It didn't last long, as the Dodgers were bounced by the Cardinals in four games in the NLDS. But nonetheless, here's how I graded everyone based on their short stay.
A
A.J. Ellis - It looked like Ellis jumped out of his own body and straight into Mike Piazza's for the playoffs. He hit .538, smacked a homer, drove in two, and took four walks for a .647 OBP. Not bad for a guy who couldn't even break .200 in the regular season.
Zack Greinke - Did all he could in Game 2, which ended up being a victory despite him getting robbed of a win. Pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out seven. Also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.
Hyun-Jin Ryu - Nobody really knew what to expect from him in Game 3, as he hadn't pitched in almost a month because of a bad shoulder. But when he took the mound, he was really good, giving up one run in six innings. Like the other loses, a blown lead in the late innings cost him a win.
Hanley Ramirez - Had an impressive showing by hitting .429 with a couple of RBIs, and some slick plays with his glove. Probably could've caught a liner that was just over his head in the seventh inning of Game 4, which soon led to Matt Adams' game-winning three-run shot, but it wasn't an easy play. I'd say he left a pretty good impression in his quest for a big contract.
Matt Kemp - Did all of his damage in the first two games, and his solo homer in the eighth inning of Game 2 led to the their only win. Still hit .353 despite going 1-for-8 over the final two games.
Brandon League - The only middle reliever worth a damn, as he had an 0.00 ERA in four appearances, and allowed none of his inherited runners to score.
Kenley Jansen - Only got one chance for a save, and closed the door in Game 2 with two strikeouts. The middle relief was so bad, that's the only time we saw him in four games.
B
Andre Ethier - Didn't have much of a chance to make an impact, but made the start in center for Yasiel Puig in Game 4 and took a couple of walks. Hit a big pinch-hit double in the ninth inning of Game 1 to get the Dodgers that close to tying it up.
C
Carl Crawford - Collected five hits, but took too many strikeouts with seven, one short of Puig for the team lead. His groundout to second to end Game 4 ended up being the final nail in the coffin.
Brian Wilson - Only made one appearance, giving up a double, intentional walk, and strikeout. Neither runner ended up scoring, so he got a little lucky. Still, his stuff was so bad by the end of the year, was barely even worth giving the ball to.
D
Clayton Kershaw - I never thought I'd put him this low, but it's reality. In both Game 1 and Game 4, took a lead into the seventh inning and just fell apart. Game 1 was totally on him, but Game 4 he at least kept things manageable. Still, I'm doubting the Dodgers were counting on a 7.82 ERA from him. If he could've made a few more big pitches, they could very well still be playing.
Adrian Gonzalez - Hit a two-run shot to try to begin the comeback in Game 1, but that was it for highlights. Went 3-for-16 and consistently failed to drive in runs from third in key situations. A big letdown for baseball's leading RBI man in the regular season.
Yasiel Puig - Had two hits and three runs in Game 1, then tripled and scored in Game 3. In between all of that, looked completely lost and helpless at the plate, striking out a whopping eight times. Finally got benched for Ethier in Game 4, which was a total slap in the face to him. But a deserved one.
Dee Gordon - Looked worn out at the plate, and only reached base five times with one steal. Pretty shocking that the leadoff man never scored one run in all four games.
Pedro Baez - Recovered a bit in Game 4 with 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball. But his three-run gopher ball he surrendered to Matt Holliday in relief of Kershaw in Game 1 proved to be the difference.
Juan Uribe - Played his typical good defense at third, but a 2-for-17 showing at the plate with six strikeouts was very disappointing.
F
J.P. Howell - His nosedive from September carried over into the playoffs, as he consistently got pounded in three games to the tune of a 13.50 ERA. Made a very lucky play on a grounder between his legs to turn a double play in Game 4, or his numbers would actually be worse.
Scott Elbert - Relieved Ryu in Game 3 with the game tied 1-1. Three batters later, the score was 3-1 thanks to a Kolten Wong two-run homer. Another middle reliever, another bad outing.
Justin Turner - It's not very fair to him, as he only had two at-bats after being the superstar utility guy in the regular season. Fair or not, failed both times to drive in runs in Games 1 and 4.
Showing posts with label 2014 NLDS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 NLDS. Show all posts
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Cardinals own the late innings again, Dodgers fall in the NLDS
In the end, it all came down to this: the Cardinals stepped up and delivered the most in the late innings, and the Dodgers were scrambling from the very beginning.
Once again the seventh inning was the difference, as the Cardinals used a three-run homer from Matt Adams to go up 3-2, and they held on to end the Dodgers' season in Game 4 of the NLDS. The best road team in baseball (record wise) was unable to muster a win in St. Louis.
Say what you want about Clayton Kershaw failing to hold another lead in the seventh, but this game was much different than Game 1. Kershaw was the only one at fault for blowing it last Friday, but I don't feel the same about this one. After watching the bullpen bumble away one lead after another, Don Mattingly rode Kershaw's tiring left arm to the 100-pitch mark.
And just like the rest of this series, it was a decision towards the end of the game that didn't work.
Kershaw had used his breaking stuff very effectively all game, but a big, fat, hanging curveball was all Adams needed to see, who then whacked a 383-foot shot just over the wall in right. Game. Set. Match.
Kershaw will get plenty of flak for giving up 11 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings this series, and it's understandable to a point considering he's the top dog. But a couple of other things also did the Dodgers in as the series progressed. The major one was middle relief, and the other one was the fading offense.
Like I've said pretty much all season long, the arms before Kenley Jansen were just brutal. Everyone from J.P. Howell to Scott Elbert to Brian Wilson were terrible in this series. There simply were not any good options to turn to, and that's why Mattingly rolled the dice with Kershaw. It obviously didn't work, but I'm not sure it would've been much different if the 'pen was summoned earlier. Pedro Baez and Brandon League did combine for two shutout innings, but that was in much less pressure with the Cardinals now in the lead.
The offense was the other culprit. They put up a nine-spot in Game 1, then had a huge game-winning two-run shot by Matt Kemp to win Game 2. But in Games 2-4, they only scored six runs, which is a couple a game. It's hard to beat any playoff team with outputs like that.
And so it ends for the 2014 Dodgers, as the regular season closed with so much promise by beating the Giants to take the NL West, only to take a big step back in the NLDS. That's what a good team like the Cardinals can do to you - pounce on a weakness (bullpen) of the other team to win.
