Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals: NLDS Game 4 TV Schedule, Preview, Prediction

By Jordan Wevers @JordanWevers on October 7, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NLDS Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals (STL leads series 2-1)

Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at 5:00 pm EST

Probables: Clayton Kershaw (21-3, 1.77) vs. Shelby Miller (10-9, 3.74)

Kershaw was a wreck in his first postseason start of 2014. However, manager Don Mattingly believes The Claw will give his team their best opportunity to win on Tuesday, despite being on only four days of rest.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny does not share the same sentiment with regards to pitching his ace as Mattingly does, obviously. There will be no Adam Wainwright in Game 4, as the 23-year-old Miller has been announced the starter. Both these revelations are clearly strategic moves by each respective manager.

Of course, both bench bosses realize if they advance, a best of seven series awaits them in the NLCS. By pitching Kershaw early, Zack Greinke becomes the Dodgers’ Game 5 option in the NLDS, if need be.

Greinke is only a No. 2 starter because he happens to pitch on a rotation with the best talent at starting pitcher in the game. On just about any other rotation in the league, Greinke would be an ace. He is not at all a bad man to turn to in a series-clinching game.

Matheny, however, does not have the luxury of sending out Greinke in Game 5. Thus, he will see how things unfold with Miller and leave Wainwright for the potential series-clinching game on the road back in California.

The Dodgers, as a team, are swinging the bat better than any other club in the division series, hitting a collective .329. Given that number and the fact the Cardinals’ opposition will be the likely 2014 Cy Young recipient, it’s difficult to foreshadow a Dodgers loss. Even with Kershaw being on limited rest coming off a 110-pitch effort in Game 1, Miller is a far inferior player and has put up horrendous numbers in three previous postseason appearances.

Prediction: Kershaw will watch some tape from Game 1, being sure to not reciprocate any of the initial mistakes he made. Otherwise, he won’t watch any and will put the past behind him and focus on the present. His mindset is unique. It has to be, because one does not become a two-time Cy Young winner before the age of 26 without matching world class talent with a world class work ethic. In a must-win game, Kershaw gets his redemption, the Dodgers win and Mattingly smiles knowing he can throw Greinke in the pivotal Game 5 vs. Wainwright.

Jordan Wevers is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JordanWevers, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.