Playoffs!

[lasportzphan]

Is this team built for it? I don't think so, but we will find out. Go blue!!

 

[LASports96]

of course they are

let's wrap up the division

 

[lasportzphan]

of course they are

let's wrap up the division

Spotty defense, poor defensive in game decisions (see Puig), awful situational hitting, suspect managing, no back end of the rotation and a weak bullpen. Otherwise, you are right, this team is very good.

 

[HammerDown]

Not going to say a word about the Giants @Padres score.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Spotty defense, poor defensive in game decisions (see Puig), awful situational hitting, suspect managing, no back end of the rotation and a weak bullpen. Otherwise, you are right, this team is very good.

I agree, don't get me wrong. I'll say that Washington is a far more consistent team. They bring a lunchbox to work every day, and they get the job done. We are all over the map. We go out one day get stomped 9-0 and then the next day we go lay wood on 17-0. We take 2/3 from SF and then we give it back against the Rox.

But I will say that we are the best team in the NL. And I'd put us up there with the Halos.

But any way you want to slice it, we have the 3rd best ERA of any team who will play in the post season. We are also top 5 in runs scored of any playoff team. We can not only put it together as an average among the league, but we can go off on anyone at any time. That being said, we can also lay a fucking egg. My point is that teams like StL, Washington, SF, Pittsburg, etc. have a much lower ceiling than we do when we get locked in. AS much as inconsistency kills us, we can bang with anyone when we are locked in. No one else in the NL can say the same thing.

Will we put it all together? Who the fuck knows, it's October. But to at least say that our best is better than anyone else's in the NL is nothing to ignore.

Fuck yeah we are a playoff team. ON our best days, we can take anyone (our freeway series this year solidifies that). We are no strangers to monster runs when we need them. Any team that hoists the trophy will need one. We've had them, we just need to keep our eyes on the prize. The tools are there. It doesn't put the ring on their fingers, but it sure as fuck punches their ticket to the show.

Donnie needs to do his part, and the players need to do theirs. We have to put it together. But I'm stoked at where we're at, and at the prospects of what lies ahead for LA this October.

 

[LASports96]

Dodgers are a top offensive team and a top pitching team, simple.

of course they can win, especially if Ryu is healthy. (which I think he will be)

 

[lasportzphan]

You guys bring up fair and accurate points. The stats of this team boggle my mind at times, for sure. I just fear that elevated competition exacerbates the shortcomings of this team. And who do we put in that 4th starter role?

Gonna be interesting. But you are so righ, his team can "mash" with anyone. The mash was for you mvpuig.

 

[CatsTopPac]

You guys bring up fair and accurate points. The stats of this team boggle my mind at times, for sure. I just fear that elevated competition exacerbates the shortcomings of this team. And who do we put in that 4th starter role?

Gonna be interesting. But you are so righ, his team can "mash" with anyone. The mash was for you mvpuig.

mashin for some rations?

Certainly the pitching is--in my opinion, at least--our most pressing issue. The bullpen is still nowhere near giving me the warm and fuzzy, and the back end of the rotation is very suspect. Essentially, I feel good about the first 7-8 innings of pitching in the first 3 games. After that, I have no idea what to expect, and that is very worrisome. How are we gong to finish games, what about games 4 and on? What if one of our top 3 has a bad outing? These are my questions, and I really don't like the answers right now.

But, here we are. Yes, improving the competition as we go deeper in the playoffs are certainly going to test our issues. But again, we certainly have the ability to rise to the challenge. Haren can come in and throw another 7IP shutout out of nowhere, and our bullpen does come in and put up zeros from time to time. We just have to have all of it happen at the same time. Is it something to rely on? No. But that's where the runs have to happen, and they have happened before.

 

[HammerDown]

At this point, I'm pulling for the World Series in Chavez but think it's a very long shot. For now, let's hope the Padres can play spoilers.

 

[LASports96]

our top 3 pitchers can match anybody, we may need 1 start from a #4, but oh well, that's the way it works, not many teams have great #4's, Nats might be tough but Haren could keep us in it and we score some runs and it's fine.

Our biggest issue is our bullpen, and I understand that concern, although the back end of the bullpen is good, with Jansen, Howell, Rodriguez, and I think Wilson will shine again in the playoffs.

 

[overtone22]

If the Dodgers are lacking anything for their Playoff run, it's clutch hitting. Dodgers have only one everyday starter batting over .300 in Puig, and he was having struggles until Kemp got in his face. Gonzo is the only guy on the team with over 100 RBIs, and Kemp the only other player with over 75 RBIs.

Kemp is starting to hit a nice stride, but Gonzo is really the only hitter on the team that has proven to be reliable in the clutch. I do like Uribe and Turner. They hit for average and have timely hits, but I don't think anyone would say they are clutch hitters.

So that's my concern...and clutch hitting is what has held us back the past couple postseasons. We know we can count on Gonzo. Kemp is still a maybe, but looking more like his old self each day. However, where else are we going to get some clutch run production?

