The Dodgers/Nationals NLDS game 2 has been postponed because of rain. The game will be played tomorrow at 10 AM PST. According to the weather service the rain was not going to let up anyways, so maybe this is a good thing.
The Dodgers probably like this because they have stated that they don’t want Rich Hill pitching in the rain or wet conditions because of his blister problems. Now this gives him an extra day of rest and hopefully the conditions are dry on Sunday. The pitching match-up on Sunday should be the same with Hill going up against right hander Tanner Roark.
Today's game has been postponed. Game 2 will be played at 10 a.m. PT tomorrow at Nationals Park. pic.twitter.com/YwLNKHUdOT
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 8, 2016
The Dodgers have a 1-0 series lead after their thrilling and heartburn inducing 4-3 win over Washington. Clayton Kershaw pitched 5 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 8 hits and struck out 7. The Dodger bullpen pitched 4 shutout frames with Kenley Jansen recording a five-out save.
Corey Seager and Justin Turner provided most of the offense. Both hit home runs against opposing starter Max Scherzer. Seager hit a 433-foot solo home run to straight away center field in the first inning and Justin Turner’s two-run shot in the third gave the Dodgers a 4-0 advantage. You can check out the recap and highlights from game 1 here.
The series will shift to Dodger Stadium on Monday afternoon for games 3 and 4. Kenta Maeda is scheduled to pitch game 3 for the Dodgers as the Nationals will counter with left hander Gio Gonzalez. Neither club has announced a starter for game 4, if there is one.
A few comments based on some past comments:
1. I think the Dodgers might have made the trade for Braun during THIS season, but I would be shocked if they trade for him now. Trayce Thompson was raking until he broke his back. He struggled for a while until it was diagnosed, but I think he will be a BIG RH bat for them next year. Of course, we have SVS, but he could go. I’m not saying that Thompson will be a superstar, but I see him as a guy with 25+ HR power and fundamentally solid in all phases of the game. If Braun could have helped us this year and didn’t cost too much, I was in… but not now!
2. Maeda has been VERY good when on extended rest this year. I expect 6 string innings from him in Game 3.
3. Hill better learn from Kershaw: Dusty has the Nats hitters swinging early in the count and looking for strikes. Clayton and Rich had better start missing sometimes on the first pitch. Clayton wasn’t really hit hard. He was just hit! A high and inside “buzz” on the first might be just what is needed!
Well, no to the high and inside buzz pitch. That could wind up killing somebody.
Dodgers need to re-sign Turner and find a second baseman for next year whether or not Thompson does well. With Murphy signed through 2018 it looks like Trea Turner will be the Nats CFer for the next two years. A Toles for Turner trade could get the Dodgers that second baseman. Yes, other players might be included in that trade to get it done. Makes it interesting to see how Toles and T. Turner do in this series.
Bum
Why trade Toles at all, especially when Howie will be here another year.
The Nationals are not going to trade there young player, and we need another outfielder next year.
And it isn’t easy to find a player that can hit at the big league level.
I know that Toles hasn’t played enough to see if he can continue to hit big league pitching, but he knows how to slow the game down, and that isn’t easy to do, for a lot of players.
The Dodgers have Verdugo coming up soon to join Puig, Pederson, and Thompson. The outfield has all the youth they need.
Toles would be the Nats CFer.
The Dodgers would get a fast second baseman with good defense. Calhoun and Johnson would not provide the defense at second that Turner would.
A Thompson, Pederson, Puig outfield might eliminate platooning in the outfield and both Thompson and Verdugo can play all outfield positions.
A Gonzales, Turner, Seager, Turner infield might eliminate platooning in the infield.
We don’t know how Joc will hit big league lefties yet, and with this saber metric tinge, they will still probably have more platooning then anyone here likes.
Thompson did have very even splits with both lefties and righties, and that is both with average, and with power.
I don’t remember how many righties Thompson had at bats against, but he did have an even split when I looked.
Joc has a very uneven split against lefties and Righties, and I know he hasn’t had a lot of at bats against lefties, but I will take another look at Thompson’s at bats.
They might save money with there platooning, but it does take up roster space.
And by the way, Turner is going to be a shortstop for the Nationals soon.
