Carpe Diem!
This Has Been Best World Series Ever . Especially After Tonight! Justin Verlander was tough, very tough he pitched 6 innings of 3 hit ball while striking out 9 and walking zero. The three hits were timely and gave the Dodgers a lead that the bullpen would not relinquish! Morrow and Maeda were nails and Tony Watson held his own, but Kenley Freaking Jansen closed out the final six outs
This Has Been Best World Series Ever…. Especially After Tonight!
Justin Verlander was tough, very tough – he pitched 6 innings of 3 hit ball while striking out 9 and walking zero. The three hits were timely and gave the Dodgers a lead that the bullpen would not relinquish! Morrow and Maeda were nails and Tony Watson held his own, but Kenley “Freaking” Jansen closed out the final six outs on just 19 pitches, 18 of which were strikes. The Dodgers only had 5 hits themselves and none were any bigger than Joc Pederson’s Big Fly in the 7th inning. Boy, has Joc come full circle or what?
When I saw last night’s lineup, I thought “That might be the lineup we see Opening Day 2018.” Joc Pederson could be in LF, Austin Barnes behind the plate, Logan Forsythe at 2B and Rich Hill as Opening Day Starter while Clayton rehabs from surgery. Just a fleeting thought! Logan Forsythe will be back and I predict he will have that “Career Year” for the Dodgers in 2018. He will look nothing like this years’ model. But, we will talk about that later.
Last night was truly a Team Win. Here the Dodgers are: on the verge of Destiny with the #3, #4 and #5 hitters hitting .130, .167 and .167 respectively. It’s not like they have not had big hits, but there haven’t been many. In the World Series, the Dodgers are hitting .208 with a .285 OB%. The Astros are hitting .242 with a .306 OB%, but the Dodgers have outscored them 33-29! The hitting has been spread out and it has been timely!
Surprisingly, the Dodgers have a 4.53 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP while the Astros have a 5.24 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Go figure! It’s interesting to look at all the stats, but none of it matters right about now. All that matters is what happens between those lines tonight. Darvish will start, but at the first sign of a problem, like a HR or a runner reaching 2B, he will be yanked and Alex Wood will get a shot. Maybe Darvish will pitch like he did against Chicago when he gave up one run in 6.1 innings. I just know that it will be everyone and the kitchen sink!
We may even see Rich Hill again for an out or an inning. Morrow and Jansen will be ready as will be Cingrani and Maeda and you can rest assured that Clayton Kershaw wants an opportunity for Redemption in Game 7. These are the guys who “brung” us – we have to play ’em! The Astros aren’t going to roll over an die – they will be fighting and scratching too. I have no idea who steps up and does what, but it’s time. Carpe diem! Someone or someones must seize the day!
It’s a Gunfight at the OK Corral, ‘er I mean Dodger Stadium:
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Discussion (81)
Disagree, not disagreeable
You are right it was a team victory. The defense was outstanding. JT and Bellinger were very good. I do not think we talk enough about the defense.
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You may be right about Joc. He certainly has done well in the play offs. Maybe he can get something through that thick skull that hitting to LF is ok. He is a slow learner when it comes to changing. Turner Ward needs to adopt Joc next year like he did Puig.
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You are right about Forsythe. He is a grinder. So is Barnes. So is Taylor. Those are three guys who complement our stars very well.
Tommy Lasorda tells Dave Roberts “You haven’t done s*** until you win tomorrow”
The worry over the skin of the World Series baseball continued last night. Verlander and Jansen each threw several balls out of the game based on their feel, with Jansen once firing the ball toward his dugout with visible anger. “Yes, I fired it,” he said. “I’ll keep my thoughts [on the ball] to myself for now, but I’ll just say anybody with common sense can see what is going on.
McCullers, followed by Morton and Keuchel on one side and Darvish on a short leash followed by Wood and the entire kitchen! This will come down to who handles the pressure and executes. Dodgers are a better team at home and Astros are a much worse hitting team on the road, big advantage Dodgers. I believe a tight hard fought win for the Blue but it could be a blowout too as the Astros looked really tight last night and were feeling the spotlight.
