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Nationals 8 Dodgers 3: The Brink

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With the Dodgers and Nationals tied 1-1 they played a potentially decisive game three at Dodger stadium. The home team sent out a tired/maybe rusty Kenta Maeda and the Nationals sent out lefty Gio Gonzalez.

That’s all you really need to know about this game, but I’ll give you guys a recap if you really want it.

The game started out, making me want to vomit as Kenta Maeda had zero command, walking two and giving up a bloop single, throwing 28 pitches before getting out of a particularly strenuous 1st inning.

The bottom of the first would give fans some hope as Justin Turner drew a walk from ace Gio Gonzalez, and Corey Seager, the best player on the team, smashed a double to deep right, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. He is a huge reason the Dodgers aren’t already out of the playoffs.

Kenta Maeda appeared to exorcise his first inning woes, striking out two and getting nemesis Jose Lobaton to line out in the second inning, but the Dodgers would set the tone for the rest of the game in the bottom half of the inning with Yasmani Grandal flying out, Charlie Culberson (SOMEHOW STARTING A PLAYOFF GAME) grounded out to shortstop and Joc Pederson striking out.

Maeda couldn’t get out of his way in the 3rd and final inning he tossed, giving up, in order, a single to Trea Turner, a double to Jayson Werth, a single to Bryce Harper and a home run to Anthony Rendon. Kenta is at 178.2 innings this season, his 33rd start of the season and was generally a huge success, if he doesn’t make another start he’ll have a great starting point for next season but he did look cooked to me.

At 4-1, facing a ton of lefties, the game didn’t seem to be in reach, and going down 2-1 in the NLDS is a really terrible situation to be in.

It was mostly justified, as the Dodgers didn’t put up a serious threat until the bottom of the fifth inning in which Joc Pederson singled to right field, Carlos Ruiz followed that by hitting a huge home run to left field putting the Dodgers right back in it in with the score being 4-3.

It is good to see Ruiz pay off because that calms down a bit of the narrative surrounding Yasmani Grandal and not having AJ Ellis catching Clayton Kershaw.

So lets say something about matchups…

Matchups really dictate any sporting scenario, the Dodgers this season have a lot of left handed hitters on the roster, meaning that if a team wanted to, they could load their bullpen up with left handed relievers and just shut this team down.

Well, that’s basically what transpired today, after the 5th inning the Dodgers faced Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez, who gave the Nationals two combined shutout innings, allowing two hits, striking out two batters. To be fair, 3 runs against lefty pitching through 3 innings is an… okay result?

The problem is that the offense as a whole sucked against righties also, Shawn Kelley and Mark Melancon (Future Dodger?) both spinned 2.2 perfect innings, Kelley striking out 3 out of the 4 batters he faced.

The bullpen for the most part pitched well for most of the game, Pedro Baez who will certainly get a lot of looks next year in high leverage situations pitched 2 scoreless innings with Grant Dayton, Josh Fields, Luis Avilan, and Joe Blanton, relief ace struck out 3 out of the 4 batters he saw.

Kenley Jansen, in a cruel twist of fate, aided by a Josh Reddick gaffe in right field gave up 4 runs getting only one out. He gave up a home run that went approximately 800 feet to Jayson Werth. We can have discussions about whether this was Kenley Jansen’s last appearance in a Dodger uniform, and whether he’ll be back next season but there is still *apparently* a game tomorrow and he will need to get right in case the Dodgers are in a position to extend the series to a fifth game.

I have become apathetic, and at this point this series isn’t primarily a failing of the front office. At some point the players have to perform like what they have been their entire career. At some point the players have to play like *pardon this* not-dogshit. Yasiel Puig has to show up in a playoff series, Yasmani Grandal has to hit in a playoff series, Adrian Gonzalez has to produce like he’s historically produced!

We should put more than half of the blame on the players for not producing, Clayton Kershaw has to string together dominant starts, Rich Hill/Zack Greinke have to come through in multiple series, Brett Anderson/Kenta Maeda need to pitch well, otherwise they deserve the labels they get, quite frankly. I want to be confident in my closer shutting down a team in the postseason. And what if the chances stop coming? A team rarely makes it to the playoffs, and many other teams make it count, the Dodgers failing to make a world series would set the record at most consecutive postseason appearances without making the fall classic at 10. This is not good!

Regardless one thing that I learned about the playoffs since following the team, is that your weaknesses will get exposed. This year it’s left handed pitching and that is really getting exposed, maybe not at the level that the bullpen was last season, but regardless it’s a weakness that this team was ill equipped to deal with. That is a shortcoming that this front office should have fixed further.

With that said. Weird things happen in a 5 game series, winning 2 in a row isn’t impossible, and Clayton Kershaw starts one of those games, maybe he shows up.

