Rant & Rave Sunday
- It wasn’t pretty, but it was poetic. The team that led the league in Comebacks came back!
- Ohtani did not have his best stuff, and Glasnow’s control was suspect, but it was enough!
- Cristopher Sanchez has quietly become the Phillies’ Ace – he is an outstanding pitcher.
- I was excited to see Robertson come into the game, and then Matt Strahn looked like a deer in the headlights.
- The Hernandez Brothers (yes, I know that they are not blood brothers) each got a big hit to drive in all five runs. It will be someone else’s turn tomorrow.
- Will Smith is still obviously not 100%, but I am sure Doc wants to see how he feels after a day of rest.
- The Possibility exists that Conforto could be added to the Roster in the NLCS.
- Sasaki is the closer… for now. Scott will be used in lower leverage situations… for now.
The Athletic:
Hitting coach Aaron Bates spent the hitters’ meeting earlier in the day reinforcing the danger that a Red October in this building could bring. At one point, Bates cautioned the players that the crowd of 45,777 would reach a frenzy. He told them it would be up to the Dodgers’ offense to drop the decibels.
— Fabian Ardaya
“There are certain places where it’s hard to play in October,” Bates said. “So you just have to really stick to whatever your plan is that day, and kind of have tunnel vision. … Just build momentum for yourself.”
“Something’s going to happen in this game that the crowd’s gonna go wild, but that doesn’t matter,” Max Muncy said. “What matters is what happens at the end, and when we silence the crowd, it’s gonna be an amazing feeling.”
You can see why Sanchez is special. Throwing breaking pitches for strikes. especially on first pitch
so who starts at catcher tomorrow? does it really matter? Ben R. has been fantastic for the team! maybe doc lets Ben start again, do most of the heavy lifting, and then pinch hits will again. Worked yesterday. i guess we’ll see tomorrow. … Teo? it’s too late now to move him out of right field! it’s also crazy to even consider benching him. That bat might just lead the dodgers to another championship! Doc will handle it inhouse. … Now lots of fans will be happy with a split in philly. NOT ME!! this philly team is too good to believe they can’t win 2 games in Dodger stadium! they have already done it! Doc won’t manage it that way either! i believe the day off between games 1 and 2 benefits the dodgers more than the phillies. Sasaki was money! Doc probably wouldn’t have used him back to back games. Biggest concern? who takes Glasnow’s role tomorrow if dodgers have the lead going to the 7th? Trienan? maybe 1 inning. he still worries me. Dryer? maybe. Vesia? possibly. Scott? Nope!!!!!! Once again, jump on Luzardo early. Snell can be a monster! They need to clean up the outfield lackadaisical play. Adjust at the plate. And continue to pitch just as ohtani did last night! Dodgers in 4!!!!
I’m NOT a fan of Glasnow in a close ballgame coming out of the bullpen. He walks too many.
I don’t see Scott pitching in ANY game that we have the lead or are close behind. Especially with days off between games
Thank God Teo comes up big when needed in the Playoffs:
Teo hernandez Dodgers defensive metrics
Teoscar Hernández’s defensive metrics for the 2025 MLB season with the Los Angeles Dodgers are generally considered below average.
Here are some of his key defensive statistics for the 2025 season:
Statistic Value
Outs Above Average (OAA) -8
Fielding Run Value (FRV) -9
Range -10
Arm Value -1
Context:
Hernández has primarily played right field for the Dodgers in 2025. He played primarily left field in 2024.
His -8 OAA in 2025 places him low among qualified right fielders.
His defense in right field has been noted as a potential liability.
Note: While Hernández’s defense has been an area of concern, his offensive production, including a 3-run home run in the recent NLDS Game 1 against the Phillies, has been significant for the Dodgers.
From AI.
I wanted to post this when Mark had posted something on the Padres GM:
“How does the Padres farm system rank among the 30 teams?
The San Diego Padres farm system is ranked among the bottom tier of MLB teams as of late 2025. Bleacher Report reports the Padres’ farm system as 30th after September call-ups. ESPN’s August 2025 rankings placed them at 30th as well. This ranking marks a significant drop from previous years where the Padres were known for having one of the league’s top farm systems.
