Dodgers vs. Cubs: Who has the Edge?

With a new rivalry brewing between the two powers houses of the National League, let us see how the Cubs and Dodgers match-up against each other.

The Cubs and Dodgers will meet up this weekend, but this time around it will be in Chavez Ravine. The last time these two clubs met, the Cubs were celebrating their new title and showing off their new bling as the Dodgers had to sit there and watch what could have been.

The Cubs defeated the Dodgers in the 2016 NLCS and eventually went on to win the World Series. The Cubs did not let the Dodgers forget what happened last October. They had two separate ceremonies to honor the reigning champs and played the clinching NLCS game during a rain delay.

These ceremonies added, even more, fuel to the fire. The Dodgers-Cubs rivalry looks to have just started. Both these teams look very similar to what they looked last season. There were a few minor moves made, but the core players are still on both respective rosters. Now we can look at how these two teams, when healthy, stack up at every position.

First Base: Anthony Rizzo vs. Adrian Gonzalez

On the Cubs side, we have Anthony Rizzo, arguably their best player and undoubtedly the heart and soul of this young team. Ironically, Rizzo was traded for Gonzalez by the Boston Red Sox in 2010, when the Padres acquired him in exchange for the Adrian Gonzalez. San Diego later traded Rizzo to the Cubs.

Well, the Cubs got themselves a steal. Rizzo has improved every season, he was an MVP finalist last year and is looking to continue his growth this season. His numbers are terrific, but it is his leadership qualities that put him over the edge. You can count on him to put up at least 25 home runs every year. His AVG may not be pretty at times, but his OBP is always high because of his great sense of the strike zone.

For the Dodgers, it is veteran Adrian Gonzalez whom as mentioned earlier has some ties with Rizzo because they were traded for one another. But following the trade to Boston, the Dodgers nabbed Gonzo in a blockbuster deal. From this trade, A-Gon is the only player still on the Dodgers.

Gonzalez saw his power numbers decrease last season. This year looks to be the same, just not enough gas left in the tank to put up those 30 home run seasons he was used to. But with that said he is still a RBI machine putting balls in the gap and bringing runners to the plate with his simple approach at the plate.

Verdict

We have two players who are very similar, but just at different points in their careers. The Cubs have a young Rizzo in the middle of his prime, while the Dodgers have a veteran in the midst of a steep decline. Perhaps if this were an argument three years ago, A-Gon would have the advantage, but that is not the case.

Rizzo and Gonzalez are both blue collar workers that will help their teams reach the playoffs and hopefully collide in another NLCS matchup. But ultimately the edge here goes to Chicago simply because of the point each player is in his career.

Cubs, Chicago leads 1-0

Second Base: Javier Baez vs. Logan Forsythe 

Puerto Rican sensation Javier Baez is the man holding down second for the Cubs, and he might be the most fun player to watch in the MLB.  It looks like he has the time of his life every time he steps out on the diamond and defensively he might be the best second basemen in the majors.

One thing that people praise is his ability to put down a tag. It may seem like a rare thing to notice, but if you have ever seen Baez lay down a tag, you can understand why so many people are in awe with him. Offensively he is a spark plug. If he gets going, the rest of the Cubs team will feed off of his energy which is why he is a significant component in the lineup.

With the Dodgers, Logan Forsythe is a polar opposite, personality-wise, compared to the flashy Baez. Logan comes in and does his job quietly. He doesn’t let you know how good he is; he lets his play do it for him. These past two seasons he has exploded, and this is because he is finally getting the at-bats that he deserves.

He is a reliable everyday option at second base. Forsythe is an upgrade for the Dodgers at a position that they struggled at last season. Forsythe will do and can do anything you ask. He can bat leadoff, or if someone needs protection, he can hit in the middle of the lineup. His versatility is what makes him so valuable to the Dodgers.

Verdict

This is a perfect example as to how many different personalities there are on a team. Baez for the Cubs fills the role of the spark plug and emotional leader, whereas Forsythe fills the role of silent leader and blue-collar worker.

