Back From the Grave

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1. Starting number -166, headed north -171! I like it!!

2. Down 3-2 after 5 games. We’ve been here before. We’ve got them right where we want them.

3. And the decision to pitch Urias in relief in game two wasn’t Robert’s alone. It was spearheaded by AF and his analytical staff. Now if you want to call that group idiots then that’s a pretty bold statement to back up. Please send us your qualifications to do so. What team has your number on speed dial to get your input? Tho I must say that my brilliant mind to bench Bellinger for the playoffs has panned out.

   1. Sometimes you make wrong decisions that turn out right or wrong decisions that turn out wrong. Sometimes you make right decisions that turn out right and right decisions that turn out wrong… or maybe decisions are just that: decisions! Maybe there is no right or wrong decision. Maybe they are successful or failed!

      The point is- everyone makes decisions that may be wrong, but it is very troubling to my how highly irrational some people are about Dave Roberts’ decisions.

      1. The Dodgers have the best bullpen or one of the best in baseball they won 106 games why start throwing in starting pictures in relief when they haven’t done it all year in crucial situations. Now they ruined Max Scherzer doing the same nonsense

   2. Here’s my qualifications. I played High School ball in the 80’s, won my Fantasy Baseball league every year I played until my friends kicked me out so someone else would have a chance to win. I won a first place trophy each year I coached my son’s youth baseball teams and was the bench coach on a championship JO’s team. Farhan has me on speed dial, but I won’t take his calls ever since he took that job with the Giants. I also have a BS in Business Administration – Management Information Systems and numerous industry certifications. I analyzed statistics using regression analysis before it cool and renamed to analytics.

      1. so. What’s your point?

         1. Cassidy said list your qualifications. I did so, tongue in cheek. Maybe you should have coffee before you post.

      2. My qualifications are the I have not eaten cheetos for over 10yrs!!! TOP THAT
         cheers
         pb+

         1. I haven’t had a Twinkie in over 20, I think that will do it

            1. I have never had as bad a haircut as Joc Pederson, nor have I or will I EVER wear a pearl necklace ……. of ANY KIND.
               cheers
               pb+

            2. My last Twinkie was probably 55 years ago (but I still have one or two of their cupcakes every blue moon).

   3. Let’s re-read that section on second guessing.

   4. I’m not a GM of a major league baseball team. I will henceforth refrain from having any opinion on the strategy or tactics of the in game management or personnel decisions of the Dodgers going forward. I will simply and obediently post “Go Dodgers!” “The Dodgers are Great!” “All hail Dave Roberts our most omniscient master!” in bovine obeisance to our approved authority figures.

      1. THAT’S THE SPIRIT!

   5. I would never call AF an idiot but they tend to get too cute sometimes. The decision was dumb and unnecessary. It’s not the only reason they’re down but it’s a big one.

4. Here is the plan: win Game 6.

   The plan will be updated afterwards.

   1. The plan in its simplest form!

   2. I like it, let’s do that!

5. Damn Mark, don’t just lump Brandon “Fat Boy” Lewis in with “and others”. That was the best nickname you ever gave to anyone! Let’s go Brandon!

   Well, the Braves beat us down 9-2 on Wednesday, so naturally the Dodgers said “Hold my beer” and two upped them 11-2 by replacing their star third baseman JT with their star third baseman CT3 “Freaking Bombs!”. Both games were mismatches with an ace facing a bullpen, so naturally the bullpen won each game.

   Lost in CT3’s masterpiece was Pollock’s 5 3 3 4 night which better cement him into the lineup against lefties as well as righties going forward. If you blinked, you probably didn’t notice that new whipping boy and MLB batting champ did his thing by picking up 3 hits while this season’s whipping boy Belli did the same.

   I scratched my head at least once during the game. Why did Graterol hit for himself only to be replaced on the mound by Treinen? Doc doing Doc things.

   The Grim Reaper claimed another as he has all year. This time it was Joe Kelly. RIP my friend, you sure were fun to watch this year. Now you get to hang out with Kershaw, JT, Max and others. At this rate I’m not sure we’ll have enough players to finish this thing.

   After Kelly, the rest of the pen pitched a shutout. Even Phillips? Wow. Graterol throwing 100+ MPH Bowling balls, Vesia, Treinen, Knebel and Jansen making it look easy.

   I’m curious how TM will improve this team by benching the next star. Are you now concerned about Will Smith? Maybe it’s Mookies turn to wear the target. Seags now has the lowest postseason batting average so he’s as good a target as any I guess.

   Baseball is a crazy game. Never lose faith. Off to the ATL for a two game beat down.

   Let’s go Dodgers! Let’s go Brandon!!

   BTW – I did say recently that I’m amazed at the quantity of prospects in the minors and said this farm would be ranked top 5 by the start of next season. We’ve got a couple of top of the rotation guys and I can’t remember the last time we had so many bats. I’m really excited about “Fat Boy”. Talk about light tower power. He holds the all time record for homers at UC Irvine and that place is impossible to hit bombs with the damp air and the huge fences all the way around.

   1. Didn’t have an issue with Graterol hitting with 2 out and nobody on with a 4 run lead and saving a pinch hitter for later barring a bullpen disaster that never happened later in the game. Also, glad to see Graterol and Treinen used for more than 1 inning for a change especially when they throw less than 10 pitches in an inning.

   2. I think Doc figured they were enough ahead to not burn a ph, just in case …. didn’t we have a game this year where we were something like up 11-0 and won 14-12 or some such thing?

   3. You kill me BP……you always misquote me and you never give me credit for a right call, so why should I even bother to dialog with you?

      I do because I’m gracious and because even though you can be a dick at times, you are still a Dodgers brother so I will respect you for that.

      As much as it pains me, I will defend myself to that lone person who will read this besides you and just to make sure you know that I know you are purposely misrepresenting my words.

      So what did TM say?

      1. Let’s get this out of the way right now….I have never said to bench Belli this entire series. You can go back through the blog to see this is true. Why don’t I want Belli benched even against Fried, a lefty? I want his defense. I don’t trust Lux in CF. And now with JT out for the year, we need CT playing 3B. Keep Mookie in RF with his strong arm. Pollock in LF….Cody in CF

      2. I did suggest benching TT or moving him down the lineup against Morton. He was 1-9 with 5 Ks, so I was suggesting Lux at 2B. I do not recall me suggesting anything more regarding TT. Once I saw Doc would not bench him against Morton, I knew that was a moot point.

      3. Prior to the start of the playoffs, I also suggested that we not start Tony Gonsolin because I don’t trust him. Several guys here took issue with me on that, I think you may have been one of them, but I don’t know for sure and have no desire to go back and check.

      So let’s tabulate my score to see how I did…..

      1. A+…….having Belli play every game has worked out

      2. A+…..Trea was hit less again against Morton and did nothing that game to help our cause. My suggestion did not hurt us.

      3. A+…..I think everyone now, including you, see why I said don’t pitch Gonsolin. He is not Dustin May, much calmer and collected. I think Gonso is a ball of nerves and is not yet ready for Primetime. I still have hope for him though…..I would prefer to see him throwing when the score is 9-2, not 0-0.

