Well, the next round is set. Now the waiting begins, and news will trickle in. Late today we learned that the Dodgers had flip-flopped Flaherty and Yamamoto, with Yoshi getting the start in game one. Flaherty will get game two. It will be Yoshi-Cease in game one, and Flaherty-Darvish in game two. The 26-man does not have to be submitted until Saturday. Big day for the Dodgers tomorrow as Freeman will face live pitching for the first time since he was injured during the last game of the Padre’s series.
There are players who are on the playoff roster bubble both offensively and on the pitching staff. Many want to see LA leave Hudson and Kelly off of the roster and put Casparius and Henriquez in their place. I have to believe Kiermaier is not going to make the final cut. Andy Pages deserves a spot for the way he has played against lefties. But all of the Padre’s lefties are in the bullpen. They have no left-handed starters. They have four left-handed relievers. Peralta, Scott, Morejon and Matsui. Do the Dodgers keep Pages on the roster as a primary PH? Outman was called up for the last game because Kiermaier had dislocated his finger.
The Dodgers on the other hand have only two lefties active period. Banda and Vesia. That is it. And the Padres have some thumpers from the left side. Profar, Merrill, Cronenworth all have good power. Arraez, is a contact hitter and they have Peralta and Wade who hit left-handed off of the bench. Solano and Arraez will most likely share 1B and DH in this series. The Dodgers can match their thump from the left side with Ohtani, Freeman and Muncy, but they have no left-handed hitters on the bench unless they keep one of either Outman or Kiermaier. Edman is a switch hitter, but he is much better from the right side.
With Musgrove hurt, there is a good chance that the game 3 pitcher for the Padres is going to be Michael King. The key to this series for the Dodgers? Their stars are going to have to produce. They cannot win with sub-par performances from those guys. That means Mookie cannot go ofer, and Freddie needs to be better than 1-10. Will Smith had his best game ever in the 2020 playoffs against the Padres. He had the only 5-5 postseason game in Dodger history. They need Will’s bat. Ohtani is an unknown. He has never played in a postseason.
Teo has exactly 4 games experience in the post season. He did hit 2 homers against the Mariners when he was with Toronto in 22. The reserves are going to have to step up. The bottom of the order, which has had it problems this year, is going to have to play their best baseball.
Padres-Dodgers, Mets-Phillies, Yankees-KC, Det-Cle. Who makes it to the LCS? Also, who thinks the LDS should be 7 games instead of 5? Let the games begin.
This Brisbee thread shows how fucking BONKERS baseball used to be:
https://x.com/GrantBrisbee/status/1842031675934703910
Summarized here:
Boy that did not take long, the Reds are hiring former Red Sox and Indians manager, Terry Francona is going to manage the Reds. He is getting a 3-year deal. I had forgotten all about Francona. He is one guy I could see in LA if they fired Roberts. That won’t happen now.
You can forget about the Dodgers pursuing Ha Seong Kim this winter. He switched agents and hired Scott Boras.
We wait with baited breath to see who makes the roster for the playoffs. Personally, I can’t get a read on what AF thinks. Casparius and Henriquez for Kelly and Hudson? Two up and comers for two experienced playoff pitchers that have struggled as of late. Does AF have the balls to put Casp and Henriquez in place of them? That would be a bold move.
Pages for Kiermaier? Pages deserves a chance, imo. Outman is out, man.
Shohei doesn’t have any experience in the playoffs. I don’t think he makes the cut. LOL.
Yamamoto now starting game one – lines him up for a potential game 5. They view him as their Ace I think.
Also means JF can be available for game 5 on normal rest in a “all hands on deck scenario”.
And of course it happened: the #2 seed gets the #6 seed and the #1seed gets the #4 seed. Oh well, maybe the Mets are good enough to beat the Phillies. I doubt it but this guarantees an East Coast West Coast NLCS which is what MLB and networks wanted. There are no West Coast teams playing in the AL so what they all want is NY v LA. Maybe home plate umps will be in on it.
Is that a 5.30 start time?. Not ideal for hitters
Personally, I’m good with the LDS being 5 games. Adds a sense of urgency to each game, plus the playoffs drag on long enough.
I have been a silent Milwaukee Brewers fan since the Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Gorman Thomas, Cecil Cooper, Pete Vuckovich days. They have had some tough luck in the playoffs of late.
2019 – Trent Grisham’s 2-out 8th inning error let the go ahead run score in the Nationals Wild Card win.
2023 – Swept by #6 seed Arizona in Wild Card series. Brewers were ahead 3-0 in game 1 and 2-0 in game 2.
2024 – Leading by 2 in the 9th with their elite closer who does not give up HRs on the bump. Pete Alonso hits a very rare (for him) oppo 3-run HR for another Wild Card loss. Devin Williams’ airbender was not so good last night.
Turner Ward fired as hitting coach by the Cardinals. Levine stepped down as GM of the Twins.
If the Dodgers do lose this series to the Padres, I am pretty sure they won’t go quietly. Padres are going to be in a street fight.
