Culberson shakes up the postseason
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 |
Congratulations to fellow TBLA/DT alumni
For years I’ve been able to mock the younger generation of Dodger fans on Dodger blogs by telling them how great 1981 and 1988 were. I don’t know if over the next two weeks if they will get the joy of 81 and 88 or the despair of 74,77, and 78.
I’m expecting joy for them.
Because
This Team
For Bobby Down who should enjoy this more than any Dodger fan I currently know. I’ve always like Bobby and that is why I picked on him more than anyone else. He’s been with TBLA since he was a mere boy. He’s now a man, a good man which is rare these days. I really hope his Kershaw can pitch a gem or two in this World Series. My only regret for him is that Matt Kemp won’t be helping the Dodgers get this championship. Poppa Down be cool too but I doubt he’s all that excited. He’s old like me, and like me, he already had 81 and 88.
For Hollywood Joe, who was so simpatico with how I felt about baseball that he basically replaced me at Dodger Thoughts. His comments usually mirrored my thoughts. It was a pleasure when he showed up at TBLA, because I felt we really had to earn his presence. Joe is one of the few commentators who became a friend and going to Dodger games and TBLA events with him has always been a pleasure.
Craig Minami was the first commentator at Dodger Thoughts I ever met. We have gone to Laker games, Clipper games, Dodger games, and even High School championship games. When he’s not phubbing you, he’s great company. Sometimes I’m not sure he’s real. He is probably the nicest person I’ve ever met. He never seems to have any agenda of his own. If the world was full of Craig’s, you would not recognize it because it would be safe and sane. Knowing Craig, he is much more excited for those fans who have never had a team of their own go to a World Series than he is for himself.
David Young completes the trifecta of the three Dodger internet friends who I’ve socialized with the most. Dave knew the joy of 81 and 88 and the despair of 74, 77, and 78. We agree on many baseball and social issues. My biggest regret at TBLA was accidentally deleting all of his comments at TBLA before he became a moderator. It was a tragic mistake that cost me dearly because Dave was one of the few who would comment after everything I wrote, and without his comments, most of my columns looked barren. I’ll always appreciate how he took time from Dodger Thoughts to comment at TBLA and support me.
I wish the Dodgers had done this while Jon Weisman was still working for them, but I’m guessing he was quite happy for all the Dodger employees he left behind. If the Toaster still existed today, it would be burning up. Without a doubt, my favorite time as a Dodger fan was interacting with the denizens of the Baseball Toaster. Before I had a phone that could connect to the internet I would head home after a game straight to Dodger Thoughts to read the game threads. I could go on an on about Dodger Thoughts but I have other names I need to get in.
Eric Stephen deserves all the joy that covering a World Series team will give him. I only wish he was writing a book about this season and calling it “Winning a Championship on the Margins”
Gary Alexander has been the biggest booster at this website, but Garry and I go all the way back to Dodger Thoughts. He’s had to deal with personal things in his life that would crush mere mortals and yet has as good an outlook on life as one could have in this day and age. I may only have one person who comments here on a daily basis but if I had been given a choice of anyone, it would have been Gary.
Christopher Bednash is a bizarre fan and I hope he can enjoy this moment. He is all about winning and the Dodgers have given him that winning moment. He may need it all to be fully satisfied and even then he’ll be thinking about next year. I didn’t like Chris at Dodger Thoughts and was actually dismayed when he came to TBLA. Being a contrary person I however stuck up for him when he was being denounced during his early run at TBLA. He figured things out and while he is the complete opposite of a Craig, he still has plenty to say, and in an entertaining way that may leave many politically correct people aghast.
The ladies of TBLA, Maddz, Josie, and Catherine. Josie was the first to really post at TBLA on a consistent basis. She was a snob, but an enjoyable snob. Maddz came in with guns blazing trying to prove how smart she was. We butted heads as was expected. I think the butted heads turned into mutual respect. At least it did on my side. I still have no idea what her PHD is about, I’m a simple man, but she can be good company and brought alot of zip to TBLA that it didn’t have before. Catherine is like the house mother who hates kids. TBLA never had anything like Catherine before and is lucky this gal from Alabama became a Dodger fan and settled in at TBLA.
Paul Berkowitz, the maestro who doesn’t quite understand simple things but probably has the greatest mind among all the commentators.
