warning Hi, we've moved to USCANNENBERGMEDIA.COM. Visit us there!

Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

NLCS Preview: Dodgers vs. Cardinals

Matthew Tufts |
October 11, 2013 | 1:11 p.m. PDT

Staff Writer

Will Don Mattingly's squad take one step closer to the World Series? (Creative Commons)
Will Don Mattingly's squad take one step closer to the World Series? (Creative Commons)

The two squads in the National League Championship Series took very different paths to success: The Cardinals rode a wave of young homegrown talent to a league-best 97 wins. The Dodgers were the offseason's biggest spenders bringing in big names like Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Cardinals are perennial World Series contenders. The Dodgers are on a World Series or bust track this year. Who'll advance?

Pitching

Neither team will be going with their ace in Friday's matchup. The Dodgers used Clayton Kershaw in Game 4 of the NLDS to finish the series at home. The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright went the distance in Game 5 against the Pirates to give St. Louis the series. 

The Dodgers will start Zack Greinke in Game 1 Friday evening against rising St. Louis star Joe Kelly. The two had similar outings in their NLDS appearance and are likely two make Game 1 a low-scoring affair. 

As the series progresses, the aces come out and it becomes clear that home field advantage will likely not play a defining role. Kershaw will start Game 2 - the St. Louis faithful will be out in force at Busch Stadium, but Kershaw knows how to take control of a game in a hostile environment (as witnessed by Atlanta fans in Game 1 of the NLDS). Adam Wainwright will get the nod in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium, giving his team a major advantage against any Dodgers starter except Kershaw. So forget home field advantage. It's a starters advantage.

SEE MORE: NLDS Recap: Uribe’s Long Ball Lifts Dodgers Into NLCS

Lineup

Both teams have some significant pop in their bats, and it showed in their respective Divisional Series. 

Carl Crawford came out of the blue (no pun intended) for the Dodgers swatting three key home runs in the NLDS against the Braves. Hanley Ramirez has just been raking, tallying eight hits in the NLDS, the majority of which were for extra bases. The Dodgers have hit the ball well and in clutch situations. If they keep their hitting up, all the Dodgers will need are a few decent outings by their starters and they'll find themselves in the World Series. 

Adam Wainwright has always been clutch in the postseason. (Herkie/Creative Commons)
Adam Wainwright has always been clutch in the postseason. (Herkie/Creative Commons)

The Cards also used the home run in their Game 5 win over the Pirates with both David Freese and Matt Adams swatting long balls. They have power early in the lineup with Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday back to back. Adams is no Allen Craig, but will be sure to see good pitches hitting by Beltran and Holliday.

X-Factor

The Dodgers only took one left-handed reliever on their roster for a series against a team that has struggled significantly against lefties. The Dodgers may figure that they have two strong lefty starters in Kershaw and Ryu that can go deep into games and save the bullpen. Nevertheless, this is worth watching if the Dodgers' starters struggle.

The Cardinals need David Freese to step up the way he has in the past in the postseason. His home run against the Pirates in the Game 5 of the NLDS was welcome sign, but it was his only run scored of the series and only his third hit. Freese is able to anchor the back of the lineup. When he's on, he makes the entire St. Louis lineup dangerous all the way through. The Cards can't afford to let the Dodgers just cruise through the bottom of their lineup. At the least, they need someone who will put together quality at bats and force Los Angeles' starters to throw more pitches. 

Final Verdict

Dodgers in seven. This will be a tough series taking both teams the distance, but the Dodgers have more big-time playmakers on their roster. The Dodgers will be headed to their first World Series since 1988.

 

Reach Staff Writer Matthew Tufts here. Follow him on Twitter. 



 

Buzz

Craig Gillespie directed this true story about "the most daring rescue mission in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.”

Watch USC Annenberg Media's live State of the Union recap and analysis here.

 
ntrandomness