      Sorry if this post sounds self serving….I didn’t want to be put in this position of having to defend myself but someone has to stand up to Darth Vader.

      TM

      1. 

      2. The problem with Gonsolin besides never being quite right this year is they way they’ve dicked him around. You could argue he was their 2nd or 3rd best starter in 2020 but come playoff time he was taken off his schedule big time. The same thing to a certain degree has happened this year.

         1. Like Yu Darvish, right now, he is still mentally weak/fragile. Pitching under pressure is not easy and not for the frail. Imo, He has a way to go.

      3. Let’s be clear TM, never did I say that you would bench a player for an entire series. Here’s my quote “I’m curious how TM will improve this team by benching the next star.”

         You wanted TT benched so bad that you posted about it Three (3) times before you finally accepted that nobody on this site had your back.

         I’m not going to go back through your posts, but I’m pretty sure you suggested benching at least two others during the season, Belli and Lux come to mind.

         You actually traded Belli and Seager, while not exactly benching, it does the same thing by removing them from the lineup.

         If you say ridiculous things, I don’t think it’s far fetched to be called out for them. Hell, you and others call me out when I’m not even in the conversation (See little PeterJ below and Bluto below). AC and Mark call me out whenever I mention anything about Doc.

         I guess what I’m saying here is grow a pair, put on your big boy pants and don’t let me hurt your feelings. I have nothing against you. I’m just trying to get you to be a little less panicky and emotional.

6. William doesn’t speak for me, and I wouldn’t advocate that Roberts be “fired.” If the Dodgers lose I still prefer Roberts be drawn and quartered. The Dodgers could sell tickets. I think public executions are due for a comeback.

   I think I read it was AF who talked to Urias and asked if he would be available to pitch in relief between starts, so it’s not a Roberts thing. I think it was a collaborative decision to use Urias and Max in relief roles.

   On paper, it seems like a brilliant move – use your most talented starting pitchers as extra relievers. It’s like the ultimate relief corps force multiplier.

   As we’ve witnessed, there are costs to messing with workloads of your pitchers, especially after a long season where players are wearing down, getting tired, getting injured. Urias has been beaten like a rented mule this season … and now AF wants him to do even more … in high leverage situations. I’m generally supportive of AF, but I’m criticizing these decisions. They are dumb … and Roberts should’ve learned after his Kershaw debacle with Soto.

   I couldn’t give two shits what Spilborghs has to say. #1 He was an outfielder. #2 He gets paid to have takes … to have edgy stuff to say … to be adversarial and controversial because it gets attention and gets clicks. To me, he’s basically Jim Rome. Same thing with the Ken Rosen-whatever tweet. Bear was right. Just a guy with an opinion vying for attention with nothing particularly insightful to say.

   1. If you break it down to it’s simplest form…

      A) You are already short 1 starter, you need 4 and you only have 3.
      B) You have the best bullpen in baseball.

      There really isn’t a need to use a starter for an inning when you only play 3 games in a row without an off day. You’ve been using the bullpen with less rest all year effectively enough to win 106 regular season games.

      I also want to point out something for our friend “Jr.” to the south of us. Take notice how Chris Taylor rounded the bases after each home run during his historic night at the plate while becoming the only player in the history of the game to hit three home runs in a postseason elimination game. Act like you’re done it before. No dance moves at 3rd base, no wall clock hanging from a security chain around his neck.

      1. Diego will never win because the players Preller bought are psychological midgets (oops! I don’t think that word is allowed anymore). I’ve read the worst is Hosmer, how he basically doesn’t want to be there. Jr. is immature and self-centered, and Pouty Face has been an emotionally weak idiot his entire career. Preller thought by being rainmaker and throwing money at players he could buy a championship team. It doesn’t work that way.

         Roberts does dumb stuff, but the Dodgers have a great winning CULTURE up and down the organization. That matters just as much as talent….maybe more. Look at the Giants this year.

         1. Well said, Dodgerpatch.

            I’d add that we (myself included) tend to under-rate consistency. And Roberts consistently has this team performing at a ridiculously high level.

            They have a good team culture, and it definitely appears he hasn’t “lost’ the clubhouse.

7. So whatever decision is made, right or wrong, if the player comes thru then it worked.
   Anyway, If we believe that Scherzer and Urias were not tired out by their short relief stints, and were tired before, then chances are they will still be tired for the next two games. Their last few games showed that they were not in peak form anymore. Striker likewise. So maybe that’s why bullpen games have worked for both teams.
   I never played High school baseball, or coached any team, or have a BS in anything
   Anyway I feel we will win the next two games. Management has to make informed, logical decisions. As a fan I am not required to do that
   GO DODGERS!!!

   1. so. What’s your point?

      1. I think the point is:

         he’s a proper, self-aware fan who simply roots for the team?

         I think.

         1. That is correct. No credentials necessary to be a fan.
            On this site many posters have ‘credentials’. And most don’t care about that just the team. There has to be a site somewhere where only ‘professionals’ can post.
            Hey. This is all just for fun everyone. Hope no one is insulted

            1. Like the BEAR, I have been a fan since the 1950’s. This is great. I am a Brooklyn native, and when team moved west it was many ‘dark years’. Morning papers didn’t have results, not much on the networks. Hey pre cable some cities had 4 or 5 channels. WHAT!!!. I didn’t know how to pronounce Davey Lopes name for about 10 years. That was the pre-information era.
               Lots of fun now

            2. I didn’t think listing youth baseball creds were to be taken seriously. I think you all have become too dependent on fact checkers.

               Special thanks to Bluto for answering a question specifically directed at David. Maybe you can go back and answer the same question directed at me so you can tell David what I meant.

               I post on this site sometimes to offer an opinion or another point of view. Sometimes I post just to amuse myself.

            3. I can relate to you Dave. I’ve lived in Jersey my whole life. Man, do I remember those “dark years”. I used to hunt for NL radio stations. I could get the Phils and Pirates stations, and on a rare occasion the Reds station. They all had static but I would listen even if I couldn’t understand full sentences.

               I was very jealous of the Giant fans. You probably remember that in ’58 Les Keiter used to recreate all the Giants games. He would use studio sounds like the “crack” of the bat, the roar of the crowd, etc. That meant that I could hear 22 Dodgers vs. Giants recreations. It sure is a lot more fun now.. At the very least you can follow the games on MLB Gameday when you can’t get them on TV.

            4. Nothing like self-importance!

   2. I am FULL of BS

      1. Most philosophically honest comment in this thread.

         We are all but BSers in the wind.

8. It’s down to the basics in games 6 & 7. The Dodgers have two well rested Cy Young candidates starting. The BP should be locked and loaded. The biggest question mark is will the team hit? Whatever it takes to make contact for productive at bats. Hit the other way where the defense isn’t. Get on base. Continue to steal at every opportunity. But constant pressure on the Braves like last night destroy their will. If everyone does their job it will minimize the chance for Roberts/FO to do something unexpected.

   To hear that AF consulted with Urias about relieving and using that feedback to allow him to pitch is surprising. What competitor is going to back down from that challenge? The player will always want to take the ball. Maybe, relying on Mark Pryor ‘s opinion might have been a better way to evaluate the possibility. Anyway, it’s over and done with. In the end a lack of run production made it a mute point.

