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The Matchup for the 2014 NLCS has finally been set, and the last two teams to represent the National League in the World Series will play each other for a chance to win another World Series trophy.
San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals, NLCS Game 1, Saturday, October 11, 8:07 PM. ET.
The last time these two teams met in the NLCS was in 2012; the Giants won the series in seven games, and went on to win the World Series. St. Louis made it back to the NLCS in 2012, and advanced to the World Series, where they lost to the Boston Red Sox in 6 games.
Pitching Matchups
The Giants will turn to Madison Bumgarner once again in game 1, while the Cardinals will send Adam Wainwright to the mound.
Bumgarner had a good season for the Giants, and was their most reliable pitcher this year. He finished the season with an 18-10 record, and led the team with a 2.98 ERA. In the playoffs, he has been sensational, he shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Wildcard game, pitching a complete game, and allowed 2 earned runs in 7 innings in a loss against the Washington Nationals. Bumgarner has a 1-1 record against the Cardinals this year, but won his only start at St. Louis, and the Giants are hoping he can get another win on the road for them.
Adam Wainwright was one probably the second best pitcher in the NL this season, finishing the season with a 20-9 record and a 2.38 ERA. He has had success in the playoffs in the past, but was roughed up by the Los Angeles Dodgers in his only playoff appearance this season, giving up 11 hits and 6 runs in a little over four innings. Fortunately, the Cardinals fought their way back into the game, and were able to win 10-9. The Cardinals will need Wainwright to bounce back from that poor outing, and give them the type of performance he gave during the regular season, and help them take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Other than the Kansas City Royals, the San Francisco Giants are one of the hottest teams in the playoffs; they have won the World Series in their last two playoff appearances, and have won 11 of their last 12 post season games, making them a team nobody wants to face. They won the season series against the Cardinals 4-3, so they will be feeling confident going into this series.
The Cardinals feel like they have some unfinished business after losing to the Red Sox last year, they also have some added incentive to defeat the Giants, because they eliminated them in the ALCS in 2012, costing them a trip to the World Series. The Cardinals have been hitting the ball well so far, which helped them get past the Los Angeles Dodgers, and will be hoping that their bats stay hot against the Giants, who don’t have a dominant pitching staff like they did in the past.
Personal Pick: The Giants, who weren’t expected to make it this far seems to find a way to overcome any obstacles in their way, they are a very confident team, and will surprise a lot of people again by defeating the Cardinals.
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