While most know of the Dodgers’ struggles the past fortnight or so, they finished by winning their final two games. 

And though St. Louis had little to play for other than home field in round one, the Redbirds dropped eight of their final ten, mostly to teams now playing golf.

Thankfully, perhaps, they avoided the Rockies, who took six of seven from them in 2009, and instead get the Dodgers, who limp into the postseason, after being arguably the NL’s best squad most of the season.

Here is the TV schedule and the pitching matchups for the Cardinals-Dodgers NLDS series:

Cardinals-Dodgers LDS TV Schedule and Pitching Matchups

Before winning Saturday and Sunday — the latter a meaningless game which Colorado played back-ups — Los Angeles had lost five in a row, four of them to the Padres and Pirates.

The Dodgers have been a solid home team this season, but they dropped two of three at Chavez Ravine to STL in late August. The reason? Cy Young frontrunners Adam Wainwright and recently-minted Comeback Player of the Year Chris Carpenter, who foiled LA’s lumber during the regular season, on their way to 41 combined victories despite the latter missing five weeks (and six starts) in April/May.

Those two fellows stand as Saint Louis’ biggest strength in the series.

Hitting had been a strength of the Dodgers all season, but lately, while Manny Ramirez has not homered since mid-September (4 for 28 this year against STL with no homers), key role players like James Loney and especially Russell Martin, have scuffled of late. Andre Ethier, the Dodgers big stick on the left side, will need to capitalize against a Cardinal staff full of right-handers. One strength Los Angeles has, that does not get enough attention in postseason but really matters, is defense. There is no playoff team better defensively than the Dodgers.

With journeyman Randy Wolf assuming the role of “staff ace” in a game one start versus Carpenter to be followed by 21 year-old Clayton Kershaw against Wainwright, LA could have major issues trying to get this series back to LA, as STL is bound to win one of those, if not both. Right-handed sluggers like Pujols, Matt Holliday, Ryan Ludwick and Mark DeRosa — 116 homers between the four this year — will be salivating to see Wolf, who allowed a startling 23 home runs vs righties in 2009. Heck, 2002 NL MVP (and right-side slugger) Troy Glaus will probably start a game or two as well. Defensive stud and 2006 NLCS hero, Yadier Molina, willstart game one despite missing most of the season’s final week.

On the other hand, the Cards need to split at worst in LA (home field means very little in the postseason) as they have major issues in the 3-4 starter area, with struggling Joel Piniero , spotty Kyle Lohse and  42 year-old John Smoltz getting the balls this weekend.Blue-collar closer Ryan Franklin has become a major issue for the Cards after having a sensational first half.

The Dodgers’ ace in the hole is Chad Billingsley, who’s been hurting, but when healthy is their best pitcher.  His status is unknown. So is the back-end of the rotation, though there are quality candidates. LA’s bullpen, however, worked the third most innings in baseball during 2009; the Cards’ pen, the fewest in baseball. Then there’s the Red Birds’ ”ace” is known to many, and can be the difference in any series: Mr. Albert Pujols.

Gerry Farley of the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, explained why Saint Louisians should be confident:

“This is, by far, the better matchup for the Cardinals. The Dodgers lack a dominating starter. Their opening-game starter, lefthander Randy Wolf, is the bad-karma pitcher of the season. The Dodgers have nine blown saves behind Wolf, who has trouble getting beyond the sixth inning. Lefthander Clayton Kershaw allowed 4.79 walks per nine innings and also usually departs in the middle innings.”

There are many other great storylines in this one, and despite all the perceived mismatches, I could easily see it being the first division series since 2005 to go five games — and the only one to do so this season.

The Cardinals, arguably the “team of the decade,” at least in terms of consistent success, would like to add another deep run to their 21st century resume.

Yahoo Sports, which, for my money is far superior to ESPN.com, has done a great job with playoff synopses. St. Louis’ can be found here. A more local look at the NL Central champs is here. For more on the Dodgers, see here.

Some girl that I’ve never heard of before sang “God Bless America” last night at the Dodgers-Cardinals game and, well, it didn’t go so well. Follow the link to Busted Coverage’s account of Erika David failing miserably in her singing of “God Bless America”, and then watch video of said failure below.

And, yes, James Loney’s facial expressions are priceless.