   Two more wins. The Dodgers can help them relive their 90’s playoff experience.
   Carry on.

   1. Lets hope we have gotten a little in the head of the Braves. They surely will think about 2020.
      If we could score early in game 6 it would be huge with Max going.

      Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   2. Why is that so surprising? I may have started with AF, but the whole staff, including Urias and Prior, were in on it.

      In fact, it was likely a “buy in” from most of the staff.

      1. You have made the argument that Doc and the front office have so much more information than us mere fans. Well, they did not make wise use of that information.

         That said, we don’t know what the outcome would have been if Scherzer and Urias were never used in relief at anytime during the last 30 days.

9. How many more injuries can this team absorb and still stand tall ?
   Amazing, and speaks volumes to the talent and depth this franchise has assembled under AF.
   Hats off no matter how this ends.

   However: That decision to go with Julio in game 2 as a reliever insteand of trusting your bullpen probably cost not only 1 but 2 games. There is no sugarcoating this decision.
   And if you look a little closer at pitching in this series: We have not gotten ONE quality start in 5 games. Our big three all had one start and with Julio one shot to nail down one in relief. We are 0-3 in those games. Had we only one 1 of those games we would be in the driver seat up 3-2. Starting pitching was assumed to be our ticket to the WS with 3 Cy Young hopefuls on our roster.

   Can the Dodgers rerplace Gonsolin on the roster with White ? I assume they will call on DP for Kelly but TG should be off the roster as well. I have more confidence in White or V-Gon than him.
   Catman appears just not made for playoff pressure.

   Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   1. I would think that there is a strong possibility that if Ginsolin is used in Games 6 or 7, he will pitch very well. It wasn’t that long ago that CT3 was hitting worse than Cody Bellinger. This is baseball. Yesterday’s goat is tomorrow’s here! I have faith in the Catman!

      1. Well, has TG ever pitched well in a postseason game ?
         I know CT3 had very good games before.

         But hey, you could be right, TG might just be lights out next time. Only Mentalo would know.

         Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

10. For the record, I have no problem with not liking the move made by Doc to bring in Urias. I did happen to like bringing in Kershaw against the Nats, although neither move turned out well. The Dodgers (not just Doc or AF) are not afraid to try things that are unconventional. Actually, I like that.

    I think that just about any move could be called dumb or smart depending upon your perspective.

    What I do mind is people equating that kind of move to “Roberts is an idiot and needs to be fired!”

    Last night, the announcers questioned why Roberts let Graterol hit and then took him out of the game. It’s a valid question and the answer is apparent, but not everyone will accept that. OK.

    Doc still is the winningest MLB manager of all time.

    If I could have one manager to win one series, my choice would be…..

    [Drum Roll]

    1. In the regular season he is the winningest of all time. Not in the playoffs.
       I do not think he is an idiot for making the decision with Julio but it was unneccessary because our bullpen has been exceptional and Julio was not used to work out of the pen all year.
       I did like the idea of bringing in Clayton vs the Nats but I thought it was not clever to leave him in after that first HR.

       My choice for manager in a winner takes all: LaRussa.

       Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       1. LaRussa lost to Lasorda’s inferior team team in 88. I’ll stay blue and take Lasorda.

    2. ….”Last night, the announcers questioned why Roberts let Graterol hit and then took him out of the game. It’s a valid question and the answer is apparent, but not everyone will accept that. OK.

       Maybe Roberts learned something from the last time he pulled Graterol for Jansen and then pinch hit for Jansen so Scherzer could close.

11. Okay, I’m just speculating, but I think the Dodgers will make a serious run at re-signing Chris Taylor. Makes sense, he can play third, short and second in the infield and play all three outfield spots. He already starts so there is really not an issue with playing time and he’s a more consistent bat than Kike or Joc.

    As to Dave Roberts, he’s like glue for this team. Does he make mistakes? Of course, he does. What manager doesn’t?

    As to using starters as relievers. Not a fan unless it’s the final game. It’s not just about the number of pitches thrown, but the emotional energy spent, which can drain a pitcher. Relievers, more or less, have learned how to cope, better to stick to those roles. In 2020, Urias was both a starter and a reliever, this year a starter.

    Maybe none of this matters if Clayton Kershaw were healthy and Dustin May didn’t get hurt or Trevor Bauer … well.

    I really like Andrew Friedman, great GM and baseball operations exec. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t make mistakes. Maybe he gets to cover mistakes with payroll, but he was pretty good in Tampa too.

    Hey, we all make mistakes and sometimes there is a tendency to overthink things, especially in baseball.

    Perhaps the Dodgers are guilty of that. But they did win 106 games, win the wildcard and send the Giants packing. They are still in this. Will Max Scherzer step up and if he does and it goes to game seven, will we see Walker Buehler, who is one of the best big game pitchers in baseball, rise to the top of his game. If the Dodgers continue to hit, I did notice a change in approach, LA could arrive back in the World Series with home field advantage.

    All this while missing Kershaw, Max Muncy and Justin Turner.

12. Last night made me feel like Redd Foxx playing Fred Sanford.
    “I’m a comin’ Elizabeth!” Sheesh.
    On the “small stuff” in the game …… so glad to see so many when not jacking it out, going oppo.
    And Pollock, he looks in as good a shape as he has all year. Did anyone else notice his wheels when he went 1st to 3rd on that Pujols single? We have AT LEAST 6 guys who can almost be guaranteed to be able to steal 2nd at just about any time these days.
    cheers
    pb+

    1. Going oppo will be key again tomorrow and hopefully in game 7. Dodgers have a fighting chance if they continue to have quality at bats like in game 5.
       However IMHO it all hinges on Max and how his arm feels and then same with Walker in a possible game 7.
       If they have their A stuff I like our chances even 3-2 going on the road.

       Anything less than their A stuff and it will be extremely difficult to win both games.
       Will Julio get another call out of the pen ?

       Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       1. Hope not on the Julio question. We need him for a game one IMO…… fresh and rested. If we want guys rested, I think we would be looking at Julio for one, bullpen for two? or Sherzer for two? Not sure how they will play that. But certainly no reason to fear the BP game anymore IMO.
          cheers
          pb+

13. The idea of ​​going with Julio in that inning in Atlanta was good on paper, because Julio has been there before and with very good results, it just didn’t work out, but here is something key: “that move was not necessary,” while the year In the past it made a lot of sense for all the problems that the bullpen had, today the situation is different, today the bullpen is a strength so that movement was not necessary
    I do not criticize the movement for the result, I understand perfectly what the idea was when doing it, only that with this incredible bullpen it was not necessary.

