If you didn’t know that quote was from Louis Pasteur, you would have no difficulty in believing that Clayton Kershaw said that. Clayton’s tenacity is his greatest strength – it also might be his greatest weakness. I know! I am wired the same way! While I was never a professional athlete, my best games came when I was under the weather or sick. I think that sometimes when healthy, I had “too much” adrenaline. Adrenaline can be a good thing, but here’s the definition of it:
a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and preparing muscles for exertion.“performing live really gets your adrenaline going”
Increased heart rate and circulation, coupled with increased carbohydrate metabolism causes you to wear out, to get tired and even crash at about the 7th inning. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. If Clayton could somehow control how amped up he is, then maybe he could avoid that “Seventh Inning Crash.” Until then, Doc had better get his hook out in the 6th. Really though, this is Clayton Kershaw’s team and if he comes out strong, the team will be inspired.
Jose Quintana is going for the Cubs today and it’s almost time for Dodgers baseball! LA has unfinished business and it’s a hard to stop a tight-knit group of people who have a common goal! Last year, the Cubs were the favorites and they lived up to that billing. This year, the shoe is on the other foot. The Dodgers are the favorites, but they have to deliver.
There’s a good chance Corey Seager will miss game one with back tightness. That issue could cause Joc Pederson to make the roster, so that CT3 can play SS if needed. However, I think Charlie Culberson will make the roster as a caddy for Corey. The Dodgers need Corey healthy and won’t push it… nor should they.
The roster will be out soon. I’m interested to see what they do. Maybe they drop el Gasolino and add another position player. Quintana can be very good at times. He has never pitched on such a big stage in such a big game.
My guess on the lineup today:
- Taylor CF
- Forsythe 2B
- Turner 3B
- Bellinger 1B
- Puig RF
- Grandal C
- Hernandez LF
- Culberson SS
- Kershaw P
Andrew Sopko pitched 3 innings and allowed 2 hits (one a HR) and walked and struck out zero to get the win yesterday. No other Dodgers played.
UPDATE
DODGERS NLCS ROSTER
Pitchers (11): Tony Cingrani, Yu Darvish, Josh Fields, Rich Hill, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Brandon Morrow, Ross Stripling, Tony Watson, Alex Wood.
Catchers (3): Austin Barnes, Kyle Farmer, Yasmani Grandal.
Infielders (5): Cody Bellinger, Charlie Culberson, Logan Forsythe, Justin Turner, Chase Utley.
Outfielders (6): Curtis Granderson, Enrique Hernandez, Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor
El Gasolino is gone.
Will Barnes or Forsythe play LF? Get both of their bats in there.
Discussion (60)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Great team victory last night. All except the LF, C, and P spots in the lineup got a hit. Although Barnes did draw two walks and played a stellar game behind the plate. If Yasmani is with the Dodgers in 2018, he will be backing up Barnes. JT may not have had the big stick in Game 1, but he was on defensively. Culberson showed what a MLB hitter can do. He may go 0-4 with 4 K’s tonight, but he is capable of having a key AB.
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The bullpen was masterful. 5 pitchers, 4 IP, and 40 pitches. I would have still preferred Avilan as a 12th pitcher, but who can argue with success. One has to wonder if Kershaw is really healthy. 5 post season HR’s in 11 IP? That is not CK. Only 4 K’s in 5 IP. That’s not CK. His pitches are flattening out . Even though the one pitch that Pollock hit in the DBack series was low, it would normally have gone in the dirt if he was on. Almora killed that ball last night. Clayton is a warrior, but I do not think he is fully healthy. I look forward to his next game when he throws a no-no.
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Finally, while I am not fond of the antics, I cannot deny the skill, athleticism, and found patience of Yasiel Puig. I have come around. He is fun to watch, but he is a knucklehead.
As an arm chair Dodger manager,I really like Dave Roberts work last night. Managing the last 12 outs was excellent. Only wish Kershaw could have picked up the win. Very happy to see Kenta’s success and contribution! Let’s do it again today. Go Dodgers!
And probably our centerfielder. Taylor had two hits last night.
Does anyone doubt who our RF will be next year?
I’d say we best walk that little feller every chance. Altuve is hitting everything in the strike zone, and with power!
In 4 playoff games Puig has 6 hits and 6 RBI’s with 2 doubles, a triple and a homer.
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MJ, Darling reminds me of Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver, over analyzing every play and almost every pitch like we have never watched a baseball game before.
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I will go out on a limb and say it looks like a Dodgers-Astros World Series.
More so all along, MJ. I guess we should just continue to plow into catchers at every opportunity in order to shut up those who don’t understand what the new rules are for. It took awhile to get the language right and it saved players from getting hurt. That was the point, period.
Didn’t Ron Darling make you all sick?
That breaking ball of Jansen has really become a weapon.
Hahahahhahahahahaha Puigggghg!!!!!!!!! Christ has risen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Puig!! Hitting lefties hard again! Culberson on fire release seager lol
Church of Christ Taylor! Puiiiggg!!
