IGT - NLDS Game 1 - Mets at Dodgers - 10/9/15, 9:45 PM EDT

[Gwreck]

Let's Go Mets!

Edited October 4, 2015 by Guest

[Benjamin Grimm]

Wait... what? You mean, there's more?

[Guest d'Kong76]

Odd feeling having more, isn't it?!?

[Benjamin Grimm]

[bmfc1]

5 days to savor being in the post-season.
5 days to anticipate Game 1.

[Gwreck]

Lineup the Mets SHOULD use in game 1 versus Kershaw:

Flores SS
Wright 3B
Cespedes CF
D'Arnaud C
Cuddyer LF
Duda 1B
Lagares RF
Murphy 2B
deGrom P

[Guest d'Kong76]

That's pretty radical!
It's gonna be a long week.

[Edgy MD]

What's the appeal of Flores as a leadoff hitter?

[Gwreck]

Edgy MD wrote: What's the appeal of Flores as a leadoff hitter?

Someone's got to lead off and Wilmer's got a .355 OBP against lefties, and that's better than Lagares?
I'm not really sure who should lead off in this lineup.

I am positive that Flores should be in the lineup and Granderson should not. If there was ever a game to go all-in on offense, it's the game with Kershaw pitching.

[Edgy MD]

Ruben Tejada's got a .340 OPS against lefties (and .338 against righties). And he has the benefit of health.

[Fman99]

Waiting till Friday is SUCKY. Even waiting till Tuesday to watch the Astros smoke the MFYs will be tough.

[Gwreck]

Ruben Tejada's got a .340 OPS against lefties and is pretty close to that against righties.

I'd definitely start Ruben in game 2 against Greinke.

Wilmer however holds a .600 slugging percentage against lefties. Ruben: .395.

[Edgy MD]

Well, if you're looking for platoon splits to carry the day, then you might want to go with them both and to sit Murphy, by gosh.

[Gwreck]

Interesting thought you have there. I like it.

New lineup for game 1 against Kershaw
Tejada SS
Wright 3B
Cespedes CF
D'Arnaud C
Flores 2B
Cuddyer LF
Duda 1B
Lagares RF
deGrom P


Game 2 against Grienke:
Granderson RF
Wright 3B
Duda 1B
Cespdes CF
D'Arnaud C
Conforto LF
Murphy 2B
Tejada SS
Syndergaard P

[Ceetar]

LA Times guy reporting 9:45 start.

[Gwreck]

And 9:07 PM EDT for Saturday.

No "hitting in shadows" problem apparently.

[Elster88]

bmfc1 wrote: 5 days to savor being in the post-season. 5 days to anticipate Game 1.

I'm a nervous wreck. I was all about "just enjoy the ride" too, but now I just want it to start. I'll never make it to Friday.

LET'S GO METS!

[dgwphotography]

Elster88 wrote: bmfc1 wrote: 5 days to savor being in the post-season. 5 days to anticipate Game 1. I'm a nervous wreck. I was all about "just enjoy the ride" too, but now I just want it to start. I'll never make it to Friday. LET'S GO METS!

Same here.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm not nervous -- at least not yet. I don't expect the Mets to win this series, so I'm still enjoying the ride. If we have a tie score in the 8th inning of Game 5, however, I'm sure I'll be a bundle of nervous energy.

[Guest d'Kong76]

GAME: New York Mets (90-72) at Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70)
DATE/TIME: Friday, October 09 - 9:30 PM EST
WHERE: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Playoff Series: Divisional Playoff; Series Tied 0-0
Covers Media Group, Ltd.

The Los Angeles Dodgers own the largest payroll in the major leagues, but their path to a World Series title is largely in the hands of just two players. One of those aces, Clayton Kershaw, will try to exercise some postseason demons when the Dodgers host the New York Mets in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday.

Kershaw and Zack Greinke will undoubtedly both finish in the top three of the NL Cy Young voting this season and are set up to pitch twice each if the series goes seven games, with Greinke following Kershaw in Game 2. The Mets are loaded in the starting rotation as well but are much shorter on experience, with Jacob deGrom set to make his postseason debut opposite Kershaw before Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey take their first turns in the playoffs. Kershaw will be going up against a New York offense that transformed itself in the second half and led the NL with 373 runs scored and a .770 OPS after the All-Star break. The Los Angeles offense went in the opposite direction and dipped to 13th in the NL in runs scored after the All-Star break as rookie center fielder Joc Pederson struggled and Yasiel Puig missed most of the final month with a hamstring injury.

TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (16-7, 2.13 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54)

Kershaw led the majors with 301 strikeouts during the regular season and allowed more than three earned runs in a start only once after May 21. The former MVP has not always been that sharp in the postseason, however, and is 0-4 with a 7.15 ERA in his last four playoff starts � all against the St. Louis Cardinals. Kershaw never had those problems against New York and enters 6-0 with 1.34 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets, including a three-hit, 11-strikeout, no-walk shutout on July 23.

DeGrom struggled a bit from the end of August to the middle of September but allowed one run in 10 innings over his final two starts in the regular season, including four no-hit innings against Washington on Sunday. The All-Star struck out 205 and walked just 38 in 191 innings this season but enters the series 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers. Meanwhile, deGrom nearly picked up his first win against Los Angeles on July 26 but was held out of the decision despite scattering two hits across 7 2/3 scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Puig is expected to be included on the NLDS roster while Dodgers OF Scott Van Slyke (wrist) will sit out.
2. Harvey missed a mandatory workout on Tuesday but will not be held out of the Game 3 start.
3. New York took four of seven from the Dodgers in the regular season, including two of three in Los Angeles.

[Ceetar]

d'Kong76 wrote: Kershaw and Zack Greinke will undoubtedly both finish in the top three of the NL Cy Young voting this season and are set up to pitch twice each if the series goes seven games, with Greinke following Kershaw in Game 2. T.

That would be impressive.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Lol, I wasn't thinking and I thought today was Friday. What
a mimbo! Another frickin' day and a half 'til first pitch.

[Benjamin Grimm]

About 35 hours and 35 minutes to go!

[Guest d'Kong76]

But who's counting!

[Gwreck]

Covers Media Group, Ltd. wrote: One of those aces, Clayton Kershaw, will try to exercise some postseason demons

He could excise them. He could exorcise them. But somehow I don't think he's putting those demons on a treadmill to lose a few pounds.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Between the 'seven games' and 'exercise' ya gotta wonder who is
writing these and how much do they make!

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

Wouldn't it be good to beat Kershaw,
Even if it was for just one day,
Wouldn't it be good if the Mets go all the way.

[Benjamin Grimm]

30 hours and 4 minutes!

[Lefty Specialist]

I just hope I can stay awake until the end....

[Benjamin Grimm]

If I get drowsy, I'll turn on the TiVo, turn off the TV, and doze on the couch for a little while. Then when I wake up, I'll hit the TiVo button, turn on the TV, and resume where I left off.

25 hours and 13 minutes to go!