14. My only cred is more than 60 years as a fan. I played some in high school and a lot of softball in the service. I am not a baseball savant. I am simply a fan. I love the Dodgers, always have. I am a student of their history and baseball history. I did not go to college, I served my country instead. And the glue that kept me sane was following the Dodgers. I have been able to share some of that history since I began writing for this site. The one thing that bothers me is how so many who have the love of the team I do, can get so mean with each other. We all have opinions, and that is all they are. This is a forum to post those opinions. One of the things a fan does, and quite often, is criticize. Especially after a crucial loss. Some do it after a win. Unlike when I was younger, I do not get as upset as I once did. I used to throw stuff when some boneheaded play was made. When Broxton gave up that HR to Matt Stairs, I was livid. I am much more mellow now. The biggest enjoyment I go out of last night’s game was the Dodgers shutting up that Braves bench. They have one clown in there who was waving a sword and acting like they had already signed the Dodgers vacation papers after Freeman’s homer. At the end of the game, the sword was no where to be seen. As for Roberts, he has made some mistakes in big games. But many managers in his position have done the same, including Alston and Lasorda. How about Hinch last year in the series pulling Snell after a single by Barnes…..That one move probably cost his team a chance at getting to a game 7. Talk about bonehead moves, Kapler when managing the Phillies went out to take a pitcher out of the game, and had no one warming up when he did it.
    Humans are far from perfect. Mistakes in baseball cost games. Mistakes in life can cost a life. Alec Baldwin learned that the hard way yesterday. His prop gun killed one of the crew.
    As far as who would you want managing in crucial games, some say Lasorda, some Alston, one guy said LaRussa. How about Dick Williams. He managed the A’s to 3 straight titles. Bobby Cox? 14 division titles. Most series wins, Stengel and McCarthy. Bochy? He was great with the Giants, not so much with the Padres. Dave Roberts has flaws as a manager, but most of his managerial decisions made in game are based on info he receives from the front office. Price was left off of the NLCS roster because he did not match up well with the Braves lineup. Reason is simple, they have a lot of RH power. I am no huge Roberts fan, but I recognize that for this organization, he is the right guy in the right place at the right time.

    1. Lets face it when you win you are a genius. Was Torre any smarter with the Yankees than when he was a loser all those years. What about Bill Belichek. So that’s the fun of these blogs. I agree about the meanness and that is sad.

       1. You can add a lot more guys to that. Torre, Stengel, Bochy. Look how many teams Baker has managed and he took every one of them to the playoffs and still managed to get fired. His longest tenure was with the Giants, 10 years. 24 years a manager, and one pennant. No titles. Bobby Cox? One world series title in all those winning seasons. It is just not that easy to win throughout the playoffs and even get to the world series. If it was, more teams would repeat. Look at the Rays, hands down the best team in the AL. Where are they?? Home. Sent packing by the Red Sox. The best team does not always win. 88 Dodgers beat a far superior A’s team. White Sox on paper were better than the 59 Dodgers. Cox’s first go around with the Braves, he never finished higher than 4th. He went to Toronto, won one division title lost in the playoffs and was unemployed as a manager for the next 4 years until the Braves hired him back. Even then they finished 6th in his first season. With all those division wins, he won 5 pennants and only one World Series. He is sub .500 in his playoff wins with a 67-69 record. Roberts is 44-32 including this season. Pretty decent percentage. By the way, that 44 tops Bochy’s 42.

       2. You mean like responding to a post with “so. What’s your point?”

          1. that is not mean

    2. Alec Baldwin …. an anti-gunner w/ a “gun”. Clueless. It has been said, over and over and over “ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED”. Not the first prop gun to kill a person under the exact same circumstances.

       1. Bruce Lee’s kid was killed by a double loaded prop gun. Which is really a misnomer since they are all real guns just supposed to be loaded with blanks. In some movies if you are informed enough to know the difference, you can see machine gun belts loaded with what are actually blank rounds.

       2. WTF does this mean? Anti-gunner with a gun?

          If people are in favor of gun regulation, they can’t use a gun?

          If I’m in favor of having an FDA that regulates food, should I not be able to eat?

          If I like the EPA keeping water fresh, can I not drink?

          Being for regulation doesn’t mean your anti what is regulated.

          People are so silly.

          1. Keep waving that flag Bluto! We all know you don’t even look at the names on your ballet, just looking for D. They got you right where they want you.

             1. Cool!

          2. Maybe PEOPLE are but not me. He has been at the forefront of saying that guns are bad, not needed by civilians at all. If that is your idea of “control” then we have nothing to talk about. He even said one time he could not imagine what a person who shoots and kills someone goes through. Now he knows. And THE POINT was that these dumfks treat these prop guns like toys when IN FACT they are REAL GUNS. So I repeat ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED. And letting these schmucks who would not know a clip from a magazine or anything else SHOULD NEVER handle anything unless they are fully trained. You treat guns like toys, people will die. Thank for all the stupid apples and oranges comparisons that I AM SURE you thought were quite prescient. At this point you likely SHOULD NOT own a gun.

             1. If there was a point to all those words, it went right by me.

                Can you show me once where Alec Baldwin is anti-gun?

                If so, I’ll apologize. Very possible that I’m wrong.

                Even though I have no need/interest/want to own a gun. Doesn’t mean I’m anti-gun.

15. hodges54,
    As for radio stations I do remember trying to get the staticy Philadelphia station, and listened when Drysdale pitched against them for his 58 innings streak. (I think )

    1. When I was driving a truck cross country, I would try and listen to KMOX. It was the Cardinals station and on the plains it was pretty clear. Get in the hills and not so much. I was so happy when Sirrus came out. I got one of those at a truck stop, subscribed to the sports package, and got all the Dodger games while I was on the road. When I was in the Army and overseas, Armed Forces Radio and TV were the only way I could get any info on the games. I got the Sporting News, so the box scores were a week old. No games were broadcast on the TV side, but we would get radio games about 3 times a week. When ever the Dodgers were on, they would always use the Dodger feed so we could hear Vin.

       1. You know Bear, it seems to me that there was another station that I could pick up, now and then, other than the three I mentioned to David. It might well have been the Cards station. Many times I had to wait until late in the game to get any reception. I think that was partly because many radio stations would sign off late at night back in the 50’s and 60’s allowing other stations’ signals to be heard.

          1. When I lived in LA late at night we could get a radio station out of Mexico that was so loud. They played rock on there and it was where I first heard Wolfman Jack. KMOX and a rock station in Oklahoma City were really powerful back in the day.

             1. “The Mighty XERB, Baby!”

16. Mark, I know that you are a good person at heart; well, I think so,but of course I could be wrong, as one can always be. So I find the ad hominem attacks sort of amusing. But you take what I say and mash it up . Did I ever say that the Dodgers are terrible team? Of course not. I suggested that, assuming that the Dodgers do not win this series, they would have to do some significant things to contend for a title next year. That is my opinion, and I think it will bear out, but of course they could make the big moves: sign Seager and Scherzer, acquire a very good fourth starter, obtain another solid outfielder. I do think , that as occurs in baseball, the Dodgers nucleus is starting to show wear and tear. Justin, Kershaw, even Muncy, and of course the pending departure of Seager.

    That is another issue for the offseason. I wrote that because apparently the blog will not be around much longer, so I wanted to express a few opinions on the Dodgers future,and maybe I am unduly negative in that regard, I hope so.

