The Dodgers were historically pathetic on Thursday evening after their 8-4 loss to the Cubs in game 5 of the NLCS. The Dodgers lost game 4 by a 10-2 score, meaning they were outscored 18-6 in games 4 and 5. During perhaps the most important games of the season the Dodgers went out like meek little girls instead of paper tigers. Lackluster performances from starting pitchers Julio Urias, and Kenta Maeda put the Dodgers in tough situations but the bullpen and defense ultimately let them down. Let’s not forget about the offense as well.
Look I am not going to sugar coat anything for you guys. You know how I am, very critical but always loyal and supportive. I will always give it to you straight. The Dodgers still have a small chance of winning this series and advancing to the World Series to play the Cleveland Indians. The odds are against them, but there is a chance. I think it’s important to know how we got here and important to learn from previous mistakes. The odds were against the Dodgers since the beginning of the postseason because of the lack of starting pitching that they had.
The Dodgers were able to split the first two games of the NLCS in Chicago thanks to a brilliant performance from Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers could have won the first game but after the Dodgers had tied the game in the eighth inning Joe Blanton then went on to give up a grand slam home run to pinch-hitter Miguel Montero. Imagine if the Dodgers had won the first game. The Dodgers lost game 1 by an 8-3 score and then won game 2 by a 1-0 score. The second game saw the Dodgers make a solo home run from Adrian Gonzalez stand up behind Kershaw and Kenley Jansen.
The series shifted to Dodger Stadium and the boys in blue beat the Cubs by a 6-0 score in game 3. Rich Hill was dominating over 6 shutout frames and Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner each hit huge bombs off of Jake Arrieta to give the Dodgers a 2-1 series advantage. Everything looked great and the Dodgers seemed to be playing with such confidence. Then the wheels fell off.
Julio Urias started game 4 against veteran angry man John Lackey and things looked ok for the first three innings. Then the Cubs scored a run. Lackey was removed after 4.1 innings and the Cubs bullpen took over from there. The Dodger bullpen was called upon in the fourth inning again as Urias was unable to give the Dodgers any length. Once again as in game 1, the bullpen faltered. Pedro Baez surrendered a huge home run to Addison Russell, the shortstop which broke a 1-0 game in the top of the fourth inning. In game 5 Blanton gave up another soul crushing home run to again Russell which broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the sixth inning.
You can’t blame Dave Roberts for going to Blanton. He’s been the seventh and eighth inning guy all year and he’s done a solid job. The numbers support this. A 2.48 ERA in 75 innings pitched, 80 strikeouts, a 1.01 WHIP. He’s done his job but he’s been garbage this series and is hanging pitches. This goes back to the increased workload on the bullpen because of the lack of innings from the starting pitching, and that goes all the way back to the decisions the front office made in 2014.
The front office threw money down the toilet by signing two injury riddled mediocre starters (Brett Anderson, and Brandon McCarthy) who have contributed next to nothing to the Dodgers. You can say all you want that expensive pickups don’t work, but the Dodgers gave those two bums nearly 75 million dollars combined and are still paying the price. I mean if they were willing to offer Zack Greinke 150 million then they could have given that 150 million to say Johnny Cueto and they’re probably in the World Series right now. Or maybe they could have even picked up a more reliable cheaper option and proven postseason performer like a John Lackey.
The point is that when you waste money on injury riddled pitchers who are constantly hurt it puts a huge strain on the bullpen. The workload on the relievers has been huge and it’s starting to show during the long postseason. If the front office had been better at evaluating talent then they would have a more reliable starting rotation and less innings on the bullpen. They’re still suffering because of it and that is entirely on Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi.
Another thing to consider is the decisions to use these all-right handed lineups against lefties. The Dodgers were the worst team in the Majors this season in hitting left handed pitching. However the lineups they put out against left handers have greatly contributed to that. As I have said before if you lose with your best hitters in your lineup than there is no shame in that. When you place your worst hitters in your lineup and lose then it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. These lineups have been generally unsuccessful all season long and I still can’t believe the Dodgers would do it in one of the most important games of the season.
It’s almost as if the Dodgers believe that any left handed bat will work because the percentages will play out in their favor. Wrong. If you put terrible hitters in the lineup then you will get terrible results regardless of the lefty/righty match-ups. Kike Hernandez is a terrible hitter and the numbers prove this.
Kike hit .189 against left handed pitching with an OPS+ of 66 this season. The Dodgers had him batting lead-off against one of the best pitchers in baseball. To nobody’s surprise Kike is without a hit in the series and has committed a throwing error. When you bat the worst hitter on the roster and perhaps in all of baseball lead-off against Jon Lester then you are going to get what you get, which is nothing. I like Carlos Ruiz and he’s gotten a couple of big hits this postseason for the Dodgers, but why was he batting cleanup? Just play the regulars man and if you lose with them, then you lose but at least you’re losing with your best. It’s infuriating to see the Dodgers putting out another lineup that has zero chance of scoring runs.
So now the Dodgers need to win two games at Wrigley Field to advance with Kershaw pitching game 6, and Rich Hill pitching a potential game 7. The Cubs will undoubtedly start Kyle Hendricks in game 6 versus Kershaw and Jake Arrieta in game 7 against Hill.
More than likely the Dodgers are finished and this is going to go three different ways in game 6. Option 1 is Kershaw gets hammered early and the Cubs score like 8 runs off him. Option 2 is he pitches like Kershaw for most of the game and implodes in the seventh inning similar to years past and either Joe Blanton or Pedro Baez come in and allow all inherited runners to score. Or option 3 is Kershaw pitches brilliantly and throws a shutout but the offense doesn’t score and they lose 1-0 or 2-1. I’m leaning towards predicting the latter happening.
Or something else could happen. We’ve been here before. The Dodgers were on the verge of being eliminated in the NLDS against Washington and won two elimination games in a row. They would have to win two more to advance, for a total of 4 elimination wins in a row. The 1981 Dodgers won 5 elimination games in their championship season. It’s certainly possible with Kershaw and Hill on the mound.
Something else to consider is the curse of the Chicago Cubs. If the Cubs are really a cursed team than somehow they will find a way to lose these next two games and the Dodgers will advance. I don’t know if that will happen and the odds are against it, but it could happen. Only three teams in MLB history have gone on to win the series after losing game 5 and being down 3-2 in the series. Are the Cubs actually cursed? We’re about to find out.
We’re also about to find out what the Dodgers are made of. If the Dodgers are going to get to the World Series it’s going to be on the backs of Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen and maybe with a little help from the billy goat.
Quoting Scott from above:
If the front office had been better at evaluating talent then they would have a more reliable starting rotation and less innings on the bullpen. They’re still suffering because of it and that is entirely on Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi.
Another thing to consider is the decisions to use these all-right handed lineups against lefties. The Dodgers were the worst team in the Majors this season in hitting left handed pitching. However the lineups they put out against left handers have greatly contributed to that. As I have said before if you lose with your best hitters in your lineup than there is no shame in that. When you place your worst hitters in your lineup and lose then it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
FAZaholics can’t change the truth.
Wondering
Good morning!
I am very interested in what comes out after the season is over. There are players who will be traded or let go and I expect there will be some comments about how the team was run this year, about how much day to day control FAZ exercised, lineup control, pitching changes, etc,….
Wondering
Scott is just preaching to the choir today, isn’t he?
Scott
If you read my posts, you know I agree with everything you said.
And you forgot the other pitcher they choose to give a multi year contract to Kazmir, now has a chronic condition.
And you are right, we can still win these last two games.
It isn’t that the Cubs just got out of there slump, and suddenly started to hit, because of a bunt.
The truth is that the Cubs started hit, because they were facing the weakest part of our starting pitching rotation!
And really, they were no hit and shut out, in the first three innings that Urias pitched in, that first game they won.
And the other factor is , that Blanton and Baez, just didn’t do there jobs.