I didn’t realize how big a Dodger fan Molly Knight was until I started following her on twitter. I knew her as an ESPN writer but was unfamiliar with her Dodger fandom. I wish she had written the book she wrote a few years ago, this year. I expect she would have had much more fun writing that book. I only include Molly here because she was a part of the most uncomfortable period I had as a Dodger blogger. I learned a lot from the episode and it probably kept me from writing future inappropriate articles. One thing I learned is that Molly is quite emotional and given the current state of our country she could really use a Dodger World Series Championship to help mitigate our condition. Most of us could.
Those still at TBLA who comment on a regular basis. Lex Steppling, Foils, FBIhop, Tommy Blackjack, Craig Philips, Catherine, Kevin Lewis, and Steven Noland.
The lost folk of DT and TBLA. I really miss these people. I hope they are still Dodger fans and able to enjoy this moment. Keith Cook, Gary Scott, Larry Tabb, Don Burns, Marty Leadman, Arnoldo Rico, Bob Timmermann, Rob McMillin, AJ Henning, Kevin O’Cain, David Guerreva, Grimjack, and especially Kinbote and Todd Kaplan. The loss of Kinbote and Todd was a huge blow to the enjoyment of the TBLA blog.
Good luck everyone, may we have new heroes in a few weeks so that we can stop watching the Gibby video and watch the new hero.
What a long strange trip it has been
The last time the Dodgers went to the World Series:
The Dodgers had just completed one of the greatest NLCS in history and shocked the Mets.
I could call my father any time and talk about any sport. Especially the Dodgers
I was courting a girl from work by taking her to Dodgers games
I was 29 and completely broke after a series of bad investments
I was renting a single room in West Los Angeles from a young couple with an annoying dog
I biked to work
I had three best friends who I hung out with just about every day
I played softball three times a week
I worked out two hours a day
I had long hair and wore it in a ponytail
I didn’t have a TV
I slept on a futon
I had come close to being fired because I didn’t respect what my boss told me to do
I had Clipper season tickets because I couldn’t get Laker season tickets.
I had no pets
My oldest brother had yet to have children, none of my nephews/nieces were old enough to know what a Dodger was.
I loved that Dodger team
The internet had just been born. Prodigy was the beginning and I was there.
Twenty Nine years later:
The Dodgers blew through the Cubs in a very one-sided NLCS that will be remembered as the game of castoffs with Justin Turner / Chris Taylor / Charlie Culberson / Brandon Morrow all with major contributions.
No father to talk to about the Dodgers going to the World Series. He is still alive but his brain is not. I’m reluctant to even call him because I know he won’t understand what I’m saying, and he can’t articulate what he wants to say. Frustration does not even begin to describe this situation.
I married that gal from work and this year was our 27th wedding anniversary. We aren’t the biggest Dodger fans that we were in 1988 but we watched the Dodgers win the NLCS together, quietly on the couch. No children to celebrate with, just us, our cats and dogs.
I’m semi-retired, my plan to retire at 55 almost became a reality as I was let go at age 57 and decided I’d worked for other people long enough. Every company I worked for in the past 29 years does not exist anymore. Every line of code I ever wrote does not exist in production anymore. I have no legacy other than a solid financial well-being. That is not very satisfying. We are financially comfortable, this time a series of good investments, well-paying jobs, and a frugal lifestyle have allowed us to look forward to our last act without the constant worry about how will we afford it.
I’ve lived in a nice house in Woodland Hills since 1993. I planted an oak tree in the front yard in 1997. It is now a huge tree but has yet to give us a single acorn. I hope to live long enough to see it bare acorns. A strange hope I know.
I actually ended up working for an electric bike company for eight years before they were merged with Raleigh Bike Company in Seattle. During that time when the headquarters was in Chatsworth, I still biked to work.
One of my best friends died, the other lost his oldest son to Leukemia at age four and moved back to Kansas to raise the rest of his family, and the other moved back home to Seattle. We rarely talk, maybe once a year. They were never replaced.
After a hiatus of ten years from playing softball, I’m now playing again in two different Senior leagues. At times I’m back to playing softball three times a week but instead of at night it either in the morning or late afternoon. Semi-retired has its perks.
I have no regular workout regiment anymore. At my peak, at age 29 I was bench pressing 300 Ilbs while weighing 150. I now weigh 168, but I’m in as good as shape as anyone my age. My constant goal is to get back to 155. I don’t do heavy free weights anymore, I simply do body weight exercises.
