October 3rd, 2017 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Remember on April 24, 2017 when the Dodgers were in third place in the National League West a full 5.0 games behind the division-leading Colorado Rockies and 3.5 games behind the second place Arizona Diamondbacks? Funny how things work out, isn’t it?
… but not too funny.
You see, even though the Dodgers ended up winning the NL West with a new Los Angeles record 104 wins to match that of the 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers and only one win shy of the all-time Dodgers franchise record of 105 wins set in 1953; and even though they finished the 2017 season a hefty 11.0 games ahead of the second place Dbacks and a monstrous 17.0 games ahead of the third place Rockies, the Dodgers actually had losing records against both division rivals in 2017.
In their 19 head-to-head games this season, the Dodgers were 8-11 (.421) against Arizona and 9-10 (.474) against Colorado. In the simplest of terms, the Dodgers’ toughest competition this season came from within their own division, which is exactly why the Dbacks and Rockies will square off against one another on Wednesday evening at 5:08 pm PT at Chase Field for the National League Wild Card game. The winner of that game will, of course, face the Dodgers on Friday evening at 7:31 pm PT for Game-1 of the 2017 National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers finished under .500 at both Coors Field and Chase Field this season.
(Photo credit – MLB.com and BruceSchinkel.com)
It goes without saying that the pre-April 24 Dodgers were nothing like the post-April 24 Dodgers who, at one point, tied a 105-year-old MLB record (with the 1912 New York Giants) when they went on an absurd 43-7 run, during which they enjoyed a ridiculous 21.0 game-lead over Arizona and a 22.5 game-lead over Colorado on August 25. Unfortunately, they would later go on an 11-game losing streak. Fortunately, the lead that they had built against their top two division rivals was insurmountable and allowed them to maintain a double-digit lead over both at season’s end. In fact, the Dodgers finished the 2017 regular season by winning eight of their final 10 games (including two of three at Coors Field) and appear to be heading into the postseason on a bit of a hot streak.
So who, then, would the Dodgers be better off facing in the upcoming NLDS? The simple at-face-value answer is, of course, the Colorado Rockies. But upon further review, that face-value answer may not hold water.
Allow me to elaborate.
It’s no secret that the Dodgers three NLDS starters will be left-hander (and likely 2017 NL Cy Young award winner) Clayton Kershaw, followed by right-hander Yu Darvish and left-hander Rich Hill, although not necessarily in that two and three order. It’s also no secret that the bread and butter pitch for all three of these guys is their respective jelly-leg-causing curve balls, especially Kershaw’s, which Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully coined “Public Enemy Number One.” That being said, snapping off a curveball at Chase Field at 1,058 feet is completely different than snapping one off at Coors Field at 5,211 feet, where curveballs simply do not bite and often end up as tape measure home runs.
Don’t believe me? Check this out.
In his so-called final tune-up start of the regular season this past Saturday against the Rockies at Coors Field, Kershaw allowed three runs on seven hits, including a monster 420-foot home run to straightaway right field by Rockies perennial slugger Carlos Gonzalez with one out in the bottom of the second inning. It came on one of Kershaw’s signature 90-mph sliders (which is a fast curveball) that hung belt high right over the plate. CarGo did not miss it. This was followed by a single by Ian Desmond, who promptly stole second base off the Dodgers ace, followed by an RBI double off the bat of Jonathan Lucroy on a 74-mph curveball. One out later, 2017 NL batting champ Charlie Blackmon singled home Lucroy. In less than three minutes it was 3-0 Rockies off of the proverbial ‘best pitcher on the planet.’ Fortunately, the Dodgers came back to win the game by a score of 5-3 thanks to a fifth-inning two-run blast by Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig.
Soon-to-be four-time NL Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw has the best curveball in the game today … except at Coors Field. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
The point here is that the guy with arguably the best curveball in all of baseball couldn’t get his breaking balls to bite at mile-high Coors Field. As for Rich Hill, he did not pitch at Coors Field this season, and right-hander Yu Darvish has never pitched at Coors Field.
So you decide. Who would you rather the Dodgers face in the upcoming NLDS – 2017 NL batting champ Charlie Blackmon, 2016 NL batting champ DJ LeMahieu, Carlos Gonzalez and the rest of the Colorado Rockies in Game-3 and possibly Game-4 at Coors Field in Denver, or perennial Dodger killer Paul Goldschmidt, ever-dangerous JD Martinez, former Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke and the rest of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix?
Pick your poison.
Posted in 
Neither
Tough call. I find comfort in that 1-10 record the ’88 Dodgers had vs. the Mets.
One consideration, for what it’s worth: Six of those losses to the Snakes were in our guys worst stretch and their best stretch.
Meanwhile, if this works, here’s how I’ve prepared for the Dodgers World Series run:
Hmmmm. . .can’t find the right buttons.
As for me, I’d like a rematch with Arizona. The D-Bags caught the Dodgers at a time of the season when all cylinders weren’t firing in unison. And because of that, there’s your six-game spread. Historically, the Dodgers have done well in Arizona throughout the years, and they’ve even had a handle on Zach Greinke. And for what it’s worth, I’d bet a lot Dodger fans would be making the trip to Phoenix, so it could have an affect on the team’s performance as well.
Go Dodgers!!
Wouldn’t mind seeing Dodgers take another dip in the Dbacks pool, but pulling for Rockies tomorrow night. Not that I view Rockies as an “easier” opponent but AZ turned me off as an organization years ago starting with its managing partner, Kendrick, and down to the horribly anti-Dodgers TV announcers, in particular Brenly — a completely unprofessional group IMO.
“AZ . . . with its managing partner, Kendrick, and down to the horribly anti-Dodgers TV announcers . . .”
And it’s for this very reason alone, especially with Kendrick and his anti-road/pro-home dress-code policies regarding dugout seats behind home plate, that defeating the D-Bags in the postseason would make victory that much sweeter.
Have I mentioned before that I don’t care much for Kenny Kendrick? He makes everyone in the D-Bag organization wear that stupid, team polo shirt, even their on-air personalities who usually prefer to wear a suit and tie. Just ask Daron Sutton (Don’s son); he was a class act broadcaster for the Diamondbacks that got fired for just that very reason. Did I mention that I don’t care much for Kenny Kendrick?
Go Dodgers!!
When asked who I prefer the Dodgers play in the NLDS I usually say, “The winner of the WC game.” I see my chances of getting my preference as pretty good.
Actually I would much more enjoy beating the Snakes because:
1. The reasons you cited.
2. The reasons I cited earlier (kicking us when we were down).
3. Chase changing the name of their field from BOB.
4. If Rockies go to the NLDS I’m going to be quite outnumbered here in Colorado.
~Bob
Just received this photo. Any idea who it might be?
Cranbrookius Mikesamus?
Tommy Lasorda, Jr.?
‘Tis not Cranbrookius Mikesamus nor Tommy Lasorda, Jr.
‘Tis me, temporarily known as Bluebeard.
Yeah, after I posted that I looked at previous photos of Mike – and if it WERE him, he’d have had to lose his glasses and a little bit more (sorry Mike). Then I remembered something about you and a blue beard posted a while back. The beard is awesome! 🙂