NLDS PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS

Time for Cubs weekly previews and predictions!

This week I preview the NLDS!

CHICAGO CUBS---97-64---CENTRAL DIVISION CHAMPIONS
VS
LOS ANGELES DODGERS---84-78---WESTERN DIVISION CHAMPIONS

CUBS ARE 5-2 VERSUS THE DODGERS THIS SEASON, SWEEPING ALL 3 AT WRIGLEY AND SPLITTING 4 AT LA.

Look for close, low scoring games this series. In the 7 games, the winning team won by an average of 2 runs.

Game 1 Wednesday@ Wrigley-Ryan Dempster (17-6, 2.96) vs Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24)

Game 2 Thurs. @Wrigley-Carlos Zambrano(14-6,3.91) vs Chad Billingsley (16-10, 3.14)

Game 3 Saturday@Dodger Stadium-Rich Harden(5-1, 1.77)vs Hiroki Kuroda (9-10,3.73)

Game 4 Sun@ Dodger Stadium-Ted Lilly(17-9,4.09) vs ???

Game 5 Tuesday @ Wrigley Field---Ryan Dempster vs ???

CUBS PITCHING VS DODGERS HITTING

CUBS TEAM ERA---3.87 (3rd in NL)
DODGERS TEAM AVG--- .264 (5th in NL)

CUBS STARTERS THIS SEASON VS LA
Dempster—2 starts (1-0, 4 runs over 12.1 innings)
Zambrano---2 starts (0-1, 8 runs over 14.2 innings)
Harden and Lilly have no appearances.

CUBS RELIEVERS THIS SEASON VS LA
Kerry Wood--- 4 innings (4 saves, 0 runs)
Carlos Marmol---3 innings (2 holds, 0 runs)
Bob Howry---3 innings (1-0, 1 hold, 1 run)
Neal Cotts--- 2.1 innings, (0-0, 0 runs)
Jason Marquis---1 start (1-0, 0 earned runs over 6.1 innings)

DODGER HOT HITTERS VS CUBS PITCHING THIS SEASON:
Jeff Kent--- 3 Hits, including a Home Run off Dempster
1 Home Run off of Howry
Juan Pierre---2 Hits off Dempster
Russell Martin--- 3-4 off Zambrano
Matt Kemp--- 1 Home Run off of Zambrano

ADVANTAGE: CUBS
The Cubs didn’t face Manny Ramirez this season, and he can turn the series into the Dodgers favor if the Cubs pitch to him. Lou won’t let that happen. He is the one man you can’t let hurt you. Rafael Furcal is rumored to be starting at second base. He has been on the DL since early in the year. He is certainly a threat, but he won’t be his usual self. Jeff Kent has good numbers against Ryan Dempster this season so look for Dempster to be careful with Kent if he’s in the lineup. Zambrano pitched well in his first outing versus LA, but got roughed up late in the 2nd start. He’s going up against Billingsley so the Cubs should get some runs on the board for Big Z to work with. The Dodgers strikeout a lot. This will be a big advantage for the Cubs bullpen that likes to mow down hitters. The young Dodger hitters will struggle in their first postseason experience.

DODGERS PITCHING VS CUBS HITTING

DODGERS TEAM ERA---3.68 (1st in NL)
CUBS TEAM AVG--- .278 (2nd in NL)

DODGERS STARTERS THIS SEASON VS CUBS
Lowe---2 starts (1-0, 3 runs over 14 innings)
Billingsley---2 starts (0-1, 6 runs over 11 innings)
Kuroda--- 2 starts (1-1, 1 earned run over 15.1 innings)

DODGERS BULLPEN THIS SEASON VS CUBS
Scott Proctor--- 2 innings (0-0, 1 run)
Jon Broxton--- 2.2 innings (0-0, 0 earned runs)
Takashi Saito---4 innings (0-1, 2 runs)
Cory Wade--- 3 innings (0-0, 0 runs)

CUBS HOT HITTERS VS DODGERS THIS SEASON:
Soriano homered off of Lowe
Lee, DeRosa, and Fukudome homered off of Billingsley
Ramirez homered off of Proctor

ADVANTAGE---CUBS
The Cubs lineup is stacked. Lowe has pitched well against us this year, but we won’t need to get much with Dempster taking the ball for us. Billingsley has struggled against the Cubs this season. I give Game 3 to the Dodgers if Kuroda takes the mound. He’s better at home, and for some reason the Cubs haven’t figured him out. As good as the Dodger bullpen is, the Cubs offense is much better. I look for them to break out the bats in the first 2 games to put LA down early in the series. The Dodgers pitching staff is very good, but the Cubs won’t need to push man runs across with our solid pitching staff pitching against the Dodgers.

MANAGING ADVANTAGE---DODGERS
Joe Torre gets the advantage in the managerial matchup. He’s one of the best in-game managers in the league and has been a great leader for this team in his first year.


FIELDING ADVANTAGE:---DODGERS
Los Angeles has a better fielding percentage than the Cubs so the advantage goes to the Dodgers. Both have strong catchers behind the plate that may shut down the running games.


HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE:---CUBS
The Cubs open with 2 at The Friendly Confines, and the Wrigley faithful are longing for a title after 100 years. The place will be rocking. Los Angeles may only have 1 game at home, and the Dodger fans are not nearly as big of an advantage.


PREDICTION---CUBS IN 4
I look for the Cubs to take Game 1 in a close game that is decided late. Game 2 will see the most runs of any game in the series. The Cubs will jump on Billingsley and Zambrano will do just enough to win. I give Game 3 to L.A. Harden will pitch well, but Kuroda will be the stopper for the Dodgers and get the one. Ted Lilly will come in Game 4 to close it out. The Dodgers may go with Lowe on 3 days rest, rookie Clayton Kershaw, or Greg Maddux. That would be interesting…Maddux pitching against the Cubs in the playoffs.

OTHER SERIES PREDICTIONS:

MILWAUKEE VS PHILADELPHIA---PHILLIES IN 4

BOSTON VS LOS ANGELES---ANGELS IN 5

CHICAGO VS TAMPA BAY---TAMPA BAY IN 4