Two completely different roles but both are equally as important. When it comes down to who is better, it is one of the closer matchups that the Dodgers-Cubs have. But because we saw first-hand how Baez can affect not only a game but an entire series, Baez and the Cubs have the edge yet again at second base.

Cubs, Chicago leads 2-0

Shortstop: Addison Russell vs. Corey Seager

 The starting shortstop in last season’s All-Star game was Addison Russell. This was the first of many All-Star games that the 23-year-old can eventually see. Russell came in and stole the spot from Starlin Castro back in August 2015. Since then he has not looked back, becoming a force in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup.

His struggles in the playoffs showed just how key he was to the Cubs. As soon as he got his groove back, the entire Cubs offense became deadly with his protection and production. He is off to a slow start so far this season, but he always seems to bounce back as he is known to be a streaky hitter.

The reigning Rookie of the Year Corey Seager is the best position player on the Dodgers. Similar to Russell, Seager came in and stole the spot from a veteran in Jimmy Rollins. Last season he proved why he was the top prospect in baseball. He is truly a special player.

Quite big for a shortstop but he’s nimble which allows him to be a plus defender. Now offensively is where he helps the most. Seager was deadly last season, batting .308 with 26 home runs on his way to a Top 3 finish for the MVP award. Seager showed power to all fields and the ability to hit anything the pitcher threw at him, which is why he was so productive.

Verdict

Shortstop is one of the most important positions on the field. Both teams have that spot filled for many years to come with these young and talented players. With all due respect to Addison Russell, this positional battle is not very close. Russell is a nice player but is nowhere near Corey Seager who will be an MVP candidate for many more years to come.

Both players are All-Stars, but Seager is just one tier above that. There is a reason why Seager got so much attention last season; it is because he is a special talent in this league.

Dodgers, Chicago leads 2-1

Third Base: Kris Bryant vs. Justin Turner

Kris Bryant is the reigning National League MVP. With only two seasons under his belt, Bryant has already made a strong case for being one of the best players in baseball. Bryant has shown the ability to hit for power as soon as he burst onto the scene.

One issue he did have (like many power hitters) was strikeouts. But in 2016 he was able to make the adjustments necessary to drop his strikeout total from 199 to 154 in more AB’s. If Bryant continues to improve he might just be the best player in baseball as he is already the best player on this Cubs roster.

Justin Turner, the former utility man, finally got a chance to be an everyday starter and he ran with it. The Southern California native has grown on this fan base and for a good reason. He has absolutely mashed the baseball since getting a shot. Turner is currently the MLB leader in batting average. Last season he hit .275 while putting 27 balls over the fence. Turner seemed to get the big hit whenever the Dodgers needed it and his season can be summed up with one hit: The triple in Game 5 of the NLDS series. That was the hit that eventually led the Dodgers to victory.

Verdict

Once again both players are phenomenal, Bryant and Turner are both forces with their bats. They also both are great defensively. On offense, the edge goes to Kris Bryant, and on defense, the edge goes to Turner. But the gap on offense is larger than the difference on defense. Thus Bryant narrowly edges out Turner and gives the Cubs the edge at third base. Turner is a great player, but much like Seager, Bryant is a special talent in this league and a reigning MVP.

Cubs, Chicago leads 3-1

Outfield

The Cubs’ outfield is a rotating door as seen by the many different combinations out there. Jason Heyward was the big signing who flopped and is looking to have a comeback season. Kyle Schwarber is seeking to complete the season healthy but is struggling with his batting average thus far.

Ben Zobrist, the super utility man, is a mainstay in the lineup because he can play every position on the field, and is a vital part of the Cubs’ roster. Both Albert Almora Jr. and Ian Happ are battling for the reps in center field. The two young studs look like they can be excellent for many years to come.

The Dodgers, when healthy, have an everyday outfield of rookie sensation Cody Bellinger in left, Joc Pederson in center, and Yasiel Puig in right. Bellinger is a special player with the bat in his hands. He started off very hot but has come back down to earth following this start, yet he still leads the Dodgers in RBI despite his late start to the season.