Video: Erika David Fails Singing “God Bless America” at Dodgers-Cardinals Game

And now some other links from around the blogosphere for you:

• Jay Cutler, Jersey King — (Jay Cutler Superstar)
• Joe Mauer: MVP — (Josh Q. Public)
• Random Retro Baseball Player: Kelly Gruber — (Sharapova’s Thigh)
• NCAA’s respect weekend has big potential to fail — (MoonDog)
• Manstruction: How to write poetry — (Straight Pinkie)
• 35 Trippy Hippy VW Vans — (Hail Mary Jane)
• SEC Digital Network will change the game as we know it — (SEC Rivals)
• Kenny Powers makes his debut as an analyst — (Awful Announcing)
• A couple of nice Erin Andrews photos — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
• College football blogpoll ballot — (Not Qualified to Comment)
• The best Favre hate from around the web — (Tremendous Upside Potential)
• Reds stuck with Harang — (My Sports Rumors)
• Strasburg gets Capitol Punishment — (Zoner Sports)

The sweep was the Cub’s first since June 27-29 when they lost three straight games to their cross town rivals Chicago White Sox in Interleague play.

Ironically the Dodgers avenged an earlier sweep at the hands of the Cubs at the Friendly Confines back in May. The only difference is that the Dodgers are advancing to the National League Championship Series and the Cubs are looking to 2009 where they will hopefully find a way past the first round.

The Dodgers face the Phillies for the right to be called NL champs, with game one set for Thursday. The Dodger Blue return to the NL Championship round after a 20-year absence since the fatal blow by Kurt Gibson propelled them to the World Series in 1988.

The Fighting Phills return to the playoffs after 15 years of futility since the Phillies took centre stage in 1993 boasting a 97-65 mark. It was the only time in the 1990’s that the Phillies enjoyed a winning record making the best of it.

Since the Cub’s sweep of the Dodgers this season, first year manager Joe Torre has added slugger Manny Ramirez to the fold which has more than revamped a struggling lineup before the trade. The difference has been Night and Day for the struggling Dodgers.

Despite being one game out of the NL West race and one game below .500 and struggling for power due to injuries the Dodger Blue signed Ramirez just hours before the July 31^st deadline.

“If we didn’t have him, I don’t know what our chances would have been,” said third baseman Casey Blake, acquired five days earlier.

With Ramirez, the Dodgers went on an 18-5 tear to clinch the NL West and put Ramirez in the postseason for the 10th time in his illustrious career.

[tags]chicago cubs, los angeles dodgers, mlb, mlb playoffs, baseball, manny ramirez[/tags]

Dodger first baseman James Loney silenced the crowd connecting on a 3-2 pitch that sailed over the center field fence for a heartbreaking Grand Slam and a 4-2 lead. The Cubs suffered their seventh straight post season loss as Chicago coach Lou Piniella’s refused to pull the plug on starter Ryan Dempster who had clearly struggled through five innings on the hill.

The Billy Goat, Black Cat, or even Bartman were no excuse for any manager to keep a struggling pitcher on the mound, hoping to dodge bullets from the bats of the lethal Dodger’s lineup. The Cubs danced around a bases loaded third inning before outfielder Andre Eithier struck out to end the threat.

Dempster was on borrowed time all night giving up seven walks through five innings of work and never looking comfortable before Loney put an end to his night, and possibly the Cubs hopes to advance in the playoffs.

“I felt like I really let the guys down today,” said a solemn Dempster in the lock room after the game.

The lone bright spot for the Cubs came with one out in the second inning when Mark DeRosa put the Cubs up with a two run blast off winning pitcher Derek Lowe.

DeRosa, making his return after a calf injury forced him to miss the Cubs final four regular season games came out in grand fashion later came to the aide of his teammate. “You’re surprised by the walks,” Chicago’s Mark DeRosa said. “When you consistently put yourself in jams with walks, eventually somebody’s going to get a knock. That’s just the way the game is. I’m hoping he gets another chance. I want to give him that chance to get on the mound and redeem himself.”

The final dagger in the backs of the Cubs faithful came in the bottom of the ninth inning as Dodger manager Joe Torre trotted out two time Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux to close out the game.

Maddux was welcomed by the still respectful crowd that had remembered Maddux’s career in Chicago, but proceeding to ignore the accolades putting down the Cubbies in order to end the night and give the Dodgers the 1-0 game lead ending the Cubs home field advantage.

Another sidelight came when Alfonso Soriano ended the night going 0 for 5 and walking back to the dugout amidst a chorus of boos. The Cubs send their Ace Carlos Zambrano to the mound tonight in what should be a do or die game for Chicago, and given the hit or miss style of Zambrano, the Cubs might be in for a long night and an even longer off season.

[tags]chicago cubs, los angeles dodgers, lou piniella, mlb, mlb playoffs[/tags]