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 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 7^th 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 8^th, 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 8^th.

And then the unthinkable.  Graterol was warm and threw all of 7 pitches in the 8^th 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 1^st and 2^nd 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 9^th 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 8^th HR of the postseason, including the go ahead RBI single on a 2-2 pitch with 2 outs in the 8^th off generally extremely reliable Nick Anderson.  Justin Turner had a four hit night of his own, including a second consecutive 1^st 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 8^th inning leadoff double and later scored on Seager’s 2 out single.  Muncy had another RBI single.  Joc had another hit in the 9^th 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?