GAME ONE RECAP AND SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Well that was an interesting and very long game.  

Dodgers won 5-1, and despite appearances (it could be called an ugly win) they, nevertheless, won in dominating fashion.  

There were lots of walks.   Padres pitchers, threw 165 pitches in 8 innings, as they walked 10 Dodgers batters, and added a hit by pitch for good measure.      

Walker Buehler started for the Dodgers and almost immediately started to make Dodgers fans nervous.   Fernando Tatis, Jr. got the first hit of the game in the first inning, beating the shift on a grounder through second base (I hate the shift!).   He also showed that speed and the stolen base still have a place in baseball.   But, after a Machado strikeout, Hosmer hit a hard grounder into the shift (I love the shift!).   That may have been the hardest Padres hit of the night.  

Offensively, the Dodgers started off quietly in the first against starter Mike Clevinger.  After a couple of walks, Will Smith ripped a line drive in the hole at short, but Tatis, Jr. made a nice diving catch to end the inning.   This was the first time I’ve seen Clevinger pitch.   He looks like he has to go to the bathroom in the worst way, doing his little hip hops and bounces before he pitches.   One of the oddest pre-pitch routines I’ve ever seen.

The second inning made the Dodger faithful even more nervous.   Buehler had little to know command and proceeded to walk the bases loaded, only to rear back to strike out Profar and Grisham.   He may have received some help from the umpire, but that doesn’t really matter, as it went both ways. 

In the bottom of the second, the Dodgers again went quietly.  However, Clevinger appeared to have reinjured himself, and was removed from the game after two pitches to Bellinger. 

The Padres would score their only run in the 4^th inning, after Buehler walked Will Myers, he stole second, and came home on a soft line drive by Aaron Nola, which Pollock appeared to play oddly. 

Buehler was taken out after 4 innings and 95 pitches, having given up 2 hits, 4 walks and striking out 8.  

A cool moment for the Padres occurred in the 3^rd inning, when Ryan Weathers, the son of long-time pitcher David Weathers made his major league debut.   This young man had never pitched higher than single A before last night.  He acquitted himself quite well and it looks like the Padres have another nice arm in their prospect pipeline.   The camera shots of a nervous Dave Weathers in the stands were priceless.  There’s not a Dad that ever watched his son or daughter compete in sports that could not identify with the emotions he was feeling. 

The Dodgers continued their lack of offense, but kept receiving walks.  The Padres, it seemed, were loose and having fun, while the Dodgers seemed tight and pressured.  The Dodgers scored their first run in the 4^th inning without the benefit of a hit.  JT walked.   Muncy, characteristically, struck out.  JT advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Smith was walked.   Bellinger followed with a grounder to second, which the Padres charitably miscued on a missed catch by Hosmer, allowing JT to score.  Pollock then hit a deep drive to the left field corner, which had us momentarily holding our breath, but Globe Park held it in with Profar catching the fly in front of the wall.

Enter Dustin May.   May started the 5^th in relief, and was simply dominant.  He pitched two clean and, in my opinion, game changing innings.   The Padres had absolutely no answer for him.   You could begin to feel the momentum switch. 

The Dodgers remained hitless until the bottom of the 6^th inning.   After a Kike strikeout, CT3 walked.  That was followed by a Mookie double, putting runners on second and third.   Manager Jayce Tingler chose this time to argue balls and strikes and promptly got tossed from the game.   He may have had reason to be upset with some of the home plate umpires calls, but not the one he got tossed for.   It was definitely a ball.  After a pitching change, Corey Seager greeted Matt Strahm with a sacrifice fly to short left.  Justin Turner followed with a weak grounder that beat the shift and brought home Mookie Betts (I love the shift!).   Max Muncy followed with a hard hit double to left center.  Smith was walked intentionally so they could pitch to Bellinger with the bases loaded.  Bellinger would make them pay with a ground ball single up the middle, scoring JT.  Craig Stammen came in for the Padres, only to uncork a wild pitch, allowing Muncy to score. 

Victor Gonzales shut down the Padres with a nice inning in the 7^th.   The Dodgers also went quietly in the bottom of the inning.  

After a lead off double in the 8^th off Gonzales, Blake Treinen came in and showed why the Dodgers signed him.  He would strand Grisham at second, striking out Tatis, Jr., getting Machado to ground out to Seager, and then striking out Hosmer on a couple of nasty sliders.   The Dodgers hit a couple of balls hard in the bottom of the inning, with nothing to show for it.   Muncy hit what looked like a sure home run, only to have Globe Field keep it in.  

Treinen got the first out of the 9^th on a flyout to Betts.   Kenley Jansen, yes that Jansen, would come in and get the finals two outs of the inning by striking out Myers and inducing Cronenworth to hit a weak grounder to first.   Jansen did not have much velocity, but his cutter was cutting and he definitely looked more determined and confidant.  

My player of the game was Dustin May.   He was absolutely dominant!!   He just made it look so easy, and the powerful Padres hitters had no chance against his pitches last night.  Even through the TV screen you could feel the Dodgers becoming more energized.

This game had been described as the Establishment(Dodgers) vs the youthful, energetic swagger of the Padres.   At the end of the night, even though it wasn’t a pretty game by any stretch, the Padres could only manage 3 hits off the Dodgers pitchers.   Padres hitters struck out 14 times.   Other than Buehler’s 4 walks, the Dodger relievers did not walk a batter.   Maybe the Dodgers were lucky, I don’t know.  I’ll leave that for you to ponder.  Winning ugly, is still winning.    They took advantage of what was given them, and now they have just 10 more wins to go!

Some additional random thoughts: 

●          I thought Doc pushed all the right buttons last night.   Pinch hitting early for Joc was a good move.  I hate to say it, but Pederson just looks overmatched.   Doc’s use of the pen was particularly good.   I know some were screaming for May to stay in there longer, but removing him was the right call.  May is now available for further use later in this series, as needed.       

