I am not sure why, but it seems like this season the Dodgers have to do things the Hard Way. Now, that they are down 2-0 they are going to need to win 2-3 games in a row, and in typical Dodger fan fashion, the bitching and blaming has begun!
- You complain about Roberts taking Scherzer out of the game, even though it was obvious he had no fastball because you think Dave Roberts is just stupid, and wants to take out his ace for no good reason? From Max’s own mouth: “My arm was dead,” Scherzer said. “I could tell when I was warming up that it was still tired. … Usually in those situations, once you get past pitch 45, sometimes it loosens up, and you’re able to get deeper into a game. But after that third inning, it didn’t loosen up. It was still more tightening up. So I could tell that my pitch count was going to be limited.”
- You complain that Roberts brought in Urias. Personally, I did not like the move either, but it had been discussed earlier by the staff and Urias was ready. The fact that Julio gave up two runs was on him, not Doc. Blame the right person.
- You complain that Seager should have jumped in front of a 110 MPH line drive. I’ll just chalk that up to the fact thatyou may have never played the game and don’t realize how fast that is. I wish Seager had gotten that ball too, but you have one chance on a 110 MPH linedrive and it ain’t moving your feet! Maybe you should blame Doc: “Trea should have been at SS.” Yeah, that’s the ticket!
The problem with the Dodgers in these first two losses is that they have not hit like they are capable. In the first game, the Dodgers got 10 hits. Last night it was only 4… to go with 9 walks! Every player in the starting lineup has been an All-Star at one time or another, except for Gavin Lux. Max Scherzer is exhausted. Walker Buehler is tired. Julio is likely getting there too. The bullpen is doing their job in the playoffs. The hitters need to hit or this team is going home. It’s that simple! They are capable, but they just have to deliver. One good at-bat after another. It’s an easy solution that is hard to implement!
The Making of a Championship Bullpen
If it appears that I called people idiots for no reason yesterday, I apologize for that. What I was attempting to do was call out everyone who had called me an idiot for championing Dave Roberts, Cody Bellinger, and the Dodgers’ bullpen. I presumed that you would get the nuance of what I was doing. I only meant disrespect to three or four people… all of whom are gone… with their tails between their legs, I might add!
Doc Roberts – He really is not a “doctor” and I personally do not care for Dave Roberts, because he is just a “glad-handing politician,” but he is perfect for this team, AND frequently (just like most managers), his mistakes are simply because of a lack of execution by his players.
Cody Bellinger – I do like Cody Bellinger and thought it was very foolhardy to write him off so easily. This is a very hard game to play and Cody has played at a high level… until injury took over. At age 21, he was the ROY with 39 HR (.933 OPS). The sophomore jinx hit him the next year and he hit just 25 HR while dropping to .833 OPS (still a very good player). The next year (2019) he hit 47 HR and OPS’ed an otherworldly 1.035. However, he “slumped” to a .917 OPS in the second half, which is still SUPERSTAR STATUS. At that point, there was nothing bad that you could say about Cody Bellinger.
It is known that he has had several shoulder separations over a couple of years, and in 2020 (the Covid-19 season) he really slumped in 56 games to a .789 OPS. That’s Kike Hernandez territory. After surgery in that offseason, Cody returned this year, broke his leg, tore a hamstring, and broke a rib en route to what may be one of the worst performances in MLB History. That’s when many wanted to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Cody did not just go “Joe Charboneau” on everyone. He was injured and all of his problems can be attributed to that. Injury leads to favoring a body part and that leads to bad mechanics and patterns. All of his issues correspond to his injury and subsequent injuries. He still is not back. He is still compensating and adjusting and his power probably won’t return until next season. But, he has come to grips with who he is NOW. He has gotten some clutch hits and delivers Gold Glove Defense at either 1B or CF. Additionally, he is a huge threat when on base.
So, those who called me an IDIOT for sticking to my story about Cody Bellinger, deserve to be called “another one.” Cody is a big part of this team and will continue to be going forward. I would lock him up long-term if I were Andrew Friedman.
The Bullpen – I frequently agree with Dodgerpatch and while not totally disagreeing with what he said, I do want to address something. Patch wrote this:
I’m glad that the Dodgers bullpen is rock solid. I give the front office credit for making it happen. However, any criticisms contributors on this blog had about the bullpen midseason wasn’t because we were “idiots,” but because the evidence in front of us suggested that, indeed, the bullpen wasn’t very good.
Yes, that was what the “evidence suggested”… if you were just using your eyes. Your eyes told you that Dustin May was lost for the year. Your eyes told you that Jimmy Nelson was gone for the year. Your eyes told you that Bazooka was gone for most of the year. Your eyes told you that David Price was not right. Your eyes told you that Corey Knebel would miss three months of the season. Your eyes told you that Scott Alexander was injured all year. Your eyes told you that the Catman would miss a large portion of the year. Your eyes told you that Clayton Kershaw was out most of the year and that Trevor Bauer would not return. That also impacted the bullpen.
But I don’t always trust my “Lyin Eyes.” Frequently, I have to trust my vision… and the vision of Andrew Friedman. Alex Vesia, Justin Bruihl, Mitch White, Garrett Cleavinger, then later Phil Bickford, and Joe Kelly intrigued me. I knew Treinen was solid and felt Kenley’s issues were “mechanical.” I said that the Bullpen you were seeing at the time would not be the bullpen you see at the end of the season.
However, the bullpen was not nearly as bad as implied. The Dodger finished just a few points behind the Giants for the best bullpen ERA in baseball, in spite of not being very good all year. They were better than most of you thought. You see, contrary to what many of you thought, Andrew Friedman does know how to build a championship bullpen. What he knows is that you generally cannot “buy” a championship bullpen. He doesn’t go for the “flavor of the week” guy because he knows that next week that guy might be chopped liver.
- Andrew Friedman got rid of Adam Kolarek who ended up being a trainreck, for Gus Varland (future reliever) and Sheldon Noisy.
- Andrew Friedman traded Dylan Floro for Alex Vesia and should be charged with theft.
- Andrew got Garrett Cleavinger in a three-way deal (he is a future high-leverage reliever).
- Andrew knew that Joe Kelly would likely recover from shoulder surgery.
- Andrew knew that Kenley Jansen’s issues were mechanical.
- Andrew trusted White, Bruihl, Jackson, and other young arms.
- Andrew saw something in Phil Bickford whom he acquired on waivers.
- Andrew was not afraid to pickup Sherfy, Phillips, Vasquez and others on waivers.
- Andrew brought the Bazooka along slowly.
Andrew Friedman built a bullpen that is full of very live, but very different arms. OK, I’ll give it to Patch, if the detractors of the Dodgers bullpen are not IDIOTS, then that must make me A GENIUS? 😉 You can’t have it both ways!
Still shaking my head in disbelief that we are 2 games down in this series.
I’m not sure why you are in disbelief. Atlanta batters and pitchers are just as good as ours, plus they were playing home.
I think we have a slight advantage in SP; they have a slight advantage in hitting. You have to tip your hate to the Braves for being there without arguable the BEST PLAYER IN THE BIGS- Acuna. And even Ozuna is a very good player. We don’t have Muncy.
Exactly , they are without two of their best hitters , Acuna you can make case for a top 3 player in all of baseball.
Dodgers had their chances in both games but did not come threw with enough plays in the field or at the plate.
Plenty of chances to win, especially yesterday.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, at least the Atlanta fans went home happy. I could hear them shouting outside my window.
Those kids, Rosario and Albies, are pretty exciting to watch, especially the latter. I’d take him over Trea Turner any day of the week. One is a money player; the other is not. Can you guess which one is which? I wonder when he (Albies) becomes a FA? If he becomes a FA the same time Trea becomes a FA, give him your money and say goodbye to Trea.
WE NEED MORE OCTOBER PLAYERS after we let Kike and Joc go.
For the record, I was horrified seeing Urias come in to pitch knowing he is pitching game 4 and we had Graterol and Bickford to pitch the 8th and Jansen the 9th…..but I won’t jump on Doc for the move. But the tired arms of the Dodgers big three seems to not be affecting the Braves big three as much. Our lack of a 4th we can trust may be the main reason we lose…always having to pitch the big 3 in other games they are not starting in. Don’t forget, this year we had to play 162, not 60. HUGE DIFFERENCE!
Oh well, it’s much easier to speculate why things are the way they are. At least if we lose, we lose to my second favorite home team. I love the positive energy moving about here from the media and fans. This would help me get over the disappointment much easier.
TM
4 for 31, 10 K’, 3 by TTurner, 2 by Pollock, 1 for 10 WRISP. We don’t hit we don’t win.
Urias was a mistake. The bullpen has come through time and again, stick with them.
