Dodgers News: Blake Snell Not Falling for “Average Joes” Narrative in NLCS
Snell isn't falling for the "Average Joes" Brewers narrative
MILWAUKEE, WI—While the Los Angeles Dodgers touched down from their flight yesterday and arrived at American Family Field, the team announced that left-hander Blake Snell would take the ball in Game One of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
While Shohei Ohtani was under consideration for the start, the team has opted to go with Blake Snell and for good reason, as the left-hander is 2-0 with a sub-two ERA this October and was sharp on the road in Game Two of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, as one would expect, the central theme of these two National League teams facing off in a best-of-seven series is the disparity of their payrolls, with the media pushing a David vs Goliath story.
Well, left-handed starter Blake Snell isn’t buying that narrative and for good reason.
“You make them swing at your pitches, good pitches. You figure out what they’re good at, what they’re not good at, and that will just tell you how to attack them. I can’t say like too much because they’re going to watch this. But, I mean, it’s a really good lineup.
“I’m not falling for the ‘Average Joes.’ They’re not. They have the best record in the NL.”
Snell is right in the sense that the Brewers are a great team; they finished the season with 97 wins, which not only gave them the best record in the National League but in all of Major League Baseball.
While they didn’t lead the league in home runs, they were top of the leaderboards in hits, stolen bases, defensive runs saved, ERA, and FIP. Top to bottom, they’re an excellent team, and there’s a reason they’re in this situation.
Snell did not confront the Brewers in any of their six games against the Dodgers this season, nor did he seek input from teammates who had faced them. Instead, he observed the Brewers carefully to develop his strategy.
He’ll get that opportunity later tonight, when he takes the mound, hoping to put Los Angeles up 1-0 in the series with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the ball in Game Two.
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