Adrian Garcia

Adrian Garcia

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125 thoughts on “Nationals 8 Dodgers 3: The Brink

  1. My take on the game. Maeda and Grandal let Turner take them out of what was working best. Maeda had a very sharp curveball in the second inning. He gave up a hit to Turner and then it became too many fastballs and too many fastballs in bad spots.

    The home plate ump was terrible the first two innings, but our hitters aren’t having good AB’s. Ruiz should have started. More experience against that team and speaks Japanese. However, who knows if he does more than he did to today even if he started.

    I don’t want to hear from anyone that Reddick is a top defender. Even old one-legged Andre Either could have caught that ball. Better pull together and win this series or the trade was a failure. Also, Agone better step up and earn his money tomorrow. He’s been a bust in the post-season.

    And finally, too much babying the players down the stretch. Hill not sharp. Jansen not sharp. Reminds me of the Colts pulling their starters down the stretch of the season and then laying an egg in the playoffs too many times.

  2. Wow so much for depth, maybe it should be derth. As in a derth of missed opportunities and just poor execution. Oh and Kenley is toast. He has lost what mojo he had. Put a fork in him.
    2017? 2018?

    I am still holding on. They have shown grit recently. Now let’s see if that grit becomes mettle. Or meddle. I am in a college town surrounded by college students and nobody could tell me the proper spelling. And I refused to Google it.
    Same thing with derth. Uugghh kids in college today.

    1. Tim
      I didn’t know the new site was up today, until toward the end of the game.

      I wanted to tell you when someone calls someone a name, it is more a reflection on them, just ignore it.

    2. Dearth

      College students are too often busy learning how to be entitled social justice warriors to be bothered with proper grammar and other artifacts of white privilege.

        1. The subtle, snide, passive aggressive put down? You play that game with Mark….how you continue to do it – apparently for 16 years – is either a testament to your endurance or a character flaw.

          I just don’t have the endurance or the patience. Please….PLEASE….don’t pull that with me.

          Post grad ….thx for asking.

  3. Keep the faith boys and girls. “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.” It ain’t over yet but the fat lady is starting to warm. Let’s have a 2 game winning streak and shut her mouth till we play the Cubs.

  4. On the Dodger post game show, Alanna asked Maeda if he was healthy.

    I thought that was an odd question.

    Maybe there is more to Maeda’s pitching poorly, in his last three starts.

    It wouldn’t be the first time, we didn’t know someone was injured.

    Richie I agree with you, this isn’t over yet.

    We won the first game at Washington, and we can come back too.

    I thought after Ruiz hit that ball out, maybe we would win.

    But the ninth went so south fast.

    This is about the third or fourth time this year, that a hitter jumped on Kenley’s first pitch.

    I don’t know what to say, if Kenley hasn’t learned by now.

    Reddicks missed catch, doesn’t suprise me.

    He has made four errors in about two months, and that is two more errors then any other Dodger outfielder has made all year.

    He also can’t hit, when runners are in
    scoring position and he doesn’t have much power.

    He doesn’t even hit balls, to the warning track.

    And because of all of that, he shouldn’t have been playing over the other outfielders.

    1. I also thought we were in good shape after the HR especially considering they had used up all of their lefties. I’d throw the kid tomorrow. He has to go one way or another. The botched decision on the rainout took away Hill for game 5. Go with the kid and get him the experience. I’d rather throw him at home than in Washington against Scherzer. It’s up to the bats to show up tomorrow.

      1. Hawkeye
        Baseball is always screwing the Dodgers.

        It is not right that the Giants and the Cubs, should be playing the late game today.

        I think they think the Cubs will give them more ratings.

        1. I don’t think it being the first pitch has anything to do with it though. If you watch the ball it backed up. It didn’t cut at all. DeRosa on MLB network had a piece on Kenley today and it showed if his cutter cuts and you try to pull the ball it is virtually impossible to hit. It didn’t cut, it backed up. He hasn’t pitched much in the last two weeks and it showed.

    2. Kemp made 7 all year…..and he is a bad defender?? 35……108…….I rest my case. and he hits lefty’s pretty good.

      1. You can’t make errors if you can’t get to anything. Yes, he is a bad defender who pouted like a 4 year old when asked to play LF.

        1. Get over it. That was quite a while ago. He has an ego just like almost every athlete who plays the game. And I hate to tell you this, but he gets to a lot more balls than you think he does. He made a couple of nice plays against the Dodgers this year. Is he as good as he once was? No, He pouted because he felt he could still play CF. He couldn’t and he did not feel comfortable in LF. He played very well when they moved him to right,, and he started hitting. You are probably one of those guys who cheered him when he was a MVP candidate in 2011, and cheered right up to the point when he got injured, then after that he was injury prone and a bum…I get it. But he is still a better hitter than anyone who played the OF for us this year and that is a fact.

