Everyone knew Adam Wainwright was a beast, as evidenced by the five-year extension the would-be #1 available free agent received prior to the season. What no one knew was how effective this team's crop of rookie pitchers would be. Shelby Miller was #6 on Baseball America's top 100 prospects, so expecting a solid season from him wasn't too much of a stretch, but Michael Wacha clocked in at #76 - someone to keep an eye on sure, but not someone you'd expect to be near-unhittable going into October. And BA's #'s 38 and 39 spent their years in the bullpen: Carlos Martinez to prepare for imminent starting duties and Trevor Rosenthal as the closer once Edward Mujica overstayed his welcome in the role. And we haven't even gotten into the unranked rookie relievers, including lefty/righty combination Kevin Siegrist and Seth Maness. I hope the Pirates' resurgence wasn't just a flash in the pan, because this rotation looks like it will be tough into the foreseeable future.
The surprise success story of the Cardinals offense wasn't perennial All-Star and Gold Glover Yadier Molina, slugging stalwart Matt Holliday, or postseason powerhouse Carlos Beltran, but leadoff hitting second baseman Matt Carpenter. Calling to mind another famous top of the order hitter Wade Boggs (Carpenter also qualified at 3B), Carpenter made his bones not by stealing bases, but by getting on base (.392 OBP) and putting himself in scoring position (league leading 199 hits and 55 doubles, which led to his league leading 126 runs scored). Cleanup hitter Allen Craig hasn't played in any postseason games this year due to injury, but thankfully Matt Adams, yet another rookie, has filled in admirably in his absence. But it's not as if their regular first baseman has been brittle all year - Adams was able to carve out so many regular season at-bats at 1B due to Craig's versatility, as he also qualified in both LF and RF. It's questionable what will happen next year: even with Carlos Beltran leaving via free agency, top prospect Oscar Taveras (#3 according to BA) could leave either Craig or Adams without a position.Now the streaky, Puig-o-maniacal Dodgers:
No one has accounted for the Los Angeles's late-season success more than the fiery Cuban phenom sensation Yasiel Puig, whose arrival in the majors in June more or less exactly corresponded to this team going on an historic 50-game stretch that solidified their position atop the NL West. His emergence would have created a logjam in the outfield were it not for Matt Kemp's seemingly routine rash of injuries. Former right fielder Andre Ethier was able to fill in until he got hit with the bug as well, leading to the un-ideal presence of utility man and player's union rep Skip Schumaker in CF during the playoffs. Don't get me wrong, Skip Schumaker is a great player to have in the clubhouse and off the bench, but starter caliber he hasn't been the last few years of his career. Hanley Ramirez makes the third oft-injured star-caliber player on this roster who would have put up monster numbers had he played a full season at the same level (a Mike Trout-ian 17.3 PPG!). Adrian Gonzalez has been the most consistent health-wise, which is good because they've got him for another five years under that contract they inherited from the Red Sox.
It takes little more than four words to describe lefty Clayton Kershaw: best pitcher in baseball. And he's going to need to live up to that estimation tonight if he wants to keep his team in the running for one more game. He's due to hit free agency after next season, his last of arbitration eligibility, but rumor has it both sides are working on a long term deal that could exceed 10 years and $210 million. Zack Greinke got a little more than half that this offseason and has not disappointed performance-wise, even given the metal plate in his shoulder courtesy of a Carlos Quentin mound charge. Hyun-Jin Ryu has been compared to a Korean David Wells and would likely earn Rookie of the Year consideration were it not for Jose Fernandez of the Marlins. Midseason trade acquisition Ricky Nolasco was passed over for Game 4 of the NLDS and hasn't performed well in his only start so far, but manager Don Mattingly won't have to worry about what to do with him until his club chances to make it to the next round.I don't want to let my superstitions get in the way of publicly rooting for the team I hope will win, so let me say it here first: GO BLUE! Let's get this one and worry about facing the NL's second best pitcher tomorrow!
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