The Nationals don’t like the way there current shortstop is not hitting much for an average, and striking out to much.
Espinosa is a glove wizard, and that is why he is in there. There is a rumor going around, and it has some steam that Utley wants to return next year and the Dodgers are interested. The Nats would not trade Turner for Toles. Kendrick has one more year, and they have Barnes, Hernandez, and Taylor who can all play second. Giants down 2-0 and are on fumes…..thank you Chicago…..
….”The Nats would not trade Turner for Toles.”
Probably not Michael and that is why I said: “A Toles for Turner trade could get the Dodgers that second baseman. Yes, other players might be included in that trade to get it done”
I still do not believe the Nats have any intention of moving the guy at all. I think the Dodgers are concentrating more on developing their own players than targeting other organizations star prospects. Calhoun showed improvement with the glove later in the year, and I think he is slated to play in the Arizona fall league. The Dodgers are loaded at the middle infield position.
I don’t believe in “missing on first pitch”. Get ahead. Always. Just don’t tube a fastball. Mix it up, change speeds, hit your spots. If they swing at first pitch repeatedly they are doing you a favor. They are swinging at your pitch and helping to keep the pitch count down.
Second base? How about Kiké? He’s a career .289, 124 OPS+ hitter as a second baseman. We traded for him. Why, if not to play him? If we don’t intend to use him, trade him for someone we do intend to use.
Not too mention Calhoun is coming up, in eighteen months to two years.
There’s also Micah Johnson who is already on the 40.
No ways the Nats trade Turner. Why create a need in CF?
Is Calhoun gonna stick at second base? Iron glove there this year.
Well, Toles can play CF can’t he?
Bum
You know I like Toles, and yes he can play centerfield.
But the Nationals, need a young shortstop in the near future.
I like to see Toles get more experience playing on an everyday basis next year.
And if a player is only playing centerfield, and doing that almost everyday, it is easier to play centerfield.
How would Joc play rightfield, if he hardly played it?
But Bum that formula you had, is working really well so far!
But I thought you liked Toles.
Toles will get a shot next year but, he has a lot of competition. If Puig is still in the organization, he will be the RF and Joc is going to play CF. That leaves Toles, Thompson and everyone else fighting for LF, and Andre has 1 year left on his contract. Playing full time is going to be hard for any of those guys. I expect another season of Roberts rotating players at all positions. Remember, Verdugo will most likely get an invite to major league camp.
Today’s baseball philosophy puts more of a premium on defense, and the Dodgers defense has been near the top the last couple of years. It helps to no longer have Kemp and Hanley on the team, but nevertheless, I think competency with the glove is a heavy consideration with the FO and coaching staff. Right now I don’t think Micah and Calhoun have the glove. Hopefully they improve.
It’d be nice if Kike could fill that role, but:
the Dodgers (and myself) were hoping he’d fill the role of Super Utility guy a la Zobrist and Dedicated Lefty Masher rather than be tied to a single position.
He’s been terrible all year. Hitting a baseball for base hits is kind of an important skill as a major league baseball player.
Dodger patch
That is why I think Toles is one player, you don’t want to give away right now.
He can hit and he slows the game down, like a lot of really good players do.
And that is a rarity.
Badger
At the begining of the year, Kershaw was handling first pitches really well.
I thought that was what made Kershaw an even better pitcher this year.
Maybe he will get back to doing that, because a lot of players, like to strike early with Kershaw.
And Kershaw tends to give up more HRs, when he isn’t careful with his first pitches.
I don’t see any reason that he can’t do what you have said, as long as he throws a first strike, into a hitters vulnerable areas.
It was a bad outing…they happen. I expect Kersh to be nails the next time he pitches…….which I hope is the opening game of the NLCS. Lets end this asap and get it over with……
Trick is to make balls look like strikes to the hitter and the umpire.
Good idea 1958
The minow isn’t disappointing tonight.
Three nothing Cubbies!
An extra day for Turner’s swelling to go down. We are good. Let’s see what Rich Hill’s got.
Cubs look really good, especially with Chapman. They look just as good as the 1988 Mets!
I like your assessment of the situation. Go Dodgers!
And that with the extra day to rest that means Kenley will be available.
