DODGERS Playoff Roster Prediction

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by doyerfan, Sep 25, 2020.

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  1. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    With less than a week before playoffs, thought I’d share what I think is a playoff roster, feel free to chime in with thoughts. A few notes:
    1) I’m making these predictions based off the WC series. Given its 3 games only, versus 5-7 later, I’d expect a WC series roster to be slightly different than later (hopeful) series
    2) reminder we have 28 spots
    3) I’m basing this off what I think they’ll do, and not necessarily what I would do

    here we go...

    Position Players

    Locks (10)

    Catcher: Smith, Barnes
    Infield: Muncy, Turner, Seager
    Outfielders: Bellinger, Pollock, betts
    Utilities: Taylor, Enrique

    Pitchers
    Locks (9)


    Kershaw, Buehler, Gonsolin, Urias, May

    Jansen, Graterol, Treinen, Victor

    thats 19 locks, 19 player I’d be floored wouldn’t make it.

    During regular season we’ve gone 15 pitchers, 13 hitters but I think in 3 game series we’d go 14 pitchers, 14 position players, which means 5 open pitching spots and 4 hitters, but could change...

    Pitching Pool
    Baez, Floro, Kelly, McGee, Kolarek, Wood, Santana, Sborz, White

    I think Baez, Floro, McGee and Kolarek are close to certain on the roster.

    IF they do want a 14 man staff, the last spot might depend on opponent. Wood becomes redundant in the WC series as a long man cause we only need 3 starters, but might be important if we face a team struggles against lefties. Kelly could be used against a team that chases a lot but he’s looked awful.

    Hitter’s Pool
    Joc, Lux, Rios, Ruiz, Beaty, McKinstry

    with 4 open spots, three easy favorites are Joc, Lux, and Rios. Those are all talented enough you want on your team even if they’ve struggled (I think Joc is closer to a lock but don’t feel 100% about that).
    For a 4th spot, if they do go 14 hitters 14 pitchers, my bet would be Ruiz. Get a 3rd catcher so you can use Barnes to catch Kershaw, rest Smith, and pinch hit versus lefties and pinch run.

    28 players is a lot of players, but so basically the biggest “challenge” I see at the moment is that there seems to kinda be 2 open spots for Kelly, Wood, Ruiz, Beaty, McKinstry, Santana, Sborz, and White. More you look at that, more you see that it’d be hard to put down some of the other players in favor of some of these dudes
     
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  2. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    starters (5): kershaw, buehler, gonsolin, urias, may
    bullpen (9): kenley, graterol, treinen, gonzalez, baez, floro, kelly, mcgee, kolarek,
    infield (3): muncy, turner, seager
    outfield (5): taylor, bellinger, pollock, betts, kiké
    catcher (2): barnes, smith

    last add-ons (4): joc, rios, wood, santana

    out: mckinstry, beaty, sborz, white, ruiz, lux

    notes:
    could make a case to add a 3rd catcher (ruiz)
    joc's in because of his past postseason success, but if his head isn't right (because of what he's going through), then beaty
    rios because we'll need him if turner's hammy gets worse, plus tbh he's earned it
    wood, because we'll need an innings-eaters when roberts pulls any starter not named kershaw after 5 innings
    santana gets a slight nod over white (racist)
    as for lux... he just hasn't shown me enough to warrant adding him
     
  3. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    btw, great thread doyer!
     
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  4. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    I think Joc and Rios are pretty much locks for the initial postseason roster. Personally, I would throw Ruiz in there for safety, especially in a 3 game series. And I think the final roster spot goes to Lux.

    14 pitchers sounds right. After the first round that should go up to 15, which means Ruiz probably falls off the roster.
     
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  5. LAdiablo

    LAdiablo descarado

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    you'd think you would see Ruiz actually playing if he was under consideration idk
     
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  6. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    One would think so. Also, we don’t have a history of carrying 3 catchers on the roster. I think if they do have Ruiz on the roster, there will be no intention to play him except in an emergency.

    The way Will Smith is hitting, they may want to use him at DH when Barnes catches Kershaw. And that’s risky to do without another catcher.
     