This offseason will undoubtedly bring changes to that beleaguered bullpen, if only for fresh arms and a fresh look after it ended so poorly. Then there's the question of re-signing Hanley Ramirez. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
***
On a personal note, this wraps up my seventh year blogging about the Dodgers. My readership went way up this year, and I thank everyone out there for making that happen. As I said before, this offseason will be a fun one to watch, and I'll be on here covering all the moves every step of the way.
Thanks again, and let's go Dodgers... in 2015!
Once again the seventh inning was the difference, as the Cardinals used a three-run homer from Matt Adams to go up 3-2, and they held on to end the Dodgers' season in Game 4 of the NLDS. The best road team in baseball (record wise) was unable to muster a win in St. Louis.
Say what you want about Clayton Kershaw failing to hold another lead in the seventh, but this game was much different than Game 1. Kershaw was the only one at fault for blowing it last Friday, but I don't feel the same about this one. After watching the bullpen bumble away one lead after another, Don Mattingly rode Kershaw's tiring left arm to the 100-pitch mark.
And just like the rest of this series, it was a decision towards the end of the game that didn't work.
Kershaw had used his breaking stuff very effectively all game, but a big, fat, hanging curveball was all Adams needed to see, who then whacked a 383-foot shot just over the wall in right. Game. Set. Match.
Kershaw will get plenty of flak for giving up 11 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings this series, and it's understandable to a point considering he's the top dog. But a couple of other things also did the Dodgers in as the series progressed. The major one was middle relief, and the other one was the fading offense.
Like I've said pretty much all season long, the arms before Kenley Jansen were just brutal. Everyone from J.P. Howell to Scott Elbert to Brian Wilson were terrible in this series. There simply were not any good options to turn to, and that's why Mattingly rolled the dice with Kershaw. It obviously didn't work, but I'm not sure it would've been much different if the 'pen was summoned earlier. Pedro Baez and Brandon League did combine for two shutout innings, but that was in much less pressure with the Cardinals now in the lead.
The offense was the other culprit. They put up a nine-spot in Game 1, then had a huge game-winning two-run shot by Matt Kemp to win Game 2. But in Games 2-4, they only scored six runs, which is a couple a game. It's hard to beat any playoff team with outputs like that.
And so it ends for the 2014 Dodgers, as the regular season closed with so much promise by beating the Giants to take the NL West, only to take a big step back in the NLDS. That's what a good team like the Cardinals can do to you - pounce on a weakness (bullpen) of the other team to win.
This offseason will undoubtedly bring changes to that beleaguered bullpen, if only for fresh arms and a fresh look after it ended so poorly. Then there's the question of re-signing Hanley Ramirez. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
***
On a personal note, this wraps up my seventh year blogging about the Dodgers. My readership went way up this year, and I thank everyone out there for making that happen. As I said before, this offseason will be a fun one to watch, and I'll be on here covering all the moves every step of the way.
Thanks again, and let's go Dodgers... in 2015!
Mattingly benches Puig for Game 4
With their backs against the wall, Don Mattingly is doing everything he can do ensure the Dodgers live to fight another day.
That includes sending an ice cold Yasiel Puig to the bench.
Andre Ethier will get the call to start in center for Game 4 in St. Louis, as Puig's strikeouts have finally caught up to him. In Mattingly's own words, this moves give them "the best chance to win today." Ouch.
Following a solid Game 1 in which he had two hits, scored three runs, and only struck out once, Puig has been just atrocious at the plate in the next two games: 1-for-8, one run, seven strikeouts. While it's certainly not all of his fault, the Dodgers have only scored four runs combined in those two games, and Puig's bad play in the #2 hole is a big reason why.
If anything, this sends a message that while Puig was an All-Star and a big piece of the future, Mattingly owes it to those players in the locker room to start the best team possible. If that means giving the long forgotten Ethier a start, then so be it. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I expect Puig to make an appearance today, and he's a pretty deadly bat to use off the bench with runners on late in the game. Of course, the Cardinals might not mind that considering all he does is strikeout now. We shall see.
That includes sending an ice cold Yasiel Puig to the bench.
Andre Ethier will get the call to start in center for Game 4 in St. Louis, as Puig's strikeouts have finally caught up to him. In Mattingly's own words, this moves give them "the best chance to win today." Ouch.
Following a solid Game 1 in which he had two hits, scored three runs, and only struck out once, Puig has been just atrocious at the plate in the next two games: 1-for-8, one run, seven strikeouts. While it's certainly not all of his fault, the Dodgers have only scored four runs combined in those two games, and Puig's bad play in the #2 hole is a big reason why.
If anything, this sends a message that while Puig was an All-Star and a big piece of the future, Mattingly owes it to those players in the locker room to start the best team possible. If that means giving the long forgotten Ethier a start, then so be it. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I expect Puig to make an appearance today, and he's a pretty deadly bat to use off the bench with runners on late in the game. Of course, the Cardinals might not mind that considering all he does is strikeout now. We shall see.
Same old story: Dodgers' bullpen crumbles once again
Game 3 was more of the same for the Dodgers. A close game in the late innings. A starting pitcher yanked. And a bullpen than simply cannot get the big outs when needed.
Add it all up, and it's the Cardinals who are feeling good after a 3-1 victory in Game 3 of the NLDS. Game 4 is Tuesday afternoon, as the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw on three days' rest to salvage the series.
The story for the start of Game 3 was the return of Hyun-Jin Ryu, and with a strikeout of Matt Carpenter to start the game, he showed that his shoulder was ready to go. He ended up lasting six innings, giving up one run on five hits, striking out four. He really gave the Dodgers everything they could've hoped for.
Who didn't give the Dodgers what they hoped for? That's right - the damn bullpen. More specifically, the middle relief, because they're so bad at this point, Kenley Jansen stands virtually no chance of being handed the ball in the ninth with a lead. It's gotten downright embarrassing watching the middle relief in action.
In the previous two games, we've seen Pedro Baez and J.P. Howell fall apart. In Game 3, it was Scott Elbert's turn. With the rain coming down hard from a passing shower, Yadier Molina took a first-pitch fastball to left for a double to start the seventh.
After a Jon Jay sacrifice bunt, Kolten Wong deposited a 405-foot home run to right, KO'ing any chance the Dodgers had in this one. Elbert gave up a double to Carpenter for good measure before mercifully getting the hook.
