Preparing for the Cards in the NLDS

[Enscheff]

If Swarzak pitches in this series, I can almost guarantee it will cost us. I'd rather us have carried Teheran out of the pen than Swarzak.

Guarantee huh? Will be fun to revisit.

[Enscheff]

The full roster, per DOB:

P (11): RHs Folty, Greene, Jackson, Martin, Melancon, Tomlin, Soroka, O’Day; LHs Fried, Keuchel, Newcomb
C (3): Cervelli, Flowers, McCann
INF (5): Albies, Donaldson, Freeman, Hechavarría, Swanson
OF (6): Acuña, Duvall, Hamilton, Joyce, Markakis, Ortega

Seems almost exactly in line with my expectations other than the O'Day/Swarzak/Tomlin/Teheran portion of the roster that could have gone either way. O'Day's small sample size of good control and the abundance of RHH in the Cards lineup likely tipped things in his favor.

I'm very glad to see the 6 bench players to allow Snit to platoon his way through the entire game. All the games vs the Cards are likely to play out in a similar manner since they have 4 RH SPs, so it should be fairly straight forward to set a strategy and follow it all series.

[Enscheff]

No Wacha and no Gant. But they went with the third lefty in the pen.

Their two switch hitters, Wieters and Edman, hit lefty pitching better. The platoon advantage does favor all the right handed pitching we have. If Newk comes into play, it should be against Fowler (also a switch hitter, but has hit righty pitching better the last few seasons), Wong and Carpenter. And that's it.

The Cards will also be trying very hard to get Martinez a PA against a LHP in a high leverage spot. Snit has to make absolutely certain that doesn't happen. In fact, not letting he or Goldy see a LHP (other than DK/Fried for 1-2 PAs when they start) are the most important concerns while navigating this lineup.

The 2 main strategic matches that will happen in this series are the Braves countering Miller with RHH bench bats, and the Cards trying to get Martinez a few swings vs LHP. Those scenarios must be thoroughly planned with Snit so he doesn't botch them and lose the series by being outmaneuvered.

[nsacpi]

The Cards will also be trying very hard to get Martinez a PA against a LHP in a high leverage spot. Snit has to make absolutely certain that doesn't happen. In fact, not letting he or Goldy see a LHP (other than DK/Fried for 1-2 PAs when they start) are the most important concerns while navigating this lineup.

The 2 main strategic matches that will happen in this series are the Braves countering Miller with RHH bench bats, and the Cards trying to get Martinez a few swings vs LHP. Those scenarios must be thoroughly planned with Snit so he doesn't botch them and lose the series by being outmaneuvered.

Yeah. This is a pretty straightforward series in terms of what the managers on both teams need to do. The only wrinkle really is if Joyce is facing a lefty in the middle innings in a relatively low leverage situation. I'd let him hit so he can face Martinez or Gallegos later in the game.

[Enscheff]

Yeah. This is a pretty straightforward series in terms of what the managers on both teams need to do. The only wrinkle really is if Joyce is facing a lefty in the middle innings in a relatively low leverage situation. I'd let him hit so he can face Martinez or Gallegos later in the game.

This is where an app giving the manager an up to date leverage index would be useful...

[striker42]

Guarantee huh? Will be fun to revisit.

We'll never know now as it appears he was wisely left off.