NLCS Game Four, 2017

Posted on by

Dodgers at Cubs, 6:00 PM PT, TV: TBS

The Dodgers send the very well-rested LHP Alex Wood (16-3, 2.72 ERA) to the mound to try to close out the series. The Cubs will ask RHP Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53 ERA) to put up a roadblock in front of the Dodgers’ seemingly-unstoppable steamroller.

Wood hasn’t pitched in three weeks; he was scheduled to start Game Four of the Dodgers’ NLDS but they swept the D-Backs in that series. He’s been throwing simulated games and yesterday he declared himself ready to go. Arrieta pitched in Game Four of the Cubs’ NLDS against the Nats, going four innings, throwing 90 pitches, giving up an earned run and losing 5-0. He’s a former Cy Young Award winner and once threw a no-hitter at the Dodgers; presumably they won’t take him lightly.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1988 At Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Mark McGwire goes deep off LA’s Jay Howell with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the A’s a 2-1 victory for its only win in the Series. With Kirk Gibson’s heroics in Game 1, ‘Big Mac’s’ walk-off home run marks the first time that two game-winning round-trippers are hit in the same Fall Classic.
  • 2013 The Cardinals advance to their second World Series in three seasons, routing the Dodgers, 9-0, in Game 6 of the NLCS. St. Louis, behind the timely hitting of Carlos Beltran and the strong pitching performance of rookie right-hander Michael Wacha, beats Clayton Kershaw (16-9, 1.83) for the fourth time this season, including a pair of victories in this round of the postseason.

Lineup when available.

Grandal gets a start, Ethier and Utley get second starts, and Granderson gets a start. This may be the Dave Roberts “keep guys happy as much as I can within the needs of the team” approach to managing.

284 thoughts on “NLCS Game Four, 2017”

  1. Apparently, at last night’s game at Wrigley, WASP Jane Doyle was honored. WASP stands for Women Airforce Service Pilots. There were about 1,500 of these pilots who ferried planes domestically during World War II. A farm girl from East Texas, my mom, at 21 years of age was one of them.

    • Many were frustrated that they were only allowed to ferry planes in this country, too. I remember this story from a year or two ago. Good on your Mom, Bob!

    • At Saturday’s game in DS, they honored Gen. Chuck Yeager and was there, in a wheelchair. I don’t believe they said he was Steve’s uncle (I believe that’s the relationship).

  2. I hope I have seen the last of Granderson. He should not be on the WS roster. He is a rental that hit .161 as a Dodger in the regular season and done nothing in the playoffs.

    Pederson would at least get WS experience that should help him in 2018 and he is ready to help this year.

    • Understandable, Grandy looks lost and hopefully Joc can show something to demonstrate that Grandy is expendable, but Doc doesn’t have too many options at this point. While Joc should certainly get another start, I don’t agree that the playoffs are a time to give someone experience to help them do better next year. That Grandy is a Dodger falls on Joc, himself, and his failure to perform

      • What I was trying to say was that there is a bi-product that is created with Joc getting playoff experience that does not exist with Granderson and Ethier. Roberts has to play the players he and FAZ thinks gives them the best to win now and in Granderson’s case, they have been wrong.

        Joc should play because he is the best choice between against righties between himself, Culberson, Ethier, and Granderson.

    • I’m not so sure about playing him for post season experience, but at least Joc has a chance at a hit, while Grandy is worse than the pitcher. And I feel more secure with Joc in the outfield too. But no matter, we win tonite and all is well.

      No better feeling than Kiki batting cleanup….yikes….

      There is some love going on between the higher ups and Grandy. I don’t understand it, but clearly there is. When Joc has a tough stretch, he is left off the NLDS roster, but Grandy…he is there for the duration. I just hope they don’t give him a one year contract for next year.

      And on Utley, I love him, but he needs to be a coach next year. And Grandal, I think he is gone, no other explanation for making him the backup at this stage of the season. In the playoffs you are supposed to go with your best chance at success. Barnes is clearly the choice.

  5. Nomar et all are totally agreeing with us re: Granderson. Taking cookies down the middle and swinging at balls.

    • Hard to disagree after the fact. From Sept 15 through the end of the season, Grandy had OPS .925 in 42 PA and seemed to have finally turned around and justified Doc’s faith in him. He seemed lost tonight that’s for sure.

      • I liked their analysis though. They point out that it puts so much pressure on the batters on either side, and takes the pressure off the pitcher.

        • Ok, so he pressured Dre into leaving guys on base and Grandal to walk three times? Sure he did poorly, we could all see that, but let’s just blame him for his own performance and not that of others.

        • Sure, in 11 PA coming into the game he has 1 hit and hasn’t looked good. Doc doesn’t have a lot of options at this point against righties with Seager out and CT moving to SS, so he is rolling the dice with Joc, Dre and Grandy . Sometimes it’s snake eyes.

          • Craps is more what I say than I play . . . but I hope the die come up in favor of the Dodgers tomorrow.

  7. If Bellinger’s ground out is a few feet in either direction we would have had two on with one out and Turner coming up.

  9. Ethier-Granderson-Grandal-Utley combined: 0-for-12 with 8 strikeouts and 3 walks (all by Grandal). I wonder who was the last player besides Granderson to strike out every time in four or more at bats in a post-season game. I expect that Elias has already come up with that.

    • Probably not all that rare to K 4 times in a post season game. Grandy seems really lost at this point.

      • I will keep my eyes open to see if I can find that out. Yes, Granderson is totally lost. I was listening to the game on the radio and one of the announcers said that Roberts said he felt that Granderson had a three-run homer in him tonight. Uh-huh.

    • That is what I feared when I saw the lineup — tho worse with Dre tanking as well.

  13. I need to really look at what happened in the game, but based on the comments I’ve seen, bottom part of the lineup including Ethier did not impress.

    • Not loving Doc’s decision making this game. He should have pinch hit for at least one of those two.

  80. So it hit him plus he swung through, as opposed to a foul ball? We in our home are confused…

  91. Can we start putting our real hitters in at the back half of tonight’s lineup now?

  94. Chicago: Scoring first and pitcher getting a hit.
    Dodgers have to win this game now.

  104. Now to get a lead and nurse it like a nervous teen with their first alcoholic beverage.

  105. Sharply hit, but Alex is getting some ground balls, which is his game, along with Ks.

  121. Thanks Link for listing two of the more painful Dodger losses I recall experiencing. Why not fudge the dates and throw in Jack Clark’s HR game while you are at it. 😉

  129. CT was positioned such that the charts must say if he hits it to that side on the ground it will be a dribbler.

  130. I know they didn’t score but made Arrieta work. At one point he had 2 outs on 10 pitches. Next thing you know 2 on and he is up to 22 pitches.

  133. I am really pulling for Wood to do well tonight, just because he pitched so well for the Dodgers all season. I know he was a little fatigued toward the end but he is well rested now.

  134. REALLY like the first five.
    Sure hope the next four at the plate surprise me.
    Go, Blue!

  136. From ESPN:

    Clayton Kershaw is the scheduled Game 5 starter and he admits he’s in a little bit of a tough spot. He can’t anticipate that the Dodgers will finish off the sweep. “I have to expect to pitch and be surprised when we win,” he said. “Hopefully it doesn’t work out and I won’t have to pitch.”

  137. I am thinking about leaning a broom on the wall next to the TV. I don’t have the power to jinx the Dodgers otherwise all I have to do for a Dodger win is not do anything with a broom.