Boston Still Needs to Win One More
Did Alex Cora make a mistake by staying with ERod in the 6th? As a Dodger fan, I say absolutely not. A 3 run jack by Puig put the Dodgers up 4-0. And the Dodgers have not lost with a 4 run lead all year long. 54-0. But what will Boston fans say? Well now they could care less because of the lack of a bullpen by the Dodgers. And
Did Alex Cora make a mistake by staying with ERod in the 6th? As a Dodger fan, I say absolutely not. A 3 run jack by Puig put the Dodgers up 4-0. And the Dodgers have not lost with a 4 run lead all year long. 54-0. But what will Boston fans say? Well now they could care less because of the lack of a bullpen by the Dodgers. And the second guessers are going to be out in bunches on Doc’s use of the pen.
Okay, I’ll start. How do you take Rich Hill out while pitching a 1 hitter after striking out Eduardo Nunez in the 7th? Hill only had 91 pitches. He could have finished the 7th. After the game, Roberts said that Hill was tiring. What is he supposed to say? “I screwed up. I felt more comfortable with taking out a pitcher who was dominating the Red Sox for two pitchers who have not been able to get any Red Sox hitters out all series.” The genius of somebody was to replace Caleb Ferguson, arguably one of the best relievers the Dodgers had down the stretch, with Scott Alexander who is a walk machine. And what does he do when he comes in? 4 pitches for a 4-pitch walk, and then he’s gone.
In a replay of last year with the overuse of Brandon Morrow, for some brain dead reason, Doc brings in Ryan Madson who has allowed 5 inherited runners to score already in this WS. He inherited 2 more tonight, and now make that 7 inherited runners scoring in a WS for a new WS record. Mitch Moreland just unloaded on Madson to make it a one run game. But the fun is just beginning for the Red Sox.
Again, much like last year’s WS, Jansen cannot answer in the 8th. I do not know if I can be any more upset with what has happened. The pitch to Pearce was absolutely grooved. How does supposedly one of the best closers in the game (highest paid) groove two pitches in the WS in back to games to blow 2 saves? After doing the same last year. The pitch to Pearce could not have been any more of a hitter’s pitch. I am not sure how much more I can watch at this point. Just like last night, a great start by a Dodger starter is wasted. But unlike last night the bullpen was just a mess and the result was 9 unanswered runs before a 2 run HR by Kike’ in the 9th.
The Red Sox 9th proves what many of us had said at the trade deadline. GET SOME RELIABLE RELIEVERS. Floro was not the answer with allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk, leaving two inherited runners on for Alex Wood. Wood gets Benintendi to ground very softly to JT who could not get the speedy Benintendi out at 1st. It is not like Benintendi tattooed Wood, but unlike last night when Wood got more of a feel for the game as he continued to pitch and came through with a 6-4-3 DP, he was pulled after one batter in favor of Maeda who proceeded to give up a 3 run double to Steve Pearce. Maeda then intentionally walks JDM and allows the 9th run on a single by Bogaerts.
Six Dodger relievers, and each one of them gave up at least one run. But the big damage was done by Madson and Maeda who allowed 5 inherited runners to score.
Going back to the home half of the 8th, with the score tied at 4-4, Machado opens up and goes with the pitch, and lo and behold he gets a single into RF. He had not done that all series and with runners in scoring position. After Puig beat out a throw to 1st to negate a potential DP, CT3 singles into left and Puig continued to 3rd. But this year, that is where Dodger hitters stop hitting. With runners on 1st and 3rd and 2 out, Yasmani Grandal PH for Barnes and believe it or not, he struck out. Can you believe that???
The Dodgers are down 3 games to 1, and the chances for a WS victory seem to be fleeting. The Dodgers’ backs are against the wall, so hopefully they will fight through this, but something has to give. Either the hitters are going to have to get hits with runners in scoring position, and/or the relievers are going to have to shut down a Red Sox offense. If my math is right, the Dodgers are 4-18 wRISP in the series. The Dodgers have scored 9 runs in the last 27 innings. 2 came home on errors, and 7 came home on HRs. Tonight, the Red Sox go 5-7 wRISP, while LAD went 1-4, and that was Puig’s 3 run jack.
Clayton goes on Sunday in what some are already calling his final home start as a Dodger at Dodger Stadium. I still do not believe it. I also believe he is going to opt out because some organization is going to offer Kershaw more than $100MM. The question will be will the Dodgers be a participant in that starting pitcher auction.
My spirits are down, but I am not giving up. Let’s win Game 5 and go back to Boston and hope for the best.