I’ve been bald for twenty-five years.
I’ve got the big screen HDTV with access to Time Warner so I’ve been watching every Dodger game for decades. Since being in my current house I think I’ve watched 98% of every game the Dodgers have played.
The futon is long gone, replaced with a bed that needs replacing
I still hate being told what to do by those who don’t know what they are doing. Sometimes I still hate being told what to do by those who do know what they are doing.
I still have Clipper Season tickets, but I also have Laker season tickets because when Magic left the fans left and after years of being on the waiting list, we got our seats. I originally only had the Clipper seats because I couldn’t get the Lakers seats but now I’m a bigger Clipper fan than a Laker fan.
I have buried/cremated thirteen pets in the past twenty-nine years. Several of them were very close to my heart, some were simply responsibilities. None were as cool as my current dog Katrina who never leaves my side for even an instant.
My oldest brother ended up having four children, all four were valedictorians, two are huge Dodger fans, they watch the games and text about it with their mother who tells their father what they are saying about the game. It is so 2017. My first niece from my brother Chris became a huge Dodger fan, I was able to take her to games, we shared season tickets until she joined the air force. During her early years I took her to see Ken Griffy, he beat the Dodgers 1 – 0 with a home run. Every nephew/niece is now over 21. I have been a great Uncle for nineteen years.
The internet brought Dodger blogging into my life and a strange connection to a group of Dodger fans that deserves a bigger column.
I love this Dodger team.
Puig evolution in ten easy steps
- Step one, get recalled from AAA, hit lefties in Sept, start in Oct against lefties
- Turn 26 in December
- Work hard all winter
- Work hard all spring
- Start out batting 8th against everyone
- Become the best 8th hitter in baseball
- Become the best defensive right fielder in baseball
- Unleash the wild horse within himself
- Crush October
- Batting cleanup against RHP and LHP in October
Dodger pinch hitting missing in NLCS
During the regular season, the Dodger pinch-hitting was a strength, hitting eight home runs and compiling a .715 OPS.
In the NLCS
Game 1 – zero for two with Granderson/Farmer
Game 2 – zero for three with Granderson/Farmer/Chase
Game 3 – zero for one with Famer getting a SF, Forsythe getting a walk, and Culberson getting nothing
Game 4 – zero for two with Pederson/Barnes
By my calculations that is zero for eight.
Can Chase or Granderson pull a Baez?
Javier Baez entered the game last night without a hit in the 2017 postseason. I’m sure Cub fans weren’t thrilled he was back in the lineup, but after his two home runs propelled the Cubs to their first victory I expect they forgot how unhappy they had been with Baez.
With left-hander Jose Quintana pitching tonight and Lester in a possible game six, Dodger fans won’t have to worry about Granderson or Chase starting again in the NLCS, but they will probably need a contribution from the duo off the bench once Jose leaves the game.
The two key Dodger veterans are debunking the myth of how important postseason experience is. Unlike Javier Baez who has a bright future in front of him, both Granderson and Chase might simply be done and no amount of experience is going to help them.
Granderson has been in a funk ever since the Dodgers acquired him. His last big day in 2017 came with the Dodgers on August 24th, almost two months ago. Granderson is 1 for 15 in the postseason so far with a single. Last night he struck out four times and looked bad in each at-bat. Dave Roberts comments on Granderson went from “I’m not worried about Granderson” to “I’m playing him so he can work out his issues” to “who the hell else should I use”. I’m paraphrasing
As bad as Granderson has been, Chase has been even worse. Chase hasn’t had a hit in the postseason since the NLDS against the Nationals in 2016. Chase has appeared in five postseason series with the Dodgers and has gone 4 for 40. Every time he comes up I expect him to break out of his slump and provide a key hit and every time he proves me wrong. At this rate, his bat should make accidental contact for a hit but it is not happening.
As much as we have talked about the Dodger depth having to use Curtis Granderson, Chase Utley, or even Joc Pederson is not a good argument for depth. And Kyle Farmer is the number one right-handed pinch hitter?
So while the Dodgers are up three games to one, it is not like this team does not have some issues. I just didn’t think anemic veteran depth was going to be one of them.
It might be more of an argument that the core of the Dodger team is so good with Taylor/Bellinger/Turner/Puig that they can survive with automatic outs from 2nd/LF when facing a right-hand pitcher.
