Dodgers Have Their Hands Full Against Mets Foursome

That is what stands in the way of the New York Mets potentially taking a 1-0 National League Division Series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. If Beltre is removed from the Division Series roster, he would be ineligible to play in the AL Championship Series. The last time David (Wright) was there was nearly 10 years ago.

There’s little to separate these teams in the field-at least according to the advanced fielding metrics at Fangraphs.com. The Mets have more homerun threats than the Dodgers do. New York also lacks a left-hander in their bullpen they could use to pitch to Corey Seager or Adrian Gonzalez. I think they way Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo played the other night will carry over. The Dodgers, like all teams, struggle to get their bats around on elite heat. With the Pirates and Cubs both on fire in the Wild Card race, both the Mets and Dodgers were preparing for a postseason match up as early as the beginning of September.

Mets: After six straight losing seasons, the Mets (90-72) finally turned it around. Runs will definitely be at a premium when these two staffs square off.

Righty Zack Greinke is right up there with Kershaw in this year’s Cy Young conversation (along with Jake Arrieta of the Cubs). He went 11-1 with a 1.22 ERA and four complete games, including three shutouts, in his final 17 starts. This is also contingent on if they are leading the series or behind in the series, but it is a possibility to watch for.

The Amazins won the NL East and are in the playoffs for the first time since 2006. “The way he takes the mound, he goes out there and attacks hitters”. Same thing with the ball up, you think you can catch up to it and guys swing through it a lot for strikeouts.

Dodgers: Former top prospect Yasmani Grandal enjoyed a strong first half, but he began slumping after the All-Star break and has recently been dealing with shoulder inflammation. If not, then that is a pitch you can eliminate as a hitter, especially the one that starts low and ends in the dirt. New York was atrocious batting for much of the season but got a precipitous boost to its offense after the July 31st trade for Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes had a career year at the right time, with his free agency about to hit this winter.

For the first time since 2006 the Mets are in the playoffs.

Manager Terry Collins wouldn’t commit to Game 1 starter Jacob deGrom returning on three days’ rest. The transactions jump-started their offense and they raced past the Nationals to take the NL East. Meanwhile the Dodgers were in it all season long with that $300 million plus payroll of theirs-not too mention a pretty top-heavy rotation.

With Yadier Molina limited by a thumb injury, Jason Heyward may be the most valuable player on the Cardinals. Noah Syndergaard has already thrown the most innings in his professional career.

It certainly seems like Matz will rejoin the Mets and start Game 4 of the NLDS after multiple reports suggested the 24-year-old was in mid-season form, however nothing official has been announced as of yet.

Dodgers: LH Clayton Kershaw (16-7, 2.13, MLB-high 301 Ks), RH Zack Greinke (19-3, MLB-best 1.66), LH Brett Anderson (10-9, 3.69), LH Alex Wood (12-12, 3.84 with Braves and Dodgers).

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw enters this postseason with a chance to atone for bitter playoff disappointment over the past two years but says team success, not personal satisfaction, is his main goal. The key in this series will be which pitchers make the fewest mistakes. However, he returned last week and played in the Dodgers’ last two games, starting and getting a hit in the first one.