This decline can largely be attributed to the team’s strategy of trading away numerous top prospects to acquire established Major League talent, particularly around the 2025 trade deadline. For instance, they traded away shortstop Leo De Vries, who was ranked as high as the #3 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, according to MLB.com. Other top prospects like Braden Nett, Boston Bateman, Cobb Hightower, and Ryan Bergert were also traded away.
However, the Padres’ farm system isn’t entirely devoid of talent. Catcher Ethan Salas is the top prospect, despite facing a drop in production and a stress reaction in his back in 2025. Left-handed pitcher Kruz Schoolcraft, the team’s first-round pick in the 2025 draft, and other young arms like Humberto Cruz and Kash Mayfield, still offer promising upside for the future.
The Padres’ aggressive approach to acquiring veteran players has boosted their Major League roster and positioned them as contenders, including leading the NL West for a time in 2025. But this success has come at the expense of a diminished farm system. Only time will tell if their strategy of prioritizing current success over prospect depth will pay off in the long run”.
From AI.
if preller ever wins a championship then the padre fans will say he’s the greatest! if not, he’s a bum! machado isn’t getting any younger neither is bogarts. they have no power at 1st base. cronenworth has levelled out. jackson m. is a potential top 10 player, if healthy and he stays in san diego. their starting rotation is a health hazard! Mason miller is a beast. will they make him a starter? Will the be able to retain the rest of their bullpen? i can see arizona passing them next year. Bottom line? if san diego wins the free agent battle this offseason, they can compete with the dodgers. But they can’t be comfortable with that farm system. I’m ok with that!! Glasnow? little worried last night! Was probably more worried when Vesia came in. Biggest out he’s gotten this season! like i said earlier, the space between games favors the dodgers. i’m totally expecting another win tomorrow. I still believe Teo plays a huge role in that win !
Omitted from this AI analysis is the non-artificial intelligence that only the Dodgers surpassed the Padres in attendance this season. If the GM’s job is to create a product that puts butts in the seats, AJ Preller and his aggressive go-for-it approach has been successful.
I assume that the Padres’ system was no better than average before they pulled off the deal for Mason Miller… and also Sears, but mostly Miller.
We fans, I think, get carried away with prospect rankings, which may be more art than science–as well as plenty of groupthink. There are just so many examples of prospects who prove to have been either underrated and overrated. Maybe the young SS the Athletics got will be another ARod–or maybe just an OK player like Lux, or perhaps not even that. As some say, every prospect is a suspect until he proves otherwise.
The Dodgers are typically ranked as having a Top 5 system. So it seems fair to assume that the Dodgers’ No. 1, 4, 8, 11 and 20 prospects–pick some numbers, any number—are better than the corresponding prospects in a thin system like the Padres. Does AF and his brain trust pay much attention to these rankings from BA or MLB.com or Bleacher Report or whatever? I sure hope not. I trust that they have deep dossiers on the talent and make decisions accordingly. (Which isn’t to say they always get it right. Somehow they convinced themselves and a keystone combo of Lux and Vargas was a surefire success.)
So it’s great that the Dodgers now have 7 prospects in the top 100–but several are outfielders. Nobody knows which of these guys will turn out to be suspects. Which is one reason I prefer parades to prospects.
So now we judge “success” by attendance?
Gotcha
Uh, yeah….
It’s a business, isn’t it? Those are customers, right?
They buy tickets, buy the food, buy the merchandise. They spend $$$$.
This comment of yours has me a bit worried about your blowhole, porpoiseboy.
Did a Dodger Dog get stuck in there?
I’m a big believer that high pressure situations change performance. Better or worse, but rarely the same. It is as true in business as in sports. Kiki and Teo are great examples. I’m a big Tyler Glasnow fan. His walks don’t worry me as I believe his stuff is good enough to overcome it and his refusal to give in to hitters is an edge I would not take away from him. That being said, I am concerned with his playoff stats (5.51 era over 47 innings). Too small of a sample size to be statistically valid……..but of concern. Saski I have complete confidence in.