Joc Pederson is a fantastic defender, who has shown signs of being a great hitter but has not been able to put it all together. Yasiel Puig is probably the best defensive right fielder in the MLB but has continued to struggle with consistency at the plate. He has all the tools but has not seemed to get it going.

Verdict

Both outfields are very similar.  Heyward and Puig are in the lineup because of their defensive ability, but in right field, the edge goes to the Dodgers because Puig has shown signs of improvement at the plate.

In left field, considering the rapid cool down of Bellinger and the ability of Zobrist/Scwarber with their bats, the slight edge goes to the Cubs. So it all comes down to center field. The Dodgers have the edge here with Joc Pederson over both Happ and Almora. So winning the outfield 2-1, the Dodgers get the edge in the outfield.

Dodgers, Tied 3-3

Starting Pitching

The Cubs’ rotation last season was spectacular. Bringing essentially the same rotation would mean the same this season. Jon Lester is great despite his inability or reluctance to throw to any base or play defense. Jake Arrieta has great stuff but has regressed since his Cy Young season. John Lackey always seems to be a thorn in the side of the Dodgers, but he isn’t all that special anymore. Kyle Hendricks had a phenomenal season last year but don’t count on him having the same type of season again.

The Dodgers have Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-jin Ryu, and last but not least Clayton Kershaw. Well, Clayton is the best pitcher on the planet, so that leaves four spots for five guys.

Alex Wood has been brilliant this season and earned his spot. Rich Hill will get a spot if his blisters don’t flare up anymore and Brandon McCarthy earned a spot with a great start to the season. The final spot looks like it will belong to Kenta Maeda, who has been hit or miss this season, either putting on an excellent performance or one that is unwatchable.

Verdict

Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher on planet earth, so the Dodgers have the advantage with Kershaw over Lester. Alex Wood has been great this season and because of this gets the edge over Jake Arrieta. Rich Hill when healthy can be an ace, but it’s his health that puts Kyle Hendricks over him here. Brandon McCarthy was great when he was healthy this season, but once again it’s his health that puts Lackey over him. The final spot is Maeda vs. Anderson. Maeda gets the edge here over Anderson because of his ability to go out and have the stuff to be dominant.

Dodgers, Los Angeles leads 4-3

Bullpen

The Cubs bullpen is solid, all leading up to newly acquired closer Wade Davis. Davis has been nothing short of dominant this year, holding his opponents to a .127 AVG against him. This is nothing new for him as he has always been dominant when healthy. So this team has a lot of matchup guys, and that’s all they need to get to their closer.

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The bullpen is very similar to that of last year’s team, but they have an upgrade at closer. Davis may not throw as hard as Chapman, but he is more reliable in late-inning games.

The Dodgers had always struggled with their bullpen up until last year. In fact, the previous years had caused so much hysteria amongst fans that most won’t believe how well the bullpen performed recently.

Well, they are adding on to their performance last year by putting up an encore. A big reason for this is they have arguably the best closer in baseball. Kenley Jansen has used that Mariano Rivera-esque cutter to his advantage. This season the 29-year-old has over a 16 K/9, which is beyond impressive.

Verdict

Both bullpens have one job and one job only: Get the ball to their closer. Both pens are similarly built. They are constructed around matchups and being interchangeable. The Dodgers do not have a set-up man because they just use whomever they think is best for the given situation.  Since the bullpens are both similar, it comes down to Jansen vs. Davis. Jansen gets the edge here, and it is because of his utter dominance, not just this season but the last season as well.

Dodgers, Final Score: Dodgers 5-3

Next: Slowing Down the Lefty Struggles Narrative

As baseball fans we are fortunate to see these two teams meet up anytime. Both of these franchises have youth and talent that has this rivalry looking to be one of the greatest in recent decades. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of the Cubs, especially in the postseason. The Dodgers were able to take this positional series. Let’s hope they can do the same come October.