3. Slow the game down, make it a coaching battle
Dave Roberts has plenty of experience in the postseason as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team has three straight NLCS appearances under Roberts after all. Meanwhile, Craig Counsell, although being managing more overall games than Roberts, has nowhere near the postseason experience.
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After striking early and keeping the pitching matchups in mind, the Dodgers need to slow the game down and make Counsell outmanage Roberts. If he can do that, it significantly increases the Brewers’ chances of walking away victorious.
However, outmanaging a manager that has been to three NLCS and has had his fair share of agony and triumph is no easy task.
The Dodgers, who have the deepest roster in the postseason, need to utilize the bench and the matchups to make the Brewers beat them.
Do not cater to the Brewers in hopes of saving an arm or a bench guy; make Counsell make decisions hoping that his decision would be the wrong one.
Postseason baseball really comes down to one or two big moments per game that can shift the entire dynamic of the rest of the series. These moments can be dictated by coaching decisions. Making Counsell pull his pitcher too early with a pinch-hitter or pulling a dominant arm out in favor of a matchup is what the Dodgers need to force.
The bullpen is scary, I get it, but it will be dictated by what decisions Counsell makes. Put him on the ropes, force him to make decision and chances are over a seven-game series the Dodgers will prevail.