This, I gotta figure, is the Forsythe the team thought they would have all year round.
I cannot remember ever seeing Justin Turner have a worst at bat. I guess he’s human.
Was Puig pointing to the outfield before his hit? He does a bat flip on a single and now on a double. There is only one Puig and thank goodness.
Puig got a ball in the air…I agree with Roberts move in that situation to PH for Kershaw. Cingrani has become a quality loogie. Maeda a quality roogie? Let’s see how it works out.
Charlie Culberson does his job!
So much for jetlag. Roberts won’t have to take out kershaw in the 7th tonight. With the pitch count he will be lucky to make 6.
kershaws is no an as anymore
Dodgers hitters look like they have had 4 days off…need to get the ball in the air. Kershaw looks good, both pitchers are on their game through 3 innings.
Astros up 2-0.
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I’ll take Kershaw, Hill, Darvish and Wood over any other playoff teams Top Four.
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I thought Verlander was washed up. He’s pitching lights out now, but FAZ did not want to give up Verdugo and/or Buehler. It’s as simple as that.
Whoever thought Verlander was washed up needs to watch him today. He just struck out the side in the eighth and didn’t have to throw strikes to do it. He was missing the strike zone sometimes by a foot and the Yankees were still swinging. 13 strikeouts today so far. I prefer this Verlander over darvish but I wouldn’t have spent the money. Just think if we hadn’t been in the luxury tax category what faz might have done. Which ace would you rather have in this postseason Verlander, Keuchel, Lester, Severino, Hendricks, Arrieta; or your very own kershaw? Houston has 2 very hot pitchers right now. However Yankees still tied 1-1 in ninth.
Mmmm
To be without Seagar for one game, ok.
To beat the Cubs over 7 games without him?
Big ask.
Chris Taylor, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Cody Bellinger, 1B
Enrique Hernandez, LF
Logan Forsythe, 2B
Austin Barnes, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Charlie Culberson, SS
Clayton Kershaw, LHP
Kike clean up, please be that next man up….
I don’t understand why they didn’t give Corey the eipdural injection, at the beginning of this week, instead of today at 1.
Remember the homer Culberson hit against the Giants last year!
That is really bad news about Seager. He is the 2nd best hitter vs LHP on the team.
Turner .380
Seager .325
Taylor .297
Forsythe.290
Kiki .270
Barn es .257
Grandal ‘233
iPuig .183
Culberson.167(1-7)
Mark there is a slight error in your lineup but I won’t mention it.
Terrible news on seager. For a guy 23 he sure seems delicate. It is even worse for him because if he doesn’t practice he seems more uncomfortable than most. So much for a week off. We are not going to beat the cubs with Culberson at short so I hope they have other plans. Next man up well we can only hope. We need somebody that we are not expecting to come up big.
Next man up!
This Seager news is not good, ughhhh
No Avilan or Baez. They also added Joc and Charlie so as to add flexibility w/o Corey.
UPDATE ABOVE
Could we see this lineup today?
1. Taylor CF
2. Forsythe LF
3. Turner 3B
4. Bellinger 1B
5. Barnes LF
6. Hernandez SS
7. Grandal C
8. Puig RF
9. Kershaw P
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Would they dare put Logan in LF?
Corey Seager NOT on the NLCS roster.
Dammn
I do not think that I have been more optimistic about the Dodgers for some time. This is their series to take, and get back to the Fall Classic. The Dodgers do not have the same problem with LHP as they did last year, so having Quintana start is not a scary scenario. He will have to go deep as the Cubs bullpen is decimated.
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If Seager is going to sit, this would be the game. With Quintana going today, and Seager a maybe, it does no good to add Joc and move Taylor to short. Joc is not going to hit Quintana whereas Culberson might. I agree that Culberson should be the one position player to be added. But if Seager has a vote, Seager will be at SS to start Game 1.
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I like Avilan for Baez because of the number of quality lefty bats the Cubs have. But I have a feeling it will be Avilan for Stripling. For some reason, management has a love of Baez’s fastball, and they want to prove it.
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Kershaw has to believe that he is not a one man team anymore. Someone (politely) should show Kershaw that he was the least effective pitcher in NLDS and they still swept a good DBacks team. Above all else, Kershaw is not a machine without feelings. He is human and he knows he has generally been bad after the 6th in post season games, and not all that great in most of his playoff games. He just needs to go out and pitch as long as he can and call it a day. But it is easier said than done. The best thing that can happen is for the Dodgers to jump out to a big lead, and let Kershaw coast for 6 and then bring in the bullpen.
Tenacity is great, but doesn’t replace throwing 3 pitches with command in the zone. What’s with the backs. Now Seager. Good grief. Makes pitching more than ever critically important. If Seager’s back is hurt more than a game you can bet the Cubs are whooping and cheering. Seager impossible to replace no matter how much depth Dodgers have. Not the greatest news to wake up to.