Seager ole’d a ground ball that would have extended the game. No guarantees we would have won it, but no excuse for not knocking down that ball.
We need to hit.
This team looks tired, but, we win two at home we will be fine.
I agree with everything you said except the last comment- if we win 2 we are fine.
I don’t share your confidence that LA could come back to Atlanta and win one game, let alone two. Don’t forget, the arms are tired. I’m not so sure the arms will be revitalized that quickly.
Before this series began, I asked if anyone else besides me is concerned about Tera’s lack of hitting, ESPECIALLY LACK OF CLUTCH HITTING. Of course, Mr Polly-Anna, Bulldogs and Penguins, didn’t even want to address the topic and chose to play ostrich and bury his head as he often likes to do. Well….if we lose this series and you look at why we lost, the one glaring reason may be- our #3 hitter is not doing anything while poor Mookie is running around the bases hoping to be touch home plate.
TM
You’re calling me out? After you wanted to trade Bellinger for Trea, then complain about Trea like you did Belli, you’re gonna call me out? You act like an emotional little girl and you call me an ostrich? I post up every day. Why don’t you let me finish my coffee first? It’s 5:49 right now.
And specifically, what topic are you referring to? Trea Turner not hitting? It’s hard to tell since you complain about something different every day.
Yeah, Trea Turner choking in the clutch with RISP. That has been a concern all playoffs. So when I brought it up after the SF series, you shouted me down, telling me to not be concerned, we don’t need to discuss this, and for me just to root for him and the team.
So, is this a good time we can discuss this now, or do you still prefer to bury your head and pretend it doesn’t exist? Especially after last night in which he went 0-5 with 3 Ks and left many men on base….again.
I will add my thought here…..if TT continues this swoon, we better make sure we resign Seager. We can’t afford to lose another Mr October player (Joc and Kike).
Bring it BP…..I’m all ears, Paisan.
Tm
Well, aren’t you fair weathered? Your trade suggestion was to trade both Seager and Belli for Trea. Both of them are hitting better than Trea this postseason, but Trea largely got us here.
No, now is not the time to complain about Trea, the reason is that you can’t do anything about it. He hit one to the wall last night, you have to ride it out and hope he snaps out of it. What are you gonna do, bench the MLB batting champ?
Not a lot of guys are guys are producing at the plate right now. But, you know what? The same can be said about the boys on the other team. That’s when happens when the 4 best pitching staffs in the NL all played against each other last week. Now, we lost two games by one run each, both as the visiting team. That isn’t out of the realm of possibility when you’re playing against great pitching and home field advantage is called an advantage for a reason. It is what it is and no amount of bitching, complaining, crying or whining is going to help.
There you go….now we are having meaningful dialog.
So, what can we do with TT…..fair question to ponder and discuss.
Clearly he’s struggling.
I suppose we can wait it out and hope he gets his mo jo back soon, or maybe we can be a bit more proactive.
Trea is 1-9 career against game 3 starter, Charlie Morton. Batting .111, with 5 Ks.
This concerns me….over half the time he faces Charlie, he whiffs. Do you really want your #3 hitter, who is behind two productive guys, to derail a potentially big inning? I don’t. And by the looks of it, game 3 doesn’t look like this will be the game TT breaks out.
So what can we do? I suggest one of two things:
1. Bench him for Gavin Lux. Let Beaty***, CT, and Mookie play the OF
Or
2. Move him down in the lineup, like #8, in front of the pitcher.
*** please don’t play the other guy not doing well with RISP….AJ Pollock. He is
Worse than TT……0-11 against Mr Morton. Yikes! FYI, Beaty is 1-2 against Morton. I know, small sample size.
Bottom line:
Why not be proactive game 3? Benching TT and Pollock might actually help their confidence and let them relax a bit from the pressures of playoff baseball.
This is another example of how you don’t think things through. Why have Beaty in the outfield with CT3 and Mookie? It implies having Bellinger at 1B with Beaty in LF. That has never happened for obvious reasons.
Sorry, but I’m sticking to regulars. I’m not making decisions based on small sample sizes especially in the playoffs. In fact, we saw the result of doing this sort of thing with Albert playing over Cody in Game 1. The only platoon I would consider at this point is Lux, because he’s very young and hasn’t ever shown he can hit lefties.
Trea is a star player. I’m not moving him down to 8th either. It would be different if others were stepping up. I can see putting Lux in the 2 hole, but I don’t want to put extra pressure on him.
We just knocked off the team with the best record in a 5 game series. I trust our guys to come out of it with some home cooking. I stand by my original assessment. I’m not concerned.
Spoiler: we’re all idiots
Wisest post of the thread.
Well, Dodgers should have won that game 2 but did not come threw in the field or at the plate.
Tough to win when Max and Julio both not having their stuff . I did not like when Doc brought in Julio, would have gone with Bruihl against the two leftys to start the 8th. Bruihl got two outs in game 1 and that was exactly the spot he was put on the roster for.
Still we could have limited the damage with better defense. Pollack and Souza with weak outfield throws. Rosario should have been out at 2b or at home . Especially that throw from Pollack was not MLB caliber. Weak and off the line too. That walk off hit was smashed, but a play that can be made.
But it all does not matter if we would have hit with RISP. Other than CT3 nobody was able to come threw in that situaiton.
Well, now we got them were we want them. Down 0-2. Lets turn the tables. Must win in Game 3. Will WB have his A game ? We certainly need it big time.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are tired. Fly balls to the warning track. In the past these fly balls were HRs. Too many bull pen games. Where is Gonsolin? Doc was not able to rest his players before the play offs. Both Beuhler and Urias have pitched more innings this year than before. Scherzer said his arm is dead. I think many of the pitchers arms are dead. I do not see the Dodgers coming back from this 0-2 deficit. I hope I am wrong. I am not blaming anyone. Last year was a short season. Actually, trying to win the West, maybe a fatal mistake. Those September games were played under a lot of stress.
Great post…..I think you nailed it. I can’t add onto perfection!
TM
We got a s— storm going here…
I’m sure Lion King will have more to share and Katy bar the door, because BP will start shooting out his daily Magna Cartas…
As I said, I did not like the Urias move, but players have to execute. He didn’t.
Can you imagine how fans would have been roasting Doc if he brought Bruihl in and he did the same as Julio?
The manager is always wrong after the fact.
As Badger says: “They hit – They win!”
Bruihl was put on the roster for exact that moment. Two LH hitters coming up to open the inning. He got his two batters faced out yesterday.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously, Doc doesn’t trust Bruihl as much as i do. The kid has shown me enough to give him the ball.
Game 1 made me confident Dodgers would have no problems winning the pennant. Now I’m not so certain as Mad Max says he just didn’t have his stuff. I sure hope that isn’t catchy to others in our rotation. I do expect Dodgers to win all 3 home games and that TT isn’t an overpaid Dee Gordon in this post season. His speed ain’t worth so much if he’s unable to utilize it on the base paths. But it is awesome when he can. I guess that that’s true with all contributing talents. It sure ain’t cool knowing our team is the most talented when their talent goes unsung. And it won’t take that much more effort. It’s an attitude thing so rally now and get er done!
The sky is falling. It’s all doom and gloom. Nobody on this this team is any good if you look at the collective comments over the year. Forget that just about every starter has been an all star. We have multiple Cy Young winners, both in the past and in the current hunt. Multiple MVPs as well. We had the best bullpen in the league in the second half of the year, the half that immediately precedes the postseason.
Sorry, but I don’t buy all the doom and gloom and constant complaining. We lost two one run games against another post season team, by definition a very good team, in their yard. Yes, it will be a hard road ahead, but it isn’t impossible to get past an 0-2 hole in a best of 7 and I’m sure Bear or AC will be able to dig up the stats to show how it’s been done before. This is baseball.
As I’ve said before, I usually won’t comment much during the game or after. I wait for a new post the next morning to post a comment. This morning I woke up tired like a truck ran over my head. I don’t know if it was the mix of various strains I was hitting, or if the change in the weather is giving me a touch of hay fever. I digress.
TM, you are a whiny little B. You call me a Polly-Ann because I have the sense to support a 106 win team all season? Well you’re chicken little. You complain constantly about All-Star caliber players because of a bad streak and switch your support from one player to another based on their performance in a game or two. Both of these games were winnable. Mistakes cost us both times. We play clean baseball and we are at least 1-1 right now. I don’t freak out when someone slumps because this is baseball and that’s what baseball players do. Freddie Freeman is one of the best hitters in this generation of players and he K’d 6 times in a row before that merciful 8th inning oppo fly out last night. I think he’s 0’fer the series. I sure hope that continues, but I don’t think it will. Just like I don’t think the NL batting champ will continue to slump. I saw Trea’s deep fly to the wall last night and realize that a couple of more feet, it’s a homer. I realize the difference between that being an out and going over the fence is about 1/4 inch on the bat.
