(Best E Casino) - In case you haven't heard, it has been 100 years since the Chicago Cubs last won a World Series title. Their quest to end the longest drought in baseball history begins with the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.

Chicago was the NL's best team from start-to-finish this season and captured its second straight NL Central crown with a 97-64 mark. Hopefully, the Cubs postseason experience lasts a little longer than their trip last year when they were swept in three games by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Finishing with the best record in the NL is not always a recipe for success, as the team with the best record has won the World Series only once in the last 22 years (the 1995 Braves). Of course, the Cubs are still searching for their first World Series title since 1908.

Ryan Dempster was one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season and will get the call for the Cubs in Game One. After serving as the Cubs' closer the last three years, Dempster was inserted into the rotation and thrived, going 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA in 33 starts.

Dempster dominated at Wrigley, going 14-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 20 home starts.

He faced the Dodgers twice this season, going 1-0 against them, giving up four runs in 12 1/3 frames.

Joe Torre's first year in Los Angeles has to be considered a success, as the Dodgers are back in the playoffs following a one-year absence by virtue of winning their first NL West title since 2004 with an 84-78 mark.

Things didn't look good for Torre's crew midway through the season, but the team went out and acquired slugger Manny Ramirez at the trade deadline and never looked back.

At the time of the deal Los Angeles was two games back of the Diamondbacks and finished the year two games up.

Like the Cubs, Los Angeles' last postseason appearance ended in a sweep, as the New York Mets took three straight from them in the 2006 NLDS. In fact the Dodgers have just one postseason win since winning the World Series in 1988, going 1-12 in their four playoff series since.

Torre has named Derek Lowe his starter for Game One. Lowe had one of the better seasons of his career this year, going 14-11 and pitching to a career- best 3.24 earned run average as a starter.

Lowe was especially strong down the stretch for Torre, winning his final four and six of his last seven decisions. Lowe last lost August 26 and in his previous 10 starts, he pitched a 1.23 ERA.

These two storied franchises have never met in the postseason, but Chicago won five of the seven matchups between the clubs this season.