          1. There’s a difference between considering someone a “bum,” and pragmatically not wanting a player on my favorite team who is simply not very good and is grossly overpaid….and has character, team chemistry altering issues.

            You operate on sentiment and gut emotion. You have a visceral dislike of Grandal in spite of all evidence to the contrary. You have a sentimental fondness for Kemp in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

            It’s hard to argue with that.

          2. Not very good???? All his stats say other wise. As for Grandal, well yeah I dislike the BUM…….and it is based on what I see when I watch this team day in and day out. He is a terrible hitter in the clutch. That is proven by stats. He is equally terrible blocking pitches in the dirt. I am not sentimental about Kemp, I like players who actually drive in 100 runs or better. You ignore RBI’s and HR’s and BA, great, good for you. Do not even think for one moment that you have a clue as to how I operate. Kemp hit 40 points higher than Grandal. That right there is stat enough for me to know he is a better hitter. As for being a cancer in the locker room, there is not one single person on this board or any other blog who has inside knowledge that that is the case. There have been nothing but rumors to that effect. If they are true, so be it. His contract is on those who approved it, not the fans. He earned his money, and the way owners throw cash around nowadays, he is not the only one who is over paid. You think Ethier, or McCarthy earned the money they made?? Or Anderson, that was a well spent 15.6. Kemp is not perfect, but the fact is that we could have really used that 35……108……..and who knows how he would have reacted to playing for Dave Roberts? He might have been a model citizen. Nobody knows. You have your way of evaluating players and it works for you…..I have different views and no body is going to change them. You and your FAZ loving buddies can think what you want….I view baseball from a different angle

          3. “I have different views and no body is going to change them.”

            As I said, I can’t argue with that.

          4. No, you sure can’t. We all have our own opinions. I respect yours even though I disagree…….That is just the way it is.

  5. Maeda lost this game for us, not Grandal or Jansen. He did what he did too many times this season, gave up early runs. This has been the Dodger bane. But, they also faced a lefty, and their struggles are becoming legendary against lefties.

    Jansen is still on his way to a top 5 position in Dodger all-time saves leaders. He is not infallible, but few pitchers are. The old saying ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ may apply. The only way they should give up on Jansen is to have a proven closer on hand or willing to sign with us. It’s like saying Kershaw lost some games during the season so we should get rid of him. Total nonsense.

    1. I’ll be very surprised if they resign Jansen. It’s not their style to pay premium $ on a closer. Quick, tell me who the Rays closer was? Friedman was there 9 years and I dont believe they had the same person closing more than 2 years in a row. MoneyBall does not value closers.

      1. I agree with this take Chili. They will make an offer, but they will be outbid by somebody. Though I don’t see him getting 5 years and $75 million, somebody will offer more than he’s worth. I wouldn’t go more than 3 years, and in my opinion no closer is worth $15 million a year. Chapman, Kimbrel, Robertson all make $11 million. Melancon makes $9.6 million and it goes down from there. I’d like to keep him, but I don’t see FAZ doing it.

        1. FAZ won’t pay the kind of money some one is going to throw at him this winter. They can bring Blanton back for a year, and see if he can close, or try Baez. He has nasty stuff…..

      2. If it comes down to money, which it usually does, it doesn’t mean Jansen is not up to the job. He has nothing to prove at this point in his career. He is what he is. He is NOT a problem for the Dodgers.

    2. Kenley has pitched less innnings then anyone else, in the bullpen.

      He can help out, when a starter goes out early.

      Blanton has pitched the most innings, in the bullpen, and he pitched two innings today.

  6. No real take…..it was a poor performance all the way around. Poor hitting, poor fielding and the pitching sucked big time. Ruiz should have got the start…..But maybe, just maybe they should have played their regulars and not that all RH mess except for Corey and Gonzo, who actually singled off a lefty and so did Utley……..Only consolation is that the Gnats are on the verge of getting dumped, so no even year magic……

  7. Early in the season, Jansen was on his way to a record contract. Today’s meltdown along 6 other (count ’em six) blown saves has driven the price down. He won’t get $100 million now, but he could get in the $70 million range.

    Maybe he takes the QO and tries to have no blown saves next year. I would sign him to a 4 year/$48 million deal.

    1. After his sixth blown save he put quite a few in a row togehter. I would bet 12-15. My only knock on him is that he can’t hold runners at all. When he doesn’t get enough work, he isn’t sharp much like many other closers.

      Turner has to be paid first and foremost. If they have they want to open up the checkbook to Kenley I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Reddick dropping a fly ball made a bad outing look much worse.

      1. Actually it was 10, but he was good.

        I think that video tape, analytics and advance scouting has changed the game a lot. Good closers blow more saves than they used to. Maybe it’s a fact of life.

        1. All I know is that I don’t want Chapman, Kenley, or Melancon closing for SF next year. Especially Chapman or Kenley. Believe me they will make closer priority #1. Especially if they can weaken the Dodgers at the same time. They went hard after Greinke and they will go after Kenley before watching Casilla close again.

