Unlike the American League, where the Wild Card matchup was not known until the final day of the season, the picture in the National League has been clear for some time. The Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting the St. Louis Cardinals.
In one corner, we have the defending World Series champions and the club with 2021’s highest payroll, by a wide margin. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a stacked team that notched 106 victories this season but still couldn’t manage to outflank the Giants in the NL West. Now they find themselves one loss away from an early winter.
In the other corner, we have baseball hottest team. On July 31st, the Cardinals were 52-52, seven games behind the Padres for the second Wild Card spot. But they stormed through the end of the season, going 38-20, including a remarkable 17-game winning streak, and finished seven games ahead of their nearest competitors, the Reds.
On the mound will be two veterans who each already have World Series rings. 37-year-old Max Scherzer will toe the slab for the Dodgers, just over two years after starting 2019’s National League Wild Card game for the Nationals. In that start, Scherzer tossed five innings, allowing four hits, three walks and three earned runs. Although he left the game with his club down 3-1, the Nationals pulled off an incredible comeback and continued on their way to the 2019 World Series crown. Between Washington and Los Angeles this year, Scherzer threw 179 1/3 innings with 236 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.46.
Representing the opposing dugout will be Adam Wainwright, who continues to make mockery of aging curves. The 40-year-old logged 206 1/3 innings this year with 174 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.05. Incredibly, this will be the ninth season of his career where he has made at least one postseason appearance.
Who do you think will emerge victorious? (Poll link for app users.)
[polldaddy poll=10936056]
Cey hey pacing around his room rn lol
He’s probably criticizing some Cardinal fan’s grammar on Twitter.
Hey. Even I voted for the Cardinals this time. That’s really only for 2 reasons. #1) I am rooting for the Cardinals so my team doesn’t have to face the Dodgers if they advance. #2) By the time I even saw the post the Cardinals already had the lead. You’re always better off voting for the team who has the lead if you’re actually trying to be accurate. That still doesn’t mean the Cardinals have a better chance of winning it all than the Red Sox, Braves, White Sox, Astros and Brewers all do. I’m definitely rooting for them to make it to the NLCS though. They could also still get eliminated tonight. They are only up by a run and they are playing on the road against the Dodgers. Any thing can happen in the next six and a third innings.
Try again The Mets. Kidding aside the Cardinals are one helluva ball club and neither team deserved to lose tonight. The Cards IMO will take the Central next year and be a tough out in the playoffs. Nothing but respect to the Cards from a Dodger fan. 17 wins in a row is nothing to sneeze at.
Yeah. I had the Dodgers pegged to win it before the game. I probably should have waited to vote but the timing they put this poll up was weird. By the time I even saw it the Cardinals were winning and Scherzer was out of the game. I really wanted the Cards to win though just because I wanted to face them later in the playoffs. I do not want to face the 107 win Dodgers or the 107 win Giants. BTW…. Where are all those people that were claiming the Cardinals had a better chance at winning the World Series than the Brewers, Astros, White Sox, Braves and Red Sox? I had the Cardinals pegged as the worst team in the entire playoffs. Turns out the Yankees were actually slightly worse but the Cardinals were definitely in the bottom 2 and the worst playoff team in the National League. I told all of you guys that actually vocally stood pat in your belief that the Cardinals were that good I was going to make fun of you when they got knocked off before these other teams playoff runs even started. They kept saying the Cardinals were so great because they got a bunch of garbage time wins in September against teams who already had their playoff fates sealed. I should have known they were being dumb though when one of them referred to a team that came within 1 strike of knocking off the Dodgers 4 games to 1 to make it to the world series last season “a pretty trash team last year.” They’re judgement was clearly impaired and they couldn’t do simple math. You guys wanna fess up now and still bring out your Cardinal pride and admit how wrong you were about them being so likely to win the World Series now? They weren’t even talking about just this 1 game that the Cardinals were clearly favored to lose. They were saying the Cardinals were very likely to go all the way and knock off 4 straight teams on the road even though they would have been favored to lose to all of them. It’s a shame though. I was really hoping they would knock off the Dodgers and Giants so my team could face them. We’re actually going to have to face a real team now. The funny part is that the Cardinals fans over hyped player Yadi Molina was a big reason they lost. Not only did he do virtually nothing at the plate to help his offense (which should be expected because that’s what he typically does) but Yadi’s defensive shortcomings actually cost the Cardinals their season. Bellinger looked absolutely terrible running the base paths when he stole 2nd base. A defense first catcher should have thrown him out by a mile. At one point it actually looked like Bellinger was almost running in place while getting that steal off Yadi. Yadi couldn’t even get the ball out of his hand. There were already 2 outs so if Yadi gets that ball off and throws him out like he should have the home run never happens and the game goes into extras. It is a little fitting that they lost on a defensive mistake by the most overrated catcher in MLB history. That guy has about the same career WAR as Jason Kendall and even less WAR than Brian McCann even though he played much longer than those guys. Cardinals fans act like he should be a first ballot unanimous hall of famer. He’s had some great years but they were mixed in with a lot of mediocre ones. Cardinals fans can talk about his defense all they want but Yadi’s defense is what cost them a shot at the championship this season.
