2013 NLDS by the numbers: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

2013 National League Division Series

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

Oct. 3-9

Location: Turner Field, Atlanta (Games 1-2, 5 if necessary); Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles (Game 3, 4 if necessary)

2013 record vs. Braves: 2-5

Last postseason meeting: 1996, Braves won 3-0

*- Denotes not on NLDS roster

Game 1: Clayton Kershaw vs. Kris Medlen

Kershaw career vs. Braves: 0-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 10.7 K/9

Medlen career vs. Dodgers: 3-0, 1.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 7.7 K/9

Postseason numbers

Kershaw career in postseason: 0-1, 5.87 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 6.5 K/9

Medlen career in postseason: 0-1, 2.84 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 5.7 K/9

Braves hitters vs. Kershaw

Justin Upton: 3-for-29 (.103), 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 BB, 9 K

Chris Johnson: 1-for-12 (.083), 1 BB, 4 K

Dan Uggla*: 1-for-12 (.083), 1 BB, 6 K

Paul Janish: 2-for-11 (.182), 1 BB

Jason Heyward: 0-for-4, 4 K

Jose Constanza: 1-for-3, 1 RBI

Reed Johnson: 1-for-3

Jordan Schafer: 0-for-3, 3 K

Freddie Freeman: 1-for-2, 1 HR, 2 BB

Gerald Laird: 1-for-2

Paul Maholm*: 0-for-2, 2 K

- Uggla and Maholm aren’t on the roster. Freeman has the most success, but it has come in four plate appearances. Upton got the bulk of his at-bats when he was with the Diamondbacks. Kershaw did not face the Braves in the 2013 regular season.

Dodgers hitters vs. Medlen

Andre Ethier: 4-for-12 (.333), 2 2B, 3 K

Michael Young: 1-for-10 (.100), 2 BB, 3 K

Matt Kemp*: 1-for-10, 1 2B, 5 K

Hanley Ramirez: 5-for-9 (.556), 1 HR, 2 K

Skip Schumaker: 4-for-9 (.444), 1 2B

Nick Punto: 1-for-8, 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 K

Juan Uribe: 0-for-6, 1 BB, 2 K

Tim Federowicz: 2-for-6 (.333), 2 K

Adrian Gonzalez: 0-for-5, 3 BB, 1 K

Yasiel Puig: 1-for-3, 1 K

Drew Butera*: 0-for-3

Carl Crawford: 0-for-3

Jerry Hairston*: 0-for-3

Scott Van Slyke: 0-for-3, 1 K

Zack Greinke: 0-for-2, 1 SH, 1 K

Ricky Nolasco: 1-for-1, 1 SH

A.J. Ellis: 1-for-1

Dee Gordon: 0-for-1, 1 BB, 1 K

Chris Capuano: 0-for-0, 2 SH

- Ethier’s been pretty good, but he likely won’t face Medlen in this series. Schumaker, his replacement will and has fared well in a limited sample size. Ramirez has the most success of any Dodger. Overall, the Dodgers haven’t experienced a lot of success against Medlen.

Game 2: Zack Greinke vs. Mike Minor

Greinke career vs. Braves: 1-1, 3.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 9.0 K/9

Minor career vs. Dodgers: 1-1, 2.32 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 7.5 K/9

Postseason numbers

Greinke career in postseason: No appearances

Minor career in postseason: 0-1, 2.84 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 5.7 K/9

Braves hitters vs. Greinke

B.J. Upton: 4-for-23 (.174), 2 2B, 3 BB, 11 K

Laird: 6-for-20 (.300), 1 2B, 3 K

Justin Upton: 5-for-11 (.455), 1 HR, 1 2B, 4 BB, 4 K

Schafer: 5-for-11 (.455), 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 K

Uggla: 3-for-9 (.333), 1 2B, 3 K

Heyward: 2-for-8 (.250), 3 K

Brian McCann: 2-for-6 (.333), 1 HR, 1 K

Elliot Johnson: 2-for-3, 1 2B, 1 K

Freeman: 1-for-5 (.200), 3 K

Johnson: 1-for-5 (.200), 4 K

Janish: 0-for-3, 1 K

Andrelton Simmons: 0-for-3

Maholm: 0-for-2, 2 K

Medlen: 0-for-2, 1 K

- I’d be shocked if B.J. Upton started in this game. Fortunately for him, Schafer, his backup, has good numbers against Greinke.