    2. I still thinks he exceeds the Papelbon contract, although that contract should serve as a warning to GMs wanting to sign closers to big deals.

      4/60

  8. I don’t know how many they used to blow but the top closers save better than 90%. Britton saved 100%. Rodney saved 100%. Ramos 93%. Jeffress 96%. Chapman 95%. Kimbrel 94%. The guy with the most saves, Familia, saved 91%. Jansen 88%. There were a bunch of guys with a higher percentage than Jansen. Some, but not many, with a lower ERA. I don’t know he’s earned a contract worth more than anyone else in the game. There are other 3 other closers with 4 year contracts but most, (22) believe it or not are for 1 year. I don’t see FAZ giving 4 and 48. 3 and 36 is a raise and plenty fair. Frankly I wonder if they would even do that.

      1. MJ – I read Britton is arb eligible, not a free agent until ’19. Go to Zach Britton Baseball Reference, scroll all the way to the bottom and you’ll find contract information there.

    1. Mariano Rivera had a career SV% of 89%. Jansen’s not quite that good. The Sandman blew 7 saves in 2001 on his way to saving 50. Jansen has gotten roughed up in several non-save situations this year. I’m sure the Giants would love to take him off our hands, but I think they’re more interested in Chapman or Melchon since they wouldn’t cost a draft pick.

  9. Kershaw is pitching tomorrow, and here is tomorrow’s line up.

    Utley
    Toles
    Corey
    Turner
    Agone
    Joc
    Grandal
    Puig
    Kershaw

      1. I saw Toles second, and thought of you.

        This looks like the line up, that they should have made sooner.

        Puig should never be hitting forth.

        He constantly over swings, if he is put in the meat of the line up, in the regular season.

        And we know how Puig has been in the post season.

        That was a waste to give Reddick all of that playing time too.

    1. Wow. I’ll have to eat crow for saying no way that Kershaw pitches game 4. Why?
      Is this a desperation move? Or should I say another desperation move. Here’s my take and don’t go telling me how negative I am. Just my thoughts on the matter. First of all, the Dodgers need to win 2 games…..2, not just one. You know that their ace Scherzer is going game 5. Someone other than Kershaw has to win a game. Does everyone agree on that? Why not let Urias pitch at home where he would have the crowd behind him. He’s going up against one of their ‘lesser’ pitchers on top of that. Why bring Kershaw back on short rest?

      My take. If they are to lose the series the FO would prefer that Kershaw lose one of the three games. They are putting ‘themselves’ in a win/win situation. If Kershaw wins game 4, great. If Kershaw loses game 4, well see even he couldn’t get the job done. IMO, this is a very selfish move. Let’s put our franchise pitcher out there to try and keep the series going on short rest and truly ignoring what would be the best scenario for the team……which IMO would be to have Urias start game 4 and Kershaw to oppose Scherzer in game 5 in DC.

      IMO, this will probably KEEP the Dodgers from winning this series. Please feel free to maturely convince me that this is the right move.

      1. So Kershaw wins. Do you put Urias in that high pressure situation? Wow! It’d be fun to watch, but if he melts down under the pressure….

        Maybe the thinking is that Kershaw gets the team a win, and then you go with the formula that has worked so far the entire year – have the starter go 3-5 innings and have the bullpen win the game. If Urias can give you 4 innings of solid pitching, I think the Dodgers would be ok with that.

        1. I agree that this must be the thinking.

          I think I’d rather see Urias today, then Kershaw and HIll on reasonably regular rest.

          Alliteration!

          PS: Calling Kemp a sucky player would be an insult to sucky players everywhere. He’s worse. He was traded for nothing.

  10. Hey MJ, please allow Scott to give you my contact info. Scott you have my permission.
    My bad, I forgot who was handling this. Bum maybe?

  11. Great. They lose so we have to throw Kersh just to get the series tied……..who starts game 5 if they win tomorrow>>>?????? Urias? You going to bet your season on a rookie against Scherzer? Hill? Not on short rest…….No Greinke to fall back on, the best bet would probably be to let everybody pitch 1 inning and pray……..or I might get creative and pitch Stripling. Anyway, having been subjected all year to this disaster of a pitching staff, I am just going to hope Kersh throws at least 8 frames and shuts them out.

      1. Possibly. But then he’s coming back on short rest. Hill on short rest is better than Urias, well rested? That is the question.

      2. Hawkeye

        Hill hasn’t pitch much, and if Kershaw can help us win this game today, you know Hill wants the ball again.

        Remember Hill wants to prove himself, after putting so many hitters on base, and throwing that high hanger, to the catcher, for a HR.

      3. Hawkeye

        I know you watch High Heat, did you see it today, he once again said the Giants won’t win again.

