Five questions for NLCS

— -- Four of the past eight World Series champions have come from the teams in this 2014 National League Championship Series, which might suggest that the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals have spectacular talent. Instead, they are more great organizations that teach the game properly, that every at-bat is a fistfight and every pitch is the biggest one of the game. Each had less talent than its opponent in the division series, but the Giants were more tough-minded and October-tested than the Washington Nationals, and the Cardinals were focused on winning while the Los Angeles Dodgers were thinking too much about tipping pitches and the strike zone. Now these two will meet in the playoffs for the fourth time. The Cardinals are the first team since the 1998-2001 New York Yankees to go to four straight league championship series. And the Giants will be going for the third time in five years. It should really be great.

Here are five questions.

In what sort of shape is the Giants' rotation?

In what short of shape is the Cardinals' rotation?

How do the Giants score runs?

From where did the Cardinals' power come?

Does either team have an edge in the bullpen?

The pick: Cardinals in seven.