Cubs-Dodgers: NLCS positional breakdown

Did you enjoy the Dodgers and Cubs battling it out in the National League Championship Series last season? If so, you're in luck, because you're going to get a rematch this year, starting tonight in Los Angeles.
• NLCS Game 1: Tonight, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT on TBS
In some ways, it's perfect that these two are coming together again, because way back in January, we crunched the numbers and showed that these two clubs were projected to have the most wins in baseball, and while the Cubs didn't quite reach that level, the fact is that it was very easy to expect these to be the two best teams in the NL, and here they are, battling to go to the World Series. Now, we're on to more important questions, like whether or not Clayton Kershaw can finally make his postseason mark -- he can, if Dave Roberts doesn't push him too far -- and what impact Thursday's wild NLDS finale and ensuing travel problems will have on the Cubs.
:: NLCS schedule and coverage ::
How do these two great teams compare? Let's break it down position by position, looking at the totality of what a player has done, not just his postseason so far. Batting numbers are presented with traditional BA/OBP/SLG and Weighted Runs Created Plus, or wRC+, a park- and league-adjusted number where 100 is set as "league average" for easy comparison.
Spoiler alert: They're pretty neck-and-neck.
Catcher
The Cubs can very correctly say that Willson Contreras is a budding star, hitting .276/.356/.499 (121 wRC+) with a cannon of a throwing arm, but the Dodgers match up here anyway, simply because Yasmani Grandal and Austin Barnes combine for what may be baseball's best catching duo. While Grandal can be streaky, he did hit 22 homers to go with a .247/.308/.459 (102 wRC+) line and his usual elite pitch framing, adding +20 runs, third-best. Barnes (.289/.408/.486, 142 wRC+) outhit every other catcher who had 250 plate appearances, and he was a top-six framer too, at +14, while emerging as a key postseason contributor. 
Advantage: Tie
First base
Here, your choice is between a powerful slick-fielding lefty who had a 4 WAR season (per FanGraphs) and 10 steals (Anthony Rizzo, .273/.392/.507, 133 wRC+) or a powerful slick-fielding lefty who had a 4 WAR season and 10 steals (Cody Bellinger, .267/.352/.581, 138 wRC+). They got there in different ways, as Rizzo got on base more while Bellinger out-slugged him by 74 points, but you can't really make a choice here, so we won't.
Advantage: Tie

 Second base
The Cubs will mostly roll with Javier Báez (.273/.317/.480, 98 wRC+) here, with occasional appearances from Ben Zobrist (.232/.318/.375, 82 wRC+). Neither one had a standout season, but the Dodgers duo of Chase Utley (.236/.324/.405, 92 wRC+) and Logan Forsythe (.224/.351/.327, 90 wRC+) hasn't done all that much, either. We're giving the slight edge to the Cubs due to their versatility and Baez's penchant for the spectacular play, though it's a small one.
Slight advantage: Cubs
 Shortstop
Corey Seager's second full season (.295/.375/.479, 127 wRC+) was a worthy follow-up to his 2016 Rookie of the Year (and third-place MVP) debut. He added surprisingly strong defense, as well, though he's dealing with minor back and elbow injuries at the moment. Addison Russell is actually a stronger defender than Seager, but his expected offensive breakout never came, as he hit a somewhat disappointing (.239/.304/.418, 84 wRC+) while missing time with a foot injury. Russell did break out with four RBIs in Game 5 of the NLDS presented by T-Mobile, but Seager can certainly be a difference-maker for Los Angeles here.
Advantage: Dodgers

Third Base
Just like first base, third base is a virtual deadlock between two of the biggest stars the position has. Kris Bryant (.295/.409/.537, 146 wRC+) came close to repeating the batting line that won him the 2016 NL MVP (though his defensive metrics weren't quite the same), while Justin Turner's .322/.415/.530 (151 wRC+) was a near-duplicate match to Bryant's performance. They even stole seven bases apiece, not that it matters that much, but that's the point: In what's an extremely deep third-base position in baseball right now, Turner and Bryant are both evenly valuable and near the top of the list.
Advantage: Tie
 Left field
The one thing we know about this position is that you're going to see a ton of turnover depending on the opposing pitcher and the situation. The Cubs get the advantage because Kyle Schwarber, who hit .255/.338/.565 (131 wRC+) after returning from the Minors in July, is the most talented player we'll see here, but the question is how much he'll play. With the Dodgers starting at least two lefties and possibly three, Zobrist could gain the most playing time, with Jon Jay (.296/.374/.375, 101 wRC+) entering for defense. Used appropriately, that group should offer slightly more value than the various combinations of Curtis Granderson (.214/.337/.470, 114 wRC+ against righties) and Kiké Hernández (.270/.367/.579, 144 wRC+ against lefties), along with Andre Ethier.
Advantage: Cubs

Center field
Yes, another tie. These teams are pretty evenly matched, obviously. For the Dodgers, this became Chris Taylor's job after Joc Pederson fell out of favor, and he had a breakout season, hitting .288/.354/.496 (126 wRC+) with 21 homers, though he slumped badly with a .218/.259/.356 (62 wRC+) September. The Cubs counter with Jay and Albert Almora Jr., who combined to hit .296/.359/.406 (102 wRC+), but remember that they'll platoon. While Jay has no appreciable career platoon split, Almora has hit .320/.377/.503 (131 wRC+) against lefties, which may come in handy against this particular Dodgers rotation.
Advantage: Tie
 Right field
It's pretty easy to argue that a matchup of Jason Heyward and Yasiel Puig features two of the most spectacular defensive right fielders in the National League. Heyward especially stands out here, as his +11 Outs Above Average mark ties him for the seventh-best overall outfielder at any spot. The problem here is that Heyward followed up a disappointing first season in Chicago with a second that was only a mild improvement with the bat (.259/.326/.389, 88 wRC+), while Puig hit a career-high 28 homers with a .263/.346/.487 (117 wRC+) line. Given he's more than capable of the great fielding play as well, that's more than enough to earn him the edge.
Advantage: Dodgers

 Starting pitchers
This is probably the most interesting matchup, because this one's not just about talent. If it was, it'd be an interesting discussion as the top four starters of the Dodgers (Kershaw, Rich Hill, Yu Darvish, and Alex Wood) outperformed the top four Cubs starters (Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks, and José Quintana), putting up a 2.81 ERA against a 3.69 mark from the Cubs quartet, then saw that edge change in the second half, when it was 3.19 for the Cubs and 3.32 for the Dodgers.
However, the Dodgers are extremely well-rested, and the Cubs will have Quintana on regular rest in Game 1. Then, they're potentially looking at Lester on three days' rest in Game 2. The effects of the NL Wild Card Game, where Arizona used Robbie Ray and then saw him struggle in the NLDS, benefited the Dodgers. Whether the effects of the fifth game of the NLDS do as well will be a big story to watch.
Advantage: Dodgers
 Relief pitchers
Rest is going to be an issue here too, especially since Wade Davis appeared in four NLDS games (throwing 44 pitches over 2 1/3 innings to close out the series) while Carl Edwards Jr. appeared in all five against Washington. With Lester and Quintana each appearing in relief, it appears the Cubs have some trust issues with their other relievers, while the Dodgers, for the first time in some time, are in a good spot with the bullpen. Kenley Jansen is arguably the best closer in the game, while Brandon Morrow struck out 50 in 43 2/3 innings, Tony Cingrani became a reliable weapon after upping his slider use after being acquired, and Kenta Maeda shifted to the bullpen to become a dominant piece against righty hitters. This is where the Dodgers may be able to set themselves apart.
Advantage: Dodgers