Now to answer the question in the title.
Yes, I still feel that one of Granderson or Chase is going to provide a bit hit at some point. Time is running out.
Kershaw at Wrigley
Once again the Dodgers go for the series clincher, but this time with their ace Clayton Kershaw who will try to hold the Cubs in check long enough for the Dodger offense to find a way to get to Jose Quintana. Clayton has made only three starts at Wrigley during the regular season. With this start tonight, he will have started as many games in the postseason against the Cubs as he has during the regular season.
Regular Season at Wrigley:
Date Opp Rslt IP H ER BB SO HR GSc 2015-06-22 CHC L 2-4 7.0 4 3 2 9 2 64 2014-09-19 CHC W 14-5 5.0 7 3 3 9 0 47 2010-05-25 CHC L 0-3 6.0 4 0 2 4 0 64
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/19/2017.
Just one year ago Clayton was hammered in the decisive game six which sent the Dodgers home. One week earlier he beat the Cubs in game two 1 – 0 in what was his best game ever in the postseason.
Postseason at Wrigley:
Date Series Gm# Opp Rslt IP H ER BB SO HR GSc 2016-10-22 NLCS 6 CHC L 0-5 5.0 7 4 0 4 2 39 2016-10-16 NLCS 2 CHC W 1-0 7.0 2 0 1 6 0 78
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/19/2017.
Clayton was lifted after only five innings in his game one start against the Cubs. With this being game five, and an off day tomorrow, expect Dave Roberts to have the same short leash. Clayton might go six but he won’t see the 7th inning.
Chris Taylor is what Dodger fans prayed for
You can’t really quantify the impact that Chris Taylor has had on the Dodger season. You could try it with fWAR but you would be missing the complete picture.
- Chris Taylor was a 2nd baseman when Logan Forsythe got hurt early
- Chris Taylor was a left fielder when Andrew Toles went down for the season
- Chris Taylor was a center fielder when Joc Pederson stopped hitting
- Chris Taylor was a shortstop in the NLCS
- Chris Taylor was the leadoff hitter the Dodgers needed
- Chris Taylor was the power hitting outfielder the Dodgers needed
Last night Chris Taylor made his first start at Shortstop since Sept 21st and he delivered the longest home run of the postseason and a triple. He was the first players since Yoenis Cespedes in 2013 to hit a home run and triple in the postseason. He is the only player to do it in the NLCS this century.
Player Date Series Tm Opp Rslt PA H 2B 3B HR RBI Chris Taylor 2017-10-17 NLCS LAD CHC W 6-1 5 2 0 1 1 2 Yoenis Cespedes 2013-10-04 ALDS OAK DET L 2-3 4 2 0 1 1 2 Bryce Harper 2012-10-12 NLDS WSN STL L 7-9 5 2 0 1 1 2 David Freese 2011-10-27 WS STL TEX W 10-9 6 2 0 1 1 3 Howie Kendrick 2009-10-19 ALCS LAA NYY W 5-4 5 3 0 1 1 1 Andre Ethier 2009-10-10 NLDS LAD STL W 5-1 5 3 1 1 1 2 Kevin Youkilis 2007-10-18 ALCS BOS CLE W 7-1 5 2 0 1 1 3 Jimmy Rollins 2007-10-04 NLDS PHI COL L 5-10 5 2 0 1 1 4 Kazuo Matsui 2007-10-04 NLDS COL PHI W 10-5 5 3 1 1 1 5 Garret Anderson 2005-10-07 ALDS LAA NYY W 11-7 5 4 0 1 1 5 Johnny Damon 2004-10-27 WS BOS STL W 3-0 5 2 0 1 1 1 Derek Jeter 2000-10-25 WS NYY NYM W 3-2 5 2 0 1 1 1
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/18/2017.
As far as Dodgers go, Andre Ethier was the last Dodger to do it in the postseason. Davey Lopes was the last to do it in an NLCS. The Dodgers have won every game that a player has hit a HR/Triple in the same postseason game.
