GDT: NLCS Braves vs Dodgers 10/12

After having a night to sleep on it. I am happy the Braves won. Yes, I am a Braves fan and didn’t intend to rain on your parade. I have a hard time being overly excited or upset when a sporting event takes place. The reality is my life doesn’t change because of the result of a game. Having said that maybe I was a little bit of a dick, but I don’t celebrate things until it’s over. This fan base should know that more than most so that’s why I am pumping the brakes and being pessimistic (being real).

Contrary to what many think and perhaps how I come off at times, I do want this team to win and have a soft spot in my heart for all of you. Okay not all of you, but many.
 
Last night when i saw Panda at the plate I say damn he is so fat that if he move a little bit closer to the plate he may get hit. Next pitch he got hit by a pitch.
 
starting Sandoval just because he's seen Kershaw a bunch (and with horrible numbers) is such a Snit thing, but also very stupid. it hurts your defense as well. starting him should be off the table.
 
After having a night to sleep on it. I am happy the Braves won. Yes, I am a Braves fan and didn’t intend to rain on your parade. I have a hard time being overly excited or upset when a sporting event takes place. The reality is my life doesn’t change because of the result of a game. Having said that maybe I was a little bit of a dick, but I don’t celebrate things until it’s over. This fan base should know that more than most so that’s why I am pumping the brakes and being pessimistic (being real).

Contrary to what many think and perhaps how I come off at times, I do want this team to win and have a soft spot in my heart for all of you. Okay not all of you, but many.

If you can't enjoy a win, why bother with being a fan? Only 1 team will win it all
 
Sandoval has seen Kershaw more than anyone. He will play. I expect to see him at 3B and Riley in LF.

He has hit Kershaw to a tune of .234/.254/.281. Good for a .535 OPS. And most of this "damage" came when Pablo was still good. Putting him at DH doesn't make much sense, much less having him play defense where he will undoubtedly be a huge liability (no pun intended). Pablo doesn't need to take the field at any point. The Dodgers could bunt down the 3b line and get a double out of it.

Ozuna in LF and Acuna and Pache in CF/RF is the alignment we will have to run with for now vs a LH starter unfortunately. I'm guessing Ender gets the call to replace Duvall, being that he at least provides good defense and base running. Late in the game vs a RH reliever, I'm sure we'll pull a double switch with Ender/Neck batting for the DH (assuming the DH is Flowers or TDA) and then swapping LF duties with Ozuna.
 
Last edited:
He has hit Kershaw to a tune of .234/.254/.281. Good for a .535 OPS. And most of this "damage" came when Pablo was still good. Putting him at DH doesn't make much sense, much less having him play defense where he will undoubtedly be a huge liability (no pun intended). Pablo doesn't need to take the field at any point. The Dodgers could bunt down the 3b line and get a double out of it.

Ozuna in LF and Acuna and Pache in CF/RF is the alignment we will have to run with for now vs a LH starter unfortunately. I'm guessing Ender gets the call to replace Duvall, being that he at least provides good defense and base running.

As much as I dislike the idea of adding Ender, your argument makes the most sense. With either Ozuna or Riley being forced into the outfield against LHP, another defensive replacement OF would be useful.
 
IMO Sandoval is not an option to start whatsoever. He's on Roger Dorn duty if a guy pitches him inside. A role he played to a T last night.

For serious. Sandoval is clearly a bat only bench option and an emergency replacement in the field only. Whatever slight offense he might provide (which is likely minimal) is completely off-set by the liability he would be on defense.
 
I'm actually quite surprised by the patience Pache showed last night, drawing 2 walks. Certainly not what I expected from a guy with a 6.4% career minor league BB rate. I figured he would be up there hacking away.
 
I'm actually quite surprised by the patience Pache showed last night, drawing 2 walks. Certainly not what I expected from a guy with a 6.4% career minor league BB rate. I figured he would be up there hacking away.

Even crazier was, during the Duvall at-bat he already was in the hole down 1-2 in the count and worked that walk.
 
starting Sandoval just because he's seen Kershaw a bunch (and with horrible numbers) is such a Snit thing, but also very stupid.it hurts your defense as well. starting him should be off the table.

With those kinds of numbers, I'm not sure it's not worth it - you're going to be weaker defensively somewhere no matter what (unless they plan to replace Duvall with Ender).

