Dodgers Mets Game 2 Preview

After a painful beginning to the playoffs, the Dodgers basically see themselves in a must-win game in game 2.

Here’s the thing about Clayton Kershaw. We need to invent a new definition of the word “good” for him. There is good, which he was last night. 11 Ks in six 2/3 innings allowing three earned runs is good. But there’s also “Kershaw good”, because while he was good last night, it wasn’t close to good by his standards. He gave up a homer to a lefty, continuing the bizzaro-world of the postseason. He walked three in the seventh inning, and was pulled (which was 100 percent the right decision). The wrong decision was putting in Pedro Baez, who while solid, is not the guy I want in the game in a bases-loaded tie game. I wanted Kenley Jansen, but there’s no manager in baseball that uses their closer in that situation. Which is why the “saves” stat is the worst thing to ever happen to baseball. If not Jansen, Chris Hatcher?

If only there was a rule that allowed for a manager to bring in a new pitcher and a new position player, switching their spots in the lineup. The pitchers’ spot was due up third in the bottom of the seventh, while Andre Ethier made the last out of the sixth. Maybe double-switch Yasiel Puig there? Or maybe use your best reliever in the most important part of the game? There’s no point in saving Jansen for a save opportunity if you never get a save opportunity.

October 9, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Enrique Hernandez (14) before playing against the New York Mets in game one of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

More concerning than the bullpen management/Kershaw was that the offense couldn’t hit with RISP again. It was never going to be easy because Jacob deGrom is one of the best pitchers in baseball, but the Dodgers got some gifts from Michael Cuddyer, who will probably not be in left for the rest of the series, and they wasted them. The 1-0 deficit seemed insurmountable, and when it got pushed to 3-0 it just felt like it was game over.

Zack Greinke gets the ball tonight, and it would really be preferred if the Dodgers could not go back to NY down 2-0. Greinke had a pretty good season, and should win at least a third of the Cy Young. His 1.66 ERA led all of baseball and is the 80th best ERA since 1871 (and the seventh best since 1950, if you want to ignore baseball before baseball was really baseball).

Greinke allowed two runs in 14 innings against the Mets this season and shut them out when he faced them at Dodger Stadium. In six career starts against the Mets, Greinke is 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA. Daniel Murphy and David Wright are the only Mets that really have past success against Greinke.

Noah Syndergaard gets the ball for the Mets and is another hard-throwing young righty. He was a completely different pitcher away from Citi Field, as he posted a home ERA of 2.46 and a road ERA of 4.23 this season. He still possesses shutdown stuff and held the Dodgers to a run in six innings earlier this season at Dodger Stadium, so much like yesterday it won’t be easy.

A few changes, as Joc Pederson and A.J. Ellis both sit. Yasmani Grandal takes over behind the plate, and despite Ellis probably being a better threat offensively, Grandal caught in 26 of Greinke’s 32 starts this season. This makes him more of a “personal catcher” than Ellis and Kershaw, as Ellis caught 21 of Kershaw’s 33

Pederson is usually in the lineup for his defense, but Enrique Hernandez had a phenomenal season and is by no means a liability defensively. It was surprising that he wasn’t at least used as a pinch hitter last night, but he’ll be in there tonight.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:07 PST and will be shown on TBS. If you’re reading this it’s too late. Seriously, between this game, Obama being in town and USA-Mexico at the Rose Bowl, traffic is going to be hell. If you have tickets and haven’t left yet, good luck.