Breaking Down the St. Louis Cardinals' NLDS Rotation and Bullpen

It’s only fitting for Major League Baseball’s National League Division Series first-round playoff series to pit two of the most storied franchises in the history of America’s pastime. Hollywood vs. “The Cardinal Way,” a rematch of last-year’s National League Championship Series that saw the mid-market club triumph in six.

The Cardinals are champions of the Central Division for the second time in as many seasons, their ninth title since it was created prior to the 1994 season. They did so not by their offensive prowess, but their pitching dominance.

The Cardinals offense was more unpredictable than the weekly forecasts in the Midwest. They ranked 23rd in runs scored and slugging percentage and hit the second-fewest home runs in all of baseball. Yet, they still managed 90 wins.

The Cardinals will need to lean on their rotation and bullpen to secure a spot in the LCS.

Here’s a breakdown of both.

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Staff ace Adam Wainwright will likely make two starts in this best-of-five series against the Dodgers, who own home-field advantage. Waino got the ball in Game 1. The right-hander has been a staple of this rotation for some time.

He turned in another vintage season by winning 20 games, including five complete games and three shutouts.

The brutal August heat took a toll on Wainwright, who admitted he went through a "dead arm phase." He won just two of his six starts and walked 11. However, once September arrived, Wainwright took off and won all five of his starts, which earned him NL Pitcher of the Month honors.

Wainwright doesn’t crack under pressure. He thrives under it. He rises to the occasion and gets sharper as the game wears on.

Of the utmost importance is Wainwright’s crafty postseason resume, which includes a World Series championship in 2006. Now that the Cardinals won Game 1, they will be in good shape provided the rest of the rotation comes through.

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Following Wainwright will be 15-game winner Lance Lynn. The right-handed throwing Lynn has emerged as a reliable No. 2 starter for the Cardinals. He’s durable and has a great array of pitches that he utilizes very well. In my opinion, Lynn is one of, if the not the most, underrated starting pitchers in baseball.

The righty has been dominant over the last three years with 48 wins.

However, a slight concern is Lynn letting his emotions get the best of him. It’s happened before, and I’m sure he’ll have a hiccup or two during his start. But he cannot afford to let the pesky Dodgers get to him, or the Cardinals will be in trouble.

Lynn is a competitor. There’s a certain flare to his game that I really like. He plays with an edge, much like his former teammate, Chris Carpenter, did when he was on the hill.

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John Lackey, whom the Cardinals acquired at the July trade deadline in a deal with Boston, will go in Game 3. At times, Lackey proved capable of getting the job done while saving the bullpen. Other times, not so much.

There are pros and cons to Lackey. What type of outing will he give manager Mike Matheny? Will we see the gritty Lackey on top of his game, or the erratic Lackey that gets lit up?

General manager John Mozeliak acquired Lackey because he wants to win now. Lackey has plenty of playoff experience, and now is the time for the trade that rattled the Cardinals clubhouse to pay off.

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Shelby Miller earned himself the start in Game 4 with an outstanding September. It was a nightmarish start to the season for Miller, who crafted a dismal 8-9 record heading into the season's final month. However, Miller found his game and went 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts.

The bullpen is just as important as the rotation. Yes, I realize that’s a bit cliche, but it’s true when you look at an opposing lineup that consists of Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford and Hanley Ramirez. Unlike last season’s LCS, the Dodgers boast a healthy Kemp, Ethier and Ramirez.

Carlos Martinez and closer Trevor Rosenthal must be lights out against the power of the Dodgers hitters. Rosenthal cannot implode, and Martinez needs to utilize his devastating slider and heater to his advantage.

Seth Maness needs to induce ground ball after ground ball when his name is called. Pat Neshek needs to keep the Dodgers off balance with his quirky delivery and pin-point location. Neshek has been nothing short of outstanding this season. 

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By the same token, lefties Randy Choate and Sam Freeman need to be cautious but aggressive with Gonzalez, who bats from the left side. Gonzalez led the NL with 114 RBI on the season. Rookie Marco Gonzales will need to shake off the butterflies and record outs with his filthy change up. 

The Cardinals are in the playoffs because of their pitching staff. They will go as deep as their staff allows, because the offense cannot be trusted to out-slug the Dodgers in every game.