The Dodger bats trounced Arizona pitching again in game 2 leading the way to an emotionally charged 8-5 win on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium to give the boys in blue a 2-0 series lead in their best of five National League playoff series. With the series shifting to Phoenix on Monday the Dodgers are just one win away from sweeping the Snakes and advancing to the NLCS. If the Dodgers do sweep I think the Colorado Rockies should get an assist. Seriously, thank you Rockies.
If it were not for the Rockies forcing the Dbacks to burn their best pitchers in the NL Wild Card game then perhaps this might have been a different outcome. Arizona’s game 2 starter Robbie Ray who normally transforms into Randy Johnson when he faces the Dodgers made 34 pitches in the wild card game. You have to believe that could have had an effect on him as the Dodgers knocked him out of the game with just one out in the fifth inning. Ray would issue four walks and allow four earned runs in just 4.1 innings pitched. This certainly makes winning your division super important in this current postseason format. That one game playoff is just the best.
And guess who led the way in the second game’s offensive onslaught? Second baseman Logan Forsythe had the game of his life on Saturday, going 3 for 5 with three singles and an RBI. He also scored three runs and stole a base to boot. His bat was listless for the Dodgers in the regular season. Forsythe batted just .224 posting an 84 OPS+ during the regular campaign. Just to give you an idea of how rare this was, know that Forsythe had just five games where he got three hits or more in a contest. He has 4 hits during this series already. He’s also scored four runs.
Forsythe singled in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. His fifth inning single drove in Cody Bellinger to put the Dodgers ahead 4-2. He also scored on a wild pitch as well. His bloop single in the fifth was definitely a momentum shifter in this game. Talk about getting hot at just the right time.
The pitching has to get better because giving up ten runs in two games isn’t going to cut it in the playoffs. If the Dodgers keep swinging these hot bats like they have been, then it might not matter. My goodness! Stay hot Logie bear.
Hey if you are going to have a month to get hot, it might as well be October, enjoy the ride Logie Bear (where’s Booboo?)
I would really like to see Ethier get the start in LF, if he gets 4 or 5 at bats he will do some damage.
No more Grandmal, Doc doesn’t need anymore evidence than he has already seen. I guess if Kershaw just has to pitch to him, you give him the nod for Matador. Otherwise, Barnes, Barnes and more Barnes.
Also, I hope Doc has also seen enough evidence that Puig must be in the lineup every day, no matter of lefty – righty match ups. Puig is giving this whole club some much needed energy and charisma that was missing for the month of September.
Bellinger is slumping something fierce. I take that upon myself for not sticking to his rightly earned moniker, EdDinger. So from now on he will only be referred to in my posts as EdDinger, get over it everyone and join the party. EdDinger will return to form now that the Karma has been restored, what is right is right!
I think the Dodgers get to Cranke early and knock him out in the 3rd or 4th inning, sweep the series and return to LA to get well rested while the Nats and Cubs beat each other up (and Dusty has emergency surgery to remove chewed up toothpicks from his colon)
Kershaw is struggling, I think MJ may be onto something, he puts way too much pressure on himself and psyches himself out in the post season. He needs to chill, loosen up and not act like a raving, hell-bent pitching monster on the days he starts. Tell some jokes, have some fun with the teammates and then go out there and enjoy kicking ass. You see, he isn’t enjoying it in the moment, he is too busy looking down the rode to the end instead of enjoying the ride getting there.
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Kershaw is a raving control freak on the day he pitches, so I think that may help Kershaw, if he allows someone to take him away from his mind thoughts, before and during a game, at least a little.
See Don Drysdale. It is part of Kersh’s makeup. Big D was the same way. Koufax on the other hand never looked excited until the game was over.
YF
I think your right, but Corey did get three hits, in the first game.
And from my memory,I believe that Corey practically owns Greinke.
Yeah Cody is struggling, and yet we are hitting the ball all over the yard.
I wish I could remember this one comment I read from a poster about Forsythe, because it was pretty funny.
I think the person said, that Forsythe hasn’t done anything all season long, it was about time that Forsythe had one good game, so resign the guy!
There was a story in Dodgers Digest this morning, well either there or Dodger Blue, with Dave Roberts saying he is not ready to give up on Curtis Granderson. Really Dave? The guy was 0 for September for the most part, starts off this series with 2 strikeouts, one with runners on. Finally puts a ball in play yesterday, and yet you think he is all that. Personally I think the guy is less than a dependable outfielder, and definitely not as good defensively as either Kike or Ethier. Granderson is way past his prime, he runs into one once in a while like he did his first week as a Dodger. But since then his offensive production has been abysmal. Do you understand that word Dave? ABYSMAL. Ethier based on his time of service as a Dodger if nothing else deserves to start more than that slug. And I hope last nights game showed you that Yasmani Grandal has no business behind the dish the rest of this and any other series. Barnes gets hits.
