We Feel For You, Clayton!
I feel somewhat incredulous about the responses regarding Clayton Kershaw yesterday. I am not going to quote what many said word-for-word, but I am going to say that I don’t buy it. Many of you are talking like Clayton is just finished, and we should just accept that. To make…
I feel somewhat incredulous about the responses regarding Clayton Kershaw yesterday. I am not going to quote what many said word-for-word, but I am going to say that I don’t buy it. Many of you are talking like Clayton is just finished, and we should just accept that. To make that assumption, you simply have to ignore the facts, so I am going to serve them up for your consideration. Clayton Kershaw started 24 games this season and went 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He allowed 100 hits in 132 IP. The league hit .209 against him. He also struck out 137 batters. He was 2nd in ERA in the NL to Blake Snell.. He was an All-Star. Does that sound like a pitcher who is done?
“But he hurt his shoulder and was not the same when he came back!” I knew you would say that! Just like I knew a certain someone would stick up for his boy, James Outman, at the expense of the facts. I will discuss that later. Yes, Clayton missed a couple of months with an undisclosed shoulder injury, but in his last seven games, he was 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA (1.18 WHIP). He allowed 21 hits in 31 IP while striking out 28. He did walk 16 batters, which was a concern, but in his last start against San Francisco on September 30th, he pitched five innings, allowing two runs, and struck out five.
A month earlier, he also faced the Diamondbacks and also went five innings, allowing three hits and one earned run. Yes, he was not the same pitcher he was earlier in the season. The Dodgers were not counting on him to be any more than a “glorified opener,” going two, three, or four innings. He has shown that he is capable of that, and that was all they were asking, but he couldn’t deliver.
It wasn’t his velocity. In the eight games since he came back from the IL, his fastball was in the 86-89 MPH range. On Saturday, his fastball was in the 89-91 MPH range – he was actually throwing harder. It was his slider at 86-87 MPH (not enough separation from the fastball) and curve that was killing him. I think the problem was that Clayton was trying to be the Clayton of old instead of staying within himself and pitching as he did since his IL stint! He was trying to do too much.
Now, back to the Outman thing. Let me make it clear that I am in no way blaming James Outman for the loss. However, he had two balls that could have been caught with a high degree of difficulty. The one ball he did touch, and he even said that he should have caught it. He did not touch the other one, but he also said he was nervous and did not get a good jump on it. To think that it is a “reach” is beyond silly. If he had caught the ball that hit his glove, Clayton would have had double the outs that he did. He would have likely felt a little less “pressure” in knowing that his teammates had his back. Of course, it made a difference. Again, I know that James Outman is not a great centerfielder… probably not even the best one on the team, but this is not about “blame” – it is just about reality, and the reality is, “Even Ray Charles can see that!”
The Game 1 loss was a team loss because no one picked Clayton up. The Dodgers did not hit, pitch, or field, and Clayton bears the brunt of it, but tonight, they can right the ship. Last year, they won the first game and then got swept! Clayton will likely start Game 4, and even two innings will be great. Yes, he is not the pitcher he once was, and I believe that he needs shoulder and TJ surgery, but this is the hand he is given. Hopefully, the next start, he will not try and do too much.
Is Bobby Miller Ready to be the Ace?
He better be… We shall see!
Hopefully, Will Smith can stay hot!
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Discussion (107)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Lynn is going in game 3. Hold on to your hats. Same thing as last year, offense is stagnant. Not taking advantage of chances. I would not have hit for Rojas, he is hitting .500 and is more of a contact hitter than Wong.
When your two best starters and two best hitters are this bad, you won’t last long in October.
Betts and Freeman have been awful.
Outman is having a series for the ages, in a bad way. Error last night and failure to take the walk last inning when the pitcher was giving it too him.
And I am sorry this ump has been awful, he is giving both sides of plate and low to D’Backs but not us. Hard to hit when ump is going outside zone so much. Look at pitch track
Dodgers just don’t have a bench. Using Wong to pinch hit tells the story.
Too many platoons. Now the second pieces of the platoons might have to hit against the other armed pitcher.
Now Michael?
Stage too big for Mookie? Miss October!
The poor starts by Kershaw and Miller may overshadow the lack of hitting but these first 12 innings with two runs is reminiscent of struggles last post season. Miller was so composed in his first season as a Dodger but the stage looked too big tonight. It is understandable. Hope the bats can make it up.