I know a lot of people blame Don Mattingly for putting Elbert in, as it clearly was the wrong move. But think about it - who the hell else is there to turn to? Brian Wilson? Give me a break. He faced three batters, giving up a double and intentional walk. After getting an out, he had the nerve to act surprised that he was getting pulled. That's right, the guy who's stunk it up all season long is mad he's getting pulled. Whatever.
Brandon League is another option, but not much of one. Howell was very fortunate to turn a double play on a ball hit back to him to end the eighth. Of course, he gave up another single right before that to load the bases. He's about as easy a reliever to hit as there is in baseball right now.
At this point, the Dodgers are going to have to win in spite of the crap that sits in the bullpen all game, then comes in and gives up hard hit after hard hit. I guess they can only hope Kershaw and Zack Greinke keep their pitch counts low, keep the score lower, and bridge the gap themselves to Jansen.
Two guys we haven't seen appear yet are Jamey Wright and Carlos Frias, so don't be surprised if they're next in line to give this thing a shot. You can also include Dan Haren on that list since he's been bumped from his Game 4 start. Hell, he's better than watching some of these other clowns.
Despite all of this, the Dodgers only need to win two straight games to advance. One in St. Louis with Kershaw looking for redemption, and back in LA with Greinke. That's certainly doable. Maybe someone like Adrian Gonzalez or Hanley Ramirez hits a couple homers and leads the way.
It will also help to not have the incredibly inconsistent Dale Scott calling balls and strikes. He should be an NBA referee with all the home town calls he gave. I don't blame Kemp at all for going off about the strike zone. It was a joke all night long.
Add it all up, and it's the Cardinals who are feeling good after a 3-1 victory in Game 3 of the NLDS. Game 4 is Tuesday afternoon, as the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw on three days' rest to salvage the series.
The story for the start of Game 3 was the return of Hyun-Jin Ryu, and with a strikeout of Matt Carpenter to start the game, he showed that his shoulder was ready to go. He ended up lasting six innings, giving up one run on five hits, striking out four. He really gave the Dodgers everything they could've hoped for.
Who didn't give the Dodgers what they hoped for? That's right - the damn bullpen. More specifically, the middle relief, because they're so bad at this point, Kenley Jansen stands virtually no chance of being handed the ball in the ninth with a lead. It's gotten downright embarrassing watching the middle relief in action.
In the previous two games, we've seen Pedro Baez and J.P. Howell fall apart. In Game 3, it was Scott Elbert's turn. With the rain coming down hard from a passing shower, Yadier Molina took a first-pitch fastball to left for a double to start the seventh.
After a Jon Jay sacrifice bunt, Kolten Wong deposited a 405-foot home run to right, KO'ing any chance the Dodgers had in this one. Elbert gave up a double to Carpenter for good measure before mercifully getting the hook.
I know a lot of people blame Don Mattingly for putting Elbert in, as it clearly was the wrong move. But think about it - who the hell else is there to turn to? Brian Wilson? Give me a break. He faced three batters, giving up a double and intentional walk. After getting an out, he had the nerve to act surprised that he was getting pulled. That's right, the guy who's stunk it up all season long is mad he's getting pulled. Whatever.
Brandon League is another option, but not much of one. Howell was very fortunate to turn a double play on a ball hit back to him to end the eighth. Of course, he gave up another single right before that to load the bases. He's about as easy a reliever to hit as there is in baseball right now.
At this point, the Dodgers are going to have to win in spite of the crap that sits in the bullpen all game, then comes in and gives up hard hit after hard hit. I guess they can only hope Kershaw and Zack Greinke keep their pitch counts low, keep the score lower, and bridge the gap themselves to Jansen.
Two guys we haven't seen appear yet are Jamey Wright and Carlos Frias, so don't be surprised if they're next in line to give this thing a shot. You can also include Dan Haren on that list since he's been bumped from his Game 4 start. Hell, he's better than watching some of these other clowns.
Despite all of this, the Dodgers only need to win two straight games to advance. One in St. Louis with Kershaw looking for redemption, and back in LA with Greinke. That's certainly doable. Maybe someone like Adrian Gonzalez or Hanley Ramirez hits a couple homers and leads the way.
It will also help to not have the incredibly inconsistent Dale Scott calling balls and strikes. He should be an NBA referee with all the home town calls he gave. I don't blame Kemp at all for going off about the strike zone. It was a joke all night long.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Kershaw gets a second wind, will start Game 4
Clayton Kershaw is one happy guy right now.
Not only did the Dodgers tie the series up one game apiece thanks to a late home run by Matt Kemp, but on Monday afternoon, Don Mattingly announced the Kershaw will get the ball in Game 4 on Tuesday, no matter Monday's outcome.
All of those bad memories he could have potentially carried over into the offseason? They could be erased, as he gets another chance to right a wrong.
Last season the same situation came up, as Kershaw made a start in Game 4 on three days' rest against the Braves, tossing six innings, and giving up two unearned runs while striking out six. That game was best remembered for Juan Uribe's dramatic go-ahead homer in the eighth, clinching the series.
The obvious difference between then and now is then, Kershaw was coming off a great Game 1 start in which he gave up one run in seven innings, striking out 12. The decision to have him pitch was made nearly last minute, as a fading Ricky Nolasco got the boot (and rightfully so).
Now, Kershaw has a lot to prove after getting crushed in Game 1, blowing a 6-1 lead in the seventh inning. I'd say he's looking to bounce back from giving up eight earned runs.
You know he'll be ready to pitch. He's always ready to pitch. Now he just needs to take it an inning at a time, focus on his spots, and there's no reason why he can't get a big win.
This move makes sense for a couple other reasons as well. Dan Haren, the original Game 4 starter, is now available to relieve Hyun-Jin Ryu tonight if necessary. Considering Ryu hasn't pitched since September 12, he might be needed.
Also, pushing Kershaw up a game leaves a potential do-or-die Game 5 back in LA to Zack Greinke, who was fantastic in Game 2. That's a good thing.
Not only did the Dodgers tie the series up one game apiece thanks to a late home run by Matt Kemp, but on Monday afternoon, Don Mattingly announced the Kershaw will get the ball in Game 4 on Tuesday, no matter Monday's outcome.
All of those bad memories he could have potentially carried over into the offseason? They could be erased, as he gets another chance to right a wrong.
