Pitching vs. hitting.

Few World Series in recent memory feature a matchup where baseball teams are so clearly defined in these two critical areas.

It'll be a most intriguing confrontation when the lethal bats of the Texas Rangers come to San Francisco on Wednesday night (7:57 p.m. ET) to take on the deadly arms of the Giants in Game 1.

Ending the drought

One team will end a long dry spell when the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants tangle for World Series supremacy.

Eight years ago, the Giants has a glorious chance to win it all. Holding a 3-2 series lead and five-run advantage in Game 6 against the Anaheim Angels, it appeared San Francisco was well on its way. But the Angels battled back, rallying to take the next two games.

The organization hasn't won the World Series since 1954 — when the team was based in New York and Willie Mays made a memorable defensive play that is simply known as "The Catch."

The franchise moved to San Francisco to begin the 1958 season and has never seen the same success.

The Rangers will be making their World Series debut. The franchise began as the Washington Senators in 1962 before moving to Texas 10 years later.

The Rangers have captured four American League West titles (2010, 1999, 1998 and 1996), but hadn't won their first two playoff series until this post-season.

— Tony Care

There are obvious exceptions surrounding this series. Rangers starter Cliff Lee is absurdly good in the playoffs, posting a 7-0 career record with a 1.26 ERA.

Giants centre-fielder Cody Ross, a late season addition, earned the National League Championship Series MVP award for his timely hitting against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Yet the overall theme of this World Series comes back to pitting San Francisco's stellar pitching against a Rangers offence that's been absolutely tearing the cover off the ball.

The Giants struggle defensively, are notoriously undisciplined at the plate and don't steal many bases. So how did they manage to advance all the way to the World Series? When it comes to pitching, this team has few peers.

Starters Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez basically carried the Giants in the last month of the regular season, helping San Francisco to a major-league-leading 3.36 ERA for the year.

Once the post-season began, Lincecum and Cain — in particular — were sensational. Lincecum, the team's ace, went 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in the first two series, which included his memorable complete-game shutout and 14-strikeout effort against Atlanta.

"He was lights out," Bobby Cox, who retired as Braves manager after losing to San Francisco in four games during opening round, said of Lincecum's performance. "We had two runners at second base all night and that's it."

Cain (1-0, 0.00 ERA) has actually been the steadier of the two, pitching the game of his life last week. The right-hander was dominating in Game 3 versus the Phillies, allowing only two hits over seven innings en route to a 3-0 victory.

"This has got to be the top one, really," Cain said of his victory over Philadelphia. "To be able to pitch in the post-season is great and to be able to go out there, throw the ball well and help your team win is a great feeling."

And even when a starter falters, as Sanchez did in Game 6 of the NLCS last Saturday, the relievers are there to bail out their team.

To manager Bruce Bochy's dismay, Sanchez had no control of his pitchers and lasted only two innings. But five relievers, including Madison Bumgarner, who will start Game 4 in Texas, combined to shutout Philadelphia through seven innings in the game-clinching series.

Rangers pound opponents into submission

However, the Giants have more concerns with the Rangers.

Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton, centre, scorched the Yankees in the ALCS with four home runs in six games. (Jim McIssac/Getty Images)Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton, centre, scorched the Yankees in the ALCS with four home runs in six games. (Jim McIssac/Getty Images)

Led by outfielder Josh Hamilton (32 home runs, .359 average), Texas sported the best batting average (.276) in the American League while ranking fourth in runs scored (787).

The post-season has been even more impressive. Texas destroyed both the Tampa Bay Rays and World Series champion New York Yankees, combining to hit 17 homes runs, steal 16 bases and score 59 runs in 11 games.

In each of the four games it took to eliminate the Yankees, Texas won by at least five runs.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus buried the Rays and Yankees on the base path, swiping seven bags and scoring six times — a problem the Giants will have to contend with, especially Lincecum, who struggles to keep runners at bay.

"Their speed intimidates pitchers," one scout told ESPN.com. "I've seen it. The pitcher pitches differently because of that speed. And then he doesn't concentrate enough on their masher."

Those "mashers" include Hamilton (four home runs against the Yankees in the ALCS) and outfielder Nelson Cruz, who's smacked five homers in the post-season.

One big advantage for the Rangers is they can overcome a bad pitching day with an overpowering offence, whereas the Giants need to keep things close or they're toast.

So does good pitching always beat good hitting?

The answer should come in about a week.