For those of you who are still wondering what the plan is.
http://www.todaysknuckleball.com/nl/los-angeles-dodgers/heyman-dodgers-believe-new-direction-front-office-will-pay-off/
I love it when a plan comes together.
Interesting that supposedly the FO offered Greinke 40/2
Is there anyone here who didn’t know what the plan was?
This organization is set up to get it right starting very soon. The question for many was – Anderson, McCarthy, Kazmir, and the parade of broken wings following them? Deadline fizzles? As 3 time Division Champs we were favorites to win 90 because who was here were damn good baseball players. Our starting staff was always Kershaw and Questionable Dozen.
It worked out ok. So far anyway.
I wasn’t convinced 5 inning starters was the way to go to beat the best teams in baseball. But, with a solid pen, here we are. I figured we would likely get to where we are now, or certainly a Wild Card as the giants came out of the gate on fire. They stumbled, and get the Cubs as reward for it. Admittedly I wasn’t never convinced we were better than last year.
I still think there are better teams in the tournament. But again, we’re here and anything can happen. The rainout was a yooge break. Maybe the stars are lining up for us.
It’s funny how for most of the season, FAZ and I were criticized incessantly because they had no plan. Now, everybody “knows what the plan is.”
Yeah, it’s exactly what I said it was and most disagreed with! Vehemently, I might add!
Now, they change their tune…
Not really. You just don’t comprehend nuance.
Nuance, interesting, So when you said “I’ve been very consistent with my take on this team and the people running it. So have others in here. The Dodgers, as currently constructed, are lacking in stability and the problem continues to manifest. Our record is a reflection of our play and it will continue like this until proper changes are applied. I think the good news is the other teams in the West appear to have similar issues. As I mentioned yesterday, SF and Arizona have the balls to go for it and when they do it will not be done with nibbling at the periphery marginal Major League players. 5/07/16
So, that is just “nuance”?
You are the biggest flip-flopper ever, and full of $hit! As usual! There’s a whole lot more posts from you that are just “nuance” – should I post them too?
You confuse “nuance” with “nonsense.”
YF and Dodgerpatch
Both good points about Turner and Kenley!
I don’t understand why Reddick is hitting fifth again.
He isn’t a good run producer, I wouldn’t hit him fifth.
Hopefully he will prove me wrong today.
MJ…. I want Puig in RF every day hitting 5th no matter who’s pitching. He’s been awesome since coming back…. I heard a few days ago somewhere on tv that Roberts made a comment that Puig was going to make an impact in the series… He showed patience at the plate today drawing a couple of walks on pitches he would have swung at before. Reddick did have a hit today so I am glad for him… I just want Puig to stay a Dodger and be the stud he can be!
I would bring Utley back in a second. Great teammate. Decent leadoff man. Very complimentary with Seager. Backups are easy, with Kendrick back and minor league middle infielders around. SVS is done. Kike is nearly done. Barnes must make way for Kyle Farmer as second/first backup catcher. I agree on missing on the first pitch, on purpose, but the miss should be close enough to induce a swing. Otherwise it is just ball 1 with the hitter in control of the count. Off speed strike 1 can probably be a better strike than a fast ball. I don’t think many hitters want to hit a breaking ball on the first pitch of the count. Monday could be a day of celebration in my Bay Area house: “Don’t look at me” goes down for the final time. At home before his whining fans. Go Arrieta and the Cubs.
I do not agree Kiké is done. He got screwed this year and didn’t recover from it. I believe if given a real job, he could come through. Trade him to somebody who believes in ballers and he should step up and have a good career. Signing Utley and Kendrick sealed his fate this year.
Has Toles resurrected his career? Has he put distance between now and his volatile past? If so, he’s a solid left fielder. Toles, Pederson and Puig is a darn good outfield.
There is a lot of time to talk about next year. I think the evolution of this team, and this organization, will continue.
Like isn’t done but he didn’t get screwed. He could have hit his way into the lineup like he did last year on Toled did this year.
Interesting read from BaseballDoc on a trade scenerio : Braun; Villar and Cash($6MM per year on Brauns contract) for Puig, Calhoun, Rhame and Jordan Sheffield.