        Just like I told you, he does that to get the Giants fired up

        And at the begining today, he was bragging on his Giants, and made that prediction again, later.

  12. I am totally disgusted with the way they have played the last 2 games. At least now they will be forced to play with a sense of urgency. I did not see any of that fire the last 2 games. The gritty team that forced its way into the western division championship was no where to be seen. As last year, and even though he is not injured, Grandal has disappeared during this playoff. His at bats are a text book of the wrong way to approach hitting. The rest of the team, with the exception of Corey Seager, is playing uninspired baseball, and the ragged assed pitching staff that the FAZMASTER stuck us with has been underwhelming. Neither of our vaunted mid season pick ups has performed worth a damn, so it is pretty discouraging to watch.

    1. Michael
      Dusty has put in mainly lefties in, from his bullpen, and you know this teams weakness, against lefties.

      The problem is that they should have been playing our regular line up, a lot earlier in the season, to get them use to leftie pitching.

      Especially after this platoon team, showed that they were not the answer.

      And I am not second guessing, I have said this, after watching the platoon team, continually ranking last in all of baseball, in offense, all year.

      But I don’t blame that on Roberts.

      1. Missed the game, so I did not see it, but considering the way he has played since the trade it does not surprise me. FAZ’s words coming back to haunt him…LA will love this guy…………NOT!!!

  13. So many times this year, these guys looked like they were done… only to come back with a vengeance! This is your cue, guys!

    1. I’m irritated. Bad day yesterday with the Giants winning, also. I’ve written the Dodgers off before during the year. I thought they were done when Kershaw went down. So….that’s why we play these games: predictions aren’t a certainty.

      1. The Dodgers aren’t done yet. Backs against the door, yes. But I’m convinced that IF Urias was going today that he could hold his own for 4+ innings and they could score enough runs against one of the Nats lesser pitchers (actually their #5). That would have set up Kershaw vs. Scherzer in DC. Kershaw well rested. Never know how that game might go. But starting Kershaw on short rest and then pitching someone else against Scherzer seems like they are creating a bigger mountain.

        1. Chili

          Roberts did talk about the options you mentioned, but as a group, they rather have Kershaw go, if he is ok.

          The last time Kershaw pitched on less days of rest, against the Cardinals, he was pitching a no hitter, into the seventh inning.

          At least this year, we have a better bullpen, to go to, if Kershaw needs some help.

          I don’t know that Urias will be pitching in the fifth game, it might be Hill.

          And if Hill can pitch, why not, we traded three of our prospects, for Hill and Reddick.

          The biggest problem is that baseball screwed us, by cancelling that game, and then having the nerve to still let the Giants, and the Cubs, play in the late game.

          That missed up both the Nationals, and the Dodgers bullpen, because there bullpens, because they both might have to pitch today, with no rest, and for us, Kenley especially.

          1. A lot there MJ.

            ‘but as a group, they rather have Kershaw go’……so IF you and your boss were discussing options and your boss wanted to pitch someone on short rest, who do you think would be pitching on short rest? Ever heard of CYA. Feel free to read my point on a earlier post……

            ‘pitching a no hitter, into the seventh inning.’……a shut out yes, but do not recall a no hitter. But the Dodgers lost that game. I’m not sure Kershaw has won very many (if any) short rest starts.

            ‘And if Hill can pitch, why not’……cause then he will also be pitching on short rest. Personally, I say good luck with that. So then both Kershaw (back concerns) and Hill (blister issues) both get to pitch on short rest AND both need to win their games. A CYA move.

            What’s that saying….Success is when Preparation meets Opportunity. Were the Dodgers prepared for this situation? All of us knew it was coming and none of us are being paid $7.5M.

            ‘The biggest problem is that baseball screwed us, by canceling that game’…..baseball didn’t screw anyone. There was a hurricane that was moving along the east coast. It was a tropical storm by the time it reached Washington. Who in their right mind would attempt to play that game that day. Notice how the Boston game got canceled a day later. Storm must have been real. Do you think their fans are saying that were screwed too?

            ‘then having the nerve to still let the Giants, and the Cubs, play in the late game’……….First of all the Cubs/Giants games were later than the first 2 games of the Dodgers/Nats. Please educate yourself on time zones and where they begin and end. After the first 2 games, it is simply because of ratings. The Giants & Cubs have a larger audience then Dodgers/Nats.

            ‘That messed up both the Nationals, and the Dodgers bullpen, because there bullpens, because they both might have to pitch today, with no rest, and for us, Kenley especially.’……..really? So both teams have to face the same obstacle and that somehow makes it unfair. Fyi, Melacon (or whatever his name is) has pitched in the last 2 games. Kenley ONLY the game last night. I really don’t think the Nats are crying about it.