Long term, I like Outman as a left fielder and not a center fielder. If the Brewers really like Lux, maybe the Dodgers can get Sal Frelich from the Brewers for Lux. I would love for them to acquire Alex Thomas but don’t think Arizona trades him to LA. But I agree with the need for a center fielder.
Braves were in the same situation that Dodgers were in now and they managed to tie the series with a huge win. When you consider the Phillies and the Braves 1 through 26, they are both more talented than LA. Dodger’s biggest advantage is in the bullpen but falling behind early makes the bullpen less impactful.
Mookie has not had a good post season since 2020. He needs to get off the Schneid. He is better than this, but considering the September he had, he has just continued his lack of slug and it has affected the whole offense. He is not squaring up any pitches. Get ready for spring training guys if this keeps up.
Gallen throws his off speed stuff for strikes. Miller can’t. Hard to tell what’s worse, our bats or our starting arms.
Reggie- Mr. October
Mookie and Kersh-Miss Octobers!
Miller has to learn to throw his fastball up in the zone for K’s!
WOW. JDM missed on 2 center cut fastballs
Lead off hitter Carrol works a 3-2 count into a BB in the first inning to set the stage while Mookie flies out on two pitches. As a lead off hitter you gotta work that pitch count. Mookie knows that but sometimes seems to shrink on the big stage.
Same movie!!
No Buehler in Miller! Up to the bats!
Gutsy comeback by Braves! Can we be as tough?
We’re gonna win tonight and this series. Chalk it up
9:07 PM ET
Diamondbacks (84-78) 1-0
Dodgers (100-62) 0-1
SP Zac Gallen R
17-9 3.47 ERA
SP Bobby Miller R
11-4 3.76 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
DH J. Martinez R
RF J. Heyward L
LF D. Peralta L
CF James Outman L
SS Miguel Rojas R
72° Wind 9 mph Out
I said a while back that I don’t trust James Outman in the field. He looks like he doesn’t have a natural feel for the position and does not get a good jump (see Joltin Joe DiMaggio for that)….. and unfortunately, this became so obvious in playoff game #1. So moving on, what can we expect in games 2 and 3?
I say, more of the same. I think the kid is throwing up as we speak and will be a total ball of nerves this entire series. I don’t expect he will contribute much with the bat but I hope his defense doesn’t hurt us like it did in game #1.
For the record, I also don’t have a warm and fuzzy feeling with this pitching match up tonight. I would be very surprised in a pleasant way if Miller can match Gallen in the first 3 innings. If we are tied or winning after 3 innings, i think our chances go up considerably. If we are down early again, i think Zona will be like sharks smelling blood, and our batters will be tense and too tight.
I believe Zona will probably win the game and then ultimately the series, but I certainly don’t wish for that and would love to be wrong. I only tell you what I feel, no sugarcoating, no holding back.
Happy Hunting LA….
TM
Glavine, Maddox, Randy Johnson all had losing playoff records. Verlander just a couple over 500 forget exactly how many. Might be surprised how many all time greats hover just a tad over 500 in playoffs
I just checked a stat that impressed me a lot. Kersh’s career WHIP is 1.004. That is fifth all-time. He is .001 behind Mariano Rivera. Only three pitchers in the history of baseball have WHIPs below 1.000. Addie Joss, Jacob deGrom and Big Ed Walsh. That is truly impressive. Pray for the victims and their families of the attacks in Israel.
Kershaw is like current Dodgers rosters, built to win the regular season.
I love Kersh and his heart. I’m guessing he keeps coming back to the Dodgers because he knows he can manage his work load, pick/avoid certain match-ups during the regular season, etc. There is no wiggle room in the playoffs, you’re ready or not.
Platooning all season wins games. It doesn’t typically in the playoffs. Rather, managing to L-R match-ups reduces the number of at bats your most clutch players have to make a difference. Instead players are squeezed into “roles” which can produce more stress and be counter-productive.
good point Mark! Barry (the head) Bonds widely considered the best player ever , won how many world series? Dan Marino won how many super bowls? give him a break! you’ll never. see another like him! oh by the way , what’s verlander s playoff numbers?
There was nothing fake about 20. Every team wanted to win it just as much as any other year
I love Kershaw but at this point it’s pretty obvious he just completely chokes in the postseason. I want that not to be the case but it’s the same movie over and over and over again. I hope the Dodgers move on, he can’t handle the big game spotlight that much is obvious. What I’ll remember most about Clayton is that look in the dugout after every playoff game choke job with his head down and nobody talking to him. Great regular season pitcher but just can’t get it done when it matters.
You mean just like Kelly?