AN IN-DEPTH LOOK
L. A. A BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS WHEN STARTING PITCHERS GET HURT
LOS ANGELES — If anybody knows how small things can turn into history- changing moments in the playoffs, it’s Dave Roberts, whose ninth- inning stolen base against the Yankees in 2004 was the pivot point for the most celebrated championship in Red Sox history.
Roberts, whose stolen base led to the tying run as the Red Sox came back from a 3- 0 deficit in the AL Championship Series that year, admires what the Cubs have done this year in building the highest performing team in the majors. But he also knows all he needs is to get there to have a chance in the playoffs.
Now he’s threatening to pull off another shocker as the Dodgers’ first- year manager, with his team in position to make the playoffs with a banged- up starting rotation.
For all the talk about the Nationals and maybe the Giants as the Cubs’ biggest hurdles to reach the World Series this year, the Dodgers could be a serious National League sleeper, comatose starting rotation notwithstanding.
Don’t expect to get an argument from the World Series- favorite Cubs.
“How about last year when we beat the Mets during the season,” manager Joe Maddon said of the Cubs’ seven- game season series sweep. “And then we can’t even touch them [ in the NLCS]. It’s such a different animal, and people get hot, and people get cold.
“I’m not going to diminish the fact that we’re going to be paying attention [ this weekend], but trends can be so trendy.”
If the Cubs and Dodgers meet in the playoffs, their paths will be a study in contrasts.
The Cubs have been among the best- performing teams in most areas this year, but in particular with a starting rotation that leads the majors in ERA by a wide margin.
The Cubs, who started lefthander Mike Montgomery on Friday, have averaged 6.5 innings out of their rotation this month and the starters are 15- 1 with a 1.83 ERA.
The Dodgers lead the NL West, and are on pace for 91 wins, despite a middle- of- the- pack rotation that has used 14 different starters.
With ace Clayton Kershaw on the DL, the Dodgers’ rotation has averaged only 4.5 innings per start in August.
Bud Norris, who went five innings Friday, exceeded the August average for the rotation by more than a third of an inning. Even Roberts calls it “amazing.” “It’s all hands on deck,” Roberts said. “It’s taken a very unselfish group of guys in the pen, pitching in the third inning, the fifth inning, the eighth inning. And there’s no set roles outside of our closer. It’s unusual. And it’s a credit to the seven other guys in the pen that have taken the ball any time I’ve asked.”
Roberts knows just getting to the playoffs is sometimes all it takes to have a chance at the whole thing.
“That’s why you see certain teams making acquisitions prior to the deadline and keep making acquisitions after,” said Roberts, who started catcher Carlos Ruiz in his first appearance since being traded from the Phillies. “Because every game plays huge. You’ve seen the one- game playoffs. Every game ultimately matters. To acquire a player who can help you win a couple games— or a game— could prove huge.”