I think Cody and Seager will be fine. Ray was not a good match up for them. I don’t think our lefties can pick up on the pitch coming out of his hand. Let’s see how they do against Greinke and maybe they break out in the desert.
I think it was last year, they scored 8 runs off Greinke in a game. His last game against LA, which was during the losing streak, he pitched ok and got the win, but his only loss at Chase this year was handed to him by the Dodgers. He is 1-2 against LA and has given up 4 HR’s, 3 of them at Chase. The present Dodger players have hit 9 HR’s off Greinke over all. I think the Dodgers have an excellent chance at the sweep. Greinke can be had.
Yeah Mike….I agree. You don’t want Andre to be humiliated…(like A.J. was)…Therefore, allowing him to end his career as a Dodger on a bitter note. And in turn, make him a bitter man for the rest of his life. He deserves a shot at some glory. There’s plenty of room in the line-up…and plenty of time for him to do it. For some reason I smell a rat, and it’s not Roberts.
“All we are saying is give DR-E a chance…”
I think with Greinke starting Granderson may get another start. Sigh.
Darvish needs to step up.
I am not too worried about Darvish. His last 2 starts have been much better. As for Granderson, well Ethier should get the start in front of his home town fans.
YF
Unfortunately I think your right about Granderson starting, especially after he got that timely hit!
Puig doesn’t have good numbers against Greinke, but if he is still patient and disciplined in his at bats tonight, I think Puig may surprise Greinke tonight!
Corey has almost owned Greinke so I hope that continues, and Cody also has good numbers against Greinke, and he had a really good batting practice, so I expect Cody to be more disciplined in his at bats tonight, and he will do better tonight!
I think having to be perfect in the Dbacks hitter’s park, has worn on Greinke this year, so I don’t think he will be tough, in the later innings of the game, if he is still in the game, at that point.
Personally, as in regard to Forsythe, I do not pick up his option. I put Taylor at 2nd next year from the get go. Outfielders are a dime a dozen. There will be plenty on the free agent market, and they have Verdugo vying for the CF job in spring. Just go get a permanent LF.
I would be slightly surprised if they didn’t pick up the option.
It’s a good price, and there’s probably a thought that his production will return and that this year is but a blip. That said, the team has seen him behind the scenes and in-between games. They should have a better idea if his problems are abnormal.
There’s no real indication that the team feels Taylor can play 2nd regularly. They definitely don’t think Barnes can.
Taylor at even a better price and Segedin can back up third.
Toles could cover LF.
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Your right of all of these choices, besides Puig and Taylor, Toles has showed the most promise in the outfield.
He can certainly hit, and once he is comfortable, he plays good defense.
No one knows if Tayor will play center or second, but I wouldn’t resign Forsythe unless I could pay his option, and negotiated with him, for a much lower salary, like my buddy Jonah suggested.
And I would only do that with Forsythe, if agreed to only being a utility player, and he knew he wouldn’t be the everyday second baseman.
Because Turner needs more regular days off then most everyday players, and Forsythe wasn’t bad at filling in for Turner at third, and Forsythe does hit leftie pitching well, so he would be an asset to the team in those ways, especially at a much cheaper salary.
It is just time to admit it, Forshyte was a big mistake, now the problem is that our front office doesn’t admit to big mistakes, that’s the rub. I really didn’t care for the signing and never believed the hype on his value to this club. Taylor could fill the bill, but I do like his speed and arm, might be wasted at 2B. We also have Barnes that could play second, this would save his speedy legs if he did not have to catch. However, that is all predicated on finding a could replacement for Grandmal, because that boy has got to go. Grandmal needs to go “help” another team, he is what he is, we have seen his full arsenal and it just is way too inconsistent, besides the fact that he has the basic issue of CATCHING THE BALL. If we can’t find a good catcher thru FA, then give Farmer a chance back there and move Barnes to 2B, unload Forshyte and Grandmal.
I noticed that the Beer Review thread has everyone enthused, lol.
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I don’t think that means anything, except most people like to read while they are on the internet, and some people also watch and listen to a TV, during that time too.
So people don’t have as much patience to look at a video on the internet, when it is faster and easier to read something.
Yes I’d love to get rid of Grandal. He’s been holding us back multiple years running. We have a lot of catching depth and Grandal would fetch a good sum too at the trade deadline.