Unfortunately for our Dodgers, we could be in a lot of trouble if Ohtani doesn’t continue to go crazy with the bat. Why so you ask?
FREDDIE obviously won’t be 100%…this injury very well could hinder his swing, not to mention his defense. That’s one super star iffy.
Super star #2 is much more troubling to me- MOOKIE BETTS- has been non existent the last 3 years of the playoffs. In those years, his BA has been .174, .143, and .000, respectively. He has all of 2 RBIs in those 13 games as well. But what’s even more troubling is that his total post season numbers are .251 BA with only 18 RBIs in 58 games. His OPS is .710. These numbers are nothing like his regular season numbers (.294 BA and .897 OPS), and if the last 3 years are any indication of what 2024 will be like facing all these top RHPs…..then I’m thinking not pleasant thoughts. Mookie has now become a post season choker or maybe you could say, he for the most part in his career, has been a post season choker. Sorry to be so blunt, but that is how I interpret these numbers.Bottom line for me…if OHTANI is pretty much minimalized, we are doomed….quite possibly, another one and done series, especially knowing two of our SPs are recovering from serious injuries and may not be 100%. The Padres staff even with Musgrave out are firing on all cylinders. Gulp…
Sorry fellows…I wish I had better news for you….it is what it is. But what keeps me upbeat is knowing simply this- you still have to play the games. Go LA! This is still a team sport.-TM
I do not understand the reticence on the LAD starting pitching. Are they capable of pitching a complete game? NO!! But they do not need to. Everyone of them is capable of 5.0 IP which is what is expected in the playoffs. IMHO, the key will be Walker Buehler. Will he reclaim his Big Game Walker moniker? I say yes.
I fully expect to see Joe Kelly on the roster. He was re-signed for October. Outside of 2019, Kelly has been a very productive playoff reliever. Daniel Hudson? Both still throw hard, so it is the command that will dictate how they pitch. Even with both Kelly and Hudson, one of Casparius or Henriquez will make the roster.
Tobias Myers, José Quintana, Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Hunter Brown, Cole Ragans…None of them household names outside of their home team. Any starter can get tattooed (Max Fried), but as we can see from the above, any starter can exceed expectations. For 5.0 IP, I like the LAD starters. And I like the LAD bullpen to pick them up.
Per MLBTR, Joe Musgrave will not pitch in the NLDS. Kodai Senga will pitch game 1 for the Mets against the Phillies. Braves are expected to exercise team option on d’Arnaud, Ozuna and Bummer. Rays acquired P Ty Cummings from the Mariners to complete the Arozarena deal
Michael Grove and Bobby Miller recalled from OKC on the 3rd.
Umpires for LA-Padres series. Ripperger-Libka-Blaser-Bellino(CC)-Gibson-Johnson
Games will be televised on FS1. Luckily, I have that station on my ROKU.
Hope we see one of these again this year. Dodgers first on-field celebration of winning the World Series.
In yesterday’s sim game, Freeman took at bats, but Muncy played 1b.
According to Bill Plunket of the LA Times, he’s not sure if Freeman will be ready for tomorrow, as Freeman was not running at all yesterday.
I think Freddie needs some of the Kobe ankle healing powder!
Is Roberts on the hot seat? I believe he is if he goes one and out again.
100% not thinking ahead but Knack winning Game 4 to clinch sets up next round perfectly.
A sign of the times.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners-name-new-president-of-business-operations/ar-AA1rIUnw?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=42de70f2505f484fe67ba4c8a4faf9a9&ei=28
https://drchrisahmad.medium.com/introducing-a-game-changer-triple-tommy-john-surgery-tj3-055832076c78
Interesting article it’s not wire cables but it sounds as close as possible
Kelly off NLDS roster:
2024 Dodgers NLDS rosterPitchers (13): Anthony Banda, Ryan Brasier, Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Michael Grove, Edgardo Henriquez, Daniel Hudson, Landon Knack, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Catchers (2): Austin Barnes, Will Smith
Infielders (4): Freddie Freeman, Gavin Lux, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas
Outfielders (2): Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages
Infielder/Outfielders (4): Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Chris Taylor
Designated hitter (1): Shohei Ohtani
Well, I got 1 of the 2 pitchers I’d hoped to see on the playoff roster for this round. I’m extremely happy to see Joe Kelly off and Henriquez on. I like Casparious but I didn’t really anticipate he would be on the roster. In a short 5 game series with 2 days off, The Dodgers can get by with 4 starting pitchers and the bullpen. Casper’s has been a good innings eater during bullpen games, but he won’t be needed in a short series. I think he’d be a good option for an NLCS roster.
It was mentioned that Casperious is not eligible. Why is that?
Tonight’s HPU is Janson Visconti – My book, for what it’s worth “6 year MLB. Can be very small north & especially south. Sometimes gives the high strike. Not great consistency.
How about a new main page before the game starts? The current one has 137 posts which is awesome. No need for a new main article. Just a clean slate dedicated to the game.
Thanks