Mark, let me know in 4 or 5 years when you are ready to sell that new truck you just bought. I love buying nicely appointed and well taken care of trucks from my wealthy friends after they take the big depreciation hit . I wish I had known you were going to sell the 2019 you had.
I’ll offer $5 more than you.
With friends like these………
Well, I am not wealthy. I am just blessed.
I suppose I could be wealthy if I sold my business, but we are more interested in continuing the Timmons Legacy and helping others along the way. We make people’s lives better by improving their water quality, and sometimes we even save people’s lives. At our core, we try to give back more than we take. It was never about the money… it still isn’t!
BTW, I sold the 2019 F-150 Limited for $33K!
The new PTA movie is pretty good. DeCaprio, DelToro and Taylor are just spectacular.
there’s also a well named high school student.
Oh…. Paul Thomas Anderson….
For a second there I thought it was about a sexy but violent Parent Teachers Assn.
Maybe Tarantino is working on that one.
BTW, my friend Marla whose son is part of the Blue Jays’ brain trust is pretty giddy right now, with the Jays on the verge of eliminating the Yankees. Her boy evidently lobbied for the team to draft Trey Yesavage, the rookie who torched the Yankees.
A few years back, when her son was working for the Tampa Bay Rays, I assume Marla was channeling her son when she defended Kevin Cash for taking Snell out of that playoff game against the Dodgers that he was dominating. The Dodgers, of course, loved that move–and went on to win.
While I thought a Dodgers-Yankees rematch would be interesting, I’d be fine with Dodgers vs. Blue Jays, Tigers or Mariners.
Yes. Getting there will be thrilling
I think Anderson is doing the sequel to OUATIH.
Great story by Lin, McCullough and one other about pitch-stealing, pitch-tipping and the universe of hi-tech eyeballs in baseball. ($$$$)
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6691711/2025/10/06/mlb-pitch-tipping-paranoia-camera-ipads-pitch-clock/?source=athletic_user_shared_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta
“A few seasons ago, Dodgers officials met with reliever Alex Vesia and pulled up side-by-side video of his fastball and his slider.
“And they were like, ‘Hey, do you notice anything different in these two videos?’” Vesia said. “I was like, ‘No, I’m coming set the exact same way.’ And they were like, ‘Look at your mouth.’”
Before he threw sliders, he chomped a wad of gum. On fastballs, his jaw stayed still.
He stopped chewing gum.”
Good article writing is so fucking awesome.
Cool detail.
5 hours till game time!! then 3 hours to another dodgers game celebration! it sure would be sweet to go back to LA up 2-0, Yamamoto at home in game 3? WOW! i’m a little giddy at the thought of sweeping the phillies! i know that they have something to say about that, but it sure is nice to daydream! could happen! could not! I want to go back to LA up 2-0! i guess all dodger fans want the same thing. .. Yankee fans are about to crap their pants! their best pitcher got beat up yesterday. don’t see them winning 3 in a row. …. Cubbies better win today or they’ll be in big trouble. … Hopefully the Mariners send good ole AJ Hinch home for the offseason. Bregman probably opts out of his contract with Boston, and wouldn’t be surprised if he signs with Detroit reuniting him with AJ. Bang the drums! (er, cans) . …. might we see Clayton today? 7 and 8th inning? never know!
6:08 PM ET
Dodgers (93-69) (1-0)
Phillies (96-66) (0-1)
SP Blake Snell L
5-4 2.35 ERA
SP Jesus Luzardo L
15-7 3.92 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
SS Mookie Betts R
RF T. Hernandez R
1B F. Freeman L
2B Tommy Edman S
LF E. Hernandez R
3B Miguel Rojas R
CF Andy Pages R
C Ben Rortvedt L
78° Wind 6 mph Out
Thought I posted something about pitch-stealling/tipping?
