(All games on TBS).
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This series will feature four of the top six pitchers on the National League’s ERA leader board: Greinke (first) and Kershaw (third), plus Jacob deGrom (fourth) and Matt Harvey (sixth) of the Mets. The Dodgers were 19th in bullpen ERA at 3.91, with Kenley Jansen (36 saves, 2.41 ERA) closing out games.
DeGroms path to the majors took several twists and turns, starting with him becoming a pitcher in his junior year at Stetson University. “Kershaw has been utterly dominant, and Greinke is not far behind, and that’s if he’s trailing Kershaw at all”, said Cokin (SmokinCokin.com). Wright and the Mets swept the Dodgers 3-0 in their 2006 Division Series before losing Game 7 of the NLCS to St. Louis.
Beyond the Los Angeles and New York city and postseason comparisons, both teams have also experienced somewhat similar runs to the postseason in 2015.
Welcome to the Mets’ wild, too-good-to-be-true journey, which started in spring training, when no one respected them, and now lands at the doorstep of the NL Division Series, where everyone finds themselves repeating the same scouting report.
The Dodgers led Game 4, 4-3, after eight.
Cespedes has been on fire since coming over to the Mets (.287 average, 17 home runs, 44 RBIs in 57 games) which helped to completely change the complexion of their lineup.
The Cubs chased Kershaw in the seventh inning after he gave up three earned runs with nine strikeouts. In the four games started by Kershaw and Greinke, each club won twice…. Puig is still rehabbing from a strained left hamstring that has hampered him since early August.
Curiously, even though Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly has led his team to three postseason appearances in a row for the first time in the history of the franchise, Collins appears to be the manager in this series with the greatest job security. He has been beaten up by the Cardinals for the last two years, and he has had a hard time performing when the lights are brightest. How much he plays remains to be seen, as ESPN Los Angeles’ Mark Saxon speculated on Tuesday that Puig might only start one game in the NLDS. If not, it could be the 42-year-old Colon, or deGrom on three days’ rest…. The problem is that the Mets have the exact same advantage…..starting pitching.
After clinching the division in Cincinnati, the Mets stumbled during the final week. On the same day Conforto was called up directly from Double-A, professional bats Uribe and Kelly Johnson were acquired from Atlanta in a deal that added much-needed depth. Regardless, expect it to be a short stint for Kazmir even if he’s pitching well, with Fiers ready to come out of the pen in long relief.
Scully, who has spent a record 66 yards broadcasting Dodgers games, said earlier this year that he anticipates 2016 will be his last season in the booth.
The way he takes the mound, he goes out there and attacks hitters, deGrom said.
It’s a jam-packed Friday for baseball fans, with four playoff games on tap one right after the other.
Their presence has emboldened the Dodgers, who last won a World Series in 1988. He first joined the Dodgers broadcast in 1950.
With or without Puig, Mattingly knows his team faces a serious challenge offensively. His 22 games of experience in the postseason, combined with Curtis Granderson’s playoff wisdom will serve as examples for the newbies.
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But it’ll be even worse if the Dodgers lose. Pederson’s 26 were the second-most by a Dodgers rookie behind Mike Piazza (35) in 1993…. Wright batted. 299 for the month of September with an OPS of.879, and has been solid defensively along the third baseline since his return. That a pitcher of Kershaw’s rare and splendid talent just keeps failing to put it all together in October time and time again?