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  7. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    Id hope so also but they also did this a few years ago if I recall, they used a third catcher on roster (Farmer? Or some random) so they could use Barnes

    given that it looks like Barnes is almost for sure gonna catch Kershaw exclusively, I could see them going 3 catchers
     
  8. fsudog21

    fsudog21 DSP Legend

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    Rosters were smaller then and Farmer (like Barnes) could play other positions.
     
  9. lastatman

    lastatman DSP Legend Staff Member Moderator

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    Not really a roster post, but it seems more appropriate here than in the other threads.

    Marlins lost to the Yankees today. Hoping for another loss tomorrow as that's the team that I want to see end up in 8th. The Gnats should be an easy sweep, but something tells me they won't be, and I couldn't handle being upset by them this year. Just rather avoid them completely.

    Actually it's pretty unlikely that the Gnats finish #7 and Marlins 8. Since Marlins hold tiebreaker, unless they lose tomorrow and Gnats win out, it won't happen. Looks like we'll need another team to bump SF.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2020
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  10. Bluezoo

    Bluezoo Among the Pantheon

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    Kenley Jansen is a catcher...although Idk if at that position he would do more harm than at closer...a toss up !
     
  11. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    I actually want the Gnats. There’s nothing scary about their team, and we’ve played them before. In a short series I’d rather face a team we’ve played before.
     
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  12. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    I’d love to see him catch one day. Maybe in his final season, after we’ve clinched the division.

    He can’t hit though, and that’s one of the reasons he didn’t pan out at catcher. It would also be the problem with him catching in an emergency. I think Kiké can catch, and if Smith is at DH he could come in to catch (but we lose the DH and the pitcher has to hit after that). There are options in an emergency without Ruiz, just not good ones.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2020
  13. lastatman

    lastatman DSP Legend Staff Member Moderator

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    I agree that they're weak. I just hate the thought of such an important series with our arch rivals where they have nothing to lose and we have everything.
     
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  14. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    They would be the most devastating to lose to, no doubt. But I’m gonna be devastated if we lose in the first round no matter what, so give me the easiest team to beat.
     
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  15. lastatman

    lastatman DSP Legend Staff Member Moderator

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    You're saying there's something wrong with his career .944 OPS? ;)
     
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  16. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    After a couple games...

    trending down: Kelly and Wood
    Trending up: Edwin and Joc, they gotta be a lock

    also heard Dodgers say they’d go with 13 pitchers. So the last pitching spots could go Baez, Kolarek, Floro, McGee with Wood/Kelly on the outside looking in. They’ve given both of them plenty of chances and I get why they’re tantalized by Kelly’s stuff but he has zero command

    If they do go 15 hitters, that’s gonna be interesting, with 5 spots you figure Joc, Rios, Lux are locks but then don’t know how they fill in 2 more between Beaty, McKinstry, Ruiz. Maybe they surprise with Terrance Gore for pinch running? But like people have said, would be surprising to have multiple players who haven’t been on big league roster in awhile but with 28 players on roster, those last spots might (and shouldn’t) matter much
     
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  17. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    I guess Dave mentioned that they might add someone to the postseason roster who is not currently on the 40-man roster. Which could be a hint that Gore is being considered.

    If they do go with 13 pitchers (which is plenty for a 3-game series), I’d be shocked if Ruiz wasn’t on the roster, and I think there’s a good chance we see Gore on the roster.
     
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  18. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    Buehler is going to start game 1 of wild card series, Kershaw game 2. I think the lineup works better that way (Smith catches game 1, DHs game 2) and even a hurt Buehler I probably have more faith than Kershaw

    Roberts said 3-5 spots on playoff roster still open, depends on opponent. As BlueMouse said, if they go 13 pitchers, you have at least 2 position player spots that go to players we haven't seen much of (Ruiz, Gore, McKinstry, Beaty)
     
  19. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    It makes sense, that was the order last time through the rotation. I’d also say, there’s a better chance Kershaw goes deeper into the game than Buehler, which sets up better for the bullpen (not that it really matters in a 3-game series).

    I’m taking this as a good sign for Buehler’s finger.
     
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  20. fsudog21

    fsudog21 DSP Legend

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    [​IMG]
     
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