http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers-plaschke-20161013-snap-story.html I hate Bill Plashke most of the time, but I liked this article he wrote.
I liked the results more than the article but with this good of result I don't mind reading 37 different takes on it
Saw part of the game again and I loved the part when Harold Reynolds says "Cmon. He's not gonna pitch" referring to Kershaw. Umm...wrong again. Loved it.
I wouldn't start Puig. He's good for maybe 1 walk in 4 at bats. That's not gonna cut it. As bad as Reddick has been the whole 2nd half, you go with him in RF. LF is trickier. I like Tole's hustle and overall effort, and I just don't trust Kendrick's wheels. But Kendrick is that veteran presence you may need vs the Cubs. I think the infield is set BUT, I know you guys are not big on replacing Grandal with Ruiz because of pitching comfort, but Kershaw had no problems with him in the 9th last night. Plus his stats....3 runs in three at bats when he hit that ball in the gap. That doesn't lie. And having been with the Reds, he may just know more about the Cubs than any other player on the Dodgers. I think you gotta go with him.
I figure Puig gets the start tomorrow because we are facing a lefty and he was in the lineup hitting cleanup vs Gio. I was making a case that maybe he should be in there vs Righties too, they probably stick with Reddick, but Reddick looks shaky out in RF and his bat has not done anything more than Puig can do.
Nah, Reddick is aight. 3-11 with some good AB's, not terrible. Puig has taken a couple of good walks, but when it has come to swinging, as clueless as ever.
Puig will start tomorrow cause a lefty is starting but I doubt he starts against any righty starter It'll probably be the same lineup as Game 3 of the NLDS, with the only ones I'm not sure of is if Ruiz or Charlie start
I want Ruiz to bat, but he's a nice little 0-14 lifetime vs Lester so Roberts may not want to mix things up. I was excited after that first game from Grandal, but he looked like shit in basically every AB after that game. You win World Series by playing the hot hand and right now, Ruiz appears to be the hot hand.
Toles has repeatedly proven himself in big situations, he's been fantastic, but against Lester I think you have to go Kendrick
maddon is way too smart to say anything inflammatory and risk firing our guys up Cubs manager Joe Maddon admitted it would be "awkward" to face the likes of ace Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill for the first time in 2016 during the National League Championship Series starting Saturday night at Wrigley Field. "I do believe a pitcher that’s pitching well should have an advantage over a team that has not seen him to this point," Maddon said Thursday before the Dodgers edged the Nationals in Game 5 of the NL Division Series. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-starters-dodgers-nlcs-20161013-story.html
Can we trust Roberts though? http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/94951848/v1206008283/?query=dodgers+roberts
Brock Stewart "could" get a spot on the roster I believe. 5 innings of 2 hit ball for Stewart versus the Cubs. I was at that game too, we beat Lester 1 - 0.