    Now, as to Roberts, I do not hate him, I don’t know why you have this mechanism of throwing out straw men to attack. Why would I hate him? He is better than some managers, worse than others, in my opinion. The fact that his teams have won many regular season games does not make him a great manager, do you think Bobby Cox was? I have seen Roberts blow postseason chances by a certain stubbornness, and then what I think is the desire to make the grand decision, have Kershaw finish the game against the Nationals, have Urias come in and pitch a great eighth inning, He wants to paint a managerial masterpiece, and if it does not work out he NEVER says that he made a mistake (as Cora essentially did about using Eovaldi in relief), he always says that “I felt that he was the best option we had,” or “I liked the matchup.” Well, of course, but that doesn’t justify it.

    Did you notice that last night, Treinen threw 21 pitches in his first inning, and Roberts left him out for another scoreless inning? But in Game 2, he pulled Treinen after a perfect inning of nine pitches, just so he could put Urias in. That is utterly contradictory–except that in Game 2, Roberts already had it in his mind to use Urias, and so nothing Treinen did in his inning was going to change it. And it backfired badly. Do you doubt that if Treinen were used in the eighth, and then Jansen in the ninth, the Dodgers would have won that game?

    Then there is all this, “That was Friedman’s decision.” There is no way that Friedman is going to tell Roberts in advance what to do. And if he does, then give him all the credit for the title last year, and all of Roberts’ regular season wins. Friedman is smarter that that; I’m sure they discuss possibilities, but Roberts makes the game decisions. And he put in Urias, watched him give up two hits, and not look sharp, and let him pitch to the righthanded hitter, who tied the game with a double.

    It is not as if Roberts has not made other questionable decisions in key playoff games. Of course, every manager is open to second-guessing , or in the Urias situation, first-guessing, because I, and I am sure other people, did not at all like the idea of putting him in, before the fact. And in the Game 5 against SF, when Bellinger had gotten the big hit, we had runners on first and third, and SF changed pitchers, I said, “I think Roberts is going to try a squeeze play, don’t do it!” Why did I think that? Because it was an attempt at a coup de grace, and Roberts loves to try for the brilliant move. Taylor, who had been struggling badly, had started to hit several long fly balls ,and there was a decent chance that he could do that, or do something to get the run in, and not hit into a double play. But Roberts decided to do something he almost never does, and so Taylor popped it up. Fortunately, we won, anyway. And the squeeze play is best with an element of surprise, and after the delay to change pitchers, there was less surprise, and I predicted it in advance. It was a predictable Roberts move.

    Hopefully the Dodgers will somehow win two in Atlanta, and that will be a very dramatic turnaround, for which Roberts would deserve credit in terms of him keeping the morale up and the team together. That is his strength. But if we do not win it, the absurd decision in Game 2 will be the major reason, just as the decision to leave reliever Kershaw to give up two homeruns in the 8th inning to Washington in 2019, was the proximate cause of us being knocked out of the playoffs. And who should have started the last game in 2017, Darvish, or Kershaw ? And if that was a collaborative decision to start Darvish, it was wrong; and after he gave up two runs in the first, in a game where you knew that Houston was gong to use every pitcher if they needed to, leaving him in to give up two more runs in the third, was essentially game over, and Kershaw’s subsequent four scoreless innings were useless.

    You don’t give other people enough credit for having cogent arguments, even if you disagree with them You think that anyone who disagrees with you is hopelessly wrong. That may be true in politics, and it goes either way, but in sports strategy, you do not need to have read history or philosophy, or have advanced degrees, to have a worthwhile view. Not that it does anything to change things, Roberts will be here as long as he wants. But as a fan who cares, I cannot just let it go, and not give my opinion as to his major flaw, which may well end up meaning that in his seven years, he will have won many regular season games, and one title, in a shortened season, when his pitchers were not worn out, and where he had the best talent in baseball.

    1. Good response William. Managers often come in and turn around a struggling team by being different from the previous Manager. He could be more strict or more of a players Manager. But after a couple of years that style that worked for a year or two stops working and the Manager is fired.

       Roberts is the type of Manager that is best at winning wars and weaker at winning battles. He is the type of Manager that works with the front office and works with players. Even keeled and positive.

       I like the long runs of Alston and Lasorda. I also think Roberts is evolving. At times he can drive me crazy.

       There is nothing wrong with your take and it adds as usual to the body of this blog. We who comment here should be viewed as jack rabbits and anybody who tries to load us on a flat car will learn how hard that can be.

17. Old Bear… Great stuff… Used to go to Wrigley Field to see the PCL Angels… I was hooked with Angel Annie, Steve Bilko and others… Anyone out there remember Carlos Bernier?? One of the best PCL players I ever saw… Great athlete with the IQ of a fence post… When the Dodgers announced moving out west, my Father n I were elated…
    Oh well, Saturday will be a great day… Simultaneously the Dodgers taking the Braves down and Notre Dame putting a whooping on USC…
    Is that Bear hunting or what!??!
    William… Blah, blah, blah… Do you write also for BP??

    1. I went there a couple of times, and also out to Gilmore Field to watch the Stars. Last time I was at Wrigley, it was for an Angel game against the Tigers. Albie Pearson was the center fielder and Leon, Daddy Wags, Wagner was in right. Got to see Norm Cash, Vic Wertz and Al Kaline. Wertz hit a ball into orbit. SC will probably get crushed by the Irish. I have come to expect that with the lousy coaching and recruiting they have done. But the Irish are going to have to watch out for London. That kid has some serious skills.

    2. Peter–I missed the part where you had anything worth saying.

       1. Deal with it… Maybe you can relate to the fencepost or you are a long lost relative of BP..

          1. Kaching!

             1. Et tu brute?

                And it’s “Cha-Ching” but I’ll also accept “ca ching”. What is the sound a cash register makes.

          2. Are you trying to get BP’s attention?

             1. It’s like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in here.

                Might be medication time for a couple folks.

             2. I love it when they do. It’s like playing tackle football against kindergarteners.

          3. You need to drag me into this? The next time you say something insightful will be the first time. All the people that have a problem with me are usually the people that have nothing useful to say, or say things so far out of left field, I’ll take that as a compliment.

             You and your cohorts sound like a bunch of babbling old men at “a home” not their home, debating the merits of the mushy flavorless food in the chow hall. Probably because you are. In other words, that Let’s go Brandon chant is just for you.

18. Urias was in there for the matchup. Rosario singled, but he got Freeman on a K. They went to him before and made sure he was ok with it. Had Betts been in RF, I do not think Rosario would have scored on that hit. But it did not make much difference because Riley doubled and it would have knocked in both runners. Key play was the stolen base by Rosario. Julio giving up 2 runs did not cost them the game. The offense getting only 4 hits, and wasting numerous opportunities to score cost them that game. It was 4-2 when Julio came in. Had the offense done anything at all, it would have been a much bigger lead. They had 9 walks. They were 1-10 with men in scoring position. That is what cost them game 2. Not Urias giving up 2 runs. Had they scored just 3 of those walks, Julio probably would not have even pitched.

    1. When you have a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning, and you put in a starter, rather than the reliever who has been great most of September, and had thrown nine pitches in the seventh, that is the major reason why we lost. He did not give up the winning run,. Not hitting was a factor. Every inning is a factor. . But the primary cause was Urias giving up two runs in the eighth. If someone drops a fly ball in the ninth, is that the cause of the loss, or various runners left on base in earlier innings?