We all know about Braun but Villar a switch hitter could be our new Dee Gordon with more power(19HR’s this year) and speed(64/18 in SB). Just a thought but this could be a very interesting off season.
1. Since we couldn’t get Braun this year, I am not in favor of getting him at all. If he could have helped win THIS year, I thought it was worth the risk – no way I want him now and I think FAZ is of the same mindset. I would not mind Villar, just not sure why the Brewers would trade him.
2. Like Michael Norris said, Calhoun improved last year. He’s a worker and will keep getting better. He might be ready next year (mid-season).
3. Players have off seasons. After hitting .307 as a 24 year-old, Kike hits .190 as a 25 year old. Patience Grasshopper, Zobrist hit .155 as a 26 year-old! Kike was dealing with his fathers cancer and a change of his role. Players don’t “get screwed”. I keep hearing that Guerrero got “screwed”. Hell, no one picked him up. He’s just bad! Kike was bad this year, but I expect him to bounce back.
4. Farmer is not better than Barnes and Barnes is more versatile… at least in my opinion.
5. Bellinger and Verdugo will likely be ready sometime next year, as will be a boatload of pitchers.
6. I would never rule out trades, but the plan is to build on what we have. It always has been… occasionally you have to plug in a trade or two (Hill, Reddick).
7. Today is the biggest game of Rich Hill’s career and the Dodger’s season. If they win today, they are in the catbird seat. If they lose, it is a new series!
Corey “Freakin’ Seager” !
🙂
Did Harper break his back on that curveball?
?
This is the game right here. One hit blows this game open!
Crap!
Grandal has to be more disciplined there with Toles on deck.
MLBTR article says Dodgers and Snakes talked about Zack, Dodgers offering to take $25MM a year of his salary but they didn’t want to carry the remaining $49MM. OK, we give them Ethier ($20MM) and Kazmir ($32MM?) and a couple of dead end prospects. The moneys right, they’re out from under a killing burden, what’s not to like?
I think Greinke is headed for a steep decline. Just my opinion – I could be wrong. I think he is hurting already…
We’re all headed for a steep decline. I give him 4 more years of better than average. That will be through age 36.
I really wish we had the Designated Hitter. If Hill’s last at bat won’t convince you, nothing will. I understand pitchers are probably not good hitters, but we’re paying them to pitch, so… The very least they could do is learn the strike zone and try to work a walk. If that fails, bunt. Get the ball in play, anything can happen then. I hope we get the DH and 28 man rosters on the next Working Agreement.
I’m done with baseball when they the NL goes to DH. I can’t see how basketball is big when big basketball is star driven. Basketball resembles pro wrestling in showmanship in it’s unrules. If a team is handicapped with a pitcher who can’t hit, sorry bout their luck. Next move will be baseball with an offense and a defense. Screw the AL and their miniature fields.
If I were the Dodgers, I would offer Rich Hill a 3 year/$45 million deal followed by a personal services contract whereby he replaces Honeycutt as pitching coach in the future. This guy is going to be a great pitching coach!
Ether would interest them. Kazmir would interest NOBODY. We are stuck with him, just like we were stuck with Anderson and are stuck with McCarthy. Nuance. Some get it. Some never will.
I still have mixed feelings regarding the DH. Few pitchers take hitting seriously. For those ridiculous at bats, I get it.
Note to Reynolds – less is more. Especially when it comes to you talking.
If I were the Dodgers, I’d offer Rich Hill a bus ticket to anywhere he’d like to go.
Just so you didn’t grasp it earlier:
Nuance, interesting, So when you said “I’ve been very consistent with my take on this team and the people running it. So have others in here. The Dodgers, as currently constructed, are lacking in stability and the problem continues to manifest. Our record is a reflection of our play and it will continue like this until proper changes are applied. I think the good news is the other teams in the West appear to have similar issues. As I mentioned yesterday, SF and Arizona have the balls to go for it and when they do it will not be done with nibbling at the periphery marginal Major League players. — 5/07/16
So, that is just “nuance”?
You are the biggest flip-flopper ever, and full of $hit! As usual! There’s a whole lot more posts from you that are just “nuance” – should I post them too?
You confuse “nuance” with “nonsense.”
You can’t just come back and try and pretend all the past things you said didn’t happen! I’m on it!
