The 2013 National League Championship Series could, quite possibly, be an instant classic.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals are mirror images of each other. Both teams have tremendous starting pitching. Both teams have solid bullpens. Both teams have stacked lineups that are relentless. And, both teams have former players as skippers who never managed before managing their current teams – ever.
This will be the second time these two franchises have met in the NLCS. The teams met in the 1985 NLCS – the Cardinals defeated the Dodgers that year for the right to play in the World Series. (The Cardinals would lose the World Series to the Kansas City Royals in seven games.) The Dodgers and Cardinals are two of the most decorated and historic franchises in National League history. Both teams trace their roots to the 1890’s. The Dodgers were once the heroes of every working man and woman in Brooklyn, until they decided to move West prior to the 1958 season.
Let’s take a look at the starting pitchers. The Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw and the Cardinals do not. Neither do 28 other teams. Kershaw led the Majors in ERA for a third consecutive year. He finished 2013 with an unheard of 1.83 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. The Dodgers however, decided to use Kershaw on three-days rest in NLDS to finish off the Atlanta Braves. Kershaw will not pitch until Game 2. The Dodgers will pitch Zack Greinke in Game 1. Greinke is one of the top starting pitchers in baseball and gives the Dodgers a formidable 1-2 punch. Many older baseball fans have compared the Kershaw-Greinke tandem to the fabled Dodgers’ duo of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale of the 1960’s. In fact, both duos have similar pitching styles. Koufax and Kershaw have hissing fastballs and knee-buckling curveballs, while Drysdale and Greinke would have no problem whatsoever coming up-and-in with a high, hard one to anybody who dared crowd the plate or swing from the heels. Hyun-Jin Ryu was brought over from South Korea and was immediately inserted into the Dodgers’ rotation. He started 30 games and had a 3.00 ERA. Ricky Nolasco who was acquired from the Miami Marlins during the season would be the fourth starter, but Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly elected to skip Nolasco in favor of Kershaw on short rest in the NLDS. Nolasco struggled mightily in September.
The Cardinals starters’ don’t have the big names the Dodgers do, but they are just as formidable. It all starts with Adam Wainwright. He is the last remaining pitching link to the Cardinals’ 2006 World Series Championship team. He is a tenacious pitcher who’s curveball is the right-handed version of Kershaw’s. Then there are the youngsters – the future stars. This just might be the stage for them to gain national notoriety. Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller. All three are polished, flame-throwers with impeccable control. Wacha took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 4 of the NLDS – a win that salvaged the Cardinals’ season. Wacha was pitching at Texas A&M in 2012 and is now getting ready to pitch in the NLCS. He lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning during his last start of the regular season – a game against the Washington Nationals. He became the first pitcher in the Majors to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning in consecutive starts since Dave Steib of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1988. Joe Kelly had a 1.97 ERA since June 1 – third in the Majors. Shelby Miller or Lance Lynn will be the fourth starter. Miller struggled with fatigue down the stretch and Lynn was hammered by the Pirates in his one start in the NLDS.
The bullpens are fairly evenly matched. The Dodgers have one of the most underrated closers in Kenley Jansen. Former San Francisco Giants closer and postseason hero, Brian Wilson has returned from Tommy John surgery to take over the set-up duties. The Cardinals have nothing but flame-throwers coming out of their bullpen. Sinker-baller Edwin Mujica who was the Cardinals’ closer for most of the season, struggled in September and has been replaced with Trevor Rosenthal and his 100-mph heater. The Cardinals also have Carlos Martinez, Seth Maness and Kevin Siegrist coming out of the ‘pen firing in the mid-to-upper 90’s. Then there is side-winding, left hander Randy Choate that Cardinals’ manager Mike Matheny can use to neutralize the Dodgers’ lefties late in games.
The offenses are fairly evenly matched, as well. The story in Major League Baseball this summer was the emergence of five-tool phenom Yasiel Puig. The Dodgers’ rookie was a nightly highlight reel. He can literally steal a game with his legs, bat or arm – or all of the above. The Dodgers will also enjoy the return of outfielder Andre Ethier who missed the NLDS. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and left fielder Carl Crawford are two players to watch. Catcher A.J. Ellis and second baseman Mark Ellis are solid Major League players who are plus defenders.
The Cardinals will, once again, be without the services of first baseman Allen Craig who is out with an injury. His void in the lineup will be huge against the Dodgers’ starting pitching. Craig led the club with 97 RBI and led Major League Baseball with a .411 RISP. His replacement is left-handed slugger Matt Adams, who during any at-bat, could wallop a Ruthian blast deep into the night. There is perennial postseason hero Carlos Beltran, who almost always seems to get a clutch hit when his team needs it the most. Second baseman Matt Carpenter was arguably the team MVP during the regular season. He was only the fifth player in history to lead the Majors in hits, doubles, and runs scored. His 55 doubles were a club record for a left-handed hitter – a club that Stan “The Man” Musial played for. Then there is 2011 NLCS and World Series hero, third baseman David Freese. His performance in Game 6 of that World Series will go down as one of the greatest in history. He reprised that role against the Pirates in Game 5 of the NLDS with a two-run home run. Of course, the Cardinals also have the best catcher in the game – Yadier Molina. Molina’s defense is impeccable – from calling a game, to blocking pitches in the dirt, to neutralizing the running game with the howitzer he possesses. Shortstop Pete Kozma is a gritty player who won’t provide much offense but is a solid defender. Centerfielder John Jay is a solid a steady all-around player.
Game 1: Los Angeles (Greinke) @ St. Louis (Kelly) Friday, October 11, 8:00pm
Game 2: Los Angeles (Kershaw) @ St. Louis (Wacha) Saturday, October 12, 4:00pm
Game 3: St. Louis (Wainwright) @ Los Angeles (Ryu) Monday, October 14, 8:00pm
Game 4: St. Louis (TBD) @ Los Angeles (Nolasco) Tuesday, October 15, 8:00pm
Game 5: St. Louis (TBD) @ Los Angeles (TBD) Wednesday, October 16, 4:00pm (if necessary)
Game 6: Los Angeles (TBD) @ St. Louis (TBD) Friday, October 18, 8:30pm (if necessary)
Game 7: Los Angeles (TBD) @ St. Louis (TBD) Saturday, October 19, 8:30pm (if necessary)
This shapes up as an extremely evenly matched series. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. The Cardinals have the postseason experience. The Dodgers have the star power. Every postseason, a new and unexpected hero shows up and grabs the spotlight. Buckle your seatbelts.
Dodgers in seven.
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