NLDS: If You Had a Choice
by bearface on Sep 28, 2009 8:38 AM PDT
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PrintAssuming the Dodgers can not blow a 3 run lead with 1 out in the bottom of the ninth against the worst team in baseball win this morning and clinch the division title, we're left with a few options. If the Braves continue this tear, they could end up winning the WC which means we would play them. If not, its either the Cards or the Phils.
Well you can't always look at regular season match-ups as a true preview for a series, they are still a good thing to look at.
The Cardinals have absolutely owned us this year. We went 2-5 against them scoring 19 runs in 7 games, 12 of which came in the two wins. To face a rotation of Chris Carpenter/Adam Wainwright/Joel Peneiro is pretty scary.
The Phillies we did a bit better against this year, going 4-3. This was of course before they added Cliff Lee, but also before Brad Lidge took a huge dive. If Hamels is as lights out as last year, this team is even scarier in the post-season.
The Braves we went 3-4 against this year, but they don't scare me as much. Lowe owned us, but I think we have the better team and the upper hand.
Leave your "why" in the comments.
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Um
the part about blowing it in the 9th was supposed to be crossed out. also not sure what the “Thw” is either.
braves
is my choice since I would rather not have to beat the Philles then Cards (or vice versa) to reach the WS. Although beating those 2 before beating the NYY in the WS would be a pretty sweet way to win it all.
i don't think yankees will be in the WS
you know no a-rod in the playoffs
Misconception
A-Rod’s had two rough post-seasons. He’s also had 4 or 5 great ones with Seattle and even in ’04 with the Yankees.
by bearface on Sep 28, 2009 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
50 ABs in a row without an RBI?
finally snapped by a totally meaningless solo shot at the end of the cleveland series?
that stretch was truly, deeply bad.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrial01.shtml?redir
that being said, he might make a bit of a recovery this year, what with coming clean about being a deceitful roiding scumbag.
by stillnotah8er on Sep 29, 2009 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions
He finally got a meaningless RBI, and the RBI stat is meaningless anyway!
I would tell you that 50 PA are not a meaningful sample size, but the point won’t land with you anyway.
by Michael White on Sep 29, 2009 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Since A-Rod became a Yankee
in the playoffs, 2004-2007 (all of 24 games)…
Jeter: .291/.348/.466, .814 OPS
A-Rod: .245/.355/.436, .791 OPS
Jeter gets hailed as a conquering hero, and A-Rod is a piece of shit, yet there hasn’t much difference in them in the postseason.
by Eric Stephen on Sep 29, 2009 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah
but A-Rod has been annointed the “Best Player in Baseball” for the last decade. When you are given that type of recognition and money, he should be hitting better than Jeter in the playoffs. He should be having Bonds like post seasons. I think the criticism is fair on A-Rod int he post.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 29, 2009 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions
ARod and Jeter have been the best players in baseball the past decade. The playoffs are way too small of a sampling of games to take them and proclaim one guy dogshit and the other guy Captain America. And Bearface’s point is valid, nobody remembers the playoffs ARod had with Seattle, only his struggles in New York. That’s cherry picking statisctics which you could do for any player.
by Michael White on Sep 29, 2009 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Jeter has not been annointed the best player.
He has been given credit for being playoff clutch. A-Rod and Pujols are considered the best players, maybe Mauer now too. When you make plays like the one in the Oakland series back in 2001 where Jeter threw Giambi out at the plate, you deserve accolades. He has produced in big situations numerous times in the playoffs, so people saying that Jeter doesn’t deserve at least some of that recognition would be wrong in my opinion.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 29, 2009 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions
My mistake, I typed Arod and Jeter and I meant to type ARod and Bonds. I do not think Jeter has been the best baseball player in the past decade, nor do people consider him the best player in the past decade.
by Michael White on Sep 29, 2009 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions
People are going to just start ignoring you
if they haven’t already.
by Michael White on Sep 29, 2009 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
a rod
also had 15 Ks in that period, and only one of his measly 7 hits was anything besides a single (it was a double).
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/playerpost.php?p=rodrial01&ps=ds
I would hope a-rod and bonds fans would ignore me! they obviously are confused, hateful people.
by stillnotah8er on Sep 29, 2009 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions
Jeter has not been annointed the best player.
tell that to anybody in new york city and see what they say.