Player Date Series Opp Rslt PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI Chris Taylor 2017-10-17 NLCS CHC W 6-1 5 1 2 0 1 1 2 Andre Ethier 2009-10-10 NLDS STL W 5-1 5 2 3 1 1 1 2 Mike Marshall 1988-10-16 WS OAK W 6-0 4 1 2 0 1 1 3 Pedro Guerrero 1981-10-28 WS NYY W 9-2 5 1 3 0 1 1 5 Davey Lopes 1978-10-05 NLCS PHI W 4-0 4 1 3 0 1 1 3 Steve Garvey 1978-10-04 NLCS PHI W 9-5 5 3 3 0 1 2 4
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/18/2017.
Dodgers roll a six
Beating the Cubs 6 – 1 and winning their 6th straight postseason game to remain undefeated in October. Dating back to the regular season the Dodgers have now won eight games in a row.
Yu Darvish gave up a home run in the first to Schwarber, add in a couple more hard-hit singles and things were looking dicey in the 1st inning, but he recovered to pitch out of trouble. Twitter was alarmed with many saying he simply didn’t have it. Los Angeles beat writer Andy McCullough awas one of them
Yu Darvish does not have The Smell tonight. Lots of hard contact in the first.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) October 18, 2017
Sixteen outs later Yu would leave the game having given up only three more singles and to Dodger fans, he smelled like a double delight rose. In total Yu got 19 outs, and has now pitched two of the three best games by a Dodger this postseason.
Player Date Series Gm# Rslt IP H ER BB SO HR GSc Yu Darvish 2017-10-09 NLDS 3 W 3-1 5.0 2 1 0 7 1 66 Rich Hill 2017-10-15 NLCS 2 W 4-1 5.0 3 1 1 8 1 64 Yu Darvish 2017-10-17 NLCS 3 W 6-1 6.1 6 1 1 7 1 63 Clayton Kershaw 2017-10-14 NLCS 1 W 5-2 5.0 4 2 1 4 1 54 Clayton Kershaw 2017-10-06 NLDS 1 W 9-5 6.1 5 4 3 7 4 51 Rich Hill 2017-10-07 NLDS 2 W 8-5 4.0 3 2 3 4 1 49
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/18/2017.
The new Dodger lineup made Dave Roberts look good once again with each of the players inserted into a new starting position making an offensive contribution to the victory.
- Andre Ethier made his first start in the postseason in left field and got the Dodger offense going with a bomb to right field tying the game at 1.
- One inning later Chris Taylor making his first start at SS in the postseason hit the longest home run of the postseason with his 444-foot blast to dead center field.
- Joc Pederson made his first start in CF and started the fifth with a double down the right-field line. He would score on a triple by Taylor down the left field line.
The Dodgers would later score on a series of mishaps and bad pitching to make the final score 6 – 1. Included in those mishaps were:
- Walking Yu Darvish with the bases loaded
- Dropping a fly ball in CF after it was caught, though that didn’t cost them any runs.
- A crazy strike three swing that hit the catchers shoulder and bounded away allowing a run to score and the batter to make 1st base. I had never seen a missed swing hit the catchers shoulder before.
Lest not forget the bullpen came in and cleaned up again, and in the process threw a bullpen no-hitter over the three game span against the Cubs. No Dodger relief pitcher allowed a hit over 27 outs.
The Cubs finally broke the bullpen hold on them when Ross Stripling gave up two hits to start the 9th. This was the first appearance needed by Ross in the postseason and probably his last.
All in all, you couldn’t have asked for a better script for the Dodger for the first three games.
Dodgers go with Andre/Joc and keep Barnes at catcher
Maybe this was expected by those who follow the team but I was very surprised to see the starting lineup tonight include Joc/Andre/Barnes instead of Hernandez/Granderson/Grandal.
Barnes has started every game since game one of the NLDS and I fully expected Grandal to get the gig tonight. I guess you don’t mess with an undefeated postseason. I can dig that.
Andre over Granderson was also a surprise only because time and again Roberts has said he loves having Andre coming off the bench. If Granderson is not going to start against right hand pitching why is he even on the roster?
JOC gets his first start of the 2017 postseason with Chris Taylor moving to shortstop. The choice was either Hernandez at short and Taylor in center or Joc in center and Taylor at short. They went with the latter.
The whole lineup is a bit off with Bellinger moving to the 2nd spot and Turner dropping to 3rd. Puig gets the clean-up spot where he will be protected by Andre. I could see Cub fans going “How can we lose to this lineup” as they face a 4 – 2 deficit in the 8th inning.
Dodgers, Yesterday and Today 