Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
With the National League Championship Series tied 2-2, this is a rather sizable game for both the Cubs and Dodgers. The Cubs are rolling out their regulars, while the Dodgers are … not.
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Cubs
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Dodgers
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5:08 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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CF
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Fowler |
2B
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Hernandez | |
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3B
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Bryant |
3B
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Turner | |
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1B
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Rizzo |
SS
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Seager | |
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LF
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Zobrist |
C
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Ruiz | |
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2B
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Baez |
LF
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Kendrick | |
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RF
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Heyward |
1B
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Gonzalez | |
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SS
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Russell | RF | Puig | |
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C
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Ross |
CF
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Pederson | |
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P
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Lester (L) |
P
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Maeda (R)
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This is the biggest game of the season and Enrique Hernandez is leading off. Yep. It’s a veritable “Sunday Special” lineup in Game 5 of the NLCS. I don’t like complaining about the lineup because, ultimately, it doesn’t make that big a difference. But batting perhaps the worst hitter on the roster leadoff in a game of this magnitude is just beyond me.
And the backup catcher is hitting cleaning, mostly because Yasiel Puig hasn’t looked particularly great in the playoffs. If nothing else, I guess it gives the Cubs and Jon Lester a different look than they’ve seen in this series, but I’m not confident this lineup as constructed is going to have a ton of success against Lester. And most of that is probably because Lester is a really good pitcher.
The last time Adrian Gonzalez batted 6th was June 16, 2012. He was the Boston Red Sox's starting right fielder that day.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 20, 2016
That was a long time ago. #Analysis
At least Kenta Maeda is starting. I was a bit skeptical up until the time the lineups were announced that perhaps Clayton Kershaw would get the ball, but Dave Roberts stuck to his word and is starting Maeda tonight. I wrote about that being the right decision earlier today.
“At some point, a non-Kershaw/Hill starter is going to have to step up. Maeda couldn’t ask for much more than what’s in front of him. If he can give the Dodgers five solid innings, they would take that and never look back.
Every remaining game this season is the ‘biggest game of the season.’ But this one has a bit more riding on it. If Maeda and the Dodgers win, Kershaw in a clinching Game 6 is the best-case for the Dodgers. If they fall, there’s a good chance this comes down to Hill and Jake Arrieta in Game 7.”
This is a tad disconcerting from No. 1 Cubs fan Mike Petriello.
Kenta Maeda's spin rates and exit velocities were just reviewed by @mike_petriello on @MLBNetwork. pic.twitter.com/MhhgBJhpKM
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) October 20, 2016
The moral of the story: Don’t throw any fastballs. Actually, Maeda needs to figure out how to command his fastball tonight. If he can live on the edges, his off-speed stuff will be even more effective than it already has been. That is the key to the game. Lester is going to hold the Dodgers at bay; Maeda will need to do his best to match Lester for at least four innings, and preferably five.
——
It would be most good if the Dodgers won tonight. If Maeda is going to take down the Cubs, things are optimized for him to do so … you know, except for the lineup.
Oh, and Vin is in attendance.
https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/789237661701513216
Don’t screw this up.
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