Cardinals/Cubs 2015 NLDS Thread

telephoto1

One of the game's long standing rivalries writes another chapter starting tomorrow. The Cubs come in off a dominant win over Pittsburgh featuring arguably the league's best arm, and the Central Division champion Cards bring a squad that is somewhat rested but still slightly bruised, though they have a proven record of bringing it in the post season, wounded or not.

So... what are your predictions? Who prevails this time? Do the Redbirds bring their A game and squash yet another Cinderella, or was "Back To The Future" prophetic and 2015 really is the year of the Cubs?

Fire away...

LarkinCollector

No predictions, but it would be pretty cool if BTTF was correct.

galaxy27

Always pick against the Cards at your peril, but something tells me the Cubbies are going to come to play in this series. If Arrieta hadn't gone last night and was able to (potentially) throw twice, I'd be leaning like the Tower of Pisa toward Chicago. STL had the best record in baseball, but the injuries racked up along with the wins. And they didn't exactly enter the postseason with anything resembling momentum, seeing as they were shut out in their final three games of the reg season. But again, this is an unparalleled culture of winning we're talking about here. A key cog goes down and the Cardinals always proceed as if nothing ever happened.

All of that said, a very tricky series when it comes to prognostications. Hope my dad (STL fan since the Musial days) doesn't read this: With wavering conviction I say the Cubs are going to get them.

dallasactuary

If the Cardinals, especially Molina, were 100% healthy I don't think the Series would even be close. The reality, though, is that the Cardinals aren't anywhere close to 100%, and I think the Cubs should probably be favored. At some point, of course, the Cubs will lose, because that's what they do. But I think the Dodgers are more likely to take them out than the Redbirds. I hope I'm wrong and the Cards sweep, but I do not have the good feeling I usually have when the playoffs start.

bronco2078

In one of the Back to the Future movies the cubs were predicted to win the world series in 2015 . So there you go , its a lock pretty much.

Stewie

Love tomorrow night's Lester-Lackey matchup. Can't wait. GO CUBS!!!

telephoto1

To be fair, the Cards had already locked up the division title before those last 3 games with Atlanta and were playing a lot of bench guys, as well as using ATL as an opportunity to test Wainwright's arm. Ideally from a momentum/morale standpoint I would have liked to see them going into the NLDS with a sweep (something they likely could have done had they played the A team all three games) but I think it was a wise move by Matheny to rest Yadi et. al...

coinkat

This may be the most under appreciated rivalry in professional sports

wrestlingcardking

Great start for the Birds tonight.....I know talent can override experience but the Cardinals will be difficult to beat. I like their bullpen and defense more and many of these games will come down to one run.

bishop

Dallas-- how the heck are you ?

lightningboy

Regardless of how the rest of the series plays out, I think the Cards domination of the division is creeping to an end. Maybe not next year, but with the youthful talent and the managerial wisdom of Maddon, I think the Cubs are in for a fun 5+ years

telephoto1

The fiasco in the 2nd inning spelled doom. I can only surmise that it was pressure that caused the errors, as all involved are much better than that.

It will be interesting to see if the Cards can get to Arrieta tonight; even though I'm a lifelong STL fan I must admit to having grave concerns. If we should go down 2-1 with another game to go at Wrigley and a fired up Cub team, it will be grim. Wacha needs to be dominant out of the gate as STL likely won't score much to back him up if Arrieta pitches his usual game.

Stewie

Forget the players. Just remember the names of the teams. This THE CARDINALS. And THE CUBS. It can't be anything other than that. I'm very worried.

Oh boy, is this great!
~ Flounder

telephoto1

Congrats to the long-suffering Cub fans as their team clears its first hurdle. So will they be going against LA or NY?

perkdog

Go Cubbies! Good for them and their fans!

MCMLVTopps

I'm definitely pulling for the Cubs!! I hope they can win it all.

SanctionII

In Back To The Future II when Marty McFly traveled to October, 2015 the sports headline was that the Cubs won the 2015 World Series.

Maybe it will happen.