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As the Dodgers are closing in on their first division title in the Magic Johnson ERA and first division title since 2009. Here are some early predictions on who will make the postseason roster:
The Dodgers Starting Lineup:
1. C A.J. Ellis
2. 1B Adrian Gonzalez
3. 2B Mark Ellis
4. 3B Juan Uribe
5. SS Hanley Ramirez
6. LF Carl Crawford
7. CF Andre Ethier
8. RF Yasiel Puig
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Normally I would say Matt Kemp would start in the postseason, but honestly I feel Ethier should get most of the starts because he’s been there since day one and deserves to start over the often injured Kemp. Ethier was one of the key players that kept the offense from falling apart. Kemp won’t be back until the last week, maybe two weeks of the season and get at least one start in the first round, but Kemp may work his way into the starting lineup in the second round. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Bench is where it gets tricky, who would they want on the postseason roster, a power hitter, a pinch runner, or four utility infielders?
Bench
9. C Tim Federowicz
10. OF Matt Kemp
11. UT Nick Punto
UT Skip Schumaker
UT Michael Young
1B/OF Scott Van Slyke
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jerry Hairston Jr. and Dee Gordon would be on the standby and wait for the call to join the Dodgers depending on the match up. Hairston would have been the last man on the bench to make the roster before the acquisition of Young. Gordon will ultimately replace Schumaker on the roster when the time comes to where the Dodgers believe the series will be tough one and need to win close games. Gordon will be relied on to steal bases like the Red Sox relied on former Dodger, Dave Roberts, back in 2004. Normally, having more pitchers is more important because it’s the postseason, but manager Don Mattingly won’t past up the chance to have two power hitters on the bench in Kemp and Van Slyke.
The Starting Rotation
Clayton Kershaw
Zack Greinke
Hyun-jin Ryu
Ricky Nolasco
Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
This is a very scary rotation that I wouldn’t want to face, two back to back aces, a rookie, who pitches like a veteran and a fourth starter, who would be the top ace on other teams. I would have put Nolasco as the starter for the third game, but if I were Mattingly, I would balance it out by going lefty, righty, lefty, righty. So the opposing team would have to keep switching the lineup around and won’t have any rhythm to get going into the next game, unless the opposing team figures out the pitcher that night.
Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
The Bullpen is another tricky decision to make, who would you put on the postseason roster? Whether Mattingly should bring up any of the minor leaguers, to replace the certain reliever, who has been ineffective all season long. *cough, Brandon League, cough* Or to bring up another left handed reliever to protect Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell? Hard decisions to make.
Bullpen
Kenley Jansen
Brian Wilson
Ronald Belisario
Paco Rodriguez
Chris Withrow
J.P. Howell
Brandon League/Carlos Marmol/Edinson Volquez
League, Marmol and Volquez will fight to get the last spot, but the last spot will go to League. Mattingly can’t really see that League hasn’t been doing great all year long. League also has 22 million reasons why he should stay on the roster. I know League has good stuff, but League just needs a break from this whole season overall as his stuff has not been working all season. He will destroy the chances of the team making it to world series every time he pitches. Marmol, rookie reliever Onelki Garcia, reliever Peter Moylan and starting pitchers Volquez and Chris Capuano will not be making the team due to the return of Kemp to the roster from the disabled list, adding another bat on the bench. Marmol, Moylan, Garcia, Volquez and Capuano will be waiting by their phones for the call to be put on the roster, depending on the situation. I believe that Capuano will not make the team for the postseason because the Dodgers have added Marmol and Volquez. Capuano has been struggling all season and Capuano’s latest injury sealed the deal on not making the roster. If I were Mattingly, I keep Marmol over League. Marmol has been decent, but he gets the job done and hasn’t been as bad as League is. League needs to take a vacation and prepare for next season if he wants to win and contribute to the team.
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
This will be an exciting October to watch because as Dodgers owner, Magic Johnson said, “This is OUR year! Let’s get it!”. Let’s end the 25 year world series drought!