Against Whom, When, & Where Will The Cards Play In The NLDS -- 9/30 Edition

Heading into the final handful of games, the clubs atop their respective National League divisions find themselves fairly bunched together. We have touched on it in the Daily Thread, but there exists a very real possibility that the Cardinals could open up the NLDS against any of the Dodgers, Phillies, Rockies, or Braves. As we all know, the club with the best overall record is the beneficiary of the vaunted "home-field advantage" (which the Cardinals did not enjoy even once in the storybook "Tigers In Three" postseason of Aught-Six). After ruminating on the prospect for a days, TLR has decided that the home-field advantage is, in fact, "important to him" (and Bill DeWitt undoubtedly does as it will help to add some more dollars to DeWallet as we head into the Holliday Hot Stove League).

As fans, we should all note that it increases the minimum number of games that the Cards host from one to two in the NLDS and from three to four in the NLCS. So, there are two extra games in Busch III that we could each conceivably attend, if the Cards were to secure home-field.

Last night, the Rockies won a game fraught with the tension one normally reserves only for October, and, in doing so, padded their Wild Card lead as the Braves went down to the Marlins in their own little barn-burner (if baseball has such things). The N.L. Wild Card standings, on this, the 30th day of September, have the Rockies ahead of the Braves by a full 3 games.

Meanwhile, in the interdivisional race for the League's Best Record, we all know that the Cardinals meandered their way through a listless 7-2 loss at the hands (bats, gloves, and arms) of Walt Jocketty's Reds. Jay Bruce made a cameo, whacking two homers. After all, that is what Jay Bruce does--hit home runs. Disconcerting was the fact that the GOB smited the VEB Community for even suggesting that Joel Pineiro was a top-10 Cy Young finalist, as they exorcised the Ghost of Christy Matthewson, and, in doing so, resurrected the zombie that is El Pinata (6 IP, 8 H, 3 HR, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO). On the bright side, we all saw that Matt Pagnozzi has the best chance to succeed by not swinging his MLB bat and that David Freese ought to get a few more chances to swing a MLB bat next season.

On the Left Coast, Torre's Dodgers fell unceremoniously to the AAAA Padres squad. "Chad Billingsley is now winless in his last seven starts," ESPN.com tells me. That makes me want to face him in the playoffs, because he's not a "winner." (Never mind the fact that Billingsley threw 6 innings and gave up 2 runs. I don't mention the 5 BB Billingsley issued because the Cards will aggressively not allow that to happen when/if we face the young fireballer.) Whether or not the thumpin' that the Phils gave the 'Stros earlier in the evening (by West Coast standards) had anything to do with the Dodgers' performance, we will never know. But a thumpin' it was, and this morning the Dodgers lead the Phillies by a mere 1.5 games and the Cardinals by a not insurmountable 2.5 games.

If the season ended today, the Dodgers would host the Cardinals in Chavez Ravine and the Phillies would host the Rockies in Citizens' Bandbox. However, bear in mind faithful reader that the Braves have four games remaining against the sorry Nats, and, the Phils don't leave the comfort of their cozy park until, possibly, after October 4th, so the situation remains fluid as to against whom and at what locale the Redbirds will be playing in the NLDS.

***Update***

As JD is Legend asks, "What does this mean date-wise?" And it's a very good question. Reading MLB.com's NLDS playoff schedule is a bit like reading heiroglyphics, but I'll give it a shot. There is "NLDS 'A,'" which "will feature a National League Division Winner vs. the NL Wild Card," according to the Official MLB site, and "NLDS 'B,"" which "will feature the two remaining Division Winners."

The schedule for NLDS A has times all as to be determined. The television network is TBS.

Game 1, Wednesday, Oct. 7

Game 2, Thursday, Oct. 8

Game 3, Saturday, Oct. 10

Game 4 (if needed), Sunday, Oct. 11

Game 5 (if needed), Tuesday, Oct. 13

The schedule for NLDS B has the same "TBD," will be televised on the same cable network, and the games will all be played on the same days.