It All Comes Down to This!
I started to write an analysis of the World Series, but what could I write that hasn t been written and re-written? At one time, it seemed like it was me against the world as the FAZ-Bashers were relentless, but so was I, as I understood what they were trying to do, and I bought in early. Now, most Dodger fans are on the FAZ Bandwagon, but it s extra sweet for
I started to write an analysis of the World Series, but what could I write that hasn’t been written and re-written? At one time, it seemed like it was me against the world as the FAZ-Bashers were relentless, but so was I, as I understood what they were trying to do, and I bought in early. Now, most Dodger fans are on the FAZ Bandwagon, but it’s extra sweet for me because I was a champion of FAZ long before this 2017 version of the Dodgers. At this juncture, there’s not much to say except…
How Sweet it is!
This is what the 2017 Dodgers are playing for – The World Series. It’s wonderful that the Dodgers won their first pennant since 1988, but it’s not enough. They have to win four more for this year to be a resounding success… and it won’t be easy. This Astro team is very, very good and they have Jose Altuve! He is scary good!
Here are few things to consider:
- Corey Seager and Justin Turner have injury issues – We don’t know how well Corey can play and Justin Turner is battling an “unspecified” injury as he has been held out of BP and other drills. Farhan Zaidi said that Turner is “banged up.” How these two storylines play out remains to be seen. Seager and Turner have been the Dodgers top performers all season and losing one or both could be a huge blow.
- It seems that Austin Barnes has taken over as the Dodgers starting Catcher – I am a fan of both players and believe both will play in the series, but Barnes has reverse splits. I can see Grandal being the DH at times, but it’s more likely that Corey Seager will DH in AL games.
- Culberson has to make the roster due to uncertainty about Seager, so either Pederson, Farmer or Granderson won’t make it. My money says that Granderson is the odd-man out!
- I think it is essential that the Dodgers win on their home field. If they head to Houston 1-1, it could be rough.
- Can the bullpen keep up their Total World Domination?
- This is a perfect series for the Dodgers to run wild on Houston’s Catchers who cannot throw me out!
- Clayton, Here’s your opportunity to erase those bad 7th innings and flip the script! I’m rooting for ya’.
- With questions about Turner and Seager, it’s going to take a team effort to win this thing, but like Clayton said, this team has something he’s never seen… something special. I don’t think they will be denied. They see the finish line and will suck it up to win in 4 or 7 games – whatever it takes!
- What I know is this: It can be a total crapshoot, but it could be just as likely that a Logan Forsythe ends up as MVP over Jose Altuve. You never know who steps up… and when!
- Finally, it’s more of a distraction that Adrian Gonzalez is not with the team and headed to Italy than it would be if he were there. Why go during the World Series? Why not be with your teammates? I’m sorry, but this is who he is. There is no excuse. He gets no pass. I’m done with him! You don’t abandon your teammates! It’s selfish and classless… no matter how they spin it. Even if he were going for medical treatment, is it really going to make a difference if he waited a week? There have been whispers that he was not about the right thing in Boston and even in LA. His absence says it all for me. In my opinion, he can never wear The Blue again.
Arizona Fall League
Matt Beaty and DJ Peters continue to struggle at .154, while Diaz and Smith are both flourishing at .400. Remember, last AFL season, Cody Bellinger raked and Alex Verdugo flopped. It turns out that Cody was ready. Diaz and Smith are getting closer.
Other Stuff
Congratulations to Cody Bellinger for winning The Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year. What a surprise! NOT!
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Discussion (66)
Disagree, not disagreeable
1. Chris Taylor, CF
2. Justin Turner, 3B
3. Cody Bellinger, 1B
4. Yasiel Puig, RF
5. Enrique Hernandez, LF
6. Corey Seager, SS
7. Logan Forsythe, 2B
8. Austin Barnes, C
9. Clayton Kershaw, P
Kershaw does NOT have to prove anything to me. There is nothing for him to redeem. I have been critical of CK in the playoffs, but they are not all his fault. All I expect from CK is his best effort, and that has generally been good enough for a Dodger win. He needs to give everything he has for 6 innings. I do not expect him to go past 6. Why should he when the bullpen has been so effective? This will take 25 men working together, and not from Kershaw’s shoulder/back.
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The hitters need to stay patient and work the count against the Keuchel and get into that bullpen. If it is bullpen vs. bullpen, I like the Dodgers chances..
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I understand Seager for Farmer, but I was surprised by McCarthy for Granderson. I am not disappointed, just surprised. Granderson will still be a positive influence as part of the taxi squad. I would think that with the addition of McCarthy, Stripling now becomes situational and McCarthy will be the long man replacing a lefty starter. With the number of RH bats on the Stros, he should get some innings.
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It looks like I will be breaking my practice of making at least one WS game with the Dodgers since the 1963 WS ( I did not get to the 59 Series). However, my son will be at both Game 1 and 2, so the family will be represented. I saw him this weekend, and he was reminding me of all the Dodgers personnel he has played with: Gabe Kapler, Dave Roberts, George Lombard, Chase Utley, Chris Woodward, Turner Ward, and Alex Anthopoulos signed him.at Toronto after getting his release from the Mets. He is having a tough year, so I was hoping he would get a chance to catch up with some of them, but he is not going to try. There are reasons.
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I cannot wait for 5:09 PM. Let’s get this thing going and bring home a MLB World Championship to LA.
I wonder if Hill’s curveball will have the same bite in the hot, dry air that’s currently in L.A. Maybe he should pitch game 3 in Houston?