          2. MJ, I think your last point, or at least its implications, is maybe the best one of this thread, and is the reason why Kershaw would be pitching today. He’s much more likely, even on four days, to pitch deep into the game and conserve the pen; and if it’s not really close, there’d be no need for a closer.

            The best thing for the Dodgers is a blowout with Kershaw pitching until the 7th or 8th, using the second tier relievers to close it out. You then have Blanton and Jansen available for game 5.

          1. Chili
            There is only an hour difference in time, from Washington , and Chicago.

            The Cubs and Giants, had a travel day, and they were in SF before the Dodgers game ended, on Sunday.

            And Dusty and Orel, in the post game show, talked about the how the bullpen’s wouldn’t get the day off, because they had to day off, after the Sunday game, to travel.

            That meant the bullpen’s, would be used three straight games, counting today.

            About Boston, didn’t Boston lose yesterday?

    2. Mark
      I don’t think Kerhsaw is having problems with his back.

      I think Kershaw just didn’t pitch enough when he came back, so he isn’t what he would be, if he didn’t have to go out.

      Even if he was working out, it does not prepare a player, of the stress of a big game.

      But Kershaw might be better today, he is usually pretty good at Dodger stadium.

      Maybe Kershaw will finally win that big post season game, for the team.

  14. If they pitch Kershaw it’s the sign of a desperate team. Every year for the last 4 they’ve been short at a crucial position and it’s cost them. After 3 hundrit fortyleven moves, including using top prospects for two walk free agents, one of them on the disabled list, they are short again. I believe Freudy called this one. Rotation? “Crap on a stick”.

    I wonder if they will QO all those walk guys. Worked so well with Anderson.

    I don’t like pitching Clayton in this situation, but I’m not crazy about throwing Urias out there either. I don’t believe he’s supposed to be here. This feels like St Louis all over again. Hope I’m wrong about that.

    And, I wake up to read the giants win in 13? Dammit. 13. It feels like Friday the 13th on Tuesday the 11th. I gotta get my mind right. I need more coffee. Then off to Flagstaff.

  15. I still can’t believe that rookie saved the Giants A, again.

    It had to be a lucky hit off Chapman.

    But Maddon should have brought Chapman in, after the first hitter got on base.

    Chapman has a lot of trouble at times, with his command, and that is why I would have brought him in after first person got on base.

    I am tired of reading that the Giants came back, in another elimination game.

    And Chapman has an era close to five at AT&T park, so he sometimes crumbles under pressure.

    1. The Giants have confidence in their players, in their manager, and in their front office. It gives them character and allows them to actually play above their abilities. Players tend to be conservative (old school), unless their stats put them into the Sabre thing. Whatever works. Maybe the Dodger players aren’t really into the directions the front office is trying to push them. That is just a thought so disagree all you want. Unlike some of you here, I have been wrong before, and this is only baseball, it’s not combat.

      1. Totally agree. They play hard nosed old school baseball and never really give up. The Dodgers BLEW a huge chance to deny the Giants a playoff berth. They played uninspired baseball the last week and it is coming back to HAUNT them. This weak assed pitching staff they have been saddled with is finally coming apart at the seams at precisely the wrong time.

      2. Wondering
        I do agree about the Giants.

        And it isn’t only Bochy, it is from the president, and GM to Bochy and his coaches.

        But they also have a lot of post season experience, and they have done what we want the team to do right now.

        And Bochy has put some of his leftie hitters, hitters, on the bench, when the Giants have faced a tough leftie, but now most of the time they have an regular lineup.

        And there regular players, are getting more consistent at bats, then our quote almost regular line up.

        Like I said above, the regular team, should have been playing against lefties sooner, to get the at bats, to be better.

        Especially since the platoon team, has been last an offense, in all of baseball, all season long.

        This is part of the reason, this the Dodgers have had trouble getting big hits, because they are almost constantly facing leftie relievers.

        The other reason, is that we have a couple of hitters, that are all or nothing hitters, and those type of hitters, don’t hit good pitching, like they have in the post season.

        The thing about the Giants I don’t get, is why didn’t they preform so well, in that second to the last series against us, that was important, to win the west.

  16. Can the Dodgers win 2 in a row and win this thing….it is possible, but if the last 3 years are any gauge, it is highly improbable. Considering the state of the starting pitching and the fact that they would have to beat Scherzer again in his home ball park, it is almost impossible. They are desperate Badger. They have not gotten out of the first round since 2013, and that was when they had a couple of RH hitters who killed lefty’s………….Ramirez and Uribe. So what is there to make Dodger fans think this year is going to be any different? Not much. They were a gritty bunch who closed the season losing 5 of 6. That has set the tone for the way they have played these first 3 games. They went south at exactly the wrong point in time, while the Giants went into the playoffs on a winning streak. Those are the facts, and no amount of FAZ tistics are going to change that. Weak pitching, including CK’s near meltdown in the first game has put them in a position to be knocked out in the first round again, just like some punch drunk boxer. The Giants are not my concern, and frankly I do not think they can beat the Cubs. My concern is another year of frustration, and going home early, only to wait 2 months to see who we lose in free agency and what trash the FAZ man picks up in trade. The object is to win championships…………..at least to go to the world series……or the 2nd round would be nice.