       1. That is simply your opinion. The cause was lack of offense. Pure and simple, they hit they win. Yes, Urias not getting the job done contributed. But it was not the major cause. You could say Scherzer not getting out of the 5th inning was a cause. Had he been clean that inning, and not given up a bomb to Pederson, that would have made a difference. You are nitpicking one point and not looking at the entire picture. Based on prior performance, Urias in that spot at that time made a lot of sense. No one knew he would be that ineffective. They had a chance in the first inning to really put the wood to the Braves and blew it. Yes every inning is a factor and you are hurt by things you do not do early in the game as much as you are mistakes late.

          1. This is simply your opinion.

             1. Very true. I disagree with his analysis. Dodgers added Price to the roster to replace Kelly.

             2. Price for Kelly = a step down for sure

          2. Geez Bear. Your basically saying if a team scores enough runs everything else is trivial. Well, duh!!!

             1. You can just as easily conclude that if a team limits enough runs everything else is trivial. I still haven’t seen a team win when they’ve been shutout. That’s why it’s a simpleton’s point of view to break down a game saying if we do this one thing, we will win. Unless that one thing is not allow any runs.

             2. In my opinion, it is absolutely essential that the Dodgers score more runs than the Braves if they have any hopes of winning. … but this is just my opinion.

    2. I don’t think you can reasonably conclude that it’s the offense’s fault when you score 4 runs. There’s been 8 wins in the playoffs this year when the winning team scored 4 runs or less and 9 losses where the losing team scores 4 or more. That seems to be the break even point and should tip in your favor when you have the best pitching staff of all the playoff teams.

19. And, bear, that is your opinion. The cause was, pure and simple, the pitcher did not get the outs. That was the major cause because they already had the lead and only needed to keep it. There it is. We had the lead and lost because a bad decision brought in a pitcher that couldn’t hold it. Seems simple to me. They didn’t need any more runs than they already had, if the pitching would have held.

    1. And that Cassidy is your opinion and I disagree with you respectfully. It is a very narrow minded view to pick out that part of the game and call it the reason for the loss. They lost because the Braves took advantage of their opportunities and they did not. And please, do not forget the HUGE baserunning blunder by Taylor in the top of the 9th. I look at the entire game. Opportunities lost in the early innings to put a team away was the cause of many losses this season. The inconsistency of the offense was maddening, but simply put, some seem to focus on one decision made and say it cost the team the game. When the sum of the game says differently. 9 walks, 4 hits and only 4 runs. 1-10 RISP I rest my case.

       1. Not Cassidy

          1. Whoops my bad. Wrong glasses!

20. It is really easy to criticize after the fact. Had Urias struck out the side, we would not even be having this conversation. You want to place blame? It was a team loss. Failure of the pitcher to hold the lead, failure of the offense to score more, and failure of the game plan.

    1. I think enough said WTF when he was warming up to not be called second guessers. There were also enough of us who said Scherzer has nothing when Doc pulled him early against St. Louis and gave him credit for doing so before we could be called second guessers. Believe me I’m not anti-analytical but there needs to be a mix of both. Many have been worried all year about Julio’s extra innings and a bit of a dip in velo toward the end of the year. It was an unnecessary move and from the way the pen has pitched all series I believe the Dodgers win if Roberts or the front office team doesn’t make that move. I’m an AF fan. I think he should be executive of the year, but I’m still going to call out a mistake if I see it. Other reasons we are down for now
       `Dodgers lost two games while Freddie Freeman was hit less
       `Dodgers left a ton of runners on base in game 1 and 2
       `Dodgers went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position game 2
       `Trea Turner trying to pull everything and swinging at everything the first 4 games. Take a walk man. It’s a double this series.
       `Gavin Lux’s plays in CF had little to do with outcome of the games but he shouldn’t be out there right now.
       `Injuries. Not sure who has had more this year the Dodgers or the Colts.
       `Using the Dodgers SP as RP has not helped.
       `Corey Seager didn’t block a ball on a tough play
       Plenty of reasons the Dodgers are down. Max pitches tomorrow like he did during the regular season then I like our chances.

21. Now it looks like Bruihl is injured. He had arm soreness. Dodgers are taking an extra pitcher to Atlanta just in case he needs to be replaced on the roster.

    1. I’m sure the LADT analysis panel is working on this now.

22. I must admit that once Freeman hit the two run homer in the first inning last night, I thought the Dodgers were done.
    But the team proved me wrong, and battled back with an impressive victory in the must win game. I felt the pitching matchup in this game was heavily against the Dodgers with Fried against Kelly, but the Dodgers bats came alive and they found a way to win.
    I had already prepared myself with the excuses of injuries, long season, bad luck, and difficult to repeat. However, the Dodgers refused to lose the elimination game at Dodger Stadium. What great performances by Taylor, Pollock, and the bullpen! The game was a great illustration of the character of the team.
    The odds are still against the Dodgers, but the pitching matchups are favorable in games 6 and 7.
    Hopefully, the offense continues to produce, and they can push it to a game 7.
    No matter the outcome, I am impressed with the team’s effort and thankful for an exciting, roller coaster postseason so far.

23. I’m really enjoying this post season baseball. Obviously I would like it if we were sewing up the pennant but the NLCS is very unpredictable and exciting. Just like my golf swing over the years, I’ve had baseball “figured out” a 1000 times. Who wouldn’t know that Urias was going to beat the Braves Johnny Wholestaff and yesterday Max Fried would beat our bull-pen? Oh wait. I had that backwards. I will admit that I don’t spend any time anymore checking out the pre-game pitching match ups. They’re both likely to be outta there by the 5th now days.
    I will say I think CT3 made himself a lot of money yesterday. I hope it’s with us next season. Maybe we’ll get a home team discount and some consideration that we like him, he likes us and we basically salvaged his career after he lost the shortstop job in Seattle and couldn’t hit. The Dodger’s remade his swing and made his career with a lot of hard work from him. I really do value his humility and quiet classy demeanor unlike clowns like Heredia with swords and shit. Get that guy a cheerleader’s outfit. And I won’t mention the Padres.
    I got myself a Braves hat that I wore to my weekly beer and bullshit session with the retired baseball coaches group yesterday. They call me a Dodger Whore. But now i’m into reverse psychology.

    1. CT3 definitely made himself some money this postseason and quite frankly past postseasons play too. I had faith in him. I remember a few years ago he was struggling similar to this September and someone(might have been Mark) posted his monthly stats and showed what a streak hitter he has always been. He was due to snap out of it and we all knew his neck injury was most likely the cause of his end of the year slump because I’m guessing up until then he was having his most consistent season of his career.