@The Mets “Missed WAR
This is the biggest bs take I’ve ever seen on this site.
Team RISP: 0-11 (Molina 0-1, Goldschmidt 0-1, Arenado 0-3, O’Neill 0-3, Carlson 0-2, Edman 0-1)
That’s your answer right there. The Cardinals had opportunities galore to win the game but they just couldn’t come up with a clutch hit when it mattered the most. Trying to blame Molina for the loss is absolutely delusional and ridiculous.
Agreed. Cards had a lot of opportunities but Dodger pitchers made big pitches in key situations. Cards didn’t really hit the ball hard but did enough to get on base. Two of Edman’s hits were soft contact. Cards were aggressive themselves on the base paths. Molina was not reason they lost. Roberts made some questionable moves but hey they all worked out at the end.
Both teams had multiple opportunities to break it open but the pitching prevailed… that was until two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
As for Roberts, I think he managed the game brilliantly. I don’t see how you can argue otherwise given the outcome.
I’m not saying Yadi was the only reason. I’m just saying if he makes that throw like he should have the game wouldn’t have ended then an the Cardinals would at least have another shot at the plate. When you watch that game over that is the one major play that should have happened that didn’t. Batters make outs all the time. You expect even a good batter to fail at least 60% of the time. Yadi should have been expected to make that play and he couldn’t even get the ball out of his hands.
Like you said. It was brilliant given the outcome, but if a different outcome you know there would be some second guessing.
Starting with pulling Scherzer at 94 pitches for Joe Kelly. A bit risky given bringing only 10 pitchers in a low scoring, even game. Kelly can be inconsistent with his command but better this year nd got out of it. Scherzer didn’t have his best stuff so I was okay with the move.
Bringing in McKinney for Beaty as a defensive substitute at 1B. I personally hate McKInney’s bat and would not have made the move but this move proved to be irrelevant.
Bringing in Graterol who has struggled this season but short sample size. It was against bottom of lineup so no damage.
Taking Treinen out in Top of 8th. Treinen is your best reliever I would have kept him for the last out even though he was on his second inning. Didn’t want the Dodgers to burn Knebel for 1/3 of an inning given shortage of pitchers.
It worked out but if the Dodgers had to go extra innings and beyond Bickford in the 10th, they would have to burn Urias or Gonsolin which would not have been ideal. I thought Roberts was fine. A couple of eye brow raising moves but nothing egregious.
Too many position players and at least one too few relievers. Probably a FO call.
Managers are always going to get second-guessed whenever their moves don’t work out, so how about giving them some credit when they do?
So let’s put it this way: Roberts played his Cards right.
@crimedog
All this Mets guy does is troll and try to give out hot takes. He floods the forum w/ contradictions and BS.
Paging Mr. Gwinn, Mr. P. N. Gwinn!
Hell I’m watching during a stress bullpen session
I will go for the Cards even if we lose the game. It will not be easy winning against the super team.
I’m hoping to see the Cardinals win here. Not just because I don’t like the Dodgers but because it will go a long way towards getting rid of the 1 game wild card
Yeah getting rid of the to most exciting games of the year is a good thing. Fans don’t even know how to be fans. SMH
More often than not the wild card games are duds. Tonight was solid but nothing too memorable. It’s also ridiculous to put a team’s fate on the line in 1 game
What they need to do with the WC is make it a best of 3 and the team with the overall better WC record gets the home field for all 3 games. AL could play Tues-Thurs and the NL would go Wed-Fri and the playoffs season only gets extended by 2 days. One game is too little after playing 162 there need to be 3 games.
This is the correct take
Curious as to how the author figures the NL WC was clear for some time. The Giants needed to win on the final day of the season to lock up the division, thus making LA the wild card
He knew what we all knew in April: the Giants were winning the NL West, obviously.
I just have a feeling it might be Cardinals.
Especially since Scherzer has not lost a single start for the Dodgers. They jinxed him.
He has to lose eventually, so why not today?
Wrong again Wallyworld lol
I’d like a Dodgers win here the Cardinals are just so darned boooooring.
How exactly are the Cardinals boring?
