DODGERS VS. METS: NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES.STARTING PITCHING DODGERS: Without question, this is the strength of the Dodgers, since they have the abilitiy to hand the ball to Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe[1] (born June 1, 1973 in Dearborn, Michigan)[2] is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He throws and bats right-handed. , Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He was the first pitcher in Major League history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years (1992-1995), during which he had a 75-29 record with a 1. and Brad Penny Bradley Wayne Penny[1] (born May 24, 1978 in Blackwell, Oklahoma)[2] is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.[3] Early career . Of course, there's also rookie Hong-Chih Kuo Hong-Chih Kuo (Traditional Chinese: 郭泓志; pinyin: Guō Hóngzhì) (born July 23, 1981 in Tainan City, Taiwan) is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. in the mix, but Kuo did enough in September to earn the Dodgers' trust. Lowe's postseason exploits, with the Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox are a member and currently champions of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball’s American League. From to the present, the Red Sox have played in Fenway Park. in 2004, remain legendary, and although Penny has stumbled a bit in the second half of this season, don't forget that he went 3-1 for the Florida Marlins The Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Marlins have played in Dolphin Stadium. in the 2003 playoffs and won both of his starts in the World Series. Then, oh yeah, there's the Hall of Famer, Maddux, who would love to cap his career with a second World Series. If Penny and Maddux can stay away from their occasional late-season wobbles, watch out. Playoff experience: Maddux 31 games, Lowe 17, Penny six, Kuo zero. METS METS Metropolitans (New York baseball team) METS Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard MetS Metabolic Syndrome METS Metabolic Equivalents (multiples of resting oxygen uptake) : The Mets took a big hit when Pedro Martinez was ruled out of the playoffs with a sore calf and torn rotator cuff rotator cuff n. A set of muscles and tendons that secures the arm to the shoulder joint and permits rotation of the arm. Also called musculotendinous cuff. . His numbers weren't terrific this season, but he's a gamer whose toughness will be missed badly. Without Martinez, the Mets turn to a rotation of Orlando Hernandez, Tom Glavine Thomas Michael Glavine (born March 25 1966 in Concord, Massachusetts) is an American left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a free agent, having last pitched for the New York Mets. and Steve Trachsel Stephen Christopher Trachsel (born October 31, 1970 in Oxnard, California) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher with the Chicago Cubs. Trachsel graduated from Troy High School in Fullerton, California in 1988. , and possibly rookie John Maine John Kevin Maine (born May 8, 1981 in Fredericksburg, Virginia) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed. College . It's up to Hernandez to get things started right, which might seem scary given his 4.66 ERA this season, but look at the September numbers: Hernandez went 2-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 31 1/3 innings. Glavine had an excellent September and faces rookie Hong-Chih Kuo in Game 2. Playoff experience: Glavine 32 games, Hernandez 19, Trachsel zero, Maine zero. CATCHER RUSSELL MARTIN
Expected to be a year away from the majors at the start of this season, Martin stepped into the starting lineup For the line of action figures, see . A starting lineup in sports refers to the set of players actively participating in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes in May, took command of a pitching staff with which he wasn't very familiar and had immediate success at the plate and on defense. So far, there's nothing Martin hasn't been able to handle. He has the complete respect and trust of manager Grady Little William Grady Little (born March 30, 1950 in Abilene, Texas) is a manager in Major League Baseball. He guided the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2003, and has been manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2006. and his teammates, but Martin didn't get much rest down the stretch. Will he wear down under the workload and pressure of October, or will the excitement of his first playoff experience carry him through? Playoff experience: zero games. PAUL LO DUCA Paul Anthony Lo Duca (born April 12, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the New York Mets. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004) and Florida Marlins (2004-2005). After a detour through Florida, Lo Duca Lo Duca is the surname of the following people:
New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and is pretty much still the catcher Dodger fans remember from his six seasons in L.A. Known here for his fast starts and second-half fades at the plate, LoDuca managed to keep it consistent throughout this season for the Mets. He hit .318 this year, second only to the .320 average he posted in 2001, his first full season with the Dodgers, and although he hit just five home runs, nowhere near the 21he hit in that 2001 season, he's a dangerous singles hitter with decent defensive skills. Playoff experience: zero games. FIRST BASE NOMAR GARCIAPARRA Anthony Nomar Garciaparra[1] (born July 23, 1973, in Whittier, California) is a Mexican-American baseball player who currently plays third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Perhaps the most crucial element to the Dodgers' chances in the playoffs, Garciaparra needs to stay healthy enough to at least carry a bat to the plate. In the final weeks of the season he suffered quadriceps and oblique injuries but pushed through them and came up with some huge hits. As the No.3 hitter, Garciaparra fills the most crucial spot in the lineup. Cleanup hitter In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Strategy Cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best all-around hitter; their job is to "clean up the bases", hence the name. Jeff Kent Jeffrey Franklin Kent (born March 7, 1968 in Bellflower, California) is a Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and a former MVP winner. Early career is hobbled and nobody knows whether J.D. Drew will perform under playoff pressure. In the field, Garciaparra has handled the transition to first base better than anyone hoped. Playoff experience: 26 games. CARLOS DELGADO This article is about the baseball player. For the Venezuelan president, see Carlos Delgado Chalbaud. Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández (born June 25, 1972 in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman for the New York Mets. Delgado is having trouble taking deep breaths these days, and because of that the Mets are holding their breath. Delgado missed the last twogames of the season with upper rib-cage soreness but is expected to be in the lineup today. At age 34, he's as strong as ever. His 38 home runs this season were his most since 2003, although his .265 average did dip significantly from last season's .301. Two other potential worries for the Mets: Delgado hit just .253 in September, and he never has been to the playoffs, so how will he handle the pressure? Playoff experience: zero games. SECOND BASE JEFF KENT As the cleanup hitter and a veteran with World Series experience, Kent will have to be a leader. That might sound strange, given his withdrawn nature, but the younger guys will watch Kent to see how he carries himself under the October pressure. Kent's power numbers took a sizable dip this season, in part because he had to play through nagging injuries, and there's talk that he might retire if the Dodgers win the World Series, but Kent remains a steady middle-of-the-order peformer who can change a game with one swing, and the Dodgers need him. Playoff experience: 40 games. JOSE VALENTIN After a frustrating 2005 season, most of which was spent sitting around the Dodgers' clubhouse recuperating from a knee injury, Valentin signed with the Mets and rebounded nicely. Valentin hit just .170 in 56 games last year and looked as though he might be done, but in 2006 Valentin hit .271 with 18 home runs in 137 games. He's never going to dominate a game, at the plate or in the field, but he's a consistent hitter. Playoff experience: three games. SHORTSTOP RAFAEL FURCAL Rafael Antoni Furcal[1] (born August 24, 1977 in Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic),[2] nicknamed "Fookie", is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. There were some doubts in the middle of the season, but Furcal furcal /fur·cal/ (fur´k'l) shaped like a fork; forked. fur·cal adj. Forked. furcal forked. has established himself as a top-of-the-order catalyst, a smart baserunner and an outstanding fielder. He's also a winner. Furcal's teams have reached the playoffs in each of his seven seasons in the majors (including his first six with the Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field. ), and although he didn't perform particularly well (.232 batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. ), that experience will remove any jitters jitters 'Butterflies' Psychology An episode of nervousness or anxiety that often precedes a public event; jitters is a type of performance anxiety which may affect actors in a stage production–stage fright or soloist musicians; it may respond to anxiolytics . Furcal had arguably his best season as a major leaguer, and playing between rookie third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Wilson Betemit Wilson Betemit, pronounced Bay-tah-mee [1], though many broadcasters mispronounce it Bet-uh-mit, (born November 2, 1981, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a 6' 3" switch-hitting Major League Baseball infielder for the New York