Game four of the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves is going to be pivotal. Fredi Gonzalez shocked the baseball world when he announced that Freddy Garcia will be the starting pitcher on Monday. The main reason for this surprise pick is due in main part to the fact that he has pitched in ten postseason games in his long career. The last time he started in the postseason was for the Chicago White Sox in 2005.

Garcia has pitched in six games for the Braves this year, starting three of them. His ERA has been splendid at a 1.65 mark to go with 20 strikeouts. His overall postseason numbers are decent as well. A 3.28 ERA along with 51 strikeouts and a 6-3 record. The fact that he has been involved in so many October ball games has to be a good feeling for the Atlanta Braves.

Don Mattingly shook up the NLDS with a surprise decision to start Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw pitched in game one of the series going seven innings and striking out 12. He surrendered only three hits while giving up one run and walking three. Kershaw didn’t even have what you would call a great outing which is scary to think. His fastball command was a bit off at the beginning of the game and he didn’t seem to go to his curveball as often as we are used to.

Mattingly’s decision to start Kershaw is due in main part to two things. One being that he is the best pitcher on their team and wants to end this series at home. Two being that he wants to save a day of traveling to Atlanta if Ricky Nolasco would have pitched poorly. This is the first time in Kershaw’s career that he will be pitching on three days rest so it will be interesting to see when he starts to fatigue.

You can look at this in two different ways from both aspects of fans. As a Dodgers fan you are probably happy with the decision based solely on how awesome Kershaw is. If you are a Braves fan you knew going into game four that to win the series you would have to beat Kershaw anyways. Now if the Braves can pull out the dub in Los Angeles they would head back to Atlanta with momentum and home-field advantage. Tonight is surely a must win for both teams.

If there is to be a game in this series where the offenses really get going in could be this one. The Dodgers are hoping to keep Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig hot to pull this one out at home. On the other side the Braves will be relying on Freddie Freeman who has only two hits in eight at-bats in the series. They will also be relying on the stellar defense of Andrelton Simmons to keep rolling after a game two with three double plays turned.