Insane. We’ve all been rambling on with our mostly goofy comments and predictions since March.
Now we’re here, game 7 of the World Series. I will be there. I’ll think of all of you if we can pull this off!!!
Pulling hard for a win tonight and I think they will get it done. I did call for Dodgers in 7 before the series started but admitted to those around me if I wasn’t a long time fan I might have actually picked the Astros to win it all. I’m glad we won last night to make it here and think this has been a truly amazing and entertaining WS. Glad the team we all follow and support is part of it. Win or lose, there will be a lot to talk about what a fantastic year it has been. Two great teams in this WS and I believe we will face each other again and hope we will be doing so as the defending champs. One more great game and let the celebrations begin. Go Dodgers!!!
Tonight’s the night…gonna be all right!
It is on a different path than I expected, but here we are…Game 7 of the 2017 WS. I have been bombarded by colleagues that have no allegiance to either team, but are enjoying everything about this WS. Some have commented to me after Games 2 & 5…”Well, you have to admit that those were great games”. My reply is, “No they were not, the Dodgers lost”. Therefore tonight I am hoping for a repeat of the NLCS Game 5, a blowout Dodger win. It may not be exciting for baseball fans in general, but for Dodger fans, it will be the most exciting game since October 20, 1988.
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Often times it is the least expected player to come through in a World Series. I repeat that I am indifferent to Joc Pederson as a player, but I could not be happier for him. He has been routinely blasted by many throughout the Dodger blogosphere for his 2017 performance. However, regardless as to what he does tonight or whether he is a Dodger for 2018, Joc will always have this World Series to remember. Somewhere out there Bumswrap is yelling at his computer…”I told you so.”
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Let’s hope that Seager, JT, Bellinger, and Puig join the party tonight and blow it open early.
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Unlike many, I am expecting Darvish to pitch as he did in September and against the Cubs. I think Game 2 was the aberration. Regardless as to how classy he handled the Gurriel situation, he is human, and I got to believe he will be a little more motivated. But if not, Alex Wood will be available, and Kershaw. Maeda/Morrow/Jansen should be fine. Just picture the Astros hitters as Cubs.
This is the best World Series that I can ever remember, however my opinion will change without the game 7 victory. Darvish on a short leash, Alex Wood first one out of the pin and Maeda, Morrow , Kershaw and Jansen in the waiting. Go Blue
Grandal hasn’t started one game
I’m not a win/lose guy. Best outcome for this series woulda been teams
declared co-champs after six.
Why not spread the joy?:-)
Okay. Let’s do this! Good luck everyone.
Two runs for bellinger
Christ Taylor baby!
I don’t get it with Bellinger. When he made the adjustment and started hitting the other way he had success. And then last night and in his first at bat tonight he’s trying trying to hit everything out of sight, when all he needs is a hit. Seager also is not adjusting to that low inside breaking ball. And he also has a lot of success when he goes up the middle and to left field.
Agggg 5-0. We need an epick comeback
#$%^&! A Darvish deficit again in less than 2 innings.
*sigh*
Well Yu. The last two games you’ve pitched have most likely cost you millions upon millions of dollars.
How ’bout a little fire? How ’bout getting mad at that Gurriel squinty eye thing? How ’bout lasting past the 3rd inning of the biggest game you’ll ever play in your career?
This loss is not on Darvish. It’s on Roberts. I was screaming at the TV to take him out in the first inning. It should be 2-0, not 5-0!
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I love Doc, but that was dumb. You don’t do that in Game 7!
Other than Yu’s starts in the LDS and LCS the rest of his work (regular season and WS) has been rather pedestrian to down right horrible.
We are in 2ining. Wait until the end. We just need 6 runs..I am serius
Bellinger is lostttt
4 hit batters.
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I don’t care if it’s accidental.
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Come inside on the Astros.
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Doc, watch and learn. AJ takes his guy out BEFORE he gives up any runs.
Yes ,I agree astros manager good calls. W need 4 innings for kershaw without runs