I was pretty disgusted with Doc’s moves last night, but I don’t want to comment on Doc. I’m sick of the irrational defence of some of his moves. The difference in the game came down to having Souza in RF instead of Betts and the throw to the plate where Rosaria scored by an inch or so. Betts throws him out, Souza almost threw him out. That’s how close this game was. If Doc kept Turner in the game after his pinch hit, Betts would have been in RF.
But, the thing that made me most livid was pulling Scherzer so early. We had to go to the pen early and often as a result. But, it turns out that Max is burned out. That’s not on Doc. He did what he had to do. Urias came in and wasn’t his dominant self. Again, not on Doc. Urias has been money in the past, there’s no explanation for this. It is what it is. Kenly finally faltered. I don’t trust Kenley after his July meltdown, but he’s been lights out since. So, can I blame anyone for him finally faltering? Logic says no, but emotionally little Karens might say yes.
I maintain that you have to win the low scoring games sometimes. We lost two in a row. Both one run games. Sometimes that’s just bad luck (Trea Turner missed going yard by the smallest of margins, Souza’s throw just a tad late). But, this also happens when none of your hitters are hot. Somebody needs to step up otherwise it’s going to end at the NLCS. That is obvious.
Back at home starting tomorrow. No crazy weather on the schedule. Need some home cooking and a home sweep. Let’s not go down 3-1 again.
There you go TM, happy?
“ TM, you are a whiny little B. You call me a Polly-Ann because I have the sense to support a 106 win team all season? Well you’re chicken little. You complain constantly about All-Star caliber players ….”
I’m not sure “whiny” is the best adjective you should use to describe me BP. Generally, whiny people have high pitched, shrill voices. My wife tells me I have a very deep sexy voice that demands one’s attention. Secondly, I don’t really think I’m complaining….I think what I usually do is bring up concerns or suggestions to improve our team.
When I first came here advocating for us to trade Belli, that is not complaining. That is me seeing a chance for our team to improve by trading a former MVP to strengthen outer team in other areas. Not complaining.
When I noticed TT was not delivering a clutch hit in the STL and SF series, that is not complaining either. That is me assessing the facts as I see them and wanting to address them on this forum to see what other people are thinking. Also not complaining.
As for the “little bitch” part….well, I am short at 5’7”…so I will give you that….but not being a female, I think you used the wrong “b” word.
TM
DOGFIGHT! Would someone please grab a hose?
cheers
pb+
I never called you a bitch, you assumed that’s what I meant. Freudian slip? Shoe fits I guess. Buffoon or baboon is just as appropriate. Your deep-sexy voice doesn’t shine through you’re whiny, complaining and negative writing style.
Your suggestions to trade Cody and Corey for Trea would have wrecked the team. So, there no need to share your knee jerk reactions as much as you do.
When you noticed TT was not delivering in the clutch is called small sample size and was against some great pitching. It’s also too late to do anything about it since the trade deadline is in our rear view mirror and the offseason doesn’t really start until the Winter Meetings in December. Things even out, you’ll learn this if you actually watched baseball instead of going to bed on the east coast when the game starts and trying to decipher the box score the next day.
Okay, so you’re admittingly little, but you can’t be a bitch because you’re the wrong gender. I must say, you’re probably the wrong species as well if you’re typing on a keyboard. So, I guess little buffoon fits the best. Go with that!
Thanks for the laughs….you entertain me if nothing else.
The TV announcer advised the listening audience, as the tv coverage was coming out of a commercial, that Souza was now playing right field and he said he had a strong arm.
Why did his “strong arm” relay throw take 2 bounces to get to Will ?
Little Mookie’s arm would have reached Will on the fly and Souza out weighs him by 50 lbs………he needs more protein in his diet.
Really TM. It’s not even 6am here on the left coast and you felt it necessary to call out B & P for a non response. Even though he posts here each day, I’m sure he has other things to do besides responding to your posts. You criticize for posting and for not posting at your convenience. I’ve had issues with him in the past, but all is good in the end.
I know where he is coming from and he does well with me. Obviously, he can and has defended himself. Make your comments and move on. Just sayin’.
With last night’s game it was another offensive failure and a total team loss. I get removing Scherzer. If he says he’s done then he’s done. The guy is a warrior. But, for the life of me I don’t get the Urias move. I’m sure this was decided by the front office before the game started. They probably knew Scherzer wasn’t going to go far into the game and Urias was going to be used in relief come hell or high water. Even though it’s mentioned over and over again that Urias has never pitched anywhere near the amount of innings he has this year and that he has to be exhausted. So, to accommodate that line of thinking they have him relieve for the first time this year. He doesn’t get his normal starter time in the bullpen to warmup. He’s put into a tight game and fails. Our BP has for the most part been very effective the last few weeks of the season and has carried that on into the playoffs. So, why does the front office and Roberts feel the need to screw around and try to outsmart everyone? The relievers were effective in the first game (except Trenien) and none were stressed out. All were capable of pitching in game 2. The BP has been outstanding. There were still effective options available. But no, let’s bring in a starter that hasn’t pitched in relief all year. I don’t get it. Just like I don’t get using an opener. Like Scherzer commented that starters are built up a certain way to be successful and same with relievers. Trying to change that after a long season with apparently tired pitchers (Urias) doesn’t make sense. This was the second game of the series, not the seventh. How will this decision by the front office going to effective Urias’s next start? It might be a turning point in the series. We’ll see.
Carry on.
Really TM. It’s not even 6am here on the left coast and you felt it necessary to call out B & P for a non response. E
HeyTed, I think you misunderstood what has transpired between BP and myself. I mean, it’s nice that you came to his aid, that is a commendable trait……but you really don’t have your facts lined up. But even though my dialog with BP had nothing to do with you, I will enlighten you just so you can better see the light.
Just after the SF series I started a topic….”Anyone else besides me concerned about TT’s lack of hitting, especially clutch hitting with RISP?”
BP slammed the door in my face, told me I had no business to question this, and just like my concerns I’ve expressed for Bellinger, I’m not to question, but just root for our players (paraphrase). That is what I meant when I said he was an ostrich- didn’t want to address the issue- TT’s lack of clutch hitting- and rather preferred to sweep this under that mat.
I’m not surprised BP took that stance because that was his MO regarding Bellinger, whenever I brought up my concerns over him.
So, I think you misunderstood my post a wee bit. But don’t worry, I understand that can happen. And Like you, I too like BP. I enjoy reading his posts even when I don’t agree.
TM
Noted.
Dude, all year you’re concerned about this player or that player, each time they prove you wrong. When are you going to learn to stop being so worried? Am I concerned that Trea Turner is going to suck all season after he won a batting title and won a World Series with another team? No, not at all!
What I am concerned about is the negative outlook so many people have.
The time to be concerned is during the offseason, pre-season and before the trade deadline when you have a chance to do something about it.
Let me give you some advice. Enjoy the ride.
This is slamming the door in your face? No name calling, so you’re response this morning was completely out of line. I simply told you to stop worrying so much and to change your negative outlook. If you weren’t such a negative person, you would realize it as positive criticism and not a personal insult. Lighten up.
If you complain about every single player, you’re bound to be right at some point. You’re basically a broken clock or a blind squirrel. Go for a walk, get some sun, back off the caffeine. It sucks to lose. Don’t let it consume you.
The problem as I see our dialog is this….you basically want everyone to be like you and if we are not like you you find fault with us and try to correct us to be more like you.
I’m not trying to hurt your feelings BP, but I really don’t want to be you. I’m very happy to be me and I am actually a very positive person in life, but when it comes to sports, I analyze and like to bounce my thoughts on other open minded people.
Did you see my post suggesting maybe Doc bench TT tomorrow? That is a legitimate suggestion based on solid facts. Yet you see this s being too negative to suggest we should best the NL batter champ.
Why can’t any fan share his or her thoughts without being told it’s too negative? In fact, if it bothers you that much, why even bother to read my posts, or posts from guys you think are too negative? Ever since i suggested we should consider to trade Bellinger, you have been hounding me with your “too negative diatribe” that really gets old. You shouldn’t put yourself through that kind of agita….avoidance might be better for you. Just a thought.
TM
So, you start the name calling and then you try to deflect like I’m the bad guy? Not so fast. Everyone on this site comments on what they agree with and what they don’t.
You say I shouldn’t comment on your posts? Well, as I recall, you summoned me to comment on your post, now didn’t you?
That’s a pretty feeble attempt to rewrite history and try to act like a victim. You and a couple others on this site think you’re clever in doing so, but in reality you’re not very good at it.