If Blanton does his job in the first game, we are even three games a piece, not to mention last night, what would have happened, if Blanton did his job then, because it was a tied game, when Blanton came in.
It wasn’t an coincidence, that the Cubs just suddenly started to hit, after both Kershaw, and Hill shut them out.
And Kershaw and Hill, will be pitching again in these next two games of this series.
And it won’t be a coincidence then, if the Cubs great offense, suddenly is shut down again this weekend.
And Kenley has had a couple of days off, and has recouped his energy, and he will be there when needed, this weekend.
And just like in the last series, in those two elimination games, Roberts won’t be be turning to Baez or Blanton.
He will just bring in Kenley, and go with our best.
If our offense get enough runs in both these games, we have a much better chance, winning these next two games, then these last two games.
Because we have our number one and two starters pitching in our next two games.
And if they are on there game, the Cubs offense will be a big mystery again.
The only other thing I want to say, is why are we constantly giving good pitches to hit, to the eighth hitter, when a pitcher is on deck?
I can’t remember if Blanton was behind on the count, but he did give up a HR to the eighth hitter last night, with the pitcher on deck.
We have now allowed the eighth hitter to hit a HR, with the pitcher on deck, three times in these last two series.
This just can’t happen!
Joel Peralta, Chris Hatcher, Kike Hernandez. What do these three guys have in common besides being out of or, or on their way out of baseball? All three are pets of FAZ who they just kept cramming down our throats way beyond the point of all reason. Peralta is gone. Please get rid of the other two before they compromise 2017 as well as 2016. There are other rotting corpses you can toss on the slag heap as well–are you listening, Brandon McCarthy and Austin Barnes? I mean what have they actually done to help the Dodgers win? And why was Barnes squeezed onto the playoff roster? Why has FAZ rated them all so much higher than other organizations seem to? These guys are all part of the vaunted “depth” of the new Dodgers, being passed off as the righty platoon. This platoon succeeds only in getting our star players off the field, with marginal hacks taking their place. Depth doesn’t win on the field. Talent does. Remember three of the above mentioned guys came to us in the Dee Gordon trade–and one of them just played second base. Badly.
Here’s a few things to think about, for those of you who care to think. However, if you have already made your minds up, you can skip this part.
1. Of the teams that are left in the playoffs, the Dodgers have the highest team batting average – .228. The Cubs are .221 and the Indians are .208.
2. Of the teams left in the playoffs, the Dodgers have the highest OB% – .322. The Cubs are .282 and the Indians are at .256.
3. Out of all the teams in the playoffs, the Dodgers lead in Stolen Bases with 9.
4. The biggest disparity is ERA. The Indians are at 1.77. The Cubs are at 3.25 and the Dodgers are at 4.60!
5. As bad as the pen has been. The Starters have a worse ERA than the relievers. 4.89 to 4.29.
6. The Dodgers were best in Fielding during the season and are the worst of all the post-sesaon teams.
7. In the post-season, the Dodgers are hitting just .200 against LH pitching. The Cubs are hitting .171.
8. The Dodgers were last in hitting against LH pitching during the season with a .214 BA. Not a lot has changed. Verses RH pitching they were #4 during the regular season. In the post season, they are 3rd behind the Cubs.
9. The Cubs are loaded. They have been overwhelming favorites to win it all from the start of the season, but we still have a shot.
10. Badger posted a link that really shows how these two teams were built so very differently and it’s not on Friedman where the Dodgers are – it’s on Guggs. If you are blaming Friedman, you are just kicking the cat. Maybe that’s what you do best, but it is misplaced anger. Badger posted it and here’s the key information:
The Dodgers actually have absorbed a greater level of criticism and animus from their local fans and media than the Cubs. Much of that, in recent years, in particular, revolves around money.
Think of the Cubs as the Mets. Their rebuild under Theo Epstein involved a strip down of veteran talent and payroll, an acceptance of horrible records to attempt to construct a sustainable contender.
Think of the Dodgers as the Yankees. “In this market, how the fan base has supported us for 50 years, we had to try to be good right away while building for the future.” That came from Dodgers president Stan Kasten, but just as easily could have been said by a Steinbrenner.
Kasten has been a spokesman for a vision since the Guggenheim group finalized its $2 billion purchase of the Dodgers on May 2, 2012. Since then no franchise has spent more in pursuit of a championship than the Dodgers — not even the Yankees — and so far the only one they won was for the 2013 Red Sox.
In attempt to honor that win-now credo, the Dodgers obtained Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez in August 2012. That removed the majority of their long-term commitments from the Red Sox, who reacted by spreading their money around to create a more diversified/deeper roster then won it all the following season.
But Kasten pledged on that May 2012 day that, yes, the Dodgers would pursue immediate victory, but not at the expense of long-term success. “The initial motivation was to revive the brand,” Kasten explained. But the big picture was to return the Dodgers to areas they once were heralded for — notably international signings and high-end player development.
I agree with most of that, except the part that they did THE TRADE to “revive the brand.”
11. The article also said this about the potential Cole Hamels acquisition: “They have emphasized deepening the 25-man roster with lesser-known pieces and protecting the best prospects such as Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias, even if it cost a chance at Cole Hamels at the trade deadline in 2015 and Chris Sale this year. Yep, like I have been telling you, they were the ones the Phillies demanded.
12. In retrospect, some geniuses have concluded that we would win the World Series if we had signed Johnny Cueto: “No Shit, Sherlock.” I agree with Kasten on this: “It is largely correct that the playoffs are a crapshoot,” Kasten said. “So if you think you can lock something up in just one year by going all in, that is folly. I know our chances of winning a championship are better if we win eight out of 10 division titles.”
Mark
I think most of the critism is about the starting pitching rotation, and mainly three pitchers.
And that platoon line up never made sense all year, especially after the first half, when they were still ranked last, in all of baseball.
Something different should have been tried, like try to play the regular line up, for a while, and see what happens.
All they had to do, was to be better offensively, then last in offense, in all of baseball.
We all know that the Cubs are loaded, but we still can beat them.
I have just felt very disapointed in the last couple games, because I thought we could steal one of these two games.
The execution on the bases, was terrible yesterday.
Turner and Howie are the only ones, that took advantage of those long leads.
Kike reminded me of a little girl, on a softball team, when he was on base.
He mise well have been sitting on the bench, yelling Chucker, Chucker, Chucker, Chucker, to try to get Lester off his game.
That is how silly and useless, Kike looked out on the bases yesterday.
Kike was lucky that the catcher didn’t throw him out yesterday.
“Kike reminded me of a little girl”…..down right vicious!
Wow!! I think the last time I referred to a player in that tone was Kemp tippy toening to home against Washington.
MJ,
In retrospect, I think most fans felt that FAZ did not strengthen the starting rotation this season or last. Of course, we had the best 1-2 punch last year, but it was obvious we needed more reliable help and not outpatients. It’s not that they didn’t try. Maybe their strategy was better for relievers than starters, but we had an awful time first part of the year with the bullpen, too.
What was more disconcerting, which many fans seemed to forget already, was the dismal batting slump that several of our best players went into in the first part of the season. This happened for two years running. I can’t remember what they did against lefties last year, but this year, it left a big hole.
It’s too late to wonder about this or that, but will the same strategy be employed stocking the starting rotation next season? Maybe they think the farm is the answer, but so far, it’s been more of a bandaid than a solution. Not sure about Hill re-signing. He looks like a solid starter to me, but I’m still looking for a #2 man, or woman, that can make a difference. Kaz I have mixed feelings about. Same with Maeda because of his durability and giving up early runs. Same with Urias and his efficiency and early run allowance.
We will also need a good tweak in the batting. This lefty inadequacy is haunting the team and I really dislike this metric approach to be so extreme. There is intelligence in it, but up to a certain point. Dodgers really need better batting production than they’ve had the past 2 seasons.