With that lineup of the Yankees
and the type of on-base percentage those teams had, A-Rod should have had some RBI. He failed in a lot of easy RBI situations.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 29, 2009 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions
He failed on a lot of easy RBI situations?
Um okay, if you say so. You didn’t provide any evidence for this claim, so I guess we’ll have to take your word for it.
by Michael White on Sep 29, 2009 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
A-Rod in 2007 ALDS
Game 1. 3rd inning, B. ABreu on 1st. Pop up to SS.
Game 2. 4th inning, D. Jeter on 2nd. Strikeout, 7th inning, B. ABreu on 1st, no out, strike out. 9th inning, Abreu on second, strike out.
Game 4. 1st inning, two runners on. Strikeout.,
Here is some evidence. A-Rod struck out a lot that series. In situations where anyhting but a strikeout or DP would have helped out.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 29, 2009 10:28 AM PDT up reply actions
but, no, wait
A-Rod from 14 years ago is more relevant than the guy who we’ve seen for the past 5 years! My computer says so!
by stillnotah8er on Sep 29, 2009 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Thanks for the data Ian
We can agree to disagree on the significance of those plays but I appreciate that you provided the info.
I don’t really get the fascination about ARod, particularly by some people on this blog (i’m not saying you are one of them Ian.) I happen to think he is one of the best players in baseball and would be thrilled to have him on the Dodgers, but other than that, I don’t really give a shit. Some people seem to make ARod digs once a week which seem out of left field.
by Michael White on Sep 29, 2009 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
I think A-Rod is a wonderful player
A-Rod failing in the playoffs doesn’t have anything to do with his mental makeup, although towards the 2007 series, it may have started to creep into his mind. Given a big enough sample size, A-Rod will produce in the playoffs, but the playoffs are a premium, so for the “Best Player” to not produce in 5 key situations over 3 games, he deserves criticism. If Manny strikes out that many times in this upcoming series, I would criticize him.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 29, 2009 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I hate A-Rod.
and the Yankees.
But I hate people who call him a choker or “un clutch” more. Thanks bearface. Nice, s/n btw.
by Seanny Rotten on Sep 30, 2009 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions
I voted Cardinals
because I’m sick of many people saying/thinking the Dodgers have no shot at them. I would like to take them out.
Great attitude!
If only I wasn’t such a pussy when it comes to the Cards, I would agree with you.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 28, 2009 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions
You know what
I am hoping for the Cardinals now. Fuck them. When the Dodgers beat them, that will be more satisfying then anything else. Bring on the Cardinals.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 28, 2009 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Braves
Clearly the worst team of the 3. Our pitchers shouldn’t have much problem shutting them down. Lowe and Jurrjens don’t scare me at all though Vasquez has had an excellent year.
I don't see how the Braves are clearly
the worse of them. Jurrgens and Vazquez have been better then our best pitchers, and Hanson is right behind them.
Jurrgens x-FIP is 4.50.
Every Dodger starter (being considered for a postseason start) has a better x-FIP.
No argument about Vasquez, his x-FIP is tied with Lincecum for the best in the majors at 2.94 (though he’s thrown just a few less innings so I’d give the Cy Young edge to Lincecum.)
They also have the weakest lineup of the 3 teams (IMO.)
by Michael White on Sep 28, 2009 9:08 AM PDT up reply actions
I love ERA minus FIP
Looking at it on Fangraphs, J.A. Happ is the luckiest player in baseball with Jurrjens not too far behind.
Four days ago,
I would have said that the Dodgers had been at their worst this season when they were playing the Braves at home, so it wasn’t anything to worry about now. Four days ago, that would have been a true statement. It’s not anymore.
this series didn't mean too much
and as eric’s post showed, HFA doesn’t mean much in the NLDS.
the braves series was still the worst – ice cold bats, when it still mattered (I think the rox closed it to 3 or so at the end of that one).
by stillnotah8er on Sep 29, 2009 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions
I hated the Braves this year.
The series against them at home killed me, more so with game 2 when Tron and Elbert blew it. We could have been swept had it not been for Ethier’s walk-off blast against Soriano.