If you don’t want to be called out as being negative, why don’t you start your day with something positive to say just to change it up a bit. You might get better results. And if you think my “too negative diatribe” gets old, try reading your posts. They all read like “This guys sucks, let’s bench him”. Try something new.
If the Dodgers don’t mount a comeback who is the “sacrificial lamb” for the offensive woes? Is RVS jettisoned off the coaching staff? Is Brant Brown let go? Every team adjusts their staff from year-to-year and I can see Doc and AF “tweaking” the hitting department to improve hitting w/ RISP and to get Pollock to hit an off speed pitch in the post season, because it’s painfully obvious he needs a “heart transplant” come October.
When Pollock was on his hot streak, pretty much all of the second half, he attributed it to laying off the slider. Now he swings at it every time. It’s like me at the buffet line. I know I shouldn’t go back for seconds, but I just can’t resist.
TT and Pollock are killing us in this postseason. Plus JT not being his self .
No other way to talk it down. And that is exactly where the loss of Kike and Joc come into play. No alternatives on the bench for a slumping Pollack or an injured JT.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sousa and Beaty. (Big grin)
Pollock and sliders, especially from righties is like Belli has been most of the year w/high fb’s. YIKES!
The loss of Kike and Joc was huge. It weakened not only our bench decidedly but both are and were always clutch in the postseason. Going 2-18 in both games combined with RISP speaks volumes.
Anybody think we would be down 2-0 with Kike and Joc instead of Souza and whoever ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cue up Tony Bennett. I’m concerned the team may have left its heart in San Francisco after winning such a stressful, emotional series. Can’t really blame them.
Agree……hey, I will say something that will probably get plenty of rocks thrown at me…..if we lose to Atl, I will still walk away satisfied enough we beat SF. Yes, that all year struggle made beating them the World Series for me.
I’m sure it’s tough for our boys to get cranked up again immediately after that series.
From The Athletic:
Major League Baseball’s plans to test out various ideas for speeding up games in the Arizona Fall League this year have been, through a week of games, a complete flop.
The Saturday night game at Salt River Fields, the spring home of the Diamondbacks and Rockies, exemplifies the entire problem. The game used the automated strike zone, a variable pitch clock and a ban on shifts. The result was a game that was called after seven and a half innings over three excruciating hours because the teams ran out of pitchers. Why did they run out of pitchers in just seven and a half innings, you ask? Because the pitchers they did use walked 22 guys.
YIKES!
Maybe the reason was until this game they’ve never had to throw strikes.
It just occurred to me – do you think it’s possible they purposely set it up to fail?
Or, is it possible in the minors that the umps have a more forgiving zone? So that when they pitch to what THEY THINK are the edges, they are really just throwing balls?
From Keith Law:
• Bobby Miller, the Dodgers’ first-round pick in 2020, was absolutely electric in his start Friday, working at 95-98 with a plus slider at 84-89 and two more above-average pitches in his curveball and changeup. That’s a quantum leap from where he was 16 months ago, when he was a two-pitch guy, and his delivery is cleaner as well. Hold your surprise, but it looks like the Dodgers have found another potential top-of-the-rotation starter prospect. (Oh, and there was a lot of chatter among scouts this week that their fourth-rounder from this year, Nick Nastrini, and their sixth-rounder, Emmet Sheehan, both pitched like they should have gone in the first round after signing.)
• The Dodgers’ second-round pick in 2020, Landon Knack, was notable as a hard-throwing senior with exceptional control, walking just one batter in 25 innings (91 batters faced) before the world ended that spring. He carried that over into 2021, walking 8 batters in 62 1/3 innings (246 batters faced) between High A and Double A. Pitching behind Miller on Thursday, Knack was 93-96, with an inconsistent slider at 86-87 and a changeup he’s willing to throw inside to right-handers. Both Knack and Miller had two stints on the injured list this year, but whereas Miller has the four-pitch mix to start, I didn’t see that from Knack.
Bobby Miller has a chance to be the Dodgers 5th starter in 2022 if he has a good spring training.
Kid has exceptional stuff.
Max, Julio, Walker, Clayton or TG or an inning eating free agent, Bobby Miller.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I’m so impressed with the state of the farm system considering where we draft and who we trade away. We’re going to be somewhere between top 10 and top 5 when the season begins next year.
I see what you did, but don’t agree with it.
The Athletic sheds some light on why Urias was called on to pitch yesterday:
In the beer and champagne-filled aftermath of a successful pitching gambit in San Francisco, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman approached Urías. The Dodgers have considered him to perhaps be their most versatile arm. He’d fired four effective innings in relief to save the Dodgers in the same breakout season in which he’d won 20 games.
“Julio can handle anything that’s thrown at him,” Friedman remarked at Oracle Park. “He is unfazed by whatever it is, whenever.”
He was eager for more.
“I got you,” Urías told Friedman then. “Whatever you need, whatever you want, I got you.”
Well, he didn’t!
Key play in Julios inning was the futile attempt by Pollack to throw out Rosario at 2b when he tagged up on that Freeman fly out.
That is a throw a big leaguer has to make. Braves tried everything to hand the Dodgers an out right there.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, I was going to mention that throw. I’ve seen better more accurate arms on softball diamonds all over the West.
I still think this team can get even at home.
The Souza throw was worse. On two hops from 120 feet.
My goodness. So much anger.
Deep breath everyone. Look, I really hate bullpen games and I’m not a fan of the Julio Urias move. Just a sense. But I actually turned off the TV, a sense of impending doom, not sure why. Checked later, they lost. Bill Plaschke wrote a column in the LA Times this morning blaming the move with the Dodgers losing. I have to agree.
Even with game five in Frisco, I thought maybe the Dodgers should have gone back to Kenley Jansen, passed on the pinch hitter, play the long game, keep Max Scherzer fresh. There is a cost for using starters as relievers, unless it’s game seven of the World Series, and the Dodgers are already short a starter. Max was fatigued, no surprise really. They could have started Walker Buehler on regular rest.
Hey everything is a gamble, decisions either work or they don’t.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Dodgers run the table in Los Angeles and head back to Atlanta up a game. But the rotation seems to be somewhat of a mess. Will that impact them in LA? Well, Buehler is fresh.
But again, taking a hard look at the game. Dodgers had plenty of runners, not much clutch hitting. AJ Pollock is chasing off speed breaking stuff again, something he cleaned up in the summer. Without Max Muncy, they need Pollock to step up.
Okay, the Braves are a good team, but they are not a great team. Remember more games are lost than won. The Dodgers are blowing opportunities. Again, way too many strikeouts in key situations, base running blunders.
I thought we would win in 2017, but we didn’t, cheating and all. That was a really good team. Thought we would win last year and we did, even after we fell behind the Braves, three games to one.
All year long there has just been a nagging feeling about this team. Hope I’m wrong, but it’s still there. I know, the Dodgers have won more games than any other team in baseball. But, for whatever reason, LA is not head and shoulders above other teams. Maybe, it’s the injuries, no question it has hurt, but there is just something … Perhaps it’s not having Clayton Kershaw leading the charge. Or a lack of depth, missing players like Kiki and Joc. Hey, I get it, you can’t keep everyone. But somehow the replacements haven’t been very good.
Well there is Cody Bellinger, looking much better and I’m guessing headed for a big 2022.
The next three games at Dodger Stadium will tell the tale. So sit back and enjoy the ride and hope that nagging feeling goes away.
Everyone needs to practice civility. It’s really what’s wrong in the country today.
You turned off the tv and you’re telling us to take a deep breath?
For the record, I’m not angry about it, I’m disappointed.
To the text of your post, this is and has been an all or nothing team for years now. That’s the reason for my steroided up squirrel avatar that I’ve used for a while. When it’s working we clobber teams. When it doesn’t work it looks a lot like what it has looked like in Atlanta. 2 for 18 WRISP, 17 Ks, 2 home runs yielding 3 runs. It also has given us base running gaffs and suspect defense.
We had it set up for a win yesterday. Roberts, for reasons only known to him, decided to try something different. Treinen only threw 7 the day before, Jansen 8. Bruihl threw 15, From my perspective there was no need to use Urias in that situation. The bullpen was ready. Again, I’m not angry. I’m disappointed.
Me too. Not angry but Very disappointed. So many chances to win at least one of those 2 in ATL.
In yesterdays game either a key hit here or there, a better defense play (Souza and Pollack with their lame throws) wins you the game. The pitching was good enough even with the strange move by DR to go to JU in the 8th.
The Dodgers have lost a lot of quality on their bench from last season and it never got more obvious then the last two games in ATL. I get the house the Dodgers win one, maybe both games with Kike and Joc on our roster.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pollock and Sousa throw like women! There….i said it.