Interesting post to wake up to this morning. I think you have summed it up quite well.
I believe each of the previous 3 Dodgers Division winners were better teams. From my perspective they were more fun for me to watch, but this one somehow has gone a step farther. Our starting rotation is just bizarre and our platooning against left handed pitching abysmal. Yet, here we are. I have to admit I’m surprised by their success. I did not expect this.
Where do we go from here? I’m not going to pretend to know as following the many eccentric moves these moneyballers make is impossible for me. I’ll just sit and watch as they trim payroll and troll for Toles’.
In Chicago today, with the “best pitcher in baseball” going for us, the Cubs are slight favorites. As they should be. The Cubs are 81% favorites to make the World Series, again, as they should be. But, the games are yet to be played. I’m prepared for more surprises.
One edit: we got to this exact point in 2013, back in the other teams park, down 3-2 with Kershaw pitching. I expect the result to go our way this time.
I do remember that. Frankly I thought that Dodger team was better than this year’s, and that Cardinals team not as good as this year’s Cubs. And Wacha was pretty good that year. And yes, those statements are opinion and therefore subjective.
Jeff
I do agree with most everything you said.
The leftie problem was caused, because they let Hanley go, and traded Kemp, but they didn’t bring any righty hand power bat, back to the team, to make up for the two right hand power bats, that left.
Mark
That trade made this team be a contender, almost right away.
Or you questioning that?
And Agone in the line up, makes an even big draw, for all of the Mexican Americans, that our big Dodger fans.
To respond to #12, I still think getting Cueto would have been a good idea if it didn’t place a burden on payroll and salary cap limitations. If the Dodgers had an offer on the table for Greinke for …what was it?…155 mil…that tells me that they had that kind of money to spend on a marquee pitcher.
The second consideration would be having a guy locked up long term into his 30s, which is generally a terrible use of money. That would also block the kids, including Beuhler, from coming up. I say, if we took that 155 and front loaded it for two years, giving him 40 for the first 2, and 25 for the remainder of his contract, there’s a pretty good chance for a guy, if he continues to pitch really well and is still 31-32, to opt out of that contract and sign somewhere else for more.
It just really annoyed me to see him pitching for the Giants and doing really really well. I’m ok with letting Greinke walk, and it now looks like we dodged a bullet, but right now we’re seeing a real match up problem with our quality starters versus theirs. They have three stud starters, we have one and and a half.
I think Dodger fans expect more then Cubs fans, because we were here, when the Dodgers went to more then one World Series in the middle 70s, up to 81, then 88.
And the Dodger teams of the 60s that a lot of you guys remember too, went to more then one World Series.
The Dodgers have a history of success, and the Cubs don’t.
Badger referred to this article earlier: http://nypost.com/2016/10/19/behind-dodgers-plan-to-escape-their-own-misery/
Does this sound like Stan Kasten is over-enthusiastic about getting to the World Series?
“It is largely correct that the playoffs are a crapshoot,” Kasten said. “So if you think you can lock something up in just one year by going all in, that is folly. I know our chances of winning a championship are better if we win eight out of 10 division titles.”
True enough and I can live with that but I think some of you here have the mindset that no World Series is a losing season. As long as people buy tickets, I can’t see anything changing. money is no problem to them…
Thanks Wondering!
My take has not changed. We are a team, and an organization, in transition. This may not be our year. We’re still in it, which tells me the team is closer than I thought they would be. Anderson, McCarthy, Kazmir, and unknown Maeda, Wood, rookie shortstop etc etc. 91 wins was top for me, but not enough starting pitching left to take it to the finish line.
Baseball is not only headed in the Moneyball direction it is already there and there to stay. This is the game moving forward. “The brand” is that which sells. We’re the Dodgers. This is Los Angeles. Now ordinarily that means stars. Stars sell tickets. Lots of tickets. But what also sells tickets, and is what the fans want, is a winning team. Winning teams will be those that play the odds better than anyone else. Look at the stats Mark talked about. How do teams hitting at the Wilmer Difo level outlast everybody else? You know the answer. The last few champions and everybody left this year are teams driven by analytics.
I think with the money ballers Kasten has put together along with the organizational depth of resources we can have a few more well paid stars than anyone, develop more to replace them and remain contenders for years. Win it all? Yeah, sure. We will be in the World Series again. Sure hope Kershaw is with us when we do.
Now? The Cubs will be sweating these two games. What could be better than a Game 7 at Wrigley? Cubs fans in agony all game and going ape if they win. This is all good. I’m fine with where the team is. This team isn’t really that good – and look where we are! Kale lujan! (that was my phone autocorrecting me on hallelujah)
That is my spelling excuse thanks.
I know that there was some controversy pulling Maeda with Lester coming up last night. I guess I didn’t have a huge problem with it after watching Maeda pitch to David Ross like he was Babe Ruth. However, after Fields was pulled from the game, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to go to Wood. The Cubs are worse against lefties and the Dodgers carried a 3rd lefty instead of a 3rd catcher this series. Going to Joey Pancakes and Dayton so early left us with guys like Baez who sucks, and Stripling who wanted to nibble the whole time he was out there.
Really disappointing to see the strategy on the base paths last night. Take the damn base! The Dodgers beat Lesturd in 2015 because they ran all over him. FAZ was with the A’s when Lesturd blew the lead in the playoffs by KC running all over him. If you want to dance around on the bases like a little leaguer, you can do it from second base just as well as first base. I had no problem starting Kike, but it would have been over Joc not Toles last night. If he scores in the first inning then the move was worth it.
Chase Utley best show up the final two games. He has been awful. Hasn’t hit and has made at least two errors in the playoffs. I want to say the DP the Dodgers turned in the top of the 9th was the first DP turned in the entire playoffs. They will have a big decision to make at 2nd base next year. I liked bringing back Chase this year(wasn’t a fan of bringing back Howie afterward), but he can’t be the leadoff hitter next year nor can he play as much as he did this year. I’ve watched him closely this year and he seems like a guess hitter who has used his extensive experience to be as successful as he has been in 2016. If Toles can show up an wins the LF spot next year I think we have a leadoff hitter, but that’s a big if still.
Toles
Seager
Turner
Gonzo
Puig
Joc
Grandal
I can live with Utley at the top or the bottom of that order tomorrow night, but I’m leaving Josh’s impotent stick on the bench with his inferior defense. The Cubs should be thankful when Puig and or Toles are sitting just like the Dodgers should be thankful when Contreras is sitting.
Hawkeye
Those two pitchers insisting on having there own personal
catchers, makes the Cubs a weaker team.
And about yesterday’s line up,
it just doesn’t make sense, leaving a player on the bench, that is hitting 500 in this series.
And Toles adds a another dimension to this team, that is badly needed, and especially in last nights game, and that is speed.
And like Nomar always says, all Toles does, is just hit!
And Nomar is judicial with who he gives credit too.
What Baez did last night, isn’t unexpected, and if we had someone else in there, we might have still won that game.
I didn’t even think about Wood, but that is a good idea, especially since Wood doesn’t give up to many HRs, and he is a leftie, with a different delivery.
Because we scored three more runs, after Baez went out.
That was one disapointing game, and I am sick of all of the Cubs stuff too.
Even Jerry Hairson said that he wasn’t suprised that that call at home with Agone, went to the Cubs, because everyone wants the Cubs to win.
And you know that Hairson, is from Chicago.
The anouncers were not as bad last night, but that is only because they were happy, because the Cubs won those last two games.
Hawkeye
I think these two days off in a row, will help Utley do better in this next game.
I
MJ: “Scott is just preaching to the choir today, isn’t he?”
