NL Division Series Preview
Apr 4, 2018 12:37:59 GMT -5
Commissioner Erick, friscoranger, and 1 more like this
Post by Mike RedSox on Apr 4, 2018 12:37:59 GMT -5
NL Division Series Preview : Cubs vs. Mets
Mets won NL East by 5 1/2 over Nats.
Cubs won NL Central by 3 over the Pirates.
Key Injuries
Mets lost Senzel and Matt Williams to elbow problems. David Wright has filled in (returned, who knows) as the 3B starter, but with -0.2 WAR.
Mets lost SP Zach Wheeler early in the season.
Cubs lost Kris Bryant to a torn meniscus for the entire year.
Pitching Staffs
These are the 2 best pitching staffs in the NL.
The Mets have the Wins leader in Matt Harvey, the ERA, WAR, FIP, WHIP and K/9 leader in Noah Syndergaard and the Saves leader in Jeurys Familia.
Led by four righty starters, this squad is otherwise well balanced, featuring 10 pitchers that have acumulated 0.9 WAR or more.
To combat the Mets studs the Cubs tout newly acquired Chris Sale as their true Ace. He is followed by Arrieta, Lester and Hendricks.
With that arsenal the Cub's staff has been able to lead the league in both starter and bullpen ERAs.
Lineups
The Cubs have 2 lefty and 2 righty starters, the Mets have a righty heavy lineup that has not done well against righties but has been able to lay waste to the league's southpaws.
Yoenis Cespedes has led the team in both OPS (.840) and RBI and HRs.
Chicago has a deep lineup, even with Bryant, out Jeimer Candelario has led the team in WAR. There is no 100+ RBI man, with Rizzo leading the way at 90 RBI.
Key Question
Will either team score a run? Kidding aside, these are going to be some tight games putting a lot of pressure on the bullpen...
For the Mets:
Can the lineup step up against this deep Cubs lefties?
Can Cespedes get hot in time to be series MVP?
Will the Mets bullpen let down their starters?
For the Cubs:
Who will step up and lead this offense? The youngster Candelario or veteran Rizzo?
Can this elite staff continue it's dominance?
Will the Cubs bullpen let down their starters?
Prediction
It'd be easy to take the Cubs in this one... So I will, Cubs in 5!
NL Division Series Preview : Dodgers vs. Giants
These teams inished 1, 2 in the NL West.
Injuries
AJ Pollock won't be back in time to play in this series for the Dodgers. Rookie Alex Verdugo has stepped up and filled the role nicely, but it's hard to replace Pollock's 4.6 WAR.
Rotations
Mad Bum won the wildcard with a complete game. He'll need a break, so Dan Norris should lead the team into the series followed by Cueto and Blach.
Urias leads the Dodgers, followed by the steady hurler Maeda then Kershaw who is day to day with an elbow. Maeda, Stripling and Wood have each put up around 2 WAR this season, but none is considered elite.
This should lead to matchups like this:
Urias v. Norris @ LA
Maeda v. Cueto @ LA
Kershaw v Bumgarner @ SF
Wood v. Blach @ SF
Urias v. Norris @ LA
Maeda v. Cueto @ SF
Kershaw v. Bumgarner @ LA
The shift in Bumgarner's matchup coincides with Kershaw's bad elbow leading to potential match ups in game 3 and 7.
Urias gets two home games, he'll need the home cooking as he has made 27 starts but only pitched more than 7 innings 3 times all year. The Dodgers will require help from their bullpen in these games.
Bullpens
So who's got the best bullpen? They rank 3 and 4 in the NL with the Giants having the slight advantage.
As far as closers go, Melancon v Jensen is a wash, both have been great this year.
Other than that there is a lot of mediocrity, the Dodgers only have a single reliever with an ERA below 3. The Giants have 0.
Lineups
Led by 50HR hitter Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers have the best lineup in the NL.
They are by far and away a better lineup than the Giants.
But there's a problem. Their next two best hitters, Mazara and Pederson, have struggled mightily against lefties.
Half the Giant pitching staff is left handed. Not a good sign...
Key Questions
For the Dodgers
Can Kershaw bounce back from this elbow problem and pitch deep into games?
Can the lineup beyond Bellinger do anything against the Giants lefthanders?
Will Urias be able to go beyond 5 or 6 innings? If he doesn't the ripple effect on the bullpen starts in game 1.
For the Giants
Bumgarner faces off against Kershaw, can he handle the pressure?
The Giants bullpen is intricate to their success, will they be deployed efficiently throughout the series?
Can the offense shine when it needs to?
