Breaking down the Cardinals-Dodgers NL Division Series

3 reasons Los Angeles could win

1. Dynamic duo. Clayton Kershaw is due to make $32.571 million next season, and no one is saying he’s overpaid. Kershaw has a 1.83 ERA and a 0.857 WHIP and has a good chance to win the MVP award. The Dodgers’ highest-paid player this season is former Royal Zack Greinke, who won 17 games and had a 2.87 ERA. So, yeah, he’s not too bad either.

2. Swinging a hot bat. The Dodgers scored the most runs in baseball in September (156) and tied for the most home runs (35). First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig can each carry LA.

3. Revenge. The memory of last year’s NLCS loss to the Cardinals likely remains a fresh memory to the Dodgers.

3 reasons St. Louis could win

1. Because the National League Championship Series always goes through St. Louis. Not really always, but eight times since 2000, including each of the last three seasons. They are used to big games.

2. The Cardinals can do more with less. The Dodgers’ top two starters are as good as any in baseball, so runs could be at a premium. St. Louis won a franchise-best five games this season when collecting four hits or fewer.

3. Adam Wainwright is pretty good, too. In September, Wainwright was 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA and was the NL Pitcher of the Month.

Schedule

▪ Friday: St. Louis (Wainwright, 20-9) at Los Angles (Kershaw, 21-3), 5:37 p.m., Fox Sports

▪ Saturday: St. Louis (Lynn, 15-10) at Greinke, 17-8), 8:37 p.m., MLB network

▪ Monday: Los Angeles (Ryu, 14-7) at St. Louis (Lackey, 3-3), 11 a.m., Fox Sports

▪ *Tuesday: Los Angeles at St. Louis (Miller, 10-9), 11 a.m., Fox Sports

▪ *Thursday: St. Louis at Los Angeles, TBD, Fox Sports

* if necessary

Things to know

▪ The Cardinals had a major-league best 22 shutouts, their most since having 30 in 1968.

▪ St. Louis was not swept in a series of three games or more this season.

▪ Los Angeles had consecutive 90-plus-win seasons for the first time since 1976-78.

▪ Cardinals manager Mike Matheny joined Hughie Jennings (1907-09), Ralph Houk (1961-63), Larry Dierker (1997-99) and Ron Gardenhire (2002-04) as the only big-league skippers to take teams to the postseason in each of their first three seasons at the helm.

▪ Greinke batted .200, his lowest average since playing full-time in the National League. However, he had six doubles and a home run.

This story was originally published October 2, 2014 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Breaking down the Cardinals-Dodgers NL Division Series."