Yankees. and hobbled second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Jeff Kent, he will need to be on his game. Playoff experience: 22 games. JOSE REYES From the Dodgers' perspective, Reyes could be the most dangerous player of the series. He hit .300 this season and stole 64 bases, a dangerous combination at the top of the order and even more so, since Dodger pitchers have had trouble holding runners on first throughout this season and catcher Russell Martin has been decent, but not great, in throwing runners out. Reyes took a big step forward this season. At age 23, he fulfilled his potential by raising his batting average 27 points from 2005 and also hit 19 home runs. Playoff experience: zero games. THIRD BASE WILSON BETEMIT In a move quickly overshadowed by the Greg Maddux acquisition two days later, the Dodgers on July 29 sent Danys Baez and Willy Aybar Willy Del Jesus Aybar (born March 9, 1983 in Bani, Dominican Republic), is an infielder in Major League Baseball under contract with the Atlanta Braves. He is the older brother of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim shortstop, Erick Aybar. to Atlanta for Betemit. To that point Betemit, who at age 26 was stuck behind a logjam log·jam n. 1. An immovable mass of floating logs crowded together. 2. A deadlock, as in negotiations; an impasse. Noun 1. of infielders in the Braves' system, had appeared in only 43games but had developed a reputation as one of the National League's unsung bench players. The Dodgers gave him a chance, and he ran with it. With their preferred option, Bill Mueller Playoff experience: two games. DAVID WRIGHT Along with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Wright is the toast of New York this season, although he didn't quite reach the ridiculously high standards set for him back East. Wright hit .311, up fivepoints from his breakthrough first full season in 2005, but his home-run total actually dipped by one, to 26. The good news for the Mets? Wright seems to be peaking. He hit .360 in September, along with a .417 on-base percentage. Wright provides some great depth to the Mets' lineup. Playoff experience: zero games. OUTFIELD MARLON ANDERSON An afterthought at the time, Anderson was brought in to provide outfield depth because of injuries and to provide a solid left-handed bat off the bench. Turns out, he was one of the major catalysts in the Dodgers' push for the playoffs in the final month. With rookie Andre Ethier struggling, the Dodgers turned to Anderson on an everyday basis and he thrived, with a knack for clutch hits. Anderson, who played for the Mets last season, never has been a star, but at age 32 he provides veteran experience, a positive attitude and playoff experience, including a trip to the World Series with St. Louis in 2004. Playoff experience: 12 games. CLIFF FLOYD Given Floyd's injury-prone status -- he dealt with a sore Achilles' heel throughout September -- there was some thought that the Mets would keep rookie Lastings Milledge on the playoff roster, but Floyd apparently is good to go. He's one of the few Mets with playoff experience, although even his is limited. Floyd was a pinch-hitter for the Florida Marlins during their 1997 World Series run. At age 33, Floyd struggled through a season in which he hit .244 with 11home runs in 97 games. To see him do anything significant in this series would be a surprise. Playoff experience: four games. KENNY LOFTON The signing of Lofton raised some eyebrows last winter. After all, he was almost 40, and couldn't possibly match last year's .335 average, right? Well, not quite, but after a spring-training injury, he did enough to become a fixture at the No. 2 spot in the order and provided outstanding defense in center field. Lofton can be prickly, as evidenced by his midseason argument with pitcher Brad Penny, but he's also a fearless leader who has seen it all. It's no accident that Lofton always seems to end up on winning teams, including two trips to the World Series. Playoff experience: 81 games. CARLOS BELTRAN Beltran signed a seven-year, $119-million contract before the 2005 season, and now is his chance to prove that he deserved it. It has been a bumpy ride so far for Beltran in New York. He drew ire in 2005 when he hit just .266 with 16 home runs in a full season, but he rebounded nicely this year for a career-high 41 home runs. He feasts against right-handed pitching, against which he hit 33 of his home runs, and he will face righties almost exclusively in this series. Beltran has a strained quadriceps, but it's not expected to hamper his play. Playoff experience: 12 games. J.D. DREW The biggest enigma in the Dodgers' lineup. He managed to stay healthy this year and more than double the number of games he played last season, but Drew's home-run totals fell off significantly and he never has been known as much of a clutch hitter. That extends to the playoffs, where Drew has a career batting average of .188 in 14 career Division Series games, although he does