Prediction
Believe it or not, I think the Giants have got the pitching match ups necessary to cool the Dodgers bats. Giants in 6.
Mets won NL East by 5 1/2 over Nats.
Cubs won NL Central by 3 over the Pirates.
Key Injuries
Mets lost Senzel and Matt Williams to elbow problems. David Wright has filled in (returned, who knows) as the 3B starter, but with -0.2 WAR.
Mets lost SP Zach Wheeler early in the season.
Cubs lost Kris Bryant to a torn meniscus for the entire year.
Pitching Staffs
These are the 2 best pitching staffs in the NL.
The Mets have the Wins leader in Matt Harvey, the ERA, WAR, FIP, WHIP and K/9 leader in Noah Syndergaard and the Saves leader in Jeurys Familia.
Led by four righty starters, this squad is otherwise well balanced, featuring 10 pitchers that have acumulated 0.9 WAR or more.
To combat the Mets studs the Cubs tout newly acquired Chris Sale as their true Ace. He is followed by Arrieta, Lester and Hendricks.
With that arsenal the Cub's staff has been able to lead the league in both starter and bullpen ERAs.
Lineups
The Cubs have 2 lefty and 2 righty starters, the Mets have a righty heavy lineup that has not done well against righties but has been able to lay waste to the league's southpaws.
Yoenis Cespedes has led the team in both OPS (.840) and RBI and HRs.
Chicago has a deep lineup, even with Bryant, out Jeimer Candelario has led the team in WAR. There is no 100+ RBI man, with Rizzo leading the way at 90 RBI.
Key Question
Will either team score a run? Kidding aside, these are going to be some tight games putting a lot of pressure on the bullpen...
For the Mets:
Can the lineup step up against this deep Cubs lefties?
Can Cespedes get hot in time to be series MVP?
Will the Mets bullpen let down their starters?
For the Cubs:
Who will step up and lead this offense? The youngster Candelario or veteran Rizzo?
Can this elite staff continue it's dominance?
Will the Cubs bullpen let down their starters?
Prediction
It'd be easy to take the Cubs in this one... So I will, Cubs in 5!
NL Division Series Preview : Dodgers vs. Giants
These teams inished 1, 2 in the NL West.
Injuries
AJ Pollock won't be back in time to play in this series for the Dodgers. Rookie Alex Verdugo has stepped up and filled the role nicely, but it's hard to replace Pollock's 4.6 WAR.
Rotations
Mad Bum won the wildcard with a complete game. He'll need a break, so Dan Norris should lead the team into the series followed by Cueto and Blach.
Urias leads the Dodgers, followed by the steady hurler Maeda then Kershaw who is day to day with an elbow. Maeda, Stripling and Wood have each put up around 2 WAR this season, but none is considered elite.
This should lead to matchups like this:
Urias v. Norris @ LA
Maeda v. Cueto @ LA
Kershaw v Bumgarner @ SF
Wood v. Blach @ SF
Urias v. Norris @ LA
Maeda v. Cueto @ SF
Kershaw v. Bumgarner @ LA
The shift in Bumgarner's matchup coincides with Kershaw's bad elbow leading to potential match ups in game 3 and 7.
Urias gets two home games, he'll need the home cooking as he has made 27 starts but only pitched more than 7 innings 3 times all year. The Dodgers will require help from their bullpen in these games.
Bullpens
So who's got the best bullpen? They rank 3 and 4 in the NL with the Giants having the slight advantage.
As far as closers go, Melancon v Jensen is a wash, both have been great this year.
Other than that there is a lot of mediocrity, the Dodgers only have a single reliever with an ERA below 3. The Giants have 0.
Lineups
Led by 50HR hitter Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers have the best lineup in the NL.
They are by far and away a better lineup than the Giants.
But there's a problem. Their next two best hitters, Mazara and Pederson, have struggled mightily against lefties.
Half the Giant pitching staff is left handed. Not a good sign...
Key Questions
For the Dodgers
Can Kershaw bounce back from this elbow problem and pitch deep into games?
Can the lineup beyond Bellinger do anything against the Giants lefthanders?
Will Urias be able to go beyond 5 or 6 innings? If he doesn't the ripple effect on the bullpen starts in game 1.
For the Giants
Bumgarner faces off against Kershaw, can he handle the pressure?
The Giants bullpen is intricate to their success, will they be deployed efficiently throughout the series?
Can the offense shine when it needs to?
Prediction
Believe it or not, I think the Giants have got the pitching match ups necessary to cool the Dodgers bats. Giants in 6.