The Art of War
Last night, the Dodgers did not pull out all the stops to try to win the World Series in New York. After winning three World Series games in a row, the Dodgers elected not to use any of their high-leverage pitchers in a bullpen game. Instead, they elected to use Casparius…
Last night, the Dodgers did not pull out all the stops to try to win the World Series in New York. After winning three World Series games in a row, the Dodgers elected not to use any of their high-leverage pitchers in a bullpen game. Instead, they elected to use Casparius, Hudson, Knack, and Honeywell. Casparius and Knack fairly acquitted themselves, but Hudson and Knack were a disaster! I’m OK with that.
The book “The Arty of War” by Sun Tzu has as it’s central metaphor, “water.” Sun Zzu wrote this:
“A military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape. The ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.”
— Sun Tzu
Oliver Goldsmith wrote this:
“He who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day;
But he who is battle slain
Can never rise to fight again.”
Tomorrow, they have Jack Flaherty going against Gerrit Cole and they also have the following pitchers available for 1-2 innings of work:
- Banda
- Brasier
- Graterol
- Kopech
- Treinen
- Vesia
Flaherty needs to just air it out for however long he can and then turn it over to a rested bullpen of high-leverage closers. It would be nice to close it out in LA, but why wait? Do it now! Last night, was calculated by the Dodger Brass. Their high leverage relievers are rested and ready. That is the plan… now they have to execute!
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (78)
Disagree, not disagreeable
In response to Dodgerpatch:
I guess it depends upon your perspective.
Casparius did a great job, and then Hudson imploded. If Hudson had been nails, I think the script would have been flipped.
We will never know…
Tonight is the night for Shohei to rise to the occasion and have his name added to the other MLB legends. Come on, Dodgers, let’s do it tonight!
If the Dodgers win tonight, it’s over; if they lose tonight, it’s over!
8:08 PM ET FOX
Dodgers (98-64) 3-1
Yankees (94-68) 1-3
SP Jack Flaherty R
13-7 3.17 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
LF T. Hernandez R
3B Max Muncy L
CF E. Hernandez R
SS Tommy Edman S
C Will Smith R
2B Gavin Lux L
SP Gerrit Cole R
8-5 3.41 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B G. Torres R
RF Juan Soto L
CF Aaron Judge R
3B J. Chisholm L
DH G. Stanton R
1B A. Rizzo L
SS A. Volpe R
C Austin Wells L
LF Alex Verdugo L
68° Wind 8 mph R-L
Max, how about showing up tonight and participating in the offense!
Actually I would quibble with the Sun Tzu comparison you made. I don’t think the Dodgers were being fluid or adapting gracefully to changing conditions, which is, as I interpret that reference, the meaning of that quote. To the contrary, they were sticking to the script. It was decided beforehand it was a low leverage game, so the plan was to save their higher leverage pitchers for the next game.
Not a bad plan. It’s strategically smart. It does come with downsides, however.
“Tanking” or conceding a game can become contagious. A lack of urgency runs the risk of carrying over into those times were a sense of urgency is vital.
Now the Dodgers just gave the Yankees a ray of hope. With Cole on the mound, they could easily take the next game, then it’s 3-2. Now it’s safe to get nervous.
Don’t be complacent.
BTW, did Jeff Dominique become an architect suddenly or did he just quit?
Hoping to see the Max from Mets series again, not that guy up there now
I always wondered how a boy named Szu could write the Art of War.
Great read.
Book em
Sometimes you lose a battle to win a WAR.
NBD, 3 games to win 1.
Those NY fans are A HOLES
Fairly acquitted himself? I may be a Knack hack but 4 innings 2 hits 1run 56 pitches in the World Series against the Yankees? Sounds masterful to me. Ok I’ll give you that he came in down 5. Low pressure. But knocking down those 4 innings was big.
Book em
See also, Why run down the hill to kill one animal when you can walk down and kill them all?