In your other divisional series, you have two teams that had two opposite ways of getting into the playoffs. On one side, you have the San Francisco Giants who barely got into the playoffs. They ended up getting in as a Wild Card team and got a lucky break against the Mets, whom they defeated in the National League Wild Card game to get the opportunity to face the Chicago Cubs. On the other side, you have the Chicago Cubs. They had the best record in baseball with over 100 wins and ran away with the National League Central.

Let us first look at the San Francisco Giants. They ended up getting into the NL Wild Card due to how it fell for other teams. The one thing that I have heard over the years since I have been a baseball fan is that it doesn’t matter what you do in the regular season; once you get into the playoffs, it is a whole new season.

If you recall in my previous NLDS piece on the Nationals/Dodgers series, I talked about the hitters that both teams should fear, I am doing something different for who the Chicago Cubs should fear. It is more than likely that the Giants probably won’t use Bumgarner until Game 3 which is next Monday, but he is one of the game’s best postseason pitchers and has dominated the playoffs. If you are the Cubs, you don’t want to be down 2-0 going into that game because it is more than likely going to be over for you in Game 3.

On the other side, you have a Chicago Cubs team that has pretty much had control of the National League Central since May. They ended up being almost 20 games ahead of the Cardinals. I am suspecting that the Giants should be afraid of are Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. First, Kris Bryant had an MVP caliber season as he hit thirty homers and drove in over 100 runs in. You also have Anthony Rizzo who hit over 30 homers and also drove 100 runs in.

I am suspecting that you won’t see much low scoring in any game except for the game that Madison Bumgarner pitches. You have two teams with enough offense that could easily make these high scoring affairs. With all that being said, I suspect this series also to go the distance, and I suspect that the Giants will win the series. They play well in the playoffs, and Bruce Bochy is a great manager.

Find out how to watch Game 1 of the NLDS below as the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants look to hold the advantage after one game:

Date: Friday, October 7, 2016

Time: 9:00 pm et

Radio: ESPN Radio (National), Chicago Cubs radio,  680 AM KNBR (San Francisco)

Online: Fox Sports Go