Culberson shakes up the postseason

♦ October 21, 2017 ♦ 1 Comment

Hard to believe that it was just over a week ago that Dodger fans learned that Corey Seager had hurt his back and would not be on the NLCS roster. Charlie Culberson was added in his place but I have to admit I didn’t think Charlie would be starting.  I’m a big Culberson fan, have loved his defense ever since I saw him in the spring of 2016 but the Dodgers did have two shortstops already on the roster in Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernandez.

Yet there was Charlie starting game one and contributing.  Charlie ended up starting three games and the Dodgers won all three games. Charlie didn’t just fill up a lineup spot, he contributed in a big way in each game, so much so that in my mind he could have been in the discussion for NLCS MVP.

You could easily argue that taking into account his defense and offense that Charlie Culberson had the best NLCS series for a Dodger shortstop in history.

Combined with Chris Taylor who started two games, it is a no-brainer.  Prior to the theatrics of Culberson/Taylor it was Bill Russell in 1978 who had that honor as he helped lead the Dodgers over the Phillies.

While watching the celebration with my wife in which Culberson was prominently displayed I remarked how sad it was going to be for him to be replaced on the World Series roster by Corey Seager. She was upset that he would just be cast aside but at the time I figured that was the move that had to be made.

I might have been too hasty. I have been hearing that with Corey just coming back they might use him at DH in the American League games, and play Charlie. That seems like a longshot since the Yankees or Astros have one only one lefty starter but maybe it will play out that way.

Whatever happens for Charlie Culberson he can take solace in the fact that he is in the Dodgers record book with the highest OPS of any NLCS Dodger shortstop with at least ten plate appearances.  By almost .300 points.

Los Angeles Dodger NLCS History:

Series/Player BA OBP Slug OPS
1974 Bill Russell 0.389 0.421 0.389 0.810
1977 Bill Russell 0.278 0.278 0.333 0.611
1978 Bill Russell 0.412 0.444 0.471 0.915
1981 Bill Russell 0.313 0.316 0.438 0.753
1983 Bill Russell 0.286 0.353 0.286 0.639
1985 Mariano Duncan 0.222 0.263 0.444 0.708
1988 Alfredo Griffin 0.160 0.154 0.200 0.354
2008 Rafael Furcal 0.211 0.304 0.368 0.673
2009 Rafael Furcal 0.143 0.174 0.190 0.364
2013 Hanley Ramirez 0.133 0.263 0.133 0.396
2016 Corey Seager 0.286 0.333 0.286 0.619
2017 Charlie Culberson 0.455 0.385 0.818 1.203
2017 Chris Taylor 0.250 0.400 0.875 1.275

Los Angeles Dodger NLCS History:

Series/Player PA H 2B 3B HR BB
1974 Bill Russell 19 7 0 0 0 1
1977 Bill Russell 18 5 1 0 0 0
1978 Bill Russell 18 7 1 0 0 1
1981 Bill Russell 19 5 0 1 0 1
1983 Bill Russell 17 4 0 0 0 2
1985 Mariano Duncan 19 4 2 1 0 1
1988 Alfredo Griffin 26 4 1 0 0 0
2008 Rafael Furcal 23 4 0 0 1 3
2009 Rafael Furcal 23 3 1 0 0 1
2013 Hanley Ramirez 19 2 0 0 0 3
2016 Corey Seager 24 6 0 0 0 2
2017 Charlie Culberson 13 5 2 1 0 0
2017 Chris Taylor 10 2 0 1 1 2

1 Comment

  1. 68elcamino427
    October 21, 2017 – 7:54 pm

    Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Charlie Culberson is the starting SS
    Opening day 2018

    not one bit

    Like

    Reply

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