Maybe to you, but, off key to me. Don’t know how ANY objective writer can write an article like that and never mention the elephant in the room, NED! Scott mentions the nearly $75M in TOTAL contract cost for Anderson and McCarthy, but, never mentions the $18M paid to Ethier, $8M to Ryu, $21M paid to Crawford, $7.5M paid to Guerrero, $3.7M paid to Kemp, $5.5M to Arruebarrena and $7.2M paid to Puig, ALL THIS YEAR, over $70M and all NED signings. Oh, before I forget and the $22M paid to an aging Gonzalez. Spare me how clutch Gonzalez has been. I admit he has been hot in the LCS with a .222 BA and .300 OBP and has raised his overall playoff BA to .211 and OBP to .268, but I would have liked even more for $22M.
Scott: “During perhaps the most important games of the season the Dodgers went out like meek little girls instead of paper tigers.”
Maybe you like a team of paper tigers, but, I would prefer the real thing now that the going is getting tough.
Wondering: “FAZaholics can’t change the truth.”
Truth is, Dodgers are two wins away from the World Series, with two stud starters lined up and ready to rumble.
Win or lose, GREAT JOB FAZ WITH THE 2016 PLAN!!!
Go Dodgers.
Boxout
Did you read what Scott wrote?
What is the condition of our starting pitching rotation right now?
What rotation really?
This isn’t about anything else, except the line up against lefties, and having Kike and other players playing, that hasn’t done much all year.
And Scott talked about the condition of our starting pitching rotation.
I don’t know how you turned this into your usual rant.
What has become of our starting pitching rotation?
Do you see McCarthy, Anderson, Kazmir, pitching in the post season?
Did McCarthy pitch 200 innnngs, in the last two years?
Did Anderson pitch and make all of his starts this year.
And did Kazmir pitch the entire season?
And what is the latest injury info, on these three?
Anderson is pitching Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday:)
Hawkeye
That should be fall down entertainment on Tuesday!
You can definitely count on him falling down if it happens.
Boxout
Scott was talking about our current concerns, about this team this year, and the play offs.
Boxout
I thought you were a good saber.
They don’t believe in batting average.
Agone hit a HR for the only run scored in Kershaw’s last game.
And that was his second HR of the post season.
Agone hit in all three runs, that scored on Chapman, that tied that game.
Agone hit in first run last night.
Do you think every other hitter on this team, could hit in that run?
A lot of players on our team, strike out, in situatuions like that.
And a lot of players on our team, have trouble just putting the ball in play, to get a runner home from third, with less then two outs.
Hill a Stud??? Puhleeeeeeeeeeeeese……….he is a 37 year old journey man pitcher who is having a decent year, and he is a rental…..thank god for that…..I could not go through another year of his 6 inning pitching. And Ned did nothing without ownership approval, so your dis at him is mis aimed
Michael
Colletti sure loves watching this team play for some reason, and we all know why.
Never thought this team was good this year so color me shocked they made it this far in the NLCS. Of course, the soft underbelly got exposed up 2-1 in the NLCS.
1. Can’t hit lefties, check
2. Declining Maeda we saw at the end of season, check. (on a side not, he’s a frustrating pitcher. Needs 5 or 6 days between regular season starts and only threw 175 ip and he’s still gassed)
3. 20 year old that has no business starting a postseason game but is because of injuries, check.
4. Over taxed bullpen getting exposed when asked to do entirely too much, check.
Now they’re down 3-2 and in a bad spot. I will say this, if this team signed Cueto instead of giving a QO to Anderson and signing Madea/Krapmir, they win this series. That has nothing to do with giving up prospects and everything to do with spending your money wisely.
MJ: “What is the condition of our starting pitching rotation right now?”
Do you mean RIGHT NOW? Well, two game series coming up. Starting rotation Kershaw and Hill. Condition of starting rotation, good!!
Box
It could have been better, like we needed in these last two games, that we just played and loss.
It could have been better, but of course it could have also been worse. I could name 27 out of the 30 MLB teams that would love to be in Dodgers position today.
Everyone keeps saying how Kershaw will do good tomorrow. I know he will. But the Dodgers need to score runs off Hendricks. We only scored one off him last time and we shut the cubs out. We need to score early and be aggressive. The cubs are going to score. Who is going to hit for the dodgers.
I find it frustrating when pro players are so stuck in their ways. I know it is easy for me to tell a guy to move forward in the batters box when they players have to face a 90 mph fastball, but when I see a pitcher like Hendricks sinking change-up after change-up, scoot up in the damn box. If I’m the Dodgers hitters make Hendricks throw his mediocre fastball by me.
Move up in the box. It’s been a long time since I heard anybody give that advice. I wonder if there is an algorithm for that? What am I saying, of course there is. But maybe it hasn’t been discovered yet. Maybe the Dodgers can add …. 3.1417% to their chance of success by moving up in the box. Wait, that number has already been used. That’s Pi. mmmm Pi.
They won’t move up (might work, but they won’t do it) and they aren’t going to put any time in learning how to bunt.
Hey, got a question- why in the world does Grandal walk so much? Throw that guy strikes and he makes an out 77.2% of the time. I hope the Cubs don’t run those numbers.
I guess that’s because I watch kids that I coach struggle more against soft tossers than kids who can throw a good fastball. Not all translates to the big show, but some guys just aren’t going to get a fastball from Hendricks and Seager is one of them.
They saw him just a few days ago, so they will know what to expect. My advice to those kids you coach and to the Dodgers -recognize the pitch, attack strikes over and directly above the plate and think line drive up the middle. Hendricks can spin the ball. Pick it up early and don’t chase balls below your knees.
And to everybody from both teams – protect the plate with 2 strikes! Don’t expect these umps to get the close ones right.
It is frustrating when batters don’t protect with two strikes. Yes, that was ball four to Adrian, but protect with two strikes. It’s too damn close to take.
Badger
The Cubs don’t even need to do that, because everytime Joc and Grandal
come up to bat, that broadcaster makes there big swings, be known to all.
Hawkeye
That is very good advice, because I just saw how Hendricks pitche, and they just make it over the front of the plate, and then die.
Badger
It will also unfortunely be up to how a ump calls his pitches.
Most of his pitches to me, are not strikes
Maeda had pitches yesterday that fell about the same way, but the umpire didn’t call those strikes.
It is to bad, that to many umps, want to make themselves bigger then the game.
Good Question James. Who wants to be a Dodger hero, like Kirk Gibson?
I go with the same team that got me here. I see no need to second guess lineups. After all, we already won 91 games while cruising the last couple weeks of the season and broke Washington’s heart in round 1.
James
The amount of runs we got off Hendricks last time does concern me too.
It was only Agone’s solo HR, so that is normal worry.
if we win tomorrow. i think we take the series. Cubs have the momentum we need to stop their momentum.
I like your enthusiasm James! We have just as good a chance of reaching the WS….IF…. we win tomorrow. And I thing we have a great chance of winning tomorrow.
All this dribble about what should’ve been done, the errors, the mistakes made by DR, the sliders that didn’t slide, etc. I like where we are. In a perfect world we’d be getting ready for the Indians, not having to win the last two games of this series.
But it is what it is and I’d rather be in a must 2 game win than 27 other teams and their fans.
Richie
That is for sure!
And after all, if this is going to be like 1988, this series is suppose to go to seven games.
Bum
I looked at yesterday’s box score, and Agone was only on base once, and he scored, so I don’t know what you are talking about Joc’s ground out to the shortstop.
I thought it may have been Howie, but Howie was only on base once yesteday too, and he scored too.
Did you guys see two of the Cubs players, talking to the home plate umpire on TV.
Rizzo apologized to the home plate ump, and the Cubs young catcher, was also talking to the home plate ump, and it wasn’t just normal
small talk during the game.
They were kissing up big time!
And we are going to have that same team of umps, this weekend probably.
Wow, lot’s of passion and excitement on this site!
For what it is worth, we are here, just 2 games from the World Series. I had my doubts about making the playoffs this year, and here we are. This looked to be a transition year, a rebuilding year. And then we had record numbers of injuries.