Dodgers hitters vs. Minor

Mark Ellis: 3-for-12 (.250), 1 K

Kemp: 2-for-11 (.182), 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K

A.J. Ellis: 4-for-10 (.400), 1 HR, 1 K

Ramirez: 2-for-8, 1 HR, 2 BB

Ethier: 0-for-6, 2 K

Gonzalez: 3-for-5 (.600), 1 HR, 3 BB, 1 K

Uribe: 0-for-5, 3 K

Van Slyke: 0-for-5, 2 K

Punto: 1-for-4, 1 BB, 1 K

Puig: 1-for-3

Ricky Nolasco: 0-for-3, 1 SH, 1 BB, 3 K

Federowicz: 0-for-3, 1 K

Crawford: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB

Schumaker: 1-for-2, 1 BB, 1 K

Hairston: 1-for-2

Ronald Belisario: 0-for-1

- Some promising numbers from the Dodgers here, including homers by Ellis, Gonzalez and Ramirez.

Game 3: Julio Teheran vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Teheran career vs. Dodgers: Never faced

Ryu career vs. Braves: 1-1, 3.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 9.0 K/9

Postseason numbers

Teheran career in postseason: No appearances

Ryu career in postseason: No appearances

Dodgers hitters vs. Teheran

Young: 0-for-3, 1 K

Capuano: 0-for-2, 1 K

- Two players, one of which is a pitcher. That’s it.

Braves hitters vs. Ryu

Heyward: 1-for-7 (.143), 1 2B, 3 K

Simmons: 2-for-7 (.286), 1 K

Justin Upton: 1-for-6 (.167), 1 BB, 1 K

Johnson: 1-for-6 (.167), 1 K

Maholm: 1-for-5 (.200), 3 K

B.J. Upton: 1-for-5 (.200)

Freeman: 3-for-4 (.750), 1 2B, 2 BB

Uggla: 1-for-4, 2 BB, 2 K

Evan Gattis: 0-for-3

McCann: 0-for-2, 1 BB

- Ryu faced the Braves twice this season, so there isn’t much data to go on here. Just be careful with Freeman.

Game 4: Freddy Garcia vs. Ricky Nolasco

Garcia career vs. Dodgers: 1-1, 2.89 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 7.4 K/9

Nolasco career vs. Braves: 6-10, 5.11 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 7.3 K/9

Postseason numbers

Garcia career in postseason: 6-3, 3.28 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 7.6 K/9

Nolasco career in postseason: No appearances

Dodgers hitters vs. Garcia

Young: 12-for-44 (.273), 2 2B, 6 K

Crawford: 7-for-26 (.269), 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 BB, 2 K

Punto: 5-for-25 (.200), 5 K

Hairston: 1-for-20 (.050), 1 K

Mark Ellis: 4-for-16 (.250), 1 2B, 2 BB, 4 K

Gonzalez: 4-for-16, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 BB, 2 K

Uribe: 1-for-8 (.125), 1 2B, 2 K

Ramirez: 3-for-8 (.375), 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 K

- Despite the most experience, Young has a pedestrian line against Garcia. And good thing Hairston isn’t a key piece for the Dodgers, as that .050 average is ugly.

Braves hitters vs. Nolasco

McCann: 20-for-58 (.345), 8 HR, 4 2B, 2 BB, 9 K

Freeman: 6-for-25 (.240), 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 BB, 5 K

Heyward: 8-for-23 (.348), 1 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 BB, 2 K

Uggla: 5-for-19 (.263), 2 HR, 3 BB, 5 K

B.J. Upton: 3-for-16 (.188), 1 BB, 6 K

Justin Upton: 3-for-14 (.214), 2 BB, 4 K

Chris Johnson: 4-for-12 (.333), 4 K

Janish: 2-for-12 (.167), 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 K

Schafer: 2-for-7 (.286), 1 3B, 1 BB

Constanza: 2-for-7 (.286), 1 2B, 1 K

Maholm: 1-for-4, 1 K

Simmons: 1-for-3

Minor: 0-for-3, 1 SH, 2 K

Medlen: 0-for-2, 2 K

Reed Johnson: 1-for-1, 1 HR

- No surprise, the Braves’ three best lefties have lots of success against Nolasco. McCann saw him a lot while Nolasco was with the Marlins.