I couldn’t believe how slow Sousa’s throw took to get home.
Even my wife, who never played softball, commented on so many outfield throws being off target. I told her those guys are there for one reason and one reason only – they can hit. Most of them are taught to get the ball to the cutoff man as quickly as possible. When there is no cutoff man, like last night’s throw to second, well, that’s what you get. The one throw that was on target, the fourth run scored I believe , first went right under Smith’s glove, then the slide took Smith’s glove off. Yoiks. We suck a begonia defensively. We hit – we win. We don’t hit …. pitching needs to hold them to under 2 runs.
Of course I turned the TV off. I knew how it was going to end. Funny, but when they announced Urias, I knew it was over. Hit me like a truck. For all the reasons, Plaschke suggested. Another bottom of the ninth Braves walk off was setting up (just like the night before) and the Dodgers had a two run lead at the time.
I just muttered, are you kidding me and punched the button? It was easy. No regrets, there is always tomorrow until there isn’t. I wouldn’t have made that decision. But then Roberts and Friedman didn’t call and ask what I thought. I know, go figure. Too funny. Did the same thing back in July with Jansen’s second blown save against the Giants. Same overwhelming sense of the inevitable. Uttered the same words, punched the button.
My reference to anger had nothing to do with anything you wrote Badger. Until Tuesday.
There have been a few decisions that Roberts/Friedman have made that I would have made differently but we only know how their’s turned out.
1. I would be more stingy with the number of players used in case a game actually lasts longer than 9 innings.
2. I did not want Scherzer closing or relieving because I wanted him as strong as possible this late in the year for his scheduled starts.
3. I would not have used Urias in relief so that he too would be as strong as he could be in his scheduled start.
4. I would have left Graterol in the game instead of pulling him for Jansen.
The odds have dropped of the Dodgers getting to the WS but not so much that we all can have a lot of hope.
So, even after going with a bullpen game to give Max an extra day of rest he still had a dead arm? Uh oh! That’s not good. Urias has pitched more than he ever has this year. Buhtane is now fumes.
I think that division race with the Giants hurt the Dodgers normal plans. There was an obligation to try to win the division – for good reason – but the Giants kept on winning. In past years Dodger pitchers wouldn’t suddenly come down with mystery ailments that would land them on the injured list. Somehow they would miraculously recover after missing a start and come back with fresh arms. It was a good way to manage the workload to keep pitchers from wearing out, but it also depended on the Dodgers being ahead in their division by 10 games like they normally are so they can coast.
As a fan I’m never happy. As a fan I’m an idiot and don’t know the decision making that goes into running the entirety of a baseball team. Do I think the front office and Dave try to overthink their strategy beforehand and get too cute? I’d say so. I think, overall, Roberts is a good manager and a good fit for the organization and how they approach the game and what they are trying to do, and he does get buy in from the players. That’s important.
He does make dumb decisions, in part because the organization tries to be too cute. They have … The Script. The Script is gospel. The Script is to be followed no matter what.
Billy Martin would toss The Script into the trash. Dave Roberts is no Billy Martin. I was watching a YouTube documentary on Billy. We will never see another Billy Martin. He was an alcoholic and emotionally volatile. He fought with the owner. He fought with the players. He fought with random people in bars. If he were a manager today and some front office dweeb handed him some sabre printout of some geek strategy he’d probably punch him in the mouth and throw him out of the clubhouse.
Billy Martin was also very smart and a keen observer of, not only the game, but of people. He had an intuitive feeling for a game in progress that was guided by years and years of paying attention. He could see the subtleties, he could understand the body language of a player and use that to his advantage. Tony La Russa described this in detail.
https://youtu.be/qKaoQ8_rQEM?t=2730
Roberts is no Billy Martin. Roberts follows a plan – The Script. Although I think Roberts is generally a good manager for the system in which he manages, he doesn’t read a game all that well, IMO, and doesn’t change up The Script when the situation might call for it. AF treats baseball like it’s a hedge fund. He looks for market inefficiencies and it works … to a degree. It is based on probabilities. Baseball is also like poker. Understanding the probabilities is important to increase your odds, but you have to play your opponent – you play the person. Billy was a genius at that.
In 2-2 ballgames I think those little things make the difference. Maybe Billy Martin would see something he could exploit. Maybe he would yell at Pollock after his first at bat to stop swinging at sliders.
….not entirely convinced that Bellinger’s problems are because of a weak shoulder. I may be wrong, but having some weakness in a surgically repaired shoulder doesn’t mean you flat out miss center cut fastballs, or are consistently late or can’t catch up to high heat. A lot of baseball people here who know more than I have commented on his complex timing sequence. I mentioned this in Spring training, comparing his complicated swing to Trout’s clean yet powerful swing path. Bluto provided his characteristic snark about comparing anyone to Trout, but my point in making the comparison wasn’t the talent but the different technique and approach.
Dodgerpatch, this was brilliantly observed. Yes, the great managers or coaches have this ability to react quickly, see something which needs to be taken advantage of, change the early plan. That intuitive sense of when to put a pitcher in or take it out, may certainly involve some after-the-fact credit not always deserved. But some of the greats definitely have it.
The Pirates had a manager, Danny Murtaugh,who was not that articulate,and was fired once by the Pirates, I think, but he somehow managed to win two world titles there; and I remember him matching Earl Weaver in 1970, always seeming to make the right move, even if he used a pinch hitter whom you would not expect, but Murtaugh may have sensed, before computer analytics, that this batter might hit that pitcher’s best pitch.
It is a pleasure to watch a great manager or coach always be on top of things. Joe Torre may actually have had some of that, though Mariano Rivera was of course his ace in the hole, unhittable at the end of games. LaRussa maybe in his prime, or Leyland, though he seemed to tail off. I think Kapler and Cash may have it ,though they did not win the title this year, so we’ll see. I do not think Roberts has that intuitive brilliance that the great managers have had over the decades. All I know is that with the most highly ranked team in baseball in 2019 and 2021, he is going to likely not even get to the World Series in either of those years.
Patch, excellent thoughts on Bellinger. As conversations about Bellinger’s potential to get a long-term expensive contact after next season started in 2019, I was very clear about my concerns about him. I like the kid, his athleticism and gold glove D at 1st and center. But I don’t like his swing. It’s a young man’s swing that I predicted would never hold up with age and injuries. I think he’s been spiraling down since mid season 2019. I know his injuries haven’t helped but I’m with you on the shoulder particularly causing him to hit a buck sixty-five. There’s way more to it than that.
I like his new stance trying to reduce his extreme head movement, his flexed knees and his better bat position is a nice start, But that is just the start to simplifying his bat path and swing, long-term. I see a lot of work ahead, starting from the ground up. He can stand with his bat up his nose early and that’s all cosmetic, but he’s still moving into his launch position after the pitch has been released. Everything is late. And he has absolutely no trigger. That’s not all due to a repaired shoulder. It’s a product of a long, complicated swing that hasn’t aged well. And pitchers who pond the holes in his swing. Add a few years and a less supple back and you have a player that I wouldn’t touch with a long-term expensive contract. I said that 2 years ago.
The short powerful “Trout-stroke” is actually GOOD to compare to. Even IF no one can match him exactly. I think WSmith has a similar short powerful stroke.
cheers
pb+
Hey!
I’m trying to change my characteristics!
Or at least those associated with this fake name.
Everybody feels bad, and I don’t want to pound away at this, because what good does it do? But as the season draws to its end,, and we don’t know what will happen to the blog, I cannot just let this go. I am sure that the decision to use Urias was another of Roberts’ efforts to paint some kind of masterpiece, rather than just do the more conventional thing. He did it in 2019, putting in Kershaw to get an out, then leaving him him for another inning, then keeping him in after one home run, to give up two. He essentially did the same thing with Urias.
Urias had a great year, he was the star of last season’s championship series. But he is now a starter, not a relief pitcher. He, along with virtually every pitcher on Roberts’ overused staff, has a tired arm. Urias pitched well enough in Game 2 at SF. He then was used for Game 5, when they decided to use an opener, so he pitched four middle innings. Then somehow Roberts decides to use him three days later–with a 4-2 lead in the eighth! Why? Treinen has pitched two innings before, though not lately.. He pitched a perfect seventh, only nine pitches! So why not bring him out for the eighth, Jansen in the ninth? Or if you don’t want to do that, for some reason, why not Knebel, or another reliever? Why suddenly does Roberts decide to put Urias out there?
Oh, I’m sure it had something to do with matchups. But he put out someone who was tired. They said on the postgame show that he was throwing three mph slower than usual. But Roberts left him in. Hit, stolen base, hit, and he still is in there. Double to tie the game. He still leaves him in, because that was the plan, and Roberts rarely if ever deviates from his plan, he is very stubborn in that way.