I like our chances. With righties going against us the last 2 games, we don’t screw around with the alternative lineup. With lefties going for us, the Cubs are in trouble, as they don’t hit lefties very well either. The Cubs knew what they were going to face in games 6 and 7. Their backs were against the wall in 4 and 5. Ours were not. Yes, it would have been nice to win one of those games. But we are set up right where we want to be. If we cannot win game 6 with Kershaw pitching to force a game 7, then it wasn’t meant to be this year. But I still cannot believe how close we came.
We get to game 7, all bets are off. All the pressure is on the Cubs. They have been annointed by everyone.
The team got us this far. It’s on our ace now.
That’s a pretty good way to sum things up, and it’s pretty much the way I feel ….about the game and about the year.
That is a good way to sum it all up. For all the talk of getting better pitching, today we have the best pitcher in baseball going for us. If he can’t get it done for us or if our hitters can’t score against a righty, it just wasn’t meant to be.
I still find it unbelievable that some still bang that hollow drum “FAZ should have gotten better pitchers.” From jump street, I told you that they were not going to sign aging pitchers to long-term deals and they haven’t! They wouldn’t part with Urias, De Leon, Seager or Pederson for Hamels, Price or Cueto.
Now, some of you say Well, they offered Greinke $150 million. Did they really or did they just drive up the price so that the Giants or other teams would have to pay huge dollars? You don’t know and I don’t know but I suspect they knew that $150 million wouldn’t get Greinke. They have to drive up the price or it’s bad business on their part to let competitors off the hook.
As I have repeatedly said “This is what you get when you won’t sign long-term deals with aging free agents or trade your top prospects. “ That’s reality. It always was the way they were going to do it. When you don;t do those leong-term deals, this is what you get. I accepted it long ago because I knew it was the path to sustained success. You saw what Hill cost them: Three top prospects! He’s an injury-plagued guy too. Low risk – High reward!
McCarthy, Kazmir, Anderson and Maeda were all high risk guys too. The Dodgers have no long-term, high dollar deals with any of them. FAZ knew they were high risk, but who knew that Ryu, McCarthy, Anderson and Kazmir would all be injured at the same time. The odds are against it, but it was a possibility and it happened. It doesn’t change anything – the Dodgers are still going to keep building from within.
What will change is that there will be fewer of those deals because they will not need to do that when the homegrown players arrive. Next year, Urias and Buehler will be in the rotation… maybe DeLeon. Stewart, DeJong, Oakes and several others are close. Anderson is gone – maybe McCarthy, Kaz or Ryu will come back strong. Maybe not. They might offer Hill a short-term deal… or maybe not. Cueto was a stud this year – watch what happens in another year or so. They will be paying him like they have paid Matt Cain $20 mil a year to do nothing. I would have loved this years Cueto, but not a long-term deal!
Like the article said yesterday, the Cubs blew it up and were horrible while rebuilding. The Dodgers are being competitive while rebuilding. You can’t add those big long-term deals while re-building, but in a rebuilding phase, here we are TWO GAMES AWAY FROM THE WORLD SERIES. Not bad for a team that is rebuilding!
The Dodgers dodged a bullet facing a Nationals pitching staff without Strasbourg. They would’ve had to face Scherzer, a true stud, Strasbourg, their homegrown bona fide stud, and Tanner Roark, who pretty much came out of nowhere this year to be a near stud.
Against the Cubs, the Dodgers face up against Lester, a true stud, Arrieta, the Cy Young award winner last year, and Hendrick, who pretty much came out of nowhere this year to be a stud and Cy Young front runner.
The Dodgers have Kershaw, Rich Hill and Maeda. That puts this team at a real disadvantage, and the Dodgers are here mostly because Kershaw is not just a stud, but pretty much on another planet. Having Maeda have to walk out there and go up against Lester and the Cubs lineup is really almost too much to ask.
If we win this series, it will depend a lot on the Dodgers playing above their heads and some Gibson-esque heroics. It doesn’t take an algorithm to figure out that you can consistently win championships against the best teams in baseball with luck and heroics. You need really good players.
I don’t know that Urias improves his game enough to be a true #2 we’re predicting him to be. I don’t know that Beuhler, coming off Tommy John, is in the rotation for significant innings next year. I was a little underwhelmed with DeLeon at the major league level, granted it was his first experience in the bigs. I’m just not sure how his stuff, or any of these rookie’s stuff, plays at the big league level.
If you look at the Cubs and the Nats, they had three really really good starting pitchers. For both squads, one of those starting pitchers was an expensive free agent. It’s worked out well for them so far. The Dodgers are at a disadvantage against both because they didn’t open up the checkbook.
Ok, so maybe the new normal is you don’t need a great starting pitcher. You have a guy go out and pitch four innings and then the manager throws in a bunch of relievers. Maybe that’s how the Dodgers do it. I think the Dodgers did it this year more out of necessity. It’s not the best long term strategy. As we saw with Lester the other night, it is so much easier when you have a stud just go out there and give your team 7 or 8 innings of shut down baseball. It’s easier than having to throw out relievers who might not be having their slider working that night.
Maybe the money being paid to Cain is just part of the cost of doing business in baseball. One thing about Friedman in his past experience is that he’s never ever paid big bucks for players. He wasn’t able to before, now maybe he’s just so used to looking for value and maximum WAR per dollar that he’s not willing to, sort of like your grandfather growing up during the Depression being cheap for the rest of his life.
Maybe the FO just wanted to drive the cost up on Cueto and Greinke. In my mind, if you’re offering money, it means you’re also willing to pay it. I just think the FO was a little spooked with Cueto’s elbow and his mediocre August last year with the Royals..and are just reluctant to pull the trigger on an expensive deal.
There are a lot of teams this off season in pretty desperate need of starting pitching. That means Hill is going to be expensive, which means next year it’s Kershaw And The Gang. Personally, I don’t think that’s enough to be assured of being World Series bound every year, which I think is the plan – to be contenders consistently nearly every year rather than the typical boom/bust of most organizations.
I agree with you that the Dodgers went with, “short innings starter, long innings relievers” this year out of necessity. You say, “It’s not the best long term strategy”. Partially agree, but, look at the Midget 2016 season, “long innings starter, short innings relievers”. Where did the $200M spent on starters get them? Better strategy, great starters and great bullpen. Big question, how best to do that?
FAZ has already shown us how to acquire the great bullpen. I agree with you regarding Dodger starting pitching prospects, Urias, Bueller and DeLeon. None are a sure thing. But, you have often wisely spoken to “mediocre risk”. High priced, free-agent players (especially pitchers) are also no sure thing. Midgets now have Cueto and Samardzija on big long-term contracts, AZ has Greinke. Greinke’s contract has already lost maybe $50M in value. Cueto and Samardzija have another $160M is salaries to go. And that doesn’t even factor in opt-out clauses that benefit ONLY the player. Free agents are HIGH RISK. I know you know this. Best solution in my book, is options, options, options. Dodgers have the three pitchers you named above and many, many more (see Mark’s post, but, he forgot Alvarez, maybe the best of all). It is that depth thing again.
I have seen lots of short-sighted posters on this board bemoaning the “Cuban” signings, but, I believe money VERY WISELY spent. I know, NED’s Cuban signings has given many Dodger fans a bad taste, but, I believe FAZ’s signings will pay huge dividends. After all, they mostly really amount to additional “first round” young talent. Best investment a team can make is in young talent.
We Dodger fans are FINALLY extremely lucky to have this ownership group and management. We get the benefit of an organization that sees the wisdom of building a strong farm system, but, also an organization that is willing to spend on major league players. As you said, “maybe money being paid to Cain is just part of the cost of doing business in baseball”. True, but it has its limits. Guggs allowed NED to spend their money like a drunken sailor when they arrived. We are still paying that price and will for a couple more years. I rest comfortably knowing that the Dodgers will always have a payroll around the luxury tax limit. As you know, we are way over that now. Unless, as some here believe, MONEY doesn’t matter in the MLB world, then budget cuts/scrimping is going to be necessary to get the budget back in line.