  17. I go with Kersh today. He’s the ace. He’s the franchise. If he loses, at home, he’ll prove we need a real #1 for next year. If he wins, then he did what his job is to do.

    I say throw Kersh today, let him go for as long as he can, and let the bp close it out. We have an off day tomorrow so everyone can go today. For a hopeful game 5, all 11 guys will be available, including Hill for 3-4ip, and even Kersh for an inning.

    We can win today. And that’s all that really matters

    1. Bobby
      I agree.

      Kershaw isn’t having a back problem, he is just trying to get back from being out.

      He has been building up, but he wasn’t quite ready, in that first game.

      Everyone, Kershaw is the highest paid pitcher, in baseball.

      Is it wrong to expect the Kershaw to help the team win this game?

      On less then five games rest, Kershaw was pitching a no hitter against the Cardinals, through six innings, until that seventh inning, fell apart on him.

      We have a better bullpen now, that can help Kershaw out, and they have been doing this all year.

      1. Sorry, but he wasn’t pitching a no hitter. He was pitching well through 6 innings allowing 1 hit in 2014 but then gave up 3 runs in the 7th. As many concurred from the short rest start he was tiring and left his pitches up in the zone.

        1. Chili
          I will look it up, because I remember he didn’t give up a hit, until the seventh.

          And now that I think about it, even one hit, still supports what I am saying, but I believe it was no hits.

  18. If it wasn’t for JT’s 2 run HR in game 1 this series would be over. Wow!

    But it isn’t over so we still have a chance. Hopefully the bats come alive today 🙂

    1. Artieboy
      I sure hope the bats come a live today, and get a big enough lead, so there is no stress, and we win this game easy today.

    2. If the Nats #5 starter can win or put his team in a position to win in Dodger Stadium cause LA’s offense did nothing against him then they don’t deserve to win this series.

      Today’s game should be a win for the Dodgers no matter who is pitching for the Dodgers. It’s a matter of who is going to pitch game 5 in DC. I would rather have Kershaw pitching on 6 days rest.

  19. And Hill can go on three days rest too.

    We gave up three pitching prosoects, to get Hill.

    And we all know that Hill hasn’t pitched that much, so why not?

  20. In 5 hours we’ll know what decision they chose. Is it what’s best for the team or what is best for the FO?

    See ya all later.

    1. Maybe the team and FO both want Kershaw!? We don’t know. However, everyone would agree that Kershaw gives them the best chance, otherwise, they are going home. I guess they want to keep the dream alive. Why not?

  21. MJ…
    We may have given up a future star in Cotton for Hill. It seems like they have protected him to the point that he’s not been able to catch a rhythm. I contend that Hill has not been the same since he got the early hook and pulled from his perfect game back in early Sept.

    I hope they hand the pill to Urias….. Let him get the experience of playoff baseball… We need a spark and maybe our rookie phenom can do it…

    1. Jake
      I totally agree with your assessment of Hill.

      But I also understand why Roberts, was so careful.

      And after all of this, I wonder if Hill would be a good signing, especially with the contract estimates, I have seen on Hill.

      If he wasn’t to much, I would sign him, to be some of the second depth, of the starting rotation.

      To be there, in case one of the starting pitchers in the rotation went down.

      But I woudn’t sign him to be one of the horses in the rotation, and expect him, to make all of his starts.

      I still can’t understand why the front office signed McCarthy and Anderson to be the top depth, in the starting rotation.

      I would never sign a pitcher with the injury history, like Anderson, and McCarthy, and think they were going to make there starts.

      And they were really lucky that Anderson made his starts last year, because he is the most unathletic player, I have ever witnessed.

      But Jake from what I saw last night, it will be Kershaw today, and I think Hill will go next, if we win today.

  22. I think Everyone is forgeting one thing about Kershaw this year.

    Kershaw didn’t put the same innings on his arm this year.

    Because he missed a lot of the second half of the season, so he should be fresher, then he was before, in the post season.

    1. He also has only made 5 starts since he came back, so he is not as sharp as he was. That is not the point. With Kersh on the mound they have a 70 % chance of winning…not bad, but in the decisive game 5 against Scherzer……maybe 10%…….Not good.

      1. Michael

        I totally agree that is, the problem along as the mental stress of the postseason, is what happened to Kershaw.

        He just wasn’t there yet.