Then for the ninth, game tied, he puts in Graterol. He does pretty well, two outs, man on second. Then he puts in Jansen, who does not often pitch well when he inherits runners. If he wanted to use Graterol in that spot, why not pitch him in the eighth? Why does Roberts suddenly put Urias in there? Yes, he thought of it in advance, blah. It was an effort at brilliance, which blew up. It wasn’t needed. It was something that virtually no other manager would do in that spot. Not only was it not necessary, as Treinen could have thrown more than his nine pitches, Roberts also made it very difficult for Urias to pitch much in Game 4. And what about the rest of the series?
Scherzer said he had a dead arm. Urias is clearly worn out. Buehler was overworked this season. Now, Kershaw’s loss was very unfortunate. Bauer’s, too,, though Scherzer replaced him. May, of course. Muncy lately. Of course, the Braves have been without one of the best players in baseball in Acuna. I actually could make the case that the only reason we finally won the title last year was that Roberts did not have enough time to wear out his pitchers. That would be unfair, but Roberts does always overuse his bullpen.
In my frustration last night, I was looking to see if there were any articles criticizing what I think was a terrible decision to use Urias. None yet, maybe there will not be any. Roberts basically escapes it from the general media, and the Dodgers media lavishes praise on him, as they never criticize any Dodger, which makes those TV postgame shows so dreary.. But there were several articles from 2019, about him “overmanaging.”
What does it matter, though? Roberts can be here for 20 more years, during which he probably will not win another title. But he is too full of his sense of his own managing brilliance, and he is remarkably stubborn. It is almost like he managed to lose a winning hand last night, by playing his cards in an unorthodox way. Almost every other manager would have used Treinen for one more inning, or maybe Knebel. That is not a stroke of brilliance, like a great painter or director might do, but we do not need that, though Roberts wants it.
As far as I am concerned, this decision not only lost the game, but the series, with a starting staff now completely worn out. If the Dodgers come back and win the title, I will write something giving Roberts credit, along with the players who did it. But I know what is going to happen: the local media is going to say, well, we had injuries, the Braves played great. It is also true that baseball is ludicrous, though greedy, in letting an 88-win team get a home field over a 106-win team. They have made the 162 game season almost a joke. But even so, Roberts is largely responsible for the loss last night, more than any of our players who made mistakes, as many did. To say, well, Urias could have pitched well, but he didn’t, is to give Roberts an excuse that any manager or coach would love to have. I could manage with that buffer. If they succeed, I am great; if they don;t, it is on them.
The Dodgers have had a great franchise for the last seven years, but will have one title, that in a shortened season. Do you think it it is just coincidence or bad luck, or, “well , there are a lot of good teams out there,” that has caused us to fall short over and over again? Roberts took out Hill too soon in the World Series of 2017 and 2018. He started Darvish twice in 2017, including Game 7, then left him in until the score was 4-0, and the game was over,and then he used Kershaw for four innings. He put in Kershaw and left him in too long in Game 5 in 2019. He unaccountably put in Urias for one inning last night, and somehow finally landed on the relief pitcher who didn’t have it, and left him in for the entire inning. He finally puts in the person he insists is his closer, when there are two outs in the ninth, and a runner on second.
Roberts, the person who apparently fancies himself as Matisse, or Stanley Kubrick, actually outmaneuvered himself last night, like a poker player who is on his way to winning money, but then tries to consummate some kind of brilliant bluff move, gaining applause from all, and ends up losing all his chips. And we Dodgers fans are stuck with it. And he’ll be back next year, doing the same thing in too many crucial games, though I seriously doubt that we will have the best team in baseball then. It’s only baseball, but it is quite depressing to contemplate. I would have hired Kapler seven years ago, for better or worse, but ownership wanted Roberts, though I think Friedman preferred Kapler. So far, Roberts is getting outmanaged by Snitker, who almost beat him last year, too.
With all due respect, This sounds like a very articulate, concise, inaccurate, and wholly subjective ranting of a lunatic!
Man… if you really think that and are not just pushing our buttons, you need some meds.
Clearly, Games One and Two were lost because the Dodgers were 2 for 19 with RISP. I get that you have something against Dave Roberts and will go to any length to “manufacture” imagined missteps by him.
This is beyond anything I can say. It is pathetic!
Chad Moriyama last night: “Roberts blows a game with a dumb____ decision.” More concise than mine, but I am more for the longer comment than the pithy remark.
Chad and I have been on opposite sides on just about everything because Chad is smarter than me and knows that people love negativity!
Just look at his audience of pre-teens. I mean… they have to be to say all the stupid stuff they say.
If you read Chad’s article you will see that it consists entirely of the missteps by the players, which he carefully glosses over to blame it all on Roberts.
That song and dance has grown beyond old.
I can’t stand Chad and very seldom go to that site of garbage douchebaggery. He and Dustin remind of soccer kids that couldn’t play ball because they didn’t have the nads to stay in the batter’s box.
Here you go William…
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2021-10-17/dodgers-dumb-decisions-loss-braves-julio-urias-mlb-nlcs-game-2
I don’t get into criticizing Roberts here because of the types of replies that you’re getting. Although I don’t agree with everything in the LA Times article either, I think this game Doc went back to “Over Managing”. It really cost him by having Souza in RF instead of Betts on the throw to the plate. I wonder if he even runs if Betts is out there.
I wonder what Doc’s record is when he has a double-switch vs when he doesn’t…
I would have preferred Max out there longer, but we got a real explanation for that move.
I didn’t like JT pinch hitting for Lux, he drew a walk and runs scored as a result of extending the inning.
I didn’t like that JT was good enough to pinch hit, but not good enough to play in the field. That probably cost them the game.
I didn’t like pulling Graterol, I thought it was unnecessary overmanaging and that also cost us ultimately.
I think most of the time Seager fields that ball even though it was absolutely crushed. I call things like that luck.
In the end, it was a group effort of chokiness, but Doc didn’t help the situation.
Bullpen games seem to work out quite well, it’s the games that follow where something usually goes wrong.
Close B&P, Turner got hit by the pitch.
BP, I ha d not seen that story when I wrote my post; they are rather similar, except for Plaschke’s short sentence style. It does seem really obvious that using Urias was a bad idea. Even worse was that after he is put in, he gives up two singles, and he still is out there, against a right-handed hitter. The older era managers would often take a reliever out f it looked like he did not have it that night, but Roberts left him in. You can make a mistake, and then try to correct it, but Roberts rarely does, as when he left Kershaw in to give up the second home run to the Nationals, or when Darvish gave up two in the first inning to the Astros in Game 7, and he left him in to give up two more n the third. There is a preconceived plan, and he sticks to it; maybe to do otherwise is an admission that he made a mistake?
That’s right Bear. Took it right off the bottom of the guard. As soon as you that, I remembered.
Wow William….you sure are patient in putting out your thoughts. Some may think you are too verbose but I see it as you just being detailed to support your position(s).
Now, do I agree with you on all your points? Not all…..but the one i do agree with, of course, much easier using hindsight, are the choices Doc made last night as to who to pitch out of the bullpen. I think I shared my thoughts on other prior posts, so no need to be redundant. Basically, I felt uneasy using Urias and like you said, why not use Bruihl or Bickford, or like you said, Trienen for two innings? Oh well, win some, lose some.
I won’t discuss Doc’s resume….not something I’m interested in talking about today.
TM
The Dodgers have had a great franchise for the last seven years, but will have one title, that in a shortened season. Do you think it it is just coincidence or bad luck, or…
Or good luck?
It’s really fucking hard to win a World Series title.
In a lot of ways I think the “covid season” was harder. Obviously not in the number of games, but just the whole rest of it. The no crowds, weird playing “home games” at another stadium, not to mention the injuries that did happen meant players missed huge percentages of the season just by going on a 10 day DL.
I pick good luck.
cheers
pb+
Very tough losses in Atlanta. Back to Back walkoff losses with lead off hits in the 9th inning on broken bat bloopers.
Atlanta is a very good team with quality pitching. It is unfortunate that the Dodgers offense has underperformed this postseason, but they still had great chances to win both games. The Dodgers need to put these games behind them, and focus on the opportunity to win the next game.
But as fans, we get to rehash some of the reasons for the losses, especially the Sunday game.
For me, it was a big mistake to bring in Julio in the 8th inning. Not only for this game, but for the whole series.
The Dodger bullpen had numerous options in the 8th and Julio was unnecessary. Treinen has been the best reliever all season and had only thrown 10 pitches in the 7th inning. Treinen handles left handlers well, and the two left handed bats in the 8th, Rosario and Freeman, hit LH and RH pitching. Plus Albies is a much better hitter RH.