Last season the same situation came up, as Kershaw made a start in Game 4 on three days' rest against the Braves, tossing six innings, and giving up two unearned runs while striking out six. That game was best remembered for Juan Uribe's dramatic go-ahead homer in the eighth, clinching the series.
The obvious difference between then and now is then, Kershaw was coming off a great Game 1 start in which he gave up one run in seven innings, striking out 12. The decision to have him pitch was made nearly last minute, as a fading Ricky Nolasco got the boot (and rightfully so).
Now, Kershaw has a lot to prove after getting crushed in Game 1, blowing a 6-1 lead in the seventh inning. I'd say he's looking to bounce back from giving up eight earned runs.
You know he'll be ready to pitch. He's always ready to pitch. Now he just needs to take it an inning at a time, focus on his spots, and there's no reason why he can't get a big win.
This move makes sense for a couple other reasons as well. Dan Haren, the original Game 4 starter, is now available to relieve Hyun-Jin Ryu tonight if necessary. Considering Ryu hasn't pitched since September 12, he might be needed.
Also, pushing Kershaw up a game leaves a potential do-or-die Game 5 back in LA to Zack Greinke, who was fantastic in Game 2. That's a good thing.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Through two games, middle relief is still a big problem
The Dodgers are fortunate to be even at 1-1 in the NLDS, as they can thank Zack Greinke and Matt Kemp for stepping up big in Game 2.
Who has not stepped up big? Middle relief, as they have once again been exposed as the true weakness of the Dodgers.
Even when guys like Brian Wilson and J.P. Howell aren't in the game, they're still impacting it in a big way. Take Game 1, for example. With a tiring and suddenly ineffective Clayton Kershaw hobbling in the seventh, Don Mattingly left him in to try and get through it. Well, it clearly didn't work, and the Dodgers ended up blowing a big lead and losing.
Why was Kershaw left in? Mostly because he's Clayton Freakin' Kershaw, but that's not the only reason. The other one was because there's basically no one to turn to in that spot. Kenley Jansen is the closer, so you can take him out of the equation. The rest are either young, unproven arms, or veterans whose best days are clearly behind them.
When one of those middle relievers did get into the game, the result was horrible. Pedro Baez got the call in the seventh with two outs and the Cardinals up 7-6. He immediately walked Randal Grichuk, then watched Matt Holliday wallop a three-run shot into left measured at 410 feet. That proved to be the fatal blow.
On Sunday night in Game 2, it was Howell's turn to flounder. The lefty faced three straight lefties, and here were the results: single by Oscar Taveras, two-run homer by Matt Carpenter, single by Jon Jay. And that was it.
The Dodgers have at least gotten a few outs from Brandon League (4) and Scott Elbert (2) without giving up runs, but the rest has been terrible. Baez and Howell each have ERAs of 27.00, while guys like Jamey Wright, Carlos Frias, and Wilson haven't gotten in yet. But it's not like they've given anyone much of a reason to put them in.
Fair or not, Mattingly has made the wrong decision with his bullpen in both games, as it's allowed the Cardinals to climb back into each one. Baez tried to overpower Holliday, and it didn't work. Howell has clearly regressed from earlier in the year and can no longer get big outs. Opposing hitters just sit back and tee off of him.
What can be done? For starters, Howell should not be in there in situations like Sunday. Elbert has barely pitched this year, but so what? He's on the roster for a reason, has better stuff, and should be given the chance in those spots.
For Game 3, I would make sure Wright, Frias, and Dan Haren are all ready to go when needed. Hyun-Jin Ryu is making his first start since September 12, and even that lasted only one inning. Mattingly shouldn't hesitate to give the ball to one of these three to start an inning where they'd probably be most comfortable, especially for a starter like Haren.
And no, I would not under any circumstances advocate using Wilson as a late-inning answer. He's been the wrong answer all season long.
If the Dodgers survive this round and Howell still can't get anyone out, then I would yank him for Paco Rodriguez in the NLCS. But that's down the line, so let's take care of the Cardinals first.
Who has not stepped up big? Middle relief, as they have once again been exposed as the true weakness of the Dodgers.
Even when guys like Brian Wilson and J.P. Howell aren't in the game, they're still impacting it in a big way. Take Game 1, for example. With a tiring and suddenly ineffective Clayton Kershaw hobbling in the seventh, Don Mattingly left him in to try and get through it. Well, it clearly didn't work, and the Dodgers ended up blowing a big lead and losing.
Why was Kershaw left in? Mostly because he's Clayton Freakin' Kershaw, but that's not the only reason. The other one was because there's basically no one to turn to in that spot. Kenley Jansen is the closer, so you can take him out of the equation. The rest are either young, unproven arms, or veterans whose best days are clearly behind them.
When one of those middle relievers did get into the game, the result was horrible. Pedro Baez got the call in the seventh with two outs and the Cardinals up 7-6. He immediately walked Randal Grichuk, then watched Matt Holliday wallop a three-run shot into left measured at 410 feet. That proved to be the fatal blow.
On Sunday night in Game 2, it was Howell's turn to flounder. The lefty faced three straight lefties, and here were the results: single by Oscar Taveras, two-run homer by Matt Carpenter, single by Jon Jay. And that was it.
The Dodgers have at least gotten a few outs from Brandon League (4) and Scott Elbert (2) without giving up runs, but the rest has been terrible. Baez and Howell each have ERAs of 27.00, while guys like Jamey Wright, Carlos Frias, and Wilson haven't gotten in yet. But it's not like they've given anyone much of a reason to put them in.
Fair or not, Mattingly has made the wrong decision with his bullpen in both games, as it's allowed the Cardinals to climb back into each one. Baez tried to overpower Holliday, and it didn't work. Howell has clearly regressed from earlier in the year and can no longer get big outs. Opposing hitters just sit back and tee off of him.
What can be done? For starters, Howell should not be in there in situations like Sunday. Elbert has barely pitched this year, but so what? He's on the roster for a reason, has better stuff, and should be given the chance in those spots.
For Game 3, I would make sure Wright, Frias, and Dan Haren are all ready to go when needed. Hyun-Jin Ryu is making his first start since September 12, and even that lasted only one inning. Mattingly shouldn't hesitate to give the ball to one of these three to start an inning where they'd probably be most comfortable, especially for a starter like Haren.
