Yasiel Puig has been benched for Game 4 in favor of Andre Ethier. Puig is a better player than Ethier; he was better at the plate, and he's better in center field. But he also struck out seven times in a row before his sixth-inning triple in Game 3, before fanning again later in the game. In last year's NLCS against the Cardinals, he fanned 10 times in 23 plate appearances. This isn't about getting the platoon advantage against Shelby Miller, who didn't have any split this season. It's about benching Puig. The general consensus seems to be: Bad move, Don Mattingly.
Well, it makes sense. I mean Puig led the team in OPS for the season, sure, but look at his last 12 at bats! #Mattingly
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) October 7, 2014
Serious question: If the Dodgers lose tonight and Ethier goes 0 for 4 or has a bad error or something, Mattingly is fired, right?
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) October 7, 2014
Yadi worked Puig like a marionette last post-season, and Puig knew it. He's in his head again.
— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) October 7, 2014
#Dodgers’ Puig, in speaking with reporters, acknowledges that he is putting too much pressure on himself.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 7, 2014
When talking about lost potential value in not starting Puig, don't forget to include value of being able to PH him. It's not zero.
— David Cameron (@DCameronFG) October 7, 2014
To avoid the nerd arguments, let's call the defense a wash, though Puig has the much better arm. Point is you don't sit your best hitter.
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) October 7, 2014
If Mattingly simply had to make a move to shake up the offense, using Turner over Gordon would have been better than Ethier over Puig.
— Matthew Pouliot (@matthewpouliot) October 7, 2014
Mattingly makes right calls in starting Ethier over Puig today and starting Kershaw on 3 days rest. Wrong call on Elbert in 1-1 game
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) October 7, 2014
This being the 2014 postseason, Andre Ethier will rack up three hits and Puig will have a pinch-double. #yosted
— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) October 7, 2014