Dodgers Down But Not Out
I had the privilege and joy of watching last night s game with a new friend. I will call him DR (not Dodger Rick). DR is a long time reader, but does not post. DR reached out to me before I assumed responsibility for LADT and offered to assist with some IT to form a new blog. Because Mark allowed me to assume LADT, DR s services were not necessary, but I
I had the privilege and joy of watching last night’s game with a new friend. I will call him DR (not Dodger Rick). DR is a long time reader, but does not post. DR reached out to me before I assumed responsibility for LADT and offered to assist with some IT to form a new blog. Because Mark allowed me to assume LADT, DR’s services were not necessary, but I never forgot the gesture. After the Dodgers got past the Wild Card series, DR asked if I would like to come over and watch Game 2 of the NLDS with him and a couple of friends. Because I am not a social person, I was reluctant, but I knew that I needed to come out of my shell and meet people. Thus I agreed. Unfortunately my grandson came down sick on that Monday with a fever, and while I did not have a fever, I did have a headache. It was prudent for me to back out of the invite just to make sure. Fortunately, my grandson’s illness was simply a cold, and my headaches were sinus related due to allergies.
DR reached out to me again for the NLCS and I agreed for last night’s game. I had a fantastic time with a new friend. DR has a beautiful wife and two beautiful young daughters who were very engaging to this non-social old man. It is not easy for me to converse with people, but that family was special and made it easy for me. Last night was one of the best nights I have had in quite some time due to this pandemic. So thank you, DR.
Now to the Dodgers. As the score was mounting, neither DR or I lost faith. We knew that it would take a miracle, but why not. Down 7-0 and into the Braves B Team bullpen, Joc and CT3 get singles and the Dodgers have two runners on, nobody out, and the top of the order coming up. After a Mookie K, Corey Seager unloads a 3 Run HR into the Left/Center seats, and the Dodgers inch a little closer. At least a little momentum going into Game 3.
After the Ozzie Albies blast in the 9th, the lead got back up to 5 and again all seemed lost. Entering the bottom of the 9th, CT3 strikes out on a 3-2 count, but Mookie finally gets his first hit of the NLCS. Seager not satisfied with 3 RBI’s promptly rockets a double down the RF line that scores Mookie, and the Dodgers were inching closer. JT follows that up with a K of his own. All night long, I was complaining about Max not swinging and seemingly looking for and being satisfied with walks. I am happy with walks, but I would prefer they come with the leadoff or 8-9 batter, not clean up. A pitch does not have to be a strike to get a hit with. But Max gets the pitch he has been looking for all series and he does not miss it.
Dodgers now down 8-6. Do you believe in miracles? Will Smith has been hitting the ball hard all post season, and he has been continuously being deprived, save game 3 of NLDS. Earlier in the 3rd inning with the bases loaded and the score still 0-0, Smith was coming to the plate. Smoltz has been telling us that the book on Smith is to give him a steady diet of curve balls. That is his weakness. After 2 curves balls, 1 for a strike, and one for a ball, Smith scalds a curveball just in the reach of 3B Austin Riley who stuck his glove out, and the ball found it, and Riley steps on 3rd for the out. That was the early look, but now in the 9th, with two outs, Smith hits yet another curve but right to 2B where Albies boots it twice, and the hustling Smith is safe at 1st.
Now it is Belli’s turn to be a hero, right? Belli does come through with a run scoring triple, and now the Dodgers are a wild pitch away from tying the game up, or an AJ Pollock hit. AJ hits the ball solid, but Austin Riley was playing AJ in the right spot and was able to make the play to get AJ at first. A foot to Riley’s left and it is in the hole and even if fielded by Riley or Swanson, they would not have thrown out AJ. At least that is how I am going to remember it.
I did not read the comments from last night’s game, but I can assume what they were. Gonsolin was outstanding for three innings, but after the walk to Acuna, you just knew what was coming. Sure enough Freddie kills a splitter that did not move much except to the middle of the plate, and sat on a tee for him. I have no problem with Gonsolin coming back out in the 5th even after a long 30+ pitch 4th. But after 4 batters, including 2 walks and a double, it was clear that Tony was gassed, and he needed to come out. The next time Pedro Baez gets out of a jam in a playoff game will be his first. Or at least that is what it feels like. After the double to Pache, I am not sure why Tony was allowed to pitch to Acuna. After four runs scored, the pitcher who should have come in to replace Gonsolin right away was called on, and he got Swanson on a K to end the inning.
Floro and McGee combine to pitch well to get to the 7th. Alex Wood allows a run after a walk, infield single, and ground rule double on a ball that I thought that Mookie might have caught, and may have in a stadium he was comfortable in. But it fell at the right spot, and Swanson gets a double. Story of the night. Up until then, Dodger hard hit balls find the Braves gloves and a fly ball fell at the right spot for a double for the Braves offense.