FAZ has done a wonderful job on their 2016 plan, which required some budget items like Toles, Blanton, Dayton, Fields, Maeda, Grandal, Kazmir, Anderson, McCarthy and others. TWO victories to the World Series!!!!
After the season we can look forward to a time when NED’s sins have been fully exorcised and FAZ can do some serious shopping after the 2018 season along with a blossoming farm system.
Dodger patch
I think that is another thing that Dodger fans worry about with Friedman.
Because like you said, he doesn’t have the experience of paying for elite players.
And the contracts that they gave Kazmir, and McCarthy, some people feel like the front office over paid.
I wouldn’t include the names of Kazmir, McCarthy and Anderson in any sentence that has “wonderful job” and “FAZ” in it.
MJ, I’m one of the some people who believe those guys were all overpaid. WAY overpaid.
Mark
Don’t make that same argument that it was either these pitchers with long injury histories, or top pitchers like Greinke or Zimmerman, that just isn’t true!
And anyone who thought these pichers with long injury histories, would make there starts, lacks any common sense.
You just don’t sign pitchers with long injury histories, and expect them to make there starts.
And most of that money that was used on McCarthy, has been wasted in the last two years.
And they were so lucky that ballerina made his starts last year, because his odds to make it through one game, is very low.
And if Anderson had those teams interested in him, he would have never accepted that QO.
And Kazmir the other pitcher they choose to give a multi year contract to, made most of his starts, just past the Allstar break, and he was the most erratic pitcher, I have even seen.
And he now has a chronic injury, so who knows if he will pitch the next two years.
And Kazmir not only has had injury problems like some pitchers have, he has had problems with his performance.
The Angels had to waste some of there money, because they had to let Kazmir go, because his performance was just that bad.
This is all wasted money, that went to almost nothing.
And if we didn’t have all of our young pitchers, and Roberts and his coaches, who knows where this team would have been at the finish of this season.
The players also played beyond all of this, as well as Kershaw going out, and the players, Roberts and his coaches, are more responsible for where this team is, then anyone.
And Dodger patch point about Cueto was very smart, at least Cueto is pitching well enough, to want to opt out, unlike Kazmir!
Anyone that believed that Kazmir was a smart deal because he would opt out, or either delusional or trust anything they are told.
Because a pitcher must pitch well enough, to want to opt out, to get a bigger better contract, then the contract they originally signed.
Well said MJ.
Thanks Badger.
They also offered to pay 25 million a year of Greinke’s contract to reacquire him in a trade with the D-Backs…….
I’ve been advised by many to just ignore your posts.
Good advice. But hard to do. It’s like ignoring jock itch or hemorrhoids. Ignoring those irritants makes the problem worse.
So much could be offered here about this one. The condescension is always there, as are the contradictions.
I’ll just say this – three top prospects for 2 rentals is NOT low risk high reward. At least not in my book. You talk of how Cueto is a bad signing because of long term implications but support giving up three top prospects for a few months of maybe. What about those long term implications? I watched as 3 prospects we gave up this year stepped right in at the Major League level. Rich Hill pitched 34 innings for us and so far has 13 innings of post season play – one good outing, one not so good. He may not pitch again this year, and he may pitch us into a World Series. Who knows, maybe it still works out this year. Whatever, I don’t see us re-signing him. Too old, too often injured. Josh Reddick OPSd .643 for us. We can do better than him.
The script for ’16 is still being written. Critiquing a story that hasn’t ended is premature exclamation. I’ll leave that to you and wait for my final analysis. I do find it interesting the circular arguments that started with the first deadline FAZ gag in ’15 continue today.
But you don’t ignore his posts. And really, who is truly being condescending here? You can’t help yourself. You always have to be condescending, especially with Mark, but you do so in a passive aggressive or snide way that allows you to believe you’re taking some moral high road.
I just took the time to write a response that disagreed with him on certain points, but I offered a counter argument that didn’t resort to insults. I wasn’t snide. I wasn’t a jerk.
I’ll wait with bated breath for your final analysis…….BECAUSE IT’S SO IMPORTANT!!!
You’re reading what you have always read in my posts patch – your own misguided interpretations.
“I find it unbelievable that some are still beating the hollow drum” – you don’t find that condescending because you agree with it. Those with a different perspective are hollow. Mark nearly always talks down to those who disagree with him. It’s been his approach since I’ve known him, which has been much longer than you have known him. It’s been an issue that has been addressed by many in here, and on every blog in which he has been a participant for nearly 20 years. I think I first encountered him in ’97 and he was considered a blow hard by several back then. That opinion hasn’t really changed.
Now I’m a jerk. The other day I was a shit eater. And you have the nerve to say that I’m the one who resorts to insults?
But, it’s not about me today. And it sure as hell isnt about you and Timmons. It’s about the Cubs and the Dodgers. May the best team win.
I concur whole heartedly, and I have only known him a short time. He reply’s to most on this board like they are serf’s and he is the patron. You disagree or do not use saber metric terms in your argument and he automatically calls you out for not having a good reason for your take.
Hawkeye
I watched the Dodger show yesterday, and Nomar said exactly what you said about Hendricks.
Nomar said they would have to adjust to Hendricks by moving up in the batter’s box.
And he
also said, that they would have to see if the ump is going to give Hendricks those low strikes.
Because like I said yesterday, Maeda threw pitches that low, that just made it over the front part of the plate, then died, and the ump wouldn’t call those pitches strikes.
But since it is the Cubs, and the pitcher is the ERA leader this year, the ump will probably give Hedricks those low pitches, unfortunately.
That one ump didn’t give Kershaw the real ERA leader this year, and four out of the five last years, any close pitches, in the last game he started against the Nationals.
And with the Cub’s players kissing up, and buddying up with this ump team, it makes it even harder for the Dodgers, to get a game that is fairly umped.
Just like Agone posted at the bottom of his last text, it is the Dodgers against the world!
I think the meat of our order, hit good pitching, better then the Cubs meat of the order.
The Cubs feasted on the Reds, the Braves, and those type of teams this year.
But you saw that the Cubs didn’t hit much, against the Giants starting pitching in that series, and they didn’t hit our number one and two pitchers well either.
I just hope right now, that Kershaw pitches one of his best games, in the post season, and we win tonight!
MJ, hopefully you or Hawkeye work today calling someone in the Dodger organization to let them know this important information, “moving up in the batters box”. Very observant. Start with the batting coaches please, oh wait, start with FAZ, they have got to be wrongly telling the coaches what to coach. I can’t believe these damn Dodger players/coaches/management haven’t figured this out yet.
That is uncalled for……MJ is simply stating something that was heard…….
Boxout
This is not me giving my opinion.
This came from Nomar, who was a great hitter.
I think he knows what he is talking about.
Hawkeye
Just made an observation, and apparently, it was a good observation, if Nomar said the same thing!
It would be more helpful than standing on the sidelines shouting, “good job FAZ!”
Darned if I don’t appreciate Rich Hill and what he’s done for us and of course I’ve pledged my support to Josh Reddick. But damn Frankie Montas is lighting up the AFL… Did we give up our replacement for Jansen, who will go after the monopoly money for sure.
6′ 2” 255 and I never got to see him in a LAD jersey… Just thinking, which is a great problem of mine…
Cotton was 2-0 with a 2.1 ERA and a 1.1 WHIP, Peraza played SS and hit .324 with 21 stolen bases and Schebler played well too, hitting 9 home runs. Then there is first round pick Grant Holmes. If we win it all – it’s obviously worth these risky moves. If not?
Nah, FAZ never makes mistakes…
Yeah, there is that…..
Not…………..Hatcher…….Reddick……………Peralta………………Tepesch………………..Norris………….need I go on?????
Nope. Not with me anyway.
