Gwreck

Have a seat, Carl.

VERY nice, David.

Keep him working, David.

St. Louis up 1-0. Schwarber bunts against shift, gets lead off single in 7th...but then strikeout and Rizzo GIDP.

[u:m8ucesit]Opponents[/u:m8ucesit] Carl Crawford LF Howie Kendrick 2B Kyle Seager SS Adrian Gonzalez 1B Justin Turner 3B Andre Ethier RF AJ Ellis C Joc Pederson CF Clayton Kershaw P

2015 National League East Division Champions Curtis Granderson RF David Wright 3B Yoenis Cespedes CF Daniel Murphy 2B Travis D'Arnaud C Lucas Duda 1B Michael Cuddyer LF Ruben Tejada SS Jacob deGrom P

Way to represent, ABNS.

Indeed. Although it helps that there are other games going on today at least.

In all seriousness, roster deadline is 1:00 PM EDT. Steven Matz expected to make the roster but Sean Gilmartin traveled with the team in case he doesn't.

Game 1 is Clayton Kershaw. You may have heard a few things about this guy before. He won the Cy Young award [crossout:307pqur0]four years in a row, 2011-2014[/crossout:307pqur0] three out of four years, but let's be honest, he probably deserved it over Dickey in 2012. Hope he's not holding a grudge. 16-7, 2.13 ERA, 301 Ks (led MLB), 232 2/3 IP (also led MLB), 0.881 WHIP. Somehow he's probably only going to come in third place for this year's Cy Young. We've spoken previously in this space about the July 3, 2015 game this year where Kershaw got a no-decision and the Mets won. Notable performances that game: Granderson walked to start the game Ruben Tejada had 2 singles Wilmer Flores had 2 singles and an RBI. Less encouraging was the July 23, 2015 game at Citi Field. Kershaw threw a complete game shutout; 3 hits, no walks, 11 Ks. Granted the Mets' hitters that game included Mayberry, Campbell, Recker and Colon, whose combined 2015 batting averages were .624. Granderson, Flores and Duda all had singles. Kershaw trivia: he has only allowed one home run to a Mets batter. It was the first homer he ever gave up in the major leagues. Some encouraging news: Clayton has a bit of a postseason problem. He's 1-5, 5.12 ERA lifetime. He's lost his last 4 postseason starts. 2013 NLCS, Game 2: Loses 1-0 pitcher's duel with Michael Wacha. Unearned run. 2013 NLCS, Game 6: 4 run 3rd inning, another few runs in the 5th. Dodgers lose 8-0, lose series. 2014 Division Series, Game 1: 5-run seventh inning by the Cardinals. 2014 Division Series, Game 4: Pitching on short rest. Has 2-0 lead; gives up 3-run homer to Matt Adams in 7th. Cardinals win series. Kershaw also lost game 1 of the 2009 NLCS to the Phillies, with another big inning (5 run fifth) doing him in.

Times announced for rest of series. 8:07 Monday (unless there are 4 games being played, at which point it moves back to 8:37) 8:07 Tuesday 8:07 Thursday for Game 5 Source:

I bet Tuesday will be 8:07 (maybe 8:37). Only 2 games that day, and Mets/Dodgers will be the late game.

Self interested standpoint: Mets probably would do better against the Rangers in a hypothetical World Series matchup. Hence I would root for them. Really though: I don't care all that much. I hold no particular animosity or particular favor towards either team, or their fanbase, or any particular players (except maybe Dickey).

Royals are 1985, not 1980 (they lost to Philadelphia that year), but of course the point holds.

Rubin walked that 8:30 start time announcement back: --- As discussed earlier, an official game time is not likely to be announced too far in advance. MLB will likely wait to know how many games need to be played on Monday. If any of the AL series are a sweep, then there won't be a full schedule of 4 games that day and they can move them around based on the TV ratings. I maintain that it is likely that the Mets would have an evening game on Monday but it's not a guarantee.

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

Yoenis Cespedes, homers off both Kershaw and Greinke.

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.

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Looking at the mlb box score and the first line below the pitcher's stats reads: Game scores: Arietta 82, Cole 42 WTF is this? http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/61672/mlb-stat-definition-bill-james-game-score

batmagadanleadoff wrote: But deGrom and Syndergaard are capable of having outings that would neutralize the best of the Dodgers Big Two Not just capable; they've already done so, this year. July 3, at Dodger Stadium. Syndergaard v. Kershaw Kershaw: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 earned run Syndergaard: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 B, 1 earned run Game tied 1-1; Mets beat Dodger bullpen in the 9th. July 26, at Citi Field. Greinke v. deGrom. Greinke: 7 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 earned runs deGrom: 7.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, no runs. deGrom leaves leading 2-0. Mets win (in 10 innings, after Familia blows the save) The kicker: both of those games featured the Dodger lineup in substantially the same condition as it will be this weekend. The Mets lineup in both games had neither Cespdes, nor Wright, nor D'Arnaud.

Bartolo won pitcher of the month 4 times but was only #3 on the year.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: In looking at this stuff, I noticed that John Maine started Game 1 of the 2006 NLDS. That seems a strange choice; the Mets clinched early enough to set their rotation. I don't recall what led to this happening. Did it have something to do with Orlando Hernandez's injury? Glavine started Game 2, and Trachsel started Game 3. Yes, Hernandez was supposed to start game 1.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The 26 in 2000 would be because Derek Bell was injured in the NLDS and replaced (by whom?) for the NLCS. Was it Ring and Castro in 2006? Did the Mets have the same rosters in the NLDS and NLCS that year? I honestly don't remember. I think it was Bubba Trammell that replaced Bell for the 2000 NLCS. Castro was the backup catcher in 2006 but never played. Royce Ring was on the roster for the division series only; was replaced by Anderson Hernandez for the LCS.

I wonder how many players have been on postseason rosters without appearing in games. Ones that immediately come to mind: Ed Hearn and Randy Niemann (1986) Royce Ring and Ramon Castro (2006) Who was the backup catcher in '88? Sasser or Lyons?

I think from a self-interest perspective, we root for the Cubs in this game. Better potential NLCS matchup for the Mets than the Pirates.