In the 8th, even Joe Kelly looked good, even though he threw 4 knuckle curves (3 for strikes) instead of his fastball. I still have no idea why he is not throwing his fastball. We can all speculate, but it is all just guessing unless Kelly tells us.
In the 9th, up 7-3, Albies takes Kolarek deep for his second HR in the series and the Braves are sailing 8-3. After the HR, DR prophetically said, just do lose 8-7. And yet, with the big 9th, that is exactly what happened.
Some silver lining, Chris Martin and Mark Melancon both pitched last night, and neither one was unhittable on back to back nights. Will they be available on back to back to back nights?
There were also a couple of very good defensive plays.
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/video/corey-seager-s-impressive-grab
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/video/chris-taylor-s-diving-stop
In the October 1965 World Series, the Dodgers dropped a pair to the Twins with both Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax losing. Ron Perranoski was also hit hard in relief in Game 2. The Dodgers came back to win games 3-5 to take a 3 games to 2 lead, with Koufax pitching a complete game shutout in Game 5. After losing Game 6, Koufax came out with 2 days rest and pitched a complete game shutout in Game 7 to win the WS. I know the Dodgers do not have a Koufax, and no Dodger is going to pitch a complete game, much less two complete game shutouts in three days, but the Dodgers are good enough to come back and win tonight against Kyle Wright, and tomorrow with Kershaw supposedly pitching Game 4. Do the Braves dare bring back Fried for Game 5? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Game…One Inning… One AB at a time.
Game 2 Offensive Star – Corey Seager – 2-4 with a walk, HR, Double, and 4 RBIs.
Game 2 Pitching Star – Tony Gonsolin’s start. He made one bad pitch in 4 innings. Did the 16 game layoff have any impact on his 5th inning? Although it was nice to see McGee come back and get two K’s in two ABs coming back from Game 1 in which he gave up an Albies HR, also after a long layoff.
I still beleive the Dodgers are a better team, and will still prevail in the NLCS.
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Discussion (84)
Disagree, not disagreeable
The Dodgers are just such a better road team!
Dodgers have to get a quick feel for Wilson pitching tomorrow. If he has the rookie post season yips keep moving the line and take the walks, get him in the stretch and pounce. If he’s pounding the strike zone let er rip.
Doc using all our throw away pitchers to relieve this game. Kolarek giving up 2 hits already against RHBs. Cannot pitch to RHBs. 2 runs in.
Astros leading 4-2 after 5.
This is a great Dodger win! Urias finally got to pitch over 100 pitches. If Kershaw is healthy, we will have another great arm out there for game 4. Let those bats come ready to play again and show him the support he will need.
Is it fair to nitpick a 15-1 game?
Jansen didn’t look very good. His velo was down, he was laying them in the hitter’s sweet spot of the zone, and there were some hard hit outs.
I would’ve liked the Dodgers to continue to apply the pressure. That Ynoa guy saved the Braves from having to tap into their bullpen, which could’ve helped the Dodgers going forward.
I don’t quite get Urias. He pitched great, but he often looks like he’s struggling to find a pitching rhythm. When he misses, he misses badly, he does this often, and these are just wasted pitches in the course of a game/season.
I think people don’t realize the Braves – right now – are a great team. They were kind of treading water earlier in the season, when they came alive offensively the last month or so, and Ian Anderson emerged as an elite SP, they became as good as any team. I was worried the matchups of the first two games favored the Braves. Hopefully, and today demonstrates this, the Dodgers can wear down the Braves when it’s not Fried and Anderson.
DR beat me to it. But actually I wrote that Urias 51 pitch post more than 40 minutes ago, and then got distracted and forgot to post it.
Pache just went deep. Like to get 5 innings out Urias. Freddy Freeman just ripped a hit. Urias up to 66 pitches with 2 out in 3rd. 5 innings is the limit, if that many.
Unless he finds command and settles down, Urias is not long for this game. 51 pitches after 2 innings.
I wonder how many pitchers were spotted a 13 run lead and did not get credit for the win.
Urias up to 51 pitches after 2 innings. They need him to eat some innings after yesterday and especially after an 11 run 1st inning.
4 HRs already – unfortunately, the Dodgers usually need the long ball to win but fortunately, they have guys who can hit them. Now if they can only keep doing it…
Great start Dodgers!! So glad to see joc, muncy, and Rios get going. I mean muncy is due to get red hot!
Wow! 2 things:
Glad they aren’t working the count. See the ball, hit the ball!