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Discussion (247)
Disagree, not disagreeable
That blows most of the narratives you all had.
Wow! That is an entirely different spin than what we knew. The communication between Hill and Roberts was the issue. Roberts was going to the mound with no idea to take Hill out if the game but then Hill handed him the ball and Roberts thought Hill wanted out. A lot of us owe Roberts an apology!
Best thing about Buck calling the game tonight was I didn’t have to listen to him call the Rams/Packers game today!
Adam, if you put two or more spaces in front of an behind :), you will get a smiley face like this 🙂 .
That’s much better for Clayton.
kike 3rd, is the Robert’s gut or his love affair with said player. No way that is numbers play.
Why can’t Manny stay in the strike zone with two strikes, he is always going after high pitches out of the strike zone, and making it so easy, for pitchers to get him out!
I still wish Freese was hitting third, this would be at least a tied game.
Kike doesn’t belong in the third position, because he has trouble making contact, when runners are in scoring position.
I would hit Kiké, in the lead off position, before hitting him in the middle of the line up, because of that reason.
I was encouraged when I saw Kershaw throw a curve on what I believe was his second pitch. Then it was nothing but fastballs until the HR. Kershaw needs to make use of his breaking pitches to be effective.
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Dodgers need to do what they did after Christian Yelich homered in the first in game 7.
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Nice answer by Freese.
Killing rallies..great player but no for 3th place in line up
Fuck Kike!!
I WANT FREESE NEXT SEASON DEFINITELY
It was Roberts fault
Quit calling the pitches
Uuffgg KERSHAW very comfortable first pitches
Time to turn this off and go see Phil Collins at the Forum.
I still expect a win
That didnt Take long
Just like I predicted.
Maybe stuff Kershaw in the locker next door!
I have an idea: Once the game starts tie Roberts up and stuff him in a locker in the clubhouse and let Utley manage the team from the bench through Geren. I guarantee a win!
I have a ton of opinions, and likely a lot are interpreted as bull shit by orhers. So I will talk less going forward but one opinion I will not shut up about is that Robert’s/FO have completely mismanaged two consecutive World Series. They are the smartest guys in the room, and therefore don’t have to be contrite or transparent. They true don’t owe us average fans that. However they do need to win and when they fail to do so they derseeved to be criticized. When they make the same mistakes on the biggest stage two years in a row they need be held accountable. :).
Go Blue, 2% miracle finish incoming starting tonight.
I’ll say it again… if we play the way we did in Game 5 of the NLCS, we give ourselves a great shot of winning the game.
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If our batters decide that they want to all be heroes and swing for the fences once again… it could be another long painful night.
Watching the line up . I can say that kike is son of roberts definitely. Ok whatever…lets go Dodgers ..I can tired to baseball so far so a want more games
I think it was sabermetrics but it was more than that. I think Cora felt that Rodriguez should have been out of the inning until the bad throw by the catcher. However, the first baseman made a bad throw to the catcher and my experience is that when you make the first bad throw the second will follow. So, I think Cora was thinking the pitcher should have been out of it, Puig doesn’t hit lefties leave him in. My daughter and I were watching the game and when the count got 3-1 I said to her that if ever a guy should be sitting on a pitch this is the time. Euphoria until Roberts decided to get in the game.
Do you know why Cora left Rodriguez in to pitch to Puig?
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He was following what sabermetrics told him: Puig can’t hit LH P!
Hopefully Madson won’t be available tonight.
I don’t agree Baez was unavailable. You pitch madden every game but Baez couldn’t pitch. Bull, you got Boston starters pitching or warming in every game. Urias wasn’t available which is why he shouldn’t have been on the roster. Where in the he.. was stripling? Was he hurt? I know he finished bad but he has relieved and could have pitched multiple innings. There must be some explanation why you leave Ferguson, stripling off the roster. I have a similar view as mark in one respect. I would have put Kershaw in to pitch to the lefty. Then, if he got him quickly start the 8th then bring Jansen in. Rodriguez was starting after pitching the night before. Kershaw may or may not have started today but ryu probably could have pitched 5 and the bullpen would have been rested. Whatever, questionable roster construction, Roberts his typical dumbs.. moves, and a gutless, weak bullpen. I am amazed at the concern over pitching daily in a 7 game series and 2 days off. You would think this is your chance of a lifetime so embrace it don’t run from it. I know they are not robots but when you see the desire and effort of a guy like evoldi the Dodgers just look like whimps whining about pitching 2 days in a row.