Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesWhen the Atlanta Braves face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a National League Divisional Series matchup Alan Trammell Jersey , two notable players will be unavailable: Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson and Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling.According to ESPN'sAlden Gonzalez and Brad Doolittle, Swanson was left off the NLDS roster as he receives "treatment for a partially torn ligament in his left hand, suffered on a swing in a game last week." He hasn't played since Sept. 25.Mark Bowman mlbbowmanSwanson says his left hand is improving 鈥渟lowly, but surely.鈥滺e hopes to be ready if the Braves advance past the NLDSStripling, meanwhile, didn't make the cut for L.A., with the team already carrying 12 pitchers and an eight-man bullpen. He wasn't the only noticeablename left off of the Dodgers' NLDS roster: Veteran second baseman Chase Utley also didn't make the cut.Stripling's exclusion from the NLDS roster doesn't come as a huge surprise after his September struggles. He posted an 0-3 record, 6.75 ERA and 15 strikeouts in five appearances (four starts).Andy McCullough McCulloughTimesRyan Madson has not been particularly good this season, but opposing hitters OPSd .966 against Stripling in the second half. So it goes.With the Dodgers rolling withHyun-Jin Ryu,Clayton Kershaw,Walker BuehlerandRich Hillas the starters and Ryan Madson,Kenta Maeda,Scott Alexander,Caleb Ferguson,Pedro Baez http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-jimenez-jersey , Dylan Floro and Alex Wood as options out of the bullpen to get the game to closer Kenley Jensen, Stripling was expendable.As for Swanson, the third-year shortstop had an up-and-down year, hitting .238 with 14 homers, 59 RBI, 51 runs and 10 stolen bases. He'll be replaced by Charlie Culberson, who hit .270 for the Braves this year with 12 homers and 45 RBI, largely in a utility role."He's probably been arguably maybe our most valuable player," Braves manager Brian Snitkersaid, per Gonzalez and Doolittle.Culberson, a former Dodger, is ready for the moment."I'm very familiar with the team over there, and I've definitely enjoyed my year so far here," he said, perMark Bradleyof theAtlanta Journal-Constitution."But we're not done yet. Our team has played really hard Lance Parrish Jersey , just like everybody else, but we're in this position for a reason. There's no need to let off the gas now." Rockies news and links for December 24, 2018"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Scaling the RocksPebble ReportRockpileRockies Game ThreadsRockies Fan ExperienceRockpileTodd Helton will spend some time on the Hall of Fame ballotNew,35commentsRockies news and links for December 24, 2018ByHannah AuringerDec 24, 2018,6:00am MSTShareTweetShareShareTodd Helton will spend some time on the Hall of Fame ballotTodd Helton won’t make the Hall of Fame this year, but there’s still time | Mile High SportsTodd Helton, the Toddfather, is a fan favorite in Denver. He’s on the Hall of Fame ballot, but he’ll be on there for a while still. There have only been two to four players inducted each year, and it’s not likely Helton will be one of them. It’s been suggested that the four will be Edgar Martinez, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, and either Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-jimenez-jersey , depending on how some things shake out. Helton ranks pretty near to these guys in terms of numbers, but there are always those who will argue the Coors Field effect. There is the question of steroids with some of these statistics, which affects some of the consideration. However, regardless, Helton’s career just doesn’t quite measure up. He’s a fantastic player, legendary in Colorado, but he’ll remain on the ballot for the time being. Colorado Rockies podcast: Let’s talk about the Daniel Murphy signing | Rox PileThe biggest move for the Rockies in this offseason has been the Daniel Murphy signing. They agreed to a 2-year, $24 million contract, bringing on another veteran player who can hopefully bolster the lineup. There’s been some varied opinions on this signing. Some are not thrilled at the idea of another forced fill to first base. After Ian Desmond struggled last year, it’s not exactly ideal that we’ve got another veteran playing outside of his general role. But while he’s not likely to be a defensive rockstar, the Rockies can hope that he’ll make up for it with offensive production. The Rockies have always been one of the better infields, so maybe this is an attempt to get something of a balance.