D-Backs confident as they head into NLDS
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo used an interesting phrase to describe the Los Angeles Dodgers’ midseason rampage in which they went 52-9.
“I think they were steamrolling teams and intimidating teams,” he said.
One of those teams that didn't have sand kicked in their face, according to Lovullo was the Diamondbacks.
“I just think we have guys that like to step up and they’re not intimidated," he said. "We don't think we have that mentality. We love that battle mindset. We love that challenge.”
The Diamondbacks head into the National League Division Series against the Dodgers Friday elated but also exhausted and short-handed after their 11-8 wild-card win over the Rockies on Wednesday. The pitcher they wanted to start in Game 1, left-hander Robbie Ray, will be unavailable after pitching 2 1/3 innings of relief against Colorado. Ray was a Dodgers-killer this season, going 3-0 with a 2.27 ERA and striking out 53 batters in 31 2/3 innings.
To make the task even tougher, they'll face a 104-win Dodgers team with a rested Clayton Kershaw on the mound for Game 1 – and a potential Game 5.
Ready or not, here they come. “I’m sure they’re confident,” first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said. “They got 100-plus wins. They’ve been the best team all year. It is what it is. They’re going to be ready to go and they’ll be a tough challenge.”
But the Diamondbacks also head into the best-of-five series with a wave of confidence, bolstered not only by their win over the Rockies but how they played the Dodgers in the regular season. Arizona won the season series 11-8, including a three-game road sweep of Los Angeles in early September.
Of course, that’s when the Dodgers were going through a stretch in which they lost 15 of 16 games; they got back on track and went 7-3 over the final 10 games of the season.
Still, the Diamondbacks think they match up well with the Dodgers. At the very least, they won’t be, to use Lovullo’s word, intimidated.
“That's a great team. You've obviously seen the year they've had,” Lamb said. “They've got a great team over there. But in our clubhouse and with our guys, we know how good we are. As a team, we have confidence going in there.”
“People can portray us as underdogs or (having a) chip on our shoulders, whatever,” added reliever Archie Bradley. “We know how we played them in the regular season.”
At the same time the Diamondbacks admit the long, 162-game regular season has little carryover to a short series in October.
Just look at the wild-card win over the Rockies. Who could have predicted that Zack Greinke wouldn’t last five innings with a 6-0 lead or Bradley would deliver a key two-run triple?
“As much success as we've had against them in the regular season, nothing matters before,” Bradley said. “Everything starts Friday night. It's a fresh start.”
The Diamondbacks’ first order of business is figuring out a way to get to Kershaw. He was 2-0 against Arizona in the regular season with a 0.59 ERA while striking out 19 batters in 15 1/3 innings. He’s 14-8 with a 2.55 ERA in his career against the Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks were trying hard not to think too much about the Dodgers late Wednesday night.
They were still in celebration mode. But they understand the challenge – and the opportunity.
“They feel they're the best team in the MLB and they are,” Bradley said. “Their record indicates it. But kind of like we mentioned earlier: Everything resets, everything is back to Square 1 and game one is Friday night, and this series will determine who the better team is.
“As a player, as a fan, as a coach, as everyone involved, this is what you want. You want two of the best teams in the league going against each other, and two of the best staffs. We just match up, and it's going to be one hell of a series, and I'm excited to get it going.”