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Both of the ALDS are over and the ALCS is now set, but that’s not the case in the National League. The Mets and Dodgers are facing off on Thursday night in Game 5 of the NLDS, and the winner of this game will go on to face the Cubs in the NLCS. It’s going to be a treat, too, regardless of your feelings on either team. The pitching matchup is one of the greatest ever in an elimination contest: the Mets will send Jacob deGrom and his 2.54 ERA up against Zack Greinke and his league-leading 1.66 ERA.
Both pitchers struck out five times as many batters as they walked. Both have held the opposition to remarkably low hit rates, neither gives up homers that much and while deGrom has the edge on strikeouts, with nearly 10 hitters struck out per nine innings, Greinke has him on walk rate. This is likely to be a low-scoring affair, and possibly a lengthy outing from one or both starters is in the cards. deGrom already went seven frames with 13 strikeouts in Game 1, and while Greinke gave up two dingers in Game 2, they were also the only runs the Mets scored in an otherwise stellar, seven-inning affair.
It’s difficult to pick a sentimental favorite if you have no preexisting love for either team. The Mets haven’t won the World Series since 1986, the Dodgers not since ‘88. The Mets have some gross associations in their recent past -- Bernie Madoff, the Wilpons -- but the Dodgers can counter on the unlikable side with Tommy Lasorda. Los Angeles spent significantly more money than even the Yankees, which, in and of itself is the kind of thing that’s easy to root against, but you can also be upset with the Mets for not spending more. They do play in the New York market, and the kids are more an excuse to pocket earnings and make up for the Madoff pyramid scheme than it is an intelligent team-building exercise.
So, basically, you’ll probably be rooting for the Cubs in the NLCS.
- The Mets and Dodgers are playing Game 5 in large part thanks to Clayton Kershaw, whose Tuesday start proved what we already knew about him.
- The Blue Jays defeated the Rangers in an absurd game to advance to the ALCS. If you missed it, or simply want to relive it, here is everything that happened in the seventh inning, aka the most ridiculous single inning of baseball I can remember.
- The iconic moment of the entire game is Jose Bautista's bat flip, which we can say with authority and full confidence is the greatest bat flip that has ever happened in MLB.
- Well, maybe to everyone except the guy who gave up that bomb. More pitchers should be like the recently retired Tim Hudson, who, when he has had the chance, has flipped bats and taken lengthy homer trots to admire his own handiwork.
- Jose Bautista's littlest and most-bearded fan had the timing of the swing down perfectly.
- Not everything was graceful, though, considering Chris Colabello fell down while swinging early in Game 5 and then tripped and fell over the railing while trying to celebrate after the game.
- In the other Game 5, Kansas City defeated the Astros at home thanks to the return of the Johnny Cueto the Royals thought they were trading for.
- The ALCS will begin on Friday, and the full schedule has been released.
- The Cubs are keeping Kyle Schwarber's homer on top of the video board in right field, and even encased it in plexiglass.
- Don Orsillo has arrived in San Diego, and the Padres gave him a jersey and a number. Good luck in your new home, Don!
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