Dodgers Relievers Blow Another WS Game
The Rays are in the WS for a reason. They are good and they never quit. Let me get the negative out of the way. I have been a Dave Roberts supporter throughout the postseason, but I have also said that there is no way that I would bring Pedro Baez in with runners on base. You want to make a change from Treinen? Okay, that was at least an
The Rays are in the WS for a reason. They are good and they never quit. Let me get the negative out of the way. I have been a Dave Roberts supporter throughout the postseason, but I have also said that there is no way that I would bring Pedro Baez in with runners on base. You want to make a change from Treinen? Okay, that was at least an arguable decision. Where was Jake McGee? Where was Victor Gonzalez? I do not need a book to tell me, I just remember that seemingly every time Baez comes in with runners on base in the postseason dating back to 2014 NLDS G1, most of them score. But I went back and checked.
| Year | Game | IR | IRS |
| – | |||
| 2014 | NLDS Game 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | NLDS Game 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | NLDS Game 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | NLDS Game 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | NLDS Game 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2018 | WS Game 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | NLDS Game 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | NLCS Game 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | WS Game 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Totals | 17 | 10 |
Before WS Game 4, more than 50% of inherited runners scored off Baez in the postseason. I am sorry but that is unacceptable to bring him in with runners on in the WS. The outcome was more than predictable. A three run HR to Brandon Lowe. Apparently Baez has something on Doc as he comes out again in the 7th and gives up a HR to Kevin Kiermaier. You have more access to information than I do, and there is no way I would have brought Baez in with runners on base. Shame on Doc on this one.
Adam Kolarek has not pitched in 10 days, and the rust showed. In the 8th, he issues a 4-pitch walk to Ji-Man Choi, but gets Austin Meadows on a routine flyball to CF and strikes out of Brandon Lowe. Enter The Bazooka. He gives up a bloop single to Willy Adames but gets Hunter Renfroe to hit a lazy fly ball to Mookie to end the 8th.
And then the unthinkable. Graterol was warm and threw all of 7 pitches in the 8th but the decision was to go to KJ. The inevitable happened. A Kevin Kiermaier broken bat single, and then a walk to Arozarena puts runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs. With two runners on and LHH Brett Phillips coming up. Again, where is Jake McGee? Victor Gonzalez? A bloop single, an overrun of the ball in CF by CT3 and then a missed throw at the plate, and two runners score for the walk off. Quick to pull everyone other than Baez and Jansen. So Doc this one is on you. You just know he is going to say how good KJ’s pitches were, and the Rays got a broken bat and bloop single off two good pitches. Trevor Rosenthal might have looked good in the 9th as a Dodger.
Earlier, Randy Arozarena hit his postseason record breaking 9th HR and Hunter Renfroe hit a bomb, both off Julio Urias. Julio was not great, but he wasn’t bad. The two HRs were crushed, and I wasn’t second guessing why Doc pulled Julio for Treinen after he had 2 K’s of Mike Zunino and Kiermaier before being lifted. He had already struck out Yandy Diaz twice. What was the urgency? But okay, this is the WS.
I am not second guessing Will Smith at catcher, but would the pitchers have been better off with Barnes behind the plate? Does Barnes miss the throw home? I think you have to ask those questions, and a decision needs to be made as to whether Barnes should finish the WS behind the dish.
There were some positives. Corey Seager continues to be ultra-hot, with four more hits including his 8th HR of the postseason, including the go ahead RBI single on a 2-2 pitch with 2 outs in the 8th off generally extremely reliable Nick Anderson. Justin Turner had a four hit night of his own, including a second consecutive 1st inning HR. This is a breakout postseason for Seager, but more of the same for the consistent JT. Seager is now batting .500/.632/.929/1.560 with only 1 K in 18 PA, and JT is batting .444/.474/1.000/1.474 in the WS. While not at the same level as Seager and JT, the role players Joc, CT3, and Kike’, had key hits in the game. Joc had a 2 run single and Kike’ an RBI single and CT3 an 8th inning leadoff double and later scored on Seager’s 2 out single. Muncy had another RBI single. Joc had another hit in the 9th for a 2 hit night.
Two Dodgers drew the collar in Game 4. Mookie has an 0-5 night, but makes another great catch to rob Brandon Lowe of an extra base hit. Belli went 0-4 and is now batting .133/.235/.333/.569 and 2 RBIs in the WS. If he is not playing defense, do you consider Joc who is 3-8 as the DH.
The Dodgers faced 6 Rays relievers and scored on four of them. But unfortunately they only plated 4 of 16 RISP, and had 10 LOB. And even more unfortunately, Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen blew another postseason game for the Dodgers. At what point do you say NEVER AGAIN?
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Discussion (202)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Just a thought, but they could sure use a David Freese type guy as a DH. Most of the guys who have been DHing are the all or nothing types. In all of this madness, 3 Dodgers are having excellent World Series. Seager, Turner and Joc. Not only do I want to see Kersh get a ring, but since both are free agents, I would love to see JT and Joc get one too. Some of you may be right. Doc might be gone if they lose this. One too many disappointing endings.
Sorry about my snarfy comment regarding my post. It did show up. Just a little testy this morning.
Last night was brutal. If we come back from that, we truly deserve to be Champions. If we don’t then I really think a change has to be made. He’s a great guy but his choices last night were poor ones. I know–it’s easy to say that now. But you are judged by results and another failed post-season for a team with this much talent is just not acceptable. Hope it doesn’t come down to that. Best 2out of 3. Go Blue!
Roberts is being roasted almost everywhere. He is feeling the heat as it were.