 

[LASports96]

Dodgers are a top team hitting with RISP... so nope

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Haren's numbers have been surprisingly good lately, if he can get us to the 5th with only 3-4 runs given up I'd consider that a success.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Haren's numbers have been surprisingly good lately, if he can get us to the 5th with only 3-4 runs given up I'd consider that a success.

Let's hope he has a good outing today.

 

[CatsTopPac]

If the Dodgers are lacking anything for their Playoff run, it's clutch hitting. Dodgers have only one everyday starter batting over .300 in Puig, and he was having struggles until Kemp got in his face. Gonzo is the only guy on the team with over 100 RBIs, and Kemp the only other player with over 75 RBIs.

Kemp is starting to hit a nice stride, but Gonzo is really the only hitter on the team that has proven to be reliable in the clutch. I do like Uribe and Turner. They hit for average and have timely hits, but I don't think anyone would say they are clutch hitters.

So that's my concern...and clutch hitting is what has held us back the past couple postseasons. We know we can count on Gonzo. Kemp is still a maybe, but looking more like his old self each day. However, where else are we going to get some clutch run production?

I see what you are saying, but how clutch was Freese before the 2011 Playoffs, or David Eckstein before the 2006 Playoffs?

I think that while, yes, AGon is the only one that we would call a traditional "clutch" hitter, we are not in the weeds for hitting (even situational hitting). We don't have an every day player who hits above .300 except Puig. But again, we have 9 players who have a .280 average or better, and 7 of them have 320 ABs or more (SVS has 199, and Turner has 277). Any way you want to slice it, that is phenomenal. Some of those guys are slumping more than at the beginning of the year (Dee and Puig), but you look at Kemp, Turner, Uribe, A Gon, and Crawford; those guys are all hitting their stride with a week left in the season. The beauty in that is that there are great chances that at least two or three out of those nine will show up on any given day. That's a great day for most teams.

We really just need a 4th starter and a middle relief and we are a very solid team (minus the errors in the field). And of course, all of this remains to be seen until next month. If we don't hit, it will certainly not be because any 1-7 we throw out there will bat .280 or better.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I see what you are saying, but how clutch was Freese before the 2011 Playoffs, or David Eckstein before the 2006 Playoffs?

I think that while, yes, AGon is the only one that we would call a traditional "clutch" hitter, we are not in the weeds for hitting (even situational hitting). We don't have an every day player who hits above .300 except Puig. But again, we have 9 players who have a .280 average or better, and 7 of them have 320 ABs or more (SVS has 199, and Turner has 277). Any way you want to slice it, that is phenomenal. Some of those guys are slumping more than at the beginning of the year (Dee and Puig), but you look at Kemp, Turner, Uribe, A Gon, and Crawford; those guys are all hitting their stride with a week left in the season. The beauty in that is that there are great chances that at least two or three out of those nine will show up on any given day. That's a great day for most teams.

We really just need a 4th starter and a middle relief and we are a very solid team (minus the errors in the field). And of course, all of this remains to be seen until next month. If we don't hit, it will certainly not be because any 1-7 we throw out there will bat .280 or better.

Maybe I misheard, but Scully said that Hanley was batting .415 since Sep. 5th as well.

 

[LASports96]

at this point I'm content with Haren as the #4 starter in the playoffs.

 

[overtone22]

Dodgers are a top team hitting with RISP... so nope

Last night. Bottom of the 5th, 2-2 tie, 2 out, Ellis on third, Puig at bat. Popout.

That's some clutch hitting thar...

I think that while, yes, AGon is the only one that we would call a traditional "clutch" hitter, we are not in the weeds for hitting (even situational hitting).

We're definitely not in the weeds for hitting in terms of regular season numbers. However, our team clammed up pretty bad last night when things got tight from the 6th inning on. Pretty sure we only had one hit from innings 6-13, and that one hit came from a AAA prospect. That's what I'm concerned about.

The postseason is very different from the regular season, as most everyone knows. Opposing pitching dials it up a notch, and when it does, our situational hitting becomes lackluster. Last night was a perfect example. The game essentially was a playoff game and our bats went quiet.

Of course, it didn't help that we had almost as many errors as hits in the game.

Harren stepped up big time. Props to him.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Last night. Bottom of the 5th, 2-2 tie, 2 out, Ellis on third, Puig at bat. Popout.

That's some clutch hitting thar...




We're definitely not in the weeds for hitting in terms of regular season numbers. However, our team clammed up pretty bad last night when things got tight from the 6th inning on. Pretty sure we only had one hit from innings 6-13, and that one hit came from a AAA prospect. That's what I'm concerned about.

The postseason is very different from the regular season, as most everyone knows. Opposing pitching dials it up a notch, and when it does, our situational hitting becomes lackluster. Last night was a perfect example. The game essentially was a playoff game and our bats went quiet.

Of course, it didn't help that we had almost as many errors as hits in the game.

Harren stepped up big time. Props to him.

Last night the game would have been over if not for those unlucky errors. I would not count Greinke out, even if Bumgarner is on his game.

 

[LASports96]

Last night. Bottom of the 5th, 2-2 tie, 2 out, Ellis on third, Puig at bat. Popout.

That's some clutch hitting thar...

that's some cool 1 AB sample sizes, bud