And no, I would not under any circumstances advocate using Wilson as a late-inning answer. He's been the wrong answer all season long.
If the Dodgers survive this round and Howell still can't get anyone out, then I would yank him for Paco Rodriguez in the NLCS. But that's down the line, so let's take care of the Cardinals first.
Kemp's redemption hits new heights in Game 2
After blowing another lead in the NLDS, the Dodgers needed a hero to emerge to avoid the dreaded 0-2 hole heading to St. Louis.
Enter Matt Kemp.
Kemp delivered the big blow when a demoralized Dodgers team needed it the most, as his eighth inning solo shot proved to be the game-winner, lifting the Dodgers to a 1-1 series tie with a 3-2 victory in Game 2.
For all of the injuries, trade talk, and generally poor performance on the field since that magnificent 2011 season, Game 2 of the NLDS showed just how much of an impact Kemp can still make when he's feeling right. And guess what? It looks like he's FINALLY feeling right.
People tend to forgot just how good he was to start the 2012 season, fresh off of being robbed of the MVP award by Ryan Fraud... I mean Braun. In that April, he hit a ridiculous .417 with 12 homers and 25 RBIs, and far and away looked like the best player on the planet.
Then the injuries hit. And with that came more injuries, frustration, and little results on the field.
It's certainly been a long journey for the guy nicknamed "Beast Mode," as through May of this season he was only hitting .248 with five homers and 15 RBIs. He got booted from center field in favor of Andre Ethier, who was just as bad a hitter at the time, if not worse.
After a stint in left field, Don Mattingly settled on Yasiel Puig in center, a returning Carl Crawford in left, and Kemp over to right. Simply put, it worked. All three men looked comfortable, and Kemp seemed to finally find a spot where he looked natural at this point in his career.
His play in the field carried over to the plate, where he hit .309 with 17 homers and 54 RBIs after the All-Star break. He quietly went about his business in the second half, regaining his power stroke as the Dodgers held off the Giants in the NL West.
I think it was perfectly fitting that Kemp was the guy to make be the difference in Game 2. Just when J.P. Howell gave up a two-run shot to Matt Carpenter (who completely owns the Dodgers for whatever reason), Kemp led off the bottom of the eighth by depositing a 2-1 pitch deep into left off of All-Star reliever Pat Neshek. A deflated Dodger Stadium came back to life. A 1-2-3 ninth from Kenley Jansen kept them happy.
Good for Kemp, as he took flak from just every baseball writer in America for already looking washed up. His bat has forced his way back into the lineup everyday, as Mattingly doesn't have to worry about playing the numbers game and possibly putting in Ethier or Scott Van Slyke over him. He's the cleanup hitter, and hopefully it stays that way.
Now the Dodgers need him to carry that hot bat into St. Louis and at least earn a split. With the way he's raking, that's looking like a pretty good bet.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Like it or not, Kershaw still has plenty to prove in the postseason
Michael Jordon had the Pistons.
And now, after yet another dominant season, which led to another poor outing in October, it appears as if Clayton Kershaw has the Cardinals.
Like the magnificent Jordon had to prove, sometimes you have to go through that one team before you achieve greatness when it counts the most. Jordon got his six rings, but only after finally conquering the Bad Boys.
Kershaw can only hope he gets another chance to overcome the Cards.
He'll need the rest of his rotation to pick things up, his bullpen to pitch better, and his offense to continue to stay hot if he wants another crack at the Cardinals. For now, he'll have to settle for yet another shellacking at the hands of St. Louis, as the Dodgers dropped a heartbreaker in Game 1 of the NLDS at home 10-9. Yasiel Puig struck out with a runner on third to end the game.
It was one of the strangest games you'll see, as Kershaw toggled between getting pounded all over the park from straight fastballs down the middle, to absolutely baffling the Cardinals to the tune of 16 straight retired and 10 strikeouts. Very little about the game made any sense, and Kershaw is right at the top of that list.
We've seen plenty of times in the past where Kershaw was robbed of wins because his offense only scored a run or two. Heck, he only won 16 starts last year and 14 the year before, yet made 33 starts in each of those seasons compared to 27 this year. So when he was spotted a 6-1 lead in the sixth, it looked like the focus of the baseball world should turn to Anaheim where the Angles were hosting the Royals.
Not so. Kershaw simply ran into a wall. And boy did he hit that wall hard.
As I tweeted out during the game, it's hard to ever question Kershaw over anything. You don't get to be 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA by accident, it takes a lot of hard work.
With that said, it sure looked like we saw another side of Kershaw - stubbornness. Most of the time, that's called "competitiveness," but not on Friday.
The seventh inning showed that negative side of him, as he simply refused to rely on his secondary pitches. It was one fastball after another after another after another. It was a pattern even the most casual of baseball fan could pick up on.
Want further proof? According to the MLB.com pitch tracker, Kershaw threw 29 pitches in that fateful seventh: 20 fastballs, 8 sliders, and 1 curveball. He pretty much abandoned his curveball after Randal Grichuk homered off of it in the first. His slider has been his most effective pitch all season, but he also seemed to lose faith in that, despite striking out Oscar Taveras with it for the second out.
Nope. Instead, with his arch nemesis Matt Carpenter up, Kershaw tried to blow it by him for the third strike one too many times. Carpenter responded by missing a grand slam by a few feet. That was ultimate KO punch. Carpenter sat on the fastball, and whether pitches were being tipped or not, he had no reason not to think the hard stuff was coming. He ended up with two hits - a solo shot and a bases clearing double.
Now it's back to the drawing board for Kershaw, and as I stated before, he can only hope and pray that his teammates pick him up and give him the ball back in the series at some point. For the next few days, he'll have to stew on the fact that his postseason numbers aren't anything close to his regular season numbers: 10 games (7 starts), 1-4, 5.20 ERA, 1.27 WHIP. It's not like he's been awful every start, but his two clunkers against the Cardinals and a poor outing in 2009 against the Phillies have ballooned his ERA.
The next few days will be huge for the Dodgers, as they obviously have a smaller window in a five-game series to come out on top. It's also huge for Kershaw, as the last thing he wants to do is face an offseason with more questions about his playoff shortcomings.
