Now that we can actually talk about this, what does everybody think? Their would seem to be more questions surrounding the bullpen than anything else. Infielders Grandal AJ Gonzalez Utley Kendrick Seager Rollins Turner Outfielders SVS Kike Joc Ethier Ruggiano Pitchers Kershaw Greinke Anderson Wood Bolsinger (longman) Avilan JP Jansen Hatcher Nicasio Yimi Baez That's 25. Could remove a pitcher for bench depth.
CF has to be Kike. Despite Joc's defensive ability, we can't have an almost automatic out at the plate in the playoffs I thought I heard Puig was being targeted for the LCS at the earliest. Game 3: Anderson/Wood ? I guess I have to go for Anderson 8th inning: Hatcher. He has pitched well down the stretch
At least the question about CF this year is just a question of offense, rather than past years and "which guy who can't really play CF is gonna play CF?"
NLDS: Grandal Ellis Gonzalez Kendrick Utley Seager Rollins Turner Hernandez Crawford Pederson Ethier Ruggiano Kershaw Greinke Wood Anderson Jansen Hatcher Avilan Howell Baez Garcia Nicasio Bolsinger/Frias (big game for Bols tomorrow)
I'll assume Puig is out, so: C Ellis, Grandal 1B Gonzalez, Van Slyke 2B Kendrick, Utley SS Seager, Rollins 3B Turner UTL Kike OF: Crawford, Ethier, Joc, Ruggiano SP: Kershaw, Greinke, Anderson, Wood Bullpen: Avilan, Howell, Jansen, Hatcher, Nicasio, Baez last spot an arms race between Johnson/Liberatore/Yimi/Frias
Also, actually thinking about it they might not need a long man in the NLDS since they'll probably only use 3 starters so Wood might be able to fill that role. If so, add SVS and bump Frias/Bolsinger. Not sure if that's what they'll do.
i like kike getting some starts.. but lets not discount jocs GG caliber glove. Id hate to see a game where we get beat 3-2 4-3 because a base clearing double triple goes over kikes head
Really dont think SVS makes the roster, just a shit year from him overall. We might be able to survive the 8th inning with a hatcher/avilan tag team. Im just assuming puig is done for the year. How can you work your way back during the LCS? Zero opportunity for dicking around and getting back into a rhythm.
Starting pitchers (4): Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Brett Anderson, Alex Wood Relief pitchers (7): Kenley Jansen, Chris Hatcher, J.P. Howell, Luis Avilan, Juan Nicasio, Pedro Baez, Yimi Garcia/Carlos Frias Catchers (2): Yasmani Grandal, A.J. Ellis Infielders (6): Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins Outfielders (6): Carl Crawford, Kike Hernandez, Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson, Justin Ruggiano, Scott Van Slyke I saw this roster online and agreed with it.
Yeah that's how I see it too. The biggest battle might be between Nicasio, Yimi, Frias, and Bolsinger for two bullpen spots. Maybe include Ian Thomas just cause he's a lefty and maybe they want a third one. Position players seems set and would only change a bit if Peraza or Puig get healthy
Nicasio will and should be on the roster. Last spot is a battle between Yimi and Frias. I'd probably give it to Frias.
1) Pederson - defense up the middle, offense from the corners. Always has been, always will be. 2) Fuck no. When was the last time he saw live pitching? And he was sucking the big one then. 3) Ima go with Anderson. With Wood ready in the pen. 4) Best available. Depending on situation and availability.
I just posted this in the game thread, but it is probably better for a PO one which this seems to be the only one, but here you go! So Kevin Kennedy was on MLB Radio today and these are some of the things that he said... - It is believed that AGon's back is hurt much worse than they are letting on and should only play another game or two the rest of the regular season. He said if it is what they said is wrong, 2 weeks off is most ideal. With this being the case, I hope we see lots of Grandal the rest of the way. HIS BAT NEEDS TO GET GOING! - It is believed that the SS from here on out is Seager, but he has mentioned that Donnie has said nothing about it being a done deal yet. - They are gonna try to get Howie up and going before the end of the season, but he is still hurting. The team considers him the starting 2B. He's not playing cause of match ups, he's not playing cause he is still beat up. - He feels the bullpen is still terrible and even laid into Hatcher as just getting by with luck thus far. Feels he is just throwing with no control. Which is why the NLDS rotation will be... - They will go with a rotation of Kershaw, Greinke, Anderson, Kersh, Greinke in the NLDS and the plan is to use Wood out of the Pen as he has experience there and could be used as a high leverage reliever to get to Kenley. - Kershaw will likely be given a pitch count of up to 140 pitches per game. He showed that he can bounce back fine after 135 with both Kersh and the organization wanting to make sure they get as close to Kenley as possible. This seems hard to believe if he is pitching on short rest. - If Kershaw struggles and it is early (i.e 5th-6th), the plan is to have him fight through it. He and the org knows that in these big games, his struggles don't come from him being rattled, it's that he has an issue of getting too pumped. So if he is getting beaten up, they want this to be the year he learns how to overcome his playoff misfortunes. So FAIR WARNING, this is a call from upstairs that he may be left hung out to dry even if it costs the team a game as they feel it will be for the greater good. This is the Phil Jackson train of thought that you learn from your mistakes.