Dodger surprises with NLDS roster

♦ October 5, 2016 ♦ Leave a comment

I thought the Dodgers would have a few surprises but Austin Barnes was not one I expected.

This is your 2016 LAD NLDS roster

Player | Pos
Grandal | C
Ruiz | C
Austin Barnes | C
Adrian Gonzalez | 1st
Chase Utley | 2nd
Seager | SS
Turner | 3rd
Reddick | RF
Joc | CF
Puig | RF/LF/CF
Kendrick | LF
Toles | LF/RF/CF
Charlie Culberson | Utiliy Infielder
Andre Ethier | PinchHitter
Player | Pos
Kershaw | Game One
Rich Hill | Game Two
Kenta Maeda | Game Three
Julio Urias | Game Four
Grant Drayton | LHS
Blanton | RHS
Jansen | Closer
Avilan | LHS
Josh Fields | RHS
Stripling | RHS
Baez | RHS

Surprises:

No Kike Hernandez even though he started every game a left-hander started until the last weekend of the season.  This makes sense given that the Nationals only have one left-handed starter and the Dodgers sounded like they would rather have Carlos Ruiz pinch-hitting instead of Hernandez.

Austin Barnes makes it evidently to allow Ruiz to be a pinch hitter. I didn’t realize that Ruiz was that good.  I  didn’t see this coming at all. For a guy that Dave Roberts sounded so confident in, they sure didn’t give him much playing time in September.

Charlie Culberson parlays his heroic Vin home run into a postseason roster spot. You need a backup infielder and if Hernandez is not on the team, they turn to Charlie.

Josh Fields instead of Jay Howell or Alex Wood. Hope that works out.

I like that fact they are going with 14 position players and only 11 pitchers for this short series.

I missed on four players, that is a lot to miss. I can understand the thinking on Culberson instead of Hernandez, and even Barnes to an extent. I’m pretty sure I’d have gone with at least one of Howell or Wood but hopefully Fields either isn’t needed or does the job when asked of him.

 

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