Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
|
Giants
|
Dodgers
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7:10 PM PST
|
Los Angeles
|
|||
|
CF
|
Span
|
LF
|
Kendrick | |
|
LF
|
Pagan
|
SS
|
Seager | |
|
C
|
Posey
|
3B
|
Turner | |
|
RF
|
Pence
|
1B
|
Gonzalez | |
|
1B
|
Belt |
RF
|
Puig | |
|
3B
|
Nunez |
C
|
Ruiz | |
|
2B
|
Panik | CF | Hernandez | |
|
SS
|
Adrianza |
2B
|
Culberson | |
|
P
|
Moore (L)
|
P
|
Maeda (R)
|
It’s hard to forget the last time the Dodgers faced off against Matt Moore. Last month at Dodger Stadium, Moore came within one out of a no-hitter before Corey Seager dunked one into right field, which moved the eventual loss from what would have been extremely embarrassing to a loss that was just regular embarrassing. Moore was pulled before he could finish the game, but the message was clear: Moore is left-handed.
Moore has faced the Dodgers two other times this year (both with Tampa). In July his start at Dodger Stadium resulted in more futility (1R, 0ER in 6-1/3, though he walked four and struck out five). The Dodgers touched him up in Tropicana Field in May, scoring seven runs in less than five innings. He’s certainly not invincible, and he’s had some control gremlins pop up since his arrival in San Francisco, but he still pitches with his left hand.
Facing Moore is the now-standard lefty-pitching lineup, more or less. Charlie Culberson is getting the start at second, though that feels more like giving Chase Utley a much-needed day off than anything else. Enrique Hernandez is starting in center yet again, but at least he’s not hitting second today. Still, the Giants have further emphasized the major issues in Hernandez’ approach during this series. During this series, Hernandez has seen 14 total pitches. 12 were outside of the strike zone, and he’s swung at 10 of those pitches. It has been ugly. At a certain point, Hernandez’ potential needs to be shelved until next season, because he’s not doing much to show that his .199/.290/.347 batting line is a fluke.
Meanwhile, this is surprising:
Scott Kazmir will start Friday.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) September 21, 2016
Combined with Brett Anderson‘s start tomorrow, it’s clear that the Dodgers are still trying to figure out what to do with a potential four-man rotation in the playoffs. After Kazmir’s numerous rehab setbacks, it was easy to write him off until next season. At this point it’s pretty difficult to know what to expect.
[table id=5 /]