Dodgers: Dave Roberts Believes LA Has 1 Big Advantage Over the Giants in the NLDS
The Giants have given the Dodgers fits all season long in 2021. After both teams spent the year battling it out for the NL West title, they will meet up in the Division Series to decide who moves on. It will also be the first time that the 2 rivals meet up in the postseason.
But the Dodgers are looking to gain every edge that they can in this series. One benefit could be that San Francisco has not played a game since Sunday, which could also potentially benefit them. But more often than not, the team that comes in hot has the edge.
Dave Roberts also believes that the Dodgers have another big advantage over the Giants. Doc spoke in his media session on Thursday about the thrill of winning the Wild Card Game and how he thinks that can carry over.
I do think that playing a 1-game and coming out of it needing the off day to kind of reset a little bit. But to go into a longer series, I don’t think that we’re going to come in complacent, we’re going to come in with an edge and a sense of urgency. Getting over that elimination game, it was a big deal and I do think it should benefit us.
There is certainly something to teams coming into the postseason on a streak. But the Dodgers facing the pressure of a 1-and-done game and coming through is huge. Getting that momentum in a series against a team they have not performed against could be the difference-maker.
Dodgers Related: Matt Beaty Could Be Getting the 1B Starts
The Dodgers will send out Walker Buehler in Game 1 to take on Logan Webb. Throughout his very young career, Buehler has been the big game guy for Los Angeles time and time again. He will get the ball after going 5 innings on Sunday and striking out 11 Brewers in a relatively meaningless game.
Dodgers NLDS Preview: Setting the Stage and Sizing up Games 1 and 2 in San Francisco
The Giants have one big advantage over the Dodgers. Their manager. Hopefully the Dodgers can overcome this disadvantage.
106w, I respectfully disagree. Kapler is a good manager. Roberts is every bit as good if not better. When Mattingly was let go by the Dodgers, Kapler and Roberts were the two finalists for the job. I think the Dodgers are happy with their choice.
On another note, Joctober Pederson strikes again! 2 out pinch hit HR in Milwaukee for the Braves! Well done Joc! He was down 0-2 in the count as well!
Yes but Roberts also thinks Cody Bellinger is a good player!
Tim, the reason Roberts thinks Bellinger is a good player is because he was the NL MVP! He’s still a gold glove Centerfielder or do you want to deny that too? His struggles at the plate are mostly due to injury. Another former NL MVP who has struggled the last two years is Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich. Craig Counsell, another great manager, is still playing him in the 3 hole!!!
Thank goodness Bellinger is in the line up tonite! Playing like an MVP, right?
Time to eat your words, eh?
Exactly!!
doc made all the right calls – lineup , pitching changes and pinch hitters. Darn right Belli is a good player. He had the highest OBP of any Dodger in the WC game. His 2nd steal made CT3 HR possible distracting the pitcher! Belli 3 for 8 in last few games. c’mon man – watch him play stellar D in the big OF tonight!
Ok, seriously disappointed in tonight’s lineup. Smith behind the plate and Pollock in LF batting 8th. Taylor should be in left and Barnes should be catching. Pollock had a great year. His postseason record is worse than Kershaw’s! At least Kershaw availed himself last year. Pollock never has! I hope for his sake he changes that history tonight.
Smith, while a huge bat, is such a defensive liability. Way too many un-blocked balls in the dirt. Catcher is just not a position you can compromise in the playoffs!!
With that said, go Dodgers. Beat those Giants!
Dodgerfan4life, only one way to describe tonight’s effort by the offence—pathetic, inept and a real drag.
Paul, you are correct. Was extremely disappointed by Trea’s chasing. Unfortunately postseason Pollock is back. But there were poor AB’s by several. They definitely need to be more disciplined tomorrow for sure. If they lose tomorrow, it’s pretty much over.
Trea Turner also chased in the wild card game. That was ball four he swung at with the bases full, way outside. He pulled it and hit into a DP to end the inning. That was an inning they could have broken open the game, as Wainwright was shaky. Fortunately Chris Taylor came through as the hero.
Trea definitely not producing like I thought he would. Hopefully all the Dodger hitters go back to swinging at only good pitches/strikes
Webb’s change up killed the Bums, give Webb credit oh and Walker gave up 3 home runs! His pitching was all over the place
TheAlien, good luck with the rest of the series. Hangover officially over. Giants, get ready for the pain!
yup I agree – big mistake not going with Barnes behind the plate. Buehler lost countless close calls due to poor pitch framing by Smith. Hope Austin catches Julio/game 2
Why was Buehler pitching in the 7th? Roberts making sure his bullpen was well rested?
Tonight clearly showed what the concern i had for whether the offense would show up or not. Obviously with striking out 10+ times and not doing a thing with the bat is what I was afraid of. Oh, and not to mention the 3 HR’S the Giants hit to easily win this game. The series ain’t over, but if Dodgers lay an egg tomorrow then this series for all intents and purposes IS over.
Dave just announced that his son will be playing first base tomorrow nite.
