regular season. But that's not entirely true. The regular season still matters. A lot. There also significant advantages for playing well in the regular season and finishing with one of the best records in the league. Aside from getting home field advantage, the top two teams in each league also get the added advantage of completely skipping a round. Even if it did not translate into those teams winning this season, that is still a significant edge. What teams do with that advantage it is up to them. A couple of teams failing this year does not mean the format is flawed or broken. 

The increased playoff field has also given more fans across the league a reason to pay attention to meaningful baseball games longer into the season. That is something the league always wants, and it is big reason why every sports league in North America is always looking to increase its playoff field. Even if the World Series ratings are not great, the league is never going to turn down more people in more markets tuning into their games in the lead-up to that. 

That leads us into the next key point -- this matchup shows how quickly a team can turn things around, and that there is no standard way to do it. Both the Diamondbacks and Rangers are just two years removed from losing 100 games. It used to be if your team lost 100 games you knew it was going to take several years to even think about having a competitive team, let alone a World Series team. Yet here these two teams are playing for baseball's ultimate prize thanks to completely different strategies.

The Rangers went the free-spending route and brought in stars like Marcus Semien and Corey Seager.

The Diamondbacks went with more of a player development path and made some shrewd trades to get where they are. They are also led by one of the game's fastest rising stars in Corbin Carroll, who they not only brought to the majors when he was ready without manipulating his service time, but also paid him a ton of money right from the start of his career to send a message he is going to be there for the long-haul.

Which leads to the final point -- matchups like this are a chance for new stars to emerge.

By the time this postseason is over, Carroll is going to be one of the brightest stars in baseball. It will be a chance for fans across the country to get to know Adolis Garcia and Nathaniel Lowe in Texas. Zac Gallen will have an opportunity to truly establish himself as one of the league's front-line starting pitchers. 

It might not be the World Series matchup anybody expected, but that is kind of what is amazing about it. It shows that parity does exist in baseball. It is a chance for the game to grow new stars. It gives fans in other cities hope. It has kept more fans in more places invested in the season for longer. On top of all of that, it also has a chance to be one heck of a series given the way both teams have mashed the ball in the playoffs.