Slip Slidin Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anMTZjVsL8 The nearer your destination, the more you re slip slidin away! Being down 2-0 in the World Series is not indicative of anything except that you are two games away from being swept. I guess we are not surprised. It s been this way throughout the season these guys can look horrible and then come back the next game and score 15 runs. Somehow, I don t think that is going
The nearer your destination, the more you’re slip slidin’ away! Being down 2-0 in the World Series is not indicative of anything… except that you are two games away from being swept. I guess we are not surprised. It’s been this way throughout the season – these guys can look horrible and then come back the next game and score 15 runs. Somehow, I don’t think that is going to happen with the flamethrowers in the Red Sox’ pen.
Some will say “That’s the way this team was built,” but I think it’s more how the “team came together.” Roger Askew wrote a comment last night that almost mirrored something I wrote for todays blog:
Once again, and we have all talked about it for months, we hit Yaboes, we are not a station to station team. The Red Sox are exposing us for what we are, either all or nothing. To tell you the truth, I have peace with that. I have to respect Boston and their approach, and am envious of that. They move the runners over from base to base, and are deadly with two outs. They are playing the way that most of us have bitched about this whole season , how we want th e Dodgers to play, pass the baton, pass the baton. I don’t lay this at Doc’s feet, he is playing with the cards that are dealt him. I have total faith in FAZ, but we have met a team that does the little things very well, and player for player, we have more talent and a way better bench than they have, but Boston get’s it done, and I can’t even believe that I am posting this, because I come from the 1980’s Lakers Celtics wars, where I hate everything Boston. Hopefully we come out on top, but I think FAZ may rethink their overall philosophy in 2019 going forward. Strikeouts may be a sabermetric shrug, but in the World Series where every at bat it crucial, it amounts to nothing.
I wrote:
“The Dodgers have too many of the same player: Grandal, Hernandez, Taylor, Kemp, Puig, Pederson, Bellinger and Muncy… guys who all strikeout an inordinate amount. This prevents them from sustaining rallies and is all-or-nothing. If you look at the team stats, they are not that far apart. The Dodgers strike out a little more each game (like 1.1 times more) while the OB% of each team is close (.339 verses .333 for LA). The biggest difference is OPS which is .792 for Boston verses .774 for LA and batting average. Boston hit .268 as a team, while the Dodgers hit .250. It’s not so much the home runs – Boston hit 208 while LA had 235. It’s simply making more contact and delivering when runners are in scoring position. The Dodgers hit .253 as a team with RISP while Boston hits .289 and has an OPS a .132 points higher!
Some of those All-or-Nothing guys will be gone next year, replaced with guys like Verdugo or Lux, who have on-base skills. Grandal is a free agent and Kemp is experiencing regression to the mean, but some of the rest will either have to evolve or be traded. However, that’s a discussion for another day. They have a World Series to win here.“
Back to reality: The Dodgers were sloppy defensively in Game 1, but corrected that is Game 2. Ryu was rolling along when, with two outs, he just suddenly lost it. At the time, I did not think Madson was a bad choice to come in with the bases loaded and 1 out, but right about now, everything Doc does is wrong… even if it’s right.
I think a few things need to happen:
- Put Chris Taylor back at leadoff and forget Dozier – he just does not have it! The Dodgers did best with CT3 leading off in the Milwaukee series.
- CT3, Turner, Freese and Machado should start every game #1 – #4, unless a RH is pitching in which case, Joc leads off.
- Whatever was eating Yasmani, you have to hope is gone. The Dodgers can’t win with Barnes at C. Grandal has to start and if he implodes, so be it, but I think he is due… Also, Barnes can’t control the running game. Grandal was solid all year… all you can do it hope…
- Muncy has to be in there every game…. probably at 2B. Live with it.
They have a day off and then Buehler and Hill need to do their thing and tie up the series. It’s that simple… or it’s slip slidin’ away!
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Discussion (43)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Lots of great comments today, agree with almost everything written. Game 1 the ump had a tight zone and when Kershaw had to catch more of the plate they hit it and his defense also let him down. But the biggest issue was pulling Baez for no reason and the game was effectively over. Game 2 was lost before the 1st pitch by starting Ryu and trotting out the same lineup the Sox had already figured out how to attack. Ryu melted down after not getting a call and was done so quickly Doc couldn’t get anyone warmed up fast enough. Maybe a couple mound visits or a challenge-anything to get a reliever ready-crap fake an injury. But in both games almost every RH hitter was aiming for the Monster and on pitches away kept rolling over and hitting weak ground balls or striking out. If the pitch is outside take it to RF with an added bonus of beating the shifts. Muncy struggles with breaking balls, that’s what they threw him. Most of the team can’t hit a good heater so that’s what they get. They are pull happy so they get pitched away and they hit right into the shift anyway. Playing Dozier and Kike and Barnes twice after they pooped the bed the 1st game is felony stupid. It’s not just posters on this board, Doc is getting called out all across baseball. And yet they are still in it but need to sweep all 3 at home which is possible but unlikely. Heads should roll if they bow out early but they probably won’t. Madson would not even be on the roster if the brain trust acquired one of the many quality bullpen arms moved at the deadline instead of dumpster diving. I love my Dodgers but am really disappointed in their play so far and in how the team is being managed.
It’s pretty easy to play Monday morning quarterback. Making all the right calls after all the wrong moves are made and the game is over.
But the fact is most of the right moves have been consistently made and called for on this site time and time again before the wrong moves were made.
Yes players need to execute, no question. But some of these WS decisions have put players in positions to fail.
There have been several excellent assessments of what a winning formula looks like. And it has been repeated often.
Someone higher up than Doc isn’t particularlyinterested in that formula.
Watching the Red Sox play the game is pretty exciting, if you like baseball.
It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers adjust in the next few games or if we continue with our HR or bust attitude. Boston and Houston have shown us how to do it. Will we adjust now or even next year. They do not value players like Verdugo and Toles. The Dodgers have played small ball at times this year and they looked good doing it. So, they can do it.
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I believe the Dodgers can still win but they must change their approach. I love reading the comments on this board. We are all saying the same thing. If FAZ and Doc are smart, and I think they are, they will change. If not, then we will be lost until a change is made. Right now, this team was built to win the regular season, but not the play offs. This HR or bust does not cut it in the play offs.