IGT, 10/13/2015, NLDS Game 4, Matz Says Go Home

[Edgy MD]

The Dodgers, back to the wall and on the road, go back to Clayton Kershaw on short rest. The Mets counter with a left-hander of their own � a rookie with [crossout]four[/crossout] six starts under his belt.

His grandfather, presumably, will be in attendance.

[Gwreck]

Hey, c'mon, it's not quite the experience battle you're making it out to be here. Matz has six starts, not four.

[Frayed Knot]

Kershaw on 3 days rest, Matz on 19.
Make of that what you want.

[Edgy MD]

I knew that. And yet I typed something else.

[TransMonk]

I'm pulling for the rook. Not a large enough sample size for me to gush cahn-fidence, but so far, so good.

I'm more weary of Niese being the long man rather than Colon tonight...but it shouldn't matter when Matz throws 8 innings of shutout ball.

[Guest d'Kong76]

GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers (93-72) at New York Mets (92-73)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, October 13 - 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Citi Field, New York City, New York
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Playoff Series: Divisional Playoff; NY Mets leads 2-1
Covers Media Group, Ltd.

Clayton Kershaw has a 1-6 lifetime record in the postseason, but the Los Angeles Dodgers really need him to display his regular-season form when they visit the New York Mets for Game 4 of their National League Division Series on Tuesday. Kershaw suffered the loss in Game 1 and Los Angeles is facing elimination after dropping a 13-7 decision on Monday that allowed the Mets to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five matchup.

Kershaw is 6-0 with a 1.34 ERA in nine career regular-season starts against New York, and Mets manager Terry Collins said making the ace work deep into the count will be crucial. "He's tough, but he's coming back on short rest," Collins said in his postgame press conference. "I don't know how long a leash he's going to have, but we've got to make him work as we did the other day in Los Angeles." New York had its bats working in the Game 3 trouncing as Curtis Granderson drove in five runs to match the franchise postseason record set by Carlos Delgado in 2006, while Yoenis Cespedes and Travis d'Arnaud homered as the Mets set the club playoff mark for runs in a game. Los Angeles' Chase Utley did not play in Game 3 after his controversial slide that broke the leg of New York shortstop Ruben Tejada in Game 2 drew a two-game suspension, which he is appealing.

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 4.05 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (2015: 4-0, 2.27)

Kershaw hasn't been so formidable in the playoffs, posting a 4.99 ERA in 12 career appearances (nine starts). He has lost five consecutive starts over the last three postseasons and allowed three runs and four hits while striking out 11 over 6 2/3 innings in Game 1. "I appreciate the confidence that (manager Don Mattingly) has, the confidence in me to do it," Kershaw said in a press conference. "It's a good feeling to know your manager wants you out there, makes you want to prove him right, for sure."

Matz hasn't pitched since Sept. 24 due to back issues, but one of his six major-league outings was a victory over the Dodgers on July 5. Matz allowed two hits over six scoreless innings and struck out eight, prompting Collins to call on him instead of Jonathan Niese. "We've got to protect Steven a little bit, he hasn't pitched in a while," Collins said. "We've got to back him up with some guys that if he can get us through five or six (innings), that would be great."

WALK-OFFS:
1. Cespedes recorded three hits in Game 3, and his three-run homer marked the first time he has gone deep since Sept. 14.
2. Los Angeles 3B Justin Turner has registered two hits in each game of the series.
3. The homer by d'Arnaud also was his first since Sept. 14. He went 3-for-5 on Monday after being hitless in seven at-bats over the first two games.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Any word yet on whether either of the two scheduled starters "slept funny"?

I looked up Kershaw starting on three days rest. He's never done it in the regular season, but twice in the postseason.

In the 2013 NLDS against the Braves, he pitched Game 4 on three days rest with 6 innings, 2 earned runs after throwing 124 pitches in Game 1.

He did the same in 2014. 110 pitches in Game 1 against St. Louis. In Game 4, he went 6 innings, 3 earned runs.

He threw 113 pitches on Friday.

