Forget About the Game for a Minute! Some of you are losing your minds about the one Dodger loss. There’s no need to cuss and dis-cuss it. Sunday, we will have more information – good or bad. We will talk about that when it comes… but right about now it’s time to think about something else.
I was born in 1953 and the only reason that is significant is that I am getting close to having every Dodger Media Guide back to that point. It’s pretty cool to be able to go back in Dodger time to that particular year. Below is one that is significant:
Here’s what I have… so far. I just need 8 or 9 more…
Built Ford Tough
This is going to read like a commercial, but six years ago, I bought a 2013 Ford F-150 and 122 thousand miles later it was the best vehicle I have ever had. It started every day without fail. Went through 2 feet of snow. Never failed and… oh… it was fast at 375 HP. Here’s the deal: other than two sets of tires and oil changes, all I spent on this truck in 6 years was $2,600.00.
The 2013 F-150 was still looking good and running strong, but I’d rather get rid of it too soon than too late. I’m a pickup truck type of guy and have been looking at the new ones. I almost bought a Raptor but that’s just not me. Finally, at the end of the model year, I traded it in for a new one. The 2019 Limited F-150.
I didn’t buy the Raptor, but it has the Raptor engine (450 HP) and goes 0-60 in 5.1 seconds and does the quarter-mile in 13 seconds at 102 MPH. Not bad for a 6,000-pound pickup. Well, it is the fastest production pickup ever… except for the 2004 V-10 Viper. This is a V-6 Twin-Turbo. BTW, it gets 23 MPG on the highway. I am loving it! FYI: I am a hot rodder at heart.
I am headed to KC for the Colts-Chiefs game Sunday. I fully expect the Colts to lose, but I will have my Colts Blue on. Enjoy the Dodgers game. I will be watching it.
The Desert Dogs won 2-0 and the only Dodger hitter (Devin Mann) was 0-3 (he is hitting .077). However, Mitch White, Marshall Kasowski and Brett de Geus pitched scoreless innings to preserve the win..de Geus got the save.
So I believe the team will continue to do what it did all year, win the series.
Book ’em, Dano!
Wow, I thought you closed the comments because everyone was being too stupid. Nice truck! It’s too bad the game’s on so late tomorrow, too much time for people to continue to freak out.
I’m curious though. Someone said something about Belli / Seager not performing in the post season. I’m wondering what thoughts people have on what to do about that if the pattern continues. Do you send them packing? I mean, MVP candidate and a high ceiling offensive shortstop that handles the glove well? You can’t sit them, they’re the young core of the team.
I also thought about their maturity. Really, both only have about 3 years of experience. Are they ready to lead the team to victory? And if not, are they too young to give up on?
Regardless, those two guys are expected to produce if this team is going to do damage in the post season. But, sometimes a pitcher is just on and it really doesn’t matter who’s in the box against them. And sometimes, you just have to step up and beat great pitching.
Last night wasn’t a great result and it wasn’t the best game all around for our boys, but we were still in it all the way until the end. A little luck and maybe a different outcome.
It’s gonna be a long day tomorrow waiting for 4:45 to roll around.
I made the comment weeks ago that my biggest concern was whether Cody would try to do too much and not take his walks. The next time he leads off an inning I would like to see him beat the shift with a bunt. I made the comment multiple times for the Dodgers to reach their goal they need Corey and Cody to show up. Like I said in those posts we know Muncy and Turner will show up. They are as reliable as Mark’s F-150. Bellinger and Seager have yet to show up in the postseason. If they don’t the Dodgers aren’t going anywhere. Molly Knight must have been reading my posts because her article in the Athletic was about this very thing. A mediocre pitcher put down Bellinger and Seager while walking Muncy and Smith.
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You have to play them though. You always play your studs. It’s up to them to play that way. Please enough with Pollock in the 3 hole.
Regarding your question about the future of Belli & Seager, IF, they don’t produce……….It’s hard to imagine AF trying to trade out these 2 players being as young as they are and as talented. They will probably just continue to work with them and will be content to pay them on a low scale until their demand for big bucks forces either a trade or they don’t progress to the next level, reliability in both seasonal and post seasonal play. IMO, Seager is replaceable. I would need more of a sample from Bellinger to think he overachieved this year and is really only a .275 hitter. If that’s the case, I look to trade him out. When a player like Rendon comes into FA, he will command a high price tag. If I could swing a deal for him without bankrupting the club, I would, and I would trade any player on the roster or in the minors to try and get him.