You regurgitate, which means to vomit. In this case you go back to May and dig up a single post? How far back should we go on you?
By the way, saying it twice doesn’t make it more profound. Makes you look rather silly.
I said often “it might work”. And it still might. Looking at that post I can see the brilliance in my thought process. Genius is something you will never get.
He didn’t really say that did he? How could he be so obtuse?
Again. There’s nothing wrong with being “stuck” with those pitchers. If they pitch well it’s a win, if they don’t they are depth.
Ethier is a 5&10 player. I doubt he would go the AZ, but I have no idea.
Harold Reynolds is the worst.
With Hill, if they feel they can manage his blisters (not joking) you gotta try to resign him. Term will be livable, not sure cost is an issue thanks to TWC -> Spectrum.
If they don’t pitch they are depth?
I think we have a different definition of depth.
I’m not sold on Hill. 37 year old with a history of meh.
Ethier might want out of here. Ask him.
The Dodgers have had tons of runners on base but other than Seager’s HR I don’t think there has been ball by hard. Hit’em where they ain’t!
Kendrick smoked his liner. Werth caught it though.
Yes, and it was a good grab by Werth. But I was referring to all our base hits.
I think it was Gertrude Stein who once wrote:
Exit Velocity is exit velocity is exit velocity.
She also said something similar about flowers – and she pointed out what differentiates a quality starter from depth is money, and lots of it.
?
We’ve all seen so many games like this all year. 25 guys frustratingly left on base. No biggie
I’m not even frustrated with today yet. Dealt with it enough already. I’m like Pavlov dog with this team
Bobby
So you salivate when they win, and drink hard when they lose?
Base inning error by Harper. Thank you Bryce.
So Dusty replaces his lefty with another lefty!
I am more upset with Hill, then the runners left on base.
Hill gave at least four hitters, a free base.
He hit a 200 hitter, twice in this game.
And the second time he hit the 200 hitter, he walked the hitter before, and these two runs came in, when Hill gave up the HR.
We gave up a lot for Hill, and that is why I expect more from Hill.
Putting four runners on base, in five innings, is not a pitcher, with good command.
Absolutely! And despite all that mush-mouthiness from this TV crew about Hill and his curveball (comparing it to Koufax’s, replicating the grip), in reality Hill didn’t pitch very well.
You keep skipping starts and pulling him early he isn’t going to be sharp. Eventually that catches up with you.
Hawkeye
You know I totally agree with you.
Because if Hill had better command with just his fastball, he would do much better.
It seems like to me, that he is pitching worse, instead of better lately.
But I don’t know if that is true, I haven’t looked at his numbers.
But I know it isn’t good to put four batters on base, in only five innings.
But I also know that it is hard to stay sharp, when you don’t pitch enough.
And if he pitches to much, he might get a blister, so until he can find a way, to stop getting blisters, he isn’t going to be able to pitch, as well, as he could.
And the only answer for blisters that I read that has worked, is having Hill slice off his top skin on his fingers, where blisters form.
Because blisters, don’t form on the top of your skin, so getting callouses isn’t the answer, because of this.
This is what Nolan Ryan use to do, slice the top of his skin off.
Heisey – .182 last year, .216 this year. How come he still has a job in the big leagues? I like seeing him come up.
Bullpen games. We’ve become pretty good at them.
MJ – Hill, 8.31 ERA. Not his day.
Badger
They just put Heisy’s numbers up on the screen, and it said he was hitting 256, with 14 HRs.
His batting average is .216, but that’s USELESS!
He’s at: .290 .446 .736
Bluto
I don’t agree.
Batting average means something
to me.
And walks are not the same as a hit.
And strike outs, are not the same as other outs.
OK. Good to know.
Can’t really say anything without getting into an endless argument.
I think very little of BA in light of other stats.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heisech01.shtml
Maybe those are his PH numbers?
Our numbers were identical. Unless you were replying to MJ. In which case, what Badger said!
I just wrote down what they had on the screen.
And I was suprised that he was a above 250.
Bluto
I like some of the saber metric things, but a walk is not the same as a hit, and a strike out isn’t the same as any other out.
A walk does not get a run in, unless the bases are loaded, but he hit does, if there is a runner in scoring position.