It was clearly a terrible game for the offense. If they can comeback and win tomorrow, they capture home field advantage in a 3 game series. Let’s hope Gausman isn’t as sharp as Webb was tonight.
Tim, it won’t matter where Bellinger plays or if he plays, cause if Dodger offense lays an egg tomorrow, then as I said the series is over. What would really be bad is to see an opponent clinch a post season series for the 4th time in 5 years on our home turf.
It was clearly a terrible game for the offense. If they can comeback and win tomorrow, they capture home field advantage in a 3 game series. Let’s hope Gausman isn’t as sharp as Webb was tonight.
Tim, did Beaty get any hits tonight? His AB’s were no better than Bellinger’s. I do believe at least some of the credit needs to be given to Webb. Last time the kid has lost a start was May 5th!!! So nobody is hitting this kid!
No but his BA is about 100 pts. Higher than Bellinger’s. His BA with runners in scoring position is about 200 pts. Higher. I get the defensive metrics thing and it makes sense over 162, but they don’t mean squat if your offense can’t score. And their importance is diminished greatly in any case during a short playoff series.
Let’s hope that regardless of what Gausman brings, Dodgers’ offense can adjust and actually make solid contact that yields results.
Muncy’s loss cannot be overstated. Of all people to lose before playing the Giants….he thrives against them. His absence versus any team is horrible.
But his injury was like a huge early Christmas present wrapped up in a bow for SF. Yes, they are without Brandon Belt. But Muncy vs SF is fun to witness because he succeeds so much against them. Muncy’s general presence in the line-up is huge.
Go, Blue!!!
Biggest blunder by the Front office was letting Kiké Hernandez go. Unbelievable postseason player! Gold glove defense at multiple positions. All he did tonight for the Bo Sox was go 5 for 6 with a HR and 3 doubles! There are just guys who are fairly average or even slightly below who just somehow flip a switch during the postseason. Unfortunately, AJ Pollock is the exact opposite of that.
Problem was that Dodgers weren’t going to assure him of an everyday starting role and thats why Kike left for FA. We sure could have used him tonight but the entire batting order was non existent anyway. I honestly consider Saturdays game a do or die game.
Good observations and the same as mine, Dodgerfan. And don’t forget Joc Pederson hit a HR in the game last night – the only run Atlanta scored. Both Joc and Kiki were so clutch in last year’s playoffs and a big mistake to let them go. Pollock has a history of doing nothing in postseason play, Bellinger has been DOA, and why wasn’t Taylor in the lineup? And let’s hope we don’t see any more calls way outside the strike zone by the home plate umpire last night that sure helped Webb rack up those 10 strikeouts.
So why did the Dodgers not adjust to the slider and change up all night?
“He thought Walker through the ball fine” hello , he left several pitches out over the heart of the strike zone, that’s why the Giants won.
Dodgers played like they were still hungover from Wednesday night’s celebration!
they sure did. glad that game 1 is out of the way.
Last night Dodger hitters were like a football team giving up huge chunks of yardage but making no adjustments Webb does not throw hard but effectively works outside corner with late movement when facing RH hitters – hitters like Pollock and Trea should adjust by crowding plate and trying to hit the ball to the opposite field LH hitters should also try to hit to opposite field or even bunt when shift defense leaves opening for bunt
Partially disagree w poster “dodgerfan4life” about Will Smith – yes Will Smith needs to improve blocking pitches on the dirt but we absolutely need his bat in lineup – Will Smith went 2 for 3 against Webb and the one out Will Smith made was when home plate umpire called 2 strokes on Smith – both of which were outside the box
Lldodger, my comments on Smith were only on defense. His bat is huge, I know that. Bellinger in CF I get. Belli at 1st not so much. Personally I would roll the dice with Albert at 1st. Beaty would be second choice. Beaty’s AB’s were like most last night…bad. Pollock I expected. Trea really disappointed me. Expect more from the reigning batting champ. Trying too hard to be the hero like in the WC game. Unforgivable inning ending double play with bases loaded and a 3-2 count, swinging at ball 4!
BTW, apropos of nothing I got a weird vibe from a postgame interview with Dave Roberts I saw on SNLA last nite. Although he wasn’t directly asked the question, he stated that Bellinger would be playing 1B tonite. It was just his voice inflection and the look in his face that got me to thinking about it. He clearly wasn’t comfortable when he said it. Was he sending a message to the FO? Was he being told by FO to play him and he didn’t like it? Or was it just the realization that he was about to walk off a cliff hand in hand with Bellinger?
It was strange, but then again I’m paranoid. But remember just because you are paranoid, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t out to get you!
Tonite would be a good time for Mookie to start earning his paycheck.
Winning that WC game sure carried over. Problem? The main ingredient was not in the starting lineup last night.
As much as I love the Dodgers, I saw absolutely no advantages last night. Hopefully, that humiliation of a game will be the motivation to play well tonight. The deafening chants of ” Beat LA” should be enough for our guys to get it together and tie this series up. Now Go Dodgers!