Hawkeye was quick to bring this subject up. I’m not opposed to bring elite players to the party, but this is not the blueprint of AF. I agree with many of the fans that ownership has tied the hands of AF in this respect. It could change, but this approach has worked for the Dodgers, it just hasn’t produced a WS win yet, and it probably won’t. Getting rid of Grienke was the first sign the Dodgers weren’t going to pay for victory. It’s a road that was closed down and hasn’t opened up yet. If they fall in this series, it may change some minds that matter and then we may see that elusive prize that has been missing for decades.
They didn’t get rid of Greinke. They offered him a huge deal and then made Arizona a trade offer trying to get him back. AF was brought in to run the team in a sustainable manner. $300 million a year payrolls was not a sustainable operating model for success.
Man, is Gerrit Cole going to get paiddddd!!!!!
Too bad it won’t be by the Dodgers!
Just bought my tickets for game 2!of the NLCS. That’s how I feel about this series!
Awesome enjoy that!!
Dodgers are still Favorites and the better team overall. Class of the NL. Best Franchise ever
Anyone who has played baseball, watch Cody stepping in the bucket or first base with his front foot and his front shoulder flying open. He can’t hit the outside pitch and loses power doing it this way. Why aren’t the Dodgers coaches and video people making him aware of it ?
Pulling off the ball is a sign that he’s trying to kill every pitch, do too much. I’m sure they see it just like you do. It’s hard to adjust, hopefully that long plane flight to DC gave him time to think about it.
I hope Big Watermelon (Ryu) Comes through today and shuts down Nats offense. Dodgers need to get to Crazy Max early and hit some home runs like Brewers did that last game. Swing for the fences in that ballpark. I would put Freese. Lux looked overmatched against Strasburg and Max. I would play Beaty instead of Pollock in LF . The key would be to get to Nats bullpen and the likes of Rodney and Strickland if Dodgers do that they can win this series easily.
Andy, I agree with you on your assessment of Cody’s approach to hitting an outside pitch. It’s kind of shocking that a player as athletic as Cody looks so non-athletic with his swing on a outside pitch. He has improved so much this year with hitting, so it’s odd that this is his approach to an outside pitch. Also, I never have liked his huge swings. It works against poor or mediocre pitching, but against playoff pitching that approach doesn’t work. He cannot hit a fastball 94 and above between the belt and letters. As strong as he is I don’t know why he feels he needs to swing so hard. Earlier in the year he talked about “kissing the ball with his bat” when talking about his improvement with hitting to the opposite field. That seems to be currently out of the plan for Cody.
About replacing Cody and/or Seager that doesn’t seem to be a wise decision. Talk about overreaction. They are so talented and will only get better, especially Seager. He is learning how to play with a new body and repaired body parts. How much pain was he in the past? We don’t know. If we move either one of them, who do we have that will be better than them? I would imagine that most teams would be thrilled to have developed such talent. I wouldn’t think they are going anywhere.
Looking forward to today’s game. I think we will do a better against making Scherzer work and get his pitch count up. And, hopefully our bats will wake up.
Yesterday, I posted this just before comments closed:
“DC posted the other day about Johnny Podres – a guy who came up big when the Dodgers needed it most. There are certain players who have that knack – think of Sandy Koufax for instance. Others fold in the clutch like a house of cards.
The Dodgers have played in the post-season 7 years in a row. So several players have a track record. Unfortunately, many Dodger hitters have come up empty year after year in the playoffs.
Bellinger: .164/.227/.320/.547, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 132 PA
Seager: .208/.280/.340/.619, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 118 PA
Hernandez: .193/.317/.375/.692, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 104 PA
Pollock: .136/.240/.409/.649, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 25 PA
The Good:
Turner: .310/.412/.497/.909, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 221 PA
Freese: .286/.360/.538/.898, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 225 PA
Taylor: .267/.403/.475/.878, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 124 PA
Pederson: .243/.331/.505, 7 HR, 12 RBI, 122 PA
Muncy: .232/.386/.464/.850, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 70 PA
In short, I don’t think that the Dodgers can depend on Belli, Seager, Kike or AJ in the post-season. Each of them (except Pollock) have a track record of falling apart in the playoffs.