Here’s another excellent article, this one from Passan:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46488389/mlb-playoffs-2025-los-angeles-dodgers-roki-sasaki-closer-delivery-transformation
The money quote:
“For all of the grief directed at the Dodgers because of their half-billion-dollar payroll and cadre of superstars, their ability to diagnose issues and coach players up, to open clear lines of communication and remain on the same page — to make players better and make that change sticky — is among the best in baseball. The Dodgers’ exceptional financial might makes them behemoths. Their skill at creating other advantages available to even those with much lower payrolls makes them terrifying.”
You did, and I just released it.
It was great! As Usual.
Why Roberts went to Treinen, I will not know.
I am sure he will be asked post-game. Will he be truthful in response?
Yeah, I guess this is reasonably truthful:
https://x.com/ByJackHarris/status/1975381048486993951
I have not disagreed with most of Dave Roberts’ bullpen decisions in the past: Pitchers did not perform. So be it!
Bringing Blake Treinen in and keeping him in was a Dope-Fiend Move!
Pure and simple.
If Vesia bails him out, it’s still a dope-fiend move.
Blake Treine is a stand-up guy.
He can no longer pitch!
A stand-up guy who should have been a sit-down guy.
Dave Roberts is still a moron today!
Praise the Lord!
No problem. Up 2-0
yes mark!! why? sasaki was up earlier throwing! trienan should not be in a close game!! Max with the game saving play! then freddie bails out tommy! me thinks i just soiled myself!! I said Doc wouldn’t be out managed this series. Well he almost made me a liar. hopefully he’s learned his lesson concerning trienan!
Whew… a nail-biter, with Roki to the rescue again.
Roki and Vesia, that is.
I think Treinen fell off that “trust tree” Roberts talks about. Yikes. For a second there I was afraid Roberts might summon Tanner Scott.
The newfangled “catcher opener” strategy paid off. Can anybody here think of a precedent of any manager deliberately opening the game with a backup catcher with plans to sub him out mid-game for a starter? And Smith is not just any starter–but an all-star who had batted cleanup much of the season. Snell has spoken so highly of Rortvedt that I wonder how much input Snell may have had in the decision. (I wonder what is going through Rushing’s mind these days. )
At any rate, Snell was dominant and Smith delivered the big hit.
Hopefully he has learned a very stressful and non-repeatable lesson!! To include any thoughts on Tanner.
I told my wife as soon as I found out that Trienan was coming how “moronic” the decision was (actually a couple more colorful words:)
Actually thought Sheehan would stay in after he got Schreiber and Harper out to end the 8th until a runner got on, then Sasaki.
We dodged one!
“Why did I go with Blake. Because I’m a dope-fiend! ”
I’d have been happy to see Sheehan start the ninth. He was pitching well–good, not great–so why take a risk with Treinen?
Doc was managing with his heart, not his head ! it’s over. i too was cussing up a storm when trienan came on for the ninth! didn’t do any good! he still pitched! not very well i might add! Great point about Emmit . why not let him start the ninth and have sasaki ready? oh well , it’s over. pulling for a five game series for cubs and brewers. that’s also assuming dodgers finish off philly in 3! but be warned, this series isn’t over! philly won’t lay down for the dodgers. Teo got it started tonight! mvp so far.
WOW. Nola to start game 3
Roberts didn’t leave Trienin in because he wanted to—he had to. 3 batter minimum.
The question is NOT:
Why did Roberts LEAVE Treinen in.
The question IS:
Why did Roberts BRING Treinen in.
During the postgame interview, Roberts clarified why he chose not to initially go with Sasaki. Turns out it had mostly to do with Roki himself; hence, Roberts stating Sasaki had not previously gone 2 out of 3 days.
Clearly, Dodger brass wanted to rest the young man. Can’t say I blame them for wanting to play it safe with their young phenom.
Go Dodgers!
Bluto I was referring to Mark’s comment about bringing Trienen in AND leaving him in. Roberts had no choice—he had to leave him in for three batters.
I would have left Sheehan in. He’s fully capable of three innings and there’s an off day tomorrow.
I was frustrated with Edman’s tag on Castellanos. Put the glove in front of the base. Thanks to Freddie’s scoop it all worked out. 2-0