Brewers-Cardinals Matchup Showcases Opposing Styles in the NL Central

This wasn't the divisional matchup most baseball fans would have picked for a league championship series. A Phillies-Braves series would have gotten a fair amount of consideration a few months ago and Yankees-Red Sox would have gotten a lot as well. The cities may be smaller and the teams may not be as well known nationally but this Cardinals-Brewers National League Championship Series takes a backseat to no one as far as talent and intensity goes.

Consider these points. In Milwaukee you have not one but two National League MVP Candidates, a former Cy Young Award winner as well as a former Rolaids Relief Man Award winner. 

Travel south on I-55 to Saint Louis Missouri and you will find a manager with two World Series rings and five World Series appearances. A former Cy Young Award starting pitcher and a three-time National League Most Valuable Player Award winner as well. 

Now add in some contentious regular season meetings and all the ingredients are there are present for a highly competitive, highly entertaining National League Championship Series. 

It's Cardinals vs. Brewers, the rematch. It's a rematch of not just numerous inter-divisional meetings over the last decade-and-a-half. It's also a rematch of the 1982 World Series. Back when the Brewers played their baseball in the American League East and The Cardinals were in the National League East. No wild-card spot, just four regular season divisional winners.

In 1982 the Brewers were an offensive powerhouse bashing a league leading 216 home runs during the regular season. They were led by Hall-Of-Famers such as Robin Yount and Paul Molitor as well as power hitters like Ben Oglive, and Gorman Thomas.

The 1982 Cardinals were a contrast in style relying much less on power with only 67 home runs hit on the season and more on speed, fielding, and pitching. Joaquin Andujar, and Bruce Sutter would eventually lead the Cards to a seven game World Series victory.

Fast Forward 29 years and now it's the big bats of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder along with the outlandish personality if Nyjer Morgan leading the Milwaukee offense. The pitching staff is made up of Zack Greinke and the bullpen features former closer Francisco Rodriguez and young star John Axelrod performing the closing duties. This is a brash outspoken team with unique personalities that at times ruffles the feathers of opposing teams. 

The Saint Louis Cardinals led by a business-like Tony LaRussa and the stoic three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols are a team that seems to always compete. The pitching staff is anchored by former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter.

Saint Louis is consistently at or near the top of the NL Central. This season, however, was an exception with Saint Louis needing a furious September rally to snatch the wild-card birth away from the Atlanta Braves. The division was claimed by the Brewers who were among baseball's' best teams in the second half of the season. 

The Cardinals would like nothing more than to marginalize the division crown won by Milwaukee and teach this bunch of upstarts about winning in the postseason. The Brewers, with a smaller market and smaller payroll than Saint Louis, are under enormous pressure to take advantage of their current circumstance.

With All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder slated for free agency this may be the best chance the Brewers have for postseason glory in the foreseeable future. The team should remain competitive even if Fielder were to depart but this is still a unique situation for them. 

Two teams that both want the National League crown and the World Series birth it provides. This should be a great series.