●          I thought both Joe Davis and John Smoltz called a good game last night.  I’ve not always been fond of his commentary in the past, but Smoltz was particularly insightful and he and Davis played well off each other.

●          Ken Rosenthal mentioned that in the first round of the playoffs, 38.8% of plate appearances ended in one of three true outcomes: Walk, Strikeout or Homerun.  Other than the homerun, last night was a poster child for that stat.  The game has changed.            

●          The  runner-on-second extra-inning rule and the seven-inning rule have been dumped for the playoffs.   While I didn’t mind it much during the season, I’m surprised the three-batter minimum ruled wasn’t also scratched.    

●          The thought of the Houston Astros playing their playoff series in Dodger Stadium, just doesn’t seem right.  Frankly, I wish the ground under the visitor’s dugout would open up and swallow all of their players.   That’s just hyperbole folks.   

●          Lou Johnson and Bob Gibson dying on the same day, was particularly sad.  Gibson had to be the most feared pitcher of all-time.   He had that menacing stare, never smiled when on the mound, and he would not hesitate to brush a hitter back when needed.  On top of being fearsome, he was just a flat out great pitcher.   A 1.12 ERA for an entire season, coupled with a 11.9 WAR, 28 complete games with 13 shutouts.   I don’t care how high or low the mound was, that was an utterly amazing season.  

●          Lou Johnson, on the other hand, would hardly ever be seen without a smile on his face.  While not a super star, he will always have a place in the hearts of Dodger fans, if for nothing else, scoring the lone run in Koufax’s perfect game and for his performance in the 1965 World Series.  Moreover, Johnson was such an incredibly positive person.  Sweet Lou was the kind of person and player you just wanted to cheer for.  He was also the kind of man you would enjoy hanging around with.   More than being a good baseball player though, I admired Sweet Lou for how he battled alcoholism and drug addiction from age 13 through his late 50s, only to win that battle and devote himself to helping others and being an inspiration to so many in the LA Dodgers Community.   “Sweet Lou!”   He was a man that truly earned his nickname.  

●          Several Dodgers may have played their final game at Dodger Stadium.  I’m relatively certain that we will not see Kike, Joc or Alex Wood in a Dodgers uniform next season.   Perhaps Pedro Baez will also move on.  I would like them to keep Blake Treinen and Jake McGee, but could understand if they don’t.  The tougher question will be Justin Turner.   My guess is that they resign him.   While his skills are beginning to diminish some, he is still a team leader and a great influence in the dugout, and he still performs in the clutch.   To those players that move on, I wish you well with whatever team you land with.    

●          Like many of you, I was saddened to learn that Jeff D. (AC) would be stepping down from management of this blog.   I’m so very grateful for the effort that he put in to provide you with substantive Dodgers content.   You have no idea the amount of time and work he put in to make sure that a fresh article is posted every day.   He’s run this blog with dignity and care.  As they say, “the proof is in the pudding!”   Jeff is a very good man, and he has successfully managed this blog so you could be provided with some of the best Dodger content(my articles excepted), on the internet.   He will be missed.   But, having exchanged e-mails with him in private about his decision, I’m convinced he is making the absolute right choice for he and his family.  I’m also very grateful that Jeff (and Mark) have humored me by allowing me to write an article or two for this blog.   The research and writing have been very cathartic for me.  As I have mentioned frequently, I have had a love affair with the Dodgers since I was 7-8 years old, and I enjoy reliving some of those past experiences.   In my humble opinion, this blog ranks among the top 2 of Dodger blogs (although he doesn’t write as often anymore, Jon Weisman is still the gold standard).  A few weeks back, I let Jeff know that I would be stepping down from writing for the blog.   It has become increasingly important for me that I spend more time with Mrs. 2D2.  She suffers from a chronic illness(which includes severe depression), and is deserving of much more of my time and care.  I also need to spend a little more time with my law practice.   The COVID world has caused most everything to go sideways, and that is also true in the legal world.   Courts were shutdown for several months and now that they have partially reopened, I have to learn to navigate the world of virtual court appearances, trials, depositions and mediations.  Additionally, I want to travel a bit more to see my grand kids.  If I haven’t mentioned on this blog before, they are the most adorable grandchildren on the planet. Bar none.   Also, like Jeff stated, it has become much less fun reading some of the comments on the blog.   I have always viewed this site as an extended back yard bar-b-que get together, where friends come to talk a little Dodger baseball.  While we haven’t met, I view many of you as friends and I have enjoyed reading your thoughts and comments.  I’m interested in your opinions (whether we agree or not) and I respect how much baseball knowledge so many of you have.  I’m truly grateful for most of your comments.   But, like with any real backyard bar-b-que, sometimes the company can become a bit boorish and take the fun out of the experience.  Please understand, this has nothing to do with whether someone agrees with me or not.  I could careless about that.  Moreover, I don’t have any underlying need to be right or to look smart.   Mrs. 2D2 and I don’t agree on everything and I still love her more than any person on the  earth(although, those amazing and adorable grand kids are coming in a very, very close second).  Moreover, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that I’m not all that smart and, when it comes to opinions that differ from hers, well, I’ve learned that I’m hardly ever right. 🙂 🙂   Not to worry though, you will be in good hands going forward with Mark back at the helm.

Jeff did ask if I would be willing to end the season with him, which I have agreed to do.  He also asked that he be able to make his announcement first.  In addition to this article, I am working on an article on Billy Buckner and then, depending on this series, and how long the Dodgers keep playing, it’s time for me to take a long break.   Thank you for making this a blog a special place in my life!!!

●          See you all at the parade!