Who will step up? So far Muncy has. Anyone else?”
Today, Molly Knight wrote this over at The Athletic:
“But what should terrify Dodger fans is Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager continuing to be MIA in the postseason.
The Dodgers are in a short series fighting for their playoff lives, so we don’t have time to sugarcoat this. In 122 postseason plate appearances, Bellinger has an OPS of .547. His career OPS in the regular season (.928) is almost 400 points higher. To put his October hitting into perspective: Bellinger’s OPS is only 100 points higher than Clayton Kershaw’s playoff OPS.
As far as Seager goes, I remain perplexed. Three years ago, when he won Rookie of the Year and finished third in MVP voting, I marveled about him to a veteran NL West pitcher who had just faced him, and he shocked me by saying Seager was the easiest hitter in the Dodgers lineup to face. He went on to say that Seager almost always swings at first pitches, so there’s no reason to throw him a strike there. He then told me the Dodgers shortstop can’t lay off sliders in the dirt and basically only hits mistakes…. In 118 postseason plate appearances, Seager now owns a .619 OPS. His career OPS in the regular season is .853.”
I don’t think that anyone really thinks that the Dodgers should look to dump Cody or Cry. But I don’t think that either can be relied upon in the post-season.
Yup, thanks for that research. I got tied up yesterday, otherwise I would have gone in and tried to find 1 more stat for each hitter: strikeouts. I’d love to know that number of our “star hitters”. I’d guess it’s quite high
If you’re swingin against spinnin you ain’t winnin! Has to be our motto today. Be patient, stay in the zone, wait on his fastball and run Scherzer’s pitch count up and get into that bullpen! Ryu will do the rest!
Sanchez is listed as the starter today, and who comes in to piggyback? Sherzer? He may go game 4. Corbin? That would flip the lineup. Martinez is turning traditional thinking on it’s head and Doc should play it straight if Ryu pitches well. Talk from DC is Strasburg goes game 5 if needed, Corbin comes out of the bullpen. Can’t wait for tonight’s game where we all see how the Dodgers respond. This could cause serious problems for the Nats for the next series but Martinez is not focused on that, he’s trying to take out the best team with his best weapons, his Big 3.
Hello everyone. Let us root for Ryu and our team tonight.. Hoping for good game.
Postseason stats continued for the Kershaws of the offense come October:
Bellinger: 49K in 122 AB
Seager: 36k in 106 AB
Kike: 24k in 88 AB
Pollock: 10k in 22 AB
Especially for Bellinger, who has the entire left side of the infield wide open for him, BUNT THE DAMN BALL!! If you keep swinging for the fences and striking out half the time, then you’re selfish. A TEAM player would find a way to get on base when he’s struggling.
Bobby – are you watching the Bears at Tottenham?
You should’ve come over,
Not going so well….
utterly embarrassing. Our D line looks like Kershaw in October and our O line looks like Bellinger in October
Keep the faith – lots of Baseball to be played.
Right on Watford.
In 2004 I bought a new toyota tacoma 2 seat small 4 cylinder,manual 5 speed, manual everything, for $11000. It got 26 mpg then as it does now with 260,000 miles. Brakes, oil filters and changes, air filters,2 sets of shocks . oxy sensor, 2 sets of tires. Put most of the miles on from 2004 to 2012 driving crazy miles to work all over southern calif. I retired in 2012 and my toyota pretty much retired too though I still drive it everywhere I go. Not putting near the miles I used to. Still runs great though she’s looking a little old. This was/is absolutely the best vehicle I ever owned. Those Japanese know how to build cars. I bought fords for years. No more.
It’s really fascinating to read the posts from people who forget that the game is played by human beings and not robots. It’s 2 games folks. 0 for 8 in July wouldn’t raise an eyebrow but in a short 5 game series, it’s blown up like a bomb. Pollock and Belli aren’t trying to suck. Believe me, it’s not lack of character, or Doc or AF. Bellinger didn’t start stepping in the bucket 2 games ago. It’s baseball. One loss and folks are running off the ship like rats.
It’s the playoffs, when a Verlander, Cole, Strasburg, or Buehler can make the best look average or worse. And yet the Dodgers had opportunities. One hit or 2 and its a different story. Did you see the Rays still a hit away in the 9th after Cole was unhittable yesterday? Try not to quit on this team because they aren’t going to quit. Let’s put all the questioning, negativity and scar tissue aside for now and worry about EXECUTING TODAY and winning a ballgame. If we don’t, we try again until the last out. It’s called competing and no amount of bitching and second guessing is going to change anything.