A strike out does not advance a runner, or get a player home from third, with less then two outs.
I think there are to many players in baseball today, that can’t even put the ball in play, when just a fly ball will do it.
Just to many strike outs, in baseball today.
Please don’t.
I won’t say it’s useless if that offends you.
Badger
It isn’t I don’t believe you, it was just on the screen wrong.
And do you know what it is like to look the baseball reference on a iPhone?
Bluto
It doesn’t offend me at all.
I understand your take, because I know saber metrics, don’t value batting average.
Why don’t you use a computer? I don’t even try to use the internet with my phone.
Wondering
I will get one, one day.
The one I have is obsolete, and packed away.
That is probably why I make so many mistakes, at times.
I will probably get a iPad, that comes with a key broad.
I learned on my phone by myself, to use the Internet.
And that is probably why I will get an iPad, because Apple is more self explanatory, then others.
I bought a couple of nice laptops off EBAY for less than $200 each. They weren’t new but they had decent processors, adequate memory and big enough hard drives. You can also buy insurance through EBAY, even for used merchandise.
MJ, a Cromebook is small light weight computer that is perfect for playing scrabble, surfing the Internet, and commenting on blogs. It would easily fit in purses as it is about twice the size and weight of a Kindle.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-11-6-chromebook-3-intel-celeron-4gb-memory-16gb-emmc-flash-memory-black/5008800.p?skuId=5008800
I wouldn’t be worried about us tomorrow, but we
are facing a leftie pitcher tomorrow.
And we haven’t hit Gio well at all, even though his era is close to five.
you cant leave base,s loaded 3 time s with out scoring …you dont win ball games that way…this happen all the time…maybe the line up of hitter need to be a toss of the coin ..but its not working..
Yes, Dodgers 0 for 5 with bases loaded. That was the difference in the game.
Lets see, question #1, how could/can I dig up a comment by someone posted early May and question#2 more importantly
why would I???
1-1 and were going home… A new day, a new game…
P.S. I like what Hill has done for us this year and the DH sucks…
Hill has giveth and he has taken away…
I like the DH and so do a lot of people. It will absolutely be adopted sooner or later.
I vote for the DH and electronic balls and strikes.
NOW!
Most definite yes on electronic balls and strikes.
I’m in on both.
I am for electronic umps too.
Me too.
The offseason pickup of the Dodger killer by the Nats sure looks good today….I am really starting to hate Murphy….. I thought Hill pitched ok. He had a hanger get smoked and he couldn’t get Murphy out… Maybe the HBP that scored was retribution for Corey? I dunno… but the bats obviously hurt. Grandal had an awful day…4-6-3 and a K on ball 3.. Both with bases loaded… Man I hate to lose… Ruined my Sunday…
I am ready to take the umps out of the game with strike zone…. but I am not ready to go to the DH!
That game was a brutal 4hour marathon…
Jake
No DH for me too!
Baseball is the thinking game, and that is why some believe it is to slow.
But practically no one puts down there phones, and you can do that, and not miss much in baseball, so it is the perfect sport.
MJ, baseball IS a thinking game. And I think I’ve seen enough of pitchers not having a clue how to hit. It’s like they don’t even care how ridonkulous they look.
I do agree that hitting .300 is a deal. At least I usta did. Then I read this and now I don’t know what I believe:
https://sonsofsamhorn.com/baseball/hitting/hitting-statistical-analysis/does-a-300-hitter-actually-hit-300-part-2/
“More precisely, our simple model predicts that if a batter has some constant intrinsic batting average P, and if his chance of getting a hit in each at-bat is an independent random event with probability P, then over a season, his actual batting average ought to fall within some particular range of P. For a sample of 648 ABs, our simulations suggest that 95 percent of the batters should fall within +/- .036 of P. For a more typical 600 ABs, the range should be a bit larger; perhaps +/- .040, as a round number”
If there was supposed to be relevant knowledge there, I’m afraid it went right over my head. And I don’t think I’m alone…. If it was meant to impress, it failed.
Ditto
It’s sabermetrics language. It’s an abstract science of numbers, meant to quantify interrelations, combinations of properties and explained with lack of depth and clarity by, as Darwin put it, “blind men who sit in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there.”