Game 5 will likely be a rematch of Game 1, potentially with different lineups. But, if necessary, it will be in Atlanta.

-----

This is going to be a tough series. The Braves didn’t win 96 games by accident and the Dodgers weren’t the best team in baseball for the three months entirely because of luck. This has the makings of a 5-game series.

Without Kemp and a healthy Ethier, the Dodgers need someone to pick up the slack. I’ve pegged Crawford to do just that. The Braves have a tremendous bullpen, which the Dodgers have a tremendous closer.

Whatever happens, it should be a fun series to watch.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 58 - Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS preview

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I give an abbreviated preview of the Dodgers' first-round matchup against the Braves.

We're both confident the Dodgers will emerge victorious, but the Braves aren't exactly going to be a cake walk, either.

Matt Kemp is out for the playoffs, which sucks. Andre Ethier is questionable for the first round, which also sucks.

Scott Schebler and Zach Lee were named Dodger minor-league player and pitcher of the year, just as I did.

Jared gives a brief recap of the Sixth Annual Dodger Blogger night, which I was unfortunately unable to attend. I'll be there next year, though.

Episode dedications
Jared: Chad Billingsley
Dustin: Billingsley and Brian Falkenborg

Then, we close with Q&A, which were, unfortunately, lacking. Step it up next episode, folks.

Libsyn link
Direct link
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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

With Dodgers' offense hurting, Carl Crawford could be key in playoffs

With Matt Kemp out for the season and Andre Ethier’s bum ankle likely limiting him to pinch-hitting duties in the National League Division Series, the Dodgers are going to need someone to pick up the offensive slack in the playoffs.

It’s easy to call on Hanley Ramirez, who’s been the best he’s ever been this season. But even greatness has its limit.

Adrian Gonzalez was once elite, but those days are behind him. It’d be nice for him to get that hot for a few weeks, but it’s also something that can’t be counted on.

Yasiel Puig is great, but he struggled in September to the tune of a .214 batting average. However, as Chad Moriyama rightly points out, it might not be such a bad thing. And as Mike Petriello pointed out, Puig is prone to bounce back from slumps.

Those are the Dodgers’ three best hitters in October (not named Zack Greinke, I suppose), but the key for the Dodgers is Carl Crawford.

Crawford was once a dynamic player, posting a 7.4-win season while in Tampa Bay. He’s not that good anymore, but the ability is there.

Crawford got off to a blazing start in Blue, hitting .308/.388/.516 in 25 games in the season’s first month. He followed it up with a not-so-great May (.278/313/.389), and then he got (predictably) hurt. He returned in July and was miserable (.225/.257/.268), but picked it up in August (.302/.353/.387) before falling back a little in September (.267/.286/.413).

But there’s a little hope, as Crawford had eight of his 39 extra-base hits in September. He had nine in August (all doubles) and eight in August. Perhaps Crawford is finally healthy again and ready to be the player he’s capable of being.

There’s nothing wrong with Crawford’s legs. If you watched any games in September, you’ll see a rejuvenated Crawford running around the bases. It would behoove Don Mattingly and the Dodgers to take advantage of that in the postseason.

Crawford once stole 60 bases in a season. He stole 15-of-18 this season, and that could be a huge weapon in the playoffs, especially for a team lacking great speed.

Sure, Puig is fast, but he’s not a smart baserunner. Ramirez doesn’t run a whole lot anymore, and frankly, I don’t want him running in October. Dee Gordon, the fastest Dodger, probably won’t make the playoff roster. So, it comes down to Crawford. He’ll need to get on base to utilize his best tool. If he’s getting on base (hitting first or second), then I expect big things for the Dodger offense.

Believe it or not, Carl Crawford’s 21 postseason games are the third-most of any Dodger regular. Juan Uribe (30 games, .208/.264/.347, 3 HR) and Skip Schumaker (22 games, .278/.316/.361) are the only players with more. Schumaker wasn’t a regular this season, but he’ll be a regular until Ethier is ready to return -- a return which is still in doubt. Crawford has a .253/.287/.422 triple slash with eight stolen bases in the playoffs. Not great (especially the on-base percentage), but about the best the Dodgers have to offer. I’ll do a post about current Dodger postseason performances before first-pitch on Thursday.