He also doesn't want to face those questions as he's picking up his Cy Young and MVP awards. That will be an awkward press conference to say the least.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Lots of arms highlight Dodgers' NLDS roster
As the Dodgers get set for Game 1 of the NLDS, they have announced their roster for the five-game series on Friday afternoon. With the middle relief a huge question mark, Don Mattingly has opted to go with more arms than usual. Here it is:
Catchers (2)
A.J. Ellis
Drew Butera
Infielders (6)
Adrian Gonzalez
Dee Gordon
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Justin Turner
Miguel Rojas
Outfielders (5)
Carl Crawford
Yasiel Puig
Matt Kemp
Scott Van Slyke
Andre Ethier
Starting Rotation (4)
Clayton Kershaw
Zack Greinke
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Dan Haren
Bullpen (8)
Kenley Jansen
J.P. Howell
Brian Wilson
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Scott Elbert
Jamey Wright
Carlos Frias
Who's Left Out?
Chris Perez
Kevin Correia
Paco Rodriguez
Roberto Hernandez
Darwin Barney
Joc Pederson
Tim Federowicz
Analysis:
In my post where I guessed what the roster would be, I went with Barney and Paco over Elbert and Frias. Like I said before, Mattingly opted to go for the extra arm, mostly because everyone but Jansen is such a question mark. I can't argue with that.
I'm still a little surprised Barney didn't make the cut, but he gets victimized more by the shaky relief core than anything he did. Had Wilson and Howell not stunk things up so much in September, then I doubt someone like Frias would've made the roster. But the Dodgers are what they are, and that's a strong team with a mediocre bullpen at best.
And by the way, I read that Perez and Correia chose to go home instead of staying with the team. I guess I can understand Correia splitting since he was a late addition to the team on a trade, but Perez has been there all along. He sucked so bad, he can't possibly be surprised that he's not on the roster.
So in closing, to Perez I say good bye and good riddance!
Catchers (2)
A.J. Ellis
Drew Butera
Infielders (6)
Adrian Gonzalez
Dee Gordon
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Justin Turner
Miguel Rojas
Outfielders (5)
Carl Crawford
Yasiel Puig
Matt Kemp
Scott Van Slyke
Andre Ethier
Starting Rotation (4)
Clayton Kershaw
Zack Greinke
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Dan Haren
Bullpen (8)
Kenley Jansen
J.P. Howell
Brian Wilson
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Scott Elbert
Jamey Wright
Carlos Frias
Who's Left Out?
Chris Perez
Kevin Correia
Paco Rodriguez
Roberto Hernandez
Darwin Barney
Joc Pederson
Tim Federowicz
Analysis:
In my post where I guessed what the roster would be, I went with Barney and Paco over Elbert and Frias. Like I said before, Mattingly opted to go for the extra arm, mostly because everyone but Jansen is such a question mark. I can't argue with that.
I'm still a little surprised Barney didn't make the cut, but he gets victimized more by the shaky relief core than anything he did. Had Wilson and Howell not stunk things up so much in September, then I doubt someone like Frias would've made the roster. But the Dodgers are what they are, and that's a strong team with a mediocre bullpen at best.
And by the way, I read that Perez and Correia chose to go home instead of staying with the team. I guess I can understand Correia splitting since he was a late addition to the team on a trade, but Perez has been there all along. He sucked so bad, he can't possibly be surprised that he's not on the roster.
So in closing, to Perez I say good bye and good riddance!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
How the Dodgers can beat the Cardinals
As the Dodgers and Cardinals get ready to tangle in the NLDS starting Friday, let's take a look at five keys for the boys in blue.
1) Kershaw and Greinke need to be the aces. If you tuned into the AL Wild Card game, then you probably were expecting a nice low-scoring game with Jon Lester and James Shield on the mound. Instead you got a wild, 12-inning, 9-8 slugfest that saw the Royals continually fight back to stay on top.
That just goes to show that anything can happen in one game. As good as Clayton Kershaw is, let's not forget that even he and his 1.77 ERA are prone to hiccups. The Diamondbacks unmercifully pounded on him back in May, and even the lowly Cubs put up three in the first inning off of him recently. Greinke has not given up more than four runs in any start this year, but has struggled a bit with high pitch counts of late.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers doled out a ton of cash to these two for games like this. Especially in the short five-game series, they need them to be on top of their games. If they are, then the Dodgers should be fine.
2) Keep on poundin' it at the plate. The Dodgers ended the season hitting the ball about as well as any point of the season. They're currently on a five-game winning streak where they've averaged 7.2 runs/game. They beat the Cubs 14-5, the Rockies 11-3, and pounded on the Giants 17-0 within the last three weeks.
Carl Crawford was red hot in September, hitting an insane .448. Juan Uribe hit .377 and drove in 17. Hanley Ramirez hit .352. Matt Kemp was awesome at .322 with nine homers and 25 RBIs, earning him NL Player of the Month. Super subs Justin Turner and Scott Van Slyke .422 and .432, respectively.
Obviously the level of completion goes way up in October, but after a season where the offense was a roller coaster, it's good to see them on such a high at the most important part of the season.
3) Middle relief has to deliver. If there's one thing that really scared me watching the A's and Royals on Tuesday, it was the shaky relief work. Both teams had their moments of not getting the big outs from the bullpen when needed, with the A's ultimately paying the biggest price.
As I watched both teams tee off against the 'pen, I immediately thought about the Dodgers. Their biggest weakness is by far middle relief, where guys like Brian Wilson has failed to deliver time and time again, and the once reliable J.P. Howell has an 11.68 ERA in September.
Simply put, the Dodgers will need guys to outperform themselves if they want to win close games. As good as Kershaw, Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu are, they can't always be counted on to pitch at least eight innings before giving the ball to Kenley Jansen. Don Mattingly will need to call upon his middle relief at some point. How they perform when they do get the ball could be the difference between an early exit and a ring.
4) Continue the road dominance. The Dodgers had the best road record in baseball at 49-32. That's actually better than their home record of 46-35. Go figure. But in the postseason, that's actually a good thing, as they should have the confidence to steal a game or two on the road.
Back in July, the Cardinals took two of three at home over the Dodgers, all very close games. The Dodgers salvaged the series on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball on an Adrian Gonzalez ninth inning RBI. That came after Kershaw gave up a couple runs in the sixth to tie the game. He still went seven innings for three runs, partially erasing his horrible memories from his start in Game 6 of last year's NLCS in that same park.
Considering the Cardinals won all three game in St. Louis in the NLCS, the Dodgers need to get over that hump if they want to advance.
5) Realize that home or away, the Dodgers are the better team. So play like it. It's really that simple. The Cardinals are still a very good team, as evidenced by their NL Central title. But they are without two of their studs from last season in Carlos Beltran and Allen Craig. Beltran was especially troublesome, as he drove him a team-high six runs in the NLCS.
This time around, the Dodgers have the same cast of characters back, plus a peaking Kemp, who sat out last postseason with an ankle injury. The Dodgers hit better in the regular season (.265 vs. .253), pitched better (3.40 vs. 3.50), and have more wins (94 vs. 90). Those numbers don't lie.
At the end of the day, the Dodgers have the home field advantage for a reason. They have their aces rested and ready to go. Their offense has been putting plenty of runs on the board. They have all of the reasons in the world to feel good about themselves. Now it's time to get it done.
1) Kershaw and Greinke need to be the aces. If you tuned into the AL Wild Card game, then you probably were expecting a nice low-scoring game with Jon Lester and James Shield on the mound. Instead you got a wild, 12-inning, 9-8 slugfest that saw the Royals continually fight back to stay on top.
That just goes to show that anything can happen in one game. As good as Clayton Kershaw is, let's not forget that even he and his 1.77 ERA are prone to hiccups. The Diamondbacks unmercifully pounded on him back in May, and even the lowly Cubs put up three in the first inning off of him recently. Greinke has not given up more than four runs in any start this year, but has struggled a bit with high pitch counts of late.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers doled out a ton of cash to these two for games like this. Especially in the short five-game series, they need them to be on top of their games. If they are, then the Dodgers should be fine.
2) Keep on poundin' it at the plate. The Dodgers ended the season hitting the ball about as well as any point of the season. They're currently on a five-game winning streak where they've averaged 7.2 runs/game. They beat the Cubs 14-5, the Rockies 11-3, and pounded on the Giants 17-0 within the last three weeks.
Carl Crawford was red hot in September, hitting an insane .448. Juan Uribe hit .377 and drove in 17. Hanley Ramirez hit .352. Matt Kemp was awesome at .322 with nine homers and 25 RBIs, earning him NL Player of the Month. Super subs Justin Turner and Scott Van Slyke .422 and .432, respectively.
Obviously the level of completion goes way up in October, but after a season where the offense was a roller coaster, it's good to see them on such a high at the most important part of the season.
3) Middle relief has to deliver. If there's one thing that really scared me watching the A's and Royals on Tuesday, it was the shaky relief work. Both teams had their moments of not getting the big outs from the bullpen when needed, with the A's ultimately paying the biggest price.
As I watched both teams tee off against the 'pen, I immediately thought about the Dodgers. Their biggest weakness is by far middle relief, where guys like Brian Wilson has failed to deliver time and time again, and the once reliable J.P. Howell has an 11.68 ERA in September.
Simply put, the Dodgers will need guys to outperform themselves if they want to win close games. As good as Kershaw, Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu are, they can't always be counted on to pitch at least eight innings before giving the ball to Kenley Jansen. Don Mattingly will need to call upon his middle relief at some point. How they perform when they do get the ball could be the difference between an early exit and a ring.
4) Continue the road dominance. The Dodgers had the best road record in baseball at 49-32. That's actually better than their home record of 46-35. Go figure. But in the postseason, that's actually a good thing, as they should have the confidence to steal a game or two on the road.
Back in July, the Cardinals took two of three at home over the Dodgers, all very close games. The Dodgers salvaged the series on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball on an Adrian Gonzalez ninth inning RBI. That came after Kershaw gave up a couple runs in the sixth to tie the game. He still went seven innings for three runs, partially erasing his horrible memories from his start in Game 6 of last year's NLCS in that same park.
Considering the Cardinals won all three game in St. Louis in the NLCS, the Dodgers need to get over that hump if they want to advance.
5) Realize that home or away, the Dodgers are the better team. So play like it. It's really that simple. The Cardinals are still a very good team, as evidenced by their NL Central title. But they are without two of their studs from last season in Carlos Beltran and Allen Craig. Beltran was especially troublesome, as he drove him a team-high six runs in the NLCS.
This time around, the Dodgers have the same cast of characters back, plus a peaking Kemp, who sat out last postseason with an ankle injury. The Dodgers hit better in the regular season (.265 vs. .253), pitched better (3.40 vs. 3.50), and have more wins (94 vs. 90). Those numbers don't lie.
At the end of the day, the Dodgers have the home field advantage for a reason. They have their aces rested and ready to go. Their offense has been putting plenty of runs on the board. They have all of the reasons in the world to feel good about themselves. Now it's time to get it done.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Dee's feeling good for Game 1
After the Dodgers clinched the NL West last Wednesday, one of the biggest issues for Don Mattingly was how much playing time he should give to the regulars in the last few games. After all, the last thing anyone wants to see is an injury.
And then Dee Gordon left the second-to-last game of the season with a hip injury. Ugh.
What was unknown at the time was just how serious it was, as the Dodgers obviously erred on the side of caution, and rightfully so. An MRI didn't reveal any damage, which was good news.
Even better news came today, as Gordon made it through a workout at Dodger Stadium, and has declared himself good to go for Game 1 of the NLDS.
Despite his numbers dipping in the second half of the season, his presence in the lineup is huge. He can completely turn a game around with his legs. A league-leading 64 RBIs and 12 triples show just how much his speed impacts the game.
What will be fun to watch is Gordon vs. Yadier Molina, one of the greatest caught stealing catchers of all time. Even at 100% strength, swiping any base on Molina is darn near impossible. However, I still think Gordon will step up to the challenge and test his luck.
Keep an eye out for the first time Gordon reaches first. You know that one way or another, he'll be looking to steal second and set the tone for the rest of the series.
And then Dee Gordon left the second-to-last game of the season with a hip injury. Ugh.
What was unknown at the time was just how serious it was, as the Dodgers obviously erred on the side of caution, and rightfully so. An MRI didn't reveal any damage, which was good news.
Even better news came today, as Gordon made it through a workout at Dodger Stadium, and has declared himself good to go for Game 1 of the NLDS.
Despite his numbers dipping in the second half of the season, his presence in the lineup is huge. He can completely turn a game around with his legs. A league-leading 64 RBIs and 12 triples show just how much his speed impacts the game.