That was my point – it’s not just 2 games. It’s 3 post-seasons for Belli and Seager. They have a track record and it isn’t good. So far this year is a continuation. It’s not that they’re trying to “suck”, but
I am waiting for this year’s Podres, Koufax, Garvey, Orel to step up.
It’s really fascinating to read the posts from people who hate FACTS. Everyone is rooting for the Dodgers, but when someone posts actual stats and FACTS, some people tend to get offended because it gets in the way of their faith.
Great post Phil and so true.
Still got faith in Pollock, we have not heard the last from him. If Seager and Bellinger just make contact, we will be good to go. Love that Martin is catching Ryu, that is huge. Let’s get’er done!
You’re faith was awarded tonight, Martin was HUGE. He kinda, sorta, maybe is the reason we won tonight. Earned his contract in one game tonight.
Today’s statement game:
Joc (RF)
Muncy (1b)
JT (3b)
Belly (CF)
Seager (SS)
Pollock (LF)
Lux (2b)
Martin (C)
Ryu
would have liked to see Beaty get a shot. But ‘gritty’ managers love gritty players and never want to use rookies. How much worse could he be?
Uh, what is Lux?
Did not say NEVER. But maybe Pollack needs a day off
We’ve got to do damage in first 4-5 innings against Sanchez! Need a fast start!
Phil,
Totally agree with you. And I’ll add, did anyone expect that we were going to sweep the series? We split, and we’re now in a best 2 of 3.
And I totally disagree with Cassidy’s remark that we “need” to do damage in the first 4-5 innings. No doubt it would be wonderful if we chase Sanchez with an early barrage, and certainly preferable. But we all know know that there are infinite ways to win and lose games, and that a good start increases the odds of winning.
But in the end, I just want the Dodgers to play hard all 9 innings (or more, if necessary) and come out on top when it’s all over.
Well we didn’t do anything with Corbin in the first game so I stand by my statement we need to do damage against Sanchez! And Corbin will be pitching tonight!
Cody and Pollock are lost. Go Dodgers we nerd runs
I miss Verdugo being in the lineup over Pollock. Huge drop off
Pollock is 0-9 with 7 K’s and Beaty sits against RH pitcher. Interesting!
Phil, Watford & Dodger Blue Mom
Keep the faith. Just got in from working with my rehab kids.
I went to the end of comments rather than wade thru the crap.
Sanchez hurt us earlier in the year but that was then..
Dodger manager, please see my lineup I posted yesterday including Freese, Beaty and Smith. Your three replacements- 3 strikeouts! Shame on you!
So far so less than good.
0-10 with 8 K’s. Unbelieveable!
Dodgers are making Sanchez look like Cy Young – 8 Ks in 4 IP.
We’re just “unlucky”. Even average pitchers pitch great against us. Or maybe…………? Time to pull the plug on Pollock and Martin. They CANNOT be in the lineup!
Monsi is the Real star
Like I said. You know Muncy and JT will show up and usually Joc. Time for someone else to step up.
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Terrible AB by Martin last inning. Can’t be that aggressive 3-1 when you’re a Punch and Judy hitter and you need to clear the pitcher.
Pollock is a failure of EPIC proportions!!!!!!!
R U KIDDING ME!!!!!!!! Russell blanking Martin!!!!!!!!!!!! He heard u Hawk!
Look at us battling back!!
Go team !!!!
Jajajaja I am in silence.. But ver y happyyy.. Go go bullpen
R U KIDDING ME! Kike blanking Hernandez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The house is on fire. Hell it blew up.
Nats bullpen is still bad regardless of who they trot out. Let’s go Dodgers.
AJ is now on the bench and should never start another game in the post season
Our Podres moment – Martin, Freese, Kike and Turner.
Now Wild Man Kelly won’t throw strikes with a 6 run lead?
Roberto dont be paciente wih pitchers. Dond let the nativo al alive
And that’s why we paid Pollock and Kelly the big bucks!
It looks like the Dodgers have grabbed the momentum back. An explosive inning that should help them take this series. But, alas, Joe Kelly, doing his best Joe Kelly impersonation, melting down.