Puig is an unknown. No one knows how he’ll handle the big stage of the playoffs. If his rookie season is any indicator, it could go either way. Ramirez is also making his postseason debut, but he seems more likely to thrive than any other Dodger.

Still, Crawford’s experience and skill set could prove to be big in the playoffs with a depleted lineup.

The Dodgers have been playing shorthanded since spring training; why should the postseason be any different?

If Crawford can be great for a few weeks, the Dodgers are going to be just fine. If not, someone else is going to have to step up. But I have a hunch it will be Crawford.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

My 2013 Dodgers' postseason roster: No Andre Ethier because he can't run

Many folks have already predicted their Dodgers' postseason roster, so my being lazy -- I mean, waiting until this week -- may have played in my favor.

Matt Kemp is out for the playoffs, which sucks. Andre Ethier looks like he'll be limited to pinch-hitting duties in the National League Division Series, if he's even on the roster. At least the pitching appears to be healthy. However, Don Mattingly is playing coy with his potential No. 4 starter.

A few weeks ago, it would have been blasphemous to consider Edinson Volquez to start ahead of Ricky Nolasco in the playoffs, but it seems Mattingly is at least contemplating the headache-inducing idea.

Let's start with what we know, which is a lot.

Catchers (2)
A.J. Ellis
Tim Federowicz
- No surprises here.

Infielders (6)
Mark Ellis
Adrian Gonzalez
Nick Punto
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Michael Young
- Again, no surprises in this group.

Outfielders (4)
Carl Crawford
Yasiel Puig
Skip Schumaker
Scott Van Slyke
- The only surprises are Ethier and Kemp not making the roster due to injury.

Starters (5)
Zack Greinke
Clayton Kershaw
Ricky Nolasco
Hyun-jin Ryu
Edinson Volquez
- There's no way the Dodgers use five starters, but with the uncertainty surrounding Nolasco v. Volquez, they'll carry five of them.

Relievers (7)
Ronald Belisario
Chris Capuano
J.P. Howell
Kenley Jansen
Paco Rodriguez
Brian Wilson
Chris Withrow
- That's a healthy looking bullpen, especially with three lefties and three power righties. Also, Capuano can pitch multiple innings, if needed.

That's 24 players. It seems the Dodgers could use another outfielder -- preferably one who can play center field. With Ethier being limited to pinch-hitting duties, there's a real possibility he won't make the NLDS roster. If he were to pinch-hit late in a game, the Braves' manager Fredi Gonzalez would counter with a left-handed reliever in the form of Luis Avilan, Scott Downs or Alex Wood (assuming Wood won't be in the rotation). Much like Dee Gordon and his speed, Ethier shouldn't make the first-round roster for his bat -- a bat that's almost worthless against lefties. Don't get me wrong: I want Ethier to make it, but his bat would be virtually neutralized against lefties. He'd be better of getting healthy for the NLCS (and beyond) rather than risk aggravating his injury and the Dodgers being down yet another outfielder.

As unlikely as it seems, perhaps Jerry Hairston and his versatility wins the final spot on the initial playoff roster. If that's the case, the Dodgers would have Federowicz, Hariston, Punto, Van Slyke and Young on the bench against righties. Against lefties, it's safe to assume Van Slyke would start for Schumaker (with Puig moving to center field). Not exactly the '27 Yankees, but maybe not as bad as it looks.

Hairston, reluctantly, gets the final spot from me in the NLDS.

My ideal lineup vs. RHP
Crawford LF
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Uribe 3B
Ellis C
Schumaker CF
Ellis 2B

My ideal lineup vs. LHP
Crawford LF
Puig CF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Uribe 3B
Van Slyke RF
Ellis C
Ellis 2B

The bottom-third of each lineup looks less-than imposing, but if the Dodgers advance to the National League Championship Series, perhaps Ethier will be good to go, which will give the team a boost (and likely boot Hairston or Capuano from the roster).

Can it be Thursday already?

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue