Dodgers Dugout: Only Curtis Granderson can strike out five times in four at-bats

Curtis Granderson is probably getting ready to strike out.

By Houston Mitchell

Assistant Sports Editor

Oct. 19, 2017 8 AM PT

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Hey, you can’t win them all.

Game 4 review

--It’s all my fault. I sat in a different chair than I did the first three games.

--Curtis Granderson is the only guy I know who can strike out five times in four at-bats. He’s so desperate for something positive that he’s pleading for phantom foul tips.

While we’re discussing Granderson (who is 19 for 127 with the Dodgers, a nifty .150 batting average, with 41 strikeouts), what was up with the lineup?

Granderson should not be playing. I would have rather seen Charlie Culberson at shortstop and Chris Taylor in center.

Chase Utley, bless him, looks totally lost up there. He is 0 for 9 in this postseason, with four strikeouts. If you include last year’s NLCS against Chicago, he is now 0 for 21 in the postseason. Logan Forsythe is 1 for 5 with 4 walks in the NLCS and 5 for 14 overall in the postseason. Let’s keep him in the lineup.

Yasmani Grandal walked three times, but I’d still rather see Austin Barnes up there. In short, here’s my lineup:

Taylor

Turner

Bellinger

Puig

Forsythe

Barnes

Ethier/Hernandez

Culberson

There’s always going to be a weak point in the outfield. But please, no more Curtis Granderson.

--Even though he homered, Cody Bellinger still does not look comfortable at the plate.

--The Cubs have scored seven runs in the four games. All seven runs have come on home runs.

--The Dodgers looked extremely lifeless last night. Even Yasiel Puig seemed subdued. Perhaps the Cubs slipped some Nyquil in their Powerade?

--Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other team. Jake Arrieta is a Cy Young winner for a reason, and the Cubs are defending World Series champions for a reason.

--Did you hear how excited Brian Anderson on TBS got when the Cubs won? I thought he was going to pass out.

--I believe the Cubs fans would have stormed the field if Granderson had homered after the umps reversed the strikeout call.

--There’s a left-hander pitcher for the Cubs in Game 5, so expect to see Barnes, Forsythe and Enrique Hernandez in the lineup. But don’t bat Hernandez fourth.

--Clayton Kershaw vs. Jose Quintana? The Dodgers have to win that one, right? I mean, they are paying Kershaw $30 million for a reason, and it’s not so he can have a 4.57 postseason ERA.

--The bullpen again did their job, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up only one hit.

--Dave Martinez is 1-1 at the end of games while managing the Cubs. Joe Maddon is 0-2.

--If the Dodgers lose Game 5, then I’ll start getting worried.

Game 5 preview

Clayton Kershaw vs. Jose Quintana

Dodgers versus Quintana (includes postseason)

Chris Taylor: .600 (3 for 5)

Logan Forsythe: .500 (6 for 12), 3 doubles, 1 homer

Curtis Granderson: .250 (1 for 4), 1 homer

Yasiel Puig: .200 (1 for 5), 1 double

Justin Turner: .200 (1 for 5)

Charlie Culberson: .000 (0 for 4)