Credit Mookie for the big inning. Great hustle set the tone and opened the door.
Go Blue!
Both of Us! 😉
That’s a solid start. I want more, Badger
Statement, who says there is no such thing as carryover momentum!!
Walks don’t seem to be hurting the Braves starting pitching! Of course you need a clutch hit to make them pay!
Good to hear Nomar and Hairston talking about the Dodgers overly shifting too much in the playoffs. Glad I’m not the only one that feels that way. Baez gets a routine DP ball out of Freeman last night and no one is there. Postseason baseball isn’t regular season baseball.
Thanks for the write up Jeff. Glad you met up with your new friend.
Some thoughts on last night:
* “Walks will kill ya”. Ever heard that before? Dodger pitching gave up 7 walks and 5 scored. In the 5th alone there were 4 walks 3 scored. And we seemed to pitch behind in the count all night.
* Home plate umpire Will Little is known as the best balls and strikes guy and last night he was great, I watched every pitch closely for both sides and he missed 8 pitches out of the K-Zone all night. And those were close. No 2 balls off the plate strikes or obvious strikes called balls. He’s a guy who doesn’t need ABS. The few players who complained were wrong. He rung nobody up on a pitch out of the K-Zone.
* Last night, Smoltz took a page out of the Tim McCarver’s book on saying dumb sh*t. While Will Little is calling a great game, Smoltz explains that the hitters have a bitch because Little is calling the high strike and the low spike and a pitcher can’t get both. The K-Zone showed all the pitches called strikes, were strikes. So you can’t call a high one and not a low one? If you’re working north – south and they are in the zone, they’re strikes. I get what Smoltz is saying if they’re borderline but they weren’t
* I thought Doc threw in the towel in the 5th, leaving Baez until it was 6-0.
2 games in one here. We lost the first 6 innings 6 – zip and won the last 3 innings 7 – 2. We need to get going earlier.
* It was good to see Muncy run into one in the 9th. In the 7th, he had an at bat that I’ve bitched about forever. He works to an advantage 2 and 1 count. A Green Light Special. Time to let it eat. Instead he takes a BP, 90mph fastball right down the can. On the theory that you will get 1 hittable pitch every at bat, this was it. So he swings at the next pitch up and away and strikes out. Use the favorable count please.
* The TBS coverage of the AL side is so much better than Buck and Smoltz who can’t shut up. Jeff Francoeur and Ron Darling are informative without the constant chatter of Smoltz who fills every available second of air time.
I still think we are in this deal and on paper have a pitching advantage. But it’s put up or shut up time.
Not that any of this matters but if I remember right Gonsolin gave up 3 runs on his own and Baez allowed the 2 runners to score that Gonsolin put on base before Doc took him out of the game. So you don’t know if Gonsolin would have allowed those last 2 runners to score if left in.
It seemed like Doc gave up on the game after the 6th inning putting in Wood, Kelly, Kolarek to pitch the rest of the game. I can tell you that Kolarek sucks against the right side of the plate and that was the position he was put in, in the 9th inning.
This is just my opinion, but you don’t give up EVER in the playoffs.
I’ve been watching the pre game and post game pressers and I’ve been watching Doc’s facial expressions when he has been asked tough questions and he’s been like a deer in the headlights, he has no clue what to do in tough spots during a game.
I thought we had enough hitting and starting pitching to win it all this year (notice I didn’t say bullpen) to overcome any bone head decisions made by Doc. I hope that is still the case.
I thought Tony did pretty good overall yesterday, especially considering that he had not pitched in 17 days… which was an organizational mistake. I felt that keeping Tony in to pitch to Acuna was a managerial mistake… as was bringing in Baez in that spot. They had Treinen warming up for Acuna according to Dave, but he said in his post game presser that Trienen seemed like the right guy when the score was 2-0, but didn’t like him for that spot once the score went to 3-0. That makes absolutely no sense to me at all.
–
It was painfully obvious that Baez didn’t have it yesterday… so I was also surprised that Dave left Baez in to face Albies… after he had already faced the 3 batter minimum. I had the same exact feeling when he brought in McGee to replace Treinin in the 9th inning of Game 1. It was just a 3-1 lead when Treinen was taken out… definitely not an insurmountable lead. So it was a total head scratcher as to why we brought in one of our lower leverage relievers in that situation.