I’ve always found them boring for some reason that’s the one team I never watch on MLB.tv (I’m not some disgruntled cubs fan – they’re boring too)
17 wins in a row is boring? LOL
Upset city baby!
As a Giants fan, Dodgers are too good to lose to the Cardinals, as much as I’d love to see it, I don’t think it’ll happen
It’s 1 game. Being the better team doesn’t matter.
Or does it?????
It doesn’t. The Dodgers winning doesn’t change that. Cardinals kept it close and could have won rather easily. While I have no rooting interest, I’m a bit relieved a 106 win team didn’t get eliminated in a 1-game playoff. The better team usually wins a series, but 1 game is a crapshoot.
Who needs proper roster construction when you can just BS your way into the playoffs like the Cards while your fans complain the whole way.
Lol. The Cards technically won multiple World Series this way. At least this current Cardinal team actually finished with a playoff-worthy record.
If the team that scores first can maintain the lead, I’m guessing that’s the team that’ll win
You get my thumbs up
Why don’t more teams employ this strategy?
Mama’s wrong again
Double-play with the bases load, Ha Ha!
And better yet it was that snooty turner dude!
Snooty? Because he’s quiet and runs around the bases faster than you hobble to your commode?
Walk of home run….haha
I see Wallyworld is back to his trolling. Thanks for reverse cursing us into the victory. Tell me how bad the Lakers will be this season while you’re spewing stupidity lol
Cardinals lost Ha Ha!!!
This game is so aggravating. The Dodgers are gonna pull it out. They are too tight. They miss Muncy.
YES!!!! Now I can get extra sleep tomorrow as this Giants series is gonna be TIGHT!!!
Goes to show you that the majority of the people were wrong.
Hate going against Stubby Clapp, but I pick LA on a walk-off HR by a Taylor. Not sure which.
I also predict the Cardinals make the mistake of using their failed All-Star closer at the worst time. “Failed” being the operative term here, Mike Shildt. He’s certain to wilt. I can see it like it already happened.
OK. I’ll go with Chris as the Taylor.
Your Epimetheus-like post is neither amusing or prudent.
*nor*
I liked it!
@Arthur…You are easily amused by incorrect assertions in hindsight. Good to know
Why the heck would you bring in that bum Reyes he’s horrible? He farts and and he gives up 2 run bomb. SMH
@despicableyou….And if he pitched a clean inning you would post of what a genius move it was. Your comments are excrement.
Great game!
Give the Cardinals props for winning 17 in a row and getting in. That said, they’re a pedestrian team that simply got extremely hot for an extended period. They simply weren’t that good…no team is 17-in-a-row good for a whole season.
DS will be insane and I like the Dodgers in 5, as I think the starting pitching match-ups favor them slightly in each game, and the bullpens being a draw.
Glad to see the Dodgers win that game. Absolutely hate the Cardinals. Was honestly hoping the Reds would get back in the race by then that crazy 17 game win streak by the Cardinals killed that. Even though they have the worst record of the NL playoff teams I like Atlanta’s chances especially if they can beat the Brewers. Dodgers and Giants is sure to go all 5, so whoever wins will be softened up a bit by the NLCS. My hope is a Braves Rays World Series. But definitely no Cards or Yanks this year!
I’m predicting a walk off HR by Chris Taylor.
Magnificent prediction, imagine if you could have got odds on that.
Fred nice seeing another Jays fan here. Next year they will be tough.
I was at this game. What a night! It was a World Series type of atmosphere from the start to that incredible finish. I thought they were going to have to hose us out of there.
I want to thank all the Dodgers and their fans for beating Adam Wainwright.
I hope you troll him and all the Cardinal’s fans for decades as Wainwright has done to other teams fans.
I have never witnessed such an unprofessional and unsportsmanlike athlete like Wainwright and took great pleasure seeing him and his team lose.
Thank You Dodgers and Chris Taylor 🙂 🙂 🙂
@Canosucks “I have never witnessed such an unprofessional and unsportsmanlike athlete like Wainwright and took great pleasure seeing him and his team lose.”
Ummm…2 players from your team literally booed you. That’s far more unprofessional and unsportsmanlike than anything Wainwright ever did.
Ok but like you only scored 1 run on Waino. You embarrassed Alex Reyes, not Waino. Reyes sucks, I don’t know why Shildt brought him in.
Juan Soto showed up at game to support his former teammates Mad Max and Trea. Tells you how classy he is and what good teammates Mad Max and Trea are. I don’t recall seeing that before.
I’ve seen it in other sports, but not in baseball. Pretty cool. You got to feel for Soto, stuck in Washington during a rebuild while all his buddies got traded to contenders.