October Confidential: Mets vs. Dodgers
The Mets will be in Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the National League Division Series, with Game 1 getting under way on Friday on TBS.
What's the best way to beat each of these teams? To find out, we asked players from across their respective divisions to give the inside intel on how these clubs can be beaten. Our sources were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor.
NEW YORK METS
Jacob deGrom
"His fastball plays harder than it says on the board. It already says it is thrown pretty hard, but he gets so far out in front. He's basically letting the ball go at the grass at 95, 97, 98 sometimes. It gets on you so much faster, that makes all of his offspeed stuff play better, because you're trying to get to that heater. I bet he's a top three pitcher in the National League. I think he's the ace of their staff."
-- NL East outfielder
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Yoenis Cespedes
"I've attacked him with show-me sliders and then sinkers down in the zone for the rest of the at-bat. Anything offspeed in the zone, he seems to be getting to pretty well. Anything elevated fastball-wise, he's just all over. If you can get him thinking offspeed and then throw something hard, then I think that's the only way you can pitch. He's going to take the first pitch if he's never seen you before. So, if in that situation, you could try to attack him early and then make him chase late. He's the one guy in the lineup that you can't let beat you. I'd rather go at anyone else in that lineup than him."
-- NL East reliever
Daniel Murphy
"[He] has crowded the plate lately. He's gotten closer to the dish. You have to mix him up. I think you can jam him up now that he's gotten closer to the plate. But because he's now closer to the plate, he's covering the outside pitch much better now."
-- NL East reliever
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LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Clayton Kershaw
"Obviously, his stuff is the first thing that stands out. Any time you have a mid-90s fastball, a good slider and a big breaking curveball, it's going to be tough to beat. His command is usually on point. He likes to pitch inside and there's no secret about that. I think the best way to go about getting him is to be aggressive; try to get a fastball as early as you can. The last thing you want to see is that curveball late in the count."
-- NL West infielder
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Kenley Jansen
"He's a hard-throwing reliever with a great cutter. Everyone knows what he's going to come after you with. I think the key is trying to get him to come down in the strike zone with that cutter. He throws two cutters, really. One that cuts a lot and then like a baby cutter. You want to be aggressive with him, but you have to get him down in the zone"
-- NL West infielder
Justin Turner
"He's a guy who is more patient than earlier in his career. He had that good second half last year, and it carried over to this year, so you're starting to think his high-level performance is pretty real. When I saw him for the first time, when he got his pitch, he didn't miss it. Maybe having good hitters ahead of and behind him helps, but he's taking advantage of it."
-- NL West starting pitcher