Dodgers: Could the Rockies Be a Trap Series for LA? A Dive into the Numbers
Occasionally in sports, teams get caught looking ahead of the schedule to their own detriment. The dreaded trap game. The Dodgers need to avoid that very fate this weekend against the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies could give the Dodgers a much stiffer test than many anticipate for three reasons.
The Rockies Win at Home
It’s hard to believe, but the Rockies are one of five teams in the majors to have at least 30 wins at home to this point (31-17). Even more surprising, they own a better home winning percentage (.646) than the San Diego Padres (.635) entering Friday.
The Rockies are a playoff team at home and the 2003 Detroit Tigers on the road.
The Rockies Hits Left Handed Pitching
The Dodgers will be starting both Julio Urias and David Price in the three game set. On top of having the most runs scored at home, Colorado has a collective .861 OPS versus lefties at Coors Field. They also trail only the Houston Astros in lowest strikeout rate (19.1%) when facing left handed pitching at their home park. Colorado also ranks second in slugging percentage (.527).
The Rockies Steal Bases
Overall, the Rockies rank seventh in stolen bases in the MLB (53). They rank fourth in stolen bases at home (30). Every Dodger fan has been subjected to watching opposing teams steal at will this season. Rockies manager Bud Black would be foolish to abandon his team’s aggressive approach against the Dodgers.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t to say that the Dodgers can’t, or won’t, win or sweep the series in Colorado. It just might not be as easy as many Dodgers fans assume.
Don’t let the overall record of the Rockies fool you. They’re a dangerous team when playing at their home confines of Coors Field.
Los Angeles needs to take care of business this weekend and avoid a trap series.
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It would be a traditional “trap” series if the Dodgers were steamrolling through their opposition like they did last year. This year’s team has been so wildly inconsistent that it wouldn’t be out of character for them to lose three games to a last place team, as they just did to Miami. This year it would not be a surprise to see them sweep the Rockies, nor would it be a surprise to see them get swept.
With this all being said, we could see this team looking too far ahead and as a result lose 2 of 3 here at Coors. And especially they could be trapped if the offense were to continue being inconsistent and lethargic in doing so. Dodgers most likely WILL NOT win this series thinking that holding Rockies to 2 or 3 runs is enough to win these games.
when have the Dodgers every believed holding the Rockettes to 3 runs in Denver was a valid strategy? Never! It’s about the Big O, and whoever ends nine with the most runs on the board. Even blow-out games don’t qualify – every team is in every game at Coors until the final out
Fair enough and to put it in reverse the Dodgers as ya say the big O, it most likely will take a bigger O than scoring just 2 or 3 runs themselves. As ya say teams are always in the games at Coors.
Joe, it is possible for Dodger pitching to hold down Rockies offense at Coors, by evidence of winning game on April 4 by a score of 4 to 2.