00:00Now we go out to LA. The LA Dodgers secured the National League West, but they finished with the third best record among the division winners, which means they did not get that first round by. They play in the National League wildcard series against the Cincinnati Reds. Game one of that wildcard series gets going at 9.08 p.m. on Tuesday. That's Eastern time, 6.08 out in LA.
00:22Hunter Green officially gets the ball for the Cincinnati Reds in game one, but in game one for LA. I don't see anything official just yet. I saw Snell somewhere. I'd assume it's Blake Snell. This is going to be a whale of a pitching matchup in game one. Obviously, there's a stark contrast in offensive firepower between the Dodgers and the Reds.
00:45Is this as much of a rollover as the general baseball world thinks it is arm Layton or no?
00:53I'm excited to get Peter's thoughts on this because I know he's been putting together, you know, like the who has the advantages and kind of a whole outlook from not only just a betting perspective, but just in general.
01:02And, you know, I think a lot of the conventional numbers will probably point you towards that. But and of course, you just look at the roster situation.
01:10But I think in these wildcard settings, when you've got a really good rotation, anything can happen in the Reds.
01:16I mean, the reason why they made the playoffs is it was not the offense. Obviously, it's been the fact that they can get a quality start is frequently is just about any other team right now, especially down the stretch.
01:27So I don't think it's this obvious one sided series here when it's a best of three set and you've got a good chance that if it goes three games of getting three quality starts.
01:38And from that perspective, I think the Reds always have a shot. I'm interested to see how Tito lines the lineup up and everything.
01:45But I don't think this is going to be a cakewalk for the Dodgers. And I think they're aware of that.
01:50And the offense has been still really solid, but it's not like it's been clicking on all cylinders all year long.
01:55And so, again, I'm interested to hear Peter's kind of thoughts on how they match up there.
01:59But anytime you got a rotation that's thrown in the way that the Reds are with now Burns in the bullpen and the way that the bullpen's actually been of late, I can't say that's an easy matchup for anybody.
02:09And real quick, the rotation for Cincinnati across all three games, if this does go three games, is Green, Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott, the All-Star.
02:19So I agree with Arm. I don't think it's going to be a cakewalk, but I think a sweep is likely here.
02:26And when I broke it down, the Reds do have a fantastic rotation, especially with Hunter Green going game one.
02:34Grew up in L.A. I was in the ballpark to watch him on opening day when, you know, the crowd was going wild.
02:42Now, that can't really relate it to a postseason start, but it's probably the most pressure Hunter Green has had in his big league career.
02:50And he was phenomenal. I think he is going to show up in L.A., and I think he's going to dominate.
02:57But the thing is, so is Blake Snell, a proven playoff performer, and it doesn't help the Reds' case that they rank 26th in WRC Plus against lefties.
03:07So I think that's probably going to be a low-scoring win for the Dodgers.
03:12And then I continue to look at where the edges lie for Cincinnati.
03:15What has been the big issue for L.A.? The bullpen.
03:18They rank 17th in fielding independent pitching this year.
03:22The Reds rank 26th.
03:24So for the Dodgers' bullpen woes, the Reds, in totality, have been worse.
03:31And we don't even have to talk about the offensive side of the game, where the Dodgers, against both lefties and righties, have been a top-five team,
03:38while the Reds have been in the bottom half of the league against both righties and lefties.
03:44And it also doesn't help Cincinnati's case that they got into the postseason not because they had this incredible run.
03:53The Mets kind of handed it to them.
03:56Over the Reds' last 80 games, they went 40-40.
04:00Yeah.
04:00And they're a below-average team on the road, going 38-43, going into L.A., where the Dodgers have won over 50 games at home.
04:09I just can't find the area where the Dodgers let up here, knowing how experienced they are versus the inexperienced team.
Be the first to comment