NLCS St. Louis Cardinals vs San francisco Giants

[9RoyHobbsRF]

OK this one actually will occur

[9RoyHobbsRF]

the Giants seem to do very well vs LH starters of which the Cards don't have any with Garcia out
advantage Cards

The Cards are a heavy RH batting team and the Giants have Cain Vogelsong plus possibly a sharper Lincecum
advantage Giants

The Giants have the HF advantage
advantage Giants

The Cards are defending WS champs and have an incredible ability to rescue lost games with an excellent offense
advantage Cards

Bochy is a proven excellent post season and game manager, not sure yet on rookie manager Matheny, what did he do really besides watch his team hit
advantage Giants

Cards have more fire power from more hitters
advantage Cards

[Bothrops Atrox]

Tough to pick a winner. ATT park is typically a den of horrors for St. Louis, but we will see.

I do think the Ginats offense is better than people realize and the Cardinals starting staff is better than people realize. I'd say the key to the Cards is Wainwright. If he can go all 09-10, then the Cards will be in great shape. If his fastball can't get over 90, they really have a SP disadvantage.

[KHenry14]

I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if this series went 7. Neither team has any quit in them, so I expect a few extra innings games or comeback games. Both teams are well balanced, with a slight edge to the Giants pitching and the Cards hitting.

Can't wait for Sunday!

[KHenry14]

I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if this series went 7. Neither team has any quit in them, so I expect a few extra innings games or comeback games. Both teams are well balanced, with a slight edge to the Giants pitching and the Cards hitting.

Can't wait for Sunday!

[9RoyHobbsRF]

http://www.sfgate.com/giants/jenkins/article/Cardinals-carry-on-winning-tradition-3944878.php

a very complimetary article on the Cardinals from SFgate.com

[Blue387]

Cardinals batters are dangerous.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

one SI wrtier picks the Cards to advance easily in 5

[SamtheBravesFan]

one SI wrtier picks the Cards to advance easily in 5

"Easily"? Really? I don't want them to win, but even I don't believe that.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

apparently, no two teams that were the previous 2 world champions have ever met in the playoffs

and the last world series to match 2 previous world champions was 1958 Braves (1957) vs Yankees (1956)

I can remember epic playoffs between the Reds (1970 pennant winners) vs Pirates (1971 world champions) in 1972 and A's (1972 world champions) and Orioles (1971 pennant winners) in 1973

[9RoyHobbsRF]

I am not going to over think this and would like a more definite update on Affeldt but I dont see the Cards winning key games late in the series at SF if the series goes that far and I surely don't see the Cards sweeping or taking it in 5 (though anything is possible) and if they do either of those my hat is off to them, I see the Giants winning in 6 or 7

[Bothrops Atrox]

I am not going to over think this and would like a more definite update on Affeldt but I dont see the Cards winning key games late in the series at SF if the series goes that far and I surely don't see the Cards sweeping or taking it in 5 (though anything is possible) and if they do either of those my hat is off to them, I see the Giants winning in 6 or 7

Because the Cardinals have not won any key road playoff games the past two years...

Either way, of the six ESPN writers I saw, three picked the Giants and three picked the Cardinals. Sportsnation has the Cardinals 53%-47% at last glance. Pretty much a toss-up across the board.

Picking any team in 4 or 5 is stupid and unlikely. Even poor teams win more than an average of 1/5 games vs. good teams. Not that it doesn't happen, but it is never the most likely scenario.

[StanTheMan]

This will be a battle of the bullpens. I voted Cards in 7.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

Sports Illustrated baseball experts: 7 of 9 picked The Cardinals, 3 of them in 5 games

[9RoyHobbsRF]

^ again I just don't see it, the Cards played .543 ball this year and sure they had a little adversity and beat a Strasburg less Nats team in a stirring playoff but they are not super human

The Giants played the whole season without their all star closer, yet put together a patchwork bullpen that was VERY effective. They played significant parts of the season without Pablo Sandoval (2 times on the DL). Their all-star LF left the team and their rivals added all star after all star and instead of collapsing the Giants rose to the challenge and demolished the division. Their young SS and young 1B - the Brandons - both had big parts of the season when they struggled - but the more the season went on the more comfortable they got. Gregor Blanco played very well in the beginning of the season and had a mid year slump then came on again at the end and had a nice playoffs. Angel Pagan settled into the leadoff position mid summer and found a home there. Hunter Pence came on late summer and was 4th in the league in RBI. Tim Lincecum rebounded nicely the second half and could be the key. And of course Marco Scutaro was awesome since coming over and hit into bad luck in the division series - I am predicting he does very well vs St. Louis. Then there is Posey and Bochy who both are very big assets.

The Giants comeback vs the Reds was at least as impressive as the Cards comeback against the Nats (well actually the Cards were leading 2 games to 1) and while the Cards have some strengths they have some vulnerabilities as well.

The Giants relish the underdog role. Let's hope injuries (poor Jeter), bad umpire calls, or other items don't blemish a chance for a really well played competitive series.

Giants in 6