       The Dodgers did a real tough thing when the current ownership took over and especially when AF took over. They rebuilt the farm while winning. I recall people were criticizing AF for not pushing his chips in, but he spent minor league talent on Hill, Machado, Watson, Fields, Darvish, Betts and the Scherzer deal. I’m not sure why anyone would be surprised that the top half of the minor league system isn’t where it once was. They still had enough to go get Scherzer and Turner. I have faith in AF that he will re-stock the minors. There are some very interesting players at A and AA levels. Hopefully, they get out of the Bauer deal and can bring back their free-agents while they re-stock the minors. Yes, Reks, Raley, Neuse and some others didn’t work out this year. I think McKinstry would have hit if he hadn’t been injured. All in all Lux, Beaty, Albert, Barnes, were still a solid bench. At some point the Dodgers depth was going to take a bit of a hit. You can’t sign everyone.

    2. The post game interview where asked about what was up w/his curtain call was classic.
       “When I do something it never ends up looking cool” ….. so nicely self deprecating.
       And that Cody got caught looking as he was already in the batters box was hilarious. Well worth one called strike.
       cheers
       pb+

24. I have no problem with second guessers. Everybody does it with their personal and professional lives. You gather as much information as possible, make the decision, and move on. Maybe the decision turns out positive, and maybe it doesn’t. It does not make the decision a bad decision, just a bad outcome. In the same Game 2, was it a bad decision by Snitker to bring in Luke Jackson for Tyler Matzek to face JT. I understand the decision. Bring in the RHP to face JT instead of the LHP. He hits JT on a 1-1 curveball bringing up CT3 to face the RHRP. CT3 hits a two run double and the Dodgers are up 4-2. Should Snitker be chastised for bringing in Jackson? Gathered the information, rolled the dice, and it came up snake eyes.

    The same with Urias. Urias had not pitched a normal bullpen session at the time. Maybe they were saving that for Game 2 if needed. I don’t know, and neither does anyone here. He was successful in that role during the 2020 playoffs. Urias started Game 4 in the 2020 WS, went 4.2 innings and came back 3 days later to pitch the final 2.1 innings of the WS in perfect fashion. In 2021, he started Game 5 against SF and pitched 4.0 innings, throwing 59 pitches. Again he came back after 3 days, and this time it did not work. Yes, different year. He has pitched more innings this year than ever. He may be tiring. He was due to start game 4. However, maybe the thought going on in the brain trust was that, if the Dodgers get up late in the game, let’s win Game 2. The team is going to need a bullpen game in Game 3, Game 4, or Game 5. If they could close out Game 2 with Julio who has proven what he can do in this situation, they have Buehler going in Game 3, or perhaps a bullpen game and get Buehler in Game 4, Urias in Game 5 with extra rest and maybe Game 6 is not needed. If so, there would be a well-rested Max Scherzer. That is not a possible scenario? I have no idea if it was or not, but neither does anyone else. The point is, the Dodgers brain trust put a plethora of scenarios together and drew up a battle plan. Roberts is free to change the plan, as he did in the 2020 Game 7 NLCS and Game 6 WS. There is no way the analytics would point to Urias pitching three innings in NLCS Game 7 and 2.1 innings in WS Game 6. He saw that Urias was dominating and he stayed with him.

    I have no issue with William and his takes. He is articulate and his message is well thought out. I may not always agree with him, but it is not due to off the cuff remarks. He understands the nuances of the game. I do think he likes to take the negative approach. He is not alone there. Where I vehemently disagree with William is with his comment…”He wants to paint a managerial masterpiece, and if it does not work out he NEVER says that he made a mistake (as Cora essentially did about using Eovaldi in relief), he always says that “I felt that he was the best option we had,” or “I liked the matchup.” Well, of course, but that doesn’t justify it.”

    1. I do not want Doc ever compared to Cora, who should be out of baseball for cheating. So I do not care one iota what Cora says.

    2. Of course his “I felt that he was the best option we had,” or “I liked the matchup” justifies the decision. That is the point. He gathered the information and made a decision. The execution was flawed. His decision did not have the same positive outcome, as it did in 2020.

    3. You learn from the bad outcomes, and that goes into the next decision. More information. Corporations earn and lose millions on decisions. Executives who make those decisions are promoted and fired every day. But the decisions were made with the best information at the time. Apparently, Doc makes more right decisions than wrong decisions in the eyes of LAD management.

    4. Finally, I DO NOT EVER WANT A MANAGER WHO SECOND GUESSES HIMSELF. Make a decision and move on. Game 2 did not work out. Maybe it will in Game 6 or Game 7. Urias could very well get a chance for a repeat in Game 7. I do not want Roberts thinking about Game 2 when the decision is made.

    5. This is what Doc said after Game 2…”While speaking with the media on the off-day today, Roberts said that he still stands by his decision to use Urias in relief and went more in-depth on where the Dodgers’ bullpen is as a whole.

    “Different doesn’t mean it’s wrong,” Roberts said. “A decision that doesn’t work out doesn’t mean it’s the wrong decision. Everyone in that clubhouse believes we’re going about it the right way. For us, that’s the most important thing.

    “I don’t think using Julio in Game 1 or 2 changed that. I don’t see the cost. We had to get to a point where we were at to win the game and figure it out. Things just can’t be scripted, you’ve got to go off script to what I feel is the best chance to win again, let alone a series.”

    He made a decision that did not work, but as he said, it was not the decision that was wrong just because it did not work out.

    6. And to your query as to whether I doubt that if Treinen were used in the eighth, and then Jansen in the ninth, the Dodgers would have won that game? As a Dodger fan, I never have doubts. I did not have doubts about Urias. Can you guarantee LAD would win the game with Treinen and Jansen? KJ did in fact give up the walk off hit in Game 2, and Treinen has not been perfect. In Game 1 he gave up the walk off hit in the 9th, getting only 1 out. Maybe in Game 2 he pitches an 8th inning like the 7th, or maybe he pitches it like the 9th the game before.

    For the record, I did not agree with the decision. I was at Fright Fest at Six Flags in Vallejo for Game 2, and when I got the notification of Urias coming in to pitch the 8th, I was shaking my head. My wife asked if the Dodgers were now losing. I said…no, but Dave Roberts just opened himself up to all of the second guessers. He is going to look like a genius or get whacked like a piñata. If you believe in your bullpen, why not go with them. But those were my thoughts with the limited information I have as a fan.

    BTW, I do agree with William that there will be a bunch of changes next year. I am not ready to talk about next year, but there will be changes.

    1. Hmm, just curios_ What makes a decision a bad or wrong decision ?
       IMHO it was a bad decision because it was unnecessary to bring in Julio. There were several other options to go considering matchups and success. Bruihl would have been an option or leaving in Treinen.
       Julio not once all season warmed to pitch out of the pen. Even in his start vs the Giants he was not overpowering.
       IMHO DR was making his decision based on 2020 and not 2021. And that made it a bad decision, not the outcome.

       Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

25. I am very happy we finally have Atlanta on their heels. Momentum is a thing in this game. And, for the moment, that momentum is on our side. Nobody takes a loss like last night without being shaken.

    That said, I find so much of the pontificating going on here, and everywhere else in Dodger land, tiresome. I agree with Mark. I find it’s the fans who are overthinking and over analyzing; not Dave Roberts.