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I have noticed there is an ugly side to Gonzo that is quite different than the one he carefully presents publicly.
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Kershaw’s postseason”struggles” are unfair to him. He often pitched on 3 days rest and was clearly fatigued when he gave up runs. The Dodgers didn’t have the pitching depth they have now. He doesn’t have to carry the entire team.
This Agon thing is interesting to me. I cannot think of one reason he would not be in the dugout. There is more to this story than we know, I think. If he has abandoned the team, the players will talk after this is over.
I like Granderson being left off and Culberson left on. Joc can play CF if Taylor moves to SS. Farmer was a luxury RH PH and Houston has almost no LHP. McCarthy must have been dealing in sim games to be added and counters their RH heavy lineup. If he starts game 4 I hope he has a Very short leash. As a long reliever he is more seasoned than Stripling if he is over the ‘yips’.
From Ken Gurnick:
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The roster:
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Pitchers (12): Clayton Kershaw, Tony Cingrani, Yu Darvish, Josh Fields, Rich Hill, Kenley Jansen, Kenta Maeda, Brandon Morrow, Ross Stripling, Tony Watson, Brandon McCarthy, Alex Wood.
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Catchers (2): Austin Barnes, Yasmani Grandal.
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Infielders (6): Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Charlie Culberson, Logan Forsythe, Justin Turner, Chase Utley.
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Outfielders (5): Enrique Hernandez, Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor.
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The moves leave Granderson, Farmer, Luis Avilan, Pedro Baez, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brock Stewart on the traveling taxi squad (inactive but on-site if an injury replacement is needed).
Assuming McCarthy is healthy, he can be a weapon out of the pen.
Brandon McCarthy is on World Series roster. Curtis Granderson is NOT on the roster. I wonder if McCarthy is on because of the heat, or as a hedge for Wood.
Oh how the times change stat: only TWO (2) LHP on the Astros WS roster.
Also, great Plunkett article on the analytical departments of the Astros and Dodgers:
Open on www.ocregister.comhttp://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/23/dodgers-vs-astros-is-a-world-series-built-for-the-information-age/“You should know there are at least a half a dozen, maybe 10 teams that are all in on analytics,” says Dodgers team president and CEO Stan Kasten. “Most of the teams in the playoffs were those kind of teams.”
Players who come to the Dodgers from other organizations recognize the difference.
“Just the sheer numbers as far as the bodies, the staff that is analytically-driven,” says Dodgers reliever Tony Watson who spent 6-1/2 seasons with the analytically-open Pittsburgh Pirates before joining the Dodgers this summer. “Then I later found out it’s the largest R & D in baseball. … Coming from Pittsburgh, it’s definitely bigger. That’s the focus. And it works. The numbers don’t lie.”
Seager and McCarthy on with Farmer and Granderson off.
Arguably, the last four postseasons and the failures in them rest entirely on Kershaw’s shoulders. This year, he has a chance to redeem himself, postseason, on the biggest stage of his career. He has all the advantages: home field, rest, etc. No excuses for game 1. I expect him the pitch a 9 inning complete game shutout allowing about 5 hits in a 2-0 win. With about 110 pitches. Anything less should dampen the Koufax comparisons. I am tired of waiting for him to show up in the postseason. As great as he is in the regular season, his career in the mainstream will be defined by his postseason success. It will be about time for him and his team.
The Dodgers just announced that Corey Seager is on the roster and likely will start tonight.
By the way, I don’t feel a WS loss would in any way diminish the great achievements the Dodgers accomplished this season. No way no how. It’s been a great season for the Dodger franchise. All though I wish the Dodgers could become a team for all Americans. The way they were when they allowed Jackie Robinson to pave the way for racial diversity in MLB and America. It just takes a voice.
Smith is one of those kind of catchers that any offense he provides is just gravy to his outstanding defensive abilities. His good hitting in the minors is a good sign we could have an outstanding all star caliber all around great catcher soon. However if Keibert keeps raking it’s gonna be a battle. From what info I can gather Keiberts arm needs development. If he ends up being the MLB hitter everyone says he could gonna be hard keeping him out of the starting lineup.
The Dodgers ERA is amazing. I hope that translates to pitching domination by the Dodgers. I feel that it will by the force of the way they have put the stopper on the Snakes and Cubs, 2 strong hitting clubs. Still have that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach though.
I feel pretty confident , should be a great Series! Game 1 favors the Blue, Keuchel can be hit if they lay off pitches out of the zone. Verlander is a different animal, guys like Utley or Granderson and Ethier will not likely hit his fastball. I am curious how the final roster looks. Darvish has a big advantage over Morton or McCullers in game 3. This could be a see saw Series between 2 pretty even teams. The Dodgers have to consistently get to their bullpen. Verlander has no trouble going over 100 pitches, the rest not so much. AGon should be around for the big games, at least the ones at home, there may be something there we don’t know about. I don’t want to get to game 6 and see Verlander again. Dodgers in 5 (best case) Dodgers in 7 if they can’t figure out Verlander.
It’s been a long time coming for this moment….time to just get it done.
go Dodgers…..guys just enjoy the games, it is a party..We have a great players, a warriors,,stand by them
Nervous time kids! I”ll be at the park by 3pm today. Look for me. Ill be the Indian guy praying all night, dropping down and doing pushups to stay calm, and popping blood pressure pills every 2 innings,
Well this is it, and although I’m a little apprehensive, I can’t wait to get started.
I have a feeling that home field advantage is gonna be very important.
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Good luck everyone.