Michael
It is good to hear from you!
Thanks!
Snider
Now that is funny!
I thought this would be an interesting question
If Hill pitches tomorrow, and doesn’t pitch well, does everyone think that Hill was worth it?
Or if Hill pitches tomorrow, and pitches well, was he worth it?
That last question sounds like a rhetorical question.
If he pitches us into a World Series he can use his blistered middle finger to flip off all the doubters. And that would include me.
LA Rams on Thursday Night Football Sunday at 6 a.m. Hopefully I watch them win right before Hill pitches us into the Fall Classic.
If Hill pitches tomorrow, and doesn’t pitch well, does everyone think that Hill was worth it? Obviously NO! But if you want to win now too, it’s a risk you take.
Or if Hill pitches tomorrow, and pitches well, was he worth it?
YES!
Mark
That sounds just like a rhetorical question!
Kersh needs to shut down the Cubbies today to even make that possible
Michael
I always try to not to asume anything, but I guess I didn’t make that clear.
Because I especially being a Dodger fan, doesn’t ever want to tempt fate!
Pitching. Pitching. Pitching. The experiment with regular 3-4 inning starters is just that. An experiment. It DOES NOT WORK on a regular basis. Putting all of the preseason and season moves aside, so far this series has failed because no starter other than the obvious 2 has been any good. To pull a pitcher to pitch to a pitcher, like the other night, tells us how bad these other starters are. Maeda is probably a 4-5, and on a better team would not be pitching much. On a better team, Urias would be taking a long vacation right now. The bullpen offers no surprise right now because of over use. I can see someone like Wood being an important part of these next games because he hasn’t pitched much. In fact, he should be the first guy out of the pen at this point. I analyze pitchers by 1) do they get ahead in the count; 2) do they hit the catcher’s target; and 3) can they get hitters out while pitching in the strike zone. Except for 2 + Jansen, the answer is no. Roberts has been forced to play a game like the Royals did last year, but that win was probably a fluke. The bullpen game should not become a model, and the goal should still be to find those guys who can get through the batting order at least 3 times. We don’t have those guys. The Cubs do. Today’s game is more about how well we do against Hendrick than how well Kershaw pitches. We will probably need 3-4 runs. Same tomorrow. The teams is playing a strategy that weaker teams play. Will it work again? I hope so, at least for 2 more games. But it is all gravy. THE GIANTS LOSE. The giants suck.
Bobbie17
I agree with everything you said.
I keep hearing the Cubs don’t hit lefties well.
And then I hear the Cubs hit lefties well.
I tried to look it up, but I wasn’t successful.
What is it, did the Cubs hit lefties well, or not hit lefties well?
The Dodgers are hitting .200 in the playoffs against LH pitching.
The Cubs are hitting .171 in that same time frame.
In the regular season it was .265 for the Cubs and they were 7th in baseball.
Mark
Thanks for helping me, because I read one thing, and hear another thing.
I guess the good news, is that all of the Cubs big hits, were on hangers, not good pitches or good pitching.
I agree with what B17 said too. I would add that I believe this game, and the series, will be won, or lost, by the bullpen. My prediction is Kershaw and Hendricks will pitch to a draw.
There are quite a few people who disagree with me and we are fine, like Patch because he has a well-reasoned logical argument. He may not agree – I may not agree with me and I may not agree with him but we respect logic of the argument.
Badgers condescension started years ago and and he makes numerous passive-aggressive veiled jabs like this: “You can make a metal bat that is less responsive. It’s as soft as lead but as light as balsa. The metal called Markonium and its mined in Indiana. or It’s like ignoring jock itch or hemorrhoids. Ignoring those irritants makes the problem worse.
He does stuff like that over and over in a condescending way and then gets mad when I call him a moron or an idiot because I am not passive aggressive. I don’t veil what I say. I happen to be a Dodger fan and I will respect people who give respect. However, I will also disagree with “stupid $hit.”
At work, anyone is free to bring up problems or issues (even with me), but if you do, then you better have a good argument and a solution. What I consider Stupid is pointing out the problem without offering a solution. Critics are bitches in my opinion. I really don’t care what people say about me – I just call them out. I do admit to imparting bodily harm to the few that have said such things to my face, but at my age that is harder to do – most likely I’d try.
What really pisses people off is when I kept telling them what would happen and they disagreed until it became painfully apparent what I sad was true, to which Badger will say Well you were wrong about more than 92 wins. Yeah, technically, I was wrong. because the Dodgers clinched the Division a week early and cruised. They could have easily won 95 or 96 games if needed.
Most of the other stuff I said has come to pass, so now lets’ nitpick – look at the players FAZ traded…. blah, blah, blah! I banned Badger once from my old board because we had a particular heated exchange where he disagreed on a couple of key issues. So, I decided to sit on it a few weeks and then I posted the opposite side as my idea and he came back and argued what I had had originally argued weeks earlier I guess he forgot what his earlier argument was) – he just likes to argue with me for some reason (I’m not a shrink and I don’t know why), but at that point I had enough and threw him off the board. Of course, that made it even worse. Now he really tries to get back at me…
I believe is logical, well-reasoned, factual arguments. Lots of things are subjective, but evidence is king.
Badger: “Good advice. But hard to do. It’s like ignoring jock itch or hemorrhoids. Ignoring those irritants makes the problem worse.”
Sounds like Badger spends a lot of his time sitting around “scratching his balls and ass”!!
You would have to have worn a jock to understand jock itch. If you know nothing of hemorrhoids I would not be surprised. I’ve seen what you do, and do not understand. Lastly, you must have balls to be able to scratch them.
Thank you, for your treatise on jock itch, hemorrhoids and scratching. I can tell it’s a very SORE subject with you. Your correct, thankfully, I don’t have experience with jock itch or hemorrhoids.
I must acknowledge that you are the board expert on the subject. However, when your Doctor suggested “you must have balls to be able to scratch them”, Even though it sounds like you were desperate for relief; I would have questioned that as a grossly over extreme treatment plan. I wish you would have consulted with some of us on this board. We could have helped you make a better decision.
Lastly, I now better understand your over-the-top reaction whenever someone mentions “Lucille”.
B17 needs to realize Giants losing is not more important than Dodgers winning.
This is not ALL GRAVY. This is our damn season. I’m glad you’re on cloud 9 because the giants lost, but this is about us. If you’re so happy only hating the Giants, you aren’t a real Dodger fan. Nobody here is thinks this is all gravy, except you
Ridiculous
Only the last line was about the midgets. What about the rest of what he said?
Bobbie 17 lives in the thick of Giants nation and has to put up with the worse despicable group of despicables on this planet I’ve ever ran across. (limited to when it comes to baseball) Give the guy a break as he’s had to put up with shit talk that’s far worse than anything that goes on at this site. Knowing that it’s easy to understand whatever is better than Giants IS gravy as it voids most of the shit.
Bobby
First it is good to hear from you.
I was kind of worried, that we haven’t heard from you, especially after that last game.
I think Bobbie is more focused on the Giants then we are, because he lives in Northern California.
And even after winning three recent World Series, Giant fans, are more focused on the Dodgers, instead cherishing there World Series.
I agreed about his assessment about the game tonight.
Bobby
Where have you been?
I was thinking you were at that last game, and that couldn’t have been to fun.
How long does it feel when Baez pitches, and pitches, and pitches, and the score keeps on going up?
The old Boston Braves had a saying in 1948…..Spahn and Sain and pray for rain…….it worked. So the Dodgers new saying should be Kersh and Hill can fill the bill…………………………kinda lame………but best I could do on short notice…..
How about this?
Kersh and Hill, and take a pill….. or several!
Kershaw and Jansen today. I doubt we see anyone else. If we do, something went terribly wrong.
With Kersh and Hill, offenses, lose there thrill!
The Angels Tananna and Ryan and 3 days of cryin’
A Dodger starter, and then the pen,
Another starter, then the pen again.
