Dodgers @ Rockies, Sept. 26, 2015: A Real, Live Lineup

You know what that almost looks like? Something pretty close to a postseason lineup against a righty starter.

Dodgers
Rockies
5:10 p.m.
Denver, Colo.
LF
Crawford
CF
Blackmon
SS
Seager
2B
LeMahieu
3B
Turner
RF
Gonzalez
2B
Utley
3B
Arenado
RF
Ethier
LF
Dickerson
1B
Grandal
1B
Morneau
C
Ellis
SS
Adames
CF
Pederson
C
Garneau
P
Anderson (L)
P
Kendrick (R)

Sure, Howie Kendrick possibly starts over Chase Utley regardless, and maybe that pushes Carl Crawford to leadoff. Maybe Don Mattingly really does infuriate everyone and start Jimmy Rollins over Corey Seager, though that seems unlikely. If Enrique Hernandez makes it back from his injury, perhaps that affects Joc Pederson, though he’s certainly growing short on time to do so. Maybe A.J. Ellis breaks free of the “starts against lefty pitchers” mold to catch Clayton Kershaw no matter what. There’s always maybes and possibilities on a team that is so deep and has so many options.

But if that, right there, is the lineup that we see against Jacob deGrom (probably) in Game 1 of the NLDS on Oct. 9, I don’t think anyone could really complain. Not that people wouldn’t find reason to; they always do. Is it good enough? Well, that really depends on what version of Justin Turner or Yasmani Grandal you get, or whether Yasiel Puig exists, or if Adrian Gonzalezpinched nerve affects his performance. It was good enough to get them to the playoffs, anyway. Beyond that, all you can do is hope.

(So, allllll of that was written before it came out that Gonzalez’ issue caused him to be scratched from the original lineup. But you can see how it would have been true, right? Grandal moves to first, with Ellis catching.)

Speaking of the Mets, some info on how you can see that series:

Though this is a pretty “real” lineup, it doesn’t make this game any more meaningful, really. (Though I’m greatly looking forward to the reaction of fans if this lineup destroys Kyle Kendrick, who has been predictably awful — 6.37 ERA this year, and 7.35 at home — and everyone claims that Mattingly “punted” all the other games. I think a lineup made up of our commenters could hit tonight.) That’s how we’re treating it: Since we’re all busy people, there may not be a recap tonight. That’s probably okay. Doing a recap would infer anything matters.

About Mike Petriello

Mike writes about lots of baseball in lots of places, and right now that place is MLB.com.