I havnt been in the right place mentally to post today.
I got up at 1am to watch that. It’s ok for you guys, you can go to bed. I’ve had all day to dwell on it. It’s been a long one.
I think I’m still in shock actually.
I mean – WTF was that?
It was like a montage of all our heartbreaking moments of the DOC era all in one reel. I still don’t believe it really happened. One moment I’m thinking CK can lead us to the WS tomorrow, the next I’m hoping we can get to a game 7.
The Rays won their BP game. We lost ours. That could be crucial.
The other thing, and nobody has mentioned it – is that we could have a queue of players available to DH tonight. Bellinger obviously, but JT & Corey we’re both struggling at the end last night.
I’m so rooting for Clayton tonight.
When we lost to the Astros and then the Red Sox, they were the better teams. We are the better team against the Rays. If we don’t win this time there will be some serious questions to be answered.
It would be helpful if Mookie and Bellinger were hitting. Neither have impressive series stats. Smith is 3 for 17. Kiké .708 OPS, Taylor’s .794. AJ hasn’t played much. Seager and Turner are carrying the offense.
Pitching hasn’t been bad overall, but, they sure have had some bad moments.
Roberts does over manage. Urias could of gone longer. Treinen could of gone longer. Graterol should of pitched the 9th. Jansen cannot pitch back to back any more. Who will close tonight? This should be figured out before games starts and players told before game starts. If May pitches on Tuesday he needs to go longer than one inning. Most pitchers have trouble with the first inning. Right now if Gonso or May give up one run in first inning they are pulled. Plenty of blame to go around for everyone, especially Doc.
Well our first snow of the year is coming down. Denver is getting hammered right now. Here it is just coming down kind of gently.
1, Betts RF
2. Seager SS
3. Turner 3B
4. Muncy 1B
5. Smith DH
6. Bellinger CF
7. Taylor 2B
8. Pederson LF
9. Barnes C
Ryan Spilborghs:
“Fans put this all on Roberts, because they simply don’t know any better.
I guarantee that Doc had reasons for doing what he did… I’d just like to know what they were. I think both teams are overmanaging, but the win is on the Rays players and the loss is on the Dodgers players, not Cash or Roberts.”
If Dodgers do not win this World Series it’s fairly likely Kershaw retires when his contract is up. Can’t blame him if that’s the outcome. While he was the best pitcher on the planet Dodgers usually failed supporting him and he continued his best efforts. At any rate, aside however this post season ends I’ve got to say the shortened 2020 has been more successful than anybody figured. Maybe not so much for the owners. But the fans got their fix of baseball.
Regardless of today’s outcome, there will be a game 6. Question is who do we pitch? Let me be the first to get lambasted.
Win or lose today, WB should NOT pitch game 6. With his blister issues, he needs all the rest he can get.
So, who is left? Might I suggest Woods? He’s had plenty of rest and has pitched reasonably well recently.
Hey, why not? Doc stuck with Baez and Jansen. Might as well go for the trifecta!
Bear & MT…Thanks for your feedback…
I don’t know what’s more painful, the loss or reading some of the crapola that surfaces after our games… Of course no one comes close to Bluto..
Lets go get em tonight…
Everyone was saying how good our bullpen was during the regular season. NOT ME. During the regular season the Dodgers did not face many good teams (offensive teams). The career stats did not come close to matching the regular season stats because the Dodgers were not facing good hitting teams during the regular season. The only team that I can think of off the top of my head right now that the Dodgers faced during the regular season that had a good hitting team was the Padres.
The Dodgers playoff stats:
Team OPS .833 2nd best out of 16 teams.
Team starting pitching 3.12 ERA 4th best out of 16 teams.
Team relief pitching 4.17 ERA 9th best out of 16 teams.
Those stats are all you need to know.
Remember too that Urias has pitched fantastically in relief in the playoffs, so without Urias pitching in relief, that relief pitching ERA would be higher than 4.17.
Priority #1 in the off season should be build a good bullpen.
Eric, You should know I won’t stop. Explain to me why the stats showed the Dodgers with the second-best regular-season bullpen and you refuse to believe it, but want to believe this.
You can’t just ignore stuff! If they weren’t as good as the figures showed then… maybe they are not as bad as they show now!
FACT: https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/stats/team/pitching/regular-season?split=rp
Can Kersh deliver? We need 7 innings tonight and the lead. Gonzalez in the eighth and Graterol in the 9th. Oh and a 3-4 run lead would help!
Good first. Except for the 3 K’s.
The #Dodgers are now hitting .358 with runners in scoring position and 2 outs in this postseason.
All other teams are hitting.185
Something very unusual just happened. Kershaw went from 12 pitches and no outs to 14 pitches and 3 outs.
JOCTOBER!!!!!! How can we not sign Joc just for October! Take the rest of the year off and bulk up! Our bats are making this game bullpen proof!!!!!
Another nail biter. So far I count 4 lazy fly balls to the outfield. Wonder why Smith is the DH with a righty going.
They let him off the ropes.
Kershaw is laboring.
Man, the Rays are trying… everything!
It appears not only has CT3 forgot how to hit he has also forgotten how to field, and can someone explain to me why Smith is our DH and not Rios or Kike? 0-3 with 3 K’s and looks lost against Glasnow
I agree Badger., about Kershaw. He’s looked a bit tentative at times, almost as if he was scared to throw a strike.
Until Muncy launched that HR I was wondering if this was going to be one of those games where the Dodgers score early, and then just STOP. But I suspect it’s going to take more.
I hope that DR doesn’t try to push Kershaw too far into this game, even though he did just complete his first 1-2-3 inning.