And of all the words of tongue and pen,
The best for us? … its the pen for the win.
Nice!
Will Steve Bartman be at the game?
Artieboy
We gave Bartman an invitation for the seventh game, if we win tonight.
He has promised to be at his best behavoir, when it comes to the Dodgers!
As everyone knows, Hairson, and Nomar both played for the Cubs.
And they said if this goes to the seventh game, there will be a lot of pressure, not only for the people in the stands, there will be pressure even on the Cubs young players.
Not now, never was a Ned fan. BUT: he had the Ds in the same relative place
in the champ chase as the new whelps, with resources probably a quarter of
what they have wasted. And still have yet to read or hear anything convincing
that The Trade was anything but a strategy of the greedy weasels who now
steer the ship, in place of the previous Boston rascals, and not one of Ned’s
less-than-overwhelming deals. The vitriol against a guy who did a nice job
in difficult circumstances is puzzling, and damning of the vitriolic much more
than Ned.
All the noise about system depth is still just that – look at who was leading
off in the most important game of the season, and who was cleanup. The state
of the starting staff, predicted by so many of us, speaks for itself.
If you know baseball history, the news that the Ds have the best farm system,
EVEN if true, is virtually meaningless if you’re attempting to project future
MLB champs. Meaningless….Please check the various farm ratings of the team
in San Fran in ’10, ’12 and ’14:-).
Post trade deadline rankings dropped us from #2 to #6. Some have us #5. The trade with Oakland caused the drop.
ESPN had a good piece on Ned. We all agree he made some dumb moves–so did Campanis, Claire, Malone, et al. Results count for something. Give credit where due, and realize that however well you prepare for a season, something is going to hit you where you least expect it.
Anyone notice Mark’s pivot on Greinke? At first it was, “well the Dodgers tried to sign him,” but now it’s, “they never really wanted to sign him, they were just driving up the price.” If that’s true, the deer-in-the-headlights sense of panic they conveyed after he left was Oscar-worthy. First they signed Chapman, then not, then the Japanese pitcher from Seattle, then not, before finally settling for Scott Kazmir. Yeah, it was brilliantly planned.
Agree on all counts, Duke fan:-).
Obviously the Dodgers tried to sign him especially when they offered to pick up $25 million a year of his current salary.
Now, a few thoughts about expectations prior to the playoffs,
and results so far:
Chase: thought they got more than expected during the reg season,
but less than you want at the top of the order, and poor defense along
with it. Chase was my fav Phillie, but was essentially done as RELIABLE
guy in big games four or five years ago, hard-used body breaking down.
Thought he would hurt at the top in playoffs, and on D. Has.
Corey: thought he might be one of two regulars you could count on for
poised and productive at-bats, which Ds have lacked big-time in last
decade of second-season efforts. I was wrong.
Justin: thought he would be the other reliable regular. He has been.
Adrian: did not expect much from him, except for a moment here and
there. HUGE moment in second game of Cub series.
Josh: very low expectations when acquired; remained low for playoffs.
He’s been a wee better than expected in my house.
Howie: low-impact trade return, as almost all of the Candy Store Kids’
choices have been. Big hit in game 4, but not nearly enough otherwise.
Kid Toles: like some here, would like to have seen him leading off.
He’s one of few Ds comfortable in the moment, except when heavin’
a ball somewhere in the same county as home plate:-).
Joc: surprising contributions, but still so easy to dismiss in “game”
at-bats by playoff-quality pitching. The Bryant ball lost in game 4(?)
is why I’m not crazy about him as a long-term answer in center.
Still needs ton of mental and physical changes at the plate.
Yasmani: might run into one now and again – and, like Adrian, a HUGE
run-in in game 3, on a decent pitch from Jake. But, overall, not a
quality defender, and just awful in game situations at bat. Another
poor trade return, so far.
Chooch: decent bat, nice contributions to date, but misplaced against
Lester, another sign of LACK of Depth.
Kike. Awful year, awful choice for playoff roster, another poor trade
return, and an embarrassing performance in biggest game of year,
when focus was on chicken dance off first, rather than scoring a critical
early run. Don’t know how much that was his doing, and how much
just dreadful managerial take on how to proceed against shaky Jon.
Yasiel: I was early and often that this kid needed work from the head
up, and probably would not get it. Still does, but, unlike many here,
thought he had fine swings against Aroldis, and should have stuck with
it instead of the no-chance bunt.
In sum, was hard to see, ONCE AGAIN, no matter the front office or
ownership or manager or hitting coach, how this bunch would pro-
duce enough poised at-bats to be more than marginally playoff-
competitive. The task for the wildly-paid Andrew of Tampa was not
to continue a trend, but to take the last few, hardest steps. The lineups
testify strongly he has, so far, failed $upremely….
Well done dew. dew done did dew well.
Ok, that one needs some work. I agree with your analysis.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m surprised at where we are. There are not that many starters on this team that I wouldn’t agree to part with. It’s easy to look at the Cubs and understand how they got here. The Dodgers? Not so easy. I figured this was a transition year, and frankly I still believe that. Who on this current team is guaranteed to be in the starting lineup next April?
But, here we are. Win or lose, I can see Andrew of Tampa (dud drew?) making a few changes this winter.
Toles leading off. Roberts must be listening.
Who on this current team is guaranteed to be in the starting lineup next April?
Who isn’t? Can you really see FAZ signing or trading for really competent players?
Seager.
Trading for competent? Meh.
Dud dew
I think your being to hard on Toles.
That was Toles first real mistake.
He has made really good and accurate throws, that in some cases thrown a runner out, and he has thrown a runner out at home, about three times.
He has had a runners dead to rites, but Corey had trouble making the tags, twice from throws from Toles, from rightfield.
And Reddick has made four errors since he joined this team.
And he doesn’t have a good enough arm to be playing rightfield.
And he isn’t a good run producer on offense.
He has hit in 9 runs since he joined this team, and four of those RBIs, were from a grand slam he hit, after we were ahead eight nothing.
He is the worse outfielder on this team right now.
But Reddick is good friends with the Dodgers’ 39 year old BACHELOR GM who knew him in Oakland. Wouldn’t be the first…
Wondering
I know, but they better not sign this guy!
The moment of the first news of Greinke signing with Arizona I was pissed with thinking Dodgers F/O let him slip from our fingers. Then I thought about it for about 48 hours and realized NO franchise can stay a healthy franchise trying to buy stars for every roster position. The market can’t support doing that and we are the market and if you ask me it’s already being supported far beyond it’s deserves. As far as the 2015 went I still feel like the F/O did let a deeper post season slip away as their choices of aiding Kershaw and Greinke did didly-squat. And don’t put words in my mouth anybody that that means I wanted to sacrifice ANY of our top prospects, it means I think the F/O did a piss poor job of improving what they inherited for that season. This season they’re making headway and there’s promise showing improvements going ahead. And that’s what FAZ was hire for. ‘THE PLAN’ was already in place and ownership hired what’s proving to be the right guys for the task……..probably. I nearly was alone the many times I stood up for Coletti and my appreciation of him hasn’t changed. He had less to work with than the current group and 2 of the 4 last NLW championships belong to his credit as well as the players who are still contributing the most. That’s not taking anything away from the newer guys other than from those who gives the whole show to them. There’s more than one side to ‘THE TRADE’. The biggest being it was a ‘hurry up and get it done quick Ned’ from ownership for business reasons but it also helped Dodgers win 4 NLW titles though it also was all that $ for simply what netted AGon and the budget the F/O has to play with……Like $1,000,000,000.00 extra and that pocket change can buy a rental or two of pretty much whoever’s choice. So I’ll buy a bit from both sides now, from in and out and still somehow……..oops, sorry Joni, or Judi, or you friends, and I’m coming out ahead because the Dodgers are heading in the right direction. I just wasn’t an easy sell and almost never am I completely sold.