Tag: Playoffs

4 Concerns Dodgers Should Have Against Diamondbacks in 2017 NLDS

Published on by Dennis Schlossman1 Comment
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(Mandatory Credit: John Minchillo/Associated Press)

After using almost every available resource in their arsenal on Wednesday evening against the Rockies, the Diamondbacks came out on top in a nailbiter which may have been one of the most thrilling Wild Card matchups in recent history. Having exhausted its two most valuable starting pitching weapons, though, Arizona hopes to maintain its offensive momentum upon heading to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday evening.

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How Does the Ideal NLDS Shape Up for the Dodgers?

Published on by Sarah ManingerLeave a comment
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(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The 2017 NLDS is promising to shape up a bit differently than previous postseasons—Clayton Kershaw probably won’t be pitching on short rest. This is an extremely good thing.

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A Dodgers Roundtable: Six Different Writers Discuss the Upcoming NLDS

Published on by Andy Lane ChapmanLeave a comment

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Just like that, the regular season is over.  Despite the challenges of the 2017 campaign, the Dodgers still finished with the best record in baseball—104-58. None of that matters anymore, for now it is the postseason, and the best record in baseball will only get you home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The rest you have to do yourself. Now the focus is on the players mentally and physically preparing for what lies ahead, the coaching staff studying up on the competition, and the front office and coaches assembling the best possible roster to finally take the Dodgers to the World Series.

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Pedro Baez Still Could Make Dodgers’ NLDS Roster, in Theory

Published on by Dennis Schlossman5 Comments

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The final series of the regular season in Colorado has been nothing short of action-packed, to say the least. The offense of the Dodgers has once again been showing some signs of waking up in critical situations, and the relief corps has proven that it’s capable of taming one of the hottest offenses on the senior circuit. Yet, among all these exciting twists and turns, there are still a few playoff roster spots up for grabs. One of the vacancies which has seemingly been garnering the most attention among those familiar with the club is the final spot in the Dodgers’ bullpen.

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With NL Home Field Advantage Secure, What’s Next for Dodgers?

Published on by Sarah ManingerLeave a comment

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Get ready, October is coming.

That’s really all anybody is thinking about right now, the postseason. The Dodgers have said that all of the team records, and winning 100 games for the first time 1974, is really cool, but it’s not the ultimate goal. I’m not saying winning 100 games is easy, of course it’s not, but the Dodgers have their eyes set on the Fall Classic, and so do all the fans. The Boys in the Blue clinched the National League West on Friday, in a game which they cemented the one thing we’ve known all season; the Dodgers know how to win baseball games. To make matters better, within five days of each other, two of the longest-running home run records in baseball were broken; the NL Rookie Home Run record, and the All-Time Rookie Home Run record, broken by Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge, respectively. So, after all this history, what’s next?

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Dodgers Clinch Fifth Straight National League West Title

Published on by Dennis SchlossmanLeave a comment

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With a win over the Giants on Friday evening, the Dodgers clinched the 2017 National League West Division Championship. It’s the Dodgers’ fifth straight and 16th overall NL West title, as the club reached the postseason in five consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.

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Several Reasons to Stay Optimistic as Postseason Approaches

Published on by Andy Lane ChapmanLeave a comment

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It’s been a rather depressing end of summer for Dodgers fans, as the Boys in Blue couldn’t quite get much going through the end of August and the month of September. But today the Northern Hemisphere turns to autumn, and the Dodgers will be celebrating Clinchmas, and hopefully those losing days will fall behind them.

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3 Reasons Why Yasmani Grandal Continues to Lose Playing Time

Published on by Dennis Schlossman5 Comments

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On the offensive side of things, there’s probably not a streakier hitter on the Dodgers‘ entire roster than catcher Yasmani Grandal. When he’s hot, he’s often capable of carrying the team’s production on his own shoulders, but when he’s cold, he sometimes shuts down completely. During these quiet stretches, the club’s output with the lumber frequently feels the effects of such nosedives, especially when he’s entrenched smack dab in the middle of the Los Angeles batting order.

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Better Playoff Roster Option: Joc Pederson, Andre Ethier or Curtis Granderson?

Published on by Dennis Schlossman5 Comments
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(Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

In just a little under three weeks, the Dodgers will embark on yet another postseason journey, with this year’s aspirations the highest they’ve been in recent years. The Los Angeles management crew will certainly have a difficult task in store when assembling the club’s prospective playoff roster, as a number of different factors will come into play for the squad selected to begin the NLDS on October 6.

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Dodgers Rotation: Even Clayton Kershaw Is Entitled to an Occasional Off-Day

Published on by Andy Lane ChapmanLeave a comment

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In last Friday’s column, I talked about the unpredictability of baseball. This series with the Chicago Cubs was no different. It made me think of the intro to ESPN’s 30 for 30: “What if I told you the Dodgers would host the Cubs for three games, and the only pitcher Chicago would score runs off of would be Clayton Kershaw?”

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