I went with the Phillies
I want to play them while the bullpen is a mess and not after they figure things out. Plus I think we are built this year to beat them. My hope would be that we can beat the Phillies and whoever plays the Cardinals takes them to five games thus using up Carpenter or Wainwright in game five.
I would not want to play the Braves right now. I’d hate to face Vazquez, Hanson, Hudson and Lowe. We could beat them but I’d rather not play them.
I chose Phillies
Er. Still sour about that series. The error by Furcal drilled me, very curious to see what would have happened had he not done that. Watching Furcal misplay the ball this year haunts me. Though no ballplayer is perfect, I understand everyone makes errors, it’s just that… Well, you know…
(LOL At first, I thought you were talking about the Pittsburgh series just now!)
of all the questionable Torre bullpen moves, nothing…and I mean NOTHING compares to him taking Kuo out of Game 4 in the 8th inning after giving up a GROUND BALL SINGLE to one of the fiercest sluggers of our generation. It made it particularly galling when you consider that Torre could have pulled Kuo for a pinch hitter in the 7th,, if he was really determined to have such a short hook. The Dodgers could have continued that nice rally they had going, but he picked the worst of both worlds, letting Kuo hit but not letting him pitch.
Generally, I like Torre more than I dislike him, and I’m usually quick to defend his more controversial moves when people complain AFTER they blow up, yet never give him credit when they don’t. But I was irate right when he did that one, and what happened next justified the anger of everyone who felt the same way.
Facing in NLDS?
The Braves are closing fast, but the Cards and Phils are loaded. We will have our hands full with either of them. I can’t see the Braves staying hot much longer. Do like their CF McClouth—-that guy is a ball player! Glad to see he got out of BBall purgatory, Pittsburgh.
"It's a cookbook!"---The Twilight Zone
the braves wont make it...
my prediction is that the dodgers will play the phills 1st and the rocks will play the cards 2nd. it will be a great series but the dog heads will pull it off in 5 games. the rocks will also have a great series against the cards and I think it can go either way. but in the end i think the rockies beat the cards, as they have all year, and we go on to an epic nl west nlcs where we win in 6. then its on to the yanks where it will take a little more than will power to win but should be an awesome postseason in both leagues…
Loney will hit two jacks in Yankee Stadium and Ethier will hit a game-winner off of Mariano Rivera. If the Yanks make it at all. Freeway Series anyone?
no way the angels get past the bosox or yanks
so, no.
by stillnotah8er on Sep 28, 2009 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions
it's gonna be agasisnt the red sox
we will win in fenway with a manny grand slam
I Feel Like We Could Handle the Yankees
They have a huge reliance on power, which will screw them over at Dodger Stadium, and we would have a middle of the order of Ethier/Manny/Kemp/Thome/Blake hitting at pop-ups-are-outta-there stadium in the bronx.
i know that’s simple reasoning by the way.
Braves-St Louis-NYY
That would be a dream sweep vanquishing all of our past demons. I don’t like having to think of having to hit Phillie, St. Louis, Yankees, that would be to much like work.
Braves
they dont have anywhere close to the offensive power of the phillies or cards
their pitching is ok id say better than the phillies but no where near the cards pitching
but its unlikely we will face em…
"That is not how you play the game!!!" -Jack in the Box
Braves-Phillies-Yankees
Round 1: Tactically, I want to see the least powerful team in the first round, and that’d be the Braves. ANYTHING can happen in a 5 game series, and while I don’t take Atlanta for granted, there is less chance of “anything” with them than the Cards or Phils.
Round 2: It’s always phun to play the Phillies. These guys will be easier- or rather, less difficult- to handle if we get them in 7, so we can see their 2nd tier starters (as opposed to the short series, which would be more than half against Lee & Hamels), because our “2nd tier” is better than theirs. Most of all, though, I want a rematch- this time, with home field advantage!
WS: This one’s easy- LAD/NYY. The frequent Dodger/Angel matchups have taken the novelty of a Freeway Series away. (Thanks, Bud. Another brilliant decision. But I digress.) There are too many reasons to list why Dodgers/Yankees would be awesome, but for me personally, I’m from NY originally, and Don Mattingly was my favorite player as a kid. I’d LOVE to see him dance on the Yankee Stadium mound in front of Steinbrenner and his nearly-quarter billion dollars of a payroll…and Torre, too, of course. :)
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