When do you pull this pictherRoberts when the score is 8 to 8
6 run lead just throw fastball. Cripes. Why is he spiking curve balls. Make them hit it!
Unbeliable Roberts let a ein game make us nervus.. Unbeliable
Its amazing that I can see stuff that apparently Doc can’t see.
Julio Urias with the massive save right in that inning
Thanks Howie. Doc got lucky there.
We’ve probably seen the last of Corbin in this series. The Dodgers simply have his number. Did the Nationals manager make a Doc Roberts mistake by putting in Corbin in relief of Sanchez? Sanchez was not doing too bad, 9K’s, 1 ERA. If it was me, I leave him in. The Nats bullpen cannot carry this team.
How about JT, still the heart and soul of this team. Freese, the geezer just keeps hitting. And, Kike, clutch again in the post season.
???
Corbin in Game 1 – 6 IP, 1 ER, 9 K
All they needed was 1 run to win which Corbin gave up. Now, with a 9.45 ERA, would you put him in against the Dodgers?
Did u see Sanchez’s OPS the third time through a lineup? It was the right call by Martinez. Corbin was one pitch away from putting Martin away. That would have made it a much different game
9 more outs
come playoff time, i do that exact same type of countdown!
So personally I’d keep Urias in, thru the 8th. He’s not thrown too many pitches and he’s doing fantastic.
Plus I think with Hill tomorrow, we’ll be using everybody and their mother out of the pen. Strip may need to go 3.
The Nats Bullpen is really poor.
I think Maeda pitches the 8th
Mark is about to see a Colts win. 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter with the ball and in FG range. Up 16-10 against the mighty KC Chiefs
how shocking is that!
I would like ti thank Jeff and his squad for creating snd painstakingly sharing their Bandini Mountain of information to make us understand what is wrong with LAD baseball.
So what do you share tommorow?
Yeah – the heck with facts.
That was a must win. The pitching matchup (Ryu vs. Sanchez) favored the Dodgers.
Now, it’s Hill vs. Scherzer – it’s a must win for the Nats (plus one more loss and they’re out).
That sets up game 5 in LA if the Nats win – Buehler vs. Strasburg. A great matchup if it happens, but…
Win tomorrow!
But what do we with the slackers in the lineup.
DR – you wouldn’t assess a fact if it bit you in the ass..
Get with the squad and come up with more crapola tommorow.
thanks for the very profound thought. Let’s see “crappola” – is that the same as citing statistics that you don’t like?
You can have your own opinions but you don’t get your own facts. As John Adams said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
That was huge. Good game by Doc. Put Urias in at the right time. Put Kike in at the right time. Nice job by Ryu keeping the good guys in it. Good to see Martin produce. When he left the Dodgers he had become a very arrogant player who was more worried about his facial hair than his game. He has returned the ultimate team player.
So Peter you would start Pollock over Beaty tomorrow? Not me!
If they start someone over Pollock it would be Taylor or Hernandez. Beaty is there to be a pinch hitter. I don’t think they bench Pollock.
Ok boys, everybody back on the Titanic! Turns out it missed the iceberg after all and the band is still playing! Geez. Better hang on , this might go 5. Somebody please hold me back from slapping the first guy that says Freidman and Doc did the Dodgers a disservice by starting Buehler the first game so that he could pitch a possible game 5 at home. How short sighted of them! String em up!
Gutsy win tonight! How we won is sort of the story of our season. Gridlock for a time, but eventually the dam breaks and all sorts of runs pour out. Then sweat out the bullpen in route to a win. I don’t know if we can win a title that way, but here we are and it’s a whole lot sweeter than yesterday.
The Corey and Cody watch took a turn for the better. Cliff Floyd seems to think Cody figured things out during his at bat that resulted in a single. Maybe? The follow up double sure looked strong. He can prove it tonight if he can produce or look solid against an elite pitcher. I’ve learned more about Corey in this series from reader comments and watching/hearing analysts views than I ever expected. Maybe he’s hurting…maybe he needs a full off-season that’s strictly baseball and not rehab…that’s irrelevant to the here and now. The consensus seems to think he’s a pretty good hitter if the ball is in the strike zone – provided he’s not mired in a slump – and he’s pretty lousy if the ball is anywhere out of the strike zone. If that’s true, then this may not be Corey’s series.