What will be fun to watch is Gordon vs. Yadier Molina, one of the greatest caught stealing catchers of all time. Even at 100% strength, swiping any base on Molina is darn near impossible. However, I still think Gordon will step up to the challenge and test his luck.
Keep an eye out for the first time Gordon reaches first. You know that one way or another, he'll be looking to steal second and set the tone for the rest of the series.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Looking at the possible NLDS roster
The Dodgers won in walk-off fashion on Saturday night in kind of a meaningless game. OK, it was a completely meaningless game, as the Dodgers are locked in for home-field advantage in the NLDS and the #2 overall seed. The Rockies have been eliminated since the start of Spring Training.
Anyway, Scott Van Slyke scored on a wild pitch, and the Dodgers outlasted the Rockies 6-5 in 12 innings. Good thing, too, because the bullpen blew a late two-run lead.
Sunday is the regular season finale, and Don Mattingly will let the boys have some fun. Juan Uribe gets to manage, and Clayton Kershaw gets a good look at his future many years from now by handling pitching coach duties.
After that, it's back to business, as the NLDS opens Friday night at Dodger Stadium. As for the opponent, the Pirates still have a chance to catch the Cardinals, so we'll see how that plays out on Sunday.
In the meantime, let's take a look at what the possible NLDS roster will be. Last year the Dodgers went with 14 position players and 11 pitchers. How will it shake out this year? Let me take my best guess.
Starting Position Players
A.J. Ellis
Adrian Gonzalez
Dee Gordon
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Carl Crawford
Yasiel Puig
Matt Kemp
Analysis: No surprises here, as this is the lineup Mattingly has settled into.
Bench
Justin Turner
Scott Van Slyke
Andre Ethier
Darwin Barney
Miguel Rojas
Drew Butera
Analysis: Because the starting pitching, especially Kershaw and Greinke, can go deep into games, I think Mattingly will opt to go for an extra bench player over the bullpen. With Gordon leaving early on Saturday because of a bad hip, it makes even more sense, as Turner could very well be starting at second. Van Slyke can play outfield and first base if A-Gon gets lifted for a pinch-runner. Barney and Rojas are purely for their gloves, as Mattingly won't hesitate to use one or both to protect a late lead.
Starting Rotation
Clayton Kershaw
Zack Greinke
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Dan Haren
Analysis: The wild card is Ryu, but the word on him is that he's feeling much better and should be good to go. He won't needed until Game 3 at the earliest, which is Monday, October 6. Haren has settled down from a horrific July to post a 2.70 ERA in September. If he needs to go in the third game, Mattingly will feel much better about giving him the ball.
Bullpen
Kenley Jansen
Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Pedro Baez
Paco Rodriguez
Jamey Wright
Analysis: As I said before, I think the starters' ability to go deep knocks out at least one arm in the 'pen. To me, the biggest decision is between Paco and Scott Elbert. I'll go with Paco, though I wouldn't at all be surprised if it's Elbert. This is definitely the weakest unit of the group, so if the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS, they could shake up the roster yet again.
Who's left out?
On the offensive side, the biggest name is probably Joc Pederson. He has a bright future ahead of him, but he's only 4-for-26, so I'd be very surprised if he beats out one of the veterans. Erisbel Arruebarrena is another solid glove, but is behind Rojas in the pecking order.
The pitching staff has tougher decisions. I don't see Kevin Correia or Roberto Hernandez getting in, as they've sharply regressed after pretty good starts. Carlos Frias pitched very well on Saturday in relief, so perhaps he's kept for just that role. But I doubt it.
Anyway, Scott Van Slyke scored on a wild pitch, and the Dodgers outlasted the Rockies 6-5 in 12 innings. Good thing, too, because the bullpen blew a late two-run lead.
Sunday is the regular season finale, and Don Mattingly will let the boys have some fun. Juan Uribe gets to manage, and Clayton Kershaw gets a good look at his future many years from now by handling pitching coach duties.
After that, it's back to business, as the NLDS opens Friday night at Dodger Stadium. As for the opponent, the Pirates still have a chance to catch the Cardinals, so we'll see how that plays out on Sunday.
In the meantime, let's take a look at what the possible NLDS roster will be. Last year the Dodgers went with 14 position players and 11 pitchers. How will it shake out this year? Let me take my best guess.
Starting Position Players
A.J. Ellis
Adrian Gonzalez
Dee Gordon
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Carl Crawford
Yasiel Puig
Matt Kemp
Analysis: No surprises here, as this is the lineup Mattingly has settled into.
Bench
Justin Turner
Scott Van Slyke
Andre Ethier
Darwin Barney
Miguel Rojas
Drew Butera
Analysis: Because the starting pitching, especially Kershaw and Greinke, can go deep into games, I think Mattingly will opt to go for an extra bench player over the bullpen. With Gordon leaving early on Saturday because of a bad hip, it makes even more sense, as Turner could very well be starting at second. Van Slyke can play outfield and first base if A-Gon gets lifted for a pinch-runner. Barney and Rojas are purely for their gloves, as Mattingly won't hesitate to use one or both to protect a late lead.
Starting Rotation
Clayton Kershaw
Zack Greinke
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Dan Haren
Analysis: The wild card is Ryu, but the word on him is that he's feeling much better and should be good to go. He won't needed until Game 3 at the earliest, which is Monday, October 6. Haren has settled down from a horrific July to post a 2.70 ERA in September. If he needs to go in the third game, Mattingly will feel much better about giving him the ball.
Bullpen
Kenley Jansen
Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Pedro Baez
Paco Rodriguez
Jamey Wright
Analysis: As I said before, I think the starters' ability to go deep knocks out at least one arm in the 'pen. To me, the biggest decision is between Paco and Scott Elbert. I'll go with Paco, though I wouldn't at all be surprised if it's Elbert. This is definitely the weakest unit of the group, so if the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS, they could shake up the roster yet again.
Who's left out?
On the offensive side, the biggest name is probably Joc Pederson. He has a bright future ahead of him, but he's only 4-for-26, so I'd be very surprised if he beats out one of the veterans. Erisbel Arruebarrena is another solid glove, but is behind Rojas in the pecking order.
The pitching staff has tougher decisions. I don't see Kevin Correia or Roberto Hernandez getting in, as they've sharply regressed after pretty good starts. Carlos Frias pitched very well on Saturday in relief, so perhaps he's kept for just that role. But I doubt it.
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