Dodgers Dugout: A foolproof plan to defeat the Cubs

Adrian Gonzalez cross home plate after his Game 2 homer.

By Houston Mitchell

Oct. 18, 2016 7:40 AM PT

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and can we finally put the “Clayton Kershaw can’t handle the postseason” theory to rest now?

Random thoughts on the Game 2 win

--OK, I’ve got a plan, but I need about nine volunteers. Remember in the movie “Bull Durham,” when they turned the sprinklers on at night to flood the field to postpone the next day’s game, giving the team a much-needed day off? Well, here’s the plan. Someone needs to go to Dodger Stadium right now and turn the sprinklers on, flooding the field and causing today’s game to be postponed. Now, the person who does that will probably be arrested, so I need volunteer No. 2 to go to Dodger Stadium tonight and do the same thing. Then volunteer No. 3 goes on Wednesday night and does that. This will cause Game 3 to be pushed back until Thursday, and that will allow Clayton Kershaw to start Game 3.

Then, we do it all over again, continually causing three days off between games. So the schedule will be:

Game 3, Thursday, Cubs (Arrieta) at Dodgers (Kershaw)

Game 4, Monday, Cubs (Lester) at Dodgers (Kershaw)

Game 5, Thursday, Oct. 27, Cubs (Hendricks) at Dodgers (Kershaw)

It’s a foolproof plan. Of course, when you get arrested, I will deny having any part of it. But just think of the end result. And then we can do the same thing in the World Series. I’m sure the Dodgers wouldn’t mind. They may even give you free season tickets under the table. Heck, they may even figure out a way for you to watch them on TV next season. I’m sure the jail gets the Dodgers channel.

--Here’s what I like the most about Dave Roberts: He is really into every game. You know exactly what he is feeling. If a player does something good, Roberts seems more excited than the player. Don Mattingly sort of sat there like a bystander, not really getting emotionally involved. I like Mattingly, but it’s more fun to play for a guy like Roberts.

--My favorite part of Game 2 was the mound meeting between Roberts and Kershaw in the seventh inning. There was no way Kershaw was coming out unless he was dragged away kicking and screaming.

--Could Fox have found two more unlikable guys than Alex Rodriguez and Pete Rose to be pregame and post-game analysts? Was Barry Bonds unavailable?

--I never thought I would miss Harold Reynolds in the booth. And I was right.

--Through two games, the Dodgers have 12 hits and the Cubs have 11.

--Rich Hill goes in Game 3 for the Dodgers. I would expect another low-scoring affair, with the Dodgers having to use more of their bullpen.

--Only four current Cubs have batted against Hill: David Ross (1 for 13), Chris Coghlan (1-3), Ben Zobrist (1-2) and Miguel Montero (0-1). With Hill’s unorthodox delivery, that should give him an advantage if he has his good stuff.

--Cubs fans seem to have trouble judging fly balls, because the fans behind home plate leap to their feet and cheer every time a Cubs batter hits a ball in the air, even if the ball is caught by Chase Utley.

--Kenley Jansen is going to get a lot of money in the off-season.

--The Dodgers say Kershaw won’t pitch again until Game 6. I’m thinking that may change if Game 5 is a must-win game.

--Not a lot happened in Game 2, but that was a nice break after the emotions of Game 5 against Washington and Game 1 against the Cubs.

The NLCS schedule

Game 3: Today, Cubs (Arrieta) at Dodgers (Hill), 5 p.m. PT. TV: FS1

Game 4: Wednesday, Cubs (Lackey) at Dodgers (Urias), 5 p.m. PT. TV: FS1

Game 5: Thursday, Cubs at Dodgers (Maeda), 5 p.m. PT. TV: FS1

Game 6: Saturday, Dodgers (Kershaw) at Cubs, TBA. TV: FS1 (if necessary)

Game 7: Sun., Oct. 23, Dodgers at Cubs, TBA. TV: FS1 (if necessary)

In case you missed it

What our great crew of Los Angeles Times reporters is saying about the Dodgers:

Clayton Kershaw shows he can pitch in October’s big games