If not Trienen, could have gone with Knebel, Jansen, Bickford, Graterol, or Bruihl. All good choices and capable of protecting a two run lead.
Another lost opportunity was JT not scoring on Taylor’s two RBI single. JT jogged to second base and was not running the whole way or would have scored easily. But Dodgers should have pinch run for him anyway, since he was injured and since he rivals Pujols as the slowest runner in baseball. Since they didn’t play JT on defense, no reason to not pinch run for him.
The defense let Dodgers down in the last two innings. Souza should have easily thrown out Rosario at home but threw a two hopper from 120 feet. Pollock made a terrible throw in LF and should have thrown out Rosario easily. Seager relay was not a good throw to get Albies. And in both cases, Will smith could have made better tags/catches.
And of course, the last play by Seager was difficult, but could have been made.
The Dodgers are still the better team, and can win this series if they start producing on offense. I still have confidence in the team to mount a comeback.
It pains me to see Sousa even on the roster. I’m not sure what strength he has. I’d prefer Peters over him by far. Not sure why we discarded Peters, yet not Sousa. Yeah, too bad Mookie wasn’t in RF. Out by a mile…..
Mookie in RF & they do not even try to go.
I can’t criticize Roberts this postseason. He’s been pushing all of the buttons.
As far as using Scherzer and Urias in relief, all teams have been doing this in the postseason for several seasons. Anyone remember how the Bosox used their starters out of the ‘pen in 2018?
After the NLDS ended, someone pointed out that in 6 postseason games to that point, the Dodgers’ top 5 pitchers (Buehler Scherzer Urias Jansen & Treinen) had pitched 44 out of 55 innings. That’s what you want.
The Dodgers have been inconsistent on offense all season. They win blowouts and are about .500 in close games because of this. The offense had lots of opportunities to score in both games against the Braves and just didn’t get it done.
In particular, Trea Turner and AJ Pollock seem to be chasing out of the zone, especially sliders low and away.
The Dodgers are still the better team but they have to execute.
Exactly. Very good point!
Andy McCullough summed up the crux of the problem in the Athletic:
But here’s a question: Would Urías have been needed in this game if the lineup managed more than one hit in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position? Would the team feel the sudden approach of the offseason if the hitters hadn’t gone 1-for-8 in Game 1? At least on Saturday, Braves starter Max Fried looked solid for six innings. The Dodgers managed to chase Game 2 starter Ian Anderson after three frames, then proceeded to blunder through a series of fruitless at-bats against middle relievers.
There would have been less need to burn Urías if Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor hadn’t let Anderson escape the third with two runners aboard. Or if Trea Turner hadn’t gone hitless in his five at-bats, including three with men on base. Or if AJ Pollock and Matt Beaty hadn’t whiffed to end the sixth. The Dodgers put on a clinic in offensive inefficiency. The lineup continues to stumble with Max Muncy on the shelf.
Beaty did not hit Mark in last nights game. He was announced, but Pujols hit for him.
Very true except Urias wasn’t NEEDED. Both can be true.
And now Trea says he needs to be more aggressive. Great.
what? is he going to swing at MORE down and away sliders?
Must be getting advice from Pollock.
Truth be told, it seems like everyone is pitching the Dodgers aggressively because of their tendency to work counts. Need to change it up and go on attack mode.
I am not going to bash any player or the manager this morning. What happened last night was baseball. It never really turns out like you think it will. On paper, the Dodgers are a far superior team to Atlanta, and the Braves are missing two of their best players. But do not forget, they are also playing without Soler, who after the trade became one of their best clutch players. Pederson was not starting because of his presence. Joc was coming off of the bench. The Dodgers are missing some pieces too, and the pieces they are missing, Kershaw, Muncy, Bauer, May, are all difference makers. If Kersh were healthy, he would be ready for game 5 if needed. Now, they need Buehler and Urias to be damn near perfect unless the offense gets off of it’s collective ass and starts generating some runs. Guys who made solid contributions, Pollock, the Turner boys, Seager, who although he homered last night, has not really been the same guy he was the last month of the season. Betts, Smith, and Bellinger, are the only players right now who have been somewhat consistent in the 8 games played in the post season so far. Taylor has had some big hits. But most of the team has not been clutch at all and the season long problem of leaving too many men on base, and losing one run decisions has remained. They lost a one run game to the Giants, 1-0 because of lack of offense and a killer wind, and now two consecutive one run losses in the 9th to the Braves. Lack of clutch and situational hitting. They keep swinging at worm killers and balls off of the plate. I have seen Trea with 3 ball counts swing more than a few times at ball four. And they take pitches right down central. Frustrating beyond words. Now, it is one game at a time territory. Win today, then win again tomorrow. They are more than capable of beating the Braves in LA and Atlanta over the next 4 games. But they are going to have to play near perfect baseball to get that done. No boneheaded base running. Working the count and getting the starters out of there after inflicting damage. And when you have a team on the ropes, do not take your foot off of the pedal.
So Doc’s management of the pitching staff has been lauded as genius as he has pieced together playoff wins with only 3 starters using a reliable bullpen. The last 2 games it didn’t work and now he’s an idiot again.
It’s certainly a new and different game these days, then the one I grew up with. The fact that 15 pitchers were used in a 9 inning playoff game with no “opener” is remarkable. No more aces locked into a pitching duel deep into the game. I’m not sure I like the new game but it doesn’t matter what I like. That’s how it’s done these days and Doc and the Wizard Behind the Curtain have been very successful at it.
Execution has been the difference. There hasn’t been much difference in the cast of characters except for the use of a starter in critical bullpen situations. As I’ve sat an mapped out the relievers, we have seemed to be an inning short. But I failed to factor in the used of a starter.
We all know the risk of using so many pitchers in a game is that a guy or 2 isn’t going to have it. The weak link in the chain becomes the undoing. But our bullpen has been awesome in consistency and execution. Well, everyone didn’t executed the last 2 games.
That and the absence of any timely hitting has put us in a deep hole.
I’m not that impressed with the Braves but they are finding a way. And we aren’t.
MLB is going to require teams to provide housing for all minor league players starting next season. Well, that will help the kids out financially for sure. Shildt is going to be interviewed by the Padres.
I saw that too Bear. It has yet to be decided how the teams will pay for housing at home. The Long A team where I am uses host families to house players and I guess the team picks up that tab (?). Will the players get a housing allowance? Anyway, it’s good thing.
I do know the Indians and the Rangers have built housing at their spring training sites to house young players throughout the year. They look like a Comfort Inn type facility with a dining. I expect the other teams at spring training sites to construct similar facilities. The Dodgers and White Sox certainly have the land available on the west side of CamelBack Ranch.
Back when the Giants trained out in Casa Grande, they had a hotel type building there for all of the players.
The hotel type buildings have always been in existence for spring training players. We stayed in an ole dump in Clearwater. A far cry from the new ones today. The Dodgers had summer league kids at a hotel in Westgate for along time but had behavior problems there and they couldn’t keep an eye out for behavior issues, proper eating etc. These new facilities are different than a hotel despite the architecture being similar looking like a Comfort Inn. This is a team facility with supervision, nutrition and housing for spring training, fall-ball, I assume, summer league, instructional league, rehab visits. It’s used year around for the guys without families or big league money, or for short stays. Much different and better that old team hotels. It’s a very good idea.
From Dodger Nation
With a base open and 1 out, Doc let Blake Treinen pitch to Austin Riley rather than giving him the intentional walk. Riley made them pay for that. But as Doc explained after the game, the matchups just didn’t play in their favor.
It was a thought. The way that Blake has dominated right-handed hitters, you’ve got Joc on deck. If he was going to get him out, I was thinking of walking Joc to get Duval. But I think in that spot right there, I didn’t like the matchup with Joc.
Yes, I still root for Joc and the Dodgers. Joc has loudly and silently been part of the first two wins. Home run off Scherzer to lift the team, throw to second to get Taylor, and backing the center fielder after he let Taylor’s blooper get past him to keep more runs from scoring. And now, we learn, Riley gets to knock in winning run because Joc was on deck.
Julio was pitching the 8th inning last night, not Treinen.
Dodger Nation is shiite
Last year Roberts was a genius for pitching Urias in relief because he executed and this year he’s an idiot because Urias didn’t! Give the kid a break. He had a bad inning. Move on! I guess it’s Roberts fault hitters can’t deliver. Players win and lose games a great majority of the time. Our hitters aren’t delivering and we’re losing games because of it. End of story!