  23. The Vin Scully Slide continues. Remember that Sunday a couple of weeks ago when it peaked? I think he’d better retire again before today’s game. For 2 weeks this team has played like all the rest of their “almost” teams. Not good enough. It boils down to pitching and in this series the 2-4 pitchers. Ours aren’t good enough. Like all the other years. They might win 14 games but not in the playoffs. The bats are another story. Can we still blame Mark McGuire? Roberts said the at bats were good yesterday, but not enough hits. Again. The only guy I have confidence in at the plate is Seager, the youngest, but probably the best player on the team. Already. 66 was the shits again. Another big game flameout for him. Redddick’s play looked like something you would see in Little League. Terrible for a professional player. In a playoff game. This team is done. It started on Vin Scully Day and will end today. And look who is still playing in SF? Fun, isn’t it?

    1. I’ve seen Jansen come back with a vengeance after outings like yesterday. I say Dodgers win today and it’s back to DC and a 1 game play off and even odds all around.

    2. Bobbie 17
      I’m glad that you brought up the Vin celebration.

      The RedSoxs apparently had more celebrations, for Poppie, then we had for Vinny.

      And Boston did the exact same thing, we did in the last ten games, at the end of the season.

      And they are already out.

  24. Kersh for the win……then throw the kitchen sink at them on Thursday……Maybe Urias for 3, Stripling for 3 then the BP for 3…..might work……but they need to knock Scherzer around to pull it off……

  25. At some point stop pointing fingers at the front office or the manager. At some point the players on the field have to come through. Kiki Hernandez last year against the Mets in game 5. Grandal this year in game 2. Rich Hill hitting Espinosa. Homeruns by lobaton and Rendon. Kershaw against the Cardinals in years past. Gonzalez, Pederson, Kendrick, grandal have been no shows with the bats. Play desperate move runners. Giants down 3-0 in elimination game against arrieta. They blow a 2 run lead in the ninth and still win the game. They don’t panic and have bad at bats on postseason. They grind it out. Dodgers have been gritty this year but they need to bring that approach to postseason.

      1. One must remember WHO signed the players And WHO decides whether they’re on the field or in the dugout. Use bad players, you have to expect them to fail often.

        1. Wondering
          I agree like Reddick!

          And making Roberts use McCarthy and Anderson.

          I will get around and do that.

          It isn’t that I don’t want to give it up really!

      2. Here is the difference that makes the Giants do well, against good pitching.

        Most of there line up are pretty good, at making consistent contact with there bats.

        When there are runners in scoring position, and when they have two strikes, most of there team, doesn’t swing from there heels.

        They choke up on there bats, and just try to make contact, and get that run in, by getting there hits, just over the infielders.

        Saber metrics doesn’t value batting average at all.

        And they don’t give a big value to consistent contact, as much as they give credit to HRs, and OBA.

        That is why Joc and Grandal, have pretty high OPS’s, that sabers use, to rate offensive value.

        All or nothing hitters, don’t usually do well in the post season, against good pitching.

        The Bluejay’s are kind of an exception this year, in the post season.

        But when I have watched the Jays games, I have heard that they do have more consistent contact, then a usual HR hitters’ have.

        And if you look at the last two teams that made the World Series, the Giants, and the Royals, both of these teams, make consistent contact.

        And I remember last year, consistent contact, was the talk in baseball, after the Royals won.

        A team can’t have to many of these all or nothing hitters in a line up, if you expect your team, to hit good pitching in the post season.

        And sometimes, even our good hitters, try to get the runs back to quickly, by trying to hit a HR.

        Also the Giants are in a stadium where it is hard to hit a HR, so they can’t swing from there heels, all the time, because it won’t work.

        The other problem the Dodgers have, is that they are having to face leftie pitching, from the Nats bullpen, almost in every game in the post season.

        And not all of the almost everyday line up, has faced leftie pitching much, all year.

        The platoon team of part time players, have been facing all of the starters that are leftie.

        And Roberts would go to the bench, with leftie relivers came in.

        Also the Giants have more experience in grinding out games, then the Dodgers have.

        The Dodgers have been much better, coming back in games this year.

        And they have gone much farther, then they would have, if they didn’t learn to be grinders.

        And what eveyone should understand, if the Dodgers go farther this year, the front office doesn’t get most of the credit, they do get some.

        But most of the reason, this team won the west, was because of Roberts, and the players.

        And they did this, inspite of Kershaw going down.

        And with practically the entire starting rotation going down this year.

        So forget about the front office, right now.

    1. James
      Which player had the biggest hits for the Giants in this post season?

      He wasn’t even employed in baseball last year, so that means he wasn’t even in the Giants system.

      And I am not trying to give the Giants credit, but that is the truth.

  26. They have been to the playoffs four straight years with different players so the formula is working. The actual players the core players need to come through or it might be time to bring in new talent to get it done.

  27. Grandal fails again. Usually core players aren’t moved because that’s how you build chemistry. But if these players cant get it done. You have to make some tweaks.

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