    Baseball is a tough sport. But what makes any given single game exciting is that anything can happen in that single game. Over 162 games, factors like luck, weather and injuries tend to become diluted. The best teams will almost always have the best records (obviously not always.. 2021 Giants). But in a single game the best team isn’t always going to win. In a 5 or 7 games series, the best team often doesn’t win. And there are reasons for that.

    Luck, injuries and other challenges become vastly more impactful in the playoffs. Additionally, the strategies of each team changes drastically. By design and necessity. A team doesn’t (and shouldn’t) take the same approach in a game in July verses a playoff game. Especially an elimination game. And they know the other team will employ different strategies as well, which has to been taken into consideration with your own strategy.

    It’s very similar to poker. There is one strategy a player will employ when they are playing a regular game and a completely separate strategy employed when playing in a tournament. In regular play you don’t have an issue of time. You can let the odds catch up. If you play correctly, you will have ups and downs but over a long period of time you will be ahead. In tournament play, you don’t have that luxury. Blinds increase regularly. I saw more people get busted in a tournament because they weren’t aggressive enough! Simply the increase in blinds took out half their stack. Your opponents will play very aggressive and you must do the same. You will play cards you would never otherwise play and you would bet in ways you would otherwise never bet. How I played a normal game and how I played a tournament game didn’t resemble each other. You make moves that you believe improve your odds in THAT moment. Under the time constraints you find yourself in. There is no time to let to odds catch up. And sometimes it means betting heavy into somebody that flopped the nuts. It happens. And you will lose sometimes. It’s part of the game.

    AF and Roberts had a plan for the playoffs. And it’s not the same plan as during the season. They are doing things they would never do during the regular season. As they should. They know what they are doing. That doesn’t mean it always works. Had it not been for that low pressure system off the coast of CA, Gavin Lux would have walked off that game against the Giants. All the effort, planning, training, strategizing, adjusting and executing go to shit with a single gust of wind. Over 162 games, wind is not an issue. But in one, it determines the outcome. That’s the playoffs.

    Roberts is executing the plan. It’s the fans who are over analyzing everything. This is baseball.

    1. I totally agree. The fans are the ones saying it was unnecessary and a bad decision. Obviously the FO and Roberts take the exact opposite position.

       1. Typical circular reasoning. Only this time it is obvious.
          Because FO and Roberts think it was a good decision it can not be wrong.
          Classic.

          Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          1. Where did I say it cannot be wrong. I said the FO and Roberts take the opposite position. Sheesh, get over it. Game 2 has been over for days. The only thing that is classic is your continual harping on something that is long over.

             1. oldbear, i love you but you are not smart enough o play ball with the big boys. take a step back, stop being so damn certain all the time, and work on learning over teaching. you can’t do it and there’s no use trying. t’chau

26. I hope the Dodgers can move forward without removing Bruihl off the roster. If Max shows up with his good stuff they shouldn’t need him tomorrow night.

27. In golf, one definition of a good drive is any drive you can find. You never know for sure until you are far enough down the fairway to see your ball.

    We will be far enough down the fairway this Saturday or Sunday. In the meantime we are just taking practice swings.

    1. Reminds me of teeing off at dawn. You never knew where the ball was going to end up…until you (hopefully) found it.

       1. “wrong hole!”

28. Kike just made the exact same error in cf as Lux did in game 3.

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Betts
       Lux
       Trea

       could be a fun top of the lineup next year.

29. Does anyone know if the game will be moved from 5:00 to 8:00 EST tomorrow if Boston loses tonight?

    1. yes it will

30. We don’t need Scherzer and Buehler to throw two jewels, I only ask for 5 IP, from both of them, with a maximum of two runs allowed and if the bullpen is at the usual level the chances of winning this are very good; Yesterday we saw the real offense of the Dodgers and they crushed them, they are far superior, you just have to prove it, that offense has to stay alive, they just have to be themselves and then this team will go straight to win the World Series.

31. I’d like to see two more bullpen games and bring Scherzer and Buehler in late to relieve. That would give LADT about 6 more months of rants and raves if it didn’t work out

32. Max will not start tomorrow.

    1. Wow, that’s all I got. Wow!

    2. Insert rolling eyes emoji. He’s on an extra days rest and he’s not ready? With Kelly and possibly Bruihl out they need some innings out of a starter with back to back games. I can’t imagine a big game pitcher not taking the ball.

       1. Interesting

33. So with Scherzer out, we have 6 options:
    1) Bullpen game
    2) Price (probably isn’t ready to go more than 2 innings even if he pitches well)
    3) White
    4) Jackson
    5) Gonsolin
    6) Buehler on short rest (I would definitely not go with this one)

    Also, we don’t know if Bruihl can pitch.

    If Max is put on the IL, that would mean he couldn’t pitch in the WS either (although odds of getting that far are getting less and less by the minute)

    1. knowing doc he’ll go buehler

       1. Unless they think Max can go Sunday, it wouldn’t make any sense to go with Buehler because even if we win tomorrow we also have to win Sunday. Might as well let Walker get that extra day of rest.

          1. agree.

             moving buehler up makes no sense because we need that win too.

    2. I don’t want Jackson, Price, or Gonsolin near that game. It’s really Buehler or bullpen game in my opinion.

       1. I’m guessing it’s a bullpen game and Price will be part of it. Remember, we may not have Bruihl either. Running out of arms so likely that Jackson and/or White are added. Whether they actually pitch is another question.

          1. smart money is on knebel

             1. heavy action on graterol.

                sweet white/vesia parlay available too

             2. i got 5 on it

34. Max isn’t a quitter, so he really must be hurt/done.

    1. monkey’s paw: i wish we would defeat SF in the NLDS

    2. What do we do now? Did that relief appearance in San Francisco took more out of him than we thought.

35. I can’t believe that I of all people has been banned from McCovey Chronicles

    1. haha they are pretty chill over there

36. Well half of my prediction came true. The Astros made it to the World Series. Now the other half of my prediction is the Dodgers to the World Series. I went with team OPS stats (both offense and pitching) for my prediction.

    My final overall prediction is the Dodgers as World Series champions. Same thing using team OPS stats as my prediction.

    What’s up with the rumor that Scherzer is not starting tomorrow?

    1. you’re a smart baseball.

       Every single person on this board hopes your prediction comes true!

    2. dead arm dead arm

    3. Regular season team batting OPS minus regular season team pitching OPS.

       Dodgers .759 – .624 = .135 the best in the NL among playoff teams.
       Astros .783 – .687 = .096 the best in the AL among playoff teams.

37. Late word is Price will get the start…..do not quote me on that. I only post what I hear…

38. Price would not have been activated if he hadn’t been throwing and working out while off roster. He might be able to get through 3 innings.

    1. Love it. Step up David!

39. Bummer to hear Max wont be good to go tonight. Dodgers now need a white knight riding in on a black horse waving a magic sword to win game 6.
    I remember Mitch White throwing 7.1 scoreless innings as a bulk pitcher this season .
    With him at least the “white” part would be fulfilled…

    Dodgers are snake bit this season with injuries and the TB saga.

    Shades of 88 `? Tons of injuries, a somewhat beaten up rotation, a key player suspended and makeshift lineups every game.

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. I like the reference. 88 was magical and they had to get up off of the floor in that season also.

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