… you can tailor the fact to any argument.
because Urias had thrown only 55 innings in 2020. He had not been considered overwork or tired. He had been effective in multiple inning outings. In 2021 he had no relief appearances. In 2021 he had thrown 185 regular season innings. He had thrown only 234 innings in his previous five seasons. He, along with Buehler and Scherzer are tired. Urias pitched last Thursday. With the way the BP has been performing I don’t think it was critical that Urias was needed to pitch. It was game two not game seven. I don’t blame Roberts but the front office. If the game was close late then they wanted him to pitch regardless of Urias’s season workload. I feel Roberts was executing what the front office wanted. Is this factual? AF knows. I feel it is the type of decision that the FO wouldn’t allow Roberts to make on his own.
I always thought the front office was the Dodger problem but I was proven wrong, they have spent more money than I ever thought they would and obtained some really really good players, but I was never wrong about Roberts. He still cannot construct a lineup and he still has no idea of when to make pitching changes.
And Roberts probably does neither. A front office and maybe a coaching staff collaboration.
Circular reasoning example…
A pirate walks into the bar with a big boat wheel hanging from a chain down to his waist. The bartender asks why are you carrying around that boat wheel in that manner. The pirate replies, “I don’t know, but it’s driving me nuts!”
Off topic question: I’m trying to track down a specific Dodger game from the past, and wondered if any of you might remember it. It was a home game, maybe in the last 10-20 years, where throughout the game, Vin Scully talked through the evolution of baseball broadcasting, and the viewer was shown the game in the style of the era . So, in the first inning, the camera was black and white, set up on the side of the field. Then in the second inning, maybe it moved to behind home plate, still black and white, then eventually it moved behind the pitcher and color was introduced, etc. until the end of the game we were in the most modern and current broadcast style. Does anyone remember this broadcast and have any leads on where I can find it to show my son?
Thanks!
Lee Kirk
See if you can find broadcasts of the World Series prior to the 60’s. Almost any game will do, including Larsen’s perfect game. They can be found on you tube
Two close games, enough mistakes and blame to go around. Let’s flush it down the toilet and move on. Tomorrow is an opportunity for them to show what they are made of. They did it against St. Louis. They did it against SF. They did it against Atlanta last year. And they can do it again this year.
The team looked spent, but still they had a zillion guys on base and just didn’t knock them in. The Braves played as long of a season as the Dodgers so they’re tired isn’t good enough for me. Tired doesn’t explain AJ Pollock’s AB’s. If Max Scherzer is tired and has a dead arm then was using him to close out the Giants game instead of Joe Kelly the best idea? I get it. It’s Max Scherzer, but Joe Kelly has been pretty damn good this year. I didn’t have a problem with it. You had to do what you had to do to move on.
The Dodgers did not need to do that last night with Urias though. It was dumb and I don’t care what the Dave Roberts apologists think. Urias had pitched game 5 against the Giants. Everyone had been concerned about his innings all year. The Dodgers keep him at a lower pitch count than Scherzer and Buehler because of it. Most likely the Dodger are counting on Urias to be either the starter or bulk guy in two games of the series. Totally unnecessary last night in a Game 2. It was overmanaging at it’s finest. So many other options for a Game 2. The bullpen has been stellar. Use it. Now the Dodgers are doing it the hard way.
Totally agree. We had guys “rested” who have performed well, waiting in the BP. And we bring in a “tired” starter who hadn’t pitched in relief all year (same with MS). Last year we had Urias in the BP because they we underperforming, but that isn’t the case this year.
Isn’t it ironic that a bad defensive play can make such a difference. Two or perhaps three bad throws (if CS’s relay to home had been higher so it could be caught and then the tag applied–debatable) should have resulted in outs. The last hit, it was hard hit, but should have been kept in the infield, even if you have to take one in the chops
Cory is an invaluable offensive player but a liability in the field. .
That was a hard ball to get too. About the only way he stops it is by diving in front of it, but the angle he was at, he had no chance. And that ball was scorched.
One step to his right and he’s in front of it. He chose to try to backhand it.
Hawkeye,
It was dumb because you say it was dumb and the fact that it didn’t work makes you think that it was dumb, even more, but that is your opinion and it is simply more circular thinking… not fact! You cannot prove your hypothesis!
I am not a Dave Roberts apologist. I did not like the move myself, but to say it was dumb is dumb!
And… to beat that horse to death just obfuscates the REAL problem: LACK OF HITTING!
Funny. All this talk would be a moot point if the starting pitching was at full strength. But it is not, and the bullpen has had to cover a lot of innings. Two other late season additions did not pan out. Had either been healthy and ready to go, the starting rotation would look a lot different. Hamels and Duffy not being available changed a lot. To me, it is Muncy being out that hurts more than anything else. Muncy works the count better than any other player on the team, and you can tell they are missing that 36 HR bat.
I just watched the replay of Rosario’s hit about 6 times, including slo mo. The ball was hit very hard, and Jansen raised his hand to try and catch it, but the ball took a quick hop when it got to Corey and instead of coming up to where his glove was, it skipped under the glove and into CF. Now, had he caught the ball on the bounce he had a very good chance of throwing out Rosario. Would the Dodgers have gone on to win? The way they were leaving men on base, one never knows. Turner had just missed putting them in front in the top of the 9th. They lost his game not because Urias gave up 2 runs, and Scherzer gave up a bomb to Pederson. They lost because the offense has been stagnant since game 5 of the NLDS. 2 runs, 10 hits and they lose, 4 hits 4 runs and 9 walks? Come on, Someone here needs to hit the ball when those kinds of situations happen. Dave may have micro managed by bringing in Urias, but it was on Julio once he was in the game. Even I was surprised he was hit that hard. It would have been his normal bullpen day anyway. You do not score, you do not win. Give your team more than a 2 run lead and the chances you win that night are considerably better. Next game is a afternoon game. 2:07 Pacific time. Oh, pitchers for game 4 are listed as TBA. If they are smart, they start Gonsolin in game 4. Then line up Urias, Scherzer and Buehler for the next 3.
Go BoSox!
Is that John Smoltz? He just stinks.
Since the all-star game the offense has barely enough runs to win, in reality the team has been led by incredible pitching, the same players have said it, the offense needs to support the pitching, there are very few runs and that makes the pitchers have to have almost perfect performances, come on guys, you can do it, support those incredible pitchers with runs scored and everything will work out, if you do no one will beat the Dodgers.
WRISP. The numbers are right there for everyone to see. 2 for 18. It’s true our bullpen had been lights out with the lead from the 7th on, which is why many of us are wondering why Roberts didn’t stick to the formula. But we just have to be better than 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position.
This team looks tired. Hopefully they get some sleep and come out smoking at home.
So, anybody here want to trade our position players for the Red Sox position players?
The Sox have played 8 games so far this postseason. Only one starting pitcher managed to go 5 innings against them. None of the other 7 went more than 2.2 innings.
Where do I sign up ?
That RedSox offense is a machine.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scherzer said his arm was tired. It’s understandable considering how much he has been used lately to get the team where they are at.
The game was a team loss. Everything went wrong from not hitting with runners in scoring position, the bullpen choking, Pollock’s bad throw to 2B. Souza having to play RF and not throwing out a runner at the plate.
It’s just frustrating. Now the Dodgers have to win 4 out of 5 games. That’s going to be tough to do.
Statistics say a team that wins the first two at home has a 84% shot to advance in a best of 7 series.
So the Dodgers really have their work cut out for them. They can do it, but they have to start hitting immediately and play better defense. Sundays game would have been a win had any one of the three elements (defense, hitting, pitching) been just a little bit better. One hit here or there could have put us up comfortably. If either Pollack or Souza throw out the runner the Braves do not score in the 8th of Urias or get only one run. Had Julio better stuff he shuts the door on them.
Team loss. Did not play well enough in a LCS game.
And I dont buy that Muncy is missing excuse. Braves are without Acuna and Ozuna, probably besides Freeman their best and most dangerous hitters.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Really, well since he went down, their offense has sputtered. Outside of 2 games against the Giants, they were shut out twice, held to 2 runs in their game 5 win, and have scored 6 runs in two games against Atlanta. Difference is Atlanta replaced both of those guys with 3 players, Rosario, Pederson and Soler. Dodgers did not have that luxury. When Muncy was active he lengthened the line up. In 5 games Muncy hit 2 HR’s against the Braves. Between Soler, Pederson and Rosario, they have contributed 28 HR’s since they joined the Braves. The guys replacing Muncy on the roster, McKinney, Souza and Beaty have a combined total for the Dodgers of 9. McKinney and Souza have just over 50 games in the majors combined this year. So whether you buy it or not does not matter. It is fact. His loss has definitely hurt the offense. And it is no excuse. Just fact.
His absence has hurt, true.
But it is no excuse for the other guys to shut it down, going 2-18 with RISP. The absence of MM does not forbid TT (when speaking of guys brought in during the season) and others to come threw in crunch time.
At the dish or in the field.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!