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If we can just get the bats going early, keep the Braves from leaving the yard, and use the good bullpen pieces that we do have at the right times throughout the game then we should be alright. That doesn’t sound so hard now does it??? 🙂
The Braves will start right-hander Bryse Wilson in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers, and presumably Clayton Kershaw.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 14, 2020
2020 HANK AARON AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
Fans Can Vote Starting October 14 on MLB.com/hankaaronaward https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__http%3A%2Fmlb.com%2Fhankaaronaward__%3B!!AzVz0GWveZQ!kG60fseFYa3M-MNo4RZlfwuggHIMScWcAETHSBCeZzy_xj4AVasOtAa-GriiOqo%24&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ca10b636c362a4940d6fd08d8707e5280%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637383035131639526%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=huwEqaUJWlD2auanbhL6FuZz6KNveB%2BOynH6hLZJmuA%3D&reserved=0>
Hall of Fame Panel Featuring Hank Aaron, Ken Griffey Jr., Craig Biggio, Roberto Alomar, Eddie Murray, Robin Yount and Johnny Bench Also Casting Votes.
Major League Baseball today announced finalists for the 2020 Hank Aaron Award, which has recognized the most outstanding regular season offensive performer in each League since it was established in 1999. Baseball fans have the opportunity to help select the winners of this distinguished award by voting for an American and National League player online at MLB.com/hankaaronaward
https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__http%3A%2Fmlb.com%2Fhankaaronaward__%3B!!AzVz0GWveZQ!kG60fseFYa3M-MNo4RZlfwuggHIMScWcAETHSBCeZzy_xj4AVasOtAa-GriiOqo%24&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ca10b636c362a4940d6fd08d8707e5280%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637383035131639526%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=huwEqaUJWlD2auanbhL6FuZz6KNveB%2BOynH6hLZJmuA%3D&reserved=0> .
Each Club nominated one player from its team to be considered for the Hank Aaron Award. A panel of MLB.com writers determined seven finalists for each league from the list of Club nominees. In addition to the fan vote, a special panel of Hall of Fame players, led by Hank Aaron, will vote on the winners of the award which is officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball.
The panel of Hall of Famers includes Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Murray and Robin Yount. Three former Hank Aaron Award winners are among this year’s finalists: Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Paul Goldschmidt.
The finalists for the 2020 Hank Aaron Award are:
Chicago White Sox
José Abreu
Atlanta Braves
Freddie Freeman
Cleveland Indians
José Ramírez
Los Angeles Dodgers
Corey Seager
Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout
New York Mets
Dominic Smith
Minnesota Twins
Nelson Cruz
Philadelphia Phillies
Bryce Harper
New York Yankees
DJ LeMahieu
San Diego Padres
Manny Machado
Tampa Bay Rays
Brandon Lowe
St. Louis Cardinals
Paul Goldschmidt
Toronto Blue Jays
Teoscar Hernández
Washington Nationals
Juan Soto
Continuing through October 18, fans have the opportunity to select one American League and one National League winner from a list comprising of 14 player finalists (seven players from each league).
Past winners of the Hank Aaron Award include: Mike Trout and Christian Yelich (2019); J.D. Martinez and Christian Yelich (2018); Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Altuve (2017); Kris Bryant and David Ortiz (2016); Josh Donaldson and Bryce Harper (2015); Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout (2014); Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt (2013); Miguel Cabrera and Buster Posey (2012); José Bautista and Matt Kemp (2011); José Bautista and Joey Votto (2010); Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols (2009); Aramis Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis (2008); Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder (2007); Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard (2006); David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (2005); Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (2004); Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols (2003); Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds (2001-02); Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (2000) and Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa (1999).
The Hank Aaron Award was introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th Anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, and, at that time, was the first major award introduced by Major League Baseball in more than 25 years.
From Tom Brown of Yahoo Sports:
“None of it matters if on Wednesday, Kyle Wright pitches them the way Max Fried did Monday and Ian Anderson did Tuesday. None of it matters if they’re going to hit .220 like they did while being eliminated by the Washington Nationals last fall, or .180 like in the World Series in 2018, or .205 like in the World Series before that, or .210 in the 2016 NLCS, when that season ended. None of it matters if it begins to feel inevitable, that they’re in that place again.”
Good to hear Mark is recovering! Get better and get back to writing Mark. We all miss you! Well most of us!
Good news on Mark, Bobby. When you text him next, please tell him everyone here pulling for him to move the mountain and climb the top to a successful recovery.
Things happen for a reason, I believe, and the COVID-19 diagnosis and testing exposed an equal or worse danger in the aneurism. In my case, it happened similarly to me. I was born with a hole in my heart and when I suffered a heart attack later in life, they had to do a bypass. During the procedure, they discovered a huge blood clot in the hole which they removed. Had they not done the bypass and discovered the clot, I would have suffered a massive stroke.
So sometimes good can come from something bad. They used my film of the operation at a cardiologist convention in which the doctors were under criticism for doing too many by-passes. I asked my doctor if he thought I was entitled to royalties to no avail.