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Tonight is the night for the Mets to win and win big. It's time for the Mets to Beat L.A. in the most humiliating way possible. It's time for the Mets to kick those Bums out of New York for good. They need to steal the facade of the Dodger's historic ballpark and use it for their own. They need to stake claim to the legacy of the Dodger's most noble player and claim it for their own. The Dodgers do not deserve these things. The Mets will earn them by right of conquest!!!!

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: I'm pulling for the rook. Not a large enough sample size for me to gush cahn-fidence, but so far, so good. I'm more weary of Niese being the long man rather than Colon tonight...but it shouldn't matter when Matz throws 8 innings of shutout ball.

If it were me (or Bobby Valentine?) I'd bluff Colon (not sure he's available? could do Robles I guess)

wait until the righties that Mattingly put in to face Matz are up, and go to Colon. Mattingly presumably counters with putting in his lefties, and then you can go back to Niese/lefty.

[TransMonk]

Ceetar wrote: wait until the righties that Mattingly put in to face Matz are up, and go to Colon. Mattingly presumably counters with putting in his lefties, and then you can go back to Niese/lefty.

This is why I found it strange that Colon pitched in Game 3 over Niese. Can Colon go back to back days?

[Guest d'Kong76]

I've come to believe that there is nothing Bartolo can't do.

[Guest d'Kong76]

T-minus < eight hours

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I haven't made my mind up on Matz quite yet. I don't doubt that the Mets can rustle up a little something against Kershaw but it's be crazy to think this will be the 14-hits-a-side slugfest we saw last night. So what I'm saying is, Matz needs to have a solid outing. Pretty good or above, minimum.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

I'm looking forward to the postseason debut of Grandpa Matz.

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: I'm looking forward to the postseason debut of Grandpa Matz.

[seawolf17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I haven't made my mind up on Matz quite yet. I don't doubt that the Mets can rustle up a little something against Kershaw but it's be crazy to think this will be the 14-hits-a-side slugfest we saw last night. So what I'm saying is, Matz needs to have a solid outing. Pretty good or above, minimum.

And as long as he does that, I'm okay. Give me six strong innings, kid.

[Guest d'Kong76]

@cgrand3 RF
#DavidWright 3B
Murphy 2B
@ynscspds LF
d�Arnaud C
Duda 1B
Flores SS
@juanlagares2 CF
@Smatz88 P

@kcmets #cpftoocool

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

Terry trying to find ways to motivate doodoo

[Edgy MD]

Another night off for Michael Cuddyer.

More meaningfully, perhaps, another night out there for Juan Lagares.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Hernandez CF
Kendrick 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Turner 3B
Seager SS
Puig RF
Ellis C
Ruggiano LF
Kershaw P

[Farmer Ted]

If I'm Terry (I know I'm not but you KNOW my man-crush multiplies every time I see that genius)...

Before Kershaw goes into his first windup, Terry calls a timeout and motions to the ump that his MOTHER FUCKING REPLAY PHONE DOESN'T WORK. CAN YOU HEAR ME MATTINGLY, YOU WASHED DOWN VERSION OF KEITH HERNANDEZ? MY FUCKING PHONE DOESN'T WORK. DOES. NOT. WORK!

Then Terry turns back to the dugout and goes about his business which is kicking the dog snot out of Magic Johnson and his fuck face Dodgers.

OK, I'm better now.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Time!! You guys getting a dial tone in your dugout, Donnie? We got
nothing over here.

[bmfc1]

Nicely done, Farmer Ted.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

Hernandez CF Kendrick 2B Gonzalez 1B Turner 3B Seager SS Puig RF Ellis C Ruggiano LF Kershaw P

That's pretty freaking strong lineup in anybody's language. I thought Ellis and Puig were half-dead or something.

Fun Factoid: Calling a grown man "Kike" in the Latino culture is analogous to calling a grown man "Chipper" in Anglo-American culture.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I really wanna go to bed happy tonight!

[dinosaur jesus]

El Segundo Escupidor wrote: Fun Factoid: Calling a grown man "Kike" in the Latino culture is analogous to calling a grown man "Chipper" in Anglo-American culture.

The TNT captions call him Enrique. I can't imagine why.

What does it mean in Latino culture if you call a grown man "Chipper"?

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

dinosaur jesus wrote: What does it mean in Latino culture if you call a grown man "Chipper"?

That you like to knock-up Hooters waitresses.