RF- Acuna
1B- Freeman
DH- Ozuna
C- d'Arnaud
2B- Ozzie
SS- Dansby
3B- Panda
LF- Riley
CF- Pache

That way you can bring Culberson in to play defense in LF in the later innings and slide Riley in at 3B.

Give me the bats early and the defense late - if we could get to Kershaw and their pen before the 7th we just might get in their heads. The pressure on them is already much worse - get them down 2-0 and you'll be able to cut it with a knife.
 
Last edited:
After having a night to sleep on it. I am happy the Braves won. Yes, I am a Braves fan and didn’t intend to rain on your parade. I have a hard time being overly excited or upset when a sporting event takes place. The reality is my life doesn’t change because of the result of a game. Having said that maybe I was a little bit of a dick, but I don’t celebrate things until it’s over. This fan base should know that more than most so that’s why I am pumping the brakes and being pessimistic (being real).

Contrary to what many think and perhaps how I come off at times, I do want this team to win and have a soft spot in my heart for all of you. Okay not all of you, but many.

I want us to win it all, but I'm also pretty realistic.

Any win we get after this point will be gravy. We've already gotten the playoff series win off monkey off the back, as we've already won two of them.

We don't look as overmatched against the Dodgers as we did in 2013 and 2018 respectively. Anyhow, last night was ****ing amazing. I'm still on a high sitting in the hotel lobby.
 
I'm actually quite surprised by the patience Pache showed last night, drawing 2 walks. Certainly not what I expected from a guy with a 6.4% career minor league BB rate. I figured he would be up there hacking away.

Exactly why I want to see him in there instead of Charlie or Ender - it's not like you're going to expect any offense from either of them. Maybe he handles the situation as well as Anderson has so far - it's worth a shot since the other options aren't any better.
 
After having a night to sleep on it. I am happy the Braves won. Yes, I am a Braves fan and didn’t intend to rain on your parade. I have a hard time being overly excited or upset when a sporting event takes place. The reality is my life doesn’t change because of the result of a game. Having said that maybe I was a little bit of a dick, but I don’t celebrate things until it’s over. This fan base should know that more than most so that’s why I am pumping the brakes and being pessimistic (being real).

Contrary to what many think and perhaps how I come off at times, I do want this team to win and have a soft spot in my heart for all of you. Okay not all of you, but many.

Shut up and enjoy the damn ride.
 
Don't get me wrong. When teams don't have much a scouting report on a rookie, hacking away can work for awhile (a la Riley 2019). But it's nice to see Pache working the count and getting on base for people to drive him in. He looked completely overmatched vs Graterol though. Of course, Graterol was pretty nasty last night as well.
 
With those kinds of numbers, I'm not sure it's not worth it - you're going to be weaker defensively somewhere no matter what (unless they plan to replace Duvall with Ender).

RF- Acuna
1B- Freeman
DH- Ozuna
C- d'Arnaud
2B- Ozzie
SS- Dansby
3B- Panda
LF- Riley
CF- Pache

That way you can bring Culberson in to play defense in LF in the later innings and slide Riley in at 3B.

Give me the bats early and the defense late - if we could get to Kershaw and their pen before the 7th we just might get in their heads. The pressure on them is already much worse - get them down 2-0 and you'll be able to cut it with a knife.

wait...are you saying Sandoval's .535 OPS vs. Kershaw is part of the "bats early" strategy????? how?
 
I would really prefer Pache's defense in there.

Great pitching needs great defense behind it. And with runs going to be at a premium against the Dodgers, I'd rather not try to skirt around the thin margins. Sandoval isn't going to be a difference maker no matter how many times he's seen Kershaw. Put Pache in for defense, he worked counts yesterday, if he does that today that will get Kershaw's pitch count up. Hope the big bats go to work, let Anderson keep doing his thing, and keep the defense solid behind IA.
 
I would really prefer Pache's defense in there.

Great pitching needs great defense behind it. And with runs going to be at a premium against the Dodgers, I'd rather not try to skirt around the thin margins. Sandoval isn't going to be a difference maker no matter how many times he's seen Kershaw. Put Pache in for defense, he worked counts yesterday, if he does that today that will get Kershaw's pitch count up. Hope the big bats go to work, let Anderson keep doing his thing, and keep the defense solid behind IA.

it seems he's saying to use Sandoval over Neck, which is fine i guess, only because i don't want Neck getting ABs, or playing defense, against *anyone*.
i'd probably still rather start Culberson. Duvall would've been nice to see against a lefty.
 
Back
Top