have a .360 average in 10 LCS LCS - Language for Communicating Systems games. That said, Drew seemed to show a different kind of fire this September and came through with a handful of big hits. Is this the month he breaks through? Playoff experience: 24 games. SHAWN GREEN Well, look who's back. After being rescued from Arizona in August, Green has joined close friends Carlos Delgado and Paul Lo Duca in New York but hasn't fared particularly well. In 34 games with the Mets, Green hit .257 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. Endy Chavez has performed well this season and might see some time in right field, or in left if Floyd has injury issues, but the Dodgers know what Green can do. He's prone to long slumps, but he's also capable of a huge breakout game that can carry his team to victory. Playoff experience: four games. BENCH DODGERS: This isn't a particularly deep group, but perhaps it doesn't need to be. Rookie outfielder Andre Ethier struggled mightily in September, but with the emergence of Anderson, perhaps Ethier won't feel so much pressure and can revert to his strong early season form. Olmedo Saenz is a rock, an amazingly consistent pinch-hitter with a knack for big hits who can also fill in at first base and third base. Jason Repko has high value as a late-innings pinch-runner and/or defensive replacement, and although Julio Lugo has been lost in the shuffle, his veteran bat could come in handy Verb 1. come in handy - be useful for a certain purpose be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" . Playoff experience: Saenz eight games, Toby Hall, Ethier and Repko zero. METS: The Mets' bench isn't very deep, but it does have some decent complementary players. Julio Franco, the ageless wonder at 48, isn't counted on to do much anymore, but still managed a .273 average in 165 at-bats and is invaluable to a team that is thin on playoff experience. Franco has been to the playoffs six times but has won only one series. Endy Chavez, who bounced around four teams in the previous five seasons, found a home in NewYork and broke through with a .306 average in 353 at-bats and backup catcher Ramon Castro is a strong option for the Mets against left-handed relievers. Playoff experience: Franco 27 games, Chavez and Castro zero. BULLPEN DODGERS: Without question, this is the potential stumbling block for the Dodgers, not because there isn't talent but because it's untested in the playoffs. Takashi Saito was the Dodgers' fourth option as closer this season, behind Eric Gagne, Yhency Brazoban and Danys Baez, but his experience (36 years old) and stuff made him a formidable closer. Manager Grady Little has handled Saito carefully this year, but there won't be many opportunities for rest in the playoffs. Can setup man Jonathan Broxton, a playoff rookie, handle the stress, and will Brett Tomko rebound from his late-season struggles? Playoff experience: Tomko three games, Joe Beimel, Broxton and Saito zero. METS: The Mets and Dodgers are close in most statistical categories this season, but not in this one: the Mets had a bullpen ERA of 3.26, best in the National League, while the Dodgers' bullpen ERA of 4.15 ranked eighth. If New York's starters falter early, manager Willie Randolph can have complete confidence in the bullpen, starting with closer Billy Wagner, who converted 40 of 45 save chances this season. Setup men Chad Bradford, Roberto Hernandez and Aaron Heilman are solid, and the wild-card might be former Dodger Guillermo Mota, who is inconsistent but still has great stuff. Playoff experience: Bradford 10 games, Wagner five, Heilman and Mota zero. COACHING DODGERS: Think manager Grady Little is eager to get another shot at the playoffs? For three years, all Little has heard about is his decision, during the 2003 American League Championship Series
Playoff experience: 12 games. METS: Willie Randolph, the likely NL Manager of the Year, makes his playoff debut as a manager, but he has been groomed for this moment for some time. As a member of Joe Torre's staff with the Yankees, Randolph has seen firsthand what it takes to go deep into October, in addition to the fact that he made the playoffs six times in 17 seasons as a player and advanced to the World Series four times. Playoff experience: zero games. CAPTION(S): 20 photos Photo: (1 -- color) MARLON ANDERSON (2 -- color) CLIFF FLOYD (3 -- color) KENNY LOFTON (4 -- color) CARLOS BELTRAN (5 -- color) J.D. DREW (6 -- color) SHAWN GREEN (7 -- color) RAFAEL FURCAL (8 -- color) JOSE REYES (9 -- color) JEFF KENT (10 -- color) JOSE VALENTINE (11 -- color) NOMAR NOMAR New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (Louisiana) GARCIAPPARA (12 -- color) CARLOS DELGADO (13 -- color) WILSON BETEMIT (14 -- color) DAVID WRIGHT (15 -- color) RUSSEL MARTIN (16 -- color) PAUL LO DUCA (17 -- color) DEREK LOWE Getty Images (18 -- color) JOHN